Street Fighter 3Third Strike
A Guide to Ibuki
E A Schweikert
Version 1.4
September 2000

Latest updates can be found at www.gamefaqs.com, because other sites 
are too lazy even to notify me that they posted this.


TABLE OF CONTENTS:
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A.	Intro
B.	Contact Info
C.  Legend
D.  Useful Normal and Command Moves
E.  Throws
F.  The Dizzying Array of Special Moves
G.  Snazzy Super Arts
H.  Strategy
I.  Vs. Strategies
J.  Miscellaneous
K.  Revision History
L.  Acknowledgements
M.  Copyright


INTRO:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  This is my first FAQ, inspired by the absence of Third Strike Ibuki 
guides on the net.  This guide is intended to help you kick some butt 
with Ibuki but is also NOT intended to be a comprehensive FAQ on Ibuki 
or SF3 in general; it's just my tips on whipping Ibuki's competition.

 Ibuki is a fun character, and you should play her for fun.  It's 
possible to win with her, even consistently; but good ol' Capcom 
decided that the Shotoscrubs weren't winning easily enough, and, as a 
result, Ibuki got toned down considerably.  Even worse, Capcom decided 
to give her a boyfriend.  At least that's what he looks like.  The guy 
could be her "manager" for all I know.  If you want to win 
consistently, however, then may I suggest playing Alex or Dudley to 
smack Shotopunks around.

  At any rate, Ibuki is still a dangerous fighter.  Mastering her 
requires practice, practice, and...more practice!  After all, being a 
Shinobi isn't easy.


CONTACT INFO:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  I keep receiving e-mail about Ibuki having air chains (like a jumping 
SK into a jumping FK).  I don't know how to do this!  If anybody has 
more info on this, please e-mail me!  I'd really appreciate it.

  Any questions/corrections/comments/awesome combos, e-mail me at 
easye@bu.edu


LEGEND:
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JP   jab
SP   strong
FP   fierce
SK   short
FK   forward
RK   roundhouse

T    towards
D    down
B    back
U    up

P    punch
K    kick



USEFUL NORMAL and COMMAND MOVES:
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This here is a list of all command moves and the most useful normal 
attacks to combo with.

Crouching SP--changed from 2nd Impact.  Almost stands up and lunges 
near arm.  This punch comes out slow but has great priority.  You can 
combo almost anything from this punch if you're quick on the controls.  
However, because it cannot be combo-ed into, you should use this mostly 
for poking purposes.
GRADE: C+

B+SP simultaneously will cause Ibuki to punch upwards.  Hits twice and 
thus makes a good air counter for semi-skilled parryers.  Combo-able 
into a sweep.
GRADE: C++

FP at a distance--steps forward and lunges elbow into foe's stomach.  
Press FP again (preferably if first hit connects) to have your 
opponent's face meet Ibuki's fist.  Good stun damage but lots of end 
lag on this move.
GRADE: B-

Crouching JP or SK--your typical crouching weak attacks, except they 
combo into all of Ibuki's specials except the HIEN.  They also poke 
well.
GRADE: B+

T+SK will make Ibuki kick a SK with slightly better range.  Use for 
poking only.
GRADE: C+

SP+FK--Ibuki's universal overhead is probably one of the best because 
it's sickeningly quick and has nice range.  Mix it up frequently.
GRADE: A-

EVERYTHING FORWARD KICK:

Crouching FK--Ibuki throws out the heel of her nearer leg.  Average 
speed and priority, but good range.  Use only for poking.
GRADE: C+

FK--Ibuki does a knee that's short on range, average on damage, high on 
priority, and is the cornerstone of almost all her combos.  This move 
combos into all of her specials, minus the HIEN, plus her two ground 
supers.  Hits crouching opponents.
GRADE: A

DT+FK makes Ibuki slide forward in her jumping FK stance.  Good range 
and surprise value, bad recovery time.
GRADE: B-

B+FK will make Ibuki kick forward with her leg parallel to the ground.  
Has good range and speed but easily parry-able.
GRADE: B

T+FK causes Ibuki to hop forward and do an overhead kick (must be 
blocked high).  Really good move that leaves her invulnerable from most 
low attacks.  Slight start-up lag but no recovery time.
GRADE: A+

