Akira Specific Techniques Against Lei-Fei

I'm relatively new to Virtua Fighter 5 and, for that matter, to the VF series. That doesn't stop me, however, from loving the game to death. Immediately the character that stood out to me as my favorite was Akira. I love his play style and learned his moves. Taking my fights online made the game even better. I feel I'm doing relatively well too. (W: 126 L:120 2nd Dan)

If there is one thing, though, that I REALLY need help with it's dealing with Lei-Fei. For some reason, regardless of the player's rank or Win-Loss record, I can't beat this guy! At first, I took Lei-Fei for a spin in the dojo to learn his moves. That didn't help. I then went to the Black Book techniques for Lei-Fei. This sort of helped, but the section I was most interested in--Vs Lei-Fei--had moves and techniques specific to Lei-Fei players fighting their doppelganger.

What I really want to know, is if there are any Akira specific moves that can be used against Lei-Fei.

 

You just need to mix up your highs and lows better, it sounds like. Work on blocking and sidestepping Lei-fei's basic strings and consider how to keep pressure on him, and you can go from there. You can take most of the combos on the Wiki and find good offensive techniques, but you might consider playing a few matches to see what works with Lei-fei, and consider any trouble you have in play with him (AFTER you learn a bit of his moves) as problems the opponents might have too and cater to them.

Remember also Lei-fei's countering stances. If your opponent is going into those stances a lot and you're getting caught over and over, that's a sign that you're not slowing down to see what's happening.

 

When you are dealing with Lei Fei's reversal stance here are some good moves:

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif
/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif
/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif

They will hit him out of his stance as they are either knees, double limb, or shoulders.

If he is in this low stance i'd try using low kicks or maybe even /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif I guess, not so sure with Akira.

In his backturned stance YOU DEFINATELY want to go with a shoulder or double limb to beat the sabaki.

Try to evade his deadly stuff like /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif or the staggering low kicks.

 

Thanks. :] There is one thing, though, that I keep seeing (and just saw in your reply) in any Akira tutorial/technique guide: pressuring. What does that mean? Akira is supposed to really good at that so I guess knowing it would be a little helpful. Does it mean pressing moves on a turtle? I have no idea what I'm saying. XD

 

What I do against Lei Fei, is break his 3 attack strings.

Learn to recognize which stance he's in a what moves he can perform while in those stances.

Never attack him when his back is turned.

He's very easy to side step, and you can usually side step all his attacks.

Use mid kicks, use as /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif or the full three step combo (mix that up a bit). /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif is very good for breaking any low stance attacks or of launching when you see that he's open to attack. You can follow this up with a double palm if you lauched him successfully.

He's weak against quick low attacks such as /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, if you break his combos with that pressure him with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, or any mid attack.
/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif and /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif is very useful against Lei Fei as well.

If he's in a countering stance, which is usually standing on one leg waiting for you to attack or back stance. Don't use normal high or normal mid attacks. If he's in forward facing counter stance you can use, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif to break him out if you're far enough and can hit him or, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif also works.

In Back counter stance you can side step his back kick or low attacks.

Also the fundamental thing when fighting Lei Fei is to stay calm, identify his moves. And then counter attack with mid kick, mid punch, low punch or side step depending on the moves he's doing. Then once he's done trying to attack you wave after wave, just pressure him with Akira. But make sure your attacks work, if you don't do damage, Block or If you notice he will block your attacks, provoke him with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif and mix up with a bit of low punch then double palm attack, or do a punch punch grab, and punish him for blocking you.

The best thing to do though, is what I did. And get someone who's a really good Lei Fei player, or someone you can't beat, and play them over and over using the advice I suggested to countering Lei Fei and you'll start to see what I'm talking about. He's easy to beat afterward once you know exactly what moves he can do in his stances, and when you can break his attacks.

I good combo to use is /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif after /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif it breaks any mid or low attacks Lei Fei might do, it doesn't work 100% of the time, BUT.... if the /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif hits and the person doesn't tech roll out of the last attack (which hits them on the floor) you can follow up with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif for more damage and finish if you want with a down punch (ground hit I mean).

 

Good advice above. Good to remember two things:

1. Good Lei-feis(or non-mashers) will need time to set up their offense. Use long-range moves and dashing moves to disrupt them as ofen as you can.

