Month: April 2017

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ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational (Group B regular season) streaming live

Group B returns to battle for progression in the ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational.

Tonight, the fight continues in the ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational: now Group B will dive into their regular season bracket. The matches will be streamed on Twitch’s ELEAGUE TV, beginning at 6:00 PM ET (3:00 PM PT). Watch it below!

Watch live video from ELEAGUE TV on www.twitch.tv

If Twitch is giving you trouble, you can also watch on ELEAGUE’s YouTube channel.

Group B’s preliminary results:

Check out the prior standings from the ELEAGUE Street Fighter V Invitational preliminary matches here. Group A’s regular season results can be seen here.

Source: ELEAGUE (Twitch)

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Can you hear me now? Day one REV 2 strategy for Guilty Gear Xrd’s newest character: Answer

In late March, Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 was released into the wild of Japanese arcades. Since then, the Guilty Gear community has feverishly been labbing up the new characters for REV 2, Baiken and Answer. Legendary Guilty Gear veteran and I-no pioneer, Koichi, took the time to learn Answer and write on strategy for the character going into REV 2’s release. Koichi has recently transitioned into a strong leadership role in the Japanese FGC, from helping run events, to writing articles, to doing commentary for a variety of scenes. He is a member of the Goziline team, a website where he and his colleagues often write about a variety of games. In order to give you a head start on Answer in REV 2, this article will translate his ideas, strategy, and mindset on Answer. This write-up is based on his article published on Goziline, here.

How dedicated are you to your character?
How dedicated are you to your character?

Before we get to the strategy, if this is your first Arc System Works game, I highly suggest you familiarize yourself with some terms, and become familiar with the notation that these titles use, as they will come up frequently. Also, if you don’t understand already, take the time to learn how to read frame data, as it will be important for you moving forward. In short, don’t be like Fanatiq.

Don't be like Fanatiq. If you are new, L E A R N
Don’t be like Fanatiq. If you are new, LEARN.

Next, if you want to do some further, more detailed reading, I suggest you use this Answer breakdown by Pssycch and Pen Ninja. It is a constantly evolving source of English info for the character that includes information from the Answer hashtag. consider following Ruu and Kedako (who also streams on twitch.tv), two veteran GG players and community leaders from West Japan. These two are responsible for many valuable resources, such as the Answer and Baiken frame data (which you can access here, from Ruu’s blog).

Answer

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at Koichi’s thoughts on Answer going into early REV 2.

Answer’s Primary Attacks

Far S: An easy to use button in the mid-range, especially at round start. Although it isn’t particularly fast, this poke has long reach, and can continue into 5HS, Intelli Ninpou attacks.

5HS: In addition to being capable of catching people out of jumps, or in the air, this normal has awesome reach, is jump cancelable, and is a key normal in Answer’s mid-range game.

Resshou (46+P): Answer’s Rekka. Doesn’t lead into knockdown, but even on hit and safe on block (-1), you will use this often.

Answer's Resshou looks familiar...no? Thankfully, he only has the first hit of this classic sequence!
Answer’s Resshou looks familiar…no? Thankfully, he only has the first hit of this classic sequence!

Intelli Ninpou: Ringi no Sho (Scrolls) (214 P,K,S, or HS): One command will give you 2 scroll placements, depending on the button used. While there are several options from scroll cling, Musasabi (scroll cling D) is a noteworthy option because of the directional control, and the ability to cancel its animation into other follow-ups! This allows for strong mix-up and mobility options! Please refer to Min’s Scroll map to get a better idea of what button command places scrolls in what position.

Intelli Ninpou: Keihi Otoshi (623+K): Answer’s Izuna drop command grab retains dash momentum, which affects how far the opponent is carried when the attack connects. Also usable in the air, and (red) roman cancel-able upon landing for combo extensions.

Answer’s main pokes will be far S, 5HS, and canceling attacks into Resshou or Business Ninpou: Makibishi, his business card throw (236 + S /HS). He can anti-air with 5k and 6p. Command grab is also a valuable attack to mix in to your offense. Furthermore, Answer’s sweep is fast, hits far, and will be useful in hit confirms into super. Business card throwing has a long recovery, so using YRC on the recovery will be the most practical application of this move. For Answer’s aerial normals, jump K can work well as an air-to-air alongside jump HS, but in general these are harder to use compared to jump S. Jump S hits 3 times, and is a useful normal for jump in’s and attacking grounded opponents.

Neutral

In the mid-range, using the far S > 5HS gatling will be your go-to poke string. From the 5HS, you can cancel into Resshou, Business Ninpou: Makibishi (Business card throw, 236 S/H), or IAD. Since Resshou is a little advantageous on hit, after your hit you can backdash and 5HS to reset the spacing, or dash in for a surprise command grab.

*Note, on hit, 5HS can be used to confirm into Super Jump IAD loops on several cast members. The loop is [5HS > Super Jump > IAD > j.P > j.S > j.HS]. This loop works on crouching Potemkin, and standing Johnny, Bedman, Kum, Axl, Zato. It also works on Sol, Ky, Chipp, Slayer, I-no, Venom, Sin, Ramlethal, Dizzy, and Answer from certain ranges.

When separated by a safe distance from the opponent, take advantage of the opportunity to set up scrolls. Koichi recommends using the P or HS versions to allow for more movement across the screen. He recommends using forward jump into the HS version, and clinging to the scroll. Although the scroll summon animation recovery is long, the follow-up options you have during the scroll cling will allow you to mount an offense. Using the P and HS versions of scrolls, clinging, and then using the D follow-up dash is a strong offensive tool.

When you have meter, using YRC with Business Ninpou: Makibishi is a good option because the YRC point is very early in the attack. The YRC window is so wide that you can do it, safely cancel the throw animation, and the card will still appear on the ground in position given the respective button (S or H). Using this in blockstrings is particularly strong for catching an opponent off guard. Makibishi+HS > YRC > Gatling xx Business Ninpou: Hakenshanin (421 + S/HS) > Dash Attack/Command Grab/Throw/Another block string.

In summary:

  1. Using Answer’s mobility, find the spacing to connect far S -> 5HSxxResshou
  2. When separated from the opponent at a safe range, take the opportunity to set up P or HS scrolls!
  3. Using Musasabi (D follow-up) from scroll cling to fly around the screen, or towards your opponent for a rushing attack.
  4. Focus on setting up Makibishi strings, or going for command grabs to catch opponents off guard after Resshou!

Scroll Cling

When Answer sets up scroll and the stick goes to neutral when he is near them, he clings to the scroll in a strange pose. To understand this character’s potential, you must first understand the options and follow-ups he has from this position.

  1. By moving the stick to neutral near a scroll, Answer will cling to the scroll. If you don’t want to cling, simply keep the stick out of neutral.
  2. While clinging, using Musasabi (D follow-up) you can fly to other scrolls.
  3. During Musasabi (D follow-up) you can cancel into other followups (this allows for awesome options on offense and oki).

Scroll Cling followups (this will detail follow-ups done while clinging to scrolls):

P- Intelli Ninpou: Utsusemi – A scroll cling version of uuzemi, his 1f counter used to counter enemy attacks.

K- Intelli Ninpou: Amakudari – A straight down divekick that hits mid.

S- Intelli Ninpou: Shikkyaku – A teleport slide hitting low (think like Yosuke from P4U). Launches on CH, but is unsafe on block.

HS- Intelli Ninpou: Katatataki – A high-hitting, small leaping swipe with a large hitbox that can hit as a crossup. Long untechable time, but can be difficult to combo in some situations.

D- Intelli Ninpou: Musasabi – Similar to Bang’s Furinkazan, Musasabi is a command 8 way dash that is cancelable into other follow-ups.

22- Cancel Cling – Answer slowly falls from the scroll without doing anything.

Defense

Answer’s hurtbox is tall, and he doesn’t have any invincible reversals outside of Burst super. This can make it tough on defense, but that is where Utsusemi comes in. Utsusemi (22+P) is (estimated to be) a 1 frame counter that activates against mids/highs, and is airborne (thus, beating throws and lows). If nothing connects with it, he will fall and be open to counter-attack during recovery. Note that since it is active so quickly, it cannot be YRC’d. If the counter connects with an opponent’s normal, Answer will teleport and Amakudari the opponent. If it connects with a projectile, Answer will teleport Amakudari in place of where the counter was performed. The Amakudari can be used with YRC, giving Answer an opportunity to escape.

If the counter whiffs, Answer can still cling to scrolls and PRC during recovery.
If the counter whiffs, Answer can still cling to scrolls and PRC during recovery.

Using Business Ninpou: Kumogakure (22+S/HS) to teleport to the card is also a strong escape option. Koichi estimates the invincibility frames on the disappearance is fast (he guesses around 3 frames) and it is similar to Chipp’s teleports in that you can YRC the recovery frames when he reappears. This makes it a safe option when you need to take evasive action!

Okizeme

Answer scores knockdowns off of sweep, his shadowclone shuriken super (236236K) and Intelli Ninpou: Katatataki (HS follow-up after Scroll cling). After finishing a combo or connecting these attacks, you have a chance to run oki.  The preferred scroll setup for mid-screen okizeme is the K scroll set (214+K). Using this set with Answer’s 6HS, a flip kick Answer can use to go airborne, gives him the ability to quickly cling to scrolls from the ground. This attack not only allows for scroll clings, but because he is considered airborne, it also beats throw attempts! Musasabi will allow you to beat mashing, and if you can read a blitz or an opponent willing to patiently guard, simply Musasabi into the ground and go for a command grab! Amakudari can also be used this way if you anticipate your opponent will commit to blocking. Simply whiff the Amakudari into the ground, and snatch them up with command grab! You can also use Musasabi to go back and forth between scrolls to beat mashing opponents.

Many players initially thought, “Isn’t this kind of okizeme weak to Blitz Shield?” However, reversal Blitz Shield can be countered by activating the K set of scrolls, then throwing the HS version of Makibishi and activating YRC. Though this option costs meter, it leaves Answer with very strong okizeme options, and outside the range of Blitz.

6hs
When you score a knockdown mid-screen, try to use K or S Scrolls and utilize Answer’s airborne 6HS. In the corner, try to focus on S scrolls rather than K scrolls, putting stronger emphasis on the high/low mixup.

Note: Since this article was published, the Answer army has discovered a trick that may open up even greater combo and mix-up potential, especially using K scrolls. Since Utsusemi goes airborne from frame 1, we can use special cancelable normals to cancel into Utsusemi, and using that, cling to the scroll. This allows for faster access to cling state (and thus, cling commands) compared to jumping (3f) or using 6HS. As Desire shows us in this example, this allows for new possibilities off of 5HS on crouchers.

Business Combos:

1.【2K→far S→5HS】xx Resshou (26+P) or HS Makibishi (236+HS)
The Answer bread n butter combo. If you want to continue offense, use Resshou. If you want to return to neutral, use Makibishi.

2.【2K→far S(3)→6K】xx P Scrolls (214+P)→ Neutral Jump【K→HS】xx Cling ～9 Musasabi (Move the lever to neutral, then 9+D)～Katatataki (HS)
Another bread n butter from 2K. One scroll will remain when you are finished, so you can still run oki afterwards.To counter things like DP and crouchers, use【Close S→2HS→6K】to force standing.

3. 5K or 【6P→5HS】[Jump Cancel] Jump【K→5S(3)】[Jump Cancel] Jump【K→HS】xx Air Shuriken Super ( Air 632146+S)
A go-to anti-air combo for when you don’t feel like ad-libbing. Offers damage and knockdown. If you don’t have meter, on the second jump, use【K→S→D】xx P Scrolls (214+P) to continue your attack.【6P→6K】→ Jump HS xx Air Shuriken Super  ( Air 632146+S) is also an important anti-air combo.

4. Command Grab（623+K）[(Upon landing) RRC] P Scrolls(214+P)→Dash 2HS[jc] Back Jump HS xx Cling ～N Musasabi (5D)～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS)
A command grab combo that leads into corner oki. If you RRC the instant you land, you can do P Scrolls. The point is using P Scrolls and ending around the corner. Command Grab（623+K）RRC P Scrolls (214+P)→K Scrolls (214+K)→【6P→5HS】Jump Cancel Back Jump HS.

5. HS Scrolls (214+HS)→(Top scroll) Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～N Musasabi (5D)→【6P→6K】xx P Scroll (214+P)→ Jump【K→HS】xx Cling ～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS)
Meter-less freestyle combo. For the 6P→6K portion and what follows, you can go into this off of anti-air hits or counter hit Shikkyaku (Scroll cling S follow-up).

6. Sweep xx Shadow Clone Super (236236+K）
A strong hit confirm combo you can use to kill. Use K Scrolls (214+K) after to set up oki.

7.【far S→5HS】xx Resshou (26+P) or HS Makibishi (236+HS) [RRC] Dash【cl. S(2)→2HS→6K】xx P Scroll (214+P)→ Forward Jump【K→HS】xx N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari (K) Whiff→ Dash Forward Jump [K→HS】xx N Musasabi (5D)～Katatataki (HS)
A high utility combo route. Note this does not work on lightweights. For heavyweights (Johnny, Pot) you can connect two loops of the 5HS [Jump Cancel] Jump【K→HS】。Remember that after you use the HS Makibishi (236+HS)[RRC],  you can also do HS Kumogakure (Teleport) (22+HS)→【Close S(2)→6K].

8.【far S→5HS】xx HS Makibishi (236+HS) [RRC] Dash→5D～5HS→5HS→HS Scrolls (214+HS)→Close S→5HS xx Utsusemi (22+P)～Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari(K) Whiff→5HS[High Jump Cancel] Jump D xx Cling～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki(HS)
Corner Carry dust combo you can try to execute at round start. When you start the combo off of corner Dust,  use 5HSx3 xx HS Scrolls (214+HS)→6HS xx ～Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari (K) Whiff→5HS [High Jump Cancel] Jump D xx Cling～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS) for a damage boost!

The above is simply basic winning strategies for the outset of Answer play in REV 2. Koichi thinks you can make people angry by using far S > 5HS well. Just like getting hit by Fafnir after a string from Sol, getting tagged by Answer’s mid-screen string is rather unpleasant. As long as you can convert into knockdowns from your bread ‘n’ butter (through Roman Cancel or otherwise), he is a pretty cool, fun character from day one. Thus, try to practice the combos without getting discouraged or shying away from them. He says one trick that might help you execute some of  his combos is to hold diagonals while you are using the air attacks (note how some of the combos above require diagonal inputs) since returning to neutral makes you cling to scrolls.

View post on imgur.com

This concludes Koichi’s article on day one Answer prep. Exploring new characters in fighting games is a fun, exciting experience. Arc System Works titles usually makes their characters highly nuanced, so there is a lot to explore! Work together with folks in the community to discover new techniques and strategies for your character! Enjoy the process of learning!

While we wait for Rev2’s console release, try watching some live footage from Mikado, and look out for Answer players like Koichi, Min, and Hossa. Watch footage of them and try to see how they apply the concepts discussed in this article!

Sources: Goziline; Koichi; Mdesilva

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Can you hear me now? Day one REV 2 strategy for Guilty Gear Xrd’s newest character: Answer

In late March, Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 was released into the wild of Japanese arcades. Since then, the Guilty Gear community has feverishly been labbing up the new characters for REV 2, Baiken and Answer. Legendary Guilty Gear veteran and I-no pioneer, Koichi, took the time to learn Answer and write on strategy for the character going into REV 2’s release. Koichi has recently transitioned into a strong leadership role in the Japanese FGC, from helping run events, to writing articles, to doing commentary for a variety of scenes. He is a member of the Goziline team, a website where he and his colleagues often write about a variety of games. In order to give you a head start on Answer in REV 2, this article will translate his ideas, strategy, and mindset on Answer. This write-up is based on his article published on Goziline, here.

How dedicated are you to your character?
How dedicated are you to your character?

Before we get to the strategy, if this is your first Arc System Works game, I highly suggest you familiarize yourself with some terms, and become familiar with the notation that these titles use, as they will come up frequently. Also, if you don’t understand already, take the time to learn how to read frame data, as it will be important for you moving forward. In short, don’t be like Fanatiq.

Don't be like Fanatiq. If you are new, L E A R N
Don’t be like Fanatiq. If you are new, LEARN.

Next, if you want to do some further, more detailed reading, I suggest you use this Answer breakdown by Pssycch and Pen Ninja. It is a constantly evolving source of English info for the character that includes information from the Answer hashtag. consider following Ruu and Kedako (who also streams on twitch.tv), two veteran GG players and community leaders from West Japan. These two are responsible for many valuable resources, such as the Answer and Baiken frame data (which you can access here, from Ruu’s blog).

Answer

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at Koichi’s thoughts on Answer going into early REV 2.

Answer’s Primary Attacks

Far S: An easy to use button in the mid-range, especially at round start. Although it isn’t particularly fast, this poke has long reach, and can continue into 5HS, Intelli Ninpou attacks.

5HS: In addition to being capable of catching people out of jumps, or in the air, this normal has awesome reach, is jump cancelable, and is a key normal in Answer’s mid-range game.

Resshou (46+P): Answer’s Rekka. Doesn’t lead into knockdown, but even on hit and safe on block (-1), you will use this often.

Answer's Resshou looks familiar...no? Thankfully, he only has the first hit of this classic sequence!
Answer’s Resshou looks familiar…no? Thankfully, he only has the first hit of this classic sequence!

