History Main / SpinningPiledriver

Enter the spinning piledriver. In this move, the attacker grabs the opponent in midair, spins rapidly, and slams them headfirst into the ground. That one word makes [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning one hell of a lot of difference]]. To be able to do this variation of the move, it generally follows a LauncherMove, but it's not required.

This is a specific type of MeteorMove, but is distinguished in that the attacker is part of the meteor. [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning While spinning]]. Enough spinning could [[ThisIsADrill make very large holes]] in the ground. Ninjas in media often perform a head-first variant of this move called the ''Izuna Otoshi''[[note]]"Izuna" meaning either a common species of weasel, the location Mt. Izuna, its {{tengu}} deity Izuna-gongen, or the weasel-like ''[[{{Kitsune}} kuda-gitsune]]'' (pipefoxes) said to be [[{{Familiar}} wielded]] by his cult.[[/note]] (alternately ''Izuna Drop''), [[TropeNamer a name originating from]] the protagonist of ''Manga/KamuiGaiden''.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12959721/1/ The Symbol of Peace and Justice]]'', Gohan takes this UpToEleven [[spoiler: using to finish off the Nomu during the USJ attack]] helped by the fact that he can fly.

This is a specific type of MeteorMove, but is distinguished in that the attacker is part of the meteor. [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning While spinning]]. Enough spinning could [[ThisIsADrill make very large holes]] in the ground. Ninjas in media often perform a head-first variant of this move called the ''Izuna Drop''.

* [[TropeCodifier The original Izuna Drop]] was from ''Ninpo Kamui Gaiden'', a.k.a. ''Kamui the Ninja''. He learned the move by watching birds fight and in particular how one bird dove into another bird, bearing it to the ground. He adopted this as his own signature move, though he mostly used it to intercept other ninja mid-jump.

* ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear: [[spoiler: [[BadassGrandpa Fudou]] [[EvilOldFolks Kazanari]] does this on his son Genjuro after punching him in the gut. Its strong enough to temporarily knock out even a BadassNormal like his son.]]

* [[Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling NJPW's]] Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada is known to set up the [[FinishingMove Rainmaker]] with a [[https://i.imgur.com/sfj0wg0.gifv jumping]] [[https://giant.gfycat.com/BountifulBreakableBorer.mp4 spinning]] [[https://i2.wp.com/www.twm.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/OkadaTombstone.gif tombstone]] [[https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ilkKWGjJdEQ/W_GdLOHtyDI/AAAAAAABJwg/KRm0k2OAL20xQhH7jog-xVscCzoiRnTcACLcBGAs/s1600/Spinning%2BTombstone%2BPiledriver.gif piledriver]] every so often.

** In fact, starting in the Wrestling/{{WWE}} video game, ''[[VideoGame/{{WWE}} SmackDown vs. Raw 2009]]'', you can ''create'' a SpinningPiledriver FinishingMove. It's not nearly as cool as Haggar or Zangief's Jushin Liger-style versions, but it's an actual, honest-to-goodness SpinningPiledriver. ''[[VideoGame/{{WWE}} SmackDown vs. Raw 2011]]'' probably has the best version yet, thanks to the new Corner Grapple position in Create-A-Finisher, you can make a top rope Spinning Piledriver.

* Ryu's Izuna Drop in ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'' and ''Franchise/DeadOrAlive''.

* In the Creator/DataEast FightingGame ''Death Brade'', the Werewolf can do this with his LimitBreak, Tornado Crash.

** The Spanish ninja Vega, also from ''SFII'', can execute the Izuna Drop after using his special jump move and landing above his opponents' head.

* In ''[[GundamVsSeries Gundam Vs Gundam NEXT Plus]]'', the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ ZZ Gundam]] has the standard Spinning Piledriver as one of its most damaging moves. The ninja-themed [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Gundam Spiegel]] gets the classic Izuna Drop, while [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Epyon]] has an Izuna Drop performed while in its [[TransformingMecha flight mode]], which is AwesomeButImpractical thanks to the long recovery time afterwards.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': Submission.

Enter the [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning spinning piledriver]]. In this move, the attacker grabs the opponent in midair, spins rapidly, and slams them headfirst into the ground. That one word makes one hell of a lot of difference. To be able to do this variation of the move, it generally follows a LauncherMove, but it's not required.

* The TropeNamer, pictured above: Zangief in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'', who has it as a special throw command. It would later be followed by Mike Haggar from ''VideoGame/FinalFight''. While Mike Haggar used the spinning clothesline first, Zangief developed the spinning piledriver, which Haggar then copied in ''Final Fight 2''. Both versions are the same - Zangief and Haggar grab their opponents, then jump into the air while spinning (which is physically impossible), and slam them down into the ground.

* Nagase in ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters KOF: Maximum Impact 2]]'' copies HattoriHanzo from ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown''[='s=] version.

* [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Hanzo and Galford]] use the Izuna Drop. Galford's version can be done either while dashing, or by his ''dog''.

* [[TropeCodifier The original Izuna Drop]] was from ''Ninpo Kamui Gaiden'', aka ''Kamui the Ninja''. He learned the move by watching birds fight and in particular how one bird dove into another bird, bearing it to the ground. He adopted this as his own signature move, though he mostly used it to intercept other ninja mid-jump.

* One of the variations of [[Manga/SaintSeiya Seiya]]'s]] Pegasus Rolling Crush technique is this. He uses it most memorably against [[spoiler: Lizard Misty]], with fatal results for his rival.