The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Kyo Kusanagi

Introduction

Kyo is primarily a close range pressure and mixup character. In neutral he has access to some helpful moves like his rekkas that have a guard point, R.E.D kick which he can use to close distance that gets him a hard knockdown on hit and a nice set of normals to poke with. Up close is where Kyo is really good, he can use his fast hop speed together with his good priority, deep-hitting j.B and his fast cr.B to put a lot of pressure on opponents, and he can also threaten with his j.D+C command normal which can be used as a fast-hitting jump-in, a great cross-up, or a solid air-to-ground move to catch the opponent if they jump. He has good confirms into his supers from both lows and heavies and at the corner or on cross-up he can combo into his qcf+D up-kicks to start juggles, making his damage quite good. On defense he has access to a good invul dp that he can use as a reversal and an anti air. Kyos weaknesses are that he lacks anything to fight at long range since he doesn't have a projectile and that his meterless low confirm is pretty lackluster.

Changes from previous versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• cl.C activation range decreased
• st.A got reduced priority.
• st.D starts 4 frames faster
• The first hitbox on cr.C got shortened and the second hitbox got lenghtened
• cr.D got reduced priority.
• j.D got reduced priority.
• you can no longer use j.2C during step dash

Specials:

• hcb+K got increased damage
• qcf+P got reduced reach
• dp+C now reliably hits 2 times, even when hitting an airborne opponent

Supers:

• qcb,hcf+P got increased damage
• qcfx2+C got decreased damage

98UM to 98UMFE

Normals:

• cl.A got 2 frames less recovery
• cr.A got 1 frames less recovery

Specials:

• qcf+A damage increased from 10 to 13, guard point lengthened by 2 frames
• qcf+P more moves will trigger the counter during the startup frames

Normal Moves

Close

• cl. A/B/C/D are cancel-able.
• cl. A/B are chain-able
• cl. A: Hits high.
• cl. B: Hits low.
• cl. C: Has very fast start-up. Great combo starter and anti-air.
• cl. D: A bit slower than cl. C.

Stand

• Far A: Hits high and is cancel-able. Good for stopping hops.
• Far B: Has more endlag than far A, but has more range.
• Far C: Noticable bit of startup. Whiff/cancel-able.
• Far D: A sobat kick that hits mid. Can avoid lows.

Crouch

• cr. A/C/D are whiff/cancel-able.
• cr. A/B are chain-able.
• cr. A: Hits mid. Standard outward jab.
• cr. B: Fast low that could start combos.
• cr. C: Hits mid. Used to react against jumps and hops.
• cr. D: Can low profile under fireballs.

Jump

• j. A: Ok air-to-air.
• j. B: Great cross-up. Great jump-in from a hop. Instant-overhead.
• j. C: Another good jump-in.
• j. D: Could put on pressure when spaced. A bit difficult to cross-up with.
• n. j. B: Decent air-to-air.
• n. j. D: Good air-to-air.

Blowback Attack

• st. CD: Soft knockdown, whiff/cancel-able. Average start-up.
• j. CD: Soft knockdown. Pretty big hitbox.

Throws

Anvil Slam [Hachi Tetsu]: (close) b/f + C

• Kyo smacks his opponent in the face with his forearm.
• Regular knockdown

Swift Shoulder Throw [Issestsu Seoi Nage]: (close) b/f + D

• Kyo throws his opponent behind him, then falls on them with his elbow.
• Hard knockdown
• Reverse knockdown

Command Moves

Thundering Axe Burst [Ge Shiki: Goufu Yo]: f + B

• Two-hit axe-kick.
• Second hit hits overhead.
• Can be cancelled into from normals, allowing it to special-cancel. Overhead property is lost.

Drop to Naraku [Ge Shiki: Naraku Otoshi]: (in the air) down + C

• Double-handed hammer fist.
• Hard knockdown on airborne opponents.
• Great cross-up. Aim to have Kyo's bent legs right over the opponent's head.

Style 818 [88 Shiki]: df + D

• Kyo kicks near the ground twice, one foot then the other.
• Hits low, even when cancelled into.

Special Moves

Wicked Chew [114 Shiki: Aragami] - qcf + A

• A step into a right hook. (when facing right)
• Has autoguard at the beginning of the move.
• Attack can nullify projectiles.
• Can combo from close heavy attacks.

Masticate [128 Shiki: Kono Kizu]:

(during Wicked Chew) qcf + P

• Kyo takes another step forward and does an uppercut with his left. (when facing right)
• Soft knockdown

Oxidation [127 Shiki: Yano Sobi] - (during Masticate) A/C, (during Wicked Chew) hcb + A/C

• An elbow strike that hits overhead.
• Hard knockdown
• Combos after Kono Kizu.
• Does not combo after Aragami on grounded opponents.

Rapids of Rage [125 Shiki: Nana Se] - (during Masticate or Oxidation from Wicked Chew) B/D

• Kyo glides across the ground with his foot directly in front of him.
• Soft knockdown
• Easier to combo after Kono Kizu than Yano Sobi. Sends opponents across the entire screen.
• Unsafe if prior parts of the rekka are blocked.

Instantaneous Smash [Ge Shiki: Migiri Ugachi] - (after Oxidation from Wicked Chew sequence = qcf + A, hcb + A/C ) A/C

• Kyo smashes the ground with his fist.
• Hits OTG
• Hits low
• This string should be used in the corner after qcf+k,k.

