Free Step Dodge

Well Tina players aren't going to try to Throw Punish Kokoro......

Just apply that pressure and hope for the best.

Good Tina players will throw punish. Especially if they're familiar with Kokoro. I played @CatzDaLegit at NEC and throw punished most everything, including 3K4K. Really solid player.

Her pressure is better against Tina than a lot of the cast since she's kind of slow and doesn't have parries, but I don't think that's where Kokoro excels for a few different reasons.

I also think it's more important for me to understand what my opponent is doing than to just force them to deal with my buttons, since I'll always lose when I play someone who can deal with my buttons.

What in particular do you have in the match up? I have a good amount of Tina xp since I play one in casuals frequently. Or are you just unfamiliar with her in general?

edit: what problem* in particular

i learn on my kokoro more than ever when i play against Tina. The match is like a cat-mouse game. "Catch me if you can". I really enjoy them.

It's just unfamiliarity with the character more than anything else. I've tried looking at her moveset and frame data and just memorizing it, but without anyone to play against, it's hard to transfer that to actual matches

My advice..... use the strings that have Kokoro's throw Heichu stance to discourage blocking.

If you can force Tina to be agressive then you can capitalise on any mistakes she makes.

Remember.... Tina has no trickery.... success with her is mostly Guess Work. All you have to do is be ready to punish any wrong choice to the fullest. Familiarity with Tina will help.

My problem isn't that I don't know how to play Kokoro, or how to play DoA. My problem is that I have trouble reacting to Tina's strings since I don't play against her often, and a few other things that come with matchup experience (not paper knowledge).

I apologise if implied you didn't know kokoro. That isn't the message I was trying to get across at all.

As for Tina's Strings. I'm not a good Tina player. I have a select few Strings I use based on how usefull they are. usually stuff that ends with Launchers or deep stuns. Its very bare bones. A good Tina player will use all her options. Like 6PP2P. thats just something I never ever use.

Tina's String Manipulation is somewhat similar to Hitomi's..... theres a heavy emphasis on Delays and Knocks downs. Only Tina's aren't as long.

A few trips to her command training could be helpfull.

To give you a quick run down of her general weaknesses:
Her Reach is really shitty.
Shes has tracking moves.... but they are useless if shes kept just outside of jab range.
Her strikes and strings are somewhat reacable.... simply side step the guard break enders and block the tracking enders. Then punish accordingly.

Don't be afraid to Interupt a certain string if you recognize it.... she has few strings that have short Jan Lee style gaps in between them.

And thats basicly all I know..... I main the girl and even I barely know her.

Oh and don't forget to always tech backwards..... due to her reach she has crummy unholdable setups.... they're very unreliable.

^ Thanks, I appreciate the insight.

Just a misunderstanding. I know her strings and such, it's just that I don't have anyone to play with in order to recognize them and react accordingly in actual combat.

The tips on her struggling at range and such are appreciated, though. Kokoro's very strong at mid range, so it sounds like a rough MU for Tina if played properly.