NeoGeo Battle Coliseum/Kisarah Westfield

Normals

Close

• cl.A/B/C/D are cancelable.
• cl.A chains into cr.A.
• cl.B hits low, and chains into itself (whiffs), cr.A, and cr.B.
• cl.C has slow start-up for being a close normal, actually unable to combo from jump-ins, though can contrarily make an interesting meaty.
• cl.D is a quick knee strike; go-to heavy button for punishes and comboing post-jump-in.

Standing

• st.A/C/D are whiff/cancel-able. st.C is only cancelable into command normals and supers.
• st.B is a good anticipatory anti-air with it being a high directed kick. Whiffs on crouchers.
• st.C is about as fast as cl.C. Hitbox is low to the ground, but hits mid. Range isn't much greater than jab. Even advantage on block.
• st.D has more range than st.C while being the slowest normal Kisarah has. Committal poke that has the options of cancelability on hit or whiff available behind it.

Crouching

• cr.A/B/C/D are all (whiff) cancelable.
• cr.A chains into itself. It also chains into cl.A but will whiff.
• cr.B chains into itself, cr.A, and cr.B.
• cr.C moves Kisarah forward as she throws an elbow ahead of her. Has some start-up attached to it, limiting its combo use to outside traditional conversions from normals. The fact that it does move forward makes it a decent approach tool and button to push on an opponent's wake-up, especially with its ability to chain into sweep.
• cr.D is a slide kick that moves the hitbox forward upon activation. Sweeps the opponent and will combo into her Ultimate Juggles. Hearty Brandisher Type A to F (qcb+A.qcf+A) is always the preferred follow-up for its consistency and full connection.

Jumping

• j.A has a small and brief hitbox that's outclassed by j.B.
• j.B has a deep, steep angle to it, ideal for jump-ins including cross-ups and air-to-ground.
• j.C's animation makes it appear to be a revolving kick when in actuality the only hitbox that exists shows it's a headbutt attack. Kisarah rolls herself forward when doing this from a neutral or forward jump, but her legs fortunately don't extend her hurtbox forward. Unremarkable button as the hitbox is small in both height and horizontal range, and lasts momentarily.
• j.D's quite an impressive inverse to j.B. Having the most horizontal range makes it ideal for air-to-air and is still an alright jump-in, but struggles to cross-up to a point it almost never works on crouchers.

Blowback Attack

• Pressing the E button while blocking will have Kisarah shove with her school bag as seen in her normal throw before attempting to tag out.

Throw

Swearing Smash: (b/f+CD)

• Kisarah slaps the opponent twice, then shoves her school bag to knock them away. SKD.
• Can be broken.

Command Moves

Snapping Stamp Kick: b+D

• Kisarah swings her left leg back over her head to kick the opponent in theirs. HKD raw and canceled, though a bit absurdly becomes an SKD on air connection, which may be a problem when using the move for its Ultimate Juggle/OTG property.
  • Somewhat negated by the quick, downward knockback speed.
• Negative on block, raw ver. more minus than canceled.
• A near-full second long overhead when done raw that can almost qualify for a better taunt than what Kisarah's normal one has with how extra the animation is.
• When canceled into, Snapping Stamp hits mid and is much faster, enough to combo from heavies and canceled Round Heel Kick (f+D).
• Ultimate Juggle #1. Property only kicks in when canceled from the canceled version of Round Heel Kick.
  • Ultimate Juggle ver. of Snapping Stamp also OTGs, which let's Kisarah get off two in a row if the opponent's cornered (hold forward: cl/st.A, f+D, b+D).
• Combos from: Crouch C

Round Heel Kick: f+D

• Kisarah brings her right leg almost fully around her body to bring it down on the opponent's head. Knockdown properties are the same as Snapping Stamp Kick (from "HKD raw...air connection").
• Similar raw/canceled situation to Snapping Stamp Kick. Round Heel has double the range and takes around half a second start-up.
• Canceled ver. can combo from heavies and lights.
  • Can be used after sweep where it will whiff on its own before canceling into b+D to trigger the move's Ultimate Juggle.

Special Moves

The Hearty Brandisher move series can be used in a reverse-alphabetical string; Type D to C to B to A to F Some properties of a Hearty Brandisher move may change when canceled from the previous lettered type compared to when they're used raw as well as when canceled into from normals, and will be mentioned.

