Mai is a strong zoning character who combines good ground and air mobility with a strong projectile, some great supers, and a strong set of normal attacks. Mai tries to cut off space with her A Kachousen projectile and punish the opponent for trying to destroy or evade it with her normals and supers. She has some excellent EX moves for neutral play like her EX Kachousen, which helps her both zone and pressure her opponent. She has some risky but surprising shenanigans with her Ukihane knee drop to repeatedly knock the opponent down and mix them up, as well as combining her EX Musasabi no Mai specials with her projectiles. With access to meter, Mai's anti-air and whiff punishment become much more dangerous due to strong MAX mode hit-confirms, her Kagerou no Mai anti-air super, and her excellent Climax Art, which can severely punish relatively minor mistakes from very far away.
Mai can switch easily between pressure and zoning as the situation dictates, and can build her own meter quite safely. She requires low to medium execution for her combos, and can function well in any team order. She is an excellent zoning pick for beginners and experienced players alike.
=Normals=
=Normals=
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'''Standing'''
'''Standing'''
Far A: A fast, safe poke that's plus on block. Doesn't reach as high as other s.As, but its range and fast recovery make it hard to whiff punish with lows. Can hit crouching opponents.
* st. A: A fast (5f), safe poke that's +1 on block. Doesn't reach as high as other st.As, but its range and fast recovery make it hard to whiff punish with lows. Can hit crouching opponents.
Far B: Slightly slower to start up and recover than s.A, but with a perfect angle for anti-airing hop attacks. A great, fast whiff punish to gain frame advantage. Neutral on close block. Chains from Mai's other A and B normals. Can hit crouching opponents.
* st. B: Slightly slower to start up (6f) and recover than st.A, but with a perfect angle for anti-airing hop attacks. A great, fast poke and whiff punish. +0 on block. Chains from Mai's other A and B normals. Can hit crouching opponents.
Far C: Though slow, this move covers a huge arc in front of and slightly above Mai, making it great to stop low jumps or high jumps that can't quite cross up. Minus but safe on block.
* st. C: Though slow (8f), this move covers a huge arc in front of and slightly above Mai, making it great to stop low jumps or high jumps that can't quite cross up. -4 on block, safe to most punishment.
Far D: A high roundhouse kick. Recovers faster than s.C, but leaves Mai wide open to low attacks on whiff. A much safer short-notice anti-air against hop attacks. Minus but safe on block.
* st. D: A high roundhouse kick. Recovers faster than st.C, but leaves Mai wide open to low attacks on whiff. A much safer short-notice anti-air against hop attacks. -1 on block, with safe pushback.
'''Close'''
'''Close'''
Close A: A short-range elbow that's plus on block. Unlike s.A, close A is special-cancellable. Chains to her other close light normals. Can hit crouching opponents. Combo filler and frame trap tool.
* cl. A: Mai's fastest normal (3f) and +0 on block. Unlike st.A, close A is special-cancellable. Chains to cr.A, cl.B, and cr.B. Can hit crouching opponents. Combo filler and frame trap starter.
Close B: A shin kick that hits low, but can't be chained to any attacks except her close B > D target combo. Special-cancellable and slightly plus on block.
* cl. B: A shin kick that hits low, but can't be chained to any attacks except her close B > D target combo. Special-cancellable and neutral on block.
Close B>D: Target combo from close B. Not safe on block, but cancellable to safe specials. A great hit-confirm and blockstring tool. You can delay the 2nd hit slightly, allowing just enough time to build down charge for Musasabi no Mai.
* cl. B > D: Target combo from close B. Not safe on block (-5), but cancellable to safe specials. A great hit-confirm and blockstring tool. You can delay the 2nd kick slightly, allowing just enough time to build down charge for Musasabi no Mai.
Close C: A great anti-hop anti-air with a surprisingly long activation range for a close normal. It can fail sometimes as run-under anti-air (too close) but is otherwise a great anti-air and combo/frame trap tool. Slightly plus on block and special-cancellable.
* cl. C: A fast anti-air with a surprisingly long activation range for a close normal. It can fail sometimes as run-under anti-air (too close) but is otherwise a great anti-air and combo/frame trap tool. +1 on block and special-cancellable.
Close D: Has shorter activation range than close D, but is better for run-under anti-air. Very negative on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials like qcf+A.
