BBCF/Naoto Kurogane/Strategy

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 Naoto Kurogane



General Tactics

The Basics

You want to cancel this into a special as fast as posible.
Stunt or Die.
~ Jiv Daley on Naoto Discord

Naoto is an excellent rushdown character who uses scary stagger pressure The use of intentionally delaying gatlings or cancels in order to create frame traps with the intent of catching your opponent mashing or jumping. Loses to reversals. to open up his opponent. On offense, he has many slightly minus normals such as 5ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 5A.pngGuardAllStartup6Recovery12Advantage-1, 5AABBCF Naoto Kurogane 5AA.pngGuardMidStartup8Recovery14Advantage-1 and 2ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 2A.pngGuardLow/AirStartup7Recovery12Advantage-2, all having many gatling options to frame trap his opponent with. By delaying his cancels to frame trap, it makes the points he choose to throw at more ambiguous. Additionally, Naoto's 6ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 6A.pngGuardHighStartup24Recovery24Advantage-10 is a scary standing overhead that is difficult to react to, and leads to a combo on hit or pressure on block by cancelling into 5CBBCF Naoto Kurogane 5C.pngGuardMidStartup12Recovery18Advantage-3.

In neutral, Naoto's goal is to approach the opponent to enter his effective range. To do so, Naoto has good movement speed and can use both safe, universal neutral options such as Barrier Braking and jumps into air Barrier, but also his own, riskier tools such as Enhanced 214DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 214D.pngGuardAllStartup15 [13]Recovery23Advantage-9 [-7] and even Enhanced 623DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 623D.pngGuardMid, All [Mid]Startup9Recovery38+16
[29+16]
Advantage-45 [-28]
with the right read, especially with meter to Rapid Cancel to force the opponent to respect it.

On defense, Naoto's 6f 5A can force opponents to keep frame traps tight, 2A is a great low profile that can beat many 5As, and 2CBBCF Naoto Kurogane 2C.pngGuardMidStartup11Recovery22Advantage-11 is a strong crouching anti-air. Naoto's 623D, Inferno Crusader, is outright one of the best reversals in the game, with great range, fast startup, and when Rapid Cancelled, allows Naoto to transition into his own pressure.


Naoto has an easy, rushdown gameplan to follow, but also has a high execution ceiling due to the opportunities his Enhancer ability provides. Before going over his harder stuff, here are some important things to know to use his Enhancer mechanic well:

  • Buffer: This game mechanic allows Naoto to function - without it, Naoto would be unplayable. Naoto doesn't exist without the buffer, and his combos would be humanly impossible without it. Consider reading this page, but in short, it is the act of inputting a move before a previous move connects. For most things in BBCF, there is a 4f buffer window to link To perform a second action after the first action completely finishes its animation. a move and a 4f buffer along with hitstop When a character is hit, both characters are stopped in place to visualize the hit and give feeling of impact. Hitstop describes this phenomenon. Typically hitstop affects both players equally, but this is not always true. For example an attack may cause the opponent to be in hitstop longer than the player, or in cases of most projectiles, the attacker does not experience hitstop at all. to cancel a move into another. Naoto in particular has some extra lenient buffer windows for dash cancels (covered below).
  • Microdash The act of doing a quick dash, usualy seen in combos or pressure, by quickly tapping forward twice (66) or tapping a dash button.: The second most important thing to understand in order to learn Naoto. When combined with a move (e.g. 665A), it allows Naoto to get a little more range on his normals. When cancelling a microdashed normal with a special, Naoto will perform the Enhanced version of it. This is one of the ways to combo into Enhanced specials. Note that in BBCF, microdashes do not add any startup to a move if the dash is inputted entirely within a buffer window.
  • Dash Cancel: The last barrier to learn Naoto. Similar to microdashes, but with some differences. Similar to how normals can be cancelled into specials, a few of Naoto's moves can be cancelled with a dash, entering a unique dash cancel state. Naoto's Drives (e.g. 5DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 5D.pngGuardMidStartup20 [18]Recovery18Advantage-2), Enhanced BashBBCF Naoto Kurogane 236B~236B~236B.pngGuardAllStartup14Recovery22Advantage-10 and 214ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 214A-Enhanced.pngGuardStartupRecovery39 [37]Advantage- can be cancelled into a dash at some point. Unlike most characters, Naoto's dash cancel is special cancellable at any point, and the special cancelled into will be Enhanced. This is the other way to combo into Enhanced specials.


Now let's tie everything together. For Naoto's combos, he wants to combo into Enhanced specials whenever possible, whether this be through a microdash or dash cancel. A common example is to launch an opponent outside the corner. For example, consider the combo piece 5C > 214A > dash cancel > Enhanced 623C. This involves cancelling 5C into 214A, executing 656 and then 623C. By buffering every single cancel as much as possible, you will find that the combo is more lenient than you may have expected.

The FAQ

Note: The short answer to basically any combo question is simply: buffer your inputs and practice (also remember to practice on player 2 side).


1. Is Naoto Hard?

- Yes and no. Naoto has an easy and straightforward gameplan with a low execution floor. Although his execution ceiling is high, he does not require the use of difficult combos for his gameplan at all, unlike other high execution characters. This is not to say he is not rewarded for putting in the effort, as with high execution he has the ability to carry an opponent to the corner from any hit, and consistent execution is required for consistent roll catches to keep his okizeme strong, however Naoto can be played effectively without advanced combos and is rewarded more from strong fundamentals, especially movement.


2. How do I do X after 214A?

- Always remember to buffer everything. This includes the 214A, the dash cancel and the special afterwards, whether it be Enhanced 623C, 236B, 214A, or 214D. The sequence can be thought of a single, connected motion as all of it must be inputted quickly. If a move is not coming out, then you are buffering too early. If the Enhanced special is whiffing or is blocked, then you are not buffering early enough or you are inputting the moves too slowly. In particular, the dash cancel should not be visible at all as it is special cancellable before it comes out.


3. Why is 214A > dash cancel > Enhanced 236B always dropping? / How do link an Enhanced 236B?

- Enhanced {{clr|B|236B} can be inputted as 2366B. Although it will likely be uncomfortable to learn at first, it requires less motions and is especially useful for linking Enhanced 236Bs. It's useful to insert dash inputs to instantly enhance other specials such as 623D and 214D which come out with 6263/62366 and 21466 motions respectively. However, these are much harder to execute than 2366.


