Kenji is a weird one. Honestly, when he first dropped, everyone tried to play him like Mortis 2.0 or a Bibi clone. They were wrong. He's this strange, high-sustain hybrid that feels more like a relentless mosquito than a burst assassin. If you're just spamming the auto-aim button, you're basically throwing.
Getting the right Brawl Stars Kenji build is about leaning into his survivability. You aren't there to one-shot a Frank. You're there to dance around the enemy, healing off every swing, and becoming an unkillable nuisance.
The Core Build: Nigiri Nemesis and Beyond
If you want to actually win with Kenji, you need to understand that his Star Powers aren't created equal. Most "expert" guides will tell you to swap depending on the map.
Kinda.
But for 90% of your games, there is one clear winner.
The Star Power Choice
You've got Nigiri Nemesis and Studied the Blade.
Nigiri Nemesis is the gold standard. It gives you a massive 60% damage reduction (it used to be 90% at launch, but let's be real, that was broken) after not taking damage for five seconds. In the 2026 meta, where burst damage from brawlers like Clancy or Moe is everywhere, that shield is the only reason you'll survive the initial gap-close.
Studied the Blade extends your Super range by 30%. It’s okay for sniping kills in Knockout, but Kenji’s Super, Slashimi, is already huge. You don't usually need the extra distance; you need to not die before you can even charge it.
Gadgets: The "Panic Button" vs. The Mobility Hack
This is where people get tripped up.
- Hosomaki Healing: This is the meta pick. It restores 50% of the damage you took in the last three seconds. Since Kenji is a "sustain" brawler who lives in the thick of it, this is essentially a second life. You jump in, take a massive hit, pop the gadget, and you're suddenly back at full health while the enemy is reloading.
- Dashi Dash: It forces your attacks to only be dashes for three seconds. It’s fun for Brawl Ball highlights, but in a serious match, you lose too much damage. You need those slashes to actually kill anything.
Setting Up Your Gears
Don't overthink this. Kenji is an assassin-sustain hybrid. He needs to move fast and hit hard.
Damage Gear is mandatory. Because Kenji’s base damage is a bit lower than other assassins (1000 for dash, 2000 for slash), he needs that 15% boost when he's below half health. Since you’ll be hovering at low HP often—relying on your healing trait to stay alive—this gear is active almost constantly.
For your second slot, go with Speed Gear if there’s even a single patch of grass on the map. Kenji is already "Very Fast," but in bushes, he becomes a ghost. If the map is wide open (which, why are you playing Kenji there?), take Shield Gear for the extra 900 HP buffer.
Some players swear by the Gadget Charge Gear. If you find yourself relying heavily on Hosomaki Healing to survive bad engagements, it’s a solid alternative.
Mastering the "Dash & Slash" Rhythm
Kenji’s main attack alternates. Dash first, then Slash.
It sounds simple, but it's the hardest part of the Brawl Stars Kenji build to master. You have to treat the dash as your positioning tool and the slash as your primary source of healing and damage.
The Cycle:
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- Dash to dodge a projectile or close the gap.
- Slash to hit multiple targets (150-degree spread!) and heal for 700 HP per hit.
- Super when you're about to be burst down.
One thing most players miss: Kenji is invincible during his Super. Use it to dodge a Shelly Super or a Piper shot. You don't even have to hit them; sometimes using it just to stay alive for two seconds while your teammates rotate is the winning play.
Matchups You Should Avoid
Kenji is a beast, but he isn't a god. Stay away from Surge. He will jump your dash and burst you before you can heal. Clancy is also a nightmare once he hits Stage 3; he'll delete you faster than your gadget can react.
On the flip side, you absolutely farm brawlers like Dynamike, Tick, and Frank. You can dash through their slow attacks and use your Super to iframe through their big crowd-control moves.
Actionable Next Steps for Rank 30
If you're serious about pushing Kenji, stop playing him in Heist. He's terrible there. His damage against the safe is pathetic because he can't heal off it.
- Practice the Dash-Back: When an Edgar or Mortis jumps on you, dash away first, then turn around for the slash. The slash has more range than you think.
- Loadout Check: Ensure you have Nigiri Nemesis and Hosomaki Healing equipped.
- Queue into Brawl Ball or Solo Showdown: These are his best modes. In Showdown, his sustain lets him outlast people in the poison. In Brawl Ball, his Super can be used to "teleport" through defenses while holding the ball.
- Watch the Red Bar: When using Hosomaki Healing, look for the red transparent bar on your health. That's how much you'll heal. Wait for it to be large before clicking the button.
Mastering Kenji isn't about being the fastest. It's about being the smartest person in the arena who refuses to die.