Jumping FK--Chun Li's old FK.  This is THE kick--EXTREMELY good 
priority-you should be using this 50% of the time you take to the air.  
You will RARELY lose out to another normal air attack, plus this kick 
has cross-up ability.
GRADE: A-

ROUNDHOUSE MASH:

Crouching RK--VERY good recovery time.  Don't forget to do a standing 
RK immediately afterwards if the sweep connects (this applies to 
anytime you sweep, including in combos).
GRADE: A

Standing RK, in close--Ibuki will kick straight up, sometimes for 2 
hits and sometimes launching her foe for a juggle.  Good damage.  Your 
anti-air of choice against experts; parry, then use this kick.
GRADE: A

Standing RK--Ibuki leans back as she kicks at a 45-degree angle with 
good priority.  Good air counter against far jumps and non-parrying 
opponents.
GRADE: B++

T+RK--makes her hop slightly forward, doing a split kick in the air.  
Like the T+FK, this move comes in handy in footsie games because Ibuki 
will avoid most low attacks.  With careful timing, you can evade 
fireballs (even super ones) with this move, but I don't recommend it 
because parrying fills your super meter.
GRADE: B

Jumping RK--the black sheep of the family.  I guess the other 
roundhouses were just so good they had to make one suck.  Never use.
GRADE: E


THROWS:
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JP+SK--Ibuki does a simple over-the-shoulder throw. If you hold back 
while doing this, Ibuki will switch sides with the opponent.  Remember, 
throws are part of the game.  They are essential against turtlers.  If 
you get thrown yourself, what are you doing standing still with Ibuki 
anyway?

(in the air) JP+SK--Ibuki does a throw that shares the same animation 
as her HIEN move.  Use this against those who like to parry when 
jumping.


THE DIZZYING ARRAY OF SPECIAL MOVES:
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If it seems that I blab on for a while about her first two moves, it's 
only because these are the moves that I see most Ibuki players use 
improperly, carelessly, or generally make mistakes with.

KUNAI (in air: D, DT, T, P):  throws a dagger.  Strength of punch 
controls direction of dagger, with JP going almost vertically downward 
and FP going at about a 45 degree angle.  First, the cons: HORRIBLE 
priority--if your opponent sneezed on the frickin' dagger, it would be 
deflected.  WEAK power--does about as much damage as a JP.  SLOW speed-
-the dagger defies the force of gravity.  When used properly, however, 
it becomes one of Ibuki's best moves.  You should be throwing daggers 
after the peak of your jump 95% of the time.  Basically, the idea is to 
make Ibuki land on the ground at the same time the dagger reaches your 
opponent.  That way, you can either combo the knife with another attack 
or defend if pursued.  NEVER throw a dagger when jumping in deep!  Your 
foe's air counter will not only cancel the dagger, but Ibuki will 
usually end up eating their fist or foot.  Last but not least, don't 
become predictable; vary the angle of your daggers.
GRADE: B
EX--throws two daggers that are faster than the regular ones but share 
the same priority; each one's direction is determined by the punch 
buttons you pressed (i.e., if you pressed JP and FP, one dagger follows 
the JP direction and the other the FP direction).  Throw these when 
your foe decides to jump after you or to start a combo from the air.
GRADE: B+

KUBI ORI (B, DB, D, DT, T, P): slides forward, climbs atop opponent, 
and breaks his or her neck.  Strength of punch determines how far Ibuki 
slides, with the stronger buttons going further across the screen.  
Does decent damage, and foe must be blocking low.  HORRIBLE recovery 
time though, so make sure Ibuki connects, or you'll get super 
clobbered.  Use this move only under 4 scenarios.  First, it can go 
under most fireballs, but you must anticipate them.  Second, if you're 
getting pummeled in the corner, use this move to dash under them when 
they jump.  Third, you can combo it, but there are better things to do.  
Finally, use to punish mistakes from afar.
GRADE: C-
EX--cracks opponent's neck 3 times, but not for 3x the damage.  Boo!  
Nonetheless, it does good damage (especially stun) for an Ibuki move. 
GRADE: C+