* cl. D: Has shorter activation range than close D, but is just as fast and deals more damage. Very unsafe on block (-9), but can be cancelled to safe specials like qcf+A.
'''Crouching'''
'''Crouching'''
Crouching A: Slightly shorter range than her s.A, but similarly plus on block and special-cancellable. Standard string and combo filler from c.B with which to pressure the opponent.
* cr. A: Slightly shorter range than her st.A, but +1 on block and special-cancellable. Standard string and combo filler from cr.B with which to pressure the opponent.
Crouching B: Hits from just inside her c.A range. Ducks nice and low to anti-air non-deep jump attacks with. Slightly plus on block.
* cr. B: Mai's fastest crouching normal. Hits from just inside her cr.A range. Ducks nice and low to anti-air non-deep jump attacks with. +1 on block.
Crouching C: Mai ducks low to the ground with this move, allowing it to low profile certain air attacks like her c.B and c.D can. Very negative on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials.
* cr. C: Mai ducks low to the ground with this move, allowing it to low profile certain air attacks like her cr.B and cr.D can. Very negative (-6) on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials. Has an enormous special-cancel window, so it can be cancelled surprisingly late.
Crouching D: A fast sweep with great range, great for whiff punishing opponents who fail to counterpoke her faster s.A and s.B. Also good in the corner to catch opponents watching for hop attacks. Very negative on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials.
* cr. D: An 8f sweep with great range, great for whiff punishing opponents who fail to counterpoke her faster st.A and st.B. Also good in the corner to catch opponents watching for hop attacks. Very negative (-7) on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials.
'''Jumping'''
'''Jumping'''
Jump A: A phenomenal air-to-air with great horizontal range and tons of active frames (lasts for about half of Mai's jump length). Excellent for air-to-air zoning from a high jump. Can be cancelled to Ukihane and air Musasabi no Mai for occasional unsafe shenanigans.
* j. A: A phenomenal air-to-air with great horizontal range and tons of active frames (lasts for about half of Mai's jump length). Excellent for air-to-air zoning from a high jump.
* j. B: Less active frames than j.A, but a great deep frontal jump-in, and a short-ranged but very ambiguous crossup. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
Jump B: Less active frames than j.A, but a great deep frontal jump-in, and a short-ranged but very ambiguous crossup. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
* j. C: A deep jump-in attack. However, it's not a reliable air-to-air in this game because only the very bottom of the slash can hit (no higher than the elbow on Mai's attacking arm). You can option-select an air throw with this move by pressing b/f+C, but you must be higher in the air in order for the throw to land. Cancellable to Ukihane and Musasabi no Mai.
Jump C: Mai's deepest jump-in, a very ambigious hop crossup much like her j.B. However, it's not a reliable air-to-air in this game because only the very bottom of the slash can hit (no higher than the elbow on Mai's attacking arm). You can option-select an air throw with this move by pressing b/f+C, but you must be higher in the air in order for the throw to land. Cancellable to Ukihane and Musasabi no Mai, but if you cross up with j.C, Ukihane will go the wrong way and whiff.
* j. D: Not as long-ranged or active as j.A, but protects Mai's hurtbox underneath a bit better. This move can cross up crouching opponents, but it's not as easy as j.B. Use this move for poking from hops when you're inside j.A's maximum range. A good air-to-air as well so long as you're a little higher in the air than your opponent. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
Jump D: Not as long-ranged or active as j.A, but protects Mai's hurtbox underneath a bit better. This move can cross up crouching opponents, but it's not as easy as j.B or j.C. Use this move for poking from hops when you're inside j.A's maximum range. A good air-to-air as well so long as you're a little higher in the air than your opponent. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
'''Blowback'''
'''Blowback'''
Stand CD: One of the best CD attacks in the game. Fast startup, long range, hugely plus on block, and cancellable to safe specials to boot. So long as you space it out a bit to bait whiffs and attempt punishes, you can safely fish for a wall splat with this move to seize control of the fight. Cancel to A Kachousen for staple pressure, but beware of the big, vulnerable gap between the two moves at s.CD's maximum range.
* st. CD: Has great range and speed, minus on block at close range, but safe to most punishment. A great counterpoke for a hard knockdown to turn the fight back Mai's way. Special-cancellable, but punishable on guard cancel roll if cancelled to a special move, and only st.CD > qcb+A is a true, safe blockstring. Still, a powerful and important poke in Mai's arsenal.
