Blanka Master Guide: Match-ups, Combos, Option Selects and More

Classic Fighting Games Ultra Street Fighter IV
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I wrote an ibuki post somewhere within the last several months.

I think blanka really controlls the ground in that match, the usualls, standing jab, low fp, stand str, low strong, rh, etc.

If you are having problems on the grounds, its likely due to 2 things. 1: You’re letting ibuki jump at you, which is possible. 2: More likely, you are in the range of that kicky thingy special move, so she does like low jab, standing mk(i think), cancel into that special kick move. Sometimes the kick move will be all blockable standing, sometimes they and with a low sweep. Regardless, for all version of that move, they can all be interrupted during the cancel from the normal move to the special with an ex upball. Also, the last hit of the special move kick string can be focused, so you can do some damage and realign spacing. The japanese are very very effective at using focus to get out of ibuki’s stupid kick strings. There was a daigo ft10 set a year or 2 ago, where he showed a lot of possiblities. A lot of other high level play vs ibuki would also show you what you can do against those kicks.

Other than that, the only normal you really need to think twice about is I think her low strong (low fp?) its the one thats straight low poke that can be cancelled into the neckbreaker. Regardless, the low mp is 8 frame startup, low fp is 9 frame startup. Blanka totally has the tools to deal with them (standing fp ftw), just try not to let your low fp get interrupted by it, cuz that leads to the neckbreaker, unblockable setups, and dirty nasty poop.

Hope this helps.

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so after that s.MK xx Leg kicks i can interupt it? Oh that is really good info actually. yes it’s #2 for sure. I’ll adjust stuff.

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I don’t know if s.MK xx Tsumuji (the leg kicks) is a true blockstring, but the optional last hit, either standing or crouching (sweep), isn’t.

So you can hit her with an EX-Upball before the third kick. But be careful, since the opponent may bait you by not doing the last kick and you’ll be punished hard for a blocked upball

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It’s also possible i was tired. I think i stay up too late playing and i have 0 reactions. either way i’m gonna test out some punishes for those strings.

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The best, safest thing to do is just focus attack backdash the last hit of the kicks. Whats most important in the situations where ibuki is doing the kick attack on you, is to reset spacing. Upball will do damage, and it will likely work once or twice, but if the opponent is quality, they will adapt quickly. Alternatively, the focus attack backdash is relatively safe, does a little bit of damage, and gets her out of your face.

Also, you should ask why is ibuki getting so close to you? Standing stand and low jab and low rh are really really good at keeping her away. The spacing on standing jab is really perfect, it also hits her out of her overhead, and you can throw it out pretty recklessly because there isnt too much she can do to u.

In testing out the standing jab distance, i found that sometimes ibuki will try to slide under it to punish, but if you are close enough, even on hit blanka can still punish the slide., so literally, getting in ibuki’s face and slapping her with jab, getting into kara throw range etc, can really frustrate the ibuki.

If she jumps, use jump fierce in response. I have found that for the most part, ground anti-airs are just not worth it, her jump arc is really large (making it easy to punish with jump fierce), and if you screw up a jump fierce anti air, your not in a lot of trouble, but if you screw up like a low strong anti-air, you are in serious trouble.

Honestly, I love this match. I keep trying to make our local ibuki player better. He is smart, just he really really really hates the blanka match, regardless of the pointers I give him. I am pretty aggressive in the match though.

Finally, when ibuki first came out in super, I did lose quite a bit to her. I never played third strike, and the character was rather foreign. However, once I had a significant number of matches, and played a really long set against just ibuki, I realized that blanka simply zones the shit out of her, can be really aggressive on knockdowns, and must do everything to avoid being knocked down. If you are too passive, ibuki will control the flow of the match, and yer toast. When i say play zoning, I mean staying in the right positions where your moves have better reach and priority than hers, and when that footsying gives you the knockdown or attack opportunity, lay into her with as many jab~elec mixups as you can.

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k good i think it’s just matchup knowledge on why i’m losing. i will try this stuff out.

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Yea, with both people knowing the matchup, I think the match is very very even.
Blanka controlls the ground game, ibuki has the vortex. If blanka screws up, he can lose the round. If blanka stays steady and keeps his head, he can just stop ibuki at all her advances. You just have to learn how to stop her offense, your normals and electricity are good enough, just gotta learn how they work.

Im trying to remember the Taku/Ibuki matchup i posted the other day. I havent seen it in about 24 hours, but he was a little more passive aggressive than I am. But the overall match play seemed very similar as I described earlier. I just like to get in everyones face and bash on standing jap. :smiley:

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Was gonna start the video version of this, but with the patch incoming I don’t really think it’s worth it cause Blanka could change drastically. However I’m gonna make some small tech vids soon once I figure out some better ways to record AE PC. I made a few but the quality isn’t what I want.

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edit: thought this was SFxT forums, whoops

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how do you beat opponent’s grab after a surprise forward without using tech-throw?. I’m having a hard time to trying get the st.lp xx HP electricity after the hop because of the grab threats.

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just don’t randomly hop into somebody. getting thrown is the best case vs good players.
you will eat a full combo vs decent players.

vs bad players or after you didn’t do it once in the 3 matches before vs good players it might work to throw him or to cancel a normal into elec.

but to answer your question: if you hop into somebody even after you canceled a normal with hop, you are at a huge frame disadvantage. that means you cant beat getting thrown. you can only get lucky .

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While Veserius’ quote should explain this for you, to clarify whenever you do a hop, even when cancelled from a normal you are at serious frame disadvantage. The reason you can’t get st.lp xx hp.elec is because the throw will hit you before you can do anything. This is usually techable but your opponent can do far worse than throw you after a hop. They can do any fast normal and start a full grounded combo as a punish. Hops are bad. They have their place, and they can work as a risk, but objectively speaking, they’re bad.

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First hour of USFIV Training Mode:

(damage / stun)
All starting from:
j.hk cr.mk cr.mk xx hk.up ball RFADC

cr.mk xx h.elec = 435 / 670
cr.mk cr.mk xx h.ball = 440 / 680
cr.mk U1 = 492 / - (raw Ultra seems hard cos of the hitstop - has different timing to regular dash ultra)
U2 = 520 / -

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Just wondering how well blanka does against Rose/Poison? trying to pick up a Alt character cause 8-2s and 7-3s aint fun.

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Blanka beats Poison, and is evenish vs. Rose.

Of Deejay’s other bad matchups I’d say he’s good vs. sim and guile, but other than that, not so promising.

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sim and guile i can deal with as DJ, but rose/poison he just doesn’t have the buttons, plus they have the meter advantage. problem with trying to learn blanka is no one sticks around the room after a match. who do you use for elena btw? cause that one might be close to 9-1 with healing.

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I don’t have a good character for her.

She 8-2’s blanka, maybe 6.5-3.5 vs. Decapre.

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Well alright thanks for the info.

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