TSUKIJI GOE (T, D, DT, P): simply somersaults over foe (if near).  
Strength of punch controls how far Ibuki jumps, with the stronger 
buttons resulting in longer leaps.  After peak of jump, Ibuki can 
attack.  Good as an anti-wake-up move, especially if you have the 
dagger super.  Mostly useless though.
GRADE: D

RAIDA (T, DT, D, DB, B, P): grabs foe and blasts them with a glowing 
fist of blue energy.  Strength of punch determines how far Ibuki slides 
before grabbing.  Decent recovery time if missed, and a good combo 
finisher.  I admit this move was overly strong in the previous SF3's, 
but the downgraded damage is pathetic.  Plus, though I'm not sure, this 
move lost some speed and priority.
GRADE: C

KYUU KAGE (D, DT, T, K): simply dashes forward (as if Ibuki needed 
another dash).  Length of dash depends on strength of kick, with the 
stronger kicks traveling further.  Ibuki's not invulnerable during this 
move, and the recovery time is pathetic.  Nothing this move can do that 
the KUBI ORI can't.  However, you should occasionally throw this move 
out just to keep Ibuki moving.
GRADE: D

TSUMUJI (D, DB, B, K): releases her B+FK 2 or 3 times.  Here's the 
lowdown:  SK gets 2 kicks, quick recovery time.  RK gets 3 kicks, long 
recovery time.  FK (always use this one) gets 2 kicks, but you can get 
an extra hit by pressing FK again.  Recovery times for FK follow the SK 
and RK ones, depending on many hits you attempted.  Press down on the 
last kick of either a 2- or 3-hitter to end the move with a sweep.  
Sweep has the same recovery time as a 3-hit.  Good for pressure 
tactics.
GRADE: B-
EX--Ibuki kicks four times with excellent recovery time.  Probably 
Ibuki's most powerful EX move (if all 4 hits connect) and good block 
damage.  Furthermore, Ibuki can make any hit after the first one EITHER 
a normal kick or a sweep, making this move a parryer's nightmare.
GRADE: A

KAZEKIRI (T, D, DT, K): basically a dragon kick.  SK and FK both hit 3 
times while RK totals 4 hits.  A good air counter, especially against 
those that like to parry when jumping in or those super-jumping in.
GRADE: B
EX--a more damaging version.  Not quite sure how many times it hits 
though.  Ibuki is also able to attack after peak of kick.  See combos 
for more.
GRADE: B+

HIEN (B, D, DB, K): jumps toward foe, smacks 'em twice with her feet, 
then leaps back, able to throw a dagger or dagger super.  This move 
must be blocked high, and the height and length of Ibuki's jump depend 
on the strength of the kick, with the stronger buttons going higher and 
further across the screen.  The SK one is especially useful against 
those who like to play footsie.  This move does decent damage, can be 
comboed into the KASUMI, and is almost risk-free against some 
characters (most notably Hugo).  However, don't abuse this move; even 
scrubs can find a counter for this move if given long enough.
GRADE: B+
EX-just a faster version; somewhat tough to aim.
GRADE: B+


SNAZZY SUPER ARTS:
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I KASUMI SUZAKU (in air: D, DT, T, D, DT, T, P): showers opponent with 
20 daggers (that can't be deflected as easily as her normal ones).  
Keep pressing punch to make her throw all 20 daggers.  Yes, you can aim 
this super.  JP comes out at about a 15 degree angle, SP is about a 30 
degree angle, and FP launches at a 45 degree angle.   This super is 
very tough to connect with because you really have to anticipate your 
foe.  And even if you do connect, rarely will you get all 20 hits.  But 
this super does have its uses.  It's the super of choice against 
defensive people/turtles and has very good block damage.  Short super 
bar and can be stored up to 3 times; so if you're EX-happy, this is the 
super for you.  One funny thing about this super is the recovery time--
you will recover slower if you connect, regardless of how many daggers 
you throw, leaving Ibuki more open than had the opponent blocked the 
KASUMI (the hit stun animation is shorter than the block stun 
animation).
GRADE: B++