Jumping CD: Great range and speed for a j.CD, though the move can't hit very deep, so it will whiff gloriously if done early against crouching opponents. Still, a very safe tool to fish for a soft knockdown from a hop or air-to-air zoning, allowing Mai to adjust her spacing for offense or defense.
* j. CD: Great range and speed for a j.CD, though the move can't hit very deep, so it will whiff gloriously if done early against crouching opponents. Still, a very safe tool to fish for a soft knockdown from a hop or air-to-air zoning, allowing Mai to adjust her spacing for offense or defense. Cancellable to Ukihane and air specials/supers.
=Throws=
=Throws=
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* Mai grabs the opponent with her legs and flings them behind her.
* Mai grabs the opponent with her legs and flings them behind her.
* Can be broken
* Can be broken
* Hard knockdown. You can super jump afterwards for a crossup j.B, or walk backward slightly and then super jump for a fake crossup.
* Hard knockdown. You can hyper hop with j.B/j.D for a safejump setup afterwards.
'''Yume-Zakura''' - in air, (b/f+C) close
'''Yume-Zakura''' - in air, (b/f+C) close
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=Command Moves=
=Command Moves=
'''Ukihane''' - in air, d+B
'''Sankaku-Tobi (wall jump)''' - in air near wall, uf
* Mai stops her jump, rises a tiny bit in the air, then does a falling knee drop
* Mai air jumps off the stage wall, flies farther forward than a ground jump from the same spot
* Cannot be performed after attacking in the air
* Can perform any air attack afterwards, landing recovery properties same as a ground jump
'''Ukihane''' - in air, d + B
* Mai stops her jump, rises a tiny bit in the air, then does a falling knee drop. Hits overhead
* Hard knockdown
* Hard knockdown
* Active until Mai lands, and inflicts ridiculous blockstun -- enough to be neutral on block at worst!
* Very minus on block, punishable by close C/D normals if the move is blocked early (at opponent's head level)
* Can only be plus on block if blocked meaty on opponent's wakeup
* Active until Mai lands
* Can be a very ambiguous crossup and can be performed very low from hops for a mild "vortex" mixup
* Can be a very ambiguous crossup and can be performed very low from hops for a mild "vortex" mixup
* Can be cancelled into from j.A, j.C, and j.CD
* Can be cancelled into from j.C, j.CD, and charge Musasabi no Mai (before reaching wall)
* Can cancel into air Musasabi no Mai
* Can cancel into air Musasabi no Mai, air supers, and air Climax Art
=Special Moves=
=Special Moves=
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* A version starts up slower, does 1 hit, and starts a float state (soft knockdown). Neutral on block.
* A version starts up slower, does 1 hit, and starts a float state (soft knockdown). Neutral on block.
* C version starts up faster, does 2 hits, and is unsafe on block. Can juggle after 2nd hit on high air hit.
* C version starts up faster, does 2 hits, and is unsafe on block. Can juggle after 2nd hit on high air hit. Both hits super-cancellable.
'''EX Ryuuenbu:''' (3 hits, minus but safe on block, starts a juggle combo. Juggles after other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.)
'''EX Ryuuenbu:''' 3 hits, minus but safe on block, starts a juggle combo. Juggles after other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.
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* C version starts up faster, recovers slower, and flies faster. Can juggle afterwards on air hit.
* C version starts up faster, recovers slower, and flies faster. Can juggle afterwards on air hit.
'''EX Kachousen:''' (Fan flies forward, destroying non-EX or super projectiles. Bounces off the opponent on hit/block and falls straight down for a 2nd hit. Recovery comparable to A version.)
'''EX Kachousen:''' Fan flies forward, destroying non-EX or super projectiles. Bounces off the opponent on hit/block and falls straight down for a 2nd hit. Recovery comparable to A version. Can juggle after both hits on air hit. An awesome pressure and mixup tool.
'''Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi''' - (hcf + B/D)
'''Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi''' - (hcf + B/D)
* B version starts up faster, flies a shorter distance, won't combo properly on crouching opponents (2nd hit blockable).
* B version starts up faster, flies a shorter distance, won't combo properly on crouching opponents (2nd hit blockable). Both hits super-cancellable.
* D version starts up slower, flies a farther distance, both hits combo properly on standing or crouching opponent.
* D version starts up slower, flies a farther distance, both hits combo properly on standing or crouching opponent. Both hits super-cancellable.