4. Why is whiffing j.2C so important? / Does whiffing j.2C do anything at all?

- Whiffing j.2C after an Enhanced 623C removes the landing recovery from 623C, allowing Naoto to link into 5B, or more notably, (66)2C/(66)3C, increasing combo options.


5. How do I whiff j.2C?

- On an opponent that was airborne before doing Enhanced 623C, delay j.2C as much as possible. Note that this is not possible on  Arakune after standard launches. Mess around with the cancel window to get a feeling of the cancel window in order to find the maximum amount you can delay.


6. How do I do (66)2C after a whiffed j.2C?

- Input the 2C shortly after you whiff j.2C. j.2C lacks any landing recovery, so Naoto may recover earlier than you initially expect. If you are microdashing the 2C then start inputting the motion immediately after whiffing j.2C. The time it takes to input a dash will ideally be the same as the delay required to link (66)2C. If 2C does not come out, input it later. If 2C comes out but it whiffs, input it earlier and/or input the microdash faster if including one.


7. How do I fight X character?

- Check out the Naoto matchup chart which contains matchup information by several high level Naoto players. Remember that the numbers on the matchup chart should not be used as an excuse for losing a difficult matchup, use the chart as a resource to learn.


8. My fingers hurt / I have weird feelings in my hands/elbows/forearms

- First of all, take a break. There's no need to go all in to land a combo. If anything, doing several, short practice sessions is far more effective when learning than a single, long practice session, where you not only learn slower but can also damage your body. Find and consistently do wrist and finger exercises such as the ones in this video. Consider doing them and only start practising again once you are more relaxed and aren't feeling any pain.


9. I'm struggling to complete Hard Trial #5 and #6, please send help before I make an arthritis joke

- Both trials can be completed by buffering inputs and ideally using 2366 like explained above. Please don't make an arthritis joke.


10. Where can I look up Match Videos for Naoto?

- Check out the Players to Watch section to look for Naoto match footage.


Overall, Naoto can be both easier and harder than he seems at first glance. While he does not require much execution to play, being able to consistently use his Enhancer mechanic is incredibly useful and makes him a much greater threat. Regardless, when learning Naoto, it is more beneficial to just learn the basics and learn fundamentals from there - this is more rewarding than focusing on technically demanding combos as it will help with not only Naoto but any character.

Neutral

Anti-Airs

Punishing Air Approaches

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
5B 550 Mid 8 3 18 -4 B
2C 850 Mid 11 6 22 -11 B 7~13 H
2A 300 Low/Air 7 2 12 -2 F

Naoto has several different anti-air options against an opponent's air approach with each having unique benefits. These are:

  • 5B, which has a good diagonal hitbox,
  • 2C, which has Head invulnerability, and
  • 2A, which has a low profiling hurtbox.

5B is a fast, advancing kick aimed upwards with a disjoint at the tip. 5B's speed, recovery and angle allows Naoto to quickly cover the air space in front of him relatively safely. However, 5B lacks any Head invulnerability during its duration, so it's best as a preemptive anti-air. Additionally, 5B lacks high reward and is difficult to hit confirm.


2C is Naoto's primary anti-air. Boasting great vertical range, fast start-up and Head attribute invulnerability, 2C is Naoto's main way to punish air approaches on reaction. Although it has poor horizontal range, 2C can be hit confirmed into damaging combos. Naoto also has another Head invulnerable anti-air in 623CBBCF Naoto Kurogane 623C.pngGuardMidStartup6Recovery26+11Advantage-28 [-22] which starts up faster and has earlier invulnerability, however the motion input generally makes it slower to execute and it is unsafe on block, generally making 2C the better option.


2A is a low hitting kick with low profiling properties. 2A can be used to low profile air normals, so instead of hitting them, it makes the opponent whiff completely. Since its also self cancellable on whiff, 2A this allows Naoto to punish landing recovery for incredibly low risk.

Safe Approaches

Utilising Universal Movement Options

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
5B 550 Mid 8 3 18 -4 B
2B 480 Low 8 3 15 -4 F
3C 780 Low 11 4 17 -4 F
j.C 900 High/Air 10 6 12 H
j.D 900 All 20 [18] 5 18+5L H
214A 39 [37] 1~30 HBP
[1~26 HBP]

Naoto is a mobility character, with his movement speed allowing him to use universal neutral options such as Brake and dash jump into air Barrier to safely approach. This is Naoto's lower risk neutral playstyle. Through the use of Barrier blocking, Naoto can mix between safe and risky approaches to get in and start his pressure.


Grounded Approaches: With a fast run, Naoto can use Barrier Braking to repeatedly dash and block to close distance. Once Naoto is in a more comfortable range, he can use normals such as 2B or 3C to catch the opponent, and can be buffered into moves such as Enhanced 236B to get a combo after. These normals in particular can potentially low profile certain high hitting moves, such as  Hakumen 4CBBCF Hakumen 4C.pngGuardAllStartup10Recovery24Advantage-4.


Air Approaches: Air Barrier allows Naoto to safely approach in the air as he can block any anti-air attempts and potentially punish them if they are unsafe on block, only "losing" to air throws. Naoto can dash before the jump to travel even further with a forward jump or can dash into a back or neutral jump and then double jump to create tricky air approaches. Once Naoto has established air Barrier as an option, he can start using air normals such as j.C or j.D to hit the opponent, whether after a jump or an IAD An air dash performed from a standing position as quickly and as low to the ground as possible from a jump. Done by inputting 956 754, and depending on the game, using a dash macro right after a jump.. These normals in particular can also be used as air-to-airs, as well as after back jumps defensively due to their size.


Waiting: To stop Naoto from approaching, the opponent may try to stop Naoto by using preemptive moves. By waiting rather than trying to approach immediately, it can cause the opponent to whiff preeemptive moves and put themself into recovery, allowing Naoto to safely run in. Although not a universal option, Naoto's 214ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 214A-Enhanced.pngGuardStartupRecovery39 [37]Advantage- can be used on reaction against some projectiles, such as  Nu 5DBBCP Nu 5D.pngGuardAllStartup15RecoveryTotal 48Advantage-12 [-4], to make them whiff. Naoto can then dash cancel after to close distance or punish recovery. Some opponents may decide to instead try approach Naoto instead to surprise him. This is where Naoto can use his own preemptive moves such as 5B, which in particular has a hitbox that allows it to hit both grounded and air approaches.

