Makoto FAQ/Movelist v1.2 for Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
by Thomas Shin (arlieth@west.net) Comments and help are appreciated.
^_^

Disclaimer: This FAQ can not be duplicated in part or in whole without
expressed permission from the author. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, 
and all characters related are the property of Capcom of Japan. The 
writer of this FAQ is not responsible for damages due to faulty
hustling, damages from frustrated players, or brain damage. Read this
at your own risk. 

This FAQ is Copyright Thomas Shin/Arlieth Tralare 2000,2001
-End Disclaimer-


:Contents:


1- Introduction
2- Quick Guide
3- Basics
4- Techniques
5- Super Arts
6- Combos
7- Tactics 
8- The Leftovers


 - = [ r e v i s i o n    h i s t o r y  ] = - 

01/01/01  v1.2:  Happy New Year! ^_^
                 Finally got to play a good Ibuki. Also got my hands
                 on a Dreamcast so I can screw around with some stuff.
                 Also: New/Revised Abare Tosanami tactics. Took out
                 a really impractical followup, revised one, and added
                 a variation from Japan.
                 Attention: If you have the Import version of 3s, 
                 check the leftovers! I've got something special for
                 you guys. 
                 Misc: Taunt effects (very powerful), Combo info

10/03/00  v1.1:  Fixed some errors and the messed up line wrap. Also
                 did a little research and stuff. Same types of changes
                 made from the Yang faq, for format.

06/11/00  v1.0:  I've completed the vs. Tactics (at least a prelim
                 version), and added some new things regarding the 
                 Abare Tosanami Kudaki, thanks to Andrew Ward. Also
                 updated things here and there, like the Karakusa.
                 Figured out a new followup for the Abare Tosanami
                 while under the influence of coffee and Pocky.
                 It's likely that I won't update this FAQ for a while
                 after this version.

04/20/00  v0.9:  A little late, but I don't see another SF game being
                 made for a while. =P Main series, anyhow. Well, enjoy.
                 (I still have to finish the vs. Tactics as well...)
 
04/10/00  v0.1:  Well, sheesh. =P  Not much to be said. ^_^

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1-:Introduction:
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Makoto is the daughter of a man known only as Rindo, who owned a dojo.
Apparently some ill fate befell him, and it is up to Makoto to keep the
Dojo up and running. However, it has become rather unpopular of late
(too poor to make flyers, heh), and Makoto sets off to restore her
father's dojo to it's former glory. (Her REAL motives are explained 
later...)

Her fighting style seems to be pure Karate (Empty Hand). She also seems
to be rivals with the ninja Ibuki. Of course, you have to take into 
account that Ibuki's a fashionable school-girl with a life *coughcough*
and Makoto's favorite hobbies probably include a sadistic penchant for 
beating people up, sweeping her dojo's floor, and beating people up 
some more. (Half of her attacks aim for the crotch...) I'm telling ya,
Makoto's here to kick ass and take names because she likes it. =P

That scarf of hers was given to her by Rindo when she was little.
It's a cute touch, especially when she gets electrocuted- the scarf
resembles Pikachu's zig-zagged tail. Also, the only cheesecake for this
female fighter happens to be her bra. Sakura ain't here, you perverts.
^_-

Anyhow, down to the nitty-gritty.

Makoto's got a good mix of speed and power. Unfortunately, she's got
some bad recovery on her moves, but to offset this, she has incredible
priority. She's someone who you want to keep a full offense with, 
using grab and poke mixup tactics (as opposed to footsie and high/low
mixups). She also has some great fake-out/delay attacks to make your
victim's head spin. In addition to that, she's got an incredibly 
effective dash, and can inflict some disgusting stun damage. Use 
her well, and you shall piss many off, Grasshoppah. 

She plays somewhat similar to Alex, in that she will utilize her 
grapples as well as move in quickly for some heavy-hitting combos. 
Likewise, she has his stun game as well. Unfortunately, it is
more difficult for her to turn the tables against a highly offensive
opponent, due to the fact that none of her attacks can be used as an
all-purpose wakeup. The only defense you can reliably fall back on is
her priority, so take care if you're lagging behind.

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2-:Quick-Guide:
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Stuff you should know in a nutshell.

Far Anti-Air: C.Roundhouse, C.Forward, Forward, EX Fukiage
Near Anti-air: Fukiage, Fierce, C.Roundhouse, Jab Oroshi
Best Air: [J.]Fierce, Roundhouse, Forward, Tsurugi
Crossup: [J.]Forward, Fierce (so-so effectiveness)
Best Stun attacks: Fukiage, Neutral Throw (Headbutt), EX Hayate
'Safe' Ground Pokes: C.Strong, C.Forward, fwd + Short, Forward, 
                     fwd+Strong
Not Recommended: Standing Roundhouse, Oroshi, fwd+Forward, 
Best combo starters: C.Strong, Fierce, Karakusa
Command overhead: EX Oroshi, EX Tsurugi
Most abusable attack: Karakusa
Best super (Advanced): Abare Tosanami Kudaki


Remember:
-Crouching characters take an extra 25% damage.
-There are no Major Counter hits in this game.

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3-:Basics:
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Note: Makoto has a command attack for every normal standing move.

-=Standing=-

[Punch]
Jab:    Simple palm strike to the face. These chain together. 

        Command Attack: If you hold Towards, her palm strikes become 
        fists and give her a little more range, but they don't chain.

Strong: A double-fisted punch to the upper and lower chest. High 
        priority and combos well into the Hayate. Probably better to
        use the C.Strong as it has more range, however. This does have
        some okay vertical range for anti-air, and this is important.
        I'll explain later regarding the Abare Tosanami Kudaki. This 
        can also link to Short kick.

        Command Attack: fwd + Strong will have her slide forward as she
        hits with a strange looking backhand to the chest. It has
        some decent priority, however, so use it as a quick stuffer.
        This move has extremely similar properties to Dudley's fwd +
        Strong punch.

Fierce: A wicked knifehand chop to the neck. Short range, but you can
        easily chain an attack after this, such as a super. This has
        a very decent amount of stun.

        Command Attack: fwd + Fierce results in her taking a large
        step forwards and performing a reverse punch to the gut. Tap
        Fierce two more times for followup punches. This attack has 
        huge priority and damage, but has a very slow startup time.
        Overuse of this attack will result in getting red-parried and 
        eating someone's fist.

[Kick]
Short:   Makoto performs a knee to the chest. Not much, really, but
         you can chain it into a Forward kick for more damage.

         Command Attack: Makoto takes a cute little step forward and 
         pokes her opponent in the shin with her toe. This is an
         incredibly annoying attack and also a great way to finish
         someone off due to it's deceptively long range.

Forward: High priority kick to the face. This is a long-range stuffer
         that's fairly safe and also makes for great anti-air. Also 
         very good to start the round with because of said properties.

         Command Attack: fwd + Forward will have her take a spinning
         step and then do a side kick to the face. Really wierd looking
         and fairly useless, because this move has enough range as it
         is. The only good way to use this is in conjunction with her
         fwd + Roundhouse step-in sweep move to fake someone into 
         jumping, or with the normal Roundhouse as a chain.

Roundhouse: Makoto yells and does a push-kick to her target's gut.
            Along with having high priority, she steps back a little
            so that it becomes difficult to throw her. However, there's
            a little bit of lag before the kick itself so it's possible
            to get nailed by long-range command throws such as Hugo's
            Moonsault Press. Because this move has poor range, you
            should use this as a counter-attack against a poke.

            Command Attack: fwd + Roundhouse has her take a step and
            perform a tricky sweep with her outstretched foot. If you
            wish, you can hold down Roundhouse and she'll fake the move
            out. You should throw or Karakusa afterwards. The major
            weakness in this attack is that it has *quite* a startup
            lag, and you can also be easily thrown as well.

-=Crouching=-

[Punch]
Jab:    Short little punch to the shins. Nothing special.

Strong: Straight knife-thrust to the knees. This has okay range and
        decent priority, and comes out pretty quickly as well. Use this
        when up close to chain into her Hayate.

Fierce: Makoto sweeps her hand at their feet with a knife-hand chop.
        It has just as much range that a normal sweep has.

[Kick]
Short:   Makoto does a quick poke to the shins with her toe. 

Forward: This is her most -annoying- normal attack. It's a crouching
         kick to the thighs, but it has a *LOT* of priority. Since it
         strikes at an upward angle, it can be parried high, but it
         also stuffs most jumping attacks as well. It has very little
         recovery and startup time as well. There are certain instances
         where abusing this kick will become necessary. You may also 
         stuff hopping overhead attacks with this. Remember that this
         attack has a bit less range than her standing Forward kick.

Roundhouse: A high spinning back-kick to the head, this works as 
            superb anti-air and inflicts very decent damage. Be sure
            not to mix this up with the standard sweep kick and you
            should be fine. It's a very fast kick for a Roundhouse as
            well, so charge your meter with it. Also, when you use this
            kick, you are considered 'standing', not crouching, so some
            attacks such as Alex's Spiral DDT will connect, but you 
            won't suffer damage penalties for crouching.

            Also: This does more damage than a Hayate, and GREAT stun
            damage. Remember that.


-=Jumping=-

[Punch]
Jab:    Makoto's in her Overhead animation as she flies through the
        air with her hand outstretched. Kinda silly looking.

Strong: Same animation, but you can see her visibly punch and recoil
        during her jump. It's a downward attack but doesn't have much
        use.