* Mai is in an aerial state if she super cancels the 2nd hit early, grounded if she cancels later (Kagerou no
* Mai is in an aerial state if she super cancels the 2nd hit early, grounded if she cancels later (Kagerou no Mai available).
Mai available)
* Massively unsafe on stand block but actually POSITIVE on crouching block (2nd hit) due to its massive
* Massively unsafe on stand block but actually POSITIVE on crouching block (2nd hit) due to its massive blockstun. Do not rely on this property -- please hit-confirm into this move.
blockstun. Do not rely on this property -- please hit-confirm into this move.
'''EX Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi:''' (Neutral on both standing and crouching block. 5 hits, the last of which launches the opponent. Juggles from other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.)
'''EX Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi:''' Startup and travel distance comparable to D version. Neutral on both standing and crouching block. 5 hits, the last of which launches the opponent. Juggles from other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.
'''Musasabi no Mai (charge)''' - (charge briefly d, then u + A/C)
'''Musasabi no Mai (charge)''' - (charge briefly d, then u + A/C)
* Up-forward goes to forward wall, up-back to back wall, neutral up to nearest wall.
* Hold down A or C as Mai leaps toward the wall to perform a wall dive attack. Same frame advantage, hit, and dive speed properties as the A and C air versions.
* Hold down A or C as Mai leaps toward the wall to perform a wall dive attack. Same frame advantage, hit, and dive speed properties as the A and C air versions.
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* If you reach the wall without holding A or C, Mai will drop straight down, unable to attack, with landing recovery.
* If you reach the wall without holding A or C, Mai will drop straight down, unable to attack, with landing recovery.
'''EX Musasabi no Mai (charge):''' (Flies dramatically faster to the wall, has fireball invulnerability on startup. Dive attack properties same as EX air Musasabi no Mai.)
'''EX Musasabi no Mai (charge):''' Flies dramatically faster to the wall, has projectile invulnerability on startup. Dive attack properties same as EX air Musasabi no Mai. Has excellent synergy with EX Kachousen.
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* A version dives at a shallow angle, C version dives at a sharp angle. Both have the same startup, dive speed, and recovery. Unsafe if blocked at head height, but ranges from slightly minus to slightly plus if it hits lower.
* A version dives at a shallow angle, C version dives at a sharp angle. Both have the same startup, dive speed, and recovery. Unsafe if blocked at head height, but ranges from slightly minus to slightly plus if it hits lower.
* No minimum height, so you can tigerknee it. Not an overhead, though
* No minimum height, so you can "tigerknee" it as qcb,ub+A/C. Does not hit overhead.
* Starts a float state on hit
* Starts a float state on hit. Can juggle anything afterwards.
'''EX Musasabi no Mai (air):''' (3 hits, slightly plus on block even if blocked at head height. All hits will launch, all 3 hits juggle. Last hit starts a float state just like the regular version.)
'''EX Musasabi no Mai (air):''' 3 hits, slightly plus on block even if blocked at head height. All hits knock down, all 3 hits juggle. Last hit starts a float state just like the regular version.
=Super Special Moves=
=Super Special Moves=
'''name of move''' - (motion here)
'''Chou Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi (ground)''' - qcb, hcf + K
* Both B and D versions deal 7 hits, do same damage, have the same travel speed and distance. Both are fast enough to combo from A/B normals. No startup invulnerability.
* Unsafe on block.
* Use as combo filler only, avoid at neutral.
'''MAX:''' Has full invulnerability on startup, but not useful for anti-air like Kagerou no Mai and her Climax Art. Use to fill out combos.
* (description here)
'''Chou Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi (air)''' - in air, qcb, hcf + K
* (description here)
* Same (lack of) safety, startup, juggle properties as ground version
* (description here)
* No minimum height requirement; can be "tigerknee"'d with qcb,hcf,uf+B/D or qcb,qcb,uf+B/D
'''Max:'''
* Can juggle opponent after last hit if they are high enough in the air
::'''follow up move''' - (motion if possible qcfx4 + B/D)
* Should still be used only as combo filler
* (description here)
'''MAX:''' Fully invulnerable startup just like the ground MAX version. Slightly more useful since it can blow through air-to-air attacks, but may not juggle the opponent in an advantageous way in that situation. Reserve mostly for combo filler.
