[+R] Johnny vs Zappa

[4r5]

[Nattak]

This matchup.....

but i do have some notes..

-2S and 2K: is good for running in, it sometimes seems to catch the "puke" in startup.

-Being sort of patient while being on the offense as run-in summon BS will come.

- If sword, patience.. look for patterns and openings to IAD or 1-frame jump.

-occational random up coin is good.

-5S.f vs. ghosty balls (confirm dashjack)

-2k/2p/coin the dog

Enkasu:

corner throw: j.p, j.p, j.s, j.d, ensenga

coinloop: 3x, ender- IAD j.p,j.k,j.d,ensenga

Good luck! May the power of money be with you.

[qwerty]

For what it's worth, I feel that all summons except the sword have gotten a bit easier to deal with.

Once he gets the sword though, there isn't much you can do. You really do have to find any way out you can, because you don't want to be blocking for very long. Unchou kind of helps if you can get close enough to land it, since it does consistently beat the sword DP. Be careful with throwing coins (up or horizontal) though because Zappa has a number of ways he can bait that with any summon (run under, block and have the dog hit you during recovery, whatever).

Not too much else to say, really.

[Mitsurugi]

-2S and 2K: is good for running in, it sometimes seems to catch the "puke" in startup.

- If sword, patience.. look for patterns and openings to IAD or 1-frame jump.

-5S.f vs. ghosty balls (confirm dashjack)

-2k/2p/coin the dog

Greetings, fellow gentlemen (^_^)b

A lot can be said about this matchup. A few pointers or thoughts :

- Agreed, ZA has a low hurtbox and it can be even worse when performing normals. Remembering to use low-hitting pokes is important in this matchup, according to the range 2P, 2K, 2S, 2D. When pressuring, you can also add 5H/3H/6H. Usual staple pokes such as 5K and f.S are so likely to whiff, even on ZA wakeup that I tend to lessen my usage of them in this particular matchup. You can still and should use 6H in your poking arsenal, see later.

Nonetheless, I am not sure about 2K/2S beating ZA f.S. He usually uses it as a zoning and time-wasting tool so that he can wait for a specifit digit on the clock and get the summon he wants. So he would be mid to far range, making 2K/2S far less efficient.

EDIT : for those who did not know and as a quick reminder to those you already knew, according to the last digit of the timer, when ZA summons without 8 orbs, he get :

0 : Sword

1 : Dog

2 : Ghosts

any other digit : random

- If pressured by the sword, better than looking for patterns and opening to IAD, I suggest you create them or widen them thanks to an "active defense", proper use of IB but also SB should you be confident enough and having weighed the pros and the cons, or FD too should the situation need it.

Also, when escaping a pressure, you mentioned IAD, as in Instant AirDash thus as close to the ground. I personnaly find it often a bad idea, especially if you are in the corner. Please note that you are defenseless for some time, except trying a SB during an IAD and that you extend your hitbox so become easier to hit and you can possibly be hit too even if you IAD backwards when midscreen. The opponent is likely to be able to react and airthrow or punish you or worse he already planned it and you will suffer more. Except obviously if you anticipated a move that doesn't hit high enough (in order to IAD above it without getting hit), that leaves the opponent in recovery long enough (otherwise here ZA would be able to sword DP and also FRC it to be safe if blocked) and want to to on the offensive right away. Sometimes risky stuff can change the turn of a round/match.

IMO when escaping FD jump/super jump then AD is better than IAD, should you really want to air dash your way out. Those are kinda a general advice, not Zappa-specific but better remind it.

Also please note than his ground sword normals are all IB-able, except the low-hitting one 2S and 6H (both the high and the low hit are to be air FD). They do not need FD to be guarded against in the air. Therefore, whereas air FD would put you back on the ground, IB them can allow you to successfully evade. His ground specials need air FD though, except the 63214H as noted in the wiki but I don't remember clearly so to be checked.

- 2k/2p/coin the dog is fine but in order to cover more range, you can also try a JC normal, such as 5K (hits the dog) then JC to be safe. Be careful not to waste too much coins !

A random note is if the Zappa player likes to to rush dog 6D and himself dash while hitting, depending on what Zappa does and if you are fast enough to visually confirm whether or not your overdrive will connect during his startup/active frames, you can do stuff like 5K (hits the dog) > 632146H to catch the ZA offguard.

- Despite ZA being kinda low profile, j.S and falling Ensengas (combine with jump/double jump/super jump, IAD forward but also backward) are still very useful zoning tools, given the little to none recovery and that it can still hit him out of some moves/movements.

- Baiting and IBing ZA summon (reversal or not) into punish is important... and it feels good haha !

- Not previously mentioned in this thread but as I already stated for AC, I find 6H to be a life-saver in this matchup. Granted, it is a very slow normal but it has a very long range, while being powerful. Therefore you can stuff ZA's f.S puke normal with it, if properly timed and with according spacing. It is a risky move but when used properly (don't randomly spam it!), it will teach ZA to respect/fear you and your options. It can be easily hitconfirmed into Step Jack. Sure it is no magic normal that makes you automatically win, as if it exists, but it helps tremendously in this kinda difficult yet not impossible matchup IMO. ZA still has ways around it but you definitely should learn how to use it efficiently during this matchup more than many others and add it in your tools.

Besides, it puts for a brief moment JO's hurtbox a little backward and a little low, that can sometimes help evading/counterhitting though it is difficult to rely on it consistently.

IIRC JO 6H > ZA f.S as a round starter.