Drives and Enhanced Specials

Utilising Naoto's Tools

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
5[D] 1350 Guard Break 24 [34]/Barrier 40 [28] 5 18 -1 B
6[D] 1500 Guard Break 24 [34]/Barrier 48 [36] 6 17 -1 B
214D 1000 All 15 [13] 3 23 -9 [-7] B
623D 700×2
[700, 450×4]
Mid, All [Mid] 9 3,10
[3,3,3,2,2]
38+16
[29+16]
-45 [-28] B 1~17 All
214A 39 [37] 1~30 HBP
[1~26 HBP]
632146B 2000 [2400] {1800 [2160]} All 5+(50 Flash)+2 10 23 -11 B 1~6 All
7~16 P

While Naoto can use universal movement options well, he also has many other useful tools he can use. The forward movement his Enhanced specials gain give them uses as approach options, although they have relatively long recovery on block or whiff. Additionally, his charged drives are large, but they have long startup. As such, this is Naoto's higher risk neutral playstyle. Although it can be very effective, it is reliant on successfully reading the opponent.


Enhanced 214D: One of Naoto's most used specials in neutral. It's fast, disjointed and travels about 3/4 of the screen. It allows Naoto to move quickly through the screen while covering himself with a large disjointed hitbox. Although the move is unsafe on block, it is only -7, meaning it can be punished by jabs at best and is even safe when spaced. However, it will typically whiff against an airborne opponent and can be punished by air normals. Enhanced 236B can be used in a similar way, and it has a higher vertical hitbox, allowing it to hit airborne opponents when Enhanced 214D would not. Additionally, it is safe on block and has cancel options after. However, it extends Naoto's hurtbox before it becomes active, causing it to lose to preemptive buttons, so Enhanced 214D is generally the better option.


Enhanced 214A: It has 26 frames of invulnerabilty and travels about 1/2 of the screen, and can be used against opponents who keep Naoto out by using projectiles or Body attribute moves. However, Enhanced 214A lacks Foot invulnerability, so large Foot pokes like  Kokonoe 3CBBCP Kokonoe 3C.pngGuardLow, MidStartup14Recovery15Advantage-1 or  Kagura 2CBBCP Kagura 2C.pngGuardMidStartup16Recovery23Advantage-9 will beat Enhanced 214A approaches. Additionally, its long total duration generally means Naoto will be unable to punish a move that whiffs through Enhanced 214A - assuming he is even plus after he recovers, especially if the Enhanced 214A was done on reaction.


Enhanced 623D: Although it may seem like a stupid option to use in neutral, it is a potent neutral option. It travels over 1/2 of the screen, has a large hitbox both in front and above it, and has a large amount of invulnerability and active frames, allowing it to beat most attacks in the game, especially if done right before the opponent's move becomes active to make the most out of the invulnerability. However, if baited, Naoto is heavily punishable on block. Thankfully, if done with meter, Naoto can Rapid Cancel the move and do a falling j.B if he is not too close (which he shouldn't be if the move is used in neutral) to punish an opponent's punish attempt and start pressure.


632146B: Potentially the best anti-projectile super in the game, it travels just short of fullscreen when Enhanced, has Projectile invulnerability for the entirety of its travel, and can lead to a combo if it counter hits in the corner. Additionally, it can be done on reaction against some projectiles when far away such as  Nu 5DBBCP Nu 5D.pngGuardAllStartup15RecoveryTotal 48Advantage-12 [-4]. If done consistently, this forces projectile zoners to approach Naoto instead whenever he has meter.


Charged Drives: Unlike the other options, these are generally used to keep the opponent away from Naoto and can be used with a life lead to force the opponent to approach. They can also all be dash cancelled during startup, potentially allowing Naoto to punish an attempt at approaching.

  • 5[D]: Used the most as it is the fastest charged drive with 40 frames of startup. It is a large, fairly disjointed horizontal poke that covers 1/2 of the screen and Guard Breaks, and even leads to full combos on Guard Break and hit. 2[D] can be used instead when the Low guard or Foot attribute properties are relevant, such as against  Tager 214DBBCF Iron Tager 214D 1.pngGuardStartupRecovery39~113Advantage-. Although Naoto can dash cancel during the startup of the move on reaction to the opponent entering the air, the opponent will often be at an awkward spacing to anti-air.
  • 6[D]: As Naoto's best starter, it is the most dangerous to be hit by, and has a huge upwards hitbox perfect for covering the air. However, its slow startup generally mean the opponent can interrupt Naoto before the move comes out, even if they are airborne. Despite this, its reward is sometimes enough justification to use it, such as when at a huge life deficit.

Defense

Naoto has a variety of reversals and attribute invulnerable moves that can be used on wake-up or during gaps in an opponent's blockstrings to get out of pressure and potentially start his own.

Fully Invulnerable Options

Naoto's Invulnerable Reversals

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
623D 700×2
[700, 450×4]
Mid, All [Mid] 9 3,10
[3,3,3,2,2]
38+16
[29+16]
-45 [-28] B 1~17 All
632146B 2000 [2400] {1800 [2160]} All 5+(50 Flash)+2 10 23 -11 B 1~6 All
7~16 P
632146D 1300, 2719
{1300, 1900, 2200}
All 4+(40 Flash)+9 1 48 -18 B 1~27 All

623D - Inferno Crusader: 9f startup. Better than most meterless reversals as it has both the fastest possible startup for a meterless reversal, and a huge hitbox, however it can be baited by jumping over Naoto due to its forward movement. Even with meter, generally still the reversal of choice as it can be Rapid Cancelled on block to stay safe and potentially start pressure. Although difficult, it can be Enhanced even when done on wake-up, gaining lots of forward movement (so it beats most backdashes) and reducing its recovery (so that the opponent gets weaker punishes on block and so it is difficult to punish when it whiffs from a forward jump). On hit, Naoto is next to the opponent and can start pressure.


632146B - Divine Smasher: 7f startup. Has the fastest possible startup for a metered reversal which allows it to beat some safe jump A very well-timed jump attack on a character who is rising from a knockdown. Your goal is to attack extremely close to when you land so that, if the character performs an invincible reversal attack, you will land and be able to block. The opponent is then forced to block your jumping attack, since reversaling doesn't work, which will give you some nice pressure and hopefully an opening.s, and the forward movement makes it difficult or impossible to punish on whiff, often allowing Naoto to safely escape the corner if the opponent made it whiff by jumping over Naoto.