Intelli Ninpou: Ringi no Sho (Scrolls) (214 P,K,S, or HS): One command will give you 2 scroll placements, depending on the button used. While there are several options from scroll cling, Musasabi (scroll cling D) is a noteworthy option because of the directional control, and the ability to cancel its animation into other follow-ups! This allows for strong mix-up and mobility options! Please refer to Min’s Scroll map to get a better idea of what button command places scrolls in what position.

Intelli Ninpou: Keihi Otoshi (623+K): Answer’s Izuna drop command grab retains dash momentum, which affects how far the opponent is carried when the attack connects. Also usable in the air, and (red) roman cancel-able upon landing for combo extensions.

Answer’s main pokes will be far S, 5HS, and canceling attacks into Resshou or Business Ninpou: Makibishi, his business card throw (236 + S /HS). He can anti-air with 5k and 6p. Command grab is also a valuable attack to mix in to your offense. Furthermore, Answer’s sweep is fast, hits far, and will be useful in hit confirms into super. Business card throwing has a long recovery, so using YRC on the recovery will be the most practical application of this move. For Answer’s aerial normals, jump K can work well as an air-to-air alongside jump HS, but in general these are harder to use compared to jump S. Jump S hits 3 times, and is a useful normal for jump in’s and attacking grounded opponents.

Neutral

In the mid-range, using the far S > 5HS gatling will be your go-to poke string. From the 5HS, you can cancel into Resshou, Business Ninpou: Makibishi (Business card throw, 236 S/H), or IAD. Since Resshou is a little advantageous on hit, after your hit you can backdash and 5HS to reset the spacing, or dash in for a surprise command grab.

*Note, on hit, 5HS can be used to confirm into Super Jump IAD loops on several cast members. The loop is [5HS > Super Jump > IAD > j.P > j.S > j.HS]. This loop works on crouching Potemkin, and standing Johnny, Bedman, Kum, Axl, Zato. It also works on Sol, Ky, Chipp, Slayer, I-no, Venom, Sin, Ramlethal, Dizzy, and Answer from certain ranges.

When separated by a safe distance from the opponent, take advantage of the opportunity to set up scrolls. Koichi recommends using the P or HS versions to allow for more movement across the screen. He recommends using forward jump into the HS version, and clinging to the scroll. Although the scroll summon animation recovery is long, the follow-up options you have during the scroll cling will allow you to mount an offense. Using the P and HS versions of scrolls, clinging, and then using the D follow-up dash is a strong offensive tool.

When you have meter, using YRC with Business Ninpou: Makibishi is a good option because the YRC point is very early in the attack. The YRC window is so wide that you can do it, safely cancel the throw animation, and the card will still appear on the ground in position given the respective button (S or H). Using this in blockstrings is particularly strong for catching an opponent off guard. Makibishi+HS > YRC > Gatling xx Business Ninpou: Hakenshanin (421 + S/HS) > Dash Attack/Command Grab/Throw/Another block string.

In summary:

  1. Using Answer’s mobility, find the spacing to connect far S -> 5HSxxResshou
  2. When separated from the opponent at a safe range, take the opportunity to set up P or HS scrolls!
  3. Using Musasabi (D follow-up) from scroll cling to fly around the screen, or towards your opponent for a rushing attack.
  4. Focus on setting up Makibishi strings, or going for command grabs to catch opponents off guard after Resshou!

Scroll Cling

When Answer sets up scroll and the stick goes to neutral when he is near them, he clings to the scroll in a strange pose. To understand this character’s potential, you must first understand the options and follow-ups he has from this position.

  1. By moving the stick to neutral near a scroll, Answer will cling to the scroll. If you don’t want to cling, simply keep the stick out of neutral.
  2. While clinging, using Musasabi (D follow-up) you can fly to other scrolls.
  3. During Musasabi (D follow-up) you can cancel into other followups (this allows for awesome options on offense and oki).

Scroll Cling followups (this will detail follow-ups done while clinging to scrolls):

P- Intelli Ninpou: Utsusemi – A scroll cling version of uuzemi, his 1f counter used to counter enemy attacks.

K- Intelli Ninpou: Amakudari – A straight down divekick that hits mid.

S- Intelli Ninpou: Shikkyaku – A teleport slide hitting low (think like Yosuke from P4U). Launches on CH, but is unsafe on block.

HS- Intelli Ninpou: Katatataki – A high-hitting, small leaping swipe with a large hitbox that can hit as a crossup. Long untechable time, but can be difficult to combo in some situations.

D- Intelli Ninpou: Musasabi – Similar to Bang’s Furinkazan, Musasabi is a command 8 way dash that is cancelable into other follow-ups.

22- Cancel Cling – Answer slowly falls from the scroll without doing anything.

Defense

Answer’s hurtbox is tall, and he doesn’t have any invincible reversals outside of Burst super. This can make it tough on defense, but that is where Utsusemi comes in. Utsusemi (22+P) is (estimated to be) a 1 frame counter that activates against mids/highs, and is airborne (thus, beating throws and lows). If nothing connects with it, he will fall and be open to counter-attack during recovery. Note that since it is active so quickly, it cannot be YRC’d. If the counter connects with an opponent’s normal, Answer will teleport and Amakudari the opponent. If it connects with a projectile, Answer will teleport Amakudari in place of where the counter was performed. The Amakudari can be used with YRC, giving Answer an opportunity to escape.

If the counter whiffs, Answer can still cling to scrolls and PRC during recovery.
If the counter whiffs, Answer can still cling to scrolls and PRC during recovery.

Using Business Ninpou: Kumogakure (22+S/HS) to teleport to the card is also a strong escape option. Koichi estimates the invincibility frames on the disappearance is fast (he guesses around 3 frames) and it is similar to Chipp’s teleports in that you can YRC the recovery frames when he reappears. This makes it a safe option when you need to take evasive action!

Okizeme

Answer scores knockdowns off of sweep, his shadowclone shuriken super (236236K) and Intelli Ninpou: Katatataki (HS follow-up after Scroll cling). After finishing a combo or connecting these attacks, you have a chance to run oki.  The preferred scroll setup for mid-screen okizeme is the K scroll set (214+K). Using this set with Answer’s 6HS, a flip kick Answer can use to go airborne, gives him the ability to quickly cling to scrolls from the ground. This attack not only allows for scroll clings, but because he is considered airborne, it also beats throw attempts! Musasabi will allow you to beat mashing, and if you can read a blitz or an opponent willing to patiently guard, simply Musasabi into the ground and go for a command grab! Amakudari can also be used this way if you anticipate your opponent will commit to blocking. Simply whiff the Amakudari into the ground, and snatch them up with command grab! You can also use Musasabi to go back and forth between scrolls to beat mashing opponents.

Many players initially thought, “Isn’t this kind of okizeme weak to Blitz Shield?” However, reversal Blitz Shield can be countered by activating the K set of scrolls, then throwing the HS version of Makibishi and activating YRC. Though this option costs meter, it leaves Answer with very strong okizeme options, and outside the range of Blitz.

6hs
When you score a knockdown mid-screen, try to use K or S Scrolls and utilize Answer’s airborne 6HS. In the corner, try to focus on S scrolls rather than K scrolls, putting stronger emphasis on the high/low mixup.

Note: Since this article was published, the Answer army has discovered a trick that may open up even greater combo and mix-up potential, especially using K scrolls. Since Utsusemi goes airborne from frame 1, we can use special cancelable normals to cancel into Utsusemi, and using that, cling to the scroll. This allows for faster access to cling state (and thus, cling commands) compared to jumping (3f) or using 6HS. As Desire shows us in this example, this allows for new possibilities off of 5HS on crouchers.

Business Combos:

1.【2K→far S→5HS】xx Resshou (26+P) or HS Makibishi (236+HS)
The Answer bread n butter combo. If you want to continue offense, use Resshou. If you want to return to neutral, use Makibishi.

2.【2K→far S(3)→6K】xx P Scrolls (214+P)→ Neutral Jump【K→HS】xx Cling ～9 Musasabi (Move the lever to neutral, then 9+D)～Katatataki (HS)
Another bread n butter from 2K. One scroll will remain when you are finished, so you can still run oki afterwards.To counter things like DP and crouchers, use【Close S→2HS→6K】to force standing.

3. 5K or 【6P→5HS】[Jump Cancel] Jump【K→5S(3)】[Jump Cancel] Jump【K→HS】xx Air Shuriken Super ( Air 632146+S)
A go-to anti-air combo for when you don’t feel like ad-libbing. Offers damage and knockdown. If you don’t have meter, on the second jump, use【K→S→D】xx P Scrolls (214+P) to continue your attack.【6P→6K】→ Jump HS xx Air Shuriken Super  ( Air 632146+S) is also an important anti-air combo.

4. Command Grab（623+K）[(Upon landing) RRC] P Scrolls(214+P)→Dash 2HS[jc] Back Jump HS xx Cling ～N Musasabi (5D)～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS)
A command grab combo that leads into corner oki. If you RRC the instant you land, you can do P Scrolls. The point is using P Scrolls and ending around the corner. Command Grab（623+K）RRC P Scrolls (214+P)→K Scrolls (214+K)→【6P→5HS】Jump Cancel Back Jump HS.

5. HS Scrolls (214+HS)→(Top scroll) Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～N Musasabi (5D)→【6P→6K】xx P Scroll (214+P)→ Jump【K→HS】xx Cling ～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS)
Meter-less freestyle combo. For the 6P→6K portion and what follows, you can go into this off of anti-air hits or counter hit Shikkyaku (Scroll cling S follow-up).

6. Sweep xx Shadow Clone Super (236236+K）
A strong hit confirm combo you can use to kill. Use K Scrolls (214+K) after to set up oki.

7.【far S→5HS】xx Resshou (26+P) or HS Makibishi (236+HS) [RRC] Dash【cl. S(2)→2HS→6K】xx P Scroll (214+P)→ Forward Jump【K→HS】xx N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari (K) Whiff→ Dash Forward Jump [K→HS】xx N Musasabi (5D)～Katatataki (HS)
A high utility combo route. Note this does not work on lightweights. For heavyweights (Johnny, Pot) you can connect two loops of the 5HS [Jump Cancel] Jump【K→HS】。Remember that after you use the HS Makibishi (236+HS)[RRC],  you can also do HS Kumogakure (Teleport) (22+HS)→【Close S(2)→6K].

8.【far S→5HS】xx HS Makibishi (236+HS) [RRC] Dash→5D～5HS→5HS→HS Scrolls (214+HS)→Close S→5HS xx Utsusemi (22+P)～Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari(K) Whiff→5HS[High Jump Cancel] Jump D xx Cling～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki(HS)
Corner Carry dust combo you can try to execute at round start. When you start the combo off of corner Dust,  use 5HSx3 xx HS Scrolls (214+HS)→6HS xx ～Cling～N Musasabi (5D)～Amakudari (K) Whiff→5HS [High Jump Cancel] Jump D xx Cling～9 Musasabi (9D)～Katatataki (HS) for a damage boost!

The above is simply basic winning strategies for the outset of Answer play in REV 2. Koichi thinks you can make people angry by using far S > 5HS well. Just like getting hit by Fafnir after a string from Sol, getting tagged by Answer’s mid-screen string is rather unpleasant. As long as you can convert into knockdowns from your bread ‘n’ butter (through Roman Cancel or otherwise), he is a pretty cool, fun character from day one. Thus, try to practice the combos without getting discouraged or shying away from them. He says one trick that might help you execute some of  his combos is to hold diagonals while you are using the air attacks (note how some of the combos above require diagonal inputs) since returning to neutral makes you cling to scrolls.

View post on imgur.com

This concludes Koichi’s article on day one Answer prep. Exploring new characters in fighting games is a fun, exciting experience. Arc System Works titles usually makes their characters highly nuanced, so there is a lot to explore! Work together with folks in the community to discover new techniques and strategies for your character! Enjoy the process of learning!

While we wait for Rev2’s console release, try watching some live footage from Mikado, and look out for Answer players like Koichi, Min, and Hossa. Watch footage of them and try to see how they apply the concepts discussed in this article!

Sources: Goziline; Koichi; Mdesilva

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Street Fighting in Toronto, Part 2: Interview with Drewface, Chokehold, & Brutus

A closer look at some of Toronto’s top Street Fighter players and personalities–continued.

toronto map banner

In my prior set of interviews casting a spotlight on Canadian fighting game fanatics, I spoke with members of the Montréal FGC–the MTLSF scene. But right next door to Montréal is the domain of their longtime rivals: Toronto. Perhaps an even a fiercer scene resides in Ontario’s capital, and these two cities combined form a maelstrom of serious Street Fighter competition in Canada. Toronto is also presently playing host to its own Red Bull Proving Grounds regional qualifier: Fight For The 6ix.

To get a look into what makes Toronto’s scene what it is, I reached out to conduct written interviews with six fighters from Canada’s largest city. Yesterday we began with StDxBlitzMan, SJ, and StarmieGee; today we’ll continue with The Fifty/Fifty founder Andrew Le Nguyen, also known as Drewface, competitor and organizer Charles “Chokehold” Downer, and 17-year-old fighter Brutus. Ottawa’s Toffee provides some additional closing comments as well. Responses have been edited for clarity.

mushin_Z: Where are you from, and how long have you been involved with the Toronto fighting game scene?

Drewface: I’m from a borough called York Region, that is one hour away from Toronto. I however identify myself with Toronto, since I’m there more often than I am at home. I’ve been in the Toronto scene for almost ten years now–man, I’m getting old.

drewface

Chokehold: I live in a town about half-an-hour north of Toronto called Richmond Hill. I’ve been involved in the Toronto FGC for about eight years now.

Brutus: I’m from Whitby, Ontario, it’s about a 20-minute train ride away from Toronto. I first got involved in the FGC in 2012 as a spectator sport–I was twelve at the time. I started playing after Evo 2015 with USFIV. I only played USFIV online, and that’s where I met my first community, the A4 community. My first time being involved with the Toronto scene was a weekly for SFV in summer 2016.

mushin_Z: How long have you played Street Fighter games? How did you get started?

Drewface: I’ve played Street Fighter games since I was five years old, on my grandparent’s Super Nintendo with my cousins. My family is highly competitive, so we all strived to beat each other in almost all aspects in life.

Chokehold: I have been playing Street Fighter ever since I got into the scene, around the ’09 boom of new players. I started out watching streams and videos of tournaments on YouTube. Eventually after playing with friends, I went to a tournament at a local comic book store and met some cool people; been around ever since.

chokehold

Brutus: I’ve been playing fighting games casually my whole life from SSF2T, SFIII, MvC2, UMvC3, Injustice, MK9, etc. Competitively, I’ve been playing since post-Evo 2015. I got started because I was watching Evo, and a friend messaged me asking for USFIV tips (he knew I played fighting games casually), from that I learned the game was on sale on Steam and bought it.

mushin_Z: What is your favorite game in the Street Fighter series, and why?

Drewface: My favorite Street Fighter is Super Street Fighter II Turbo, it’s easy to pick up yet difficult to master, and still holds up in fun factor today. It goes to show you don’t have to balance everything to make it fun.

Chokehold: It would have to be Street fighter IV, more specifically USFIV, because I liked the long combos and Red Focus Attacks.

Brutus: My favorite game in the franchise is definitely a coin toss between USFIV and SFV. USFIV got me into the scene, and I’ll always have good memories of it. SFV is the game I’m having the most success in, and I love playing it.

mushin_Z: Do you prefer a fightstick, pad, or hitbox?

Chokehold: Fightstick.

Brutus: I used to play on pad when I played casually, but now I play on an arcade stick.

Drewface: Initially when I started, I loved using a Dual Shock 2 pad–but now I 100% prefer an arcade stick over any other medium for fighting games.

mushin_Z: Who do you main, and why? Is there a character you wish was selectable in Street Fighter V, but isn’t (yet)?

Chokehold: In SFV I main R. Mika, because I like how when you get her V-Trigger, it kind of feels like you have an assist from Marvel vs. Capcom. Also she fits my playstyle–I like to rush down.

sfv_r_mika_nadeshiko_punish

Drewface: I play Ryu, I love the characterization and personality he has; he is a student of fighting and always strives to be the best he can be. Competitively, I feel like he encompasses a wholistic learning approach to even be competent with him. Thus, I will always respect any Ryu player, since Ryu has to overcome game mechanics with basic fundamentals to win.

sfv ryu arms crossed cover

Brutus: I main Zangief because I love to mind games and hard reads. Zangief really rewards that. Also I love playing to entertain the crowd, and I think my playstyle with Zangief really does that well. If I could add one character, it would definitely be Cody. I think his game plan from USFIV would be really strong in this game. Just don’t destroy his frame data [laughs].

Drewface: There are quite a few characters I would love to see; I would love to see Sodom or any samurai/sword wielding character in the series (even Garuda), Skullomania–since I love characters with funny personalities–and Sagat.

Chokehold: The Canadian ice hockey character that shoots hockey pucks for fireballs, and whacks people with a stick–yeah, I’d love to see that in SFV.

mushin_Z: What’s your best matchup, in your opinion? Worst?

Drewface: My best matchup is the mirror match/shoto mirrors. It’s just plain Street Fighter, and I can really express myself in that match in every game, despite how dull Street Fighter can get. My worst are generally newer characters to the series, and heavy mixup characters.

Brutus: My best matchup is Laura. I practice against a really good Laura player a lot, so I don’t think there’s anything a Laura could do to surprise me. Also I think Zangief beats her up pretty bad. My worst matchup is definitely Dhalsim. I have a lot of tech to fight the character, but it’s such an uphill battle. I need to practice with Shane Walker more.

Chokehold: I feel like my best matchup is probably Dhalsim, because one of my good friends that I practice with a lot uses him. Also that matchup in general is pretty good for Mika–once she gets in, Dhalsim has a hard time getting away, I feel.

sfv_dhalsim_critical_art_start

mushin_Z: Where do you usually play?

Drewface: I generally play at three places: Toronto HQ, a place I call home, and where most of Toronto’s FGC culture is developed. Any Friday night and you’ll see a Canadian star-studded cast of former and current top players socializing, having a good time and best of all throwing down. It is definitely the pinnacle of Toronto Street Fighter and the best part is, it’s unique. It is run by the community and made for the community. It closes late and you can get a ton of great sets in to learn from an OG, or any competent Canadian player–and its run out of a storage room, like you’d see in Storage Wars. Shout-outs to Paul187, DarkDragon and the HQ team.

Next: Akiba Kissa, a cafe that is based off of otaku culture, and has its own arcade room. This is my new place to play and I’m here just having a great drink or chomping on some pocky while mashing buttons with my friends. It’s fun, relaxing, and one of the great places to play at. It is currently my favorite place to play, and it has a great selection of manga too, so when I’m salty I can read Berserk or Vagabond.

Finally, A&C Games, one of the hotspots in Toronto; it is the place to play on Wednesday nights and run by TorontoTopTiers–it’s a friendly place, and a great starting point for anyone going down the FGC rabbit hole.

TorontoTopTiers website banner

Brutus: I’m mainly an online warrior. The weekly I go to the most is TorontoTopTiers, AKA Stun City. I can’t go as much as I want to, because of school/travel costs.

Chokehold: I usually just practice at home with friends. Also, I try and go to the Toronto weeklies as much as I can. As of late, I’ve been going to some of Toronto’s new esports bars. Places like Raiders E-sports Bar and Meltdown. Great to see the esports presence growing in Toronto. Red Bull is running Proving Grounds: Fight For The 6ix at Raiders, and the TorontoTopTiers weeklies being held at Meltdown.

mushin_Z: Your thoughts on online competition?

Drewface: I rarely play online, I believe lag ruins the experience and Capcom has failed to deliver a suitable online environment for player development–once again. I’ve seen great players learn online, and I’ve seen terrible habits develop online. I believe the real experience is not based on online rankings, but the good old tournaments, so I always encourage the social aspect of meeting up offline and sharing the passion of fighting games and conversing in what we all have in common.

Chokehold: I don’t play online too often. I’m in the Diamond ranks. The online competition can be pretty fierce; for me personally, I use it to train matchups and try new things out. If I play for too long, I feel that I develop bad habits and the bad connections can get frustrating.

Brutus: People online are definitely a lot more nutty, but I think playing against those types of players teaches you to adapt really fast.

sfv_guile_vs_zangief_somersault_kick

mushin_Z: In your opinion, who are the players to watch in the Toronto community?

Chokehold: There are a lot of players that I get excited to watch in the Toronto scene, there’s a young guy named Rass who’s been beating people up with Balrog, GentleStep is an Ibuki player that has improved a lot lately, Sin is a Bison player that is new to the scene and is really solid, I could go on with a whole list of names. I really just like watching the Toronto scene grow, every year it seems like it’s getting bigger and there is some new talent popping up.

Brutus: Current top five in Toronto, in no order, in my opinion are Rass, Solomon, Sin, Shane Walker and Italdan.

Drewface: Well, here’s a detailed list that I bet most people wouldn’t have:
– KS-Tali: Famous for being a troll, but offline he helps others around him get better, and on top of that with his methodical offensive play and air tight setups, he is bound for greatness as long as he enjoys the game. In Ultra Street Fighter IV his Poison was a pioneer in innovation, and in competitive play he has made a name for himself.
– Amato: The epitome of passion and emotion, his exciting decision-making and thorough analysis on the fly make him a well-versed player and fun to watch as well.
– SJ: Probably the most talented player I’ve experienced watching in a while, with a great attitude and hunger for success. His talent for skill knows no bounds and he continues to surprise me with his progress in any game–the man touches a game and he’s good or great at it. He’s great at Marvel, defeating a slew of known players in America, (Justin Wong, Unknown, Flux to name a few), and in Street Fighter he is no joke either.
– Italdan: One of the hardest-working players I know, and a veteran who finally is recognized for his skill. He’s always been representing Toronto well, and has a great understanding of momentum. He has great mental fortitude and always makes every match exciting.
– Shane Walker: A ‘sim player with an aggressive style and a personality to match. The most electrifying man in Toronto FGC today.
– GentleStep: A player whose execution show no limits and methodical breakdown make him a threat in the future. His play in SFIV was fantastic and technical, and while Street Fighter V is not as technical as SFIV, he still manages to impress everyone in Toronto with creativity and ability to respond to situations with the most optimal answer.
– Broshadian: A player whose intuition and reads are fantastic–his Spider-Man in Marvel 3 and Abel in Street Fighter IV were known to upset a few names. He was the best in Toronto for Street Fighter IV.
– BlitzMan: A great student of the game, and best of all just a fun guy to be around, always joking around and equally kicking ass, he has always been able to stay on top of the scene with his great play, ability to learn, and risk-reward assessment.
– LES: Some may say he’s the best Bison in North America; with his technical knowledge, great reads, and pressure, he is no joke. He doesn’t come out as often but when he does, he never fails to make a splash. And he’s a great graphic designer!
– Chokehold: One of the best Marvel players we have, and one of the best Mikas! He’s defeated Chi-Rithy in Street Fighter V, won tournaments, and was at the pinnacle of Toronto Marvel play. A great attitude, and aggressive style with great reads, he never fails to entertain and place well.
– Jimmy Fierce: The best Ryu in Canada–whenever he comes out of the cave, he always shows people what clean and fundamental look like. Fantastic player and a shoto brother-in-arms.
– General Luke: In Street Fighter IV his pressure with Bison was fantastic and suffocating. In Street Fighter V his ability to change the pace and capitalize on it makes him a threat.
– Vastend: A newblood in Street Fighter V who quickly rose through the ranks with his great pressure, surprising everyone. His timing on offense, and ability to assess as a situation, make him an exciting player to watch. I can’t wait to see how he grows into becoming a great player in the scene.
– Baked Eyez: A highly energetic player, with creativity to match, he always finds new ways to open you up and that’s what makes him fun to watch, and one of the players to keep an eye out for.
– Sin: A player that can control the pace to a whim, his Bison pressure and ability to strive under pressure make him also great to watch. His hunger to learn and improve make him a threat.
– Solomon: A newblood in Street Fighter V, his Balrog and Birdie knows no fear, and with his great insight/views on Street fighter V he’s definitely fun to watch. Using “turns” and momentum really well have made him win a few locals recently. His passion for Street Fighter V and positive personality make him another player to watch along with Vastend.
– Flipside: A player who is continuing to learn with Karin, a new blood in Street Fighter V. He continues to pull upsets and shows great development in his play rising through Toronto ranks in weeklies.
– CountBlack: His Elena was awesome, and his Laura as equally entertaining as it is knowledgeable. While he doesn’t come out much, he is always someone to pay attention to when he does.
– OrangeMan: His Rashid play make him a sleeper for any top 8 in Majors!

rashid

mushin_Z: How has the Toronto FGC impacted your experience with the game? Has your own skill improved through interaction with the Toronto SF scene, and has involvement with the Toronto FGC increased your enjoyment of fighting games?

Drewface: There are times when I don’t enjoy playing the game–it’s tiring, boring. The scene is what brings me back, the people, the hype moments, the friends I’ve made. I wouldn’t trade this for anything. My skill in not only Street Fighter has improved, but my graphic design ability–my views and perspectives on things have grown from growing up in the scene.

Chokehold: My experience with the scene has been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone is really nice, and I’ve met some lifelong friends for sure. Although I do feel like the Toronto scene sometimes needs a reminder to stick together–especially when internationals come down for big tournaments like Canada Cup. My skill has definitely improved having played in the scene, getting to play new people/playstyles is always a good thing, in my opinion.

Brutus: The Toronto scene has been nothing but a positive force. They’re super cool guys/girls to talk to and hang around. One way Toronto helped me improve is with my nerves; just playing these guys on a competitive level offline has helped my nerves a lot.

mushin_Z: Has any particular player acted as a mentor, or a rival for you?