Hearty Brandisher Type A: qcb+A

• Kisarah swings her bag to hit the opponent over the head while stepping forward.
• Overhead HKD Attack when done raw that does actually come out faster than either of Kisarah's command normals. Canceled version hits mid, and doesn't knockdown, but is even on block when raw is negative.
• Canceled from Type B, Type A will still hit mid but is more minus on block.
  • All versions have a 2nd, late hit where Type A doesn't knockdown. Kisarah's spaced out enough where the Type F follow-up will not connect.
    • The raw version will still maintain its overhead property in this "spaced out Type A" scenario.
• Ultimate Juggle #2. Allows it to consistently follow after sweep and Type B.

┗Hearty Brandisher Type F: qcf+A

• The continuation of Type A. Kisarah swings her bag upward to send the opponent flying across the screen. SKD.
• This follow-up will always connect from qcb+A on grounded opponents even after the HKD when Type A hits overhead or when used after sweep or Type B. It will not connect outside the corner if qcb+A hits an opponent midair.

Hearty Brandisher Type B: qcb+B

• Kisarah swings her bag, this time aiming toward the opponent's legs. HKD.
• Hits low when done raw. Hits mid when canceled into.
• Cancelable into Type A.
• When canceled from Type C, Kisarah hops back before the strike. On block, the opponent receives more pushback than the other two versions of qcb+B, keeping Kisarah safe, and safer than if she ended on Type A or Type F.

Hearty Brandisher Type C: qcb+C (can be held up to 7 seconds)

• Kisarah quickly lifts the bag to her head where she's in a counter state against mid/high physical attacks. If she counters nothing, she'll proceed to reel the opponent to her with the bag. This leaves the opponent standing in a prolonged hitstun.
• Holding C has Kisarah take a stance, turning her back on the opponent, holding her bag in front of her near her feet. She'll blink 7 times assuming stance is held the whole way, automatically releasing at the 7th blink, giving the move a total of 8 levels.
  • Can cancel stance by pressing D. Pianoing qcb+C~D lets Kisarah quickly and idly build meter.
  • Charging the move affects the bag swing's damage and how plus Kisarah's frame advantage is when qcb+C connects, starting with being even on the uncharged version, meaning Kisarah needs one blink (charging almost 1.5 seconds) to link a cancelable light.
    • With that note, Type C can always cancel into Type B without the need for charge for a safe blockstring.
  • Charging does not affect the window of the counter state, though Type C level 8 does cause Kisarah to completely skip it right to the bag reel.
• The canceled version of Type C from Type D has about the same advantage as if Kisarah had charged to level 4, letting her link cr.C.
• If Kisarah counters the opponent, she'll switch sides then thrust her hip into their back. The hip attack is both special- and supercancelable. Cheerleader Kick (qcf+B/D), Hearty Brandisher Type A & B, and Jealousy Bomber (hcfx2+A/C) will combo after.

Hearty Brandisher Type D: qcb+D (can be held up to 5 seconds)

• Kisarah lifts her leg and takes a small step back where she's in a brief counter state against lows, then hops forward to kick the opponent in the leg then smacks them with her bag. Without charge, does not knockdown.
• Either hit can cancel into qcb+C.
• Holding D has Kisarah take the same stance as when she holds the button on Type C. While Kisarah blinks 5 times over the course of the 5-second hold limit, there are only 3 levels, not 6, and the 2nd and 3rd levels are available as soon as Kisarah's 1st and 2nd blinks respectively (which come one after the other fairly quickly, and occur with less than a full second hold).
  • Can cancel stance by pressing C. Pianoing qcb+D~C lets Kisarah quickly and idly build meter.
  • Level 2 causes the move to SKD, deal more damage, and gain supercancelability on the 2nd hit, exclusively with Splash Air Dance (qcfx2+B/D). The knockback angle lets it consistently and fully hit.
  • Level 3 deals further damage than lv.2, and launches the opponent straight up into the air. Maintains the SC-property from lv.2 but you'd be wasting your bar when you can just wait and link. SKD.
    • Type D level 3 links into qcf+B, dp+B, and qcfx2+B/D.
• Aside from stopping lows instead of mids/highs, the mechanics of the counter are identical to Type C, including how Kisarah will completely skip the counter state if Type D is fully charged.
• While there's an uncomfortable amount of start-up even with a counter window before Kisarah starts to attack, regardless of how long you charge Type D, it can be skipped by pressing D again right after executing/releasing qcb+D. It's not fast enough to combo even after cancelable heavies, but it gets close, enough for viable pressure application.

Hip Bazooka: qcf+A/C

• Kisarah leaps forward to hit the opponent with her side. A far flying approach tool that can sometimes be used to escape the corner and hits overhead.
• A version moves nearly halfscreen, doesn't knockdown on grounded opponents, SKD against airborne. Capable of crossing up.
• C version almost reaches full screen, is an instant HKD, SKD against airborne.

