BBCF/Mai Natsume/Strategy

General Tactics

For More information on Mai, check the Mai Strategy Guide. You can also check out this video by Monarch for a short introduction to Mai:

Important Moves

5A: Hits crouching, pressure tool, sets up whiffs into other followups

j.B: Crossup jump-in

j.C: Jump-in button. Big range

2C: Antiair

5aw5C: Long Range Poke tool

236/214: Great movement tools. 214 is also a great way to escape pressure.

5/j.D: Great neutral tool

2A: Low profile, useful for mashing.

5xA: Pressure reset, jump cancellable

Mai is a straightforward character with many tools to stay at range in neutral before engaging. Drive is a great way to keep opponents on their toes. On block and on hit, Mai can cancel into Juncture and Moon Blossom. By themselves, these tools are still great for mixing up movement or approaching quickly with their followups. Charged 214B is a good way for Mai to force her turn in neutral, because the shockwave is plus and it is difficult to punish. Mai also has great buttons to fill up the space and call out approaches. 2C has a great hitbox to snag people out of the air, and 5AwC is a very strong poke at midrange. On offense, Mai has fewer mixup options. Mai can use 5xA to reset pressure and keep up the tempo. On defense, Mai's 2A and 214 are great moves for challenging and escaping pressure respectively.

Blockstrings

Variable Arts makes Mai's blockstrings very unique. The followups Mai's opted for in a sequence can greatly change what Mai can actually adjust to mid-blockstring. Regardless, Variable Arts still have enough leeway for Mai to vary her options based on the situation. Don't copy these exactly. Rather, take the ideas from them and try to implement them in your own game.

Okizeme

Mai doesn't have many setplay options from oki, but she does have a myriad of safe jumps utilizing a meaty j.C. She also has solid ways to catch rolls and use her low 2A for solid high/low mixups to compliment throw attempts.

Safe Jumps

Enders into safe jump

5AAA > 236 > 214 > 214 > j.6C
- After Juncture, using Moon Blossom twice in quick succession will cause Mai to flip forward.
236B (Grounded hit) > delay IAD > j.C
236~A (air hit) > IAD > j.C
j.214A > neutral jump > j.C
236A! (Air hit) > forward jump > j.C

Catching No Tech/Roll

5AA Ender

Using the 5AAA ender in the corner allows you to catch no tech and rolls with pretty much anything, but the safest options are 2A and a j.C from the safe jump. For hard reads, you can hit 5C. 5B is a good compromise between damage and safety

Stance A/C ender

After this ender in the corner, you have all of the options from the 5AAA ender except for safe jump

236B and 236~A Enders

After these enders, you can catch forward rolls with a short dash into 2B or 5C. Back rolls can be caught with a longer dash into 2B. The safe jumps from these enders can catch some characters’ forward rolls, but never back roll.

j.214A and j.214B Ender

Has about the same options from 236B and 236~A enders

J.214C Ender

Limited to 2A to catch rolls.

Mixups From Knockdown

Most of the following are only effective in the corner:

Jump in > j.BA
Jump in > empty jump 2A
Jump in > j.B > 2A
Jump in > Air Dash > j.BC
5AAA (whiff) or 5xC (whiff) > throw

Tips and Tricks

You can often use Drive in neutral to play it safe and wait for an opportunity
Use 236A to close gaps quickly. The tipper hitbox is especially strong
- The Blue glow from her spear signifies the tipper hitboxes
Use 214X to escape pressure!
5x[B] can guard point EAs and most reversals
You can use 5xCC in order to space out an opponent for tipper 236A

Fighting Mai

Learning Mai's followups is key for understanding what options she has.
During blockstrings, Mai's only lows come from 5X[B] stance, or out of 2A.
Mai can't cancel into her flip if j.D~D is blocked
Avoid the charged Dives. The shockwaves are plus
Mai extends her hurtbox on many of her spear's moves. You can actually contest moves like 5xC by throwing out disjoints.

This video provides tips to fight against Mai for any matchup: