The King of Fighters 2002 UM/Joe Higashi

Movelist

Normals

Standing

• st. A: A quick jab, good for stopping incoming hops, chain-able into itself, whiffs on crouching opponents
• st. B: A quick left kick, good for close range poking, not cancel-able
• st. C: Far right punch, slower than st.A, good to stop incoming hops in advance, and to use as a close range poke, not cancel-able
• st. D: Far right heavy kick, good damage (90dmg), not cancel-able

Close

• cl. A: A cancel-able jab, can't chain into anything though
• cl. B: Same kick as st. B
• cl. C: Elbow thrust, cancel-able into f+B or df+B
• cl. D: Knee thrust, safer on block than cl.C, cancel-able into f+B, or df+B

Crouching

• cr. A: A crouching Jab that is cancel-able into df+B and chain-able into itself, st.B, st.A, and cr. B
• cr. B: Quick low kick with nice range, chain-able into itself, cr.A, and st.A
• cr. C: A crouched elbow thrust, cancel-able
• cr. D: A good ranged sweep that is whiff cancel-able, and cancel-able on hit and if blocked

Jumping

• j. A: Horizontal elbow thrust, good for air-to-air attacks or air-to ground may whiff on crouching opponents
• neutral j. B: Horizontal kick, good for stopping mid to far range jumps and super jumps, may be whiff on crouching opponents
• j.B is good for jumping in air-to-ground
• j. C: A downward angled punch that is good for jumping to start combos
• j. D: Kick with a slight downward angle, good for starting combos, and can be used as a instant overhead

Blowback

• st. CD: A whiff-cancel-able high aiming round kick aimed at the face. Whiffs on some crouching opponents (except Daimon, Chang, Maxima for example).
• j.CD: A jumping forward thrust kick that is good for air-to-air approaches, whiffs on some crouching opponents, and can be low profiled anti-aired

Command Moves

Low kick - (f + B)

• A standing sweep leg kick that doesn't hit low despite its name. Special cancel-able, and is used canceled from as a combo from either cl.C or cl.D. You can cancel this kick from his cancel-able light normals but they wont combo.

• It is unsafe on block, but Joe is pushed back away from the opponent a fair distance, but some attacks may be able to punish him if they are fast enough and and reach him while in recovery.

Combo Advice: (optional cl.C/cl.D), f+B into which ever special or DM move is an easy confirm

Sliding - (df+B)

• Joe knee slides into opponent's legs, not special cancel-able, but an easy way to go into Max Mode (BC)

• Neutral on block

• Hits low

• Does not knock down

Combo Advice: Very easy combo or confirm you can try is cr.B, st.A, df+B

Throws

Knees of Hell - (b/f + C) close

• Joe knees the opponent 4 times. 4th knee is a jumping knee and knocks down

• Can be mashed out of

• Soft knockdown

Leg throw - (b/f + D) close

• A head Scissors take-down, the opponent lands near the corner of the screen

• Soft knockdown

Special Moves

Hurricane Upper - hcf + A/C

• Hurricane Upper is good for mid-range zoning and spacial control but keep in mind of its short distance the hurricanes travel. You can use these in blockstrings midscreen to create more space between you and your opponent (keep in mind for Guard Cancel Rolls) but against a cornered opponent, Joe isn't granted much push back, and you may get punished while Joe recovers.

• Light punch version (A) creates single hurricane. Comes out faster; hurricane moves slower. Travels 1/2 screen distance, and must be jumped over. dmg 85

• Heavy punch version (C) creates 2 hurricanes. Comes out slower but moves faster. Travels 1/3 screen distance. Must be jumped over as well. 2nd hit causes a soft knockdown. dmg 150

Slash kick - hcf + B/D

• A flying horizontal kick. Good to use as a combo finisher and to punish whiffed special moves or Desperation Moves at a mid to far range. Try not to use this too randomly, it can be blocked and punished easily if performed too close.

• Light kick version (B) faster but travels half screen, causes a soft knockdown

• Heavy kick version (D) travels full screen, causes a hard knockdown, Counter Wires on counter hit

Tiger kick - dp + B/D

• A 2 hit rising knee attack. Good for anti-airing normal jumps and full jumps but it's steep angle and lack of invincibility may cause to whiff or get beaten out.

• Light kick version (B) travels a short distance upward, while the heavy kick version (D) travels higher and has more start-up invincibility but has less damage.

• Super Cancel-able on first hit

• Soft knockdown

• dmg B 150; D 110

Golden heel - qcb + B/D

• Hopping circular kick. B version travels half screen. D version travels three quarters. Good anti-air to use at a mid to far screen distance against normal jumps and hops.

• Places opponent in a juggle-able state if hit in air

• Both versions safe on block

• Heavy kick (D) may cross over (not cross-up) on crouching opponents

Combo Advice: the light kick version (B) can only combo after cl.C/cl.D, f+B

Bakuretsu Ken [TNT Punch] - Mash A/C (4 quick button presses)

• Joe rapid punches towards the opponent slowly causing up to 7 hits or more (or less) depending on spacing. Joe might slide away from the opponent then continue punching for a second or two longer. Joe is pretty vulnerable during this mode (he is in a counter hit state) but its good that in any point of time you can cancel it freely into his follow-ups:

TNT Punch Finisher (qcf + A)

* Hits overhead, can be super cancelled, pushes Joe far back if blocked

TNT Punch Finisher (qcf + C)

* Hits low, can not be super cancelled, very unsafe if blocked, soft knockdown

• The two follow-ups gives Joe a good mid ranged high low mixup game, especially since you can whiff cancel the rapid punches, or if you're up close, you can cancel the punches at any time if the opponent is blocking them but be aware of their meter, they can Guard Cancel Roll behind you, or Guard Cancel Blowback you away from them.

