Advanced V.G. 2/Ayako

Introduction

Ayako is just straight vibin'.

Ayako is, despite appearances, a character who excels at space control and grounded footsies. Sporting great pokes, solid anti-airs and a reliable tool for low-profiling moves in neutral, Ayako has just about everything she needs to play the ground game, and play it well. However, despite having an air throw, her air presence is hampered by a relatively weak set of air normals, and her overall damage output leaves something to be desired, even with her solid meter efficiency.

Pros	Cons
Fantastic grounded space control tools that convert into easy damage Scary throw game thanks to a normal throw that starts combos even if the opponent softens it Very meter efficient, with plenty of ways to build and spend bar Greatest idle animation ever	Fairly weak aerial presence, despite having an air throw Lack of solid jump normals means you'll be relying largely on grounded approaches Somewhat low combo damage

Movelist

st.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Mid		-	-	-
A standing slap, good range and nice upward angle, but is outclassed by her other buttons.

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st.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Mid		-	-	-
One of Ayako's strongest buttons It has phenomenal range and chains into itself repeatedly, allowing Ayako amble time to confirm into Rave Storm.

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st.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Mid		-	-	-
Ayako's signature anti-air. Her upward fan strike will reliably knock opponents out of the air and also covers space vertical for when she has the opponent in the corner and they want to jump out.

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st.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Mid		-	-	-

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cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Low		-	-	-

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cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Low		-	-	-

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cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Mid		-	-	-

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cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	Low		-	-	-
Ayako busts out the moves with a breakdancing spin that has multiple hits during it's long active time.

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j.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	High		-	-	-

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j.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	High		-	-	-

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j.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	High		-	-	-

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j.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	High		-	-	-

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nj.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	High		-	-	-

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Command Moves

Any Direction (Besides Up) + In air

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
-	N/A		-	-	-
Air Throw

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Target Combos
st.LP > st.LK > st.HP > st.HK
st.LP > st.LK > cr.HP
st.LP > st.LK > st.HK > st.HP
st.LP > st.HP/HK
cr.LK > cr.LP > cr.HP
j.LP/LK > j.HP.HK

Guard Cancels
LP: st.LP (cr.LK while crouching)
LK: st.LK (cr.HK while crouching)
HP: Mach Spin (qcf+K)
HK: Rave Storm (qcb+K)

Which guard cancel you want to use largely depends on whether or not you're stand or crouch blocking. When stand blocking, you want the LK guard cancel, but you want the LP guard cancel if you're crouching. Both of these lead to a combo into Rave Storm, which makes them your most rewarding options.

Special Moves

Mach Spin

+

Version	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
		Mid		-	-	-
Despite appearances, it's kind of hard to use as an anti-air.
		N/A		-	-	-
Moves Ayako forward before shooting into the air. Afterwards Ayako will come down with an attack, but if the rising attack hit the descending attack will whiff.
+		N/A		-	-	-
The EX version is Ayako's instant super, giving it some risky offensive and defensive utility outside of also being a situational combo ender.
+		N/A		-	-	-
In a word, it's EX Mach Spin without the superflash. Not awful, but it's really just kind of there, so you don't need to worry about it.

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Rave Storm

+

Version	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
		Mid		-	-	-
Ayako's primary combo ender -- this is what you'll be defaulting to every time you hit a button in neutral. This is the only version that will hit crouchers so make sure to have it at the ready. All versions of Rave Storm are horribly unsafe on block so even if all version are able to low-profile moves and projectiles, do not throw it out willy-nilly in neutral.
		N/A		-	-	-
The preferred version to end combos with, but the later half of the HP version will whiff on crouchers leaving you open for a massive punish.
+		N/A		-	-	-
The EX version is fast and great as a super cancel, but also whiffs on crouchers, so make sure to stand confirm the opponent before letting this rip.

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Tornado Attack

+

Version	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
		N/A		-	-	-
Basically a Demon Flip. Can help with aerial approaches in neutral, but it's also surprisingly useful for mixuups.
		N/A		-	-	-
the HP version goes further.

Fan Chop

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
	High		-	-	-
If you input this move just before landing, you essentially get an empty flip without any landing recovery. Since the Fan Chop itself is an overhead, you can set up some very tricky high/low mixups if your opponent is respecting you.

Frankensteiner

above opponent

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
	High		-	-	-
If you input this move just before landing, you essentially get an empty flip without any landing recovery. Since the Fan Chop itself is an overhead, you can set up some very tricky high/low mixups if your opponent is respecting you.

Slide Kick

No Input

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
	Mid		-	-	-
A slide that knocks down, but is NOT A LOW. Her mixup is actually delayed Fan Chop overhead or land and then cr.LK because this is not a mixup tool. Quite punishable if it gets blocked, but it very easily leads into a combo on hit in the corner.

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Super Moves

Spiral Dive

cl. +

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
	N/A	1	-	-	-
A 1F command throw super. Although it costs two bars, it's an incredibly useful tool to keep in your back pocket. It also doesn't have a whiff animation, so if you're not in range for the throw, you'll just get Mach Spin, which makes it pretty strong against jump-out attempts.

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F･T･I･C

+

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	FrameAdv
	Mid		-	-	-
Stands for Final Tornado Illusion Crisis. Although the damage on this attack is huge, only use this when you're sure it'll get you the win. The startup is very slow, and because Ayako poses after the super finishes, the recovery means that sometimes you can be unsafe on hit.

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Strategy

Ayako thrives at the midrange. You can honestly get a lot of mileage out of basically spamming st.LK, since it's fast, has fantastic range, and chains into itself, allowing you to easily confirm into a combo. If your opponent decides to jump at you, st.HP will very easily swat them out of the air, and since this normal is also a launcher, you'll often be able to convert into a combo even if it trades.
On defense, you can use EX Mach Spin as a reversal thanks to its speed, but your best bet is to try and land st.HP anti-airs, since most characters will try to start offense with jumping normal chains.
Ayako is also able to very easily punish throw techs with her st.HP, and combined with her ability to combo after her throw in the corner, this gives her an unexpectedly scary throw game. Learn the timing for st.HP after a throw tech so you don't have to react to it.

Combos

Basic Combos
st.LK x1-3 xx Rave Storm
You can cancel Rave Storm into EX Rave Storm if you want to cash out some meter. If you want even more damage, cancel EX Rave Storm into EX Mach Spin or FTIC.

cr.LK > cr.LP > cr.HP xx Rave Storm
(corner) Throw, st.LK xx HK Rave Storm
(anti-air) st.HP, sj.LK > j.HK, dash st.HK xx EX Mach Spin
You can also use this combo to punish throw techs.