VF3TB Uramawari

URAMAWARI
=========

You've been knocked down.  But it's no big deal since you're ahead of your
opponent and time is running out.  You roll off to the side to buy some time
while considering your Rising options.  You decide to go with a high rising
attack knowing that you get a throw if it hits and counting on your Yomi skills
if it is blocked.  Your attack comes out but something is wrong!  The attack
missed completely, in fact you're facing the wrong way.  The opponent doles out
some impressive damage and all of a sudden a game you were winning has become a
game you have lost.

Seem familiar?  Most of us have been on the receiving end of this secenario at
one point or another.  It is Uramawari, it is powerful and in the right hands
it can be the turning point of any game. 

Uramawari is a Japanese term that when translated literally means "rotate
back".  The kanji for Ura stands for "reverse side", "wrong side" or "back"
while mawari can be read as "it rotates".  Uramawari rotates the wrong side of
the opponent towards you.

Now that we know that it's time to actually look at the thing itself. 
Uramawari can seem mystifying even to those who know how to do it in certain
situations but the reality is that it is quite easy to understand  if you know
the different types and the rules they follow.  Two types?  You probably
thought Ura was Ura.  Well not really, there are actually two kinds of
Uramawari in VF3tb:  There is Mechanical Ura and Observational Ura. 

Before we get into the two different types lets first consider the practical
mechanics of Uramawari.  Some veterans of play have declined to cite examples
and formulaes stating that there is a certain feeling you get when you are
about to apply Ura that lets you know if it will work or not.  This is no doubt
true but the fact is that certain conditions or setups lend themselves to the
application more than others.  Knowing how to spot those conditions will allow
you to "feel" the ura coming more and more.  Here are the conditions that lend
themselves to the successful application of Uramawari.  Actually, there is
really only one.

The opponent needs to fall in an "awkward" manner.  This means that the nice
opponent has landed outside of the feet towards, head up posture.  That's it. 

Think of a clock with you standing at 6 o' clock and the opponent's feet
representing the hour hand.  Any time the opponet's feet are at 6 they can be
considered safe, any time the opponent lands outside of this time they begin to
stray into problem territory.  An opponent who lands at 4:00 or 8:00 is
moderately in trouble but the opponent who finds themselves anywhere from 10:00
and 2:00 is in complete Ura country. 

Why?  Well because the "clock" is always relative to yourself.  You are always
at six o clock, it is the opponent who deviates.  Consider approaching an
opponent when both of you are at six o clock.  You would simply push against
each other.  But when the opponent is no longer at that magic hour and you
still are your bodies are off axis and when you move forward you are not moving
towards but past them.

Got it?  Six o clock equals safe.  Any straying from the magic hour could spell
bonus points for you and badness for the opponent.  The larger the stray the
bigger the opportunity.  Now onto the two different kinds.


Mechanical Ura
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

This is the kind most people know best and it springs from certain situations
that will be familiar to veterans of the art but lets first define mechanical
ura for you.  Mechanical Ura is a subset of Uramawari that operates under any
of these three conditions: 

1) That the Uramawari be independent of the opponents actions

2) That the Uramawari utilize and attack or specific animation that changes how
the gameplay engine perceives your place in the ring relative to your opponent

3) That the conditions specific to the Uramawari being tried be met before the
opponent is mobile or able to change to outcome.

At least one of these conditions will have been met for the type of Uramawari
you're attempting to qualify as Mechanical Ura.  The thing to understand about
Mechanical Ura is that each particular instance of it will have common factors
(the intial set up will land the opponent outside of that magic hour) and each
particular instance will never change.  How could it?  The set up will never
change.  Most Mechanical Ura that you find will come out of successful throws. 
The animations for these throws never vary unless in the rare instance that
they have wall animations.  Sometimes Mechanical Ura can spawn from a
successful attack but that is relatively rare since the opponent will recover
around the same time you will and be able to change the outcome by moving. 

Here are examples of Mechanical Ura:


Akira
-----

1. df+P+G -> qfx2 -> E to head
2. df+P+G -> f,f,f+P -> E to head
3. df+P+G -> df+K -> E to head

Note: If successful, the screen view will reverse, so remember to input your
commands opposite to the way you started for any followup.

After Uramawari a suggested followup is a Bodycheck (b,f,f+P+K).


