I dont know if I’d say its absurdly fast. You have more time than you’d think.
… “Best Makoto on the West Coast” and I STILLmanage to royally FUBAR Fierce xx SA 2 more than half the time. Pah.
Because of the way some joysticks are cramped next to the buttons, I sometimes can’t get my wrist to do QCF x2 that quickly if my character is Facing Right, so I end up scrubbing out and doing a 360+90 motion starting from Down, or I hold it Japanese-style (hold it from the top instead of from the side.) Truth be told, I’ve never, EVER missed that combo on a Japanese stick, even though they feel as weird as hell to me.
—Notice—
I might be putting some of these training assignments into my faqs, a throwback to EX+Alpha’s training mode, because that was probably the coolest thing about an otherwise horribly broken game. 
Here’s everyone’s assignment for this week, class.
-Advanced Class-
SA 1: On Random Guard mode for the CPU: Strong, and then SA 1 OR Choke, depending on if the opponent was hit or blocked the Strong.
SA 2: Choke, Fierce xx SA 2, dash, LATE Fierce Uppercut, j.Short, EX Uppercut.
-Intermediate Class-
SA 1: On Random Guard mode for the CPU: C.Forward, SA 1. Repeat until 10x successes in a row.
SA 2: Choke, Fierce xx SA 2, j.Short (don’t superjump, just hold twd+up on the joystick until Makoto jumps), kara-EX Uppercut.
*Kara-EX Uppercut is performed by cancelling her Short kick into DP+PP, just in case any newbies were wondering.
-Beginner’s Class-
SA 1: Strong, Short -> Jab Dashpunch (QCF+LP), SA 1.
Dash in, C.Short -> Dashpunch (HOLD PUNCH), cancel it with any kick, Choke grab(HCB+K). Repeat until 5x successes in a row.
Hmm thats comforting to hear at least im not the only one that misses that combo from time to time >) One thing that did help my execution on this move is holding back during the choke, as soon as you tap fierce make a hcf, go back to neutral, qcf K. This is the easiest way i have found to do it. Of course it has to be done fast but its easy with a lil practice. Anyone else do it slightly diffrently?
need help with kara
I just switched to Makoto and i heard you guys say a lot about kara-cancelling short into karakusa.
questions:
I know that kara-cancel means cancelling the first few frames of move, right?? but a short is too fast for me… so how do i do the joystick/button motion to do a kara-kara?
how do i if i’m doing it right?
same with kara-EX DP
thx
need help with kara
This particular kara is unlike any other in the game. In this case you aren’t canceling the move within a certain amount of frames, instead you are canceling the s.short right when it extends the most. The s.short will completely come out, giving the short it’s normal hitting frames. Which means if you want the karakusa to connect, you must whiff the short. Therefore the range is very precise. So, if you do it right you’ll see the short come out and Makoto will advance ALOT and grab, DP, chop or even hayate (if that floats your boat).
I’ve found one important use for the Kara-Hayate:
After an axe kick (be it EX or Short/Forward) vs an airborne opponent, it’s often way too far to reach them with a Fierce Hayate afterwards. Karacancel reaches just fine, though.
Also, from full screen, people like to parry EX Hayates. So whiff the Short and fake them out.
timing on SAI
ok, I was messing around and I found the best way for -me- to link SAI after Hayate…
As you all know, when you execute a Hayate she will say “waaahtaaah!” or something to that effect. To link SAI, press whatever punch you are using to execute SAI just as she ays “…tah!” in “waaahtaaah!”. It is also approxamtley just when she pulls her fist back after a Hayate (maybe a milisecond before she pulls her fist back but roughly the same time).
It is kind of an odd way of getting the timing down, but once you try it out you will get on a roll.
Unfourtnantley I am on DC pads (I am letting my friend borrow my agetec stick) so the SAI didnt come out sometimes becuase I suck on pad, but over all it was pretty consistant.
hope this helps.
edit: also, I saw someone was having trouble against hugo. dont forget how deadly makotos standing med. kick is against ppl jumping in, esspicly Hugo. Many Hugo players I know LOVE to jump in or just genreally fly across the screen. Her standing med. kick seemed to stop him in every instance.
and just for the record, I tend to use SAII against shotos and SAI against everyone else.
Re: need help with kara
thx!!! i got it now!!
so it’s more like a whiff-cancel 
I was the one having trouble against Hugo, and I use plenty of c.MK, but now when I have the opportunity to, I link her SAI right after it. It works a bit for the fear factor actually.
Still, it’s just the way Hugo can catch me with whatever grab or throw he’s got in his aresenal that pesters me so. I’m very much afraid when playing against him, and at times just run away. One parried dash punch can lead to certain doom, and that’s enough for me to turtle with a gal that has no skill in doing so.
what’s the timing of the jump short? early, middle or late?
eh, you can turtle w/ her against hugo. you almost have to. remeber her s.mk and c.rh are awesome anti airs. just mix it up a little bit. an EX Hayate goes a long way if timed right. make use of her dash and her forward round house fake out. (forward + rh and hold rh) fake out enough and you can pop a couple EX Hayates on most Hugo players no problem. Just keep him away w/ the standing mk and c rh. c. short stops alot of shit too, so dont forget about that. c.short into SAI is deadly.
this is from my expreince. I know a really good Hugo player and these tactics work pretty well. DO NOT risk her command throw though. I hardly EVER try for it against hugo.
if you’re feeling risky try to catch him on his way down w/ an axe kick and juggle him w/ a hayate.
for me its ALL about mind games w/ hugo. I have to change my game almost completley every time i play against him. :bluu:
Hmm. Try baiting him into poking at you so you can dash up karakusa. Theres a certain distance you like to keep with Mak, just keep your optimum distance and stay outside his grab range. I highly suggest you use SA2 also. You need the EX meter for that big focker. I play against a Hugo a lot and a grab or 2 goes a long way. Dont run away, it doesnt suit her at all >)
Thanks for the advice you two, I’ll try both of your suggested methods out.
in my experince its hard as shit to get a karakusa on a good hugo player. all of his throws seem to have priority over karakusa.
It IS hard as shit, thats why you have to bait out some normals so you can dash in as he recovers and grab him.
Can someone give some makoto vs Urien tips?
Those unblockables are too cheap.
Are you kidding? That should be an unwinnable match for Urien. Ugg, it makes me upset thinking about it.
Ok, the main idear is, KARAKUSA. Dash in, karakusa. Tick, Karakusa. Karakusa, attack, karakusa again. Urien’s pokes are mad slow, and most of them are high. Pressure him over and over, mix it up, and keep grabbing him and making him sad.
The EX otg Axe kick is also a huge pain, as Urien’s so goddamn tall. You can really axe kick all you want, not much to be done about it. Really, though, most of your time is spent karakusa’ing. Unless he’s reading your mind five seconds BEFORE you do anything, there’s really nothing to be done about it. Even when you see the karakusa coming, you have little choice too much of the time. You can karakusa tackles, you can do it through pokes, you can walk under a headbutt and kara again. It’s upsetting to watch.
Seriously, Urien should never win this match, outside of user error.
N
Thongboy: I feel your pain Your only hope is to standing fierce her dash on reaction and ummm dont stay on the ground to long cuz its only a matter of time before you get snatched up.
I see Niles has been playing against Adolfo recently. 
-Sk!
P.S- YA DAMN RIGHT!
sniff yeah. I didn’t start crying until the second hour or so of beatdowns, though.
Improved my Tweleve (Official Capcom Spelling!) game a thousandfold though. I rule.
N
PS: Twelve pwnz Makoto like whut!