Capcom vs SNK 2/Mai

Introduction

Health (at Ratio 2)
13600	Low
Stun
60	Average
Dash Length
17 Frames	Long
Dash Type
Hop	Corpse Hop=No, Proj. Hop=No
Run Speed
9.6	Very Fast
Roll Distance
120 pixels	Medium
Roll Duration
25f	Medium
Wakeup Speed compared to Ryu
2f	Slow

Story

Mai Shiranui is the last female heiress to the Shiranui ninja clan. As such, she is a highly skilled ninja in the Shiranui-ryuu fighting style, and likely the best in the world at it. The only other notable fighter who uses Shiranui-ryuu is Mai's boyfriend, Andy Bogard. Aside from her ninja training, Mai is an air-headed but strong woman who fights for her team, Team Women's Fighters, year after year in The King of Fighters. She is a bit hot-blooded at times, but cares for her teammates. Mai is also madly in love with her perfect man, Andy Bogard, and chases after him at all times. She appreciates things of great beauty, including herself, and will compliment men who look similar to Andy. However, she always ends with them being "not as cute as Andy".

Mai is one of the most popular characters in SNK history, for her interesting backstory, fun playstyle, and no other reason really.

Gameplay

Mai is one of CvS2's many zoners. Her Kachosen fireballs are useful and versatile space controlling tools that let her keep her opponents at bay, and her plethora of anti-airs and run away tools can frustrate opponents trying to work around them. Her Ryuuenbu fire attack can delete other projectiles as well, allowing her to counter-zone as effectively as she zones. Her mobility is much higher than the average character, with a stellar walkspeed, above average run, and a walldive and divekick for escaping bad situations. Her punish game isn't anything to scoff at either, especially if she has a level 3 super behind it.

These don't come without downsides however. Mai has much lower health than the average character, and lower stun too. While she can absolutely run away and zone for the entire match, if the opponent catches her a few times, it can end quick. Her defensive options aren't stellar either, with her only real reversal being a charge move with 25 frames of startup and still being a massive -42 on block. She doesn't have a 2 frame button either, making her mashing a little bit worse than the average character. This forces her to try and escape offensive pressure rather than fight back. Her offensive options aren't the best either, lacking any standing overheads or safe on block specials to pressure with.

These weaknesses don't knock her down too hard however, as Mai is still widely considered a high tier character in K-Groove. If you like to zone and run away from your opponents, and then punish their committal attempts to catch you with a massive level 3 super combo, then Mai is for you.

Groove Selection

Best - K: Mai is most widely played in K-Groove. Rage can make her poke and zone game a lot more damaging overall, and approaching Mai with Rage is scary, as if she tags you with one strong normal she gets to cancel into level 3 Cho Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi (2141236K) for massive damage. JD allows her a more powerful defensive tool as well. Her run is one of the fastest in the game, and mixed with shorthops it makes her mixup game a lot more real and allows her to pressure the opponent with more legitimate threat behind it.

Useful - C/N/A/S: Mai sees some usage in every other Groove, although they all sacrifice something. C-Mai gets more access to her supers, Alpha Counters to help her defense, airblocking to help her escape, and her roll is above average. She loses out on run, hop, and the threat of Rage. N-Mai gets run and hop, rolls, and guard cancel rolls to escape from pressure. She rarely uses her supers however, as her level 1 supers are underwhelming. A-Mai gets access to Custom Combos, and all the benefits of C-Mai save for the supers. She loses out on the movement ability of other Grooves, and almost never has a super, though her CC is still fairly useful. S-Mai gets the movement and access to infinite level 1 supers at low health. While her level 1's aren't stellar, having infinite of them makes them quite a lot scarier. She doesn't mind charging but Mai generally wants to stay mobile, and she has to sacrifice any other powerful tools in other Grooves and deal with the lacking mechanics of S-Groove overall.

Worst - P: While parries do help her to deal with rushdown pressure, Mai punishes just aren't that scary without meter, which P-Groove rarely has. Mai would rather zone than approach as well, and parries are best used offensively. P-Mai gets very little, and what she does get, you would likely rather just play K-Mai for.

