Any Akira tips?

I like to play Akira, but I'm much better with Wolf. When playing against a person, the difference becomes even greater. Just for example...

Wolf: Stormlord, 603/100, 85%
Akira: Champion, 320/78, 80%

I think my main problem with Akira is approaching characters from mid-range. Often times I'm not sure what to do.

Here's a round from today. It's not how I normally play (so don't jump on me for going ST->Yoho), but the opponent wasn't 10th dan so I didn't have to worry losing.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/nightz/noapics/dlc.avi

 

Shouldn't this be in the "Character and Technique Training" forum?

 

they probably should have searched and not even posted. More has been written about akira on this site than I think about anyone else. If you can't win with akira you might as well tie cinder blocks to your testicles and jump off a cliff into atlantic ocean.


juuust kidding.

 

Creeds right, there is alot of stuff on Akira, but i think that posting videos is a cool idea, and may be a good way to get advice from others. Unfortunately i dont really play akira so i cant give you any, just wanted to say i liked your idea /versus/images/icons/wink.gif

 

yeah posting vids for critique is brave. I went ahead and watched.

Akira is awesome for approaching at midrange. Probably your best and safest approach is single palm (D,f+P)... it's virtually uncounterable and a nice chunk of damage if it hits.

Another good approach is df+P+K. If it hits without knockdown, there's a simple 50/50 guessing game you can force on them: f,f,f+P or throw. If you think they will do anything except dodge or guard... f,f,f+P. Otherwise throw. Mix up your throws so that they don't escape it.
Naturally if it knocks down do f,f+K,K for the free, easy combo.

Finally there is the SDE [f,f,f+P] ... arguably the best attack in the game. It's fast, has long range, and is safe if blocked. If you approach a human and rapidly tap you'll scare them into thinking you're going to do the elbow, and can run right up and throw them sometimes. Or cut loose with the elbow and if it interrupts their attack, take your free f,f+K,K combo.


Finally, the issue with all of these midrange attacks is that they're dodgeable, but the timing on each is different. f,f,f+P is so fast that if they didn't time it just right, akira will hit them anyway. df+P+K is slow and even if they dodged early (and did the large dodge) it will sort of track and smack their ankles, sometimes for the knockdown. Then single palm is in between those. Of all of these single palm is the safest and hardest to punish because they're far away after blocking. I'd practice doing to move in to about sidekick range and then .