II YOROI DOUSHI (D, DT, T, D, DT, T, P):  this super comes in two 
flavors.  If done right next to the opponent, Ibuki does a pumped-up 
version of RAIDA.  This version does AWESOME damage and is UNBLOCKABLE.  
However, you cannot combo this version.  If done at a distance or in a 
combo, Ibuki fires a huge, red, immobile fireball that hits about 13 
times, is BLOCKABLE, and does LAUGHABLE damage (considering the length 
of the super bar).  Obviously, you will want to use only the first 
version.  So my advice for using this super is to treat it like a HYPER 
BOMB/GIGAS BREAKER; that is, for counter purposes only.  
GRADE: B+

III YAMI SHIGURE (D, DT, T, D, DT, T, P): throws daggers at opponent's 
feet.  If the daggers connect, Ibuki will dash across the screen 5 
times, appearing to slice or chop her foe.  Whatever she does, it just 
looks really cool.  YAMI must be blocked low, and the strength of the 
punch determines how far Ibuki throws the daggers, with JP thrown right 
next to her, FP at about 70% screen's length, and SP somewhere in 
between.  The super bar is rather short, yet this super can only be 
stored once.  As you would expect from the short bar, this super isn't 
great in the damage department.  However, it's absurdly FAST.  Plus, 
check out your opponent's stun meter after this move.  The uses of this 
super really shine when fighting scrubs.  First, this super goes 
through fireballs!  The daggers cannot be negated by a fireball; and, 
if they connect, Ibuki passes thru the oncoming fireball, unscathed 
(this applies to super fireballs as well, plus Gill's Meteor Shower!).  
Secondly, almost any blocked sweep can be countered with this move!  
Definite exceptions include the twins and Ibuki.  Possible exceptions 
include Chun-Li, Elena, and Gill (can anyone confirm this?)  Thirdly, 
this super is combo-able off a crouching SP or regular FK.  Finally, a 
neat strategy with the YAMI: (after a HIEN) throw a dagger.  When they 
block or parry it (or get hit by it), do the YAMI as soon as you land.  
While they're busy parrying or blocking high, the YAMI hits their feet.  
Most people never see it coming.
GRADE: B


STRATEGY
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  The first thing you'll probably notice (or noticed) about your 
favorite female ninja is that she is WEAK.  You've just pulled off two 
5-hit combos and are comfortably in the lead...BAM...Ryu just walloped 
your scrawny Shinobi ass with a simple 3-hit combo, and now you're the 
underdog.  Playing with Ibuki means ALWAYS staying on your toes.  Even 
if your foe has no life left and you have half of yours, stay on top of 
the game.  NEVER let your guard down.

  On the other hand, Ibuki is FAST, second only to Yun and Yang.  Many 
of her moves can travel almost a screen's length in about a second, 
setting up for an aggressive, hit-and-run type fighting style.  Ibuki 
also possesses a hecka lot of moves, making her the most unpredictable 
and one of the most versatile characters in the game.  Mastering Ibuki 
means mastering these 2 things: variety and combos.

DJ IBUKI:
  Ibuki's greatest strength is the ability to MIX IT UP (block 
high/block low attacks), and her footsie game is the best.  Because 
Ibuki is a hit-and-run player, she should always be close enough to the 
opponent to punish mistakes but far enough to utilize her ENTIRE array 
of moves.  This "zone" is the area I have found to be ideal to her hit-
and-run techniques.  The zone should be different depending whom you 
fight, but generally it is in between Ibuki's sweep distance and half a 
screen away from your foe.  NEVER stay still; pace the zone frequently, 
occasionally using a normal dash or jump or even KYUU KAGE.  Watching 
Ibuki jittery usually gets other people jittery, too, and they start 
making mistakes.

NOTE: Not only will Ibuki's normal dash leave that cool shadow behind, 
but she also dashes THROUGH people (whereas all others stop in front of 
their opponent).  Think of it as the roll from KOF, but without the 
invulnerability.  Use this once in a while to confuse.

NOTE: Ibuki's regular jump is angled lower and travels farther than 
normal jumps to give her better opportunities for throwing her dagger.  
You should master her jump first because Ibuki jumps more than any 
other character (I'm not saying to jump indiscriminately here).  Jump 
within the zone to keep Ibuki out of harm's way.

