The King of Fighters XV/Chizuru Kagura/Strategy

The King of Fighters XV
Overview • Strategy • Data • Combos • Replays

General Gameplan

Chizuru's main gameplan consists of the following:

Confuse the opponent by alternating between various versions of her clone moves
Use her generally superior normals to control neutral
Enforcing plus frames traps
Land her power seal move to render an opponent unable to use their specials, greatly altering match flow

Neutral

Her neutral will mostly rely on 6B, 5B, 5D and 3D. All these attacks hit really far and usually have very little risk on block. However, 5D and 3D are death on whiff, so it is advised to use 6B or 5B in mid-range.

Chizuru can also completely bypass the neutral by doing her 22X move series, since this is the best way to use clones without it getting hit (most of the time).

Vary your clone usage in neutral to avoid getting too predictable. Be sure to use all of her 22X and 214X moves, sending yourself of Chizuru as desired and varying the distances to make a punish more difficult for your opponent. In particular, 22AC and 22BD can be used for anti-zoning.

JCD is a very strong air move that can use to advance aggressively and relatively safely.

Pressure

Chizuru has multiple options for applying pressure to an opponent:

236C to enforce plus frames.
214A/B/C/D and delay their follow-ups to play mind games with the opponent.
236236K to apply huge pressure and guard damage that must be blocked generally, with the l2 being more effective but expensive.
6B in neutral frequently, it is quite safe generally and leads to a nice smaller combo if it hits.

Mix-ups

Chizuru wants to implement her 6A Overhead when it comes to mix-ups, as well as using her scary low attacks as well.

She can also use her clones for mix-ups.

During block strings, 22B/D will send her to the opposite side.
Upon hard knockdown, 214D~K can send her to the opposite side.
Doing 236236K and then a Roll can send her to the opposite side.

Defense

Chizuru has two main defensive options: 2C and her dp 623X. 2C is an amazing anti-air. Chizuru's dp is strong as well but is relatively easy to punish if you miss compared to other dps in the game. Therefore, it is recommended you use 2C more often.

Safe Jumps

Assume all blank spaces for Not Recommended Against apply to all preceding safe jump setups that have the same number of frames for the safe jump.

Setup	Action	Safe Jumps X Frame Reversals	Not Recommended Against	Note
Forward Throw	Super jump forward j.D	4	Angel (Super Counter), Geese (Counter), O. Yashiro	Manual Timing
6A	Neutral Jump j.D	4	-	-
22A	Forward Jump j.D	4	-	-
22K	Neutral Jump j.D	4	-	-
214D	Forward Jump j.D	4	-	Corner
236C	Neutral Jump j.D	4	-	-
623AC	Hyper Hop Forward j.D	4	-	Manual Timing
Forward Throw	Micro Dash > 22D	4	Heidern, Khronen (Super)	Is not effective against any attacks that cover crossup.
Backwards Throw	Hyper Hop Forward j.D	6	Ashe, Benimaru, Dolores (Climax), Haohmaru, Heidern, Iori, K', Khronen, Kim, King (EX Super), Kula, Kyo, Nakoruru (EX DP), O.Chris, O. Yashiro, Ralf, Robert, Rock, Ryo, Shingo (EX DP), Terry, Yamazaki (EX Counter), Yuri	-
214C	Hyper Hop Forward j.D	6	-	Corner
214B	Forward Jump j.D	6	-	-
22C	Forward Jump j.D	7	-	-

See the below video for visual reference.

Chizuru Safe Jumps by B Cole

Countering Chizuru

Most of Chizuru's stuff involves clones. Luckily for the opponent, most of her clone moves follow one rule: They can get hit. The only moves that are exceptions to this rule are 623A and 236236K.

Additionally, there are three ways one can determine if the clone is actually a clone or real Chizuru:

Clones don't have a shadow, only the real Chizuru does.
Opponent's character will automatically turn towards the real Chizuru.
The camera will always try to follow real Chizuru.

Tips & Tricks

What To Do After Stun?

Getting the opponent stunned is a great opportunity for Chizuru. She can easily access her best combos that she couldn't before.

She wants to use this short period of time to build meter by using 236A about 4-5 times. Some backdashing might be needed in order to prevent hitting the opponent.

Mastering The Level 2 Clone Super Combo

This is probably the best way Chizuru can spend her meter on if she wants to do big damage.