632146D - Divine Reaper: 13f startup. Has a big hitbox, and tons of invulnerability and active frames. With full meter, it can be Rapid Cancelled for incredible reward in nearly any situation.


Counter Assault: A universal defensive option. Has a great hitbox due to using 5C's hitbox. By far the hardest to bait but also has the least reward.

Partially Invulnerable Options

Naoto's Attribute Invulnerable Moves

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
6B 750 All 17 4 4+12 -1 H 5~24 FT
214A 39 [37] 1~30 HBP
[1~26 HBP]
214A 8A 0, 1426×2 Unblockable (120) 15 [5] 5 28 T 1~19 HB [1~9 HB]

214A - Shift Sway: Causes Body, Head and Projectile attribute moves to whiff, so this can be used on a read that the opponent will not use a Foot attribute move against Naoto, with the situation being the most common after awkward scrambles. It can also be used against hitstop OS A shorthand for "Option Select"A situation where you perform an input and the game will "select an option" automatically depending on what the other character did.es, which have an option that baits reversals (often a backdash) come out only if the meaty whiffs. Using 214A on wake-up can have this option come out and allow Naoto to punish.

214A can also be used against some projectile okizeme, however depending on the setup, either Naoto recovers too slow to be safe or the projectile is more active than 214As invulnerability.

  • 214A~8A - Phantom Pain: 214A's follow-up. It also as Head and Body invulnerability but lacks Projectile invulnerability unlike 214A, meaning it cannot be used against projectile okizeme.

6B: Covers the attributes that 214A does not, however the invulnerability only starts on frame 5 rather than frame 1.


Naoto does have a few frame 1 Throw invulnerable options such as a TK An input method to perform a special move in the air as fast as possible after you leave the ground. Short for "Tiger Knee". For Example: 2369 for a j.236 input. j.623C or a prejump cancelled specialDuring the prejump of a character, they have Throw invulnerability. Additionally, prejump can be cancelled into specials. Using these properties, jumping then cancelling into a special will give the character Throw invulnerability for a few frames then perform a special to punish a whiffed Throw., however both are hard callouts to throws and are generally not worth using over a Barrier + Throw OS.

Offense

Frame Traps

Conditioning the Opponent

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
5AA 600 Mid 8 4 14 -1 B
5C 800 Mid 12 4 18 -3 B
5D 900 Mid 20 [18] 5 18 -2 B
236B 700 All 13 3 17 -3 B

Naoto's offense is primarily built around stagger pressure The use of intentionally delaying gatlings or cancels in order to create frame traps with the intent of catching your opponent mashing or jumping. Loses to reversals., and involves conditioning an opponent into giving Naoto too much respect, allowing him to reset pressure.

To do so, Naoto's normals have large cancel windows and lots of gatling options. A blockstring such as 5A 5AA 5B 5C 6B can have delays added before each cancel so that there is a gap too small for the opponent to interrupt Naoto's next move. If the opponent tries to challenge anywhere in this string other than after 6B, they will be counter hit. This is especially punishing for the opponent due to Naoto's high average damage.

Note that there are benefits to not delaying a cancel. Delaying every cancel can make it difficult to convert any successful hits into combos - the difference between hitstun and blockstun values for Naoto's attacks are generally a single frame, and consistently landing the frame perfect timing to leave a 1f gap and combo on regular standing hit is near impossible. For this reason, it can be helpful to follow delayed cancels with slightly delayed cancels that, although they will not frame trap, will allow for a combo on hit or a gapless string on block, as two hits is more manageable to hit confirm.

Naoto also has several natural frame traps, which are sequences that will always leave a gap, even when cancelled immediately. For example:

  • 6B 236B is a 2f gap,
  • 5B 5D is a 4f gap,
  • 5C 5D is a 2f gap,
  • 5D 2D is a 2f gap,
  • 5C 2D is a 4f gap,
  • 5C xD~dc/214A~dc Enhanced 236B is a 4f/3f gap, and
  • 5D/2D xD~dc/214A~dc Enhanced 236B is a 2f/1f gap.

Pressure Resets

Punishing Respect

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
5A 300 All 6 3 12 -1 B
j.B 580 High/Air 9 6 13 H
66 Cancel 20

After conditioning the opponent to not challenge gaps in Naoto's blockstrings, Naoto can start resetting pressure by not cancelling his moves and doing a microdashed 5A after to start his pressure all over again. By frame trapping with delayed cancels, it is harder to react to the lack of a cancel, making microdash resets more ambiguous.

Naoto can also reset pressure by jump cancelling his normals, notably 5A, 5B and 5C. In the corner, Naoto can IAD An air dash performed from a standing position as quickly and as low to the ground as possible from a jump. Done by inputting 956 754, and depending on the game, using a dash macro right after a jump. into j.B which can hit many (but not all) characters when they are crouching, however outside the corner j.B will often whiff. Naoto can also jump in with j.B, however this is more reactable and is more likely to be anti-aired. After a j.B, Naoto can cancel into a j.A or j.C depending on his height for another overhead hit and more plus frames.

Naoto's unique dash cancel can also be used to reset pressure. This is generally used where Naoto would normally dash cancel into an Enhanced 236B, such as after a 5D or 2D, however it can technically be used to reset after any move. Resetting with a dash cancel will always be counter hit punishable, however as Naoto can special cancel the dash cancel at any point, Naoto can threaten a frame trap at any time during it.

Rekka Pressure

Using Banishing Fang, Roar and Bash

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
236B 700 All 13 3 17 -3 B
236B 236B 800 All 9 6 18 -7 B
236B 236B 236B 1200 All 14 7 22 -10 B

Although the possible pressure options Naoto has after using Banishing Fang are far more limited than when using his normals, Naoto's Rekka A series of special attacks that are only available after the first one is performed. pressure can be even scarier than the rest of his pressure. The reason for this is the reward of his Rekka frame traps. Both RoarBBCF Naoto Kurogane 236B~236B.pngGuardAllStartup9Recovery18Advantage-7 and BashBBCF Naoto Kurogane 236B~236B~236B.pngGuardAllStartup14Recovery22Advantage-10 are easily hit confirmable fatal counter starters and can lead to great damage. While Roar and Bash are both unsafe and block, the threat of them means that resetting pressure by not cancelling Fang or Roar is acceptable, especially because the damage Naoto gets from a Roar or Bash starter is far higher than the reward the opponent would get by punishing them on block with an A and B starter respectively.