Drewface: Gerjay, Teddy Bauza, and Jamie and Rey for ST have helped me a lot. My rivals have always been Jimmy Fierce and Blueblazer since we were kids. (But they body me fraaay…)

Brutus: My ‘Gief brother is definitely Ironstien. We trade tech and help each other out a lot. I have two current rivals: my most prominant rival is Shane Walker. Shane has always bodied me, so it’s a goal of mine to take a FT3 off of him in tournament. My second rival is Italdan. Me and Italdan have only played twice. Both matches were last game, last round. He won the first set, and I won the second. Since then there has been some friendly trash talk between us on who would win the next set, so it’ll be very interesting.

sfv zangief flex

mushin_Z: What major tournaments have you attended? Have you traveled to tournaments outside of Canada?

Drewface: Toryuken, Canada Cup (all the Toronto ones), NEC 2011, Winter Brawl (last year), MAT, LanETs, Rumble in the Tundras. I have traveled…

Chokehold: I’ve attended a lot of major tournaments over the years, outside of Canada some of my faves would have to be CEO, Summer Jam, and SoCal Regionals.

Brutus: The only offline major I attended was Canada Cup 2016. I’ve never been outside of Canada.

mushin_Z: How well have you placed? How would you describe the experience of traveling to compete?

Brutus: I drowned in pools. I went 2-2. I lost to XSK_Samurai, and LordJimmyBones‘ Dhalsim.

Chokehold: I got top 32 at this past Summer Jam for SFV; in Canada I’ve won a couple events for SFV and UMvC3 as well. The experience of travelling to compete is great, I like meeting new people and seeing new places.

Drewface: Depending on the game, my placement has a huge variation from either drowning in pools to top 32. The experience of bonding with people in your community and getting an insight on other scenes is something any person in the FGC should always do. It gives you an outside perspective.

Ken Ryu SFV fist bump

mushin_Z: How often do you encounter players from other cities in Toronto? Do they fit in easily while visiting?

Chokehold: At most of the big tournaments, I’ll encounter a lot of people from other cities coming down to Toronto. Most of the time I’d have to say everyone fits in pretty easily (I hope so?).

Drewface: I mean, it happens almost every four months, so pretty frequently. A lot of people love the Toronto community–it still has that old school hype with the new school cool. Many people fit in and feel comfortable if they get to know the scene. Toronto itself is a beautiful and fun city to be in, as well. Shout-outs to Drake/Tory Lanez/PartyNextDoor.

mushin_Z: Are there any players from outside Toronto you see/compete with regularly?

Chokehold: Outside of Toronto… there is a player named “Bee” from Edmonton that I try and see/compete with as often as I can! Shout-outs to Bee.

Drewface: We often see K-Brad, Noel Brown, Chi-Rithy, Dieminion often. We used to see Andre (Jago) often as well. He loves it here.

mushin_Z: Do you stream?

Brutus: I stream on www.twitch.tv/brutus.

Chokehold: I don’t stream as often as I want, but I do have a Twitch channel. It’s www.twitch.tv/TheChokeh0ld.

Drewface: I stream! I usually show people how to design certain items, or drawing lessons. As well, I run a streetwear brand called The Fifty/Fifty. I grew up from 15-year-old to a 25-year-old in the FGC scene, hence my deep roots and the roots of the brand. [Many Toronto players sport “50/50” as a tag prefix as a sign of support for the brand, including Brutus.] My graphic design portfolio can be found at drewface.com. Also shout-outs to r/StreetFighter, they’ve been supporting my brand since day one. A personal thank you to the scene, and all Fifty/Fifty supporters!

thefiftyxfifty streetwear

mushin_Z: What games other than Street Fighter are you into, and why?

Drewface: Counter Strike Global Offensive (I love FPS), Overwatch, Dark Souls, Zelda, Guilty Gear Xrd, Tetris, Dragon Quest–they’re just fun games.

Chokehold: I really like the Marvel vs. Capcom series, and am pumped for Marvel Infinite. I love those games for the crazy characters and combos, and the fact that every match feels like something new happens is super fun.

mushin_Z: What does Toronto offer a Street Fighter fan that can’t be found anywhere else?

Drewface: Toronto is kinda like Cheers–you walk in and everyone knows your name, and it feels at home. The multiculturalism, and the many faces and connections that have come and gone, can really be anyone or anything. I feel it makes Toronto really unique.

Chokehold: I feel like the Toronto scene offers a Street Fighter fan the opportunity to see a lot of new talent that are slowly and steadily becoming world class. I look forward to seeing the Toronto scene have a bigger impact on the FGC as a whole, in the future.

50/50|Brutus is just one fighter in the “next generation”–players that have grown up alongside the last two Street Fighter titles, after the fading away of the old arcade scene in North America. Toronto and Montréal both naturally draw in a lot of players from the surrounding areas to join their scene, and another young player (and oftentimes commentator with JakyoManor) breaking into the Street Fighter scene in Toronto is Toffee, from Ottawa. I asked her for a few words on what it’s like joining an established FGC scene at her age. She recently brought out her Ibuki to compete at Fight For The 6ix, and shared her experience:

As a younger player, its very easy to be intimidated going into the Toronto scene, there’s a huge amount of trash talking, side-betting, and all sorts of thuggery and rowdy behavior. I, however, was right at home. I have to admit I had a leg up coming in–I had met and interacted with a large majority of the people there. One of the things that drew me to the Toronto scene–instead of the Montréal scene–was the diversity. There are tons of women and young players in the scene. You can imagine as a 15-year-old girl that would make me feel more comfortable, but as I met more and more people, it quickly became more and more apparent how welcoming everyone is.

When I sat down to play, I quickly won over most of the crowd by taking a swift victory. The second match, however, I faced a Bison player who after I took one round, downloaded me and took the first game with a perfect. I began to spiral, panic clouding my judgment. Then, some members of the crowd started to cheer me on, I gathered my thoughts, and went into the next game with my head held high. However–I lost that one too, due to a string of bad decisions. The crowd, however, wanted me to have my redemption. They campaigned for my next match to be on stream, as well. I won my next match thanks to the crowds’ support, and won one more match before going down in losers.

While the Toronto scene may seem hard on the outside, they’re definitely some of the nicest people I’ve met in the FGC, and I can’t wait until I visit again.

Ibuki

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Street Fighting in Toronto, Part 2: Interview with Drewface, Chokehold, & Brutus

A closer look at some of Toronto’s top Street Fighter players and personalities–continued.

toronto map banner

In my prior set of interviews casting a spotlight on Canadian fighting game fanatics, I spoke with members of the Montréal FGC–the MTLSF scene. But right next door to Montréal is the domain of their longtime rivals: Toronto. Perhaps an even a fiercer scene resides in Ontario’s capital, and these two cities combined form a maelstrom of serious Street Fighter competition in Canada. Toronto is also presently playing host to its own Red Bull Proving Grounds regional qualifier: Fight For The 6ix.

To get a look into what makes Toronto’s scene what it is, I reached out to conduct written interviews with six fighters from Canada’s largest city. Yesterday we began with StDxBlitzMan, SJ, and StarmieGee; today we’ll continue with The Fifty/Fifty founder Andrew Le Nguyen, also known as Drewface, competitor and organizer Charles “Chokehold” Downer, and 17-year-old fighter Brutus. Ottawa’s Toffee provides some additional closing comments as well. Responses have been edited for clarity.

mushin_Z: Where are you from, and how long have you been involved with the Toronto fighting game scene?

Drewface: I’m from a borough called York Region, that is one hour away from Toronto. I however identify myself with Toronto, since I’m there more often than I am at home. I’ve been in the Toronto scene for almost ten years now–man, I’m getting old.

drewface

Chokehold: I live in a town about half-an-hour north of Toronto called Richmond Hill. I’ve been involved in the Toronto FGC for about eight years now.

Brutus: I’m from Whitby, Ontario, it’s about a 20-minute train ride away from Toronto. I first got involved in the FGC in 2012 as a spectator sport–I was twelve at the time. I started playing after Evo 2015 with USFIV. I only played USFIV online, and that’s where I met my first community, the A4 community. My first time being involved with the Toronto scene was a weekly for SFV in summer 2016.

mushin_Z: How long have you played Street Fighter games? How did you get started?

Drewface: I’ve played Street Fighter games since I was five years old, on my grandparent’s Super Nintendo with my cousins. My family is highly competitive, so we all strived to beat each other in almost all aspects in life.

Chokehold: I have been playing Street Fighter ever since I got into the scene, around the ’09 boom of new players. I started out watching streams and videos of tournaments on YouTube. Eventually after playing with friends, I went to a tournament at a local comic book store and met some cool people; been around ever since.

chokehold

Brutus: I’ve been playing fighting games casually my whole life from SSF2T, SFIII, MvC2, UMvC3, Injustice, MK9, etc. Competitively, I’ve been playing since post-Evo 2015. I got started because I was watching Evo, and a friend messaged me asking for USFIV tips (he knew I played fighting games casually), from that I learned the game was on sale on Steam and bought it.

mushin_Z: What is your favorite game in the Street Fighter series, and why?

