Does anyone know of an answer to Akuma’s Air Fireballs? I had a set against an Akuma player today and was absolutely raped by them.
Situation:
Fullscreen, Akuma throws air fireball. I focus though and dash in.
3/4 screen, Akuma throws air fireball. Again, focus though and dash in.
From 1/2 screen onwards, I feel like I can’t do nothing. If I focus through, I’ll get hit by S.HK or any other of his normals. I can’t hazanshu over them and if I walk through I just get counterhit into a combo. He doesn’t air fireball at close range because I can sweep that shit.
Once I did get him cornered, it was pretty good until he got out. I tried to option select with hazanshu but either I wasn’t doing it fast enough or I just can’t catch the teleport.
How do you guys deal with this matchup? I can do ok with footsies aside from being weary of an odd DP, but I really can’t seem to lock down Akuma or zone him out. I’ll try and post some vids soon but honestly, it wasn’t pretty.
Adopt a forward movement gameplan, and you’ll find yourself close enough to always trip him when he does an air fireball. Ex fireballs are a different cattle of fish to deal with. Even if the fireball is low, take the trade. It works out more in your favour anyway.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about teleports. You can u1 punish it if you read it well enough if they teleport away towards the corner or mid screen, or you can also s.mp xx ex.legs if they teleport away from the corner.
Most Chuns struggle in this matchup including myself.
You could use f+mk to inch a little closer, but don’t really depend on that. Just be really patiend and try your best not to get knocked down so as not to deal with demon flip shenanigans. By virtue of his dp/teleport, I don’t think you can really pin him… it’s all about outliving him and not getting knockdown in this matchup, I think.
cLK, cLK, EX Legs is not a true combo.
cLK, cLP, cMK, EX Legs works… Safejump with jHK. k.
So, what now?
Blanka Ball not punishable except with U1.
k.
No U1, free Pressure for Blanka?
Choose between: Focus Slide or eat Blanka Ball. Wait for him to approach, oh no, he jumps like a mad man with his command hop.
Crossup, electro, jump, electro, …
Blanka’s way to win is really… PLAY STUPID.
I lose to the worst Blankas. I can’t keep pressure on or space him correctly.
How do you do against the green Troll from Brazil?
cr. lk x n into ex legs doesn’t work on Blanka for hitbox reasons but it is a combo. Use cr. lk cr. lp cr. mp ex legs like you mentioned. Use your stand and crouch jabs to stuff Blanka balls before they get to you as a general strategy.
Look at about 1:25 on, I haven’t practiced the Blanka matchup since AE, but you probably even have more options here with non jab/ex balls.
I used to have a massive problem with Blanka (still kinda do) but what’s helped me: Turtle and turtle HARD. Seriously. Get a life lead and make him come to you. Try and play the footsie game with him and don’t let him get charge. You can punish alot of the things he does, i.e Blanka ball with U1 (gotta delay it slightly) Electricity loses to Sweep, etc. Check the 1st post for some good information. But my main advice is take it easy and punish the stuff he does. It’s an annoying match up but hey, Blanka was made to be annoying.
Edit: Or C.MK. Sweep seems to work at near max range, though.
Thanks for the input.
After KND a (late) c.mk Tech would be viable to keep pressure? + EX Legs, jHK Safejump, repeat.
Or how do you apply c.mk?
I’d like to beat Blanka with Okizeme, when he’s keeping up his stupid auto-pilot.
I’ll watch the video when I get home.
I try to turtle a lot, but after 20 secs of blocking and teching I get a hit or two - and don’t do any damage, because its really hard to punish him without U1/Super.
Have to PMode against Elec on Block and various Balls. I’ll get back to you, when I have something interesting to share
Blanka should have problems getting in on you… it is a bad match but you can lame him out and without EX Blanka is pretty free on wake up… Also I find that every chance I get I throw him towards the corner… Blanka in the corner or near it can’t do shit to Chun… That’s just my approach though, I like to play the match up pretty lame, try to stay standing as much as possible cos then if you can’t react with jab to stuff balls you can dash forwards after a blocked ball and st.mp him pining him into having to block
Electricity only loses to sweep from far away, if you’re close, sweep trades. However, in my experience I’ve never seen cr.MK or cr.MP lose to electricity, regardless of distance.
But yeah, turtling against Blanka is very effective.
This is me fighting a “high ish” point Blanka near the end of Super, this is kind of how I play the match, however since then I have also started trying to block as many moves high as I possible can… This is my approach to playing Blanka lame, as in you can attack him and pressure him whenever he has no EX…
On another note how do you embed Vids I tried copying the embedded bit but it don’t work… Would just like to know cos I am about to post some vids asking for advice here (well vid thread soon)