Mix-ups

Overwhelming the Opponent

input damage guard startup active recovery onBlock attribute invuln
6A 700 High 24 3 24 -10 B
6B 750 All 17 4 4+12 -1 H 5~24 FT

While Naoto can endlessly loop his pressure and make an opponent block for 99 seconds straight, doing so lacks any threat (ignoring the negligible chip damage from Rekka). If the opponent has shown that they are willing to block, then Naoto can start opening up the opponent with mix-up To perform a maneuver that forces a defending opponent to choose between two or more options. If the opponent chooses incorrectly, then they are hit by an attack. There are many different types of mix-ups such as crossup(left/right), high/low, and strike/throw.s.

Although throw is a universal option, stagger pressure characters like Naoto can use it very well due to staggers making throw points very ambiguous. As Naoto's 5A does not whiff on crouching opponents, he cannot whiff it to set up TRMs, however he can still bait throw techs by having the opponent block his normal then running up into a throw, rather than whiffing it like other characters would. Naoto can also bait raw throw techs very effectively using 6B on a read.

Already a difficult overhead to react to, Naoto's 6A becomes even harder to predict after extended pressure. It can be cancelled into after several normals and Naoto has many lows to discourage stand blocking. Note that Naoto's stagger pressure can sometimes be a detriment to the move, as doing 6A after baiting the opponent into mashing will cause Naoto to lose. Nevertheless, having a grounded overhead is always a benefit, and 6A is so strong that it can even be used instead of stagger pressure entirely if trying to use that style of pressure is uncomfortable.

While also a universal pressure option, Crush Trigger can be an effective way to surprise the opponent for only 25 meter. While other characters rarely use it in pressure, Naoto can quite effectively use it as unlike most pressure characters, Naoto's pressure is largely unaffected by Barrier blocking. Additionally, when cancelled into from a dash cancel, it will retain the forward movement, giving it a huge amount of reach and allowing it to always hit point blank. While Naoto can only combo from an uncharged Crush Trigger in the corner, the retained forward movement means that a successful Guard Break will consistently combo into a green throw for maximum damage.

With 50 meter, Naoto can do an uncommon and thus unexpected mix-up by Rapid Cancelling 6B then air dashing into j.B. This can lead to a second overhead by cancelling into j.C or even a low or throw by not cancelling, landing and doing 2A or throw, however the latter will rarely need to be used as this mix-up is generally not worth using often enough to need to threaten another option. When doing j.C, this sequence is completely gapless.

Dealing With Defensive Options

Adapting to the Opponent

As strong as Naoto's pressure is, the opponent will always have more options than simply blocking and mashing, whether universal or character specific. To successfully crack an opponent, Naoto needs to adapt to what defensive options and habits the opponent represents.

As a stagger pressure focused character, reversals are the primary thing Naoto needs to worry about. An opponent can choose to use a reversal during any frame trap Naoto does. While the main way is to call it out by not cancelling a normal or jump cancelling then air Barrier blocking, Naoto also has many lows (2A, 2B, 3C, and 2D) that can be used in gapless strings to catch any attempts at reversal motions, with the exception of 2D. If the opponent is using a reversal on their wake-up, Naoto has better options than most characters, as 214A is a consistent way to cause an opponent's reversal to whiff, not allowing an opponent to Rapid Cancel (note that against reversal supers, this should be done on reaction to super flash only, not as a read).

Unlike other stagger pressure characters, Naoto deals with Barrier blocking quite well. His pressure resets move him forward enough that the opponent must block a few frame traps to push Naoto out of microdash 5A range. Even after pushing Naoto that far, Naoto can still close the gap with IAD or dash cancel resets, and Naoto's damaging frame traps can demand enough respect to run back in to restart pressure. However, Naoto does have to worry about the other blocking option, Instant blocking. Although most opponents may want to escape pressure safely by pushing Naoto out, a confident opponent can use the reduced blockstun from Instant blocks to exploit gaps from staggers. This is especially relevant against early invulnerability options such as  Tager 360ABBCF Iron Tager 360A.pngGuardPurple throw rejectStartup6Recovery29 (Miss), 44 (Hit)Advantage-. Instant block is a major threat against Rekka pressure in particular, as an Instant blocked Fang becomes -6, punishable by most 5As. Additionally, if the opponent has a fast reversal, Instant blocking Roar allows them to use a 10f or faster reversal to punish it regardless of a no cancel or frame trap, invalidating the threat of Bash. Dealing with Instant block can be difficult, but one method is to use barely gapless blockstrings, as an Instant block will then create a small gap for the opponent to punish their own challenge attempt.

Naoto deals with Guard Cancel Overdrive (better known as Overdrive Raid (ODR)) better than the rest of the cast with nearly all his normals being safe against it, however he still has some ODR unsafe normals, notably 5C, 6B and 6A. While his drives seem ODR unsafe based on numbers, as they can be dash cancelled at any time during startup, Naoto can dash cancel them on reaction to an Overdrive activation, leaving him +3 on a dash cancel. Although, do remember to be wary of an opponent using raw Overdrive on wake-up if choosing to go for a mix-up on the opponent's wake-up.

As an incredibly strong defensive option used very often at high level play, fuzzy jump is one of the hardest defensive options to beat. It generally involves doing a jump into air Barrier a few frames after an expected gap in a blockstring - if a frame trap occurs as expected, they will simply block, and if there is no frame trap, they will jump out. This can punish microdash resets with large gaps or mix-up attempts with throw or 6A. There are a few options to beat fuzzy jumps, but they typically rely on recognising that the opponent is fuzzy jumping and matching their delayed timings. The least risky way of beating it is to repeatedly use Naoto's lows when the opponent is expected to input a fuzzy jump, as even if the opponent is still in blockstun, their jump input can get caught. Another way is to delay frame traps more to leave gaps larger than the opponent expects, so that the opponent's delayed jump has its prejump punished. Calling out fuzzy jump this way leaves Naoto susceptible to Instant block and can allow opponents to mash out of gaps that would normally be frame traps. A higher risk but higher reward option (especially in terms of mental damage) is to call out the jump with an air throw (if the opponent starts throw teching after fuzzy jumps, Naoto can TRM with j.A j.A into purple air throw).

