Juunee

Every time I read something like this about Hakumen or Tager I just assume that I'm trapped in an alternate dimension where EX came out. Everybody will always find a reason to complain about their character no matter how good he is. A 9k unburstable combo from an instant over-head isn't unpractical at all. The conditions for it aren't that unrealistic at all: in order to kill someone you need to have hitconfirmed one combo before (or just landed a 5c on some characters), you need to be slightly below half health, and you need 5 stars (which given his buffed gain and the damage you would have to take isn't difficult to come by at all.) I think Stunedge was right when he said Hakumen is going to be the ~top tier~ in this game.

No meterless reversal has been an issue for anyone's neutral game ever, how is Amane any different? All you have to do is approach him and he gets no free breaks out of pressure; He's lacking Nu's answer to IADs as well so he's mighty free to air mobility. And of course 6D isn't the only thing that builds drill meter, but I can count the seconds Shadow spends in so much as level 2 without having used 6D on a single hand. The vs Buppa's Jin games are much more indicative of what I expect Amane's matches to end up looking like. He'll get some crazy rounds where he gets an early 6D and then eats your barrier and health, but he'll lose the next 2 because he can't answer pressure.

No meterless reversal, c button is essentially useless, and his only means of charging drill without making contact is super free to anyone with a projectile or ability to close space rapidly. You can't be a solid character if you're bad at distance and up close. If you look at that Shadow v Buppa match, the only time he ever hits level 3 drill is with 6D and even that only seems to be working because Buppa is playing the worst I've seen of him since CS1 (Dropping houtenjin combos, seriously.) 6D looks to be his go-to for getting any sort of drill level outside of OD and that just doesn't cut it against people that are going to be expecting it. Is level 3 drill crazy awesome? Yeah, but not very practical and very unstable considering various match-ups are going to make his life hell (Nu and Taokaka especially.)

I'm completely unconcerned about Amane's chip damage or swag combos. His neutral game looks completely terrible and level 3 maintenance is going to be a huge bitch, even basic hit confirm combos look to take enough time to drain his meter significantly and he's not going to knock you down and instantly score a level 3 drill. It also looks like his only real reversal is his DD and that auto-overheats the drill.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kouhatsu Kouhatsu currently playing as well. Solid Tao, Litchi, and Rachel all present. edit: and then just like that kouhatsu finishes up too

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv117246009?ref=ser&zroute=search&keyword=BBCP Ogrelive cup for the nightowls out there

ESP has actually done a pretty good job of always chasing down people after a 6D ender with 3D, that way if they don't tech you are guaranteed to have both weakpoints and then they REALLY have to guess

As of 11/28/2012 at 7:08 a.m. CDT ESP has become an American hero Seriously, every single one of Azrael's specials is so hype, and that crunch sound effect on weakness is too good.

Central 804 is live http://www.twitch.tv/central804

I'd question that assertion on bullet's behalf as her spine seems to be in pretty bad shape

Amane's astral on Nu is literally the best one, objectively.

Where are you getting the "does no damage" line from? From watching the computer do like 4 hit combos? Why is it that every new character in every game ever "does no damage" until someone finds out legitimate combos with them?

I just can't be arsed to care about murakumos that aren't the eye-patch goddess

He has a drinking intro with bullet as well, so I imagine it's standard and not a special thing with Hazama ninja'd~

Also I hear that his taunt has a hitbox~

Also another thing I wanted to point to out was I imagine that Azrael combos are going to develop much the same way that Liz's did in persona in that you are essentially dealing with some free-form play-it-by-ear technology. Seems like his combos focus centrally on starter -> make a weak point early, and then starter -> abuse said weakpoint for extension and re-apply. Alternatively he has some mean guessing games between his dash and anticipating whether or not he's gonna abuse an already applied weak point or set-up the other to make you eat a BHS set-up. Also that dive-kick being used as a combo extender just made me lose my mind EDIT: Actually now that I think about his 214D being able to lead to that divekick extension was probably an intentional ID parallel ahahah

ESP's Azrael has got some technology. Meterless non-CH 3k+ from 3c, check please.

I'd disagree, especially with Azrael since people seem to be clamoring to find a reversal on him and figure out how to stabilize his pressure game. Knowing move properties on stuff like 6A and if I can expect to get driver'd for 5bb pressure is pretty important to building a gestalt.

So how soon can we expect to get some reliable frame data on characters so we can start the /real/ theory crafting. Right now I'm just wagering on Azrael's normals commanding so much respect that you call them sir when addressing them

Central804 is streaming again. http://www.twitch.tv/central804

Did Tao just get 5.2k for 50 meter in the corner from a regular starter Cause I'm pretty sure I just saw Tao get 5.2k for 50 meter in the corner. Who even needs AB2?

Plat really seems wildly popular recently

Throw -> Astral confirmed for Rachel

That j.CCCCC relaunch is like a 3k hitconfirm mid-screen

Cross-up scythe isn't really a problem given the start-up of it. It's pretty easy to scout and if you don't feel like messing with it then just backdash out of the way/cross under.