Samurai Shodown VI/Yumeji

Introduction

Yumeji is a headswap of Ukyo who expands on his zoning-oriented Bust moveset from Samurai Shodown III and IV. This character was a sub-boss in Samurai Shodown V who could transform into likenesses of existing characters for certain special moves, but in VI these have been exchanged for practical keepaway options and combo tools.

Data

• Dash type: Run
• Damage taken: 115%
• Rage retention: 205
• Rage duration: 15 seconds

Gameplan

Yumeji is a keepaway character with an assortment of ranged pokes, recoil cancel options and fireballs to cover different ranges and angles. This variation of Ukyo retains his fast run speed and backdash but has a faster jump which makes air poking much more viable. However, much like Ukyo, Yumeji's defense is below average to compensate for the strong zoning tools you're working with.

Learn the spacings for 5B and 5C as they are your best pokes. Both are fast, reach incredibly far and provide recoil on block. If you are expecting the opponent to block your 5B then 5A may be used instead to recoil cancel faster. Yumeji's fastest recoil cancel options are 214S and 421A/B ~A/B. If you've conditioned the opponent to respect you there's also 236S to press an advantage or 623S as a mixup option if spaced properly.

Yumeji has two choices for fireball zoning. 236S is a straight fireball which travels up to nearly fullscreen used before dissipating. It gives plenty of hitstun to convert it into pretty much anything that will reach while also being safe on block. However, its abnormally-slow startup makes it a poor choice for mid-range on its own, and given its lacking vertical range leaves you vulnerable to air approaches. This is where Yumeji's j1236S fireball comes in; it comes out practically instantly and travels in a nice V-shaped arc, though it travels nowhere near as far as 236C. Yumeji's faster jump means that j1236S is a practical air-to-air option, but more often you will find yourself kara cancelling your backdash into it, allowing you to not only retreat safely but potentially score a knockdown. 421A/B ~A/B can potentially be used for zoning as well, but given the wait before your followups come out, its bad recovery and specific angles it is advised to save this move for combos.

Yumeji retain's Ukyo's exceptional punish game with a fast run coupled with a far-reaching 66C. However, if you have the time you may also punish with 66B which can be special-cancelled on the first hit. This gives you a way to reliably combo into WFT, among other things.

Your optimal poking range as Yumeji also gives you space to meditate safely if you are using V Spirit. Though Yumeji doesn't have a launcher to negate Rage Explosion, you still have a long-range overhead in the form of 6B as one means of opening your opponent up in State of Nothingness. VI Spirit is also a good choice as it rewards your pokes with meter and allows you to hold onto your WFT until you can land it (i.e. from a hit confirm or a successful Mikiri), furthermore Yumeji is usually fast enough to take advantage of a successful Full Defense.

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

• 5A - Fast, long-reaching poke. Effectively a weaker version of 5B but if it's blocked you get to recoil cancel faster.
• 5B - Same reach as 5A but deals more damage and is active for longer, thus more effective as a general poke.
• 5C - A far-reaching, highly-damaging punish tool. This is great for poking and recoil cancelling, considering its startup is quite fast as well.
• 2A - Your fastest midscreen poke but it has less range than 5A.
• 2B - Effective anti-air, but it leaves you crouching so you're prone to taking deephits if you screw this up.
• 2C - This is Yumeji's only far normal which doesn't recoil, though it is also the most damaging. Doesn't cover any more range than 5C but moves you forward and can go under high attacks.

Near Slashes

• n5A - Safe get-off-me tool.
• n5B - High-reaching attack and thus suitable as a meaty. Special cancellable but not as fast as n2B.
• n5C - Generic punish tool. It's two hits so it can be bursted before the more-powerful second hit.
• n2A - n5A but lower.
• n2B - Your fastest combo starter. Your choice is between this and n5B, in which if your distance is wrong you're whiffing 2B instead of 5B.
• n2C - Generic punish tool which does slightly less than n5C and starts lower.

Kicks

• 5D - Ranged option for when you're disarmed, little use outside of this purpose but it is special cancellable.
• 6D - Low-hitting kick that slides you a little further than one character width. Can be followed up with a pursuit.
• 2D - Short, quick low. Links into Tsubame Gaeshi, but don't think you'll be running 2D j1236S vortex with this character as Yumeji's j1236S hits mid.
• 3D - A sweep that hits mid. Reaches fairly high, fast, active for relatively long.

Dash Normals

• 66A - Has more range than 66B and 66D. Has decent priority as well but there's not much of a reason to use this.
• 66B - Instead of crossing up, Yumeji's 66B is instead a running version of her n5B. The first hit is special cancellable, making this move effective as a punish. If you're expecting an upback then this is what you go for.
• 66C - A running version of your 5C, but instead of recoiling it knocks down. This hits higher up than Ukyo's running heavy slash, covering an even greater area. This move will punish pretty much everything.
• 66D - Running low. Your best option for punishing when unarmed, but you have far better options when Yumeji is armed.

Air Normals

• jA - Aerial n5A.
• jB - Can be used to hit opponents who are close below you. May also be used as an instant overhead in State of Nothingness if your opponent is tall enough.
• njC - Air-to-air which covers a great distance directly in front of you.
• jC - Ukyo's jumping heavy slash, but easier to use as Yumeji's jump is faster. Good horizontal range.
• jD - Two-hit kick, situational jump-in. Both hits are medium attacks. Your better air option when unarmed.

