The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Chizuru Kagura

Introduction

Chizuru's main strength is that she can create clones of herself to attack. The clones allows her to do oppressive pressure and frametraps when close up and zone some when further away. She can also use the clones as movement options, as she can take the place of the clone at the end of a move. Her DMs are especially interesting: she has one that seals the opponent's special moves for a period so they are restricted to just their normals, and another that creates a series of clones to put the opponent into hitstun/blockstun during which Chizuru can combo/mix the opponent. In neutral, she also has access to a good slide and a projectile reflector to help her against fireballs. Her main weakness is that her clones also have hurtboxes on them, so they can be hit and counterpoked.

Changes from Previous Versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• st.C's first hitbox has been removed, and you can no longer hit low crouchers with it

• st.C's startup is 2f longer and recovery is 2f shorter

• Raw f+A causes hard knockdown and it has 3f less recovery

Specials:

• hcb+P/K damage is halved; the recovery frames have been increased by 2/2f/12f/23f for A/B/C/D versions, respectively

• dp+A is now one hit except for certain situations

• qcf+C has 12 frames less startup

• Both qcf+A and qcf+C are 10 frames less in total

Supers:

• The duration of qcfx2+K is shortened

• The duration of the seal effect of qcb,hcf+P is shortened

98UM to 98UMFE

Normals:

• f+A has lower body invincibility until just before the hitbox appears

Specials:

• d,d+P/K now hits overhead and knocks down on hit

• qcf+C travels less distance, 15 frames of invincibility from the start of the move

Normal Moves

Close

• cl.A: Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.B: Hits mid. Cancelable.

• cl.C: Hits high. Cancelable.

• cl.D: Very fast and Chizuru's only real combo starter. Cancelable.

Standing

• st.A: Same as cl.A.

• st.B: Pretty fast. Hits high, and can stop hops.

• st.C: Hits high. Can be used as an anti-air.

• st.D: Hits mid and moves Chizuru forward. Could be used as a poke.

Crouching

• cr.A: Chainable. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• cr.B: Chainable.

• cr.C: Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• cr.D: Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

Jumping

• j.A: Instant overhead.

• nj.A: More decent than good air-to-air, since n. j. B/D already exist.

• j.B: Instant overhead.

• nj.B: Good air-to-air.

• j.C: Pretty fast air-to-air. Not as good a jump-in as it looks. Needs to be used very deep, and the pushback can get you Far D on accident.

• nj.C: Functionally the same as n. j. A, though is active for a bit longer.

• j.D: Chizuru's best jump-in. Difficult to cross-up with.

• nj.D: Same as n. j. B with a teensy bit more range.

CD Normals

• st.CD: Slow and noticeable start-up. Fair range to compensate. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• j.CD: Pretty fast start-up. Can be used as a jump-in or air-to-air.

Throws

Frigorific Moon: b/f+C (close)

• Chizuru sweeps the opponent off their feet.

• Soft knockdown.

Revolving Heavens: b/f+D (close)

• Chizuru twirls the opponent in front of her.

• Reverse knockdown.

Command Moves

Supremacy: f+A

• Chizuru steps forward and strikes in an arc in front of her.

• Hits overhead raw; when canceled into, hits mid but can be canceled out of.

• If it's late-canceled into, it acts like the raw version, letting you surprise your opponent with an overhead.

• Hard knockdown.

Sonority: f+B

• Chizuru hops forward into a back-thrust kick.

• Does not combo from anything.

• Can avoid lows.

• Free-cancelable.

Tranquility: df+B

• Slide that can't be special-canceled.

• Hits low even if canceled into.

• Can be spaced to make more safe on block.

Special Moves

Heaven's Way: dp+A/C

• Chizuru's DP. Only combos from cl.A/cl.B.

• Distance traveled is the same for both versions.

• A version is a clone and does one hit. Good anti-air.

• C version is Chizuru and does two hits. Good reversal due to start-up invincibility.

Oracles's Decree: hcb+A/B/C/D

• A/C attack hits the opponent away for a soft knockdown. A version sends a clone, C version sends Chizuru and does more damage.

• Press A/C again to attack early.

• If Chizuru is hit during hcb+C, she'll return to where her clone stayed.

• B/D attack smacks them to the ground. Hard knockdown. B version sends a clone, D version sends Chizuru and does more damage.

• Press B/D again to attack early.

• If Chizuru is hit during hcb+D, she'll return to where her clone stayed.

