AKUMA - MARVEL VS CAPCOM 3 - FIGHTING GAME NEWS STRATEGY & MEDIA

GAMEPLAN

Akuma is all about utilizing his fireballs to cover his approach and using his massive priority when up close to counter-hit opponents

Akuma’s fireball has surprisingly high durability, so you should be throwing them out liberally. His Air fireball should be the most used because you can cancel into Hyakissu for increased air-mobility and you can throw another fireball as you approach is being covered by the previous one. You can also mix in some Hyakkisu M’s to create some ambiguous left/right situations whilst being safe when close or to ground yourself faster to apply more ground pressure or to run away. These approaches are great for transferring safely into his up close game.

When Akuma is up close he opens up his opponents with his priority and by using his overhead. Akuma’s L’s are great for applying pressure since they are chainable, fast, and have good priority. His St. L is one of his best anti-airs, since you are able to confirm into a combo and it beats a huge range of air normals that are not swords. His other anti-air is his St. S, but it’s obviously very unsafe if it is blocked. Even though its unsafe, dash under S is still very good and hits a surprising amount of players, so using it every now and then can be very effective.

Akuma’s overhead is his main mix up game and the mere threat of it can open people up. Akuma’s F+M can be confirmed into S or on block be canceled into L Tatsu to make it safe (check frames). When paired with an assist F+M can be invisible and you can condition your opponent to think you will overhead when you call your assist, so you can go low instead. Making them guess at every assist call is guaranteed to open even the most skilled of opponents.

Akuma’s primary jump-in’s are his L Tatsu and his Divekick (D+F M). Both have great priority and are easily comboable if they connect. Use Tatsu if you are close to opponent and use Divekick if you are farther away, because you can still cancel into Hyakkisu if need be. Air-to-air you should utilize H Tatsu since it juggles all characaters into easily hit-confirmable combos.

You shouldn’t spam H tatsu on the ground because if pushblocked correctly you are unsafe and it scales combos severely even if it hits.

Tuesday

Feb082011

NORMAL MOVES

Standing L

L - LIGHT

St. L (53k)

Akuma’s best antiair normal. Use this when dashing in to apply pressure if the opponent is in the air. If it hits you can confirm with another St. L and then launch. Best used on people who are chicken guarding or are about to do an air projectile.

Cr.L (48k)

A good pressure starter when the opponent is grounded. Use this to start an offense and to confirm into ground chains.

J. L (53k)

A quick knee attack that can cross up, but really has no use outside that (check if instant overhead )

M - MEDIUM

St. M (72k)

This is really only used for its ability to hit twice. Use this as a meaty on armored characters to beat their armor and start a combo. Otherwise you should really avoid using this normal.

Cr. M (75k)

A really solid poke that can be used to start pressure from farther away and it has super priority. Dash in Cr. M is a really solid way to start pressure and should be used when the opponent is grounded.

J.M (70k)

A decent air-to-air attack that juggles nicely. Use this at regular jump height so you can confirm into a combo easily.

H - HARD

St. H (88k)

This move has a solid hitbox, but it is a little on the slow side. Should mainly be reserved for combos.

Cr.H (85k)

A very good sweep attack, akumas longest range low and is a good footsie tool. Use this at max range to counter poke other chars since akuma gains a low profile whilst doing the sweep.

J. H (88k)

Primary air normal due to option selecting air throws. This can be used to cross up as well as it has a big hitbox. If you whiff it and fear being counter air thrown just cancel into hiyakissu to escape or tatsu to continue pressure.

S - EXCHANGE

St. S (90k)

This is akumas best anti-air due to its great hitbox. Plus it causes a lot of block stun so it’s virtually safe on block, It can be thrown if they are prepared. It is best not to end the string with this since it causes no chip, but don’t be afraid to use this as a powerful tool in the neutral.

J. S (90k)

Has a good down forward hitbox but is mainly used in combos.

COMMAND NORMALS

FORWARD + M (81k)

This is Akumas overhead attack and makes him a huge threat whilst on the ground. Mixing this attack in your blockstrings will keep your opponent on your toes, and on block you can cancel into L Tatsu to remain safe. On hit it is easily hit confirmable since it is two hits and you can cancel straight into launch for a full combo. Also if they are airborne it causes a ground bounce so you always get the confirm on hit.

FORWARD + H (100k)

A very slow spinning back kick. Mainly used in combos but if you use this you can special cancel it into Hiyakkisu or tatsu to continue pressure. It is plus on block but if they pushblock the previous move in a string you will be heavily vulnerable.

(IN AIR) DOWN + M (80k)

In Air, Down + MediumThis is Akumas regular divekick, it is a great tool to apply pressure and to check opponents trying to cross under or attempting to air grab you. Off an air-to-air you don’t get much unless they are close to the ground, but using this to set up ambiguous cross up situations will net you easy combos.

Tuesday

Feb082011

SPECIAL MOVES

Gohadouken

GOHADOUKEN (AIR OK) - QCF+ATK (90k)

This is Akumas main zoning tool, his fireballs are actually surprisingly durable and cover a decent amount of screen space. You mainly use these on the ground to zone in a traditional sense and you use them in the air for safe approaches and to fill the screen with attacks to get in easier.