Ideally, she will want to do cl.D > 6A > 236236BD. Next up, it is very important to pay attention to how close Chizuru is to the opponent throughout the supermove's duration, in order to squeeze out the most damage possible. There are 3 outcomes:

Chizuru is at point blank range = This is the version you want to go for, since it allows for the best combo. After the supermove is activated, quickly do 2C > 3D and then do cl.D > 6A as soon as you recover. This will prevent the final hit of the clone from sending the opponent in the air and they will, instead, stay grounded. You can follow up with any special move after the 6A part hits.
Chizuru is at point blank range, but she doesn't manage to stay close all the time = This usually happens if you do the 2C > 3D part too late, which means you won't be able to do cl.D due to distance (You would just get 5D instead). When this happens, forget about the cl.D, because you can't keep them grounded this time. Instead, start running and do 6B just as the final hit of the clone ends. Since they are in the air, 6B will put them in a juggle state, allowing for a combo afterwards,
Chizuru is far away = This happens if the clone is activated at further range (Example: j.C > cl.D > 6A > 236236BD). At this point, you won't be able to connect 2C at all, so we must find another way to dish out as much damage as possible. Instead, perform 5B so that the opponent is put in just enough hitstun for the clone to catch up to them. Next up, run and perform a forward jump into j.D. Upon landing, the clone should do its final hit, and just like before, perform 6B once they are launched in the air for a full combo.

Setups

Post 236A Setup

After using a light combo and ending with 236 A, Chizuru can continue the pressure using 22X.

Examples 236A Combos:

2B > 2B > 5B > 236A
2B > 2A > 2A > 236A

Which version of 22X can stop and be stopped by varies. Keep this in mind in regards to your opponent's reversal options.

22X Version	Beats	Beaten By
22A	H and EX DP (Whiff)	Leaves You Out of Their Range
22B	H and EX DP, and Grabs (Whiff)	Lunges and Slides
22C	Lows, Armored and Non-Armored Command Grabs	Everything Else
22D	Everything Except	H and EX DP, Armored Command Grabs
22AC	Everything	Leaves You Out of Their Range
22BD	Everything Except	H and EX DP, Armored Command Grabs

Exceptions: Meitenkun is an exeption to the rule as his [2]8P has a vertical hitbox, stuffing any attempts by Chizuru. Meanwhile, his [4]6P can only be beaten by 22AC. The same applies to Khronen's DP.

22BD Reset

You can end your combo early using 22BD off of 6A or 6B mid-combo to then go into another mixup. Note, for 22BD to combo off 6A, 6A can only be preceded by one normal (not counting MAX mode).

Attack	Beats	Beaten By
22B	Lows, H DP, Wakeup Throw	L and EX DP, Armored Grabs
3D	Meaty, L DP	H and EX DP, Wakeup Throw, Armored Grabs
Guard	EX DP and Command Grabs	-

Exceptions: Meitenkun and Khronen DP

214PP > 6B > 22B Corner Reset

You can end your combo early using 22B to then go into another mixup.

Which version of 22X can stop and be stopped by varies. Keep this in mind in regards to your opponent's reversal options.

22X Version	Beats	Beaten By
22B	L DP, Armored Grabs (whiffed)	H and EX DP
22D	H and EX DP (whiffed), Lunges	L DP, Armored Grabs

Exceptions: Meitenkun and Khronen DP

Meaty 236P Setup

236C and 236AC are already plus on block. However, they can be made even more plus on block if used as a meaty attack.

Examples:

cl.D > 6A > 214AC~P > 6B > 214D... 236C
cl.D > 6A > 214BD~K~214K > cl.D > 236C
214C~P > cl.A/cl.C/cl.D > 236C/236AC (Corner)
cl.D > 6B > 236C (framekill) > 236C (Corner)

Using Clones To Escape The Corner

You can use her clone moves to escape the corner or just simply switch sides at the cost of giving up pressure.

Examples (On a blocking opponent):

2B > 5B > 214A > 214P
2B > 5B > 214C > 214P (Since the real Chizuru is sent here, 214P part must be done in the opposite way)
cl.D > 6A > 22B/D/BD

Examples (After a combo):

... > 214D~K > 214A > 214P
... > 214D~K > 214C > 214P (Since the real Chizuru is sent here, 214P part must be done in the opposite way)

Clone Sideswitch

Used after a hard knockdown, for a left/right mix. Kick version is preferable for this, since it seems to have slightly faster recovery than the Punch version. And remember, B version sends the clone and the D version sends the real Chizuru. Send the clone a bit further to prevent a Grab reversal.

Examples:

Cl.D > 6B > 22D... 214B/D~K
214BD~K~214K > cl.D > 214B/D~K
214D~K... 214B/D~K

Another example is using her 22D to switch sides. So far, only one setup has been found with this.

cl.D > 6A > (Can also squeeze in 214BD~K~214K here) > 214AC~P > 6B > 22D (This one is also immune to grab reversals)

Clone Double Sideswitch

If Chizuru send a clone just behind the opponent and does the follow up, she will appear on the original side, essentially making this a double sideswitch.

Example:

cl.D > 6A > 214B~K (Send the clone behind the opponent and it whiffs) > 214K (Clone appears on the original side)

Clone Super Mixup

Upon any hard knockdown, Chizuru can use her 236236K supermove (Level 1 version) and perform a roll to suddenly switch sides. Note that Chizuru has to retreat in order to give the clone space, or else it won't keep attacking the opponent. Since Chizuru cannot perform any of her special moves while the clone is out, she will have to use her CD and j.CD attacks after the final hit of the super, since they are most damaging normals.