Makoto FAQ/Movelist v1.0 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.
-End Disclaimer-


:Contents:


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


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

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 fortune 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

I have no idea what the deal is with her scarf. But 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. 
She also has the option of a 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-: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.

        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.

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. Known as the Yama Oroshi(Mountain Wind).

[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.

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.

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.


-=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.)

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.

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 a certain point
below her navel, the main point where the chi in your body is supposed
to reside. 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. ^_^
      
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3-: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 might connect after an overhead...
Priority: Scaled 1-5. Attacks w/ Priority 5 can trade with some Supers.
Recovery: Scaled 1-5. Recovery 5 has practically no lag if blocked.
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: 4.5/4
Priority: 4/5
Recovery: 2/2
Weaknesses: Low, Projectiles, Air attacks
Strengths: Stuffing, Offensive Pressure, Counter

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 the standard version to juggle opponents
after a successful Short/Forward Tsurugi(Axe kick) or a Fukiage
(Karate chop).

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. ^_-

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 "Chesto!" 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: 3/4 (+1 if you juggle)
Range: Point Blank, 1/2 Sweep Range (Directly upwards)
Speed: 4/4.5
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.



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

Damage: 3/4
Range: Half Sweep Range
Speed: 2/4
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.

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 It 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: 4/5
Range: 1.5x Sweep range/ 1.0x Sweep range
Speed: 2/4
Priority: 4/3 (Due to less range)
Recovery: 3/3
Weaknesses: Long initiation time (Normal version only)
Strengths: Juggling properties, 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: Half Sweep Range
Speed: 4
Priority: 4
Recovery: 2
Weaknesses: Counts as a hit- Combo buffer 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 1/4 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. ^_^

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.

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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4-:Supers:

I: Seichuusen Godanzuki (Middle Spin Five Level Thrust)  x1 /Punch
Level of Skill: Beginner
Meter Length: Long
Damage: 50% 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. Also, 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: 40% Max + Juggle (up to 60%)
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.

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: 2x 
Range: N/A
Speed: N/A
Priority: N/A
Weaknesses: 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.


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5-:Combos:

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.Jab x2 -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Overhead -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
C.Forward -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Strong -> Seichuusen Godanzuki  (Are you getting the picture?)
Fierce -> EX Oroshi
Abare Tosanami Kudaki -> ...
  [A] Forward Tsurugi -> Jab Hayate -> Fierce Hayate 
* [B] Jab Fukiage -> Roundhouse Tsurugi (High Stun)
Fierce -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Explained later)
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)
EX Fukiage -> EX Fukiage -> ... 
Forward Tsurugi (Ground) -> Seichuusen Godanzuki
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> fwd + Fierce
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Fierce Hayate -> Fierce Hayate
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Fierce Hayate -> EX Fukiage
Forward Tsurugi (Air) -> Abare Tosanami Kudaki (tricky)
EX Hayate -> Jab Hayate (Corner, very tricky)
EX Hayate -> Forward (Corner, Big Guys only)


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

-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 -> Jab Oroshi combo, 
that MUST be started with a deep J.Fierce. No exceptions.

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 -> Jab Hayate
                      -> EX Hayate -> Forward -> [dash] Karakusa

These two corner combos have a much higher chance of hitting on big
guys (Alex, Hugo, Q), and in the case of the 2nd Corner combo, you can
only connect it on big guys, period. 

The first combo will connect fairly reliably if your timing is good.
Also does decent stun as well.

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.

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 -> Jab Hayate -> Fierce Hayate 
* [B] Jab Fukiage -> Roundhouse Tsurugi (or a Fierce)
  [C] Forward Tsurugi -> Fierce Hayate -> EX Fukiage
  [D] Juggle into another Abare Tosanami Kudaki


* 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.
[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 Jab 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 normal Fierce instead. Less damage, but still inflicts
a good amount of stun. Because the Fierce 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. Also of note: after 
the Fukiage juggle, you may turn around *AGAIN* because the direction
of your opponent's movement may not have changed. 

