Mai Shiranui (Console)

[Great_Dark_Hero]

This might already be common knowledge at this point, but you can also use Mai's ground Musasabi no Mai for waking up and getting out of harms way.
Jumping regularly during a d.B frame trap will result in Mai getting caught in a combo. A Musasabi no Mai, however, will cause the opponent to whiff the incoming d.B's altogether the start up is so absurdly quick and it is a good way of adding distance between you and the opponent in order to keep up a decent keep away game until you can capitalize with a BnB.
I am also starting to realize just how underrated Mai's st.A and j.A really are.... Just a reminder, Mai's s.CD and her d.D are both whiff cancelable into special moves.

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Here is another update:

Mai's d.D is also whiff cancelable. So if your opponent blocks Mai's d.D but then tries to hop towards you, you will probably have Kachousen (projectile) or A version Ryuenbuu prepared. Both of the moves are pretty safe, especially due to push back and you are likely to hit your opponent if they try to attack you after block a d.D.

Also came in contact with a particularly good HD combo for Mai. All for 920 damage. (If you omit a super here, you will end up with 803 damage instead - courtesy to maizuruW).

j.C>st.BD>HD>st.BD>HK bachi>air qcb.P>HK bachi(2hits)>qcb C> x3>DC qcf A>qcb C x2>DC qcf A> (HD mode ends)qcb C x2 >TK ex super x2>qcb Cx2> cr.C

When you are playing Mai, try to keep yourself out of the corner as much as possible, unless you have meter. To get out of the corner, you can resort to GC rolling, GC blowback to stop block strings for getting back on the offensive, walk jumping (you either do a j.d.B, air Musasabi, a normal, a air throw, or just land from a wall kick), or by doing the ground Musasabi no Mai to get to the other side real quick. Mai should be the one cornering the opponent. Mai's j.B is also a very underrated tool and is VERY easy to conduct combos off of.

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Here is a short video on two HD combos. One is meterless and the other is for 2 meter stocks.
The meterless HD combo is 655 damage.
The 2 meter HD combo is worth 801 damage.
KOFXIII Mai Christmas Combo - GDH/DarkIceSaiko

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Here is some recent footage on Mai Shiranui game play in an event.

WNB Episode 47 (December 12th 2012)

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Mad_KOF plays Mai as well... and a very good one.
KOF XIII Part 1 - MadKOF vs Poongko Casual Match at CafeID

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Feast your eyes on Naoki's Mai!

Kof13 - KCE646 - Naoki vs. FumiFumi

[The Fluke]

That's one nice mai indeed.

[t3h mAsTarOth...!]

So I've been testing out Mai's frames... This is what I got so far...

cl.A is 3 frames...

s.A, cr.A, cr.B, cr.C are all 4 frames...

cl.C and NEOMAX is 5 frames...

s.B is 6 frames...

cl.D, cr.D and far D, EX Ryuenbu and EX DM are all 8 frames...

far C is 10 frames...

s.C+D is 13 frames...

[Reiki.Kito]

According to the frame data from Arcade, cr.A was 3F. Unless it got worse, I'm pretty sure it's her most fast nor.

I usually test it out against something I know is -3 on block. Kyo's Kototsuki You (qcf+D) is -3 on block. Short of normal grabbing and command grabs, 3F normals can hit him before he does anything. If you make a dummy do it and then do cr.A before it does another, maybe invulnerable move, you can see if it's 3F fast. Other 3F normals in the game are Kyo's close st.C.

Test it with that, then come back to the move and see if it punishes it.

[t3h mAsTarOth...!]

Another awesome Mai corner combo... 3 meter HD combo from counter hit s.C+D...

counter hit s.C+D (has to be spaced away), qcf+A (hit confirm)

tk qcb+ABC, *wait* qcb+C (has to hit very low), DC, qcf+A, qcb+C, qcb+C, DC, qcf+A, qcb+C, qcb+C, DC, qcf+A, qcb+C, qcb+C, DC, NEOMAX = 784 dmg

Same combo can be done if you land counter hit j.C+D near the corner but timing is very situational based on height and distance...

[t3h mAsTarOth...!]

@Reiki.Kito - ok i checked again... only her cl.A is 3 frames... not cr.A... also added s.B which is 6 frames and s.C+D which is 13 frames... haven't figured out how much +/- they are on block/hit yet...

[Reiki.Kito]

The neomax is 5 frames? I thought it was 2 or 1.

[t3h mAsTarOth...!]

Sadly it is 5 frames... I had it safe jumped a couple of times so i started to check it out... It's great none the less... Also Yuri can kind of do the same thing with her Neomax but her's is usually great only against grounded opponents...

[Great_Dark_Hero]

Those of you who intend to play Mai seriously, please keep in mind that Mai's reversal options will become available when she has at least one meter. With two meters Mai become far more dangerous. Continue to build meter by successful connecting normal moves Ryuuenbu (preferable the A version - use the C version when conducting a combo - the A version has a little less recovery). Mai also builds meter with Hitssatsu Shinobi Bachi (hcf+K) but that move is not safe at all so avoid using that move (unless you conducting a combo).
Make sure you guys got some two meter HD combos - save your meter up for something else or for Mai's next buddy (the anchor). If Mai is the anchor leave her with at least two meters and play keep away, keep you distance, and poke the opponent.
Also, note that every one of Mai's EX moves are much safe(er) on guard and leaves the opponent in a juggle state. EX Kachosen (qcf+P) does this too, but it is difficult to follow up afterwards, unless you super cancel into her DM.

[t3h mAsTarOth...!]

Those are pretty right... Also drive cancel combos with her are a complete no no unless you are going to kill your opponent... Rather spend the meter... She can still do a full screen HD combo for about 500 dmg with no meter... However, she can't really ever do high damage without HD... Unless she lands counter hit s.C+D in the corner her usual damage isn't going to exceed 400-450 without HD... So save up for it... The most satisfying time of playing Mai (or just playing KOFXIII) is her with raw Neomax at disposal with the opponent at below 45% health... She becomes such a troll...