Axl v. I-No

[Digital Watches]

I-No

General strategy:

Since I-No's game is mostly aerial, and Axl has the game's best anti-air, it shouldn't be too hard to keep control of this matchup. The ideal is to keep I-No around mid-range (4-8 character widths) and get her stuck in AA combos. While I-No has a decent lockdown game up close, her only ways to get in are by air and with Stroke the Big Tree, so really, a smart Axl can keep an offensive advantage throughout the whole match, forcing I-No to choose between blocking and taking large chunks of damage by getting AA'd.

Tactical analysis:

I don't feel the need to cover offensive tactics, as rushdown is pretty standard (Go for mixup, blockstrings, watch out for reversal super, etc.) However, the defensive aspect of this matchup changes a lot based on range.

Close up:

The number one thing that fucks people up about I-No is that when she's locking you down, you have to block high and watch for stray lows, instead of vice versa. Like any character, I-No can take advantage of Axl's lack of fast moves and 4F jump (Defensive weakness, for short) once she gets him blocking, so your first priority is to make things easier for yourself. Use FD to push her out, since her typical quick landing low/redash/occasional throw mindgame won't work if she's pushed too far back. This can also give you more time to react to her dash, allowing you to try things like Housou or S Benten.

Mid-Range:

Like I said before, this is where you generally want to be in this matchup. I-No only has two options from here: Try to dash in, or Stroke the Big Tree. Chemical Love/Note projectile attempts are easy to stuff with 5P or sometimes 6K, but if you don't react fast enough, just dodge or block it. CL in particular can be ducked by 2K, and if it's not FRC'd, that can mean you have a chance to turn the momentum in your favor. 3P, 6H, and 2H will kill Stroke the Big Tree before she has a chance to FRC (3P is the safest to try.) Dash-ins have the obvious problem of having to deal with Axl's amazing AA game, and almost anything she tries can be killed with what I like to call Reactionary Anti-air Poke Entrapment (RAPE for short). Basically, throw AA stuff at appropriate angles and follow up with a combo where appropriate.

Long Range:

I define this as starting where 5P/6K/2S won't combo, and onward from there. At this range, I-No will try to get in on you from far above you, or try to launch notes at you from outside of your range. You can usually watch where the note is going, and just duck or jump it. Most I-No's will use you jumping as a chance to try to cover some distance, since I-No would prefer to fight Axl air-to-air over ground-to-ground. Lucky for you, you have Kokuugeki, which is fast, has enormous range, and has to be FD'd in the air. Along with the fact that it's FRCable, these things make it a GREAT air poke against I-No*, especially since, unlike the fairly weak j.6P (I miss the Slash version), it doesn't count as part of your body. If she tries to get in directly above you, a superjump+Airthrow or quick Raeisageki (H) can do wonders, and Kokuugeki will still connect as well (It covers a big 270 degree circle, which ends way above Axl).

Pros:

-Incredible AA game makes most of I-No's approach useless.

-Most if not all of I-No's options can be countered on reaction from mid-range.

-Kokuugeki and j.S outrange Chemical Love and are faster than Note Projectile, an thus long range air-to-air game is in Axl's favor.

-Axl has a low-profile move, which makes CL and various other moves less of a threat.

Cons:

-I-No still has some pretty ambiguous and quick rushdown stuff, which, with CL FRC, can make it hard for Axl to find a gap.

-Note projectile can be a nuissance, and makes Axl play a game that's less to his advantage than ground-to-air.

My opinion:

6.5-3.5 in Axl's favor. I-No is left with very few options, and Axl's moveset just doesn't fit well into her game. While she can turn it around if she gets momentum, her ability to gain said momentum is entirely dependant on scoring a knockdown, which usually means that the Axl made some mistake or another that he won't necessarily reliably make.

Footnotes:

* = Disputed by Shoto

[Shoto]

One more. Way to go^^. Just want to be more concrete on her rushdown: Block high until she lands directly in front of you where you have to block low and look out for throws. If you FD her airborne attacks you make it harder for her to actually setup this situation. Exept for that I don't see too much use in it against her rush as she relies on repeatetly dashing in on the first place. If she has some distance the only move you have to be able to block low on reaction is her stroke the big tree. Once you blocked it she is at -1, this is your chance to hit back or break free. This move can be furthermore countered on reaction with a 6H which causes a CH and gives you a free combo. Nevertheless as it still is a low profile move most of your standard break free moves like 5K or S(f) will loose to it. .. but I don't agree that koku is a good option air to air. It leaves you open if you whiff even if you FRC it (what costs you tension) and since the hitbox of the move is very small whiffing it is always a risk in air to air situations. I'd say stay with j.6P if she is about the same height or j.S if she is lower.

[Digital Watches]

.. but I don't agree that koku is a good option air to air. It leaves you open if you whiff even if you FRC it (what costs you tension) and since the hitbox of the move is very small whiffing it is always a risk in air to air situations. I'd say stay with j.6P if she is about the same height or j.S if she is lower.

Eh, you have to be at a range where it'll hit, yeah, but you have options if you whiff and FRC, such as airdashing back, and the hitbox is bigger than it looks. In the right situations, it has served me very well against I-No, and it's certainly much better than the atrocity of a move that is AC's j.6P