Example Blockstrings

Putting Concepts into Practice

The following blockstrings assume that the opponent is regular blocking. Remember to change blockstrings to match the opponent's decisions.

  • 5A dl.5AA dl.5B dl.5C 5D 214A~dc En236B~dl.236B~dl.236B - Standard frame trap sequence.
  • 5A, 665A, 665A dl.5AA, 665A, 665A dl.5AA ... - After obtaining respect, an effective way to annoy the opponent into mashing.
  • 5A, 665A dl.5AA 5B jc/IAD j.B j.A, 5A ... - Uses a jump cancel to reset pressure.
  • 5A dl.5AA dl.2B 5B, 665A dl.5AA dl.5B 5D 214A~dc, 5A ... - Uses a dash cancel to reset pressure.
  • 5A dl.2A dl.2A 5C 2D 5D 214A~dc En236B~dl.236B, 66 5A ... - Uses a Rekka no cancel to reset pressure.
  • 5A, 665A, 66 Throw - Using respect to land a throw.
  • 5A, 665A, 665A, 66 Throw - Calling out a throw tech attempt on the third 5A to TRM.
  • 5A 5AA 6A 5C ... - Using an overhead early.
  • 5A 2A 2A 2B 6A 5C ... - Using gapless lows to punish stand blocking before going overhead.

Remember that at any point in any of these blockstrings, Naoto can choose to not cancel after a move to bait a reversal.

Okizeme

All setups assume that the opponent emergency techs and rolls as soon as possible, catching late rolls requires a delayed roll catch.

Standard Knockdowns

General Roll CatchIngrain this into your muscle memory

623D~j.2C, delayed 2A or 662A
After a knockdown, react to an emergency tech with a meaty (66)5A or (66)2A. If the opponent does not emergency tech, a well timed 2A will catch a forward roll after passing through Naoto, catch a quick tech and reset a no tech. To meaty a neutral tech, 2A must be whiff cancelled into another 2A, as recovering and using 5A will stop mashing but allows for certain delayed invincibility options to be used on wake-up like  Tager 360ABBCF Iron Tager 360A.pngGuardPurple throw rejectStartup6Recovery29 (Miss), 44 (Hit)Advantage-.

2A will only catch a back roll in the corner, otherwise it will whiff. Midscreen, a 662A can catch back roll but will whiff against forward roll. Against certain characters, a well timed 662A will catch both rolls. It will interact with other wake-up options the same.

In the corner, 2A can be done earlier to not allow the opponent to pass through Naoto which will lead to a higher damage combo, however this will not catch a back roll and will blue beat no tech and allow the opponent to air tech out of most pressure attempts.

To convert from a roll catch, buffer 5A (recommended) or 2C and hit confirm into 5AA 2C 214A~8A or directly into 214A~8A respectively. The latter may drop if 2A connects far.

Hard Knockdowns

Hard knockdown enders are typically used against  Kagura to stop him from safely charging his flashkickBBCP Kagura 2~8C.pngGuardMid, All×5Startup9Recovery29+20LAdvantage-45 while being hit. The listed hard knockdown enders are corner enders.

2D EnderBlue beat ender

2D, forward walk, 2A
Similar to the General Roll Catch, but emergency tech is not an option and 2A will instead catch forward rolls before they pass through Naoto for higiher reward.

Going for this ender will generally lose a lot of damage, and the timing on the roll catch may vary with combo length as 2D does not have fixed hitstun unlike the alternative hard knockdown ender c.En214D. However, it will be consistent when done as a blue beat after a full combo.


Single c.En214D EnderAlso a mixup

c.En214D, delayed 662B
Note that after c.En214D, the opponent's roll directions will be reversed, so rolling away from the corner will have less invincibility than rolling towards it.

662B will catch a quick tech and catch a roll away from the corner. On neutral tech, Naoto can meaty with any normal. It will blue beat a no tech, allowing the opponent to air tech. It will whiff on a roll towards the corner but Naoto is plus enough to stop mashing with (66)5A (will lose to delayed invincibility options).

To convert after 662B, buffer 2C and hit confirm directly into 214A~8A.

Delaying longer will cause the 2B to crossunder the opponent if they neutral tech. It can also reset a no tech and catch a roll towards the corner (note that 214A~8A may whiff if the dash was too long), however it will allow the opponent to block on a quick tech and will whiff on a roll away from the corner.


Double c.En214D EnderPractical c.En214D loops

c.En214D, c.En214D, delayed 2D
2D will whiff on a roll away from the corner against  Arakune,  Valkenhayn,  Izayoi,  Kagura (unfortunately),  Celica,  Hibiki,  Nine and  Es.

2D will whiff on a roll towards the corner against  Ragna,  Tager,  Tsubaki,  Naoto and  Mai.

Both can be solved on a read by walking back before or microdashing 2D respectively but will no longer catch the other roll direction.

Quite difficult to execute because of the double c.En214D and very specific delay on the 2D, however it will essentially beat every wake-up option.

If 2D is done immediately it will whiff on a roll away from the corner but Naoto will be point blank and plus enough to stop mashing. If 2D is delayed too much it will whiff on a roll towards the corner and Naoto will be far away from the opponent.

If timed perfectly, 2D will catch both rolls, catch a quick tech and blue beat a no tech. After a blue beat 2D, doing a short dash will set up 2D Okizeme. On neutral tech, Naoto is plus enough to stop mashing with (66)5A (will lose to delayed invincibility options).

To convert after 2D, link into En236BBB.

Other Setups

Phantom Pain SafejumpCan add hitstop OSes

214A~8A, delayed neutral jump, falling j.B
When timed well, it will be safe against all 7f and slower reversals.

If the opponent does not emergency tech, land and input 5A (do not hold a direction) to convert after j.B if it catches a wake-up option. j.B can catch both rolls and catch a quick tech. It will whiff against no tech on most characters. Naoto will be minus on neutral tech as he will whiff 5A if he wants to convert after catching another wake-up option.

If the opponent emergency techs, j.B, land 2A is encouraged when starting pressure, as once the opponent has been conditioned to block the safejump, mixup options are available, notably delayed air dash j.B j.C and empty jump 2A (this can be done after an early neutral jump so that the lack of a j.B is not a telegraph).

Against characters that j.B connects on when they no tech, such as  Tager, it will blue beat, allowing the opoponent to air tech. j.C may be used instead, however it may not catch every option.