Drewface: My favorite Street Fighter is Super Street Fighter II Turbo, it’s easy to pick up yet difficult to master, and still holds up in fun factor today. It goes to show you don’t have to balance everything to make it fun.

Chokehold: It would have to be Street fighter IV, more specifically USFIV, because I liked the long combos and Red Focus Attacks.

Brutus: My favorite game in the franchise is definitely a coin toss between USFIV and SFV. USFIV got me into the scene, and I’ll always have good memories of it. SFV is the game I’m having the most success in, and I love playing it.

mushin_Z: Do you prefer a fightstick, pad, or hitbox?

Chokehold: Fightstick.

Brutus: I used to play on pad when I played casually, but now I play on an arcade stick.

Drewface: Initially when I started, I loved using a Dual Shock 2 pad–but now I 100% prefer an arcade stick over any other medium for fighting games.

mushin_Z: Who do you main, and why? Is there a character you wish was selectable in Street Fighter V, but isn’t (yet)?

Chokehold: In SFV I main R. Mika, because I like how when you get her V-Trigger, it kind of feels like you have an assist from Marvel vs. Capcom. Also she fits my playstyle–I like to rush down.

sfv_r_mika_nadeshiko_punish

Drewface: I play Ryu, I love the characterization and personality he has; he is a student of fighting and always strives to be the best he can be. Competitively, I feel like he encompasses a wholistic learning approach to even be competent with him. Thus, I will always respect any Ryu player, since Ryu has to overcome game mechanics with basic fundamentals to win.

sfv ryu arms crossed cover

Brutus: I main Zangief because I love to mind games and hard reads. Zangief really rewards that. Also I love playing to entertain the crowd, and I think my playstyle with Zangief really does that well. If I could add one character, it would definitely be Cody. I think his game plan from USFIV would be really strong in this game. Just don’t destroy his frame data [laughs].

Drewface: There are quite a few characters I would love to see; I would love to see Sodom or any samurai/sword wielding character in the series (even Garuda), Skullomania–since I love characters with funny personalities–and Sagat.

Chokehold: The Canadian ice hockey character that shoots hockey pucks for fireballs, and whacks people with a stick–yeah, I’d love to see that in SFV.

mushin_Z: What’s your best matchup, in your opinion? Worst?

Drewface: My best matchup is the mirror match/shoto mirrors. It’s just plain Street Fighter, and I can really express myself in that match in every game, despite how dull Street Fighter can get. My worst are generally newer characters to the series, and heavy mixup characters.

Brutus: My best matchup is Laura. I practice against a really good Laura player a lot, so I don’t think there’s anything a Laura could do to surprise me. Also I think Zangief beats her up pretty bad. My worst matchup is definitely Dhalsim. I have a lot of tech to fight the character, but it’s such an uphill battle. I need to practice with Shane Walker more.

Chokehold: I feel like my best matchup is probably Dhalsim, because one of my good friends that I practice with a lot uses him. Also that matchup in general is pretty good for Mika–once she gets in, Dhalsim has a hard time getting away, I feel.

sfv_dhalsim_critical_art_start

mushin_Z: Where do you usually play?

Drewface: I generally play at three places: Toronto HQ, a place I call home, and where most of Toronto’s FGC culture is developed. Any Friday night and you’ll see a Canadian star-studded cast of former and current top players socializing, having a good time and best of all throwing down. It is definitely the pinnacle of Toronto Street Fighter and the best part is, it’s unique. It is run by the community and made for the community. It closes late and you can get a ton of great sets in to learn from an OG, or any competent Canadian player–and its run out of a storage room, like you’d see in Storage Wars. Shout-outs to Paul187, DarkDragon and the HQ team.

Next: Akiba Kissa, a cafe that is based off of otaku culture, and has its own arcade room. This is my new place to play and I’m here just having a great drink or chomping on some pocky while mashing buttons with my friends. It’s fun, relaxing, and one of the great places to play at. It is currently my favorite place to play, and it has a great selection of manga too, so when I’m salty I can read Berserk or Vagabond.

Finally, A&C Games, one of the hotspots in Toronto; it is the place to play on Wednesday nights and run by TorontoTopTiers–it’s a friendly place, and a great starting point for anyone going down the FGC rabbit hole.

TorontoTopTiers website banner

Brutus: I’m mainly an online warrior. The weekly I go to the most is TorontoTopTiers, AKA Stun City. I can’t go as much as I want to, because of school/travel costs.

Chokehold: I usually just practice at home with friends. Also, I try and go to the Toronto weeklies as much as I can. As of late, I’ve been going to some of Toronto’s new esports bars. Places like Raiders E-sports Bar and Meltdown. Great to see the esports presence growing in Toronto. Red Bull is running Proving Grounds: Fight For The 6ix at Raiders, and the TorontoTopTiers weeklies being held at Meltdown.

mushin_Z: Your thoughts on online competition?

Drewface: I rarely play online, I believe lag ruins the experience and Capcom has failed to deliver a suitable online environment for player development–once again. I’ve seen great players learn online, and I’ve seen terrible habits develop online. I believe the real experience is not based on online rankings, but the good old tournaments, so I always encourage the social aspect of meeting up offline and sharing the passion of fighting games and conversing in what we all have in common.

Chokehold: I don’t play online too often. I’m in the Diamond ranks. The online competition can be pretty fierce; for me personally, I use it to train matchups and try new things out. If I play for too long, I feel that I develop bad habits and the bad connections can get frustrating.

Brutus: People online are definitely a lot more nutty, but I think playing against those types of players teaches you to adapt really fast.

sfv_guile_vs_zangief_somersault_kick

mushin_Z: In your opinion, who are the players to watch in the Toronto community?

Chokehold: There are a lot of players that I get excited to watch in the Toronto scene, there’s a young guy named Rass who’s been beating people up with Balrog, GentleStep is an Ibuki player that has improved a lot lately, Sin is a Bison player that is new to the scene and is really solid, I could go on with a whole list of names. I really just like watching the Toronto scene grow, every year it seems like it’s getting bigger and there is some new talent popping up.

Brutus: Current top five in Toronto, in no order, in my opinion are Rass, Solomon, Sin, Shane Walker and Italdan.

Drewface: Well, here’s a detailed list that I bet most people wouldn’t have:
– KS-Tali: Famous for being a troll, but offline he helps others around him get better, and on top of that with his methodical offensive play and air tight setups, he is bound for greatness as long as he enjoys the game. In Ultra Street Fighter IV his Poison was a pioneer in innovation, and in competitive play he has made a name for himself.
– Amato: The epitome of passion and emotion, his exciting decision-making and thorough analysis on the fly make him a well-versed player and fun to watch as well.
– SJ: Probably the most talented player I’ve experienced watching in a while, with a great attitude and hunger for success. His talent for skill knows no bounds and he continues to surprise me with his progress in any game–the man touches a game and he’s good or great at it. He’s great at Marvel, defeating a slew of known players in America, (Justin Wong, Unknown, Flux to name a few), and in Street Fighter he is no joke either.
– Italdan: One of the hardest-working players I know, and a veteran who finally is recognized for his skill. He’s always been representing Toronto well, and has a great understanding of momentum. He has great mental fortitude and always makes every match exciting.
– Shane Walker: A ‘sim player with an aggressive style and a personality to match. The most electrifying man in Toronto FGC today.
– GentleStep: A player whose execution show no limits and methodical breakdown make him a threat in the future. His play in SFIV was fantastic and technical, and while Street Fighter V is not as technical as SFIV, he still manages to impress everyone in Toronto with creativity and ability to respond to situations with the most optimal answer.
– Broshadian: A player whose intuition and reads are fantastic–his Spider-Man in Marvel 3 and Abel in Street Fighter IV were known to upset a few names. He was the best in Toronto for Street Fighter IV.
– BlitzMan: A great student of the game, and best of all just a fun guy to be around, always joking around and equally kicking ass, he has always been able to stay on top of the scene with his great play, ability to learn, and risk-reward assessment.
– LES: Some may say he’s the best Bison in North America; with his technical knowledge, great reads, and pressure, he is no joke. He doesn’t come out as often but when he does, he never fails to make a splash. And he’s a great graphic designer!
– Chokehold: One of the best Marvel players we have, and one of the best Mikas! He’s defeated Chi-Rithy in Street Fighter V, won tournaments, and was at the pinnacle of Toronto Marvel play. A great attitude, and aggressive style with great reads, he never fails to entertain and place well.
– Jimmy Fierce: The best Ryu in Canada–whenever he comes out of the cave, he always shows people what clean and fundamental look like. Fantastic player and a shoto brother-in-arms.
– General Luke: In Street Fighter IV his pressure with Bison was fantastic and suffocating. In Street Fighter V his ability to change the pace and capitalize on it makes him a threat.
– Vastend: A newblood in Street Fighter V who quickly rose through the ranks with his great pressure, surprising everyone. His timing on offense, and ability to assess as a situation, make him an exciting player to watch. I can’t wait to see how he grows into becoming a great player in the scene.
– Baked Eyez: A highly energetic player, with creativity to match, he always finds new ways to open you up and that’s what makes him fun to watch, and one of the players to keep an eye out for.
– Sin: A player that can control the pace to a whim, his Bison pressure and ability to strive under pressure make him also great to watch. His hunger to learn and improve make him a threat.
– Solomon: A newblood in Street Fighter V, his Balrog and Birdie knows no fear, and with his great insight/views on Street fighter V he’s definitely fun to watch. Using “turns” and momentum really well have made him win a few locals recently. His passion for Street Fighter V and positive personality make him another player to watch along with Vastend.
– Flipside: A player who is continuing to learn with Karin, a new blood in Street Fighter V. He continues to pull upsets and shows great development in his play rising through Toronto ranks in weeklies.
– CountBlack: His Elena was awesome, and his Laura as equally entertaining as it is knowledgeable. While he doesn’t come out much, he is always someone to pay attention to when he does.
– OrangeMan: His Rashid play make him a sleeper for any top 8 in Majors!

