Nationwide Contest - Random AI?

[DUTCH865]

ok right now I'm battling with Ittosai "Judge" Ito. I'm currently 7-Dan with 71W & 79L & 38 instant kills. He's got:
Spheres
7 Health
7 Stamina
6 Attack
3 Defense
AI traits
Early Attack
Horizontal Kumitachi (R)
Untouchable Light
Inashi
Soku-giri
Kuzushi While Running
Kuzushi During Inashi
Avoids Soku-giri
Stance Change moves
Kumitachi Demon
Slices Thru Air
Pushes Back from the Edge
Eye of God
Weak to Jubei
A Sheltered Life

Although he's got 38 instant kills, he's probably been instant killed 50 out of those 79 losses. Out of those, probably 10 or 15 of my losses were shutouts where he didn't even land a single blow. He's even had 2 NO CONTESTS where both AIs basically wandered around the screen & shuffled in place for about 3 min.

With all those awesome AI traits & 23 out of 24 possible spheres, how can he suck so badly? I was expecting to get up to 9-Dan no problem... & he'd already have it now except he can't put together solid win streaks. I was ranked in the top 10% with only 20 wins or so, but then he suffers 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 game losing streaks hahah.

the MOST annoying part is when he's got the opponent down to 0 stamina, enters kumitachi, throws him against the railing, & does NOTHING. that has happened more times than I can count.

Well my whole point is, with all this nonsense its almost like these AI battles have an element of randomness.... anyone else feel that way?

[DUTCH865]

UPDATE:
as of this writing, I'm now

• 223W 268L
• 123 instant kills
• 44 points, 1443 rank
• & still 7-Dan....

[eohjay]

I'm *thinking* the leaderboard is around 5000 players large. I noticed I was rank 4770 when I started a new player with a 0/0 record. So,to get to 8th Dan you need to be in the Top 10%, which would be roughly rank 500 or above. This is mostly a guess, though,as I don't know the exact leaderboard size. I doubt you'll be able to rank up that much with that character still,I notice mine peak out about the time they drop down to a .5 ratio. I'd play through the game again and try with a new character, if I were you. I'm currently trying to reach 8th Dan as well. If I get it I'll let you know what rank I was when I hit it.

edit: I hit 8th Dan. It took me until my 60th win to get up high enough, though >.>
I didn't have it when I was rank 488, which I found surprising. I thought that would be low enough. However, when I hit 458 I gnabbed it. So, the leaderboard is somewhere between 4580 and 4880 players larger. Don't know if I'll make it to 9th Dan :/

[Shifty141]

im 9th dan, its roughly in the top 250.