* (description here)
* (description here)
'''Kagerou no Mai''' - qcf, qcf + A/C
* Partially invulnerable startup, ends at 1st active frame (move can trade). A great anti-air and wakeup reversal, provided it doesn't whiff or get blocked.
* Massively unsafe on block
* Can juggle with anything after Kagerou no Mai trades with an attack that doesn't knock down. However, Mai loses the trade on life vs C/D normals.
'''MAX:''' Fully invulnerable startup and more damage. A great 2-bar corner combo ender due to its damage.
=Climax Super Special Moves=
=Climax Super Special Moves=
'''name of move''' - (motion here qcf, qcf + B+D)
'''Shiranui-Ryu Ougi: Kunochi''' - qcf, hcb + AC
* Very brief startup, then a super freeze, then Mai rockets off the wall behind her. Trajectory is fixed, but collision region is gigantic, and Mai's travel speed broadcasts it all over the screen. Hard to miss with unless opponent is right underneath Mai or VERY high in the air and not falling (Nakoruru flight)
* Mai is fully invulnerable when she flies off the wall, until the active frames end.
* Massively unsafe on block.
* (description here)
* Can easily punish any height jump on reaction, as long as the opponent is not at or past the peak of the jump arc.
* (description here)
* Can be performed in the air. Air version has the exact same starting position and trajectory as the ground version
* (description here)
* If Mai performs the air version after jumping over the opponent, she will "teleport" back to the side she came from to start the super
=Combos=
=Combos=
* Close A, Crouching A and Crouching B can link into Close B>D target combo.
* Close A, Crouching A and Crouching B can chain into Close B>D target combo.
* Anytime you see cl.D in a combo, you can substitute cl.C for less damage, but easier execution.
* Numbers in curly brackets ( {} ) indicate maximum MAX gauge required. (1000 indicates a combo that the 1st character on your team can perform. 1250 and 1500 indicate 2nd and 3rd character respectively.)
(ends in a hard knockdown half screen distance away. Use a hyper hop then press back or towards and heavy punch to grab the opponent after the hcf+BD juggle. You can use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B, or use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(ends in a soft knockdown. if performed midscreen, the opponent lands back in the middle of the screen or away from the corner. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage. You can also switch out st. CD at the end for any far normal that can reach after the d~uf+AC juggle for a reset.)
(use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B for a bit more damage, but you will need to be close to the opponent. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B for a bit more damage, but you will need to be close to the opponent. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(two hit confirm starting from a low into qcb+C. A bit risky because if you don’t confirm into qcb+C well, you can get punished if its blocked. If you are close enough, you can use cr.B, cl.B>D, into qcb+C for a 3 hit confirm.)
(complete the super motion before Mai lands after the hcf+K. When using hcf+B, the opponent ends up in-front, using hcf+D will have the opponent juggle behind Mai, so the super motion will need to be reversed if performed mid-screen. If starting with cr.B, cl.B>D, the damage will be 489/492. If starting with j.D, cl.D, BC, the damage will be 553/556)
(pretty easy corner only combo, with great damage output. starting with cr.B, cl.B>D, BC, gives you 529 damage. starting with j. D, cl.D, BC outputs 597 damage.)
(st. CD must hit close enough for qcf+A to hit and cr.C to hit. Does not work on counter hit st.CD. Perform qcb+C as late as possible before super-cancelling for maximum damage. )
Mai is a strong zoning character who combines good ground and air mobility with a strong projectile, some great supers, and a strong set of normal attacks. Mai tries to cut off space with her A Kachousen projectile and punish the opponent for trying to destroy or evade it with her normals and supers. She has some excellent EX moves for neutral play like her EX Kachousen, which helps her both zone and pressure her opponent. She has some risky but surprising shenanigans with her Ukihane knee drop to repeatedly knock the opponent down and mix them up, as well as combining her EX Musasabi no Mai specials with her projectiles. With access to meter, Mai's anti-air and whiff punishment become much more dangerous due to strong MAX mode hit-confirms, her Kagerou no Mai anti-air super, and her excellent Climax Art, which can severely punish relatively minor mistakes from very far away.
Mai can switch easily between pressure and zoning as the situation dictates, and can build her own meter quite safely. She requires low to medium execution for her combos, and can function well in any team order. She is an excellent zoning pick for beginners and experienced players alike.