Unarmed Normals

• u5S - High slap.
• u2S - Low slap.
• u66S - Gives plenty of hitstun to link into a knockdown move. u66S is a heavy attack so linking it into itself causes a knockdown.
• juS - Jumping slap. jC reaches farther.

Command Moves

6B

• Long-ranged leaping overhead which moves Yumeji a little forward. This is your overhead in exchange for a high-hitting Tsubame Gaeshi.

Special Moves

Concealed Sabre Solar Flame - 236S

• Bust-Ukyo's fast-travelling fireball, but the startup is much slower. Strength determines the range before it dissipates, with 236A reaching about 5C's length away from you and 236C reaching nearly the whole screen. In return for its lengthy startup this move is advantageous enough on hit that it can link into your dashing attacks or anything else that can reach.

Concealed Sabre Firefly - j1236S

• Remember how Ukyo's Tsubame Gaeshi used to spawn a fireball while also being an overhead? While Ukyo has ditched the fireball since III, Yumeji has adopted it while abandoning the overhead hit. Furthermore while the fireball retains the same V-shaped arc (strength determining the angle it flies upward) it no longer travels fullscreen, reaching a little farther than your 5C at most before dying out. However, this move is still very much useful not only for the angles it covers but for its near-instant startup, in addition to the air practicalities of a standard Tsubame Gaeshi (you can either TK it or cancel your backdash into it, the latter being useful as a keepaway option as it stuffs whatever angle of approach your opponent is rushing you down from). When zoning you will often have to decide between 236S's range and damage potential versus j1236S's speed and upward geometry.
• If you expect your opponent to short roll on wakeup then TK j1236S will hit their recovery. From the same spacing however the fireball will dissipate just out of reach for catching long rolls, which do not have strike vulnerability on their recovery anyway. However, the opponent long rolling is ultimately better for you not only spacing-wise but also because it allows you to set up 236S safely.

Concealed Sabre Snowdust Flash - 214S

• Practical recoil cancel option with roughly the same range as your 2A, also a possible far anti-air for its vertical reach. This is similar to Ukyo's apple slice but instead of multiple independent hits it is a hitgrab akin to Yoshitora's Asagao (furthermore you're throwing a persimmon instead of an apple). Strength determines its active frames and number of hits if it connects. There is no fakeout version of this move.

Concealed Sabre Ephemeral Shadow - 623S (Samurai Drive)

• Concealed with the morphing effect from V, Yumeji dashes forward then swipes at the opponent. This is your replacement for Ukyo's 66B in that the heavy version is a crossup, but it's nowhere near as fast. Theoretically useful as a recoil option if you've conditioned your opponent not to hit buttons, as all versions have a lengthy, telegraphed startup. Otherwise use sparingly, as you're better off sticking to keepaway rather than trying to shmix with Yumeji.
• 623A can be linked into your faster attacks on hit including 2C. It is also fairly safe on block.
• 623B hits in front of them, while 623C will cross over if spaced correctly.

Oral Tradition Snow Wind - 421A/B~A/B

• This move is a long-ranged attack which has followups that lead to knockdowns. Be mindful that the input window for the followups is quite small. The first hit is either a launcher which reaches upwards (A) or a low-hitting downward strike (B), both of which are fairly safe. The optional next hit reaches not only farther but either higher (A) or lower (B). As this is your fastest grounded special it is also your combo ender. 421A~A deals more damage than the other versions, which then all deal the same amount of damage, but 421A whiffs on crouching opponents. For this reason 421B is preferred for consistency, in which you may decide to either knock your opponent away from you for keepaway (421B~A) or to keep them closer for okizeme (421B~B).
• Be careful with using the followups in neutral as they are are easy to avoid, have long recovery and leave you in a counter hit state.

Toy Transformation - 3214623E (II)

Supers

Heavenly Wave of Soichi Jinmu - 236AB

• Bust-Ukyo's WFT. Fast startup and travels fullscreen quickly. While it can be used as a standalone punish because of this, this WFT is best used as a combo ender where it is guaranteed to hit. Will sideswitch and leave the opponent close to you in a hard knockdown.

Secret Move Ground God - 641236BC (II), 236BC (VI) (Samurai Drive)

• Viable alternative to WFT as a combo tool. The first hit's range is roughly the same as your 2A's. This deals slightly more damage than 236AB, but instead of sideswitching it pushes the opponent far away.

Combos

Standard Combos

• n5B/n2B/66B/5D 421S~S/236AB - Combos starting from medium slashes.
• 623A, 2C, j1236S - Various links.
• 623B/C, 3C - Guaranteed pursuit.
• 236S, 66X - Ground fireball's hitstun is long enough for you to follow up with one of your dashing normals, or anything else that will reach.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• A+B BBC/AABBC 421A/B~A/B - For the BBC juggle 421A~A/B is most consistent.
• A+B BBC/AABBC 236AB - Continuous Slash into WFT.
• A+B BBC 214A - Corner only.

State of Nothingness (V)

• 6B (filler) ABC - Conversion from overhead into Issen. Be careful not to link grounded heavies together in your filler. jB may be used as an instant overhead instead if the croucher is large enough.
• 421A ABC - Launcher into Issen. Immune to Rage Explosion if your opponent is running a Spirit which has it, but has short range. After performing 6B your opponent's hurtbox will usually be too low to hit with 421A.

Colors

External Links

• Seesaa wiki