The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Saisyu Kusanagi

Notation

- Light Punch

- Light Kick

- Heavy Punch

- Heavy Kick

Throws

Issetsu Seoi Nage - (close) / +

Hikiri Tsuchi - (close) / +

Command Normals

Ge-Shiki Gou Tsui - +

Ge-Shiki Kubu Tsuchi - +

Special Moves

108 Shiki Yami Barai - + /

100 Shiki Oniyaki - + /

427 Shiki Kamukakari - + /

110 Shiki Nata Guruma - + /

720 Shiki Homuragasane 1 - + /

┗ 720 Shiki Homuragasane 2 - + /

Desperation Moves

Ura 108 Shiki Orochinagi - + /

1207 Shiki Tsumugari - + /

Introduction

Saisyu has great offensive tools to stay close to the opponent and confirm into big metered damage or a meterless hard-knockdown. Alternatively, he can zone out the opponent with his ground-traveling fireball and a strong anti-air DP. His weakness definitely lies in his mostly short-ranged normals, which often cannot compete with the opponents' in neutral. Saisyu has to make up for this deficit with good positioning, so he can use his great jump-in normals to get in and start his pressure game.

Gameplay Overview

Saisyu is a rushdown character with very potent pressure and mixups that lead into explosive damage, but he requires immaculate positioning and careful play due to his short normals and unsafe specials.
Pros	Cons
Balanced Kit: Saisyu's specials give him a balanced moveset, with a decent ground fireball that helps Saisyu defend his space, a DP to anti-air, a rekka, a hard knockdown combo ender and an advancing overhead with low crush properties. Devastating Pressure: Saisyu doesn't struggle to get in, and when he does, he sticks like glue with amazing pressure. Strong Mixups: Saisyu has various ways to mix up the opponent, including two standing overheads and the infamous Kusanagi j.B for crossups, alongside some very strong low confirms. Explosive Damage: With meter, Saisyu's damage is very good, meaning the reward for landing these mixups becomes even higher. Significantly cooler than his son: No need to explain.	Unsafe Specials: While he has various uses for his specials, almost all of them are unsafe on block and all of them leave Saisyu incredibly vulnerable on whiff. This forces you to be more delicate with how you use them. Stubby Buttons: Saisyu's buttons are extremely short, especially while standing, meaning he struggles in neutral when trying to poke out other characters.

Changes from Previous Versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• cl.C's activation range has been reduced, it can still be linked from a cl.A or 2A

• 5B now has 3 more active frames

• Ge-Shiki Gou Tsui (6A) how has 2 frames less startup

Specials:

• 108 Shiki Yami Barai (236P) now has 3 frames less recovery

• Light 427 Shiki Kamukakari (63214B) now has 2 frames less startup, now connects from heavies and f+A

• Light 720 Shiki Homuragasane 1 (214A) now has 2 frames less startup.

• You can now juggle from the A version of 720 Shiki Homuragasane (214A)'s second hit.

Supers:

• 1207 Shiki Tsumugari (236236P) now has less startup; both A and MAX versions have 5 frames less startup and can now connect from lights.

• Heavy 1207 Shiki Tsumugari (236236C) is now invulnerable until after the first active frame.

98UM to 98UMFE

Specials:

• Light 110 Shiki Nata Guruma (623B)'s second hit now has a larger hitbox, so it shouldn't whiff if the first connects

• 427 Shiki Kamukakari (63214K) now has less recovery, second hit should be easier to connect if the first connects

• 720 Shiki Homuragasane 1 (214P)'s first hit now has a bigger hitbox and less recovery

Supers:

• 1207 Shiki Tsumugari (236236P)'s A and MAX versions have faster startup

Normal Moves

Close

• cl.A: Can stop hops, otherwise useless. Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.B: Use cr.A instead for more reliable range and same combo potential. Cancelable.

• cl.C: 2f start up, 2 hits, both cancelable. Can link from 2B. Your heavy normal for combos.