Fierce: This is a nasty downward chop that hits so hard, Makoto 
        actually flips into a mid-air somersault. It can hit as a 
        cross-up, and has deceptively deep vertical range as well.
        It often trades with uppercuts due to this. Don't use this
        too often in an air-air match, however. If you jump straight
        up, the animation changes to a backhand knife chop that isn't
        as effective. Characters who you should use this with as 
        air-air are Elena and Urien whose limbs make great chopping
        blocks... They've got range but little priority in the air.

[Kick]        
Short:   A flying knee-check that lasts for the jump. Good for a 
         dramatic finish.

Forward: High priority flying side kick. This seems to have a higher
         air-air success rate than the J.Roundhouse if you're on the
         bottom, because of it's faster execution time. Also works as
         a crossup-attack (jump over your opponent and hit them with 
         your ass. Looks silly, but it works) to a limited extent.

Roundhouse: Another straight side kick, but hits a lot harder and has
            some decent range. This is good for late-hitting jump-ins.
            If you have the upper hand in an air-air match, you'll 
            want to use this kick. This is especially good for jumping
            away from an offensive opponent as well (with a few 
            exceptions- explained in certain vs. Tactics sections
            later in this FAQ.) In an air-air match, this move will
            dominate.


-Throws

Neutral: Makoto grabs their head and bashes it with her own in a nasty
         headbutt. This pushes her opponent back some, instead of 
         knocking them down. Since it's a headbutt, it does wicked
         stun damage (but you kinda get used to it, using Makoto. =P)
         On most characters, this inflicts 15-20% stun.
         
Side:    Makoto takes her opponent down with her foot and throws them
         to the ground, then punching them in a classic fashion that
         you see in self-defense classes. This does a bit more damage
         than the headbutt.

Overhead (Strong Punch + Forward Kick): This is a fairly quick overhead
as Makoto hops forward with a punch.

Personal Action (Taunt): If you power her up for the full three 
animations, she will inflict a bit more damage and recover some stun
gauge. You'll see her focus and move her hands to two inches below her 
navel, the main point where the chi in your body is supposed to reside
(Tanden). When she moves her hands, she can actually inflict damage
on her opponent, but by the time this happens, your opponent has 
probably recovered from stun anyhow. ^_^

Exact figures: 
1st Phase: 30% Damage Bonus to Next Attack
2nd Phase: Additional 35% Damage Bonus to Next Attack (65% total)
This can be combined with the Tanden Renki.

Dash: Makoto ducks her head a little as she dashes 1/3rd of the way 
across the screen, which avoids spinkicks and Alex's Spiral DDT. One
of THE best dashes in the game- use it.
      
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4-:Techniques:
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Key:  Move name (Japanese Translation): Motions [EX?]
      [Alternate Name (Translation) Nickname]

Damage: On a scale of 1(Bad) to 5(Excellent)/[EX Version if applicable]
Range: Described as best as possible...
Speed: Scaled 1-5. A Speed 5 attack connects after a jab.
Priority: Scaled 1-5. Attacks w/ Priority 5 can trade with some Supers.
Recovery: Scaled 1-5. Recovery 5 is safe even if it's parried.
Weaknesses: Described briefly.
Strengths: Described briefly.


      QCF : Quarter Circle Forwards
      QCB : Quarter Circle Backwards
      HCF : Half Circle Forwards
      HCB : Half Circle Backwards
       DP : (Dragon Punch) Forward, Quarter Circle Forwards.
      [EX]: Press two buttons instead of one for a powered version.

    
   Tosshin Seiken Tsuki (Rushing Justice Punch): QCF + Punch  [EX]  
   [Hayate (Wind-Splitter) Dash-Punch]

Damage: 3/5
Range: 1/2 Sweep Range to 2/3 Screen, Full Screen (EX)
Speed: 5/4
Priority: 4/5
Recovery: 2/3
Weaknesses: Low pokes, Projectiles, Air attacks
Strengths: Stuffing, Offensive Pressure, Counter, Juggle

Makoto dashes forward VERY quickly with a punch straight for the gut.
This counts as a mid-hit, so Dudley's Cross Counter can't detect it.
Both damage and stun are decent, and if you connect, your recovery
is substantially reduced. However, if you whiff it somehow (block,
parry, miss) you're a sitting duck.

This attack has great priority, but often loses out to well-timed
sweeps at farther ranges. Also, the EX version will miss completely
against a dashing opponent if their dash involves a hop. (Yang,
Dudley) In any case, use two Fierce Hayates to juggle opponents
after a successful Short/Forward Tsurugi(Axe kick) or a Jab/Strong
Hayate after a Fukiage(Uppercut).

The standard version is near-instant, but the EX version has a 1/4th
second pause before the attack, making it parry-bait if someone sees
it coming. You can take your chances and use it as a surprise attack,
but it's best used in combos.

Beginners should learn to go directly into the Karakusa (Choke grab)
after a successful Hayate. Afterwards, you may want to mess with your
opponent's head using multiple Hayates and the occasional Hayate that
stops just short of your opponent. ^_-

You may charge the Hayate by holding Punch. It has four levels of
charge. Each successive charge point (roughly .75 seconds for each 
point) will add 1% damage and 2 extra points of stun, for a maximum of 
12% damage and 17 stun (practically doubles the stun damage). Maximum
charge will knock the enemy away. (Ryu's Stun gauge is 64 points.)

You can also cancel the charge by hitting kick with no recovery time 
whatsoever. Doing so lets you use cancellable attacks and be ready to
dash in for another attack before your opponent has recovered from 
the previous one. More on this in the mindgame section.

The EX version does 60% more damage than a normal Hayate, and does
the same amount of stun- don't bother using a charged Hayate unless
you're going to fake them out.

Useless Notes: Makoto has a separate taunt if performed after a Hayate
(Whether it connected or not). Doesn't do anything, but it's fun.
The quote for the Hayate is "Chesuto!(Chest)" and I assume she's aiming 
for it, but that's debatable. Also, using the EX Hayate on the Car 
bonus stage will cause her to punch right THROUGH the car. She still 
inflicts damage, but she'll magically appear on the other side.

   

    Jikiage Seiken Tsuki (Upper Justice Punch): DP + Punch  [EX]
    [Fukiage (Upward Wind) Uppercut]

Damage: 3/3 (+1 if you juggle)
Range: Point Blank, 1/2 Sweep Range (Directly upwards)
Speed: 3/4
Priority: 4/5
Recovery: 3/3
Weaknesses: Low attacks, _Cannot connect as a normal move_
Strengths: Overhead Counter, Juggle, Anti-Air/Crossup, High Stun

A seemingly useless attack at first, it's main purpose is to juggle
crossups and overhead attacks. Makoto will duck down briefly (dodging
most fireballs that go her way) then punch upwards with her farthest
arm as she says, "Mojya!" (And I have no idea what the means. Why I
mention this is because some Japanese FAQs refer to Makoto's attacks
by her quote, and not the name of the move itself.) Strength of the 
button determines how long she ducks. The EX version will have Makoto 
shift forward as she ducks so that she gains more range on the attack. 
However, neither version can hit someone who's standing on the ground 
and doing absolutely nothing. This is purely a defensive counter-move. 
Note that it has mediocre recovery, so don't use this too often. To be
completely honest, the Karakusa is a slightly better counter-attack if
you're in close range, as it tends to stuff quite a few moves before
their execution.

If someone attempts to land a crossup on you (Ken's J.Forward, Hugo's
Body Splash) use this attack to knock them up for another hit. (Note
that in the case of Hugo's Body Splash, you'll most likely trade hits
instead of getting a clean connect due to his priority. However, an
EX Fukiage will hit solidly.) Be careful to do this in the right 
direction as well- a crossup attack will either require a reverse
command or a delayed version w/ Fierce.

If you connect with this attack, you have a choice on juggling. You 
may use a normal attack, a Strong Hayate, or a jumping Tsurugi. The
crouching Roundhouse has a 95% success rate if you do it when their
body is falling down. The other two require timing. You can inflict
*massive* stun if you manage to hit with the Tsurugi, but if this is
too hard for you to pull off, you can try using a standing Fierce for
stun.

This move has EXTREMELY high priority against attacks that hit high/mid
(Alex's Headbutt, Ryu's Joudan SG Kick, etc.) and will guarantee a 
juggle if you're close enough to connect. An EX version will certainly 
hit, which makes it an ideal wake-up attack. Certain overhead attacks 
such as Alex's Fierce will trade, but you'll never be stuffed out of
this attack in those instances. Just be careful of sweeps.

Stun Damage Note: If you are aiming for high stun damage in a combo,
be sure to use the Strong or Fierce version (their stun value is
identical) as they do substantially more Stun than the EX Fukiage.



   Uchi Oroshi Toute (Low Attack Knife Hand): QCB + Punch  [EX]
   [Oroshi (Mountain Wind) Karate-Chop(tm)]

Damage: 3/4
Range: Half Sweep Range
Speed: 2/3
Priority: 4/4
Recovery: 3/2
Weaknesses: Short range, a bit slow
Strengths: Overhead attack, Priority, Hit-stun

Makoto performs an overhead classic Karate-Chop. It's kinda tele-
graphed though, so be careful when using it. 

