[CS1] Tsubaki vs Hakumen

[Ginseng]

Discuss the Tsubaki vs Hakumen matchup here.

Things to watch out for:

• j.C
• 4C
• 5A and 2A frame traps, etc.
• Hotaru, especially tiger knee version.
• 6B overhead, and 2C anti-air
• Very high damage, especially in the corner.

Things you can use:

• Charge if you're full screen away from him.
• 236x or 214x in if you're confident you will reach him.
• 22D unblockable can beat his counters.

[Taco]

lol Im having problems spacing with tsubaki.

[SuzuKnow]

Personally, I find this match-up to be a lot of fun. It's a bit of a hassle sometimes (that 6B still amazes me), but if you know what to do and play your footwork right and keep a good distance it's not that bad. It's nothing compared to the Ragna or Litchi match-up in my opinion.

lol Im having problems spacing with tsubaki.

Hakumen's range and speed are incredible in CS. The best thing to do is try to play a bit more defensive than you normally would. His new 4C is a nice poke, but if they predict wrong or just throw one out at random for some god awful reason, you've got a free 236D combo on you hands.

Try not to stay in his face the entire match unless you're really confident in you pressure skills, but also try not to go against her nature and play completely defensive, she doesn't have the damage output for that. Mix up a string of defensive strings and offensive rushes to keep the Hakumen guessing and maybe even score a free CH off of a misplaced counter. As for up close; His wake up specials can take you by surprise the first couple of times (The main one to look out for in my opinion is his Special with a / direction kick in the air. I'm not a Hakumen player so I'm sorry I can't name the move... ), and his IB>Counter can be really annoying, especially since both 5D and 2D counter your 5B at all ranges. (I also find that her 2369B is a nice mixup option, but should only be used rarely. It's a nice way to let Counter Drive frames wear off and get you a CH, though you went get much damage off of it without a RC ) If you do plan on staying in his face though, watch learn his wake up options and what you opponent seems to favor. I personally tend to back a little off (To about the end of 5B or a little further) incase of a wake up special or good distance move. If you can see a wake-up coming, then by all means punish as necessary. Sometimes I even like to back off enough to get out of range of my opponents seemingly favorite wake up option and charge up a 22D. A lot of the times they try to counter, and I'm pretty sure it's uncounterable at Lv.3, but I may just have amazing luck.

A side note I want to add is just something I tend to do a lot. Personally my favorite BnB is 3C>jc>falling j.C>ect, so I like to get off a 3C whenever possible. However that's not very easy against Hakumen, so I'd suggest avoiding it unless you're sure it will connect. It's countered by 4C and it's completely obliterated by 6B, so even if the fact you chose 3C catches them by surprise, odds are their prediction for whatever else you were going to do will work just fine against it anyway.

Aside from watching out while pressuring also make sure to watch while being pressured. Openings in his attacks can be exploited by a quick 5 or 2A, and will lead into her 5B combos and I believe most of her 5C or 2C combos, or at least pseudo-versions. Pay close attention to what Hakumen is doing and watch out for that 6B, takes away a Guard Primer on block and I'm pretty sure it's safe on anything anything but an IB. On IB though I find it safer to get out a 623D or if you predict that they're going to Counter charge a 22D and release when the counter frames are active, rather than trying a 2/5A or a 6A/6B, and 5B I find a little unsafe to use openly, because of the fact that all of Hakumen's counters grab it an any range.

Generally Hakumen's I play tend to try and jump in with an IAD j.C/j.2C>combo or blockstring then they get some distance if you block it and try a bit of zoning with his 4C and a j.C/j.2C, as well as a bit of 2B (I think 2B is the input... It's a low kick similar to Noel's 2B) Never be predictable on your move in if you do decide to, and be as cautious of his jump cancelable and special cancelable moves. Again, 236D will prove to be godly when if a Hakumen decides he wants you to come to him and starts to play Uncle Touchalot with his pokes. As will a nice j.236D, as it will force them to block, giving you some leg room to rush in. You might also want to try and get some 22Ds off if you feel you've got them pegged enough to do it on their way in.

Other than that just Drive when you feel safe (Generally outside of end combo, I'll do a 2D when I'm out of sword range for a bit. Sometimes it'll cause them to rush in and give me a free 2CC CH), as D variations tend to make this matchup oh so much easier.

I might have gone a little overboard on information but I hope this helps. If not then... well shit...

[The Katz]

That post covered most of the match-up, but to add to the list of LOL-he-missed-a-drive shenanigans, 2369C is good if you want the counter throw instead of bait into CH 2369B > 5B > combo of choice.

[Ginseng]

Why would people get counterhit by j.236x series? Also j.236x leaves you in CH state until you land.

[The Katz]

Depends on how reliant they are on Haku's drives, and if they just throw them out in the middle of getting pressured instead of reacting and punishing accordingly it works, but only rarely. I wouldn't say use it to try and get lucky, but it's something that you could use as a potentially-one-time trick anyway.