After 214A~8A, instead doing 5D 2D will blue beat anything other than emergency tech and sets up 2D Okizeme, while leaving Naoto plus enough to stop mashing with 5A (will lose to delayed invincibility options).


Sway Hitstop OSUniversal tech improved by Sway

grounded meaty > buffered normal + 214A or air meaty > 214A + buffered normal
Due to Shift Sway's (214A) lengthy invulnerability starting on frame 1, it can be used to cause reversals to whiff so that they cannot be Rapid Cancelled. This can be used as the option that comes out when doing a hitstop OS, which is when the hitstop of a move is used so that, if a meaty hits or is blocked, Naoto will do another attack, and if the meaty whiffs, Naoto will do something to punish a reversal, in this case Shift Sway.

Whether the meaty is a ground or air normal changes the way the OS is done. For ground normals, do the normal then buffer a second normal and Sway in quick succession, such as executing 2A 2B 214A. For air normals such as after a safejump, do the air normal then buffer Sway and then the second normal in quick succession, such as executing j.B 214A 5B. If timed well, Naoto will do 2A 2B or j.B 5B if the opponent does not reversal and will do 2A(w) 214A or j.B(w) 214A if they do.

When doing a grounded meaty, Naoto can only safely meaty reversals slower than 13f startup due to the recovery on his jabs. Unfortunately, with all hitstop OSes, they will lose to other options that cause the meaty to whiff, such as a wake-up backdash, and Naoto will be counter hit punishable as he will Sway.


c.En214D, (66)5A Re-stand A situation in which a character is taken from an airborne or OTG state and returned to a standing state on the ground while still in hitstun, which is very uncommon. Moves that re-stand the opponent often allow for unique mix-ups that are unexpected (since typically, mix-ups come after a knockdown), or unique combo extensions.Negates opponent's wake-up options

c.En214D, (66)5A
Explained in the video, but a brief explanation is that on some characters, c.En214D leaves Naoto close enough in the corner that (66)5A can connect, not allowing the opponent to use any wake-up options as they remain grounded.


Phantom Pain Air ResetKnowledge (and minor execution) check

En214D, (En)214A~8A
En214D should be connecting on a low airborne opponent. This setup will not work after very short combos as En214D will still knock down. Can technically be done after other moves, but En214D is the most consistent option as it works at all untech decays.

Without Enhancing, Pain (214A~8A) can catch a neutral and back air tech and will lead to good reward, however it will whiff on a forward air tech. When Enhanced, Pain will catch all air techs, however the reward is much worse. To catch the opponent not teching, 5D 2D can be used to blue beat and can go into 2D Okizeme or another En214D to repeat the situation.

Unfortunately, the reset loses to the opponent emergency teching rather than air teching or not teching, leaving Naoto punishable if he used Pain or causing 5D to whiff. 663C can be used to blue beat and can go into another En214D, however the blue beat damage is very negligible.

Tips and Tricks

Input Methods

  • Enhanced 236B = 2366 (recommended), 66236
  • Enhanced 214A/214D = 66214 (recommended), 21466 (recommended for frame 1)
  • Enhanced 623C/623D = 6623 (recommended), 6263 (recommended for frame 1), 62356 or 623566
  • Enhanced 632146B/632146D = 6321466 (recommended), 6632146
  • 214A into Enhanced 632146B/632146D = 63214A66
  • 214A into Enhanced 2141236C = 214A12366C
  • TK An input method to perform a special move in the air as fast as possible after you leave the ground. Short for "Tiger Knee". For Example: 2369 for a j.236 input. j.632146B = 632146[9], 632147896 (full circle starting from 6), 9632146

Oniro (Burst Recap)'s tweet explaining Enhanced 623D on wake-up: https://twitter.com/BurstRecap/status/1368209743219744770

Edgedark's tweet showing examples of successful wake-up Enhanced 623D inputs: https://twitter.com/Edgedark_/status/1531436875399016448

Combo practise

Disassembling a combo in several exercisesCombo practise


Naoto's combos can be cut in several combo pieces. It can be easier to first learn the combo pieces on their own then practise the entire combo, in order to adquire the ability to do every bit of it. Practising the pieces can be thought of as practise exercises, to get used to the inputs required and the timing. Make sure to do the exercises on both sides.

En623C BasicsNaoto's most common combos using En623C

En623C is Naoto's most used EnSpecial when doing a combo, due to its launching properties along with having enough hitstun to keep a combo going. Naoto's most common BnB routes require it to get the most out any hitconfirm.

Enhanced 214A~8A Corner EnderMost common combo corner ender, leads to Pain oki

Naoto's corner combos usually finish with Drive string > 214A 66 En214A~8A. This exercise can be used to practise other combo bits, like 6A > 5C > 214A 66En214D, or 2C > 5D > 214A 66En214D corner extensions.

Drive into Enhanced 236B RoutingCrouch confirm, important pressure frametrap

To properly practise this bit, you gotta make sure:

  • 214A is done in conjunction with 5D/2D
  • You can consistently input 2366B on both sides
  • You're comfortable inputting 214A 2366B together

The 2366B can be inputted at your own pace if you can be fast enough.

Rising j.A Fuzzy

Rising j.A FuzzyF-Shiki/fuzzy overhead setup

Low j.C, land (66) j.A j.623C
In order to understand how this technique works, consider reading this page.

Naoto's j.C has enough blockstun that, if done low to the ground, keeps the opponent in a standing animation long enough for a rising j.A to connect on many characters. This can generally combo into j.623C which can lead to a full combo with a Rapid Cancel. Depending on the character, a dash may be required before j.A.

j.A can hit but j.623C will whiff on  Carl,  Izayoi,  Azrael,  Kokonoe,  Hibiki and  Mai. j.A will whiff on  Es and  Jubei. Naoto can get a meterless combo after j.A on  Tager but do not dash before j.A.

Phantom Pain Fuzzy

Phantom Pain FuzzyUnblockable setups

Naoto can set up situations where he can "fuzzy" 214A~8A. If his opponent is in a standing animation for long enough, Enhanced 214A~8A will hit them even if they input a crouch after.

There are a few ways to set this up, but the most common ways are to do a well timed Enhanced 214A~8A as the opponent is waking up, having a low j.C blocked then going into Enhanced 214A~8A, doing 6A 214A~dc into Enhanced 214A~8A on block, and jailing an airborne opponent then doing 214A~dc into Enhanced 214A~8A.

