The Taikyoku series is a series of kata in use in several types of karate. "Taikyoku" is translate as "first course" or "basic ultimate." The Taikyoku kata were developed by Gichin Funakoshi as a way to simplify the principles of the already simplified Pinan/Heian series. The embusen, or pattern of the kata's movements, are the same as in Heian shodan. Students of karate systems that use the taikyoku kata series are often introduced to them first, as a preparation for the Pinan/Heian kata. Goju-ryu developed five of its own Taikyoku katas, based on the Shotokan katas and retaining the H-shaped embusen.