Axl, everyone's favorite British goofball, unfortunately hit the ground pretty rough in his introduction to the series. He's painfully rushed and unfinished, with both of his supers failing to combo into themselves (meaning he can't abuse Desperation Mode), janky or tiny hitboxes, stiff animations, and practical frame data that's worse than the numbers imply due to startups happening somewhere in Narnia. His viability is further hurt by having no strong gameplan to force, few good combo routes which lead to low damage by GGML standards. To make matters worse, Axl was supposed to have GGML's charge mechanic on 623S, but due to a misplaced semicolon in the code, Axl cannot charge and thus cannot charge cancel, locking him out of the most common access to infinites. Thankfully, though, it's not all bad! Dototsu grants him a safe-on-block reversal, combo starter, and full-screen option when dashbugged; 5K is a 12-frame advancing overhead that can combo into Dototsu; an incredibly low-profile Instant Kill starter; and a counter that catches most non-low-profile moves. Combined with useable long-range normals and specials, Axl can play an effective Turtling strategy, which while maybe not tournament viable, lets him hold his own as a character against most of the cast in casual play.
Plus, he has the confidence to wear jorts to a fight. You can't compete against that.
Axl Axl uses good defensive options and useable long-range pokes to play a turtling bait-and-punish game that many opponents can't afford to disrespect.
- Solid Defensive Options: Axl has a solid counter with 214P and a mostly invulnerable move with 214K. Furthermore, Axl's IK has a very low profile throughout its duration which is good for counter poking.
- Good IK: Axl's Instant Kill starter gives him an incredibly low-profile hurtbox for its entire duration, and his punish-oriented gameplan allows for several opportunities to use it, potentially getting around one of his biggest weaknesses in his poor damage.
- jorts: Even if he loses the match, he already won the real victory at wardrobe select.
- Can't Charge: Being unable to Charge means that Axl misses out on Charge Cancels, which are what allow most characters in GGML to perform infinite combos. Changing one semicolon in the code gives him the ability to charge. Thanks ASW.
- Broken Supers: Neither of Axl's supers actually combo with themselves; opponents simply fall out of them and can block and punish the rest.
- Poor Damage: Even compared to some characters who don't have CC infinites Axl's damage isn't good. Justice, Kliff, and Potemkin can all bring the pain better than Axl.
- Finnicky Ground Buttons: Axl's normals have a tendency to be slower than they appear. Their early hitboxes often appear in an unfavorable position and need to travel to hit where they are wanted. Combined with his awkward gatlings and normals' long total duration, it can be punishing to press buttons against mobile characters.
- Lacking Air Buttons: j.P, j.K, and j.S all cover similar angles, but all have poor range. j.H has an enormous dead zone between him and the Kusarigama's head.
- Honest in a Dishonest Game: Missing Link is a grimy game, and that's no secret. If a character isn't explicitly disgusting in some way they are going to get eaten because most of the cast are monsters.
- Poor matchup spread against top tiers: While Axl can hold his own against most of the cast, he has crippling matchups in Justice, Millia Rage, and Dr Baldhead - very popular top tiers.
- Sprites Try To Look Tough: but it's still Axl, even in GGML.
Axl | |
---|---|
Defense | |
100%Raw Value: 10 | |
Jump Startup | |
3f | |
Backdash | |
22f | |
Meter Gain Mod | |
120%Raw Value: 12 | |
Charge Time | |
N/A | |
Forward Walk Speed | |
100%Raw Value: 768 | |
Backward Walk Speed | |
96%Raw Value: 563 | |
Dizzy Resistance | |
83%Raw Value: 25 | |
Fastest Attack | |
Reversals | |
Normals
5P
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | All | 5 | 10 | 15 | -15 | -5 | none |
- fully extended on frame 10
5K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | Overhead | 12 | 16 | 9 | -3 | +3 | none |
A gap closing overhead for a zoning character. Converts into 214K on hit. Jump cancelable on block to make it safe.
- Axl lunges forwards during the kick
c.S
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | All | 8 | 11 | 11 | -2 | -2 | none |
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Describe what the move is used for.
Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.f.S
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | All | 12 | 8 | 20 | -8 | -8 | none |
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Describe what the move is used for.
Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.5H
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | All | 6 | 12 | 10 | +8 | +12 | none |
- Hits in front of axl on frame 12
6P
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | All | 7 | 17 | 11 | -19 | -18 | none |
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Describe what the move is used for.
Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.4H or 6H
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9x2 | Overhead | 7 | 33 | 7 | -13 | -8 | none |
Useful for tick-throw situations
- hits in front of Axl on frame 16
2P
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Low | 5 | 11 | 13 | -16 | -5 | none |
This is actually a really nice button. It's fast to start up, has an above average hitbox, and becomes essentially a 2S in disguise when allowed to extend fully.