Unfortunately, all Enhanced 214A~8A setups will lose to the opponent holding 3 (crouch blocking in the opposite direction), crouch Barrier blocking and mashing crouching normals on wake-up.

Fighting Naoto

In neutral, for the most part, the goal is to keep Naoto out as very few characters can contest Naoto in his effective, close range. It is also important to recognise whether the Naoto generally uses a low or high risk neutral playstyle.

Against a low risk playstyle:

  • The Naoto will be trying to bait you into committing risky options that they can punish on block or whiff. Try to avoid using committal options such as large unsafe specials and stick to safer normals, as most of Naotos normals are stubbier than other characters'.
  • If the Naoto is only using safe approach options such as dash Barrier or jump into air Barrier, approach and intercept them instead to surprise them and start pressure. Naoto's preemptive options are generally not as strong as other characters' and getting good reward from them is difficult to hit confirm.
  • Always remember that air throw or repeated rising j.As are strong options against jump into air Barrier. Anti-airs can be blocked and special anti-airs will typically be punishable after.

Against a high risk playstyle:

  • Always remember that waiting and blocking is a strong option, especially if the Naoto lacks 50 meter. Simply blocking lets the Naoto use their unsafe specials and leave themself unsafe right in front of you for a punish, such as against the notorious "run up DPBBCF Naoto Kurogane 623D.pngGuardMid, All [Mid]Startup9Recovery38+16
    [29+16]
    Advantage-45 [-28]
    neutral".
  • Also be wary of giving the Naoto too much respect. This allows them to simply run up and start pressure, the goal of this style of neutral (to overwhelm the opponent so much that they do not contest high risk options).
  • Neutral jump into air Barrier can beat several high risk options, being safe against run up Enhanced 236BBBCF Naoto Kurogane 236B.pngGuardAllStartup13Recovery17Advantage-3 or 623DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 623D.pngGuardMid, All [Mid]Startup9Recovery38+16
    [29+16]
    Advantage-45 [-28]
    and causing Enhanced 214DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 214D.pngGuardAllStartup15 [13]Recovery23Advantage-9 [-7] and run up throw or 6A to whiff, allowing for a punish.
  • Be cautious of the Naoto using 214ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 214A-Enhanced.pngGuardStartupRecovery39 [37]Advantage- to make Body attribute pokes or projectiles whiff as they can then dash cancel and close distance or punish recovery. A similar thing can be done with an Enhanced 214A, however this is less threatening as they can only cancel into 214A~8ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 214A~8A.pngGuardUnblockable (120)Startup15 [5]Recovery28Advantage- and will generally only be plus after recovering if this was done as a read rather than reaction. 214A lacks any Foot attribute invulnerability and is in a counter hit state, so if done as a read, it can be punished with Foot pokes preemptively or reactively. Note that the Naoto can try to use 6BBBCF Naoto Kurogane 6B.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery4+12Advantage-1 to punish preemptive Foot pokes, however this leads to negligible reward.
  • Pay attention to the Naoto's meter. 632146BBBCF Naoto Kurogane 632146B.pngGuardAllStartup5+(50 Flash)+2Recovery23Advantage-11 is potentially the strongest anti-projectile super in the game, travelling just short of fullscreen when Enhanced and leading to a combo on counter hit in the corner. Check if the Naoto is capable of using it on reaction properly by attempting to bait it by waiting or whiffing low recovery moves such as 5A. Only if the Naoto shows they are using it on reaction, respect it and stop zoning with grounded projectiles and instead try to intercept or stop approaches with lower recovery moves.
  • Respect a blocked run up Enhanced 623D if the Naoto has 50 meter, as he can Rapid Cancel into a falling j.B to frame trap. However, if this is regular or Instant blocked very close then keep crouching, as Naoto will whiff j.B and can be punished.

When pressuring Naoto, be aware of his many strong defensive options - a 6f 5ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 5A.pngGuardAllStartup6Recovery12Advantage-1 that hits crouching opponents, a 7f 2ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 2A.pngGuardLow/AirStartup7Recovery12Advantage-2 with low profile, a great crouching 2CBBCF Naoto Kurogane 2C.pngGuardMidStartup11Recovery22Advantage-11 anti-air, and several strong reversal options such as his 623DBBCF Naoto Kurogane 623D.pngGuardMid, All [Mid]Startup9Recovery38+16
[29+16]
Advantage-45 [-28]
. Also remember to meaty Naoto with Foot attribute moves so that he cannot use 214ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 214A-Enhanced.pngGuardStartupRecovery39 [37]Advantage- on wake-up. In particular, be ready to bait his 623D, especially on wake-up and especially against a Naoto with a high risk neutral playstyle. It can be baited effectively by jumping over Naoto, which also causes it to whiff, not allowing him to Rapid Cancel, however if the Naoto is capable of doing Enhanced 623Ds on wake-up then this may be difficult to punish.

After being knocked down, emergency tech if the Naoto did a short combo, and emergency or neutral tech after a long combo, with a bias towards neutral teching. When neutral teching, check whether the Naoto knows how to roll catch properly. If the Naoto shows that they cannot roll catch, then roll can be used to escape any attempts at starting pressure. Even if the Naoto shows that they know their roll catches, a well timed delay roll can still be used to escape.

On defense, be aware of the concept of stagger pressure The use of intentionally delaying gatlings or cancels in order to create frame traps with the intent of catching your opponent mashing or jumping. Loses to reversals., as that is the primary form of pressure Naotos will use. Do be aware that lower level Naotos may instead structure pressure entirely around 6ABBCF Naoto Kurogane 6A.pngGuardHighStartup24Recovery24Advantage-10 - against these Naotos, reliably blocking 6A on reaction will force them to learn stagger pressure. As with all stagger pressure, there are ways to beat it:

  • The very basic way to beat stagger pressure is by guessing between frame traps and pressure resets, and blocking and mashing respectively to beat these options.
  • Learn the Barrier + Throw OS. This allows for safe throw techs, especially important against Naoto who has 6BBBCF Naoto Kurogane 6B.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery4+12Advantage-1 to specifically call out raw throw techs.
  • Although strong options against nearly all kinds of pressure, using fuzzy jump and Instant block, especially together, makes escaping Naoto's pressure far more consistent, as fuzzy jump requires specific responses (such as making the gaps of frame traps larger) that Instant block exploits very effectively.

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