Never use the Strong or Fierce versions of this unless you seriously 
wish to become parry-bait. It's far too easy to get countered because
of it's short range (If any attack hits your vulnerable areas no matter
what priority you have, you'll trade hits or lose). However, using this
as counters against air attacks works allright, but it's better to use 
the Fukiage as a juggle instead. However, if you're going against 
characters with extremely long sweeps, such as Elena, Hugo and Urien,
you can utterly stuff them with this attack, and follow up with a
Abare Tosanami Kudaki. ^_^ This move is perhaps best used as a counter
versus pokes. Furthermore, it *is* super-cancellable. Still, it isn't
very useful in most fights.

Both Fierce and EX versions will knock the enemy down.

Because of its short range, it's extremely difficult to chain this
without EX-ing it. (Hell, it's almost impossible except with one 
scenario). Best to save it for a rainy day. In combos, this attack 
is similar to Alex's Flash Chop, except it sucks. =P The normal version
can only combo on tall characters such as Q and Urien. 



   Senkou Kakato Otoshi (Dropping Heel Flash): In air, QCB + Kick  [EX]
   [Tsurugi (Sword) Axe-Kick]

Damage: 3.5/4
Range: 1.5x Sweep range/ 1.0x Sweep range (for both hits)
Speed: 3/4
Priority: 4/3 
Recovery: 3/3
Weaknesses: Long initiation time for an air attack
Strengths: Juggling properties and Hit-stun, Timing mixup

In the air, your Cute-But-Sadistic Karate Kid will pause for a sec
as she raises her leg vertically, then bring it down for a wicked
axe kick. This axe-kick will make her hover for a split second
longer in the air, and also smash any attacks that happen to get in
the way. Trades with uppercuts and the like, in your favor. Because
of the hover/pause, the kick has a bit more range as it sails her
forward. This kick can be done at any time during your jump.

The Short and Forward versions will stun an enemy on the ground,
or will knock an enemy upwards to float a while in an air-air hit.
The Roundhouse variation will knock them flat on their face to the
ground, no matter where they are. 

The EX version will knock down after inflicting two hits, but has
no startup time and will drop you straight down afterwards. It has
less range because of this, but damn if you can't trick the hell
out of people with it.

It's possible to connect this after a Fukiage, but this takes timing
and much practice to get it down.



   Tsurushi Nodowa (Bladed Neck Encirclement): HCB + Kick
   [Karakusa (Arabesque) Choke-Grab)

Damage: 1
Range: 3/4 Sweep Range
Speed: 4
Priority: 4
Recovery: 2
Weaknesses: Counts as a hit- Combo damage penalties apply
Strengths: Range, Priority, Set-up

Makoto will grab her opponent by the neck and squeeze really hard,
then grunt as she lowers them back down. They're temporarily stunned
for 1/8 of a second, in which you can perform a combo. If you whiff,
there's a cute animation as she grits her teeth and looks at her 
empty hands, then look back up at her opponent. ^^

The strength of the Kick used determines the speed and range of the 
Karakusa by a very small degree, but it's there. There's a substantial
increase in stun-time between Short and Roundhouse versions, however-
if you find yourself unable to combo after it, you're probably using
the wrong version. If you want to try and chain two Karakusas together,
use the Short version, then the Roundhouse version. ^_-

Because Makoto has an extremely fast and long dash, connecting with
this grab won't be too difficult. Just be wary of getting nailed
by supers and EX attacks. Merely dash in after a blocked sweep, or
perhaps after an air-air encounter. Also, it may be safer to use this
instead of using a straight combo to punish a missed aerial hit. If
Ken missed with an uppercut and you were to try a Fierce -> Hayate
on him, there's a good chance you'll knock him away with the Fierce
and completely miss the Hayate. Or you may parry his J.Forward and
attempt to use the Fierce -> Hayate, only again to knock him away
because you attacked too early. At least by using the Karakusa here,
you can avoid a possible fatal mistake. Closely related to this is
using the Karakusa as anti-air. Same principle, really- just use it
after a parry.

Versus "grabbable" supers (Ken's Shippuu Jinrai Kyaku, Yang's Tenshin
Senkyuutai) you can use the Karakusa to counter if you're far enough
away. Be sure to judge your distance accordingly.

Also, you can use this after a blocked air attack, and it will still
connect. They do have a window of retaliation, but most likely 
they'll block low to avoid a sweep. Try a jumping Roundhouse aimed
at their head (not their torso) before using the Karakusa.

As for air-air encounters, remember that if you hit someone in the
air with a normal attack, regardless of the attack's strength, it 
will allow them to flip back on their feet when they hit the ground,
as opposed to lying on it. However, if you can catch them at a time
where they least expect to be in this position- juggling them with
a normal attack, for instance- you can catch them off guard and
grab them with a Karakusa. 

The Karakusa reduces damage of a combo by roughly 25% due to combo-
buffer penalties, so it's not recommended to use the Seichuusen
Godanzuki after this unless you want to see it do pitiful damage.
However, it doesn't affect stun damage as adversely. Followups with the 
Karakusa will be explained later.

Final note: Experienced opponents can either throw you or tech hit out 
of the Karakusa if they're quick, so take care when using it. However, 
the Karakusa tends to stuff most moves before their execution, so it 
makes a great close-range countermove. It also has more range than a
standard throw.


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5-:Supers:

I: Seichuusen Godanzuki (Middle Spin Five Level Thrust)  x1 /Punch
Level of Skill: Beginner
Meter Length: Long
Damage: 44% Max
Range: 3/4 Sweep
Speed: 5
Priority: 5
Weaknesses: Universal [Hopping] Overheads, Air attacks

Makoto does a single punch to the crotch (Oww.), then three hits to the
midsection, and finally a smashing fist to the chin that launches them
up with a ridiculously dramatic finish as she yells the name of the
super.

This is a Super Art with good range and decent damage. However, the 
most effective aspect of this super is the ability to combo this after
a *lot* of attacks. Jabs, C.Forwards, Hayates, Oroshis, the works. Use
it as a poke-followup or a combo finisher. However, be wary using this
as a wakeup, because if your opponent does a hopping overhead, he'll
stuff you flat. Also, since it doesn't have immediate vaccum effects
(only after the 1st hit does it vaccum) you shouldn't use it to punish
blocked sweeps unless you're really close. 

It doesn't hit people in the air very well at all- most likely they'll
fly off after the 1st hit. If you try to supercancel a juggling Hayate
into this, chances are you'll whiff everything but the first hit.
Still, you could try it if you've been playing with Q for too long ^_^

Also, this super has no invincibility frames. Therefore, it can beat
another super, but only if you hit them at the edge of your range.
Use it too late and you're certain to trade the first hit.

Finally, this super hits too low for Dudley to Cross-Counter, so don't
worry about that. ^^


II: Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Raging Waves of Tosa Smasher) x2 /Kick
Level of Skill: Expert
Meter Length: Medium
Damage: 31% straight, 52% Max (with Juggle)
Range: Sweep Range to Full Screen
Speed: 4
Priority: 4
Weaknesses: Slow startup-time, Aerial evasion

Makoto jumps back (a la Maximum Spider) to tag the wall and then 
jumps in with a Flying Suicidal Psycho-Bitch Divekick(tm), followed
up by a 3-hit autocombo that ends with a reverse Fukiage (she hits
with her closer arm as opposed to her farther arm, which is why it
hits standing opponents.) If you connect with the C.Roundhouse hit of 
the autocombo, you're guaranteed to juggle afterwards. You can 
immediately superjump-cancel into a jumping attack, or juggle with two 
Hayates afterwards. More on followups later.

The attack is not homing- you must determine the destination of her
attack by the strength of the kick that you press. Also, she has no
invincibility frames whatsoever, although as a super, it beats out 
all other normal attacks. However, if someone is hitting you with
a crossup (Hugo's Body Splash for example) you're going to get stuffed
on your way up.  Also, If you BLOCK A SWEEP, immediately use this
super. Most characters, especially shotokans, have piss-poor recovery
on a crouching Roundhouse. Exceptions to this are Dudley and Yun, and
a few others.

If you've been using the Karakusa religiously, you may have noticed
that you were thrown every once in a while after a Hayate. Use this 
super to counter a throw attempt ('cause you're in the air).

In advanced play, this is an extremely hard super to connect with- 
you'll have to catch your opponent sleeping. Better to use the 
Seichuusen Godanzuki at times, if you don't want to take the risk. Like
most supers, this has a rather poor recovery time if you're blocked.
However, Makoto will not enter the autocombo if she misses the initial
dive-kick, so you can intentionally whiff this super without fear of
retaliation if you're feeling particularly arrogant.

Remember, this super has INSANE damage and stun potential. It's just
a damn hard super to connect. And at least, if you whiff one, you can 
always try catching them off guard with a second one. Just because you 
care. ^^


III: Tanden Renki: Seme no Kata                          x1 /Punch
     (Refined Spirit in the [Point Below the Navel]: Offensive Style) 
Level of Skill: Expert
Meter Length: Long
Damage: 175% to all attacks (including Throws)
Range: N/A
Speed: N/A
Priority: N/A
Weaknesses: Cannot Block, Cannot Block, Cannot Block...

Makoto will pose for a second as she channels her Chi. Her skin then
goes pissed-off red and she'll inflict double damage for quite a while.
It seems to last about 10 seconds. During this time, she cannot block
any attacks (she'll go into the animation for blocking but it won't 
help.) However, parrying is still perfectly kosher. Advanced use of 
this super will be explained later. And remember- taunting increases
the damage even further.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
6-:Combos:

Notation: C.  = Crouching
          J.  = Jumping
          ( ) = Additional Notes/Short name
          [ ] = Optional
          *   = Special instance combo (Props to Skillsmith)


A note about Combos:

During any combo, the damage that a given move will inflict is 
automatically reduced depending on what type of attack it is, and how
many hits preceeded it. Also, Super-canceling a Special Attack into
a Super Art will also drastically affect damage.