  Most opponents tend to block low against Ibuki (trained, thankfully, 
by all the Ibuki scrubs who use the KUBI ORI all day), so make sure to 
use your overheads frequently, especially in close!  Also, many people 
whacked out of the air (but not knocked down) tend to block low, so use 
an overhead as they land (watch for the super).  Mixing up the 
following moves is essential to winning a footsie game.  Overheads are 
marked with a star.

DT+FK
T+FK*
T+RK
SP+FK*
TSUMUJI
SK HIEN*

Mastering parrying also greatly improves Ibuki's hit-and-run style 
(especially when jumping in) but is not necessary due to her 
aggressiveness.  Just remember to mix it up!  The fastest way to lose 
your quarter with Ibuki is to become predictable.

QUEEN OF COMBOS:
Ibuki doesn't have a bread and butter because she simply has too many 
combos.  The following are the combos I use most often (and not a 
comprehensive list).  Sure the following are simple, but they're 
effective and landing the flashy, 12 hit combos is impossible in 
serious competition.  Ibuki has many more combos than these.  The 
important thing is to experiment; heck, I discover a new combo with 
Ibuki almost every week, having played her since NG!

JP, SP, FP
You must be in real close to pull off this chain.  Ibuki's FP changes 
to some weird chop to the face.  You can also substitute a JP RAIDA for 
the FP.  You can follow up this chain with almost any special or ground 
super.

Crouching RK, Standing RK, FK
Again, you must be in real close for all 4 hits to connect.  Some 
people like to use another standing RK after the first one, but it 
doesn't hit nearly as often as the FK.  You can also replace FK with a 
KAZEKIRI.  Whatever the last hit, timing it is critical.  (They all do 
about the same damage, and I find FK to be the easiest to link.)

SK, FK, RK
Simple kick chain combo.  However, because FK combos into anything and 
RK misses crouching opponents, substitute a special or ground super for 
RK.  See jumping in deep combo for more possibilities.

T+FK, Crouching JP, RAIDA
A good mix-up combo.  If they block, use a SK HIEN instead of RAIDA.  
Or, TSUMUJI to push 'em away.  You can also combo the YAMI off the 
T+FK.

Close FP,  Crouching RK, Standing RK (4 hits)
Note that if you press RK too early, Ibuki will cancel the second hit 
of the FP and sweep.

Jumping in FK, JP, SP
Since you'll be attacking mostly with FK in the air, you can usually 
peg these 2 punches afterwards, even if the FK was an early hit.  If 
you jump in deep with FK (you should be using FP for deep jumps) or use 
it as a cross-up, then do a B+SP instead of a SP and then either sweep 
(and into a standing RK) or cancel the second hit of the SP into a 
special.

Jumping in deep FP, FK, RK
Ibuki's best combo.  The variations of this combo are endless because, 
again, FK basically combos into almost all of Ibuki's moves.  At the 
height of an EX KAZEKIRI you can cancel into a KASUMI SUZAKU.  You can 
stick a SK before the FK as well, but it diminishes the damage of later 
hits.

HIEN, KASUMI
The HIEN is cancelled in this combo, limiting the damage of the KASUMI.  
Also, your opponent, especially if you're near and facing towards the 
corner, may be able to hit Ibuki as she lands due to the screwy 
recovery time of the KASUMI.



VS STRATEGIES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Apply these to both computer and human opponents.  Below each character 
is a suggested super art for human opponents.  When fighting the 
computer, I suggest super arts 1 or 3 because the AI has trouble 
blocking/countering these.

AKUMA: "Balanced characters" is a term that obviously exists outside 
the Capcom building.  Anyway, he takes punishment like a baby and has a 
short stun meter, so use the YAMI super when he's near dizzy.  Use the 
KYUU KAGE for air-fireball crazy Akumas, then throw or combo when he 
lands.  Mix-ups work especially well on Akuma, but just beware counter 
supers.  Akuma has trouble dealing with Ibuki's speed, so exploit zone 
tactics.  His two "secret supers" are easy to spot (like if you see 
random jabs and shorts, or he keeps crouching and standing up 
repeatedly) and even easier to avoid.
Super: YAMI

ALEX/HUGO: Ugh.  One of Ibuki's tougher fights.  Avoid close-up 
encounters too often and completely if they have the HYPER BOMB/GIGAS 
BREAKER ready to go, or you could be spanked into the next round.  You 
can try faking a combo then jumping after 1 or 2 hits to trick them 
into wasting their slow-as-molasses grab supers.  Use distance 
pressure, such as daggers, TSUMUJI, and HIEN.  Don't jump as much as 
you normally would, and stick to quick hit-and-runs.  Punish whiffs 
(which the computer does a lot with these two) with EX KUBI ORIs.
Super: KASUMI, because many Alexes/Hugos air counter with D+FP, leaving 
them completely open for a nice KUNAI kissing session. 

