Fenix Darkblaze

This is one weird matchup for me. I've noticed a trend with most Arakune players that I've fought online.. it seems that when you're NOT cursed, they attempt to do some nice combos on you in order to set you up to be cursed, but once they do curse you it feels like they start just frantically mashing on the buttons. At max distance, Arakune has very few options to curse you with, that aren't ridiculously easy to see coming and slash away. The strategy I've used in most of the vs Arakune matches I've won, is to advance very carefully, slashing through anything he tries to curse you with. Once I get ahead in damage and as long as I'm not cursed, I back away as far as I can get and just wait for him to advance on me. Playing at Hakumen's tempo and on his terms is one of the keys to winning this one. An Arakune that has no curses on you and tries to close in to duke it out with you is going to get trashed, since Hakumen can unload a ton of damage in a very short period of time. 2C is my most commonly used move in these fights, since it takes care of clouds above you and if an Arakune is trying to come down from above. 6B is useful as well, especially against Arakunes that try to use that annoying swimming-through-ground attack. This fight is still definitely in Arakune's favor, but as time goes on I think I'm getting better at knocking the crap out of this annoying blob. You don't get many opportunities to get close to Arakune, so when you close in you have to unload everything you've got. Hakumen's massive damage output in relatively short combos makes this easier.

Carl's ridiculously low health makes him pretty easy to deal with. Get him away from the puppet and it's game over, Hakumen can kill him in like two combos. The problem is the few Carls I've played are pretty slippery, they excel and hit and run.

Haha, yes I did. It's actually something I've only started trying earlier today, so it's not perfect yet. But I'm starting to look out for opportunities where I can get an Astral Heat off just as fast as I can Haku's 236236D counter.

Her grabs are also used as a good set up for one of her typical air combos, so fighting against that has really helped me react quickly to grab attempts - so I suppose that's a good thing.

I like trying to use his Astral Heat during IAD, or after a blocked C move. They usually don't see it coming, but I've been getting alot of ragequits.. getting hit with an Astral Heat, especially Hakumen's, seems to be humiliating for some reason.

Ahh, I got you now. Sorry, still learning the terminology around here. Only discovered the forums about two days ago.

You know, I'm not sure if his jump drive can hit you from max range. I tend to stay on the ground crouching against Arakune. His anti-air game is ridiculous when you're cursed, jumping in will get you bounced all over the place.. I've never seen anyone use his spitting drive thing as an anti-air, most people try to grab you to set you up for it online. Arakune is a stupidly difficult matchup, but not nearly as annoying as Nu or Rachel. In my experience against him so far, setting the pace yourself by making him come to you is the key to winning against him. Let him set the pace and you'll get bounced all over the place.

Taokaka seems to favor a really aggressive style, and against Hakumen that can usually mean doom. Hakumen rips apart aggressive players, if the Hakumen can keep his cool and react to attacks quick enough. This is one of my easier matchups.

I've found that getting as far away from Arakune as possible can be pretty effective. Even though you have no attacks at that range, it seems he doesn't have anything effective either. His clouds, sure, but you can slash those for free magatama.. He has I think one attack I've seen that can hit you that far that's not a cloud, and it's easily blocked. An Arakune coming into close range even for five seconds can be deadly, since Hakumen hits like a freight train. And given the amount of time it's taken most Arakune players I've fought to realize they've got to close in, you'll have plenty of nice magatama to knock the crap out of him.

PSN: Kylanu Texas