The main problem with this, and other chain normals, is that the total duration is long. Be mindful not to whiff.2K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Mid | 9 | 13 | 14 | -13 | none |
Axl's air unblockable anti-air. Why they chose this to the the one is beyond me.
- Air Unblockable
2S
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | Low | 4 | 4(4)4(4)4 | 13 | KD | none |
2H
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12x3 | Low | 12 | 8(3)8 | 31 | Strike 19~22, 31~34 |
Long range ground button.
The most interesting thing about this move is that it's missing hit and hurtboxes at 2 points in the animation, randomly making him unable to hit or be hit for a few frames at a time.j.P
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Overhead | 8 | 8 | 4 | Full 5~7 |
j.K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Overhead | 7 | 10 | 8 | none |
j.S
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | Overhead | 6 | 3 | 13 | none |
j.H
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
22 | Overhead | 5 | 24 | 1 | none |
This move is almost good. It has a very tall hitbox, it's fast, and it's really active. The problem is that the entire space between Axl and the head of the kusarigama is a dead zone, effectively making the move into a thin vertical line roughly round-start distance away from him.
- The active frames are so long that under most circumstances you land before a recovery animation can play through
Universal Mechanics
Dust Attack
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | All | 3 | 8(19)9(12)6 | 9 | none |
- Whiffs on some crouchers
- Also not an overhead
Throw
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 | Throw | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | KD | N/A |
Standard Guilty Gear throw.
- Side Switches on hit
Dash Attack
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | All | 22 | until contact | 10 | KD |
Add a description to this move using the |description=
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Describe what the move is used for.
Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.Instant Kill
Specials
Rensen Geki
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | All | 16 | 13 | 42 | KD | Strike 63~70 |
It's the same Rensen you know and love from later games in the series, but with a major downside: Axl cannot roman cancel (or an equivalent) in this game. In later games, rensen + roman cancel is an incredibly potent, multi-purpose option. Without access to roman cancels, this move is significantly less valuable and is considerably more risky when the opponent avoids it.
Oh and it's randomly invuln for a few frames at the very end of the recovery.Kyokusa Geki
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5x2 | Mid | 6 | 26 | 31 | Strike 6~14; 51~63 |
Add a description to this move using the |description=
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Describe what the move is used for.
Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.Benten Gari
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | Mid | 8 | 19 | 18 | Upper Body 8~11; Strike 40~45 |
Big anti-air special.
Oddly enough, this move is supposed to be charge cancellable, but the developers accidentally added a semicolon to the end of the function declaration that would allow him to charge, meaning that when you try to charge, the function doesn't return anything, so he can't charge. With some minor adjustments to the code, Axl is able to charge cancel this special. However, his options after CC are too janky or slow, and he cannot do CC infinites. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess.Tenhou Seki
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 5 | 33 | 16 | KD | Anji 6P shaped 5~38 |
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Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.Raiei Sageki
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 | Overhead | 63 | 15 | 47 | KD | Gone 20~62; Strike 103~114 |
Add a description to this move using the |description=
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Explain the basics of why the initial purpose of the move is worth knowing or worth doing. Mention downsides that are important to know. If the move is particularly important it might have a spot on the stategy page—an important anti-air will likely be mentioned in the neutral section, or an important combo move will be mentioned in the combo theory.Dototsu
Supers
Yousou Renjin
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
~50? | Low,All | 1 | Until Reaches Wall/Enemy | N/A | KD | none |
For some reason, this move isn't listed in Axl's move list in game in either the original release or the 2019 re-releases. Just Missing Link things I guess.
Much like his 23632H, these compete with Dragon Install 2nd for the worst super in all of Guilty Gear. If you manage to hit someone with this, they can tech out and punish Axl. This will be a grounded hit, so it'll easily confirm into a CC infinite and cost Axl the entire round.
This move comes out instead of a dashbugged Dototsu if you attempt it while you have meter, or are in Desperation Mode. Make sure to keep an eye on your health.Byakue Renshou
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | On-Hit | Invuln |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50,7x2 | All | 6 | 20(21)50 | 3 | KD | Strike 1; All-But-Foot 2~9; Strike 10~14; All-But-Foot 15~36; Strike 37~43 |
- Suicide button
Colors
- GGML Axl Low Color 1.png
Default
- GGML Axl Low Color 2.png
Alt. 1
- GGML Axl Low Color 3.png
Alt. 2
- GGML Axl Low Color 4.png
Alt. 3
- GGML Axl Low Color 5.png
Mirror