2. Knees and elbows are your friend and consider throwing instead of attacking at his back. He can and will sabaki or just beat your attack from behind. Watch what you're doing carefully and use range as best you can.

3. EVADE his stupid charge by moving towards his back. I can' stress this enough, because scrubs WILL ABUSE THIS MOVE. You'll know it when you see it, because of it's INCESSANT FREQUENCY.

 

Against Lei Fei scrubs who use long strings of punches and kicks that leave them at advantage i think that using moves with bult-in backdash should be nice. Now, i'm a vanessa player and that works for me *BUT* i know akira has this mid punch where he does a backstep afterwards /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif, that could effectively trick lei face mashers to whiff and then get smacked by a fast advancing followup. Don't know if the canned followups are any good though so you'll have to check with somebody else on that.

Another thing that akira has going on for him, is that low punch /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif that foot crumbles on counterhit, the one where he can do the double hopkicks afterwards - that'd go under most moves string-happy players will throw at you in the begining of the round for some nice damage and demoralising.

Btw, if you're playing akira you *shouldn't* get sabakied by lei fei, just use more moves that are double handed. Or the shoulder ram. Hell, i'm betting low punch -> shoulder ram stagger should destroy 90% of the Lei Fei scrubs you meet online.

 

Lei Fei can turn the tide of the battle towards his side and keep it there, but so can Akira! Often, Lei Fei will try to do a lot of canned strings and hold you on the defensive. Lei Fei’s love to hit attack buttons so most likely when you interrupt with low punch (which is your bread and butter against Lei Fei to stop his strings) and follow up with a quick attack, he won’t block and, instead, he’ll keep attacking, giving you a counter hit. A SDE (super dashing elbow) works well, or my favorite is low punch into double palm.

Unless they are really bad they’ll learn to block after a couple of those low punch into mid-attacks and then it’s time to switch to low punch and then stand and throw them while they are trying to block the double palm they think you are going to throw.

With Akira, pressuring means staying on the attack and forcing your opponent to defend. If you use his elbows (which are very important to him) to keep the attack up and interrupt with low punch when he tries to mount his offense, you can keep him at bay. It’s kind of like football where they say to keep the other team’s offense off the field. If you keep Lei Fei on the defense with your aggression he is less dangerous because he’s not able to mount his attack.

With his back turned or up on one foot I look for side kicks and shoulder rams to stagger and follow with a double jump kick. He is a confusing opponent period so it’s hard to predict what he is going to do. That’s why you should stay on the attack and be the aggressor so you don’t have to worry about him mixing it up. If he tries to stop your punches by going on one leg it’s time to switch to kicks. The double palm and shoulder ram are great follow ups for Akira because neither can be reversed or sabaki’d. If you stagger him with the shoulder look for big damage, you need to get your damage in when you have the opening. Lei Fei can do damage quickly without taking many risks so he can make you pay for your mistakes. Always watch out for that low stagger from one leg too, that is going to hurt you if he combos off of it.

 

I guess i should fight a lei fei lol, I have YET to fight a single good leifei online(partially because they arent on my friends list lol)

 

I know a few people here suggested to not attack him when he's backturned - if I recall correctly he has options to either Sabaki mids or sabaki lows (when he's in the backturned/crouching stance). However, as gernburgs mentioned, he CANNOT sabaki shoulders and double fist attacks, therefore making his backturned stance less dangerous, because Akira has a very fast shoulder attack ( /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif is only 18 frames) that can lead to pretty good damage on a backturned opponent.

Basically I think /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif is damn great vs Lei.

I also think backcrouchdash --> double palm is a great approach. A lot of Lei players are overly aggressive, and backdash double palm stops them pretty fast (and pretty safe too on block). /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/db.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif + /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/g.gif then /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif for SDE is also fairly nice for stopping aggressive Lei players, as it offers nice reward on counterhit (DLC).

 

His best attack for a back turned Lei Fei is /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif. Just have to be fast. That stops back turning. On evo this is almost half damage, its been reduced now however. Its also safer if you can succesfully dodge his string first. Try 2 back dashes and Just frame knee or /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif. Sure some of these are risky but you cant win with your hands in you pockets.