Minami Step analysis of doom.

What is your favorite step? Even though you don't like Akira and nor play as him, you probably have heard about the Minami step which made Minami Akira one of most famous Akira players in Japan.

(Actually, the name Minami had been famous way before Minami Akira due to the Kage player in a bit different passion. Oh, well)

What I realized while studying the step was the step alone doesn't improve your Akira skill as much as you want. In order to the step to be effective, you will need solid understanding of the game, a good fuzzy guarding skill, and most importantly, lots of practices.
(well, what doesn't need practices?)

Now, making the intro short, I will start the analysis.

1. Basic.

As the basics of Minami steps, you need these 2
steps.

(hold) , then neutral


The essence of the step comes from these two, and applications of those is the reason why his step looks and works different from the others players'.

[Hold] , neutal is used to get closer to opponents when opponents have advantages.

Here, normally other Akira players use to cancle the step, but it leaves Akira just standing there.

On the other hand, Minami does [hold] then neutral. It actually has some meanings in it.

First of all, the motion looks unusual. If it is done right,
in the opponents point of view, it seems like Akira is cancling crouch dashes twice. But, Akira doesn't come as close to the opponent as when two crouch dashes are cancled. The opponent gets suprised.

In the situation above, + or , is what Minami does.

The purpose of the step is makeing opponents confused and not know what to do for a short period of time. Moreover, if opponents try to use standing for poking, due to the timing of the step, the punch will whiff, and Akira will be standing right afterward. If opponents try to do low attacks, there is a timing Akira can easily block it. (If you try out the step, you will be able to see it)

When Akira uses this, opponents will have hard time
doing fuzzy guard while going back. In order to deal with the step, the opponent has to use mid attacks quickly. Therefore, it works well against the players who play defensively. The mid attacks opponents do can be guarded with experience. (You need some fuzzy guard skill here , and Minami guards it well.)

is good in a close and mid distiance. This one is like a sword with two sides.
If you do it in a wrong situation, you can get hit while going backward. This step helps you to retreat about 0.5 inches. If you get used to doing it and use it properly, in a close distance, you can provoke your opponent's elbows and make it whiff.

2. More in depth.

Minami wonders around the ring but attacks well while
doesn't get hit much. Does Minami uses step all the time? The answer is no. Minami doesn't use the steps in a very close distance. These are the situations, when Minami doesn't use the steps much.

-Disadvataged situations.
Rather than using his step, In a mid distance( the distace where s can reach.), Minami does fuzzy guard very quickly to get out of situation. He rarely
uses the opposite nitaku in disadvantaged situations, and if he sees opponents coming toward him, he uses fast attacks such as standing or to interupt attacks.

and then, when he sees an opening, he retreats with [neutral] or .

After that, when he gets suitable distance or the opponent's adavantage has gone, he uses his steps to make the game in his pace.

3. Utilization.

If the basic two steps are mastered, you can apply it in a real battle. You need to practice it to be able to use it apporopriately. Not to mention. recognizing opponents pattern and the space is very important.


: In a mid distance, when opponents are more focusing on defense than offense.
Things you can do after the step: Throw or standing to get initiative.


: while crouch forward dashing, retreat a bit to see what your opponent does.

+
: Throw when your opponent got froze.

+
: Variation of throw


: when the opponent try to poke or somethig.


: To keep more pressure on the opponent


: crouch dash forward while backdashing.


: to retreate long distance.


: Going back and forth.


: Keep retreating defensively.


: Dashing forward


:Forward dashing into a backdash

4. Application.
Here is the real battle applications.

In an elbow distance:
+

In the distance which DE can reach the opponent
:(quickly)

In a disadvantaged situation. (When you are being attacked by an elbow or something)
:Quick fuzzy guarding. When Minami sees the opponent coming toward him, he uses a fast attack(mainly punches) to interupt.

And then, when there is an opening, retreat by using or

In a mid range with adavantage,
(SDE)

Coming toward the opponent with slight advantages.
(DE)
-> It will make the attack a bit delayed for creating of confusion.

In a close or mid range with an uncertain situation.

-> Minami hardly use a low punch if there is a mid range distance between him and opponent.

In a long distance, when both playes use step to find an opening.
++

-> While spacing, Minami uses ++ which is safe and sabakies low punch.

In a mid range with slight advanges.
. Fuzzy guard

Get more safe while doing steps With the fuzzy guard at the end, and move freely afterward.


: Use of defensive . (I.e against Shun)


: simply showing off



: again simply for showing off. He does it after rounds.