CHUN-LI: Zone, mix-up, footsie tactics all work well against the Chun, 
just beware her super art II (if you can, red parry the last hit of 
this super art.  Proceed to go buck wild :) ).  Most people play her as 
hit-and-run or turtle, so change strategies accordingly.  She'll 
probably be charging down a lot, so mix it up.
Super: YOROI

DUDLEY: This guy can out-prioritize and punish you up close, so be more 
on the defensive than usual.  His wake-ups are deadly, but Dudley has 
somewhat long recovery times, so he is easy to punish.  Sweep, standing 
RK combo or YAMI after a blocked machine gun punch and RAIDA or EX KUBI 
ORI (or super) if he "whiffs" with a cross counter.
Super: YAMI, YOROI

ELENA: She is one of the few people who can match Ibuki's speed, but 
she jumps HIGH, so KAZEKIRI away (D+FP works well, too).  Watch out for 
the Brave Dance when you HIEN or KUNAI.  Expect a poking fight, so mix 
it up.  Computer Elena falls into predictable patterns after a while, 
it's just a matter of knowing whether to block high or low.
Super: YAMI if she has healing, YOROI otherwise.

KEN/RYU: This whole FAQ is basically a strategy against Shotojerks 
(because for every decent Shotokan I've played, there's 10 Shoto scrubs 
I've played), and most matches should be cake as long as you STAY ON 
YOUR TOES.  The temptation of throwing a fireball or sweep is sometimes 
too great, and boom, you got 'em.  Good Ryuken players will rarely 
throw a fireball or careless sweep, so instead play many short footsie 
games.  Ibuki will make mincemeat of Capcom's first-born sons at 
footsie, because they will dragon punch, at which point you block and 
do a super or the triple RK combo.  After a knockdown, do crouching SK 
repeatedly to lure another wake-up dp or super.  Block or parry, 
counter with an appropriate combo.  Be especially careful jumping if 
they go with the SHINRYUKEN/SHIN SHORYUKEN.
Super: YAMI for scrubs, YOROI for experts

MAKOTO: This is a tough fight (complete with special intro) because 
Makoto can mess up regular hit-and-run tactics.  Avoid close-ups, 
though, especially that cheap throw that combos into her super.  Also 
watch out for her dashing punch-->super art I trick.  Never retaliate 
the dashing punch if she has that super ready!  Always air counter with 
a RK KAZEKIRI.
Super: YOROI but against really aggressive Makotos, YAMI

NECRO: His electricity can be a pain, but all his other air counters 
are easily parry-able.  Zone tactics don't work as well against him due 
to his range, but he's pretty susceptible to footsie games and cross-
ups.
Super: YOROI

ORO: Either parry for some free super energy or KUBI ORI the 90% 
certain fireball at the start of a round.  Having trouble with his 
double jump?  Jump back and throw a dagger or a FK.  Mix-ups also work 
really well against him, just beware his super grabs, they really hurt.  
In case of his "helper" super, just run away.  You're much faster, can 
slide under him, and besides, he'll be concentrating on landing his P 
launcher.  Note: Oro is Ibuki's second to last boss.  The computer will 
play Oro defensively to the point of frustration.  Throw often and with 
prejudice.
Super: YOROI

Q: Stay on top of him from the start.  Try not to let him get any 
taunts in, and have an EX KUBI ORI or YAMI handy for when he does 
taunt.  Duck and most of his attacks should whiff you.  Dashing 
attacks: duck for those, too.  If he raises his hand to his head, then 
he's using his overhead dash.  Avoid countering his jump-in fierces and 
roundhouses and instead parry, then RK.  Zone tactics work really well 
against the big Q.  Beware the strength of his supers. 
Super: YOROI, or YAMI against aggressive Qs

