Takuma is a versatile character that can both zone and rush down pretty well. For zoning he has a good backdash for gaining distance and a fast high flying fireball to control space with. He also has access to a good anti air button in st.B and a great anti air super in his ranbu. Takuma also has good anti zoning tools with a projectile reflector and a fast super fireball. When going in Takuma also has strong options like an overhead, a running command grab, a good crossup, good low confirms and a unblockable super. Takumas main weakness is that he's very meter reliant for good damage combos and needing a super to have an invul reversal/anti air.
Changes from previous versions
98 to 98UM
Normals:
st.D 2 frames less startup
st.D priority reduced
f+A active frames increased by 5
cr.A less damage
cr.B less damage
cr.D 1 frame more recovery
Specials:
qcb+P can now reflect projectiles
Supers:
f,hcf+P is now a super, it comes out faster but you can no longer charge it
qcfx2+P now comes out at frame 2. the super flash locks the opponents inputs, so they can't reaction roll out
98UM to 98UMFE
Normals:
st.B has more active frames
cl.C no longer whiffs against short characters
Specials:
qcb+P has less recovery
Supers:
qcf,hcb+A is invincible until just after the hitbox appears
Normal Moves
Close
cl. A: starts up slightly faster than his st.B but serves the same purpose. Chainable. Cancelable.
cl. B: a light combo filler. chainable. Cancelable.
cl. C: the main fast heavy combo normal. Cancelable.
cl. D: Long upwards reach. Good for stopping jumps at closer ranges. whiffs on short crouchers.
Stand
st. A: decent anti hop button. whiffs on regular crouchers. Chainable.
st. B: a great anti air that can stop both hops and full jumps. Has a lot of upwards priority. whiffs on regular crouchers.
st. C: mid range poke with good priority. whiffs on regular croushers.
st. D: long start up and recovery. has okay priority.
Crouch
cr. A: a standard low poke. cr.B is mostly the better choice but this one can be good if the opponent uses low invul moves a lot.
cr. B: a fast low. You can connect 3 of these in a row with good timing. Cancelable. Chainable.
cr. C: Good anti-air button. Cancelable.
cr. D: sweep with good range. Cancelable into both command normals and specials.
Jump
j. A: fast startup and a lot of active frames. Has a better air to air hitbox than j.B so this is his best air to air normal.
j. B: good crossup jumpin with a lot of active frames. Comes out fast so can also be good as a speedy air to air.
neutral j.B: longer range air to air.
j. C: Good jumpin button.
j. D: Great crossup jumpin. Has more startup than j.B but it's backwards hitbox is bigger so it's easier to crossup with it.
Blowback
st. CD: fairly fast startup for a st.CD and a good forwards hitbox making it good as a close range poke.
j. CD: Has very good priority. Great air-to-air. Whiffs on tiny crouchers.
Throws
Oosotogari = b/f + C
Can be broken, regular knockdown
Ippon Seoi = b/f + D
Can be broken, reverse knockdown
Command Moves
Oni Guruma: f+A
Oni Guruma knocks down when used on it's own. When canceled into, it leaves the opponent standing and functions as valuable combo filler. If it's canceled late, however, it retains its raw properties, giving you a great knockdown right next to you. Combos from most st/cr.X normals.
Kawara Wari: f+B
Kawara Wari is an overhead when is used on its own. Can be combo'd into from lights attacks, even though this move has less options than Oni Guruma, because only Hao Shikou Ken and the Ryuuko Ranbu will combo after it. Personally, I think the timing for comboing into the Haoh Shikou Ken DM a little strict, Ryuuko Ranbu DM is the preferred follow-up of choice since you can overlap the command without pulling a out Ko'oh Ken by accident, despite that only the weak version of the Ranbu DM will connect. The strong version of the Haoh Shikou Ken can also work as a combo ender. In max mode this move will not connect after a heavy normal.
Special Moves
Ko'ou Ken: qcf+A/C
Weak version is slower and does less damage than the strong version.
This is a very good move to keep the pressure on your opponent from further ranges.
it can be combo'd into from both command moves (Oni Guruma/Kawara Wari) and even after a Hien Shippuu Kyaku.
If your opponent is in the corner and you are on the opposite end of the screen, you can connect the strong version of Hien Shippuu Kyaku, or Ryuuko Ranbu DM with the proper timing after they take a hit from a Ko'ou Ken, it's a good trick but the chances of you pulling it off in the heat of battle is very slim.
a high travelling fireball so a lot of moves can low profile it, and Leona and Chris/O.Chris can low profile it by running. It completely whiffs on crouching Chin and Choi.
can be made unblockable by performing a hcb+K running command grab after certain moves.
Zanretsu Ken: f b f+A/C
Both version of the move do the same amount of damage.
the strong version stays out a bit longer and a slightly slower start up.
Can be connected after a Hien Shippuu Kyaku juggle.
very punishable on block or whiff. Though it has a vacuum effect that can suck in opponents normals if they choose the wrong tool to punish it with.
Moh Koh Burai Gan: qcb+A/C
Takuma performs a parry and then delivers a powerful strike.
This move has a guard point.
also in 98 um this move can reflect projectiles making it excellent in zoning wars.
The move can only be combo'd after a Hien Shippuu Kyaku, and the weak version after a cr.A.
good to use tp blow up predictable attacks with the guard point.
can be hard to anti air with because if you're late the opponent can land and block before the strike comes out.
Hien Shippuu Kyaku: db~f+B/D
Weak version causes a soft knockdown, while the strong version juggles the opponent. because of this the C version is almost always the preferred one to use.
After the C version you can connect all the special attacks except for his Shoran Kyaku. Haoh Shikou Ken can also work as a good follow-up.
This move can be combo'd after a cr.C. The best way to connect this move is after a cr.C from a late jump-in.X, if you do it alone there is high risk that your opponent will able to block it which isn't good because this move has poor recovery.
If the move connects, always try and connect something after it.
Shoran Kyaku: hcb+B/D
Takuma does a running Command Grab.
this grab is really unique for mindgames and such because if the opponent attempts to roll past him Takuma will grab them.
good to use when you expect the opponent to roll to avoid a fireball.
also good to use as a sneaky mixup tool after something like a j.B.
can be used to make his projectiles unblockable thanks to the unblockable projectiles bug.
Desperation Moves
Shin Kishin Geki: qcfx2+A/C
In 98 um this move is now a command grab DM, if you whiff the DM there is absolutely no whiff animation.
The DM doesn't really have much range to it, and if you whiff it the opponent will have more than enough time to punish you.
Can be combo'd from his Oni Guruma command normal.
Helps his mixup game a lot since it's faster than his running command grab.
The MAX version does significantly more damage than the regular versions.
Haoh Shikou Ken: f hfc+A/C
In 98um this move is a normal DM instead of a special attack, this is move has much more uses compared to it's OG98 counter-part.
Since it has a slower start up it can now be combo'd after both command normals and even strong Hien Shippuu Kyaku.
C version is good for winning fireball wars or using as a long range punisher.
Weak version is a bit slower than the strong variant.
The Max version does more hits instead of just one.
Ryuuko Ranbu: qcf hcb+A/C
Takuma is invincible during the start-up, has very good priority.
makes for a great anti air.
Strong version has slower start-up and is harder to combo into than the weak version.
at the end of the MAX version he shoots three Haoh Shikou Ken's instead on just one.