• All attacks hit mid and travel about 3/4 screen distance.

• In order to combo from heavy attacks or command normals, you'll need to press the button again to attack earlier, effectively double-tapping.

Heavenly Oracle's Decree: qcb+A/B/C/D (during hcb+X)

• Followup attack to hcb+X.

• The follow-up button has to be the same attack type as hcb+X (e.g. hcb+C, qcb+A/C).

• If Chizuru used hcb+A/B, she'll still be the one attacking even though her clone attacked initially.

• For qcb+A/B, Chizuru hops into the air and swipes horizontally, doing a soft knockdown.

• Whiffs on crouching opponents, even if they guarded hcb+X, or if hcb+B hits.

• For qcb+C/D, Chizuru does her qcf+A without any magic, doing a hard knockdown.

• qcb+P only combos from hcb+C midscreen if it hits the opponent point-blank.

Echoing Harp: qcf+A/C

• Chizuru does a magic-infused strike close to the ground. Reflects projectiles and does a soft knockdown on hit.

• Light version can be combo-ed into from heavy attacks and command normals. Hits mid. Preferred for reacting to projectiles.

• Heavy version has Chizuru spin forwards, which is invincible at its start, before striking. Can't be combo-ed into, but hits overhead.

Piercing Peak Punch: d,d+A/B/C/D

• A hop into a downward palm strike.

• d,d+A/B travels 1/4 screen distance and hits overhead. A version is a clone, B version is Chizuru.

• B version is active sooner but has a bit less range.

• d,d+C/D travels 3/4 screen distance and whiffs on crouchers. C version is a clone, D version is Chizuru and has a bit more range.

• Damage is the same for all four versions.

Desperation Moves

Rules of Zen: qcb,hcf+A/C

• Chizuru blasts the opponent with a sphere of energy that takes away command normals, special moves, and DMs, leaving only normal attacks and throws.

• Does a soft knockdown.

• Effect lasts for 5 seconds for the DM version and 8 seconds for the SDM version.

• A and MAX versions can be combo-ed into; C version has longer start-up, but more range.

Rustling Wind Bruiser: qcfx2+B/D

• Chizuru sends out a mirror clone that delivers a series of strikes while moving forward. Chizuru can attack while the clone is active, but only with normals and throws.

• The clone does a soft knockdown at the end.

• The clone can be attacked, ending the DM early.

• Normal version does 10 hits. D version moves a bit faster than the B version, which lets it combo from heavy attacks and command normals.

• MAX version does 23 hits. Travels a full screen distance. Can be combo-ed into.

Combos

General Notes

• In any metered combo, you can replace qcb,hcf+A with qcb,hcf+AC for more damage if you have the resources.

• If you're in MAX mode, in any cl.D, f+A, qcfx2+K combo, omit the f+A; otherwise the pushback will be too great.

Meterless

Low

cr.BxN, cr.A, df+B

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, qcf+A

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, hcb+A > A > qcb+A

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, hcb+D > D > qcb+D

Corner

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, hcb+C > C > qcb+C

With Meter

Low

cr.BxN, cr.A, qcb,hcf+A

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, qcb,hcf+A

Very Close

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, qcfx2+D, j.C, cl.D

• Try to time j.C, cl.D so the ender of qcfx2+D hits after cl.D to get a knockdown.

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, qcfx2+BD, j.D, cl.C, cl.C, cr.Bx2, cr.A, df+D

• More damaging combo using the SDM version of qcfx2+K. j.D must be a crossup. Costs 3 bars.
• Against small or tiny crouching characters, replace the two cl.Cs after qcfx2+BD with one cl.D.

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, qcfx2+D, j.D, cl.C, cl.C, cr.Bx2, cr.A, qcb,hcf+A

• If you have the meter, you can add qcb,hcf+A at the end of the qcfx2+K SDM combo instead of df+D for more damage. j.D must be a crossup. Costs 4 bars.
• Against small or tiny crouching characters, replace the two cl.Cs after qcfx2+BD with one cl.D.

Corner Only

(j.X), cl.D, f+A, hcb+A > A, qcb,hcf+A

With Quick MAX

Slide

df+B, ABC, cr.C, qcb,hcf+A

Strategy & Tips

• Be careful zoning with hcb+A/B and dp+A, the moves that send out clones.

• qcb,hcf+p limiting opponent's movesets to less than the bare minimum is very powerful. Take advantage of their state when it connects.

Videos

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