• cl.D: Same as 5D.

Standing

• 5A: Crappy range, can stop hops from close up but no other use for it really. Chainable.

• 5B: Farthest range of his normals. Good as a poke. Combos after 2B.

• 5C: Cancelable, but slow and crappy range and whiffs on crouchers. Rarely useful.

• 5D: Can work as anti-air against hops, but 623P is much more reliable.

Crouching

• 2A: Fast and good range for a 2A. Use this in confirms and blockstrings after 2B and as a short poke. Chainable and cancelable.

• 2B: Low combo starter. Links into cl.C. Chainable.

• 2C: Not a reliable anti-air. Can be used in punish or combo situations when too far away for cl.C. Cancelable.

• 2D: Cancelable sweep. Not bad at what it does.

Jumping

• j.A: Nice air-to-air.

• j.B: Typical Kusanagi knee. Often beats weaker anti-airs and air normals, and can crossup without much hassle. VERY GOOD.

• j.C: Decent jump-in, but nothing special about it. Use this on characters j.D might whiff on.

• j.D: Most damaging jump button (except for j.CD). Usually used for air zoning out of a hop. Can whiff on small crouchers and low-profile moves.

CD Normals

• 5CD: Quite fast, enough range to hit after some light-button blockstrings. Saisyu has good safe options to fish for counterhit combos with this. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• j.CD: Great move. Often wins against other good moves and anti-airs thanks to good hitbox. Good for fishing counterhit combos just like regular CD.

Throws

Issetsu Seoi Nage: 4/6C (close)

• Regular throw, techable.

• Does not switch sides.

• Hard knockdown.

Hikiri Tsuchi: 4/6D (close)

• Regular throw, techable.

• Goes fullscreen and switches sides.

• Backturned hard knockdown, but okizeme is only possible in the corner.

Command Moves

Ge-Shiki Gou Tsui: 6A

• Hits overhead when done on its own.

• No overhead but cancelable when cancelled into. Acts as heavy normal for the purpose of comboing.

• Combos from cl.C and true blockstring. Safe on block.

Ge-Shiki Kubu Tsuchi: 6B

• Plus on block, but combos from nothing. You can link into a variety of moves on hit.

• Mostly exists to extend your offense with plus frames, can be interrupted since it's not a true block string.

Special Moves

108 Shiki Yami Barai: 236A/C

• Ground traveling projectile. Not great but serves its purpose if used with care.

100 Shiki Oniyaki: dp+A/C

• Saisyu's DP. Good reversal and reliable anti air especially C version. Both versions are very unsafe.

427 Shiki Kamukakari: 63214B/D

• Very slow overhead move. Not recommended. Punishable on block.

110 Shiki Nata Guruma: 623B/D

• B version combos from 2A, D only combos from heavy buttons.

• Very nice go-to combo move that causes a hard knockdown and has decent damage.

• B version is a good meterless raw punish tool, more horizontal range than DP. Unsafe on block.

720 Shiki Homuragasane: 214A/C (x2)

• Saisyu's rekka. Combos from heavy buttons. A version combos into 623C. Best meterless damage but only soft knockdown. Unsafe on block.

Desperation Moves

Ura 108 Shiki Orochinagi: 2141236A/C (can be held)

• A/C versions are identical. Combos from heavy buttons. Deals more damage than qcfx2+A/C. Safe on block.

• SDM deals even more damage and still more than qcfx2+AC. Plus on block.

• Best Orochinagi in the game.

1207 Shiki Tsumugari: 236236A/C

• A version has very fast startup. Combos from 2A and 6B. Can punish almost anything unsafe. One of the best raw super punishes in the game.

• C version is slower than A but has lots of invul and more range. Useful as a counter in situations where invul and range matter more than speed.

• SDM is like the A version but deals more damage. Combos from 2A/6B and is just as fast but no invul.

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King of Fighters 98 UM FE: Saisyu Guide by Mash It Out