Normal Attack: -7% x Number of hits already dealt
Special Attack and Super Arts: -5% x Number of hits already dealt

Supercancel(2-in-1)
Light Attack: No Penalty
Medium Attack: -7%
Hard Attack: 15%
Special Attack: 25%(!)

Juggles are considered part of the combo. If you used an EX Fukiage to
launch your opponent in the air, then nailed them with the Abare
Tosanami, the initial hit would do 25% less damage. 

Note that the % does not refer to the lifebar, but to the damage
rating of the attack itself. 


Combos denoted with a * are Skillsmith Exclusive. Damn neat. ^^

Master List:

Jab x2 -> Short -> Forward (Kick chain)
Jab x2 -> Short -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
Strong -> Short -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
Jab x3 -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
Fierce -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
C.Strong -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
C.Short -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki] (Her ONLY low combo)
J.Fierce -> Fierce -> Hayate (Do the J.Fierce REALLY LATE.)
fwd + Forward -> Roundhouse (Doesn't really combo =P)

C.Jab x2 -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Overhead -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
C.Forward -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Strong -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
fwd + Strong -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Fierce -> Seichuusen Godanzuki  (Are you getting the picture?)
Taunt(hit) -> Seichuusen Godanzuki!

Karakusa -> Fierce (or just about most of her moves)
Fierce -> EX Oroshi
Fierce -> Jab Oroshi (Q and Urien only, it seems)
Abare Tosanami Kudaki -> ...
  [A] Forward Tsurugi -> Jab Hayate -> Fierce Hayate 
* [B] Fierce Fukiage -> Roundhouse Tsurugi (High Stun)

Exhibition Combo: (Corner) Karakusa -> Fierce -> Abare Tosanami
-> Dash -> Roundhouse Abare Tosanami -> Forward Tsurugi ->
Jab -> Overhead -> Jab -> Overhead -> C.Roundhouse


Karakusa -> Fierce -> Abare Tosanami (Your corner only)

Karakusa -> Fierce -> Tanden Renki -> C.Strong -> Strong Hayate
Oroshi -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Oroshi -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Explained later)
* Oroshi -> Tanden Renki -> C.Strong -> Hayate
* Oroshi -> Tanden Renki -> fwd + Fierce
* J.Fierce -> Fierce -> Jab Oroshi -> ... (Tall charas only)

Fukiage -> C.Roundhouse (Easy Hit)
Fukiage -> Fierce (High-Stun)
Fukiage -> Strong Hayate
Fukiage -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Tricky)
Fukiage -> Tanden Renki -> [superjump up] Tsurugi
EX Fukiage -> EX Fukiage (Any followups after that MUST be in Stun)

Forward Tsurugi (Ground) -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Forward Tsurugi (Ground) -> Hayate
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> fwd + Fierce
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Fierce Hayate -> Fierce Hayate
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki (tricky)
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Seichuusen Godanzuki (Even trickier)
Forward Tsurugi -> Tanden Renki -> Fierce Hayate -> Fierce Hayate

Karakusa -> Fierce -> EX Hayate -> Juggle (Varies on character)


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

-Standard- (a.k.a. Bread n' Butter)

Most of these combos don't need too much of an explanation. Makoto 
posesses no 'Bread n' Butter' combos so to speak, although you may be
using C.Strong -> Hayate quite a bit. Remember that the Karakusa will
reduce damage for the rest of the combo by at least 25% (Even more for
the Seichuusen Godanzuki). All but one of her combos may be preceeded
by the Karakusa, but it's best to only do her Fierce -> combos after 
it. The one exception is her J.Fierce -> Fierce -> Oroshi combo, 
that MUST be started with a deep J.Fierce and only vs. tall characters
who happen to be crouching. So it's basically useless. =P

Recommended Karakusa combos:

   Hayate -> Karakusa (Beginner's Pseudo-Combo)
   * This is more like a trap than a combo.*

   Karakusa -> Fierce -> Hayate -> [Seichuusen Godanzuki]
   Karakusa -> Fierce -> EX Oroshi
   Karakusa -> Fierce -> EX Hayate



In the Corner:
  
   Karakusa -> Fierce -> EX Hayate -> (Juggle)

If the Juggle is a [normal attack], remember that you can put pressure
on them by dashing in and catching them with a Karakusa. 

vs. Hugo: Fierce (Skillsmith- I can't seem to pull this off.)
vs. Hugo, Alex and Urien: Strong Hayate, [C.Forward and Forward]
vs. Makoto, Remy, Q, Akuma, Chun Li, Twelve, Elena, Oro: Jab Hayate
vs. Shotos, Yun/Yang, Dudley, Necro: [fwd+Short]

I also know that a C.Strong will work on Chun Li.

The advantage of juggling with a normal attack and not a technique is 
that it will flip your victim out so that they land on their feet. If 
they are caught unawares, it is a perfect opportunity to get a command-
throw (or in this case, the Karakusa) in. The Karakusa is not a 
guaranteed connect, but people seem to fall for it quite a bit.



-=Comboing with the Abare Tosanami Kudaki=-

There's two ways of comboing INTO the Abare Tosanami. One is by 
cancelling a Fierce Punch into it, and the other is by using an
Oroshi overhead chop. (You can chain a Fierce into a Jab Oroshi
against tall characters such as Q and Urien.) There's also a way to
connect with it as pretty reliable anti-air as well.

In most cases, your opponent needs to be on your 'half' of the screen. 
Otherwise, it takes too much time to jump off the wall and go all the 
way across the screen again to attack. If you're decent at Red 
parrying, this will make it substantially easier to connect with this
super. Also, you have a much longer window of opportunity after an
Oroshi chop than a Fierce punch.

If you're going to use the Fierce punch, make sure you're in your
corner of the screen, and use a Karakusa to set yourself up nicely.
Against certain characters (i.e.: Akuma), you will need to use a
*Forward* Abare Tosanami, not a Short. This is a trial-by-error
kind of thing.

Regarding anti-air: Since the Standing Strong punch is a legal 
Supercancelling attack, use it as an anti-air attack. Whether it's 
parried or if it connects, you should still use the the Abare 
Tosanami Kudaki (Roundhouse version) to strike as anti-air before they 
hit the ground. Just be sure you aren't going against an attack like
Hugo's Body Splash. =P Also, when you use this attack, note that
the standing Strong punch has a slightly higher vertical range than
you might expect.

Finally, you can try juggling with the Fukiage or Tsurugi and going 
into the Abare, but be sure to use the Roundhouse super so that you 
won't miss your flying target. Don't expect this to work very often, 
because there's too many variables to make this work consistently. 
However, you won't have to fear a retaliatory strike because if you 
miss, as they'll still be knocked down.

You've hit with the super, now what do you do? Well, you've got plenty
of options, but these stand out.

  [A] Forward Tsurugi -> Strong Hayate -> Fierce Hayate 
* [B] Fierce Fukiage -> Roundhouse Tsurugi (or a Fierce)
  [C] Pseudo-Juggle into another Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Corner)
  [D] Juggle into another Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Mid-screen)


* Skillsmith combo. I knew this was possible, but didn't notice the 
  stun applications.

For choice A: This is her premiere damage combo. After landing the 
final hit of the Abare Tosanami(Fukiage launch), superjump towards your
victim's body and execute either a short or medium Tsurugi. After you
hit the ground, be sure to time the two Hayates well. The Jab Hayate
doesn't necessarily have to be a Jab, but it connects fairly reliably
with more leeway for timing. Also, if you're in the corner, you can
substitute the final Hayate for a C.Roundhouse (flipping your opponent
on their feet) and grabbing them yet again with the Karakusa! Evil, and
it does more stun damage!
[Note: To connect the C.Roundhouse, you must use a Fierce Hayate 
instead of a Jab Hayate, or you won't be close enough to connect.]

For choice B: This is a stun combo. The Fierce Fukiage does a
surprising amount of stun damage and sets up for a juggle. To connect
this, dash forward (and *past* your opponent) then perform the motion.
You will be facing the other direction in this case. Superjump straight
up and then perform the Roundhouse Tsurugi. Typically inflicts 75%+
stun on a proper connect. If you wish to do the same amount of stun
damage but you just aren't good enough to pull off the Roundhouse
Tsurugi, then merely do a C.Roundhouse instead. Less damage, but still
inflicts a good amount of stun. Because the kick is a normal hit
juggle, your opponent will flip out onto their feet afterwards.
However, you might not have enough time to reach their landing point,
so follow up with an EX Hayate or something to finish them off.
Note: after the Fukiage juggle, you may turn around *AGAIN* because the 
directionof your opponent's movement might not have changed.

** Special Touch Of Death note

If you use Karakusa -> Fierce -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki [B] against
Akuma or Remy, it will guarantee Stun (unless, of course, they were
stunned to begin with.) Not very difficult to set this up against them
either: Against Akuma, parry an incoming Dive Kick. Against Remy, parry
a Cold Blue Kick. Remember, vs. Akuma, you MUST use a Forward Abare
Tosanami Kudaki or it will not work.
**

For choice C: Jumping Roundhouse works fairly well with this one if
you do it in the corner. However, you'll have to experiment with a
number of attacks for each character, as their hit-boxes and falling
speeds differ. 