Mai is a powerful zoning and neutral character with great normals, anti-airs, and a useful fireball. She has great ability to run away as well. She just lacks any offensive mix or a good reversal in exchange. Mai is best in K-Groove.
Pros	Cons
Stellar zoning with Kachosen fireballs and solid overall buttons Her high mobility with Musasabi no Mai divekicks, great walkspeed, a good roll, and a great and fast jump High damage punishes with her level 3 super, and a useful level 3 fireball and divekick super for anti-zoning and punishing anti-airs Great anti-zoning tools with Ryuuenbu, Musasabi no Mai, and all of her supers	Very low health and stun means losing neutral a few times can end the round Weak mixups without shorthop and run, which are a bit riskier No real safe on block special to end in, limiting her chipping and guard crushing ability Very weak reversal makes her defense much worse overall

Normal Moves

5LP

Far Jab
Far Light Punch
5LP / Far LP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	300	3	SU	Mid	High	6	6	14	26	-3	-3	None
Mai sticks her fan out and strikes at the opponents head. One of your most annoying pokes, as it's very fast and reaches very far. Not much damage or reward, but also barely any risk, so if you think the opponent is going to do something hit this button and stuff whatever it is instantly.

5MP

Far Strong
Far Medium Punch
5MP / Far MP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	800	8	SP/SU	Mid	High	6	2	23	31	-3	-3	None
A downward swipe with her fan. Decent range and a special cancel makes this a solid punish normal, though at absolute max range it won't combo into anything besides supers. Can also be a decent approach deterrent, but you have better normals for that.

5HP

Far Fierce
Far Heavy Punch
5HP / Far HP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	1000	10	SU	Mid	High	7	5	22	35	-4	-4	None
An upward fan stab. Useful far anti-air, as it hits at a decent angle to snipe lower jumps. Struggles to hit people directly above her though.

5LK

Far Short
Far Light Kick
5LK / Far LK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	400	4	SU	Mid	High	5	5	11	21	+1	+1	None
A quick kick to the head. Useful for confirming into supers or anti-airing at certain angles, though it can lose out to jump-ins that have lower hitboxes.

5MK

Far Forward
Far Medium Kick
5MK / Far MK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	800	8	None	Mid	High	10	6	19	35	-5	-5	Throw (Airborne)
A jumping kick. Can beat throws and some low moves thanks to lower body invuln, but has low damage and can't cancel to anything. Not very useful otherwise.

5HK

Far Roundhouse
Far Heavy Kick
5HK / Far HK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Far	1200	12	None	Mid	High	12	10	20	42	-4	-4	None
A forward moving kick to the head. One of your longer ranged pokes, useful as a heavy whiff punish thanks to the step forward. No cancel but it does decent single hit damage.

clLP

Close Jab
Close Light Punch
cl.LP / cl5LP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	400	4	SP/SU	Mid	High	3	4	6	13	+7	+7	None
A quick jab to the gut with her fan. Not a bad panic button, and is notably uncrouchable where most jabs are crouchable. Useful for pressure sequences and threatening tick throws, but since Mai doesn't do mixups much this is about your best mixup threat.

clMP

Close Strong
Close Medium Punch
cl.MP / cl5MP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	800	8	SP/SU	Mid	High	6	2	23	31	-3	-3	None
Identical to 5MP. Not a bad punish starter up close.

clHP

Close Fierce
Close Heavy Punch
cl.HP / cl5HP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	1200	12	SP/SU	Mid	High	7	3	24	34	0	0	None
A beefy hook punch. Your main normal for starting punishes, as it combos into her best enders easily. Not as fast as other punish normals sadly, but does the job. Zero on block as well.

clLK

Close Short
Close Light Kick
cl.LK / cl5LK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	300	3	SP/SU	Mid	Mid	4	6	5	15	+6	+6	None
A low kick that doesn't hit low. Pretty similar usage to cl.LP, a good panic button and pressure starter.