Jacky
-----

1. P+K, K -> run -> E in direction of opponent's roll
2. Sidethrow (P+G) -> Soccerball Kick (df+K) -> qf -> E-CD x 2 to head
3. f+P,K -> run -> qf -> E in direction of opponent's roll


Sarah
-----

1. opponent down -> qf x 3 -> E opposite direction of roll
2. opponent down and far away -> qb (to realign) -> run -> E opposite to roll
3. f+P,K -> f,f+K -> qf -> E
4. df+K+G -> qf -> E towards head

Note: After Uramawari a suggested followup is: f,f+K -> db+K


Lau
---

1. P+G -> qb (realign) -> run -> E to head
2. P+G -> qf -> d+K -> E (won't work against a fwd/bk roll, timing is hard)
3. df,df+P+G -> qfxa -> E to head
4. opponent down after an attack -> qb (realign) -> run -> qf -> E to head


Pai
---

1. uf+K is your friend 
2. P+G or f,f+P+G or High Punch/Kick Reversal (b+P+K) -> E to head x 2
(optionally E-CD to head x 2 for better positioning)
3. Knee Reversal (db+P+K against Knees) -> E-CD to head x 2


Wolf
----

1. Double Arm Suplex (db+P+K+G) -> qf -> E opposite to opponent's sideroll ->
Short Shoulder (b,f+P+K)
2. Giant Swing (hcf+P+G) or Wrist Lock Throw (hcb+P+G) -> run -> qf
3. Side Suplex (d+P+K+G) -> qf -> E to head -> Short Shoulder (b,f+P+K)
4. df+P+K -> f+E (running if possible) -> E into screen


Jeffry
------

1. Powerslam (f+P+G) -> D+K -> E to head
2. Front Back Breaker (b,f,f+P+G) -> qb (realign) -> run -> E to head
3. Machine Gun Punch (db,f+P+G) -> run -> qf x a -> E to head
4. Back Flip (P+G) -> back roll toward the opponent and stand -> E to head

Note: Won't work against forward or back rollers.


Kage
----

TT-d+K ->df+P (only works against low rising attacks)
df+P+G or b, d+P+G ->uf+K ->DP
P+G -> uf+P+G - > E to face opponent
db+K -> qf -> E towards head or opposite of opponent's roll


Lion
----

1. hcb+P+G -> run -> E to head (against sideroller)
2. f,f+P+G -> qf x 2 -> f+P,P -> E to head (against sideroller)
3. Back Throw -> run -> E to head (against sideroller)
4. P+G -> E-CD to head -> uf+E (against fwd roll or inplace rising attack)
5. P+G -> E to head -> f+P+E (against back roll)
6. b,b+K,P+K -> b,b+K -> E-CD -> uf+E (against fwd roll or inplace rising
attack)
7. b,b+K,P+K -> CD -> uf+E (against fwd roll or inplace rising attack)
8. b,b+K,P+K -> CD -> E to head -> f+P+E (against back roll)
9. d+P+E -> E to head (against fwd roll or inplace rising attack)
10. P,P,d+P -> E to head (against forward roll)
11. Sidethrow -> wait -> f,f+K
(to jump over) -> E (to turn around) (against forward roll)

Notes: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 must be in closed stance.
If 6 or 8 are in open stance, change uf+E to ub+E
If against Taka, any stance
is OK.


Shun
----

1. uf+E is your friend. Enter the Jiji Cyclone! 
2. After a float -> df+K+G -> uf+E repeatedly to stick to the opponent. Works
against forward or backward rollers. You can't avoid a delayed low rising
attack.
3. Stick to an opponent's sideroll -> qb (b+E) will avoid a low rising attack.
(Not really Ura, but still).
4. Chouwan (df,f+P) -> df+P,P+K -> d+PK,K,K -> uf+E x 3 (a sideroll will block
you. This isn't very practical, depends a lot on the opponent's timing).
5. Chouwan (df,f+P) -> (don't dash forward) uf+E a few times
6. D+K+G (sweep) -> qf -> E towards head
Note: For 5, if in open stance, the
separation distance is greater, so dash
forward first. In both cases, try to
read the opponent. You won't always get behind.