Combo Advice: The punches can easily combo after a cl.A or cr.A but you need to be quick with the inputs to active the rapid punches or they wont combo. Try cr. B, cr. A, Ax4 quickly. In practice mode, set the dummy to 1hit guard for you can practice the timing of linking the cr. A (or st. A) into the punches.

Desperation Moves

Screw Upper - (qcf x 2 + A/C)

• A giant hurricane attack. Light punch version (A) has fast start up but has the hurricane travel a short distance while the heavy punch version (C) starts up slow but has a longer distance. It can be used to anti-air normal and super jumping opponents. Try not to use this against grounded opponents, they can just roll through the hurricane and punish Joe easily.

Combo Advice: Super cancelling the qcf+A follow-up from TNT Punch is best but cr.B, st.A, qcfx2+A works fairly well as a low hit confirm. It won't connect off cl.C/D, f+B.

Ougon no Tiger Kick [Golden Tiger Kick] - qcf, uf + B/D

• Joe's Tiger kick DM. Can be charged but doesn't increase damage although it's unblockable once fully charged. It starts up really fast and has a good amount of invincibility from the start-up to its active frames. Note that it has no invincibilty during manual charge. The heavy kick (D) version has way more reach than the light kick version. One of the set-backs with this move is that it can be misfired if you're trying to do a dp+K and it has just as bad recovery.

• Soft knockdown

• dmg 260

Combo Advice: If you hit an airborne opponent with Joe's qcb+B/D, throw this super out to hit them while they are in a juggle state. The biggest part of its damage is at the start so try to delay the super to hit them low to the ground when possible.

Bakuretsu Hurricane Tiger Kakato [Exploding Hurricane Tiger Talon] - (qcf, hcb + A/C)

• This is pretty much a DM version of his TNT Punch. Joe releases a flurry of punches, 2 hurricanes, tiger kick and an aerial golden heel. Very easy to combo into, which it should only be used for that situation. If you use it stand alone the opponent can roll behind you while Joe is rushing toward the opponent, or use a DM of their own. On block the opponent can Guard Cancel Roll during the early hits or normal roll before the last hit.

• dmg 220

Combo Advice: Either cr.B, cr.A/st.A, qcf~hcb + A/C works well as a low hit confirm, or cl. C/cl. D, f+B into the super works as an easy mid confirm.

Strongest Low Kick In History - (qcb x 2 + B/D)

• DM version of Joe's low kick. Not very useful. Slow start-up which the opponent can see a mile away. If charged, the low becomes an unblock-able.

• Soft knockdown

• dmg 250

Super Desperation Move

Screw Upper - (qcf x 2 + AC)

• A much more faster and stronger version of his DM Screw Upper. Can be used as an anti-air against normal and super jumps. If you try to super cancel it from his qcf+A follow-up of the TNT Punch it will not connect.

• dmg 400

Combo Advice: Very easy from a low confirm, try cr.B, cr. A, qcfx2+AC

HSDM

Cross Giganticness - (qcf x 2 + BD)

• 2 flaming hurricanes fly to either side of the screen.

• Very slow start-up which makes it impossible to combo into, or to use in reaction to anything. Only use it if you have the meter, if the match is close to ending, and the opponent whiffs any move that has very bad recovery.

Combos

You can always replace cl.C by cl.D or cr.C

0 stock

• cl.C, f+B, hcf+K/dp+D/qcb+B
• cr.B/cr.A, cr.A, [A](4), qcf+P
• far.A or (cr.B/cr.A, cr.Ax1~2), df+B, [A](4), qcf+P
• cr.B/cr.A, cr.A, df+B, [A](6), qcf+C
• qcb+B (air hit), j.B/j.CD/far D/dp+K/tk+K

-> Hyper hops, and you have to slightly walk forward before pressing far D. dp+K and tk+K only in corner.

1 stock

• cl.C, qcfx2+P
• cl.C, f+B, qcf hcb+P
• cr.B/cr.A, cr.Ax1~2, qcf hcb+P

2 stocks

• cl.C, dp+D(1) (SC) qcfx2+P
• cr.B/cr.A, cr.A, [A](4), qcf+A (SC) qcfx2+P
• cr.B/cr.A, cr.Ax1~2, df+B, [A](4), qcf+A (SC) qcfx2+P/qcf hcb+P

-> If cr.Ax2 and not in corner, stop at [A](2),qcf+A to use qcfx2+P or it whiffs.

• cl.C or (cr.B,cr.Ax1~2), df+B, (BC), (cl.C/cr.A,) df+B, [(C)[A](4), (C)dp+D(1)]x2, (C)[A](2), qcf+A (SC) qcfx2+P

-> You have to do a perfect run if you wanna use cl.C after BC and still be close enough to cancel the first dp+D

• cl.C or (cr.B,cr.A), df+B, (BC), (cl.C/cr.Ax2,) df+B, [A](1~2), qcf+A, [(C)dp+D(1), (C)[A](1~2), qcf+A]×2, (SC) qcfx2+P

-> Only in corner or against backturned opponent. If you use cl.C/cr.Ax2 after (BC), stop each [A] on the first hit. The few percents gained from cl.C/cr.Ax2 aren't worth how tight the combo becomes.

3 stocks

• Replace the DM in 1 stock by qcfx2+AC
• Replace the DM in 2 stocks max combo by qcfx2+AC

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