REMY: Yuck.  His recovery times make me sick.  Watch out for his light 
of virtue-->cold blue kick pressure tactics.  Counter by not parrying 
but instead jumping up and throwing a dagger (or KASUMI) as he arrives 
with the cold blue kick.  Avoid zone tactics here, and keep either 
really close or 3/4 screen away.  Don't jump as much, as his flash kick 
has hella range, but you can sometimes trade hits with a jumping FK.  
Above all, stay out of corners.
Super: KASUMI or YOROI, never YAMI (he's always blocking low).

SEAN: An interesting character that I definitely recommend.  Not as 
sucky as Dan but still a "master's character."  Anyway, his fireball 
motion kick is easy to parry as well as his dragon smash.  Tornado 
kicks are also easily punishable, but expect a super afterwards if he's 
got one ready.
Super: YOROI

TWELVE: This wanna-be rapper's keep away tactics can sometimes be a 
pain.  Parry his FP air counter then deep-jump-in FP combo.  Try to 
stay in close, and always air counter with KAZEKIRI.  KUBI ORI or YAMI 
if he attempts to turn invisible (which is more often than not for the 
computer); throw daggers frequently.
Super: KASUMI

URIEN: Don't try to parry chariot rushes, you'll only get hurt (except 
for the AI 'cuz it's really predictable.  Good Urien players, on the 
other hand, are a different story).  I suggest either a sweep combo if 
you can or TSUMUJI if you're sure he's not going to super cancel.  
Parrying knee drops (CPU's or human players') is simple, (EX) KAZEKIRI 
afterwards.  Urien likes to crouch to set up his launcher and knee 
drops, so mix-ups work well.  His fireballs have some lag time, making 
it easier to hit him with KASUMI or YAMI.  Just watch out for the ones 
coming up to greet you.
Super: KASUMI

YUN/YANG: What pains in the ass.  A round will take FOREVER because 
it's basically a poking/chipping fight if neither player is dominant.  
Dealing with Yun and Yang can be difficult because they're the only 
ones speedier than you are.  Yuns and Yangs tend to be parry-crazy and 
love their long super meter supers (You Hou and I forget the other 
one).  Yun seems to be stronger than his brother, so I worry about him 
more.  Watch out for the palm stomp and generally avoid zone tactics.  
Also, just keep an eye out for the blocked-recovery-move-into-super 
trick.
Super: YOROI

IBUKI: Congratulate the chap on playing such a fine character and 
promptly proceed to whoop his hiney.  Look for the common mistakes I've 
mentioned (like KUBI ORI freaks).  This can be a pretty annoying fight, 
considering you can't hit what doesn't stay still.  Try to look for 
patterns.  Become more aggressive if your opponent is especially 
aggressive, and kiss a defensive Ibuki's butt goodbye.
Super: YOROI

GILL: Argh!!!  Super strength, speed, no recovery times, and top if off 
with Resurrection.  A nightmare.  His BLOCKED Ascension super takes off 
20%.  Anyway, stay on the defensive for once, or you'll get pimp 
slapped.  If he knee drops (and he telegraphs that move from a mile 
away), run to just behind where he'll land and then throw him.  
Constantly throw daggers at his feet and abuse HIEN (he rarely 
retaliates; of course, sometimes he does meteor shower, severely 
screwing you over).  KASUMI is by far the best super, especially to 
stop Resurrection (of course, it's usually better to beat Gill by 
letting time expire).  YAMI, a distant second, will work when he's at a 
distance throwing moves or fireballs out like an idiot, or to counter 
Meteor Shower if you're quick enough.  Good luck landing YOROI.
Super: KASUMI


MISCELLANEOUS:
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COLORS:

JP  the usual beige; semi-camouflages Ibuki on her stage
SP  marine green
FP  ghoulish gray
SK  ambiguous purple
FK  kick ass red
RK  deathly black
JP+FK+FP  heinous mustard

TAUNT:
Ibuki hops forward and leapfrogs the opponent.  If you look closely, 
you can see Ibuki take off her mask, smile, and wave at you before she 
lands.  It is the ultimate "personal action," because you HAVE to hit 
the opponent to do it.  If you do it successfully, it takes off damage 
(a jab's worth) and increases Ibuki's combo and throw power.  If 
unsuccessful, kiss half your life goodbye.  Do it once on the computer 
to see it (it's combo-able off her FK) and NEVER use it again (unless 
you really want to humiliate somebody).