For choice C: Precise timing is needed for the Fierce Hayate, and 
the EX Fukiage is slightly more difficult to connect with because of
the way she dashes forward. If you're in the corner, you may have to
turn around to continue this as well. All in all, this is less reliable
than the first two. You cannot juggle after the EX Fukiage unless your
opponent is stunned, and even then it's doubtful. (I had 7-hit Combo
listed on the screen after the EX Fukiage.) If you take out the Tsurugi
and tweak this combo a bit, it's flexible enough that you can try your
own juggle followups.

For choice D: In order to do this, you should try a Short or Forward
Tsurugi or a Fukiage before activating another Abare Tosanami Kudaki.
However, there's no surefire way to make this work all the time, 
because it's partially dependent on your position on the screen when
you performed the first Abare Tosanami Kudaki. Furthermore, the extra
damage may not be worth it, although it might impress your g/f with
your mad skillz. ^_- You can also try a dash-cancel (like in Followup
B) and perform another Abare Tosanami. But, if you've done your 
homework like the good little l33t punk that you are, you may realize
this:

You may use Followup B (Fukiage, Fierce punch) and use another Abare
Tosanami to juggle their flying body. Because the Fierce lets them 
flip out, they're fair game, but they can also parry the initial hit.
Still, it's worth a shot. When you use this combo, most likely your
opponent will be flying in the same direction as your 1st Abare
Tosanami attack. After the 1st Abare -> Fukiage -> Fierce, depending
on the circumstances you may have to wait a sec before activating the
second Abare. On the 2nd one, you MUST use the Tsurugi -> Hayate x2
followup because by that time you'll hit the corner and won't be
able to connect with a Fukiage. If you can knock them into a corner
after the 1st Abare -> Fukiage -> Fierce combo, you're in good
shape.


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

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

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.

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

Mindgame Trick the Null: 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. ^_^

Mindgame Trick the Prime: 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. ^^ For 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.)

Mindgame Trick part Deux: 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 can't be grabbed from the 2nd one, and you
inflict sick stun damage to boot, so after you connect your 2nd
Hayate, then 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 won't be grabbed from the
second Hayate is because it hits far 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.) 

Mindgame Trick Drei: 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.)



-=Character-specific tactics=-



Akuma
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki (EX Meter)

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

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. 

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

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

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. ^_^

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.


Elena
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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. She takes damage almost as badly as Akuma does,
so a battle of attrition is in order here.


Hugo
Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki

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.


Ibuki
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Seichuusen Godanzuki

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.


Ken Masters
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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. =P


Makoto
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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
yoru 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

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. 


Oro
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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.


Q
Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki

Play this one on defense and you have it made. 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. 


Remy
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Tanden Renki

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.) 

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.


Ryu
Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Seichuusen Godanzuki

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 standing Roundhouse
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.


Sean
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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. 

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 gratituously) 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 with those. (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

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.


Urien
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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. Also, punish a blocked
Chariot Tackle with a Hayate (This goes without saying...) and only 
use the Abare Tosanami Kudaki if you can psyche out your opponent or 
if they're using the Tyrant Slaughter (in which case you'll just have
to wait.) 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.

Urien has exceptionally long range with his normal attacks, so 
dashing back may not always be an option. Stay on the offensive and 
don't let him get into his optimal range (1/3 screen away). 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 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.


Yang
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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.


Yun
Suggested Super: Seichuusen Godanzuki, Abare Tosanami Kudaki

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.


Gill
Suggested Super: Abare Tosanami Kudaki, Tanden Renki (exploits AI Flaw)

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. More to come if I get to play the home version vs.
Gill (human controlled).

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7-:The Leftovers:
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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/kyara/iryoku/m.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 part Deux, 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

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

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

Plug: For fighting-game fanfiction, visit the Ultimate Video Rumble
      at http://w3.to/uvr