GOSHORYUKEN - F/D/DF+ATK (90k/118k/132k)

This is mainly used as a reversal since each version has invincibility. The H version should be the one you always use for a reversal since it does the most damage, starts up the fastest, 3 frames, and is the most invincible, 10 frames of invincibility. Experiment with this to see what supers you can beat with it on reaction and take note because this can win you games alone.

TATSUMAKI ZANKUKYAKU (AIR OK) - QCB+ATK (110k/132k/166k)

This is Akumas primary ground pressure tool. Although the M and H version are plus on block if they are correctly push blocked they can be punished easily. Ending ground series with the L version is generally preferred since it is only -1 so you remain safe. In the air it is generally favorable to use the H version at reg jump height to juggle easily into a combo.

HYAKKISHU - B/D/DB+ATK

Akuma's Demon Flip attack. In itself it doesn't inflict any damage, but it has three follow-ups which you can check out below.

HYAKKI GOSHO - L DURING HYAKKISHU (100k)

This is an overhead that also ground bounces. This is great in combos and also the easiest way to convert at super jump height. Mainly used in combos otherwise.

HYAKKI GOJIN - M DURING HYAKKISHU (90k)

This is a very good mixup tool to use when the opponent is below you. Since this is an overhead and can cross up, when combined with an assist this can become very ambigious. This also will cross up in the corner meaning you can get some solid incoming mixups and convert into a kill easily.

HYAKKI GOHO - H DURING HYAKKISHU (90k)

This is basically an air fireball. It is useful to use this to alter your projectile path and get in easier.

ASHURA SENKU - F/D/DF+S or B/D/DB+S

This is only invincible after startup, so when using this beware of its slow startup. Mainly used as a mixup tool since you can cross through opponents combined with an assist to create a deadly mixup. Otherwise its long startup limits its use.

Tuesday

Feb082011

ASSISTS

GOHADOUKEN (90k)

Shot - Front

Just a standard fireball assist, but is still useful for characters lacking a projectile. Otherwise it doesn’t see much use because it is so bread and butter.

TATSUMAKI ZANKUKYAKU (116k)

Direct - Front

Akumas go-to assist, since it is incredibly good at applying pressure and is very versatile. You can use this assist on pretty much every team and it will be useful since it lasts a long time giving you free mixups/lockdown. This assist also destroys projectiles so this can just blow through most projectiles and give you a free combo. This is also an extremely good combo extender since it causes soft knockdown. Overall best reason to put Akuma on your team.

HYAKKI GOJIN (90k)

Direct - Tilt Down

This is Akumas dive kick assist, it is a very good tool to use to create unblockables because it hits high, but Akumas Tatsu assist is so good that it just overshadows this. You can also use this to ground bounce airborne opponents extending some combos, but overall tatsu is preferable in almost every situation.

Tuesday

Jan252011

HYPER COMBOS

MESSATSU-GOHADO (AIR OK) - QCF+2ATK (285k/260k if holding H)

Messatsu-Gohado (Hold C)

Fireball version

This is mainly used in combos and to cover a wide range of space since many fireballs are fired at many different trajectories. The high priority combined with the amount of fireballs actually can be used to counter many supers where the beam version and even the uppercut super fail (i.e sent drones). Otherwise this is mainly used to link supers for massive damage.

Beam version (Hold H)

Both versions have a fast 7 frame startup but when you hold down H after startup this high Priority beam appears to punish things or chip from full screen. This is mainly used on reaction to punish assists, punish projectiles, or simply to chip the other opponent since it is nearly impossible to escape with certain characters when you set it up right. This is also the preferred DHC option since it is fast and flexible.

MESSATSU-GOSHORYU - F/D/DF+2ATK (292k)

This is Akumas main reversal super, it is used for its long invincibility, 21 frames, to punish and react to supers and specials and can setup massive damage if you commit to DHCs. This move beats many hypers point-blank due to its high invincibility, but for projectile purposes it will often lose to projectiles that last a long period of time or the projectile is more than one.

RAGING DEMON (LEVEL 3) - L, L, FORWARD, M, H (465,000)

Raging DemonThis is Akuma's signature super and it is a devastating Level 3 in this game.

This is technically a grab so you cannot combo into it, but there are ways to guarantee it hits. After super flash it activates in 0 frames meaning it is already active immediately after super flash, so you can use it right next to a blocking opponent and they cannot escape it. It is also completely invincible the whole duration so you can do this on reaction to a projectile, frame trap, or a super to counter. You can also TK a beam super to combo off of it or use a fast OTG assist and get a full combo into certain death.

Tuesday

Jan252011

COMBOS

Tuesday

Jan252011

TEAMING GUIDE

Akuma can be put on literally almost any team config and work extremely well. His assist is extremely good for basically everyone and his DHCs are incredibly versatile. Also since he is mostly a footsie char he can work great as an anchor or work wonders when bolstered by an assist. There is no wrong way to utilize Akuma.