rashid

mushin_Z: How has the Toronto FGC impacted your experience with the game? Has your own skill improved through interaction with the Toronto SF scene, and has involvement with the Toronto FGC increased your enjoyment of fighting games?

Drewface: There are times when I don’t enjoy playing the game–it’s tiring, boring. The scene is what brings me back, the people, the hype moments, the friends I’ve made. I wouldn’t trade this for anything. My skill in not only Street Fighter has improved, but my graphic design ability–my views and perspectives on things have grown from growing up in the scene.

Chokehold: My experience with the scene has been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone is really nice, and I’ve met some lifelong friends for sure. Although I do feel like the Toronto scene sometimes needs a reminder to stick together–especially when internationals come down for big tournaments like Canada Cup. My skill has definitely improved having played in the scene, getting to play new people/playstyles is always a good thing, in my opinion.

Brutus: The Toronto scene has been nothing but a positive force. They’re super cool guys/girls to talk to and hang around. One way Toronto helped me improve is with my nerves; just playing these guys on a competitive level offline has helped my nerves a lot.

mushin_Z: Has any particular player acted as a mentor, or a rival for you?

Drewface: Gerjay, Teddy Bauza, and Jamie and Rey for ST have helped me a lot. My rivals have always been Jimmy Fierce and Blueblazer since we were kids. (But they body me fraaay…)

Brutus: My ‘Gief brother is definitely Ironstien. We trade tech and help each other out a lot. I have two current rivals: my most prominant rival is Shane Walker. Shane has always bodied me, so it’s a goal of mine to take a FT3 off of him in tournament. My second rival is Italdan. Me and Italdan have only played twice. Both matches were last game, last round. He won the first set, and I won the second. Since then there has been some friendly trash talk between us on who would win the next set, so it’ll be very interesting.

sfv zangief flex

mushin_Z: What major tournaments have you attended? Have you traveled to tournaments outside of Canada?

Drewface: Toryuken, Canada Cup (all the Toronto ones), NEC 2011, Winter Brawl (last year), MAT, LanETs, Rumble in the Tundras. I have traveled…

Chokehold: I’ve attended a lot of major tournaments over the years, outside of Canada some of my faves would have to be CEO, Summer Jam, and SoCal Regionals.

Brutus: The only offline major I attended was Canada Cup 2016. I’ve never been outside of Canada.

mushin_Z: How well have you placed? How would you describe the experience of traveling to compete?

Brutus: I drowned in pools. I went 2-2. I lost to XSK_Samurai, and LordJimmyBones‘ Dhalsim.

Chokehold: I got top 32 at this past Summer Jam for SFV; in Canada I’ve won a couple events for SFV and UMvC3 as well. The experience of travelling to compete is great, I like meeting new people and seeing new places.

Drewface: Depending on the game, my placement has a huge variation from either drowning in pools to top 32. The experience of bonding with people in your community and getting an insight on other scenes is something any person in the FGC should always do. It gives you an outside perspective.

Ken Ryu SFV fist bump

mushin_Z: How often do you encounter players from other cities in Toronto? Do they fit in easily while visiting?

Chokehold: At most of the big tournaments, I’ll encounter a lot of people from other cities coming down to Toronto. Most of the time I’d have to say everyone fits in pretty easily (I hope so?).

Drewface: I mean, it happens almost every four months, so pretty frequently. A lot of people love the Toronto community–it still has that old school hype with the new school cool. Many people fit in and feel comfortable if they get to know the scene. Toronto itself is a beautiful and fun city to be in, as well. Shout-outs to Drake/Tory Lanez/PartyNextDoor.

mushin_Z: Are there any players from outside Toronto you see/compete with regularly?

Chokehold: Outside of Toronto… there is a player named “Bee” from Edmonton that I try and see/compete with as often as I can! Shout-outs to Bee.

Drewface: We often see K-Brad, Noel Brown, Chi-Rithy, Dieminion often. We used to see Andre (Jago) often as well. He loves it here.

mushin_Z: Do you stream?

Brutus: I stream on www.twitch.tv/brutus.

Chokehold: I don’t stream as often as I want, but I do have a Twitch channel. It’s www.twitch.tv/TheChokeh0ld.

Drewface: I stream! I usually show people how to design certain items, or drawing lessons. As well, I run a streetwear brand called The Fifty/Fifty. I grew up from 15-year-old to a 25-year-old in the FGC scene, hence my deep roots and the roots of the brand. [Many Toronto players sport “50/50” as a tag prefix as a sign of support for the brand, including Brutus.] My graphic design portfolio can be found at drewface.com. Also shout-outs to r/StreetFighter, they’ve been supporting my brand since day one. A personal thank you to the scene, and all Fifty/Fifty supporters!

thefiftyxfifty streetwear

mushin_Z: What games other than Street Fighter are you into, and why?

Drewface: Counter Strike Global Offensive (I love FPS), Overwatch, Dark Souls, Zelda, Guilty Gear Xrd, Tetris, Dragon Quest–they’re just fun games.

Chokehold: I really like the Marvel vs. Capcom series, and am pumped for Marvel Infinite. I love those games for the crazy characters and combos, and the fact that every match feels like something new happens is super fun.

mushin_Z: What does Toronto offer a Street Fighter fan that can’t be found anywhere else?

Drewface: Toronto is kinda like Cheers–you walk in and everyone knows your name, and it feels at home. The multiculturalism, and the many faces and connections that have come and gone, can really be anyone or anything. I feel it makes Toronto really unique.

Chokehold: I feel like the Toronto scene offers a Street Fighter fan the opportunity to see a lot of new talent that are slowly and steadily becoming world class. I look forward to seeing the Toronto scene have a bigger impact on the FGC as a whole, in the future.

50/50|Brutus is just one fighter in the “next generation”–players that have grown up alongside the last two Street Fighter titles, after the fading away of the old arcade scene in North America. Toronto and Montréal both naturally draw in a lot of players from the surrounding areas to join their scene, and another young player (and oftentimes commentator with JakyoManor) breaking into the Street Fighter scene in Toronto is Toffee, from Ottawa. I asked her for a few words on what it’s like joining an established FGC scene at her age. She recently brought out her Ibuki to compete at Fight For The 6ix, and shared her experience:

As a younger player, its very easy to be intimidated going into the Toronto scene, there’s a huge amount of trash talking, side-betting, and all sorts of thuggery and rowdy behavior. I, however, was right at home. I have to admit I had a leg up coming in–I had met and interacted with a large majority of the people there. One of the things that drew me to the Toronto scene–instead of the Montréal scene–was the diversity. There are tons of women and young players in the scene. You can imagine as a 15-year-old girl that would make me feel more comfortable, but as I met more and more people, it quickly became more and more apparent how welcoming everyone is.

When I sat down to play, I quickly won over most of the crowd by taking a swift victory. The second match, however, I faced a Bison player who after I took one round, downloaded me and took the first game with a perfect. I began to spiral, panic clouding my judgment. Then, some members of the crowd started to cheer me on, I gathered my thoughts, and went into the next game with my head held high. However–I lost that one too, due to a string of bad decisions. The crowd, however, wanted me to have my redemption. They campaigned for my next match to be on stream, as well. I won my next match thanks to the crowds’ support, and won one more match before going down in losers.

While the Toronto scene may seem hard on the outside, they’re definitely some of the nicest people I’ve met in the FGC, and I can’t wait until I visit again.

Ibuki