[CP] Arakune vs Azrael

[Skye]

Pros

• Low jump is easy to AA
  
• Pressure and oki is easy to backdash
  
  
  Cons
  
  • Pressure is safe and hard to punish
    
  • High damage combo is bad for your low health
    
  • Growler Field absorbs bugs
    
    
    Ratio
    
    • :AR:4.5/5.5:AZ:
      

    Specific Details

    [*]Azrael's 6c can be AA'd for free.

    [*]2c abare can beat certain backdashes.

    [*]Cross up oki is situational.

    [*]Try to avoid mid range, Arakune is at almost a complete loss there.

    [*]Aim to zone moreso that pressure.

    Inverse MU Thread

    [*]http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?17688-CP-Azrael-vs-Arakune-Match-up-Discussion

[Erik]

Does anybody know what to do against his bulls**t "Growler" move when he's cursed in the corner? All i can do is sit there and throw bugs at him, and he just absorbs everything. This matchup seems very uphill.

Its straight up pokemon in this matchup! He's got growl and he uses rock against a flying/bug type. "Its super effective!"

[Darret_Wallace]

I've actually been having an easy time of this one, just bait it or don't commit too many bugs, saying that i'm not exactly sure how growler works.The biggest problem is his 236a can catch you out if you're setting up clouds or 6d since it has an enormous reach.

[Erik]

I've actually been having an easy time of this one, just bait it or don't commit too many bugs, saying that i'm not exactly sure how growler works.The biggest problem is his 236a can catch you out if you're setting up clouds or 6d since it has an enormous reach.

Once growler absorbs a projectile, he's completely safe. He can't be punished no matter what. and yeah 236a isnt a problem for me.

[Skye]

Treat Growler like Hakumen's Drive. If you feel it coming, just wait and punish physically.

[Skye]

This MU is feeling 5.5/4.5 Azrael. Seems like what happens in neutral dictates how the round plays out. What do you guys think?

[RifleAvenger]

Hi, Azrael player here. I've been playing the local Arakune's, and decided to share my take on the match.

Pre-curse Arakune wants to be in the air and/or away from Azrael, and Azrael wants to be close and keep Arakune on the ground. Arakune has better options for harassing Azrael and for escaping in the air. Being in the air will also help keep you safe from Phalanx Cannon, Azrael’s fireball he gains access to if he uses Growler to absorb a bug. Getting hit by Cannon is bad, since it stuns you long enough for Azrael to start making his way in.

Far away Arakune wants to frustrate Azrael's approach by any means necessary. Cloud is one of the best examples.

Various Arakune j.D’s can frustrate things like Azrael TK’ing into 236A out of dash, which can cover a lot of ground, or just harass Azrael. Even 3D can do a good job of discouraging Azrael dash into gustaf, as the bug covers the ground in front of Arakune and takes a moment to burrow in. However, Azrael can beat this by canceling his dash into a jump and air dashing over.

Basically, you want to have multiple things out on screen at the same time, preferably one that will block aerial approach and one that will stuff a ground approach. Keep it up until Azrael either breaks through, or he blocks/gets hit by one too many drives and you gain curse.

Azrael has situational access to two attacks that go nearly fullscreen. One is his fireball, which he can only use after absorbing a projectile. The other is the super Black Hawk Stinger. If he’s anywhere closer than absolute full screen with 50 meter, and you try setting up cloud or anything else that take time to come out on the ground or low to it, Azrael can activate this move to smash you. It does have four startup frames after the superflash, so if you can keep hitboxes onscreen you can discourage him from doing this. In addition, both PC and BHS will whiff on a foe who is sufficiently high in the air. More reason to try and keep to the air.

At mid-range the game becomes both sides trying to bait the foe into doing something dumb or whiffing. Here Azrael wants to use 236A, (5C ->) Gustaf/6C, or careful movement to get in without being cursed. If Arakune can dodge these options he can either escape to long range, or punish Azrael with a combo into curse depending on the situation.

Frankly this is the area that gets the muddiest for me to explain, but it also seems to be an incredibly important area. Neutral is the key to this match, and this is the location where the advantage in the match can swing one way or the other. Sorry that I cannot elaborate any better.

Up close, it’s Azrael’s game. His A and B normal are faster than Arakune’s and are either positive or neutral on block.

Azrael's 2B is slower and -3 on block, but is used more like his 5C for its longer reach and for whiff punishing.

He’s got a fair number of highs (jumping moves, 5D, 6D, 236D) and lows (2A, 3C, 2D, 3D, 214D), and can cross up easy with j.B or dash through.

Counter assault, or trying to call and mash or jump out when Azrael’s going to try a jump in, dash through, or a drive high/low are your best choices, and those all carry some risk.

You can also try backdashing, and this is actually quite effective since his individual strings are short, giving you plenty of places to back off. Gives Azrael a taste of his own medicine. But beware, since if Azrael predicts it he’ll follow with 236A or 6C. Outside of the corner Azrael has a hard time dealing with rolls, so use that to your advantage. In the corner however, he can more reliably use sentinel dump (623C) to catch rolls.

When you have curse, the only thing that makes this match different from normal is Growler. Like Skye said, try to predict when Azrael will try this and bait it. Also, even if he does growler a bug, he’ll have to stand still for a little bit. Stop summoning until the growler ends, and move closer to prepare to mix him up. Beware of Phalanx Cannon at that point though.

This MU is feeling 5.5/4.5 Azrael. Seems like what happens in neutral dictates how the round plays out. What do you guys think?

I agree fully with this assessment. Arakune is outclassed in close range, and Azrael only needs to make one or two good reads (or mistakes on Arakune's part) to get in. This is why I think this matchup favors Azrael. It can be tough for Azrael to get in, but once he’s in, he tends to stay in. Whereas the Arakune player needs to be constantly on point at the long and mid-range neutral games in order to hold Azrael out and build up curse. If he can get curse, however, it's bee time as always.