Normals
Standing
st. A: A fast (5f), safe poke that's +1 on block. Doesn't reach as high as other st.As, but its range and fast recovery make it hard to whiff punish with lows. Can hit crouching opponents.
st. B: Slightly slower to start up (6f) and recover than st.A, but with a perfect angle for anti-airing hop attacks. A great, fast poke and whiff punish. +0 on block. Chains from Mai's other A and B normals. Can hit crouching opponents.
st. C: Though slow (8f), this move covers a huge arc in front of and slightly above Mai, making it great to stop low jumps or high jumps that can't quite cross up. -4 on block, safe to most punishment.
st. D: A high roundhouse kick. Recovers faster than st.C, but leaves Mai wide open to low attacks on whiff. A much safer short-notice anti-air against hop attacks. -1 on block, with safe pushback.
Close
cl. A: Mai's fastest normal (3f) and +0 on block. Unlike st.A, close A is special-cancellable. Chains to cr.A, cl.B, and cr.B. Can hit crouching opponents. Combo filler and frame trap starter.
cl. B: A shin kick that hits low, but can't be chained to any attacks except her close B > D target combo. Special-cancellable and neutral on block.
cl. B > D: Target combo from close B. Not safe on block (-5), but cancellable to safe specials. A great hit-confirm and blockstring tool. You can delay the 2nd kick slightly, allowing just enough time to build down charge for Musasabi no Mai.
cl. C: A fast anti-air with a surprisingly long activation range for a close normal. It can fail sometimes as run-under anti-air (too close) but is otherwise a great anti-air and combo/frame trap tool. +1 on block and special-cancellable.
cl. D: Has shorter activation range than close D, but is just as fast and deals more damage. Very unsafe on block (-9), but can be cancelled to safe specials like qcf+A.
Crouching
cr. A: Slightly shorter range than her st.A, but +1 on block and special-cancellable. Standard string and combo filler from cr.B with which to pressure the opponent.
cr. B: Mai's fastest crouching normal. Hits from just inside her cr.A range. Ducks nice and low to anti-air non-deep jump attacks with. +1 on block.
cr. C: Mai ducks low to the ground with this move, allowing it to low profile certain air attacks like her cr.B and cr.D can. Very negative (-6) on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials. Has an enormous special-cancel window, so it can be cancelled surprisingly late.
cr. D: An 8f sweep with great range, great for whiff punishing opponents who fail to counterpoke her faster st.A and st.B. Also good in the corner to catch opponents watching for hop attacks. Very negative (-7) on block, but can be cancelled to safe specials.
Jumping
j. A: A phenomenal air-to-air with great horizontal range and tons of active frames (lasts for about half of Mai's jump length). Excellent for air-to-air zoning from a high jump.
j. B: Less active frames than j.A, but a great deep frontal jump-in, and a short-ranged but very ambiguous crossup. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
j. C: A deep jump-in attack. However, it's not a reliable air-to-air in this game because only the very bottom of the slash can hit (no higher than the elbow on Mai's attacking arm). You can option-select an air throw with this move by pressing b/f+C, but you must be higher in the air in order for the throw to land. Cancellable to Ukihane and Musasabi no Mai.
j. D: Not as long-ranged or active as j.A, but protects Mai's hurtbox underneath a bit better. This move can cross up crouching opponents, but it's not as easy as j.B. Use this move for poking from hops when you're inside j.A's maximum range. A good air-to-air as well so long as you're a little higher in the air than your opponent. Can't be cancelled into any air moves.
Blowback
st. CD: Has great range and speed, minus on block at close range, but safe to most punishment. A great counterpoke for a hard knockdown to turn the fight back Mai's way. Special-cancellable, but punishable on guard cancel roll if cancelled to a special move, and only st.CD > qcb+A is a true, safe blockstring. Still, a powerful and important poke in Mai's arsenal.
j. CD: Great range and speed for a j.CD, though the move can't hit very deep, so it will whiff gloriously if done early against crouching opponents. Still, a very safe tool to fish for a soft knockdown from a hop or air-to-air zoning, allowing Mai to adjust her spacing for offense or defense. Cancellable to Ukihane and air specials/supers.
Throws
Shiranui Gorin - (b/f+C) close
Mai flips over the opponent and flings them far forward.
Can be broken
Soft knockdown, opponent flies too far to reach with super jump attacks afterwards. Use purely for corner push or keep.
Fuusha Kuzushi - (b/f+D) close
Mai grabs the opponent with her legs and flings them behind her.
