Good question man. Remember Ken does 2 ‘reps’ of Shoryukens on that level 2 super. Let the first rep happen, then cancel the first hit of the second rep, as soon as possible, like it were a normal cancelled to a jab roll. Cancelling instantly rather than a slight delay, gives you the most stun time and sets up your followup perfectly.
What you do after that is really up to you. In the middle of the screen, a fierce shoryuken is really nice cause it does great damage, and sets up Ken’s crazy crossup. If you want to go for trickery, cancel a stand fierce or RH into a strong roll, you land right next to the enemy, you can go for any mixup you can imagine, just make sure you’re pretty sure it’s worth the trouble. Doing this everytimes makes it stale.
In the corner you have an option of level 2-jab roll or whiff short funky kick (gotta delay it slightly, otherwise it’ll hit)-jab shortyuken-level 1 shinryuken, which does hella, but isn’t always neccesary if you want to conserve meters.
My favorite stupid cancel is in the corner level 2-cencel to whiff short funky kick (hcf+short), standing close jab, then jump at them. If they’re asleep they might just eat another whole combo cause it’s “well timed”. Jab recovers fast unlike the fierce.
Oh yeah while everyone knows Ken’s “bread and butter” comboing into the light funky kick, when you dizzy someone, my combo of choice is jump fierce, low strong, HCF=Roundhouse funky kick, cause it knocks down and is less risky than shoryuken combos, although standing shortXX fierce shoryuken is always nice.
Random tips for Ken:
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when doing short short XX level 2, remember to HOLD DOWN the short kick b4 you press strong. You don’t want the awesome short short whiff shinryuken level 1 combo of death.
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want to build meter really fast when far away? Kara cancel low RH into short funky kick over and over at far range. When they get close, do tiger knee backwards air hurricane to ge farther back, then resume building. Then when they try to close in again, superjump towards them and right away air HK, fly over their head across the screen. And of course, when this isn’t safe, low strong will do. Ken always has meter.
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if you’re cornered, and have level 2, look for the opening to land an antiair level 2 shinryuken. Mash with just the kick buttons (don’t move the stick), then as you descend, whiff a short air HK, then you should have THEM cornered, and you get a free juggle hit, either a fierce shoryuken, jab shoryuken (into level 1 if you have it), or the EASIEST followup, which requires no timing, just stand/crouch fierce or RH as the juggle , as it does good damage and you can cencel if you wish, or not. It’s all good since that’s like, level 3 antiair damage for CHEAP.
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Throw out standing shorts at far range sometimes because that move is kind alike the low strong in that it hits so many moves.
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learn the range where low short X 3 will NOT work, but low shortx2-standing short WILL. Stand short you can end you chain with and it has more range than low short. Remember that you can do short short short level ONE super with Ken. It doesn’t do great damage but it will combo from farther than the light funky kick will combo, and level 1 super can’t be quick - recoveried, so it always sets up a crossup attempt, just SUPERJUMP after the level 1 and it’s practically random what side you land on.
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Ken’s far standing fierce is really good against small jumps. And jumpins that are unsafe to shoryuken.
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level 2 shoryureppa is a GOOD anti air super. Cancel the first couple hits with a jab roll then fierce shoryuken. Why is it good? It has way more range then the shinryuken. Ken always has meter so you should just super everyitme you have a chance.
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Ken has a very good okizeme. Most people do not wakeup with a low attack upon getup, so I think that when you gaina knockdown, a good start. is to walk right next to the opp. to make them think you are being very agressive, then right at their reversal point or just before reveral, walk backwards a bit. If they supered (sagat, sakura, etc with low hitting supers, disregard this, block low instead) or uppercut, RC, or throw, it should be blocked or whiffed, and you counter accordingly. If nothing happens, either
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walk up throw
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walk up low shortx2 - super if it hits.
Once they know this is a basic tactic, it makes them more hesitant and careful on wakeup, it open up more options for you. Keep it simple at first, then you can go a little more creative.
Low short - throw or low short, wait, short short (super)
Crazy dash towards backwards (repeat) is fun and looks cool. Kens’ dash is so fast, use it as much as you can possibly get away with.
Uh, yeah, bad fights for Ken? Sagat is bad but be patient. In a bad matchup, often if the guy w. the disadvatage is more patient, he wins anyways reagardless of ‘advantage’. VEGA is rough. You need good reflexes to uppercut his jump on reaction, you have to be able to do that.
Against P/C groove, use a lot o alpha coutners, they can’t quick getup from it.