Poison Gnawfest [115 Shiki: Dokugami] - qcf + C

• Spin into a left hook (when facing right)
• Has autoguard at the beginning of the move.
• Attack can nullify projectiles.

Recitation of Sins [401 Shiki: Tsumi Yomi] - (during Poison Gnawfest) hcb + A/C

• After the hook, Kyo swings with the back of his fist.
• Unsafe on block, so don't use if Dokugami is blocked.

Verdict [402 Shiki: Batsu Yomi] - (during Recitation of Sins) F + A/C

• Final hit of the Dokugami string, a shoulder uppercut.
• Soft knockdown
• Even more unsafe on block after Tsumi Yomi. If the first two hits are blocked, do NOT use or you will be punished severely.

Fire Ball [100 Shiki: Oniyaki] - dp + P

• Kyo's DP. Can be combo'd into from most normals.
• Soft knockdown
• Has autoguard at the beginning of the move.
• The hitbox hits high and in front of Kyo.
• A version deals one hit. Safer to use in combos.
• C version deals two hits, travels higher, and has more invincibility, making it a good reversal.

R.E.D. Kick - rdp + K

• Kyo flies through the air and lands his foot directly on top of the opponent.
• Hits mid. Hard knockdown.
• B version travels 1/2 screen distance.
• D version travels 3/4 screen distance.

New Wave Smash [75 Shiki: Kai]: qcf + K, K (B or D)

• Kyo jumps up with one foot, then after pressing kick again, kicks with the other.
• 2nd hit juggles the opponent
• Soft knockdown
• B version only allows for dp+p to connect.
• D version can be followed up with qcf+A/dp+p/rdp+k/hcb+k/DM. Can also link into the light version.

Phantom Mauler [910 Shiki: Nue Tsumi] - qcb + P

• Kyo raises his arm in front of him, down to up.
• Soft knockdown
• Can counter lows when arm is lowered, and mids and highs while the arm is rising.
• Low counter triggers Tora Fuse. It's just Migiri Ugachi, the punch to the ground. Hard knockdown.
• Mid/High counter triggers Ryuu Iri, in which Kyo thrusts his elbow forward. Soft knockdown.
• C version has Kyo wait a bit before rising, letting the low counter stay active for longer.

Crescent Slash [212 Shiki: Kototsuki Yo]: hcb + B/D

• Kyo runs after the opponent, faster than his normal run, then hits the opponent with his elbow into an explosive, one-handed choke.
• On-hit command grab. Very unsafe on block.
• Can be combo'd into from heavy normals and f+B.
• Hard knockdown. Allows for okizeme opportunity.
• B version travels 3/4 screen distance.
• D version travels full screen distance.

Desperation Moves

Final Showdown [Saishuu Kessen Ougi Mushiki] - qcf qcf + A/C

• Kyo throws down a pillar of fire and follows up with a chain of punches.
• Soft knockdown
• Can be combo'd into from cr. B, cr. A.
• DM version deals 5 hits. Press C or D at the end for a special taunt.
• SDM version deals 14 hits.

Serpent Wave [Ura 108 Shiki: Orochinagi] - qcb hcf + A/C (push down to hold)

• Kyo throws a wave of fire in front of him.
• Soft knockdown
• DM does one hit. C version seems to have slightly faster start-up and can combo from heavy attacks.
• A version has lowerbody invincibility
• C version has upperbody invincibility
• SDM has Kyo set his own body on fire, having its own hitbox with up to 3 hits. The fire wave does three hits.
• Both versions can be linked into from qcf+k.
  • If timed right, only two hits will connect. This puts the opponent in a juggle state that can be followed through with dp+C.

Combos

0 Meter combos

1.) (j.A/B/C/D), cl. C/D, qcf + C, hcb + C, f + C

• this is an very important and well damaging combo that ends in a rollable knockdown. Be sure to practice this one and nail it 100% of the time it hits. Do not use this combo as a blockstring because the tail end of it is very punishable. If you opponent blocks the cl. C or D after you jump in, just either block and wait for them to respond with something, or continue pressure with a f + B, qcf + A, or a hyper hop B or CD. If you go far as to do the qcf + C when they are blocking, you can frame trap with if they press any buttons with a qcb + A/C counter move, or even an Oni Yaki dp + A/C if you are feeling risky. You can start this combo with a cross up Naraku Otoshi (d + C).

2.) (j.A/B/C/D), cl. C/D, rdp + B

• ends in a unrollable knockdown. You may be punished if the rdp + B is blocked. After you knock them down, you can give them a 50/50 okizeme mixup by hitting them with a meaty j.B/C or j. d + C when they rise.

3.) (j.A/B/C/D), cl. C/D, hcb + B/D

• the hcb + B/D ends the opponent up in a unrollable knockdown for you can walk up slightly and cross them up with a j.B/C or j. D + C

4.) in the corner only, cl. C/D, qcf + D, D, (hcb + B/rdp + B/qcf + A, hcb + A, f + A/sj.B)

• After the qcf + D, D for more damage you can do the 'qcf + A, hcb + A, f + A' rekkas, or slightly lesser damage, but to end them in a unrollable knockdown you can end with the 'qcb + B' or 'rdp + B', and for an air reset, you can just do sj. B.

5.) cr. B, cl. C, etc.

• useful 1-2 frame link that can give you some good damage