Can be broken
Hard knockdown. You can hyper hop with j.B/j.D for a safejump setup afterwards.
Yume-Zakura - in air, (b/f+C) close
Mai grabs the aerial opponent and knee drops them, landing far away.
Hard knockdown
Unbreakable, but very small activation range (Mai must be slightly above her opponent, about chest height)
Can juggle after most moves that leave the opponent in a float state (not a free/anywhere juggle)
Command Moves
Sankaku-Tobi (wall jump) - in air near wall, uf
Mai air jumps off the stage wall, flies farther forward than a ground jump from the same spot
Cannot be performed after attacking in the air
Can perform any air attack afterwards, landing recovery properties same as a ground jump
Ukihane - in air, d + B
Mai stops her jump, rises a tiny bit in the air, then does a falling knee drop. Hits overhead
Hard knockdown
Very minus on block, punishable by close C/D normals if the move is blocked early (at opponent's head level)
Can only be plus on block if blocked meaty on opponent's wakeup
Active until Mai lands
Can be a very ambiguous crossup and can be performed very low from hops for a mild "vortex" mixup
Can be cancelled into from j.C, j.CD, and charge Musasabi no Mai (before reaching wall)
Can cancel into air Musasabi no Mai, air supers, and air Climax Art
Special Moves
Ryuuenbu - (qcb + A/C)
A version starts up slower, does 1 hit, and starts a float state (soft knockdown). Neutral on block.
C version starts up faster, does 2 hits, and is unsafe on block. Can juggle after 2nd hit on high air hit. Both hits super-cancellable.
EX Ryuuenbu: 3 hits, minus but safe on block, starts a juggle combo. Juggles after other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.
Kachousen - (qcf + A/C)
A version starts up slower, recovers faster, and flies slower. Can juggle afterwards on air hit.
C version starts up faster, recovers slower, and flies faster. Can juggle afterwards on air hit.
EX Kachousen: Fan flies forward, destroying non-EX or super projectiles. Bounces off the opponent on hit/block and falls straight down for a 2nd hit. Recovery comparable to A version. Can juggle after both hits on air hit. An awesome pressure and mixup tool.
Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi - (hcf + B/D)
B version starts up faster, flies a shorter distance, won't combo properly on crouching opponents (2nd hit blockable). Both hits super-cancellable.
D version starts up slower, flies a farther distance, both hits combo properly on standing or crouching opponent. Both hits super-cancellable.
Mai is in an aerial state if she super cancels the 2nd hit early, grounded if she cancels later (Kagerou no Mai available).
Massively unsafe on stand block but actually POSITIVE on crouching block (2nd hit) due to its massive blockstun. Do not rely on this property -- please hit-confirm into this move.
EX Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi: Startup and travel distance comparable to D version. Neutral on both standing and crouching block. 5 hits, the last of which launches the opponent. Juggles from other EX. Can juggle anything afterwards.
Musasabi no Mai (charge) - (charge briefly d, then u + A/C)
Up-forward goes to forward wall, up-back to back wall, neutral up to nearest wall.
Hold down A or C as Mai leaps toward the wall to perform a wall dive attack. Same frame advantage, hit, and dive speed properties as the A and C air versions.
After a minimum amount of time has passed while leaping, Mai can cancel the leap to Ukihane before she reaches the wall.
Both A and C wall leaps are exactly the same. Button used determines the angle of the dive attack; A for a sharp downward angle, C for a shallow downward angle.
If you reach the wall without holding A or C, Mai will drop straight down, unable to attack, with landing recovery.
EX Musasabi no Mai (charge): Flies dramatically faster to the wall, has projectile invulnerability on startup. Dive attack properties same as EX air Musasabi no Mai. Has excellent synergy with EX Kachousen.
Musasabi no Mai (air) - (in air, qcb + A/C)
A version dives at a shallow angle, C version dives at a sharp angle. Both have the same startup, dive speed, and recovery. Unsafe if blocked at head height, but ranges from slightly minus to slightly plus if it hits lower.
No minimum height, so you can "tigerknee" it as qcb,ub+A/C. Does not hit overhead.
Starts a float state on hit. Can juggle anything afterwards.
EX Musasabi no Mai (air): 3 hits, slightly plus on block even if blocked at head height. All hits knock down, all 3 hits juggle. Last hit starts a float state just like the regular version.