┗Rhythmic Bound: A/B/C/D

• Kisarah rebounds off the opponent, the button determining the direction and height Kisarah moves up and falls down.
• Hip Bazooka needs to connect as a hit or on block to use.
• A makes a small hop forward that will typically land in front of an opponent. C is almost a regular jump and will put Kisarah behind the opponent if they don't move.
• B has the same height as A, D shares with C. In regards to horizontal movement, B keeps Kisarah in relatively the same spot she connected the Hip Bazooka, while D is about a character and a half further back. Both will often be used for retreats while using the Rhythmic Kick follow-up to defend air space.

┗Rhythmic Kick: A/B/C/D

• Kisarah does a split kick identical in appearance to Cheerleader Kick. Hits overhead. Doesn't knockdown grounded opponents, SKD on airborne.
• More advantageous on block than Hip Bazooka.
• Can combo after qcf+A.Rhythmic Bound both on grounded and midair opponents. Midair, Rhythmic Kick needs to be done with A or C to hit.
• Able to cross-up.
• SC-able into qcfx2+B/D. Reverse the input if crossing up with Rhythmic Kick.

Vaulting Over: [close] hcb,f+A/C

• A leap frog that switches sides and can't be combo'd into. Deals minimal damage.
• A version puts Kisarah in scramble range with her opponent while being slightly minus. This makes the only guaranteed follow-up even if she uses the vault to put herself in the corner to super cancel into qcfx2+B/D.
• C version keeps Kisarah close to her opponent, and she's unable to super cancel at any point. There's enough advantage to link into cancelable lights (cl.D isn't possible as Kisarah's barely out of proximity). At best this can lead to a single cl.A into Jealousy Bomber, and at minimum, Kisarah can do two cr.A's into qcf+B or one cr.A into dp+D.D, both for meterless HKD.

Cheerleader Kick: qcf+B/D

• Kisarah jumps forward doing a splits kick that hits mid. HKD. SC-able into Splash Air Dance.
• B version comes out fast combos from lights. Good reactionary anti-air, but easily punishable on block.
• D does a sliver more damage than B, and comes out more slowly to a point it will only combo after the counters in Hearty Brandisher Type C/D. It is plus on block making it a safe ender in blockstrings if the gap isn't intercepted, and can cancel into the B version on landing.
  • The ability to slightly delay this cancel makes qcf+D to qcf+B semi-confirmable, a risky frametrap if D is blocked, and more reliably gets Splash Air Dance full connection after qcf+B (where immediately canceling qcf+D into B then super may cause the last hit to whiff, losing the HKD)

Cutey Rainbow: dp+B/D

• Kisarah launches herself like a missile into the air, feet first. Both move forward and land just before half a screen, while the height of the arc is affected by the button. Good reversal and vertical anti-air tool to contrast Cheerleader Kick's more horizontal defense.
• First hit of three total is unblockable.
• 2nd and 3rd hits are SC-able into Splash Air Dance.
• B comes out near instantly, does more damage than D, and does SKD. Can combo from cancelable lights and heavies.
• D comes out a bit slower and does less damage than B, has autoguard during start-up, and does HKD. Can combo only from one cancelable light.

┗Happy Presser: after dp+D, press D during first hit

• Kisarah sits on the opponent's face and takes out nearly a fifth of an opponent's health. Ends up switching sides, with Kisarah at advantage and right next to the opponent.

Desperation Moves

Splash Air Dance: qcfx2+B/D (air OK)

• Kisarah does a rising, rotating Cheerleader Kick, dealing 5 hits before she smashes downward with her bag, dealing HKD. Generally applicable super ender to any of Kisarah's confirms into specials.
• Punishable on block and whiff, though the landing lag isn't long, meaning needing to get under Kisarah fast.

Jealousy Bomber: [close] hcfx2+A/C (consumes 3 bar)

• Kisarah sends her heart out to the opponent. The main attraction is when this move is used right next to a grounded opponent, summoning Joe Kusanagi to kiss Kisarah, causing the heart to blow up on the opponent for big damage. SKD.
• Can be confirmed through either SC-ing the Hearty Brandisher Type C/D counter, or with Vaulting Over (hcb,f+C), with an optional A button to segue between.
• Otherwise, a full screen projectile that while unblockable, deals no damage.
• Ultimate Juggle #3, but it doesn't fully connect this way, only giving you the dud projectile hit.

General Strategy

• Block strings to use are:

Combos

(more to be updated)