Ayane (i10/i13/i12) vs.
Leifang (i10/i12/i15)
The two arguably best defensive characters go head to head here! The essence of this MU for both characters is based around finding a way to make your opponent scared to attempt to attack you through utilization of their defensive options. For Ayane that involves intimidation through zoning her opponent out with proper spacing, and for Leifang that involves intimidation through implementation of her strong Expert Holds, parries and crushes.
Here's an overview of her Defensive Hold techniques
High P Hold = 65 dmg (97 dmg on HiCH)
Expert High P Hold =
75 dmg (112 dmg on HiCH, Strong knockback)
High K Hold = 65 dmg (97 dmg on HiCH)
Expert High K Hold =
75 dmg (112 dmg on HiCH)
Mid P Hold = 65 dmg (97 dmg on HiCH)
Expert Mid P Hold =
70 dmg (104 dmg on HiCH)
Mid K Hold = +15 advantage + BT
Expert Mid K Hold =
20 dmg, +15 advantage + BT (30 dmg on HiCH)
Low P Hold = 65 dmg (97 dmg on HiCH)
Expert Low P Hold =
75 dmg (112 dmg on HiCH, Strong knockback)
Low K Hold = 65 dmg (97 dmg on HiCH)
Expert Low K Hold =
75 dmg (112 dmg on HiCH)
High & Mid Parries = +16 advantage
Leifang's holds are very strong especially if she is utilizing her Expert Holds often. Her Expert Mid K is likely the most devastating with the capability to lead into 100+ dmg combos with good wall carry. And most Leifang players just love to toss out this hold (and you'll quickly realize why once you get hit by it)! As a result you'll have to be careful with when you toss out Mid K's against Leifang, i.e. those oh-so-tempting CH BT6K and BT4H+K setups for example may need to get replaced or you may be in for a world of hurt. Be careful with Mid P's when Leifang has her back to a wall because both of her Walled Mid P & Expert Mid P holds are brutal, especially to dangerzones. Her Expert High P Hold can also smash you into walls. Be wary of using Low P's predictably when Ayane has her back to a wall or edge since the Expert Low P Hold can knock you back a fair distance. Leifang will also attempt to maintain the advantage on you from neutral or slight disadvantage by utilizing her High and Mid parries. To try and discourage parry and expert hold attempts, I tend to throw her more often than other characters for juicy Hi-counter damage.
Leifang's Offensive Hold techniques
66T = i16/40 dmg (Walled version = 50 dmg plus slump down status)
236T~4T~66T = i20/90 dmg (Breakable)
236T~4T~46T = i20/85 dmg (Breakable, Strong knockback)
3T = i10/50 dmg (Decent knockback,
Low OH)
Leifang's R1F strikes
Fastest initial strikes:
P = i10/ -5 on block/ -3 on hit/ 10 dmg
(High P)
6P = i12/ -12 on block/ -8 on hit/ 17 dmg
(Mid P)
K = i11/ -14 on block/ -3 on hit/ 22 dmg
(High K)
4K = i12/ -14 on block/ +3 on hit/ 20 dmg
(Tracking High K)
3K = i13/ -10 on block/ -7 on hit/
22 dmg (Mid K)
2P = i15/ -4 on block/ +0 on hit/ 5 dmg
(Low P)
2K = i15/ -9 on block/ -3 on hit/ 10 dmg
(Low K)
Strings off of Fastest strikes:
P
PPP (HHH)
PPP4 (HHH~Punch Parry)
PP6PP (HHMM) (Tracking)
PP6P4 (HHM~Punch Parry)
PP6PK (HHM(M/H))
PP4P (HHM)
PPKK (HHHH) (Tracking)
PPK2K (HHHM) (Tracking)
PPKH+K (HHHM)
PP2K (HHL)
P2PP (HMM)
P2P2K (HML)
P2PP+K (HMM)
PKK2K (HHML) (Tracking)
6P
6PP (MM)
6P4 (M~Punch Parry)
6PK6P (M(M/H)M)
K
KK (HH) (Tracking)
K2K (HM) (Tracking)
KH+K (HM)
4K
4KK2K (HML) (Tracking)
3K
3KP+K (MM)
Once Leifang has you playing defensively, she's naturally going to try and open you up. She has great OH's including the very fast 66T, that can set up a wall-resetting slump down status, the i20 236T combo hold that can get big damage if either sequence is completed and the i10 3T for catching crouching statuses such as Ayane's twirls. Anytime you suspect an OH attempt, immediately crouch or throw her. Her 236T is breakable, but 66T can catch you easily especially on wake-up or when Ayane has her back to a wall. Don't let Leifang abuse 66T!
Leifang also has many strings off of her P, with PP2K & P2P2K being the most likely ones to be used to open you up thanks to the tricky low sweep off them. 1KK also leads to the same sweep and it is a good idea to get acquainted with it to be able to block or low hold it on reaction (including raw 2H+K's). PKK2K and 4KK2K also end in low sweeps and can throw you off easily but the kicks go in a more predicable "High-Mid-Low" sequence. The trick is to not crouch too earlier after the high sweep or the mid sweep will nail you (which definitely happens because of the instinctual nature to duck after she crouches down to perform the mid sweep
).
Overall, for R1F Leifang has the advantage thanks to having an i12 Mid P and an i13 Mid K that will beat out Ayane's mids at neutral thanks to it dishing out 22 dmg (Ayane's i13 6P deals 18 dmg and her i13 6K deals 20 dmg). Ayane's 6P used to trade in earlier editions when it was 22 dmg but unfortunately got nerfed to 18 dmg. Leifang is also one of about only 3 characters that possesses an i11 neutral 5K (Genfu and Kasumi are the others). As with other i12 mid strikers, Ayane's KK will be your main deterent to the use of 6P or 3K in neutral thanks to it's i12 speed and hefty 27 dmg for the initial kick. KK will also counteract punch parry attempts off of Leifang's 4P+K's (or strings that end in it such as PPP4). A strategy she may employ is to try and throw you off with strike FC's that can transition into the punch parry to maintain the advantage on you. KK, 2P or throw these parry attempts. On a different note, quite a bit of Leifang's strings are side-steppable. See how you can implement SS!
Generally you'll have to be a little cautious in R1F against Leifang due to her solid high & mid strike speeds (I.e. you'll need to use 5P's & 2P's to discourage 5K attempts along with sidesteps, and throws and KK's to discourage punch parry and sidestep attempts). Take note also that Leifang's lows are slow with 2P & 2K being i15. Some of her lows can be tricky such as the ones that end in the "2H+K" sweep, but by and large they're fairly slow. Ayane's 2P stuffs her lows when necessary.
Some of Leifang's options at Mid-Range to Long-Range
6H+K (Safe)
66KK (
Unsafe for each strike)
4KK2K (
Unsafe for each strike)
H+K (
Safe)
66P (
Semi-safe)
1KK/1KP4 (
Unsafe for each strike, 1KP -8 on block)
PP2K (
Unsafe)
1P+K (
Safe, +5 Advantage GB when fully charged, Strong knockback)
By and large Leifang struggles at range against Ayane, though she's not impotent at this distance either. This is the range that you want to fight Leifang at. She can utilize her defensive techniques and OH's much more effectively in close range so keeping her out should be your goal. Despite having a brutal Expert Mid K Hold, Leifang hates Ayane's 3H+K. This move keeps her out and puts pressure on her attempts to get in. You want to keep her out as much as possible. If Leifang has the advantage such as on wake-up, she may attempt 6H+K (which is no longer a GB but not unsafe) or a run-up 66T. She may poke with 4KK, 1KP or try and sneak in a low with PP2K. H+K will whiff punish you for a CH bounce combo along with 1P+K, which causes a strong knockback on hit. 66KK is used to intercept some of Ayane's attacks through deceptive crushing. Straight-up, I hate 66K or 66KK. It's unsafe, but still, ugh. Crushes more shit than you may think...
Leifang's Infamous Mid-Crushes
66KK = i18/ -15 on block/ +33 on NH & Launch
(Mid K x2)
1PP = i17/ -11 on block/ +0 on NH
(Mid P x2)
3P+K = i18/ -14 on block BT'ed/ Launch on NH
(Mid P, Unholdable)
Ah, the bullshit that aids in Leifang's ascent into high tier! Screw her holds and parries, these attacks all have one main thing in common, they all crush horizontal mids like 3H+K
! Ayane gets shit for her "mid-crushes" but Leifang's are at least just as troublesome. On the bright side, they're all unsafe on block. If you can, try to bait these moves out and punish whenever you can to discourage future use. 3P+K is left BT'ed when blocked and is strike punishable. You will have a rough time with this MU if you let Leifang abuse her crushes. Also please punish 46P whenever you block it (-10). It's 13 frames of bullshit
.
Defense is the best offense. Leifang's strengths are defense but when she smells blood, she can run a lot of shit on you and you may not even know what just happened. OH's, parries, expert holds, FC pokes, crushes, all things to account for in this MU (along with a mean 64P in stun!). I reckon that this MU is
5:5. Both characters are very dangerous when they are in the zone. Range is your best friend in this MU. You need to make it hard for Leifang to use her dangerous tools on you and keeping her out is key. As soon as you stop controlling space, it becomes Leifang's fight for the taking. Stand your ground!