clMK

Close Forward
Close Medium Kick
cl.MK / cl5MK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	900	9	SP/SU	Mid	High	5	7	21	34	-6	-6	None
A high kick above her head. Useful anti-air when they're too close for 5HP or airthrow, and can punish some stuff up close. If you're point blank these will combo into the first hit of Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi, but this will always combo into Ryuuenbu.

clHK

Close Roundhouse
Close Heavy Kick
cl.HK / cl5HK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
Close	1200	12	SU	Mid	High	6	6	24	36	-6	-6	None
A high upward kick. Useful close anti-air, although the proximity is a bit tight, and you don't want 5HK versus a jumping opponent. Other than that, not many purposes.

2LP

Crouch Jab
Crouching Light Punch
2LP / cr.LP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	200	2	RF/SP/SU	Mid	Mid	4	4	9	15	+2	+2	None
A tail whip with the tassel of her clothes. Not the greatest 2LP, but it's fast and plus. +2 is low for a 2LP but that sorta works in it's favor, as it makes for better frame traps and pressure afterwards. Very low damage, even for a light normal.

2MP

Crouch Strong
Crouching Medium Punch
2MP / cr.MP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	700	7	SP/SU	Mid	Mid	4	6	16	26	-2	-2	None
Mai whips with both tassels at the same time. Like most 2MP's, basically a slower but heavier jab. Only has a small amount of range over 2LP, but they both have the same startup. Overall, this has many of the same uses, but because of it not being plus on block and being a bit slower overall, you'll more use this to stuff options in brawling range or to check dashes.

2HP

Crouch Fierce
Crouching Heavy Punch
2HP / cr.HP

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	1000	10	SP/SU	Mid	Mid	4	8	20	32	-4	-4	None
Mai elbows the opponents legs. Useful for starting punishes in close range, and for making cancels into supers a bit easier in place of cl.HP. Low damage and surprisingly low range hold it back from being a great move however, but since it is a 4 frame heavy, you'll punish with this a lot.

2LK

Crouch Short
Crouching Light Kick
2LK / cr.LK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	200	2	RF/SP/SU	Low	Low	4	4	8	16	+3	+3	None
Mai kicks at the opponents feet. Your main normal for starting offense and confirming into supers. 2LK is a great tool for tick throws, frame traps, and just combos or blockstrings in general. Run Groove Mai can run in and do a bunch of these for some surprisingly good offense. The main drawback of this normal is the pitiful damage, but it is otherwise a solid 2LK.

2MK

Crouch Forward
Crouching Medium Kick
2MK / cr.MK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	700	7	None	Low	Low	8	9	22	39	-11	-11	None
Mai slides forward with her leg out. Decent slide for pestering, but not as low profile as you might want it to be, though still low enough to duck high pokes. Low reward and pretty decent risk, do this if you think they'll fireball or attempt a high standing poke to beat out one of yours.

2HK

Crouch Roundhouse
Crouching Heavy Kick
2HK / cr.HK

Version	Damage	Stun	Cancel	Guard	Parry	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total	Adv Hit	Adv Block	Invul
+	1000	10	SP/SU	Low	Low	5	6	23	34	-DWN	-5	None
A very good sweep, and an important move for Mai. Great range, fast startup, and being special cancellable on block and hit means this is best used as a way to keep opponents moving around in check. You can catch walks, backdashes, buttons, jumps, etc. You can even sweep as an anti-air, though it isn't easy. This moves whiff recovery is pretty hefty, so try not to whiff it, even though it is much faster than the average sweep.

Specials

+ - Kachou Sen.

+ - Ryuu Enbu.

+ - Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi.

Charge , // + - Kagero no Mai.

Charge , // + - Musabi No Mai.

(Air) + - Kachuu Musabi No Mai.

Against the wall, press - Wall Jump

Supers

+ - Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi.

(Air) + - Beni Suzaku.

+ - Mizutori no Mai.

Colors