Aoi
---

1. Opponent down -> qf x a -> when camera angle changes -> E to head (against
forward roll)
Suggested Uramawari followup: f+K,K -> qf -> f+K -> Ground Throw (df+P+G)
Against Jeff, replace f+K with down attack
Against Wolf, replace f+K with d+K+G
and after all this, Opponent is down again. Go back to step 1 
2. Low Throw (d+P+K+G) -> qf -> E-CD x 2 to head
3. Ground Throw (df+P+G) -> wait -> f,f+E -> E
4. P+G -> qf x a -> E
5. d+K+G (in open stance) -> f+K,K (to jump over)
6. d+K+G ->qf -> E towards feet


Taka
----

1. After a throw -> f+P+K over prone opponent
2. hcf+P+G -> run -> f+P+K,P (sideroll must be in the direction of Taka's
front)
3. db+P+G -> run -> f+P+K ->
4.  d+P+K, P+K (dew sweeps)-> f+E (running if
possible) -> E towards head
5. Low throw -> CD f+P 
6. P+G throw -> CD, f+P  or CD into high punch(!)


Glossary
--------

qf - quick foward, f+E
qb - quick back, b+E
qf x a - do a qf a few times



Observational Ura
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The other kind and the type that can become your best friend in a hurry but
only if your type of play compliments it.  Observational Ura requires not only
that you get in close to your fallen opponent but that you have keen eyes and
good reflexes.  The key word is observational.

While each instance of Mechanical Ura never change because the set up that
provides the opportunity never change, Observational Ura changes all the time
with each instance because the thing you are observing is your opponent.  Or
specifically how your opponent is choosing to rise.

Here's how Observational Ura works.  When you've knocked your opponent down get
in close and pressure them.  Watch what they do, specifically you are looking
at whether or not they side roll because without a side roll this will not
work.  Here's where the observation kicks in, whatever direction they roll in
you must dodge in the opposite direction.  This will have the effect of
positioning your character further out of line from the downed opponent.
Remember the key ingredient to all Ura!  The further the opponent is away from
the six o clock position the more reliable this is.

The really important part of this is making sure you keep in tight with the
rising opponent and this is where the Korean Step can come in very handy. 
Being able to cancel the first dodge by a crouch dash and then instantly dodge
again in the same direction (away from the direction of the roll) will improve
the success rate of Observational Ura. If you've done it correctly and if the
opponent plays along you will be at their back when they rise.

This is not dodging a rising attack.  That is completely different.  The rules
that apply to dodging rising attacks are not applicable here.  Make no mistake
about it, this is Uramawari.

The reality of Observational Ura is that it is more open to being thwarted by
the opponent than Mechanical Ura.  It will not work against opponents who do
anything but side roll.  The good thing about Observational Ura is that few
people expect it.  They are probably just getting their minds around Mechanical
Ura and in the absence of conventional set ups will probably think themselves
safe.  Also in the presence of pressure most people try to buy themselves a
little time and knowing the dangers in the backwards or the forwards roll might
opt for the sideways roll. 



Defeating Uramwari:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Now that you know how to do it you may want to stop it from happening to
yourself.  The truth is that in some instances it is very hard to avoid.  The
easiest way is to opt for a handspring recovery and this defeats most Ura quite
handidly but is not the best rising option normally.  And certain characters
mechanical Ura will continue to function regardless of the handspring.  Akira's
Ura is one of these.  Sometimes the handspring will work and sometimes it will
fail.  This has a lot to do with how and when the opponent applys the Ura, if
they are slow you can escape more easily unless they deliberately slow their
inputs to match your own delay in rising.

Which is the other way of defeating Uramawari.  You can delay your rising
options.  While the opponent is busy apply the conditions to your demise you
can forestall that seeming inevitability by refusing to get up right away. 
Take your time and either wait until you know the conditions have passed by or
rise naturally (no attack, no movement).

Of course, sometimes defeating Ura this way leads to different games.  If your
opponent has noticed a trend in the way you are rising (and getting out of
repeated Ura attempts) they can simple take advantage of that and go for a
pounce where a pounce normally could not be had or a pick up (playing Jeff or
Wolf) where it is not normally possible.  They could even take advantage of
your reticence to get up fast and take better command of the ring, positioning
you closer to the edge.  The games are endless. 

Here's a sample Jeff trap.  He has his P+G ura (see mechanical ura number #4)
but the opponent can easily defeat this by refusing to get up early or changing
the way he gets up.  What to do?  Well, Jeff can delay his own rising options
since his P+G throw lands him on the ground.  As soon as the opponent moves
Jeff can roll into him and force him to guess between a high or low rising
attack which is almost always unexpected (don't try this against fuzzy
blockers).  If the opponent doesn't like that game and tries to get away
quicker you can go back to practicing Ura.