5.After notes.
:Even though, I am posting this for the purpose of sharing infor with VFDC members, this doesn't mean
I can do all the steps. I think my left hand may need a repair for this. /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Even though it wouldn't be myself, but It would be still great to see people on this site master the step and use it freely at gatherings since now infors are out here. I encourage you to try this steps out since eventhough you don't get all of them, it is still useful in many ways.

Thank you Hakbumo Akira for providing information, and if you have comments or question, feel free to post here or PM me.

Cheers,

P.S Shou, I told you I will do this. You should play as Akira again. /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

WOW /versus/images/graemlins/shocked.gif this is superb.Yeah looks like I've a LOT of practice to do now...thanks a lot for the post btw this is really good work /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

 

I don't really know how useful it would be for most people to try and duplicate the steps... I think it's more useful to see how each motion string into one another and the applications of each motion and then incorporate them into your own play best fit to your style.

imo the best "step" is still "linney"...



also to add onto this... when I watched ohsu play, he likes to ... pretty much forward crouch canceling.. to advance and see what you do. He will throw if you freeze or go for if he sees evade.. so I guess that is similar to minami...

the coolest looking movement imo if you just want to show off...

 

Thanks for that.I must say I'm not intending to really use minami stepping all the time in my play...its just something to have there that is useful to use.

I already employ some stepping to my technique and vary it up between
++ etc...
etc...
repeat ( is this Taiwan stepping btw?)
>> etc...this one is by far my favourite...I've seen Ohsu cancelling his kicks into throws , namely ST for nice play.
I'm also trying to incorporate ++ into my play to act as a finish to a set pattern of stepping to throw off my opponent /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif.
Thanks for the advice though.

 

Thanks Madagascar, nice post!
I've been looking for information about this.

 

What's the difference between and just ? Is the 1st one faster??...because the 2nd one is pretty fast. Also, I can't even do it. Is there like an easier explanation to how to do this properly? My character stops mid dash and guards, then dashes back and it looks all choppy. Any help on this? I'm sure others are wondering the same thing.

thanks

 

How much more adavanced are these movements when used with Brad and buffering in sways?

 

Great post. Thanks alot.

 

it's all in the timing of the movements.. being able to input these movements is not very hard.. the hard thing is to learn the timing and make the transitions between different movements smooth and fast..

/versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

Modest: or etc.. Using instead of returning to neutral makes for a smoother and faster step. So whether you use or not, you're step will be faster when you use instead of neutral.

 

You mean like roll the joystick, right? From to in a nice fluid motion? And not let up to neutral?

Because I just now realized that yesterday. But I'll try it with guard now. I still need to practice the guard one. Didnt think to try the roll technique with guard. though. Thanks.

 

Is it just me, or do certain characters have a better cancel-step than others?

Whenever I use Brad, his cancelled CD seems much smoother than other characters (Lei-Fei for example). Maybe it's just my imagination.



/me runs off to the VF dojo to (successfully?) combine minami-step with sways. /versus/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

I don't think it's your imagination. For some reason I've always felt that Kage, Akira, Jacky and Sarah have a better step than most characters.

How many Wolf players step around? Jeff? Shun? etc?

 

My big question is this; since high attacks whiff the step, and low and mid attacks can be fuzzy guarded, what can be done to stop this?

 

Any crescent should be able to interrupt the dodge part.

 

If a crescent doesn't work, you can always punch your opponnent right next to you. Or at least push him a little so he stops moving the stick like a mad man. It usually works, and it's a really developed technique, created only for those with good legs, ready to run out of the arcade, and a marvelous touch for lying when someone else besides your opponnent asks you: "Did you push him??". Of course you'll answer: "No, He just stopped doing the minami step, then I managed to win the match and he started whining saying I pushed him. It's all bullshit..". Ah, don't forget to smile.

I hoped this resolution helps on your question about stopping minami step. /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

Fuzzy guarding is part intuition, part guessing--it is by no means a technique that's guaranteed to stop everything. Characters are still either standing or crouching (or dodging I suppose) when fuzzy guarding, and can be hit accordingly.

 

There are quite a few ways to beat fuzzy guarding. Short forward dash into throw or mid. The short dash is to bait the opponent to stand up or mess up the timing of his fuzzy guarding. You can also just use low attacks or sweeps, since most likely the opponent will stand up to block the mid or high attack.. /versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think it's your imagination. For some reason I've always felt that Kage, Akira, Jacky and Sarah have a better step than most characters.

How many Wolf players step around? Jeff? Shun? etc?


[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps they have a better "step game" than other chars llan, but I don't think the actual CD'ing differs at all between characters. Except in appearance, where some chars just look better moving into and out of "steps".