Super Special Moves
Chou Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi (ground) - qcb, hcf + K
Both B and D versions deal 7 hits, do same damage, have the same travel speed and distance. Both are fast enough to combo from A/B normals. No startup invulnerability.
Unsafe on block.
Use as combo filler only, avoid at neutral.
MAX: Has full invulnerability on startup, but not useful for anti-air like Kagerou no Mai and her Climax Art. Use to fill out combos.
Chou Hissatsu Shinobi-Bachi (air) - in air, qcb, hcf + K
Same (lack of) safety, startup, juggle properties as ground version
No minimum height requirement; can be "tigerknee"'d with qcb,hcf,uf+B/D or qcb,qcb,uf+B/D
Can juggle opponent after last hit if they are high enough in the air
Should still be used only as combo filler
MAX: Fully invulnerable startup just like the ground MAX version. Slightly more useful since it can blow through air-to-air attacks, but may not juggle the opponent in an advantageous way in that situation. Reserve mostly for combo filler.
Kagerou no Mai - qcf, qcf + A/C
Partially invulnerable startup, ends at 1st active frame (move can trade). A great anti-air and wakeup reversal, provided it doesn't whiff or get blocked.
Massively unsafe on block
Can juggle with anything after Kagerou no Mai trades with an attack that doesn't knock down. However, Mai loses the trade on life vs C/D normals.
MAX: Fully invulnerable startup and more damage. A great 2-bar corner combo ender due to its damage.
Climax Super Special Moves
Shiranui-Ryu Ougi: Kunochi - qcf, hcb + AC
Very brief startup, then a super freeze, then Mai rockets off the wall behind her. Trajectory is fixed, but collision region is gigantic, and Mai's travel speed broadcasts it all over the screen. Hard to miss with unless opponent is right underneath Mai or VERY high in the air and not falling (Nakoruru flight)
Mai is fully invulnerable when she flies off the wall, until the active frames end.
Massively unsafe on block.
Can easily punish any height jump on reaction, as long as the opponent is not at or past the peak of the jump arc.
Can be performed in the air. Air version has the exact same starting position and trajectory as the ground version
If Mai performs the air version after jumping over the opponent, she will "teleport" back to the side she came from to start the super
Combos
Close A, Crouching A and Crouching B can chain into Close B>D target combo.
Anytime you see cl.D in a combo, you can substitute cl.C for less damage, but easier execution.
Numbers in curly brackets ( {} ) indicate maximum MAX gauge required. (1000 indicates a combo that the 1st character on your team can perform. 1250 and 1500 indicate 2nd and 3rd character respectively.)
(ends in a hard knockdown half screen distance away. Use a hyper hop then press back or towards and heavy punch to grab the opponent after the hcf+BD juggle. You can use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B, or use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(ends in a soft knockdown. if performed midscreen, the opponent lands back in the middle of the screen or away from the corner. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage. You can also switch out st. CD at the end for any far normal that can reach after the d~uf+AC juggle for a reset.)
(use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B for a bit more damage, but you will need to be close to the opponent. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(use her cl.B>D target combo after cr. B for a bit more damage, but you will need to be close to the opponent. You can use j.D (or any jump-in normal), cl. C/cr. C/cl.D into [BC] for a jump-in confirm and higher damage.)
(both combos end in an reset. st. CD must hit close enough for qcf+A to hit and cr.C to hit. Does not work on counter hit st.CD.)
2 meters
No corner
cr.B, cr.A, qcb+C(2), SC, qcfx2+AC (387 DMG)
(two hit confirm starting from a low into qcb+C. A bit risky because if you don’t confirm into qcb+C well, you can get punished if its blocked. If you are close enough, you can use cr.B, cl.B>D, into qcb+C for a 3 hit confirm.)
(complete the super motion before Mai lands after the hcf+K. When using hcf+B, the opponent ends up in-front, using hcf+D will have the opponent juggle behind Mai, so the super motion will need to be reversed if performed mid-screen. If starting with cr.B, cl.B>D, the damage will be 489/492. If starting with j.D, cl.D, BC, the damage will be 553/556)
(pretty easy corner only combo, with great damage output. starting with cr.B, cl.B>D, BC, gives you 529 damage. starting with j. D, cl.D, BC outputs 597 damage.)
(st. CD must hit close enough for qcf+A to hit and cr.C to hit. Does not work on counter hit st.CD. Perform qcb+C as late as possible before super-cancelling for maximum damage. )
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