WINNING POSES:
Jeez, I don't think any character in any fighting game has as many 
winning poses as Ibuki has.  Here are some I remember, in order of 
preference:

-Turns back, raises hand above head, and turns head to look at you.  
Awesome.
-Same one as above, except she disappears shortly afterwards.
-Closes her eyes and brings hands together a la Liu Kang, appearing to 
meditate.
-Cuts through her upper garment with her KUNAI, revealing her face and 
a sports bra (a la Women's World Cup).  She says something, smiles, and 
briefly turns her eyes towards the opponent then back to the camera.
-Punches air Shotokan style, while her non-punching fist glows blue, 
like in RAIDA.
-Disappears in puff of smoke and reappears in street clothes, hand on 
head or whistling.
-Same as above but she's whistling, and _ugh_ her boyfriend's behind 
her.
-Disappears, and a squad of raccoons runs across the screen.  I think 
Ibuki is supposed to be the one with a colored ribbon around its tail, 
or that could be her pet from the original SF 3.
-Removes her mask, and stares in wonder in the direction of her fallen 
foe.

WINNING COMMENTS:
"What a crazy graduation exam!  Being a Shinobi isn't easy..."
"I can't let anyone know that I wasted my time on a loser like you."
"Hey, I'll tell everyone you put up a good fight, OK?"
"Please don't look!  I need to change outfits and I'm outta bombs!"
"That wasn't the most efficient way to knock you out, but it worked!"
"I'm sorry that went so quick, but a girl's gotta have fun, too, you 
know!"

ENDING:
I don't remember too much about it, but basically she graduates from 
Shinobi High and then heads off to Surusuberi University (spelling?).  
She continues to study ninjitsu with the help of her 
boyfriend/manager/whatever, but all she wants is to lead a normal life, 
blah blah blah.  Kinda weird.

That's about it.  Remember to use Ibuki for fun.  All the extremely 
unbalanced characters (Alex, Hugo, Yun/Yang) are the most fun to use, 
IMHO.


REVISION HISTORY:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.1  Added table of contents; changed grades and added minor comments 
on some normal, special, and super moves; Added some to the strategy 
section and one simple and one flashy combo and corrected another; put 
Vs. strategies in alphabetical order; corrected info on her taunt; 
remembered some more winning poses; edited for grammar.  Whew!

1.2  Mostly made some tweaks throughout the guide, reevaluating moves 
and making additional comments.  Added a combo that I forgot to add 
last time (HIEN into KASUMI).

1.3	Made some final tweaking.

1.4  I decided to update the guide one last time to correct some move 
info and strategies that only worked in 2nd Impact and not 3rd Strike, 
plus I just heard it's being released for the Dreamcast.  If the Capcom 
deities would only be so kind to release it for the PS2, so that I can 
slack off even more at school.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I got info on Ibuki's personal action and checked the Japanese spelling 
of Ibuki's moves against Kao Megura's excellent Street Fighter 3: Third 
Strike FAQ.

Thanks to Karixxa (Karixxa@aol.com) for info on the taunt being 
blockable.

Thanks to Zensar (Zensar@yahoo.com) for info on being able to aim the 
KASUMI.

Thanks to Fun Arcade in N'Awlins for carrying the game, whereas in 
Boston 2nd Impact is still a novelty.  OK, so the MIT arcade has 3S, 
but I'm too lazy to trek over there.

Thanks to Romes for providing the only challenge (in N'Awlins) to my 
Ibuki with his damn Makoto.


COPYRIGHT:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ is copyright Ernesto Schweikert, 1999, 2000.  Copying of this 
FAQ is limited to non-commercial purposes, and let me know if you 
intend to post this FAQ at easye@bu.edu. The least you can do is notify 
me so I know where to send updates and the extent of my power :)  
Seriously, though, you're not paying for having this on your website!
