[CP] Kagura vs. Izayoi

[MikelAL93]

Discuss the Kagura vs. Izayoi matchup here.

[Lucalibur]

A good friend of mine plays Izayoi and we had a few matches yesterday, and while we are both not that good(yet), I feel like I got a decent idea of some things you can do in this matchup.

Sonic Sabers can be superarmored right through by 6D~C if you're expecting one. I don't think it counters hit unless you do it before it even comes out(which means you're predicting rather than reacting), but it still discourages them from using it a lot.

Don't stay in the air. I know J.C has a decent hitbox around Kagura, but it simply does no good when Izayoi has some of the best anti-airs in the game. That being said, she can't exactly go around in the air for free either if you know what you're doing. 6C punishes bad jump ins hard.

It's hard to properly space out in this matchup sometimes, because of 5C's and 2C's strictly horizontal hitboxes and Izayoi's decent air game. They're fairly safe if blocked at maximum range however, and can be hit confirmed into 2D~B off practically any distance. Don't know how safe it is, but it gives a very valuable knockdown on hit.

Other than that, I don't know much, and even there some of what I said could be wrong. I haven't tested tossing orbs at Izayoi yet, but it might help stopping sonic sabers as well and just controlling space in general.

[Dazardz]

Other than that, I don't know much, and even there some of what I said could be wrong. I haven't tested tossing orbs at Izayoi yet, but it might help stopping sonic sabers as well and just controlling space in general.

As far as I know, even A orb beats D Saber. But Izayoi can easily start using air saber in attempt to dodge the orbs. Not sure 6C should be used to anti-air something like that despite it's range, I've had air saber hit me out of 6C loads of times. Could just be me.

[Mal]

I guess I'm having trouble with the way she controls space. Sabers/air sabers, and I always get hit by a random 5B when I get closer, then it's air combo + the terrible hop mixup in the corner

I end up doing a lot of 6D~Cs in this matchup. I guess you just have to be patient and throw some B orbs around and be careful with the spacing when closer - where her 5B doesn't hit but 5C/2C/6D~C hits her?

[Midnight-Zephyr]

Ground Saber is no problem for Kagura, but I do find 6D~C to work quite well against both types of Sabers. If you get a CH you can go for some flashy Kagura stuff, but don't be predictable with it, as I found out the hard way.

 

Im thinking about mixing in some j.6D~1/3C to throw them off, but then again that's easy to work around.

 

How good is 5D~A in this matchup? Its gotta be useful for sumthin'?

[Justice7541]

I found out last weekend that Izayoi GA backdash beats Kagura 2C really easy, so don't press that too much. Although you can keep charging down during 2C and beat out any punish attempts with DP. Wouldn't try it too much as it's going to get you punished really hard if she doesn't immediately dash in for an attempted punish, and if you don't DP she can do a fairly ambiguous mixup from her airdash (dash j.B/empty dash 2A). If she is backdashing your 2C mid-blockstring a lot you can try to call it out with 6C but watch for Phorizer, there's really no reason for her not to do it on a gap since she can get 4k+ off a CH and Kagura can't really avoid or punish it (it's not a projectile so 6DC doesn't work).

Also don't try to DP her after a Strike Fall, it just won't work. She can safejump j.B off any Strike Fall either by dashing or neutral jumping (in corner) and double overhead or overhead > low. If you want to try to reversal out your best bet is probably actually to charge back and do the wave super instead once there's a gap.

Also @ above posters I'd be careful of trying to fireball wars with Sonic Saber if Izayoi is already in GA, she only needs one stock to teleport cancel Saber startup which leads to an easy punish if you fireball and a potential crossup mixup if you don't. Better to just jump and avoid the Saber entirely because Sonic Saber > D teleport crossup is really hard to react to.

[FACE CLAIMER]

I don't post on Dustloop a lot but i switched my primary main from Azrael to Kagura recently because of my general preferred playstyle changin and i recently figured a few things out about this matchup on my own. 

1. Flashkick is NOT a reliable option for escaping her pressure. her overheads in gain art mode are just too fast for you to charge one up unless you're waking up.

2. What Justice was just saying, if you are trying to have a fireball war with her, you won't win, but especially if she has 1 D-stock. it's better to jump out or 6D>C and work from there. 

3. 5D>A is good but only if you call her out during her approach. her range on her 5B and 6C can mess with you so it's almost a 50/50 of who goes first.

i find myself using 5C a lot as well because it can cancel into the appropriate stance, lead into fireball and can stop her in the air. just bear in mind that she will usually have her D teleport up after a short time and that is one of her best tools against you.