For choice D: This one's simple. Do your Abare Tosanami, dash to the
other side and do another Roundhouse Abare Tosanami going the other
way. Really spiffy looking and doesn't leave your opponent a chance
to parry out of, unlike choice C. Don't use it too early after your
dash, however- It's very easy to activate the super a little early 
and end up whiffing the rest of the hits.



-=Effectively using the Tanden Renki: Seme No Kata=-

A disclaimer: This is essentially a flashy exhibition super that's
best used as a subtle hint to your opponent that you either think 
that he/she sucks, or that you're tired of winning with Makoto.

First off: Taunt. If you've knocked your opponent down, taunt and then
use the Tanden Renki. The next hit you do will have a 30% bonus to
damage. If your opponent is stupid enough to let you taunt to the 2nd
animation, you have an extra 65% damage bonus to your next hit. The
Roundhouse Tsurugi works well with this... especially since it can 
trash most characters for over 60% life! However, a J.Fierce can work
wonders as well.

If you only wish to use this for a guaranteed hit, use them before you
land techniques and juggles. For instance:

Strong Oroshi -> Tanden Renki -> fwd+Fierce
Strong Oroshi -> Tanden Renki -> C.Strong -> Hayate
Fukiage -> Tanden Renki -> [superjump up] Roundhouse Tsurugi
Forward Tsurugi -> Tanden Renki -> Fierce Hayate -> Fierce Hayate
Karakusa -> Fierce -> Tanden Renki -> C.Strong -> Strong Hayate

Yes, the last one DOES count as a full combo. The C.Strong will push
them far enough away so that the Hayate is relatively safe, clipping 
them with the fist and giving you plenty of room to dash away. But if
you're confident, then you can dash into another Karakusa instead
of going for the C.Strong -> Hayate. This is the same principle as 
cancelling the Hayate after a connected Fierce. (In the mindgames
section)

If you're feeling real scrubby, then you can activate this super and
take advantage of Makoto's high priority. Use lots of flying Roundhouse
kicks, crouching Forward kicks and dash -> Throws. Use the Tsurugi to
trade massive damage against Shoryukens and other anti-air as well.
However, unless you're feeling incredibly gutsy, don't use the Karakusa 
too much, because after you land the following combo, you're open to 
retaliation. Use this tactic when you want to chip the last of their 
pesky life away, or if you want the loud and flashy Super Combo Finish 
ending when you lightly jab them in the crotch. ^_^

However, if you accidentally pulled this off and are desperately trying
to get your ass away from their Corner Traps of DooM, lots of jumping
and air axe-kicking may be in order. So is sitting in the corner with
C.Forward kicks. If you're going against fireball-happy scrubs, parry
and use her dash -> throw to its fullest advantage. 

As for the Oroshi combos, you can try using a Jab version but I can't
guarantee a connect afterwards. Still, it's worth a shot.

Also note that many characters will attempt to sweep you or use high
priority attacks when you use this at mid-range, but will block on
instict if you use it at point blank. Try jumping in with a Roundhouse
(in this case, it's *better* if they block it) then immediately use 
the Tanden Renki when you hit the ground, followed by a Karakusa.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
7-:Tactics: 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Makoto has the most command attacks out of any chararacter in the game,
giving her plenty of options to utilize at a standoff. Here's a list of
some of the things you can do at the start of a round.

-=Offensive Starts=-

Jump -> Tsurugi
fwd + Forward (Step, spin kick) [Tags spin kicks and jumps]
fwd + Roundhouse (Step, sweep or fakeout, throw)
fwd + Fierce
Hayate -> ... [Karakusa]
Abare Tosanami Kudaki -> Stun combo followup
Dash -> Karakusa
     -> Sweep
     -> Overhead -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
     -> Roundhouse (Push kick) [anti-throw]


-=Defensive Starts=-

Forward kick (Stuffs hurricane kicks & jump attempts. Very effective.)
C.Fierce (Sweep vs. dash attempts)
Jump up, Tsurugi (Possible juggle followups)
Oroshi (High priority anti-poke)
Fukiage/EX Fukiage -> ... (vs. Jump-ins)


-=Mindgames=-

Old-school Anti-wakeup (basic): You've got a fully charged Seichuusen
Godanzuki, and you've knocked your opponent down. But they've caught
on to your little Karakusa tricks, and are sure to throw you out of 
it every time. So you walk up to their prone body, and if they don't
have a super handy, they'll instinctively try to throw you. (Old-school
reflex, don'cha know.) However, you can't get thrown from the 
Seichuusen Godanzuki, can ya? So time your super to connect as they
get up, just to screw with their minds. Damn thing beats a tech-hit
any day. ^^ This trick will work with anyone that has a super where
you can't be thrown from. (Dudley's Corkscrew Blow can be thrown out
of, for example, so it wouldn't work.) Abare Tosanami works as well,
but is much, much more riskier because it can be nailed by a wakeup
uppercut (unlike the Seichuusen Godanzuki). You know, just in case
you read them wrong and they don't know how to throw. ^_^

On the other hand (this is an old trick), try crouching twice right
next to their body, and use a Karakusa. ^_^


Anti-parry/anti-wakeup: The Tsurugi is effective for jump-ins and
wakeups because of the timing before the attack. Not only can it trade
in your favor, it also throws off parry-happy opponents looking for the
flashy path. ^^ Vs. wakeups, get close to their fallen body and jump
straight up (no superjumping). If you jump early, time a normal Tsurugi
on them, but if you jump late, use an EX Tsurugi to hit them as you're 
still rising on your jump. (The latter works especially well on large
characters such as Q and Hugo.)

If they end up blocking the Tsurugi, DASH FORWARD! You have plenty of
time during their block-stun to run in and grab them with a karakusa.


Karakusa - Hayate traps: Normally you'd use your newbie Hayate ->
Karakusa grab, right? But what if they counter your Karakusa with a
throw, or something? No problem. Do a Hayate, but then follow it up
with another Hayate! You may be grabbed from the 2nd one, but you
inflict sick stun damage to boot, so after you connect your 2nd
Hayate, proceed to use the Karakusa. You can even connect with
the Hayate a 3rd time if your opponent's really stupid and keeps 
trying to counter it. (Note: The reason you probably won't be grabbed 
from the second Hayate is because it hits too quickly to allow a throw
to register. However, some command throws may still work. Be sure to 
use the proper range for the Hayate.) If you *do* find yourself being
grabbed, you're probably too close.

If you have the EX meter to spare, and you get low-poked from your
second Hayate, I recommend that you use an EX Oroshi chop instead.
Improvise!


Makoto's "Short Swing Blow": You've knocked your opponent down *again*.
But you're not going to use a super, no. Instead, dash away, then dash 
back in and throw them. >=) Because she's got such a damn good dash 
(note that this trick works with Urien and Shotokans as well) this is a 
recommended tactic to avoid wakeups and to chip in a bit more damage
for that final blow. Makoto's dash has enough range to avoid all but
the longest sweeps (Elena and Urien respectively). You can also try
dashing back and punishing their wakeup with a Hayate instead, similar
to Dudley's Short Swing Blow (where he dashes back and retaliates
with a body blow.) 

Also to note: If you've psyched your opponent out from poking by 
dashing back -> Hayate, then they'll more likely fall for dash -> 
Karakusa, and vice versa.


It ain't over yet: Remember how you can cancel the Hayate with kick?
Use it to continually throw your opponent off guard. For example, you 
could use a Karakusa, then slap them with a Fierce -> Hayate, except 
that you hold down Punch and press Kick immediately afterwards (think
Kara-cancel here), then dash in again and pull off another Karakusa
while they're still reeling. This takes mad timing skillz though.




-=Character-specific tactics=-



Akuma (Gouki)

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki or Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 81% (Lowest)
Strengths: High damage, easily comboed moves and a sick mixup game.
Weaknesses: Can't take a beating, very small Stun gauge
Tricks: Shakunetsu Hadouken -> Hyakki Shuu mixup
        Shun Goku Satsu as anti-air
        Tenma Gou Zankuu as a surprise attack (more on this)

Akuma will probably try to jump away and look for an opening in which 
to connect his dive kick. Since his dash is just as quick as yours, 
refrain from sweeping. Your EX Fukiage will bust him out of his dive
kick, as well as avoid any air-fireballs and spinkicks. You can also
try to meet him in an air-air match if you have sufficient distance,
so use the Roundhouse. 

Your main objective in this match is to *stun* Akuma. Don't rely on 
cheesy little pokes, but instead hit hard with Tsurugis that trade with
his uppercuts. Eventually he may turtle up, in which case you should 
utilize the Karakusa to its finest (Use that EX Hayate -> Hayate!) 

If you land a jump-in combo, that'll be the end of him (and he knows it 
too) so don't expect much opportunity to do so. Occasionally you may
want to try jumping straight up with a Roundhouse to stuff a jump-in
instead, if he can parry the EX Fukiage.

Also, if Akuma turns out to be a total moron and decides to throw a
fireball when you've got an Abare Tosanami charged up, let 'im have it
and use the Stun-happy followup. It's very close to being a Touch of
Death combo. =P


Alex

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 100%
Strengths: High damage and stun, great range and a quick dash and jump.
Weaknesses: Big target- easy to combo off of. Lots of recovery frames.
Tricks: Forward -> Spiral DDT (Pseudo-Tick throw)
        Elbow Slash -> Stun Gun Headbutt
        Crossup Air Stampede (Stomp)
        Power-Bomb tick-throw (Overhead, short, J.Short, etc.)

This is a bit of a touchy fight, but not as bad as you think. Both 
Alex and Makoto dish out high damage and stun, as well as setup some
nasty traps and counters. You'll want to use your dash quite 
frequently, unless you think they may be charging up for an EX Elbow
slash. Both the Stun Gun Headbutt and the Hyper Bomb are supers that
you will be vulnerable to, although the Stun Gun can be countered
with an EX Fukiage.

Because a lot of Alex players tend to play defensively, you may not
get too many openings to get the Abare Tosanami Kudaki in. However,
if you're seasoned, you'll be able to do so after reading a sweep,
parrying an Elbow Slash, or even as anti-air. The Seichuusen
Godanzuki is ridiculously easy to connect with if you can score a
poke. Also remember that Alex is a Big Guy(tm), so your combo 
options are slightly more diverse. 

Your ground moves have higher priority than Alex's as well, but be
wary when using the Karakusa, because Alex also has a command 
throw, and it has better priority than yours. Also, if Alex jumps
in, he will have priority over a lot of your anti-airs, except the
EX Fukiage. If you don't have the EX meter to spend on it, then
I suggest that you dash.


Chun-Li

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 93%, 131% after taunt (Shoulder Rub)
Strengths: Speed. Damage. Priority. Range. She's nothing but strengths.
Weaknesses: C.Roundhouse can be high-parried. Other than that...
Tricks: Air-air kara-cancel has insane range
        Lightning-kick for guaranteed tick damage after a knockdown
        C.Forward -> Super

Poke-fest of the Millennium, people. Take to the air with your Forward
and Roundhouse kicks, or a Fierce if she has more height than you. 
Use Tsurugis to your advantage, and keep her away from you lest she
try kara-cancelling her air throw. Her best anti-airs consist of the
EX Spinning Bird kick and the Kikoushou, yet the Tsurugi has a fair
chance of busting through the EX Spinning Bird Kick. As for the
Kikoushou, you'll just have to be patient or be gutsy and parry it.
(This is a 20-24 hit super.) The Tensei Ranka does crappy damage, and
is fairly easily parried. Parry four hits, wait a moment as she 
reaches the peak of her jump, then parry some more. On the ground, use
fwd+Fierce and plenty of Forward kicks, but watch her Fierce pokes. 
Don't get too close or she'll chain a low Forward -> Super. Try not
to leave yourself open and poke whenever you can.


Dudley

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Seichuusen Godanzuki
Stamina: 100%
Strengths: Extremely strong, with range, speed, great mixups and an
           absolutely hideous corner-juggle game. Great chains too.
Weaknesses: Completely vulnerable to mid-range footsie pokes, and
            the Cross-Counter can't detect a Hayate.
Tricks: EX Short Swing Blow as a safe wakeup attack
        Confusing anti-air game with Ducking-Upper
        Great parry retaliation


This is a surprisingly easy fight. Your only real objective is to
remain out of the corner. Really, what you must do is to dash and
jump in and out of his range, hitting him with annoying Forward 
kick pokes and dash-throws. Your attacks have enough speed and 
range to stuff him out of most of his moves, and your Tsurugi will
beat his Jet Upper in terms of damage. Even the EX version won't
hurt you too much if you're high enough off the ground. Never, 
ever stand still against him so that he has a chance to use his
chains. This is a semi-defensive match (Dudley has EXCELLENT ways
to bust out of a corner) so just fly around the screen like an
annoying insect. Don't use the Hayate too much because of its lag
time on a miss/block; just rely on real basic stuff.

Because Dudley has poor recovery time on his attacks, try to fake
him into using a super or a Jet Upper (jump in, dash out, etc.) 
and land a well-aimed Abare Tosanami Kudaki for some serious hurt.
And if he does start using his Cross-Counter, remember that a good 
number of your attacks hit too low for him to detect it. This does
include the Hayate. ^_^

If you trap Dudley with a Karakusa -> Fierce -> Hayate, think about
what you want to do. If you want to get away safely, use a Strong
Hayate (You'll be too far away to use a Karakusa afterwards though).
Otherwise, use a Fierce Hayate. For some reason, Dudley gets pushed
back more than other characters after the Karakusa.

The one attack you should be extremely careful with is the Short
Swing Blow, where he dodges back and then nails you in the gut.
Not only does it do hideous damage, it can be super-cancelled.

If you're going to try and poke Dudley, use attacks that can easily
be cancelled, like C.Strong and C.Short. If you get parried, you'll
need to get the heck out of there ASAP, or attack before he can 
catch you in a punishing juggle combo.


Elena

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 93%
Strengths: Evil punishment combo with a C.Strong, great mix-up and
           a wicked footsie game. Also, extremely fast dash, and her
           C.Roundhouse slide is longer than your retreat-dash.
Weaknesses: Low priority against Makoto, below-average recovery time
Tricks: Almost no recovery on Brave Dance- Keep blocking.

This fight will be similar to Chun-Li's, but instead of trying to
dominate the air, it's advised that you stay on the ground a little
more. Elena can get more height from her jump than Chun-Li, and thus
it's harder for you to draw a bead on her. Fortunately, most of her 
attacks (save the Scratch Wheel) have a bit of startup time, so keep
poking away at her. If you see her start up a Rhino Horn while you're
standing, you can use a Fukiage to juggle her. Play this match a little
defensively, watching that occasional overhead, because if you leave
yourself too open, she can open up with a very nasty combo, or get a 
freebie Healing in. 


Hugo

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki
Stamina: 111% (Subsequent Taunts give 117%, 131%, 140% and 151%.)
Strengths: Raw damage, pure and simple. Great range too.
Weaknesses: Easily punished because of slow attacks. Also, he's a very
            large target, open to lots of juggle followups.
Tricks: Body Splash -> C.Jab -> Meat Squasher (Pseudo-Tick Throw)
        whiffed Palm Bomber -> Moonsault Press
        delayed Hammer Frenzy
        * Best Kara-cancel in the game

Huge-Ass is SLOW. Use this to your advantage and use PLENTY of jump-in
combos with the Tsurugi and her kicks. Poke with the Forward kick a lot
and use your Oroshi chop to smack Hugo's pokes. Also dash in with the 
Karakusa- you can zoom in and out of his effective fighting range with
ease. This is a hideously easy battle for you if you play your cards
right. Also of importance: If he knocks you down, he may try to use the 
Palm Bomber as an anti-wakeup to trap you in block-stun, then follow up
with another attack (C.Forward) or his Meat Squasher running grab. If
you're ballsy, red-parry that followup attack, or to be safe against 
that Meat Squasher, do a jump -> EX Tsurugi.

Also of note, Hugo's EX Palm Bomber must be parried three times.


Ibuki

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki
Stamina: 83%
Strengths: Speed, chains, mixup game/footsie, keep-away
Weaknesses: Low damage, fragile, short-ranged attacks
Tricks: Yami Shigure (Dagger/Slash super) when you parry a Kunai
        Jab trap (walk forward, jab over and over)
        
Use your priority and your range to your advantage. Ibuki's major 
strengths are her chains, but they have crappy range. Other than
that, there's not too much you should watch out for if you keep 
your distance. 

This is also a battle where you may find good use of the EX Fukiage.
Ibuki's stun meter isn't very long, so you may be able to make her
see stars in less then half a dozen hits.

To counter the advancing jab trap, use a C.Jab, then a C.Forward,
or chain the C.Jab into a Hayate.


Ken Masters

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 100%
Strengths: Hard-hitting combos, mixup and footsie, plus a great poke.
Weaknesses: Long enough recovery time to punish with Hayates.
Tricks: None, really. He's a shoto. Just watch the classic crossups.

Although he's your typical shoto, you'll have to adjust your style
to accommodate his more unorthodox, spontaneous style.  Always be
ready to use her C.Strong -> Hayate to punish or stuff his mixup
axe kicks as soon as you see them coming. Also note that it may be
preferable to use another Hayate in lieu of the Karakusa, as you'll
trade with Ken's uppercut instead of eating it raw, as well as 
smack him out of a throw attempt. 

Since Ken's just damn good at getting himself out of a pickle,
it is advised that you play a more defensive game against him. Many
of his moves have a slight lag time that leaves a counter-window open
for repeated C. Forward pokes. Furthermore, his spinkick will travel
over your head if you block it, and the Short version still takes a 
while to finish (as opposed to Ryu's).


Makoto

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 93%
Strengths: Speed, priority, damage, and a great dash. Keep-away. And
           insane retaliation.
Weaknesses: Poor wakeups (vulnerable to traps), and her own traps are
            rather high-risk.
Tricks: (You should know all this =P) 
        Karakusa/Hayate trap
        Jump-in Karakusa tick-throw
        Tsurugi (or EX version) anti-wakeup (Don't bother parrying)
        EX Fukiage wakeup (50%+ Stun)

If Makoto has you guessing whether or not she'll use her Karakusa
or her Hayate after a point-blank grapple, remember that the 
Karakusa is tech-able. Tap towards and press the throw buttons
to cover yourself (Also known as an Option Select, covering 
multiple situations.) However, the Karakusa does have more 
range than a normal throw does, so you may have to stagger the
timing or do something entirely different if they're aware of
what you're trying to do. Also, in almost all instances, Makoto
will have her best offensive game going when she's in the air. The
Fukiage and Tsurugi trade hits, so if you are going to use the 
Tsurugi as an anti-anti-air attack, use the roundhouse version to 
knock your opponent down.

Other than that, just poke a lot. This will most likely be a
conservative match with little showing of flashy combos.


Necro

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Seichuusen Godanzuki
Stamina: 87%
Strengths: Range, Defensive traps
Weaknesses: Slow recovery on attacks
Tricks: Short -> Snake Fang (Block low)

Use liberal axe kicks and a dash of Karakusas. Sprinkle a pinch of
whoop-ass if you know how to parry or red-parry his spin punch. If
he does his hopping overhead, use an EX Fukiage. If you're at half
screen range, there's plenty of stuff you can do, so this shouldn't
be too difficult of a match. Also note that your Oroshi chop can stuff
many of his pokes if you're at full screen and he's trying to keep
you out.

Rememeber that his drill kick hits twice, so after the 2nd hit, use
your Karakusa. Keep him on the defensive and bait him into taking to
the air with plenty of low attacks so that you can dash under him.


Oro

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 93%
Strengths: Great priority on his pokes, stun damage, turtling game
           and corner pressure traps
Weaknesses: Too slow to maintain an offensive
Tricks: Crossup Jinchuu Nobori (Head stomp)
        Yagyou Dama Corner Trap
        The Roundhouse kick of DooM (tm) (27% Stun Damage)

If you really, really want to win, you'll have to play defensively.
Oro has a lot of trouble with turtles, and he has no command throws.
He does have a double jump and some sick priority (especially his
roundhouse, behaves like Ken's for all intents and purposes) so use
a Hayate to retaliate as the roundhouse retracts. Measure your
Hayate so that you won't be close enough to be thrown, and feel free
to block any attempted combos afterwards. If he tries to double-jump,
try nailing him with the Abare Tosanami as an anti-air. Also remember
the Fukiage for massive stun damage. Oro can't change the way he's
facing in the air either, and it's a fairly long jump, so cross-under
attacks are pretty damn effective. Use that dash.


Q
Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki
Stamina: 100% (Subsequent Taunts: 131%, 140%, 164%!)
Strengths: Insane defense if he taunts, Easier parrying, painful juggle
           combos. Fairly good corner-trap game.
Weaknesses: Extremely slow, Dash-attacks vulnerable to sweeps/pokes,
            slow offense, many openings for retaliation and juggle
            combos. Also, very easy to juggle attacks with.
Tricks: Taunt 3x for increased defense
        Tick-throw with Capture and Deadly Blow

Stay on him like white on rice to stop taunts. A solid portion of Q's
game plan is parrying into the Capture and Deadly Blow, so either use
the Tsurugi to mix your opponent up or use plenty of Forward kick pokes
to annoy him. Don't poke with abandon, because his High Speed Barrage
(hand swipes) have high priority. Most of his moves have a bit of
punishable lag time, and his dash attacks can be blocked fairly easily
if you watch his body language. He does have increased Parry range,
so be extremely careful with jump-ins.


Remy

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami (vs. scrub)
Stamina: 87%
Strengths: Juggles, priority
Weaknesses: Predictable offense, poor recovery, tiny Stun gauge
Tricks: EX Cold Blue Kick trap

Remy takes damage like a little girl, so take every opportunity to
beat him down, hard. You'll be parrying a HELL of a lot for this
matchup, but if you can parry his launching Fierce and his Flash Kick,
you shouldn't have a problem. His Cold Blue Kick can be blocked low,
but has quick recovery (especially the EX) which he can follow up with
an overhead or a throw, so be especially careful in this instance. His
overhead is a stomping kick that doesn't really LOOK like it hits high,
but it does. 

If you manage to knock him down, walk right up to him and psyche him
into using a Flash Kick. If he doesn't fall for it, throw. ^^ But since
Remy has an exceedingly short charge time for his attacks, always be 
prepared to block. Also, fighting him in an air-air match isn't that
recommended, because he can juggle you with his Fierce for another hit
with his Flash Kick (or even a super). 

The Abare Tosanami Kudaki is a good super against normal Remy players,
but high-level Remys will very rarely throw out a sonic boom for you
to counter, nor will they use the flash kick save in combos. The 
Cold Blue Kick has too short of a recovery time (and the EX version has
a quick startup as well) to parry and punish with the Abare Tosanami.
In other words, it's useless. =P 

If he ever tries to sweep you with the double C.Roundhouse, parry the
second hit and retaliate immediately. But chances are you'll only have
to do this once (unless your opponent is really, really stupid.) But
in any case, learn how to instinctively parry the second hit.

Finally, if you do decide to use the Tanden Renki, make sure you have
him on the extreme defensive. If you can parry his Flash Kick, you're
all set. (His EX Flash Kick requires a double parry, by the way.) 
Remember that throws also inflict increased damage as well. If he 
pulls a reversal on you, watch for an incoming low Light of Virtue 
followed by a Cold Blue Kick, then bust him up accordingly.


Ryu

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Seichuusen Godanzuki
Stamina: 100%
Strengths: Well balanced, high strength
Weaknesses: As a shoto, leaves himself open after many attacks
Tricks: Short Tatsumaki -> Throw (fakeout)
        EX Aerial Tatsumaki Crossup
        C.Fierce -> Tatsumaki (Anti-air, parry backwards.)

The OG Shoto has some very poor lag time on some of his attacks, such
as his fireball and the JoudanSG sidekick, so don't expect an 
advanced player to use this in any situation other than a combo. Be
especially wary of a jump-in, because it's possible for him to inflict
upwards of 70% stun damage in a single combo. However, for him to do
so, he must hit with the J.Fierce extremely deeply, so parry or 
counter accordingly. 

Since Ryu has an extremely fast dash, expect him to bob in and out
of your attack range quite a bit. Your EX Fukiage may catch him once
or twice, but it's telegraphed by the initial flash so you shouldn't
rely on it. Use the Karakusa and put some damage on him, and punish
any blocked sweeps with a dash -> Karakusa or the Abare Tosanami
Kudaki *immediately*. If you're too far away from your edge of the
screen, then you'll have to parry first.

If you pressure Ryu enough, he may start using spin-kicks to keep
you away. What you should watch for is a Short Spin-kick -> throw. 
If this comes up, either kick him away with a crouching Forward
or use the Karakusa for a punishment.

Don't jump in the air a whole lot unless you wish to use the Tsurugi
to throw him off. His J.Fierce has sick priority and speed, as always.
Poking for extended periods of time is NOT advised, due to the sheer
damage of a counter-hit Shoryuken. 

Scrubs and Intermediate Ryu players will base their entire game around
connecting the Shin Shoryuken. Try to fake them out into using it as
a wakeup, or pressure them into jumping in and supercancelling it
in a combo. Ryu players using the Shinkuu Hadouken may liberally use
EX fireballs after trying to cross you up with a J.Forward and some
followup Shorts and Jabs. If you see this pattern, try to red-parry
the EX Fireball and retaliate with a Hayate.


Sean

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 93%
Strengths: Speed (great normal moves), Shotokan-level strength and dash
Weaknesses: Horribly sucky special moves
Tricks: Basketball trap w/ Sean Tackle


Sean's faster than you think. If you jump at him, be prepared to 
parry his cross-under Strong -> Roundhouse chain. He does very decent
damage with his normal attacks, and a skilled Sean player will use
the Tornado kick extremely sparingly. Since the Hadou Burst is a
crappy super, and the Hyper Tornado is a one-shot wonder, you'll
have to keep an eye on the Shoryu-Cannon. Keep in mind though, that
he IS technically a Shoto, and thus can link his supers off a jab
(with the exception of the Hadou Burst, which can be linked off a 
C.Forward or whatnot.) 

It's not exactly smart to be cornered by Sean, as he can pressure
you with his basketball and juggle you with the Shoryu-Cannon. Use
plenty of throws (Yes, throw very gratuitously) because he'll most
likely do the same to you. Since he has a very fast dash, don't use
sweeps too often. Pressure him into attacking with wakeups, because
he has some bad recovery. (And you know EXACTLY how to punish those
^_^) All in all, it may be a long battle, but you'll edge out.


Twelve

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Seichuusen Godanzuki
Stamina: 87%
Strengths: Range, and some good aerial attacks.
Weaknesses: Easily punished, takes a lot of damage, crappy supers
Tricks: Deceptive J.Roundhouse kicks for mixup
        

Ha! Axekicks and Pokes should win this one through. If he X.C.O.P.Ys
you, then stick to standard Makoto tactics because she doesn't rely
on EX attacks too much. Otherwise, stay in the air a lot and practice
some parrying, as well as using plenty of dashes and sweeps.

Don't try to goof around with whiffed attacks to build up meter if
they leave you too open, as Twelve can nail you with an EX Needle 
attack. He can also use his Needle attack as long-range anti-air if
you don't watch where you're going.

If you're low on health and Twelve has X.N.D.L. as his super, you might
be in a pickle. To parry it, double-tap Down twice in quick succession
(maybe three times depending on how far away you are) and hope for
the best.


Urien

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 100%
Strengths: Fastest dash in the game, good range and priority
Weaknesses: Mediocre in-close chain-combos
Tricks: Headbutt -> Throw Crossover vs. crouching or rising opponents
        Aegis Reflector traps
        Unblockable Aegis Reflector (Blockable on Dreamcast only)

Because Urien has decent opening attacks, it may be best to start
the round off by jumping away. He can open up with a Dash -> Throw
(similar to you), a Violence Knee, a Dangerous Headbutt -> Throw
(The Headbutt is used to dodge sweeps) or a Chariot Tackle which
will nail you if you attempt to dash back. The last three attacks are
all charge moves, which also accounts for the opening offensive.
(Also, the Dangerous Headbutt can nail you if you jump towards him
at the start of the match.)

If Urien attempts to do a jump-in but seems far away, he's trying
to trick you with his long-ranged Roundhouse. You can try using an
EX Fukiage, an air-air Roundhouse, or just block it and see what 
happens. The Tyrant Slaughter can be chained off the Roundhouse and
can hit for some fearsome damage (especially considering that he 
gets two of them), so be careful. 

Because both of you have extremely good dashes, expect a hell of a lot
of throwing going on. Use your Karakusa to the fullest, because if you
manage to ruin Urien's charge on his attacks, he has very little he can
do to attack you before you dash in with it. Only use the Abare 
Tosanami Kudaki if you can psyche out your opponent or after a close
Karakusa. If you're thrown to the ground, quick rise immediately! The
Aegis Reflector will bounce someone in the direction it was launched,
so if they launch one, cross over and trap you in between, you're in
for some real hurt. There is an unblockable trick with this as well,
although I think it was revised in the DC version.

Nasty Aegis reflector trap if you're not in the corner: Urien does a
Chariot Tackle -> Fierce Aegis Reflector for some wierd-ass reason.
GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE. If he grabs you with a neutral throw, he
can drop you on the Aegis Reflector and juggle you for some damage.

Also: If you ARE in the corner and you were knocked down, he can try
using a jab Aegis Reflector, and throw you right before it 
materializes. If he pulls this off, Tech-hit his throw and you can
most likely block the Aegis. Actually getting hit by the Aegis while
you're standing is not an option, unless you want to die. So let this
be a lesson to you: stay away from the corner. =P 

Don't jump too often against a normal Urien player unless you can 
double-parry his launching Elbow. Don't jump at ALL against an 
advanced Urien player because he can juggle you for a long, long time
(especially with the Aegis Reflector), and you'll seriously regret it.
However, if you do find yourself being juggled with an Aegis Reflector,
try to parry out of it when you get the chance. It's difficult, but 
it's all you can do.

The Temporal Thunder takes a second to materialize, so if he's almost
dead and uses it as a desperation attack, bust through it with a 
Hayate. However, he'll most likely use it as a followup after the 
Chariot Tackle (especially as a safety if it was blocked) so if you
wish, you can red-parry some of the hits for fun. You can also try 
dashing back and superjumping over it, but that's risky unless you 
know how the Temporal Thunder behaves.

Finally: If Urien has the Aegis Reflector and he knocks you down,
quick-rising is a very, very good idea. Urien can set a Reflector
down, Headbutt over your body, then start to trap you with pokes.
The Aegis Reflector will bounce you back towards him, and if he can
catch you with a neutral throw, you're in for some hurt as the 
Reflector will juggle you after the throw finishes. I had this done
to me recently, so I think someone's been reading J.Rodger's FAQ.
Eeeeevil. >=) To counter this Aegis Reflector trap, simply hold 
the stick in the direction of the Aegis reflector when Urien hops 
over your head. You'll be in perfect position to begin blocking. I'm
not sure if this is Dreamcast only or what, though.




Yang

Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 83%
Strengths: Speed, EX Mantis, mixup, chains, long-range overhead
Weaknesses: Takes damage like a sissy, poor wakeup attacks
Tricks: Teleport anti-air
        Sei-ei Enbu trap (Blockable on Dreamcast)
        Fake Palm-Strike

Don't jump away too often, because his Teleport can get him to your
landing site faster than you can, and there's a good chance that he'll
teleport *behind* you, leaving you completely defenseless if you 
already tried to jump away with a Roundhouse. If you find yourself
jumping backwards into Yang's waiting arms, prepare to parry in
reverse before he boots your ass up in the air for a juggle. Since
his C.Forward has very decent range, you might want to rely more on
an air-game and a long-range poking game than using your Karakusa 
and pulling off chain combos. He can't take much damage, but he's
too quick to use the Tanden Renki against. Also remember that if
he has a Sei-ei Enbu, ALWAYS quickrise, and if he has the Tenshin
Senkyutai, be wary of where and when he can connect it.

If Yang attempts to use a Sei-ei Enbu trap after knocking you down,
remember to block towards Yang as he's jumping at you, and hold that
position as he crosses over. Note that this option may ONLY be 
available on the Dreamcast version, because there was a 3s revision in
Japan to take care of stuff like this. Too bad the revisions won't hit
the arcades here =P

If Yang tries to trap you with the Palm strike in the corner, take 
a good look at how far away he is. If he's close, simultaneously 
try to parry and throw- you'll either throw him after parrying
the Palm, or tech-hit as he faked it. If Yang is somewhat farther
away, just block low and keep an eye out on whether or not he's
trying to C.Forward -> Mantis Slash you, or use an overhead. He
may even try a Dive-Kick. If you try to parry his Palm strike at
a distance where you could not throw him, your parry attempt may
move you forward just enough so that he can catch you with a Flip
grab (Zenpou Tenshin). 

If he begins to pressure you with constant dive kicks, try to throw
him after blocking one, or using an EX Fukiage. Stay out of close 
range save for the chance to use a Karakusa. Because Yang has no
decent wakeup attacks, catching him with a Karakusa is a very viable
option.


Yun
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki
Stamina: 83%
Strengths: Speed, Excellent chain combos, mixup, and retaliation.
           He can also easily move someone into a corner.
Weaknesses: Again, takes damage like a sissy and poor wakeups.
Tricks: Dive-kick fake out
        Fake Palm Strike
        Genei-Jin punishment

If Yun has the Genei-Jin, under no circumstances should you allow him 
to corner you. If he does, there's a good chance you'll see 30% of your
health just chip away as he juggles you over and over and over... Like
vs. Yang, staying in the air helps some. However, don't poke him like
you would vs. Yang- I suggest you play a little keepaway to avoid his
chain combos that go oh-so-nicely into supers. 

However, the same Palm Strike mind-game goes for Yun as it does for
Yang. Fortunately, it's not as punishing.

Yun has superior supers to Yang, so don't get too comfortable if you
have a good lead on him. However, he can be a bit more predictable
if you keep a good eye on his Super Arts gauge, as Yun will rarely use
EX attacks unless the player is very desperate. Yang's EX attacks have
a higher payoff compared to his Super Arts, conversely. If you see Yun
with the Sourai Rengeki, get your EX Fukiage ready so that you can 
knock Yun up in the air as he tries to use a dive kick into his chain
combo to cancel into the super.



Gill

Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki (exploit AI Flaw)
Stamina: 111%?
Strengths: Range, priority, damage, stun, no charging on his moves... 
Weaknesses: None. =P
Tricks: Tricks? He needs tricks?

Play this fight defensively, because Gill is essentially Urien on
crack. There's not too much I can say about this fight, but if you're
fighting against the CPU, use the Hayate/Karakusa psyche trap; it falls
for it every time. 

As for fighting a human opponent, keep a heavy offensive pressure to 
prevent him from using the Sepharic Wing (which, incidentally, doesn't
do as much damage as I thought). However, be extremely wary of jumping
at him, as he has the loosest juggle restrictions out of any character
in the game. Get caught by four Saber Lariats and you'll see what I 
mean.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
8-:The Leftovers:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thanks to Skillsmith (although they probably don't know it yet) for 
posting their combos on their site. Here's the URL for 3rd Strike:
http://plaza6.mbn.or.jp/~ssmith/3rd/3rd.html
And I hope you have Japanese support enabled =P 

Also, thanks to Sir Gareth for pointing out that the final hit of the
Abare Tosanami Kudaki is a reverse Fukiage, which explains it's strange
consistency of hitting a standing opponent. He also contributed to
the making of Mindgame Trick 3, along with some proofreading. 
^_-x

Propz go to Andrew Ward for information regarding the Abare Tosanami-
using the standing Strong -> Abare as anti-air, and for dash-cancel
after an Abare for yet another Abare. Both of these are extremely 
helpful techniques. ^^ I'm still trying to verify his Fierce Hayate
vulnerability, though.

Thanks to Asian Bomber (once again) for reading through the FAQ. =P

I owe a great big thanks to Eric Zornizer for lending me his Dreamcast
so that I could mess around with it for a while. Incidentally, his DC
is modded and he imported the Japanese version of 3s. Arturo Sanchez
(aka Sabin) pointed out a neat little function in the "Network" menu
and you can see the results of my mad spree here.

http://www.west.net/~arlieth/SF3/SF3.html

At the very least, try some Urien matches, Dudley vs. Dudley, and
Ibuki vs. Ibuki III. I'll put more saved matches on it later. It may
be possible to create a database of combo exhibitions and matches
for domestic US 3rd Strike use, and to put said database on 
Shoryuken.com. However, 3rd Strike really isn't that popular of a 
game, but who knows? =P

Special thanks go to Kao Megura for writing up his movelist and 
supplying the translations of everyone's moves on his FAQ. 

If you need to catch me, i'm usually in IRC chat, EFnet server in
the #capcom channel.

The latest version of this FAQ can be found at:
http://www.west.net/~arlieth
or at
http://www.gamefaqs.com
(Damn narcissism.)

Plug: Go read Thomas Wilde's story "Self-Extraction" at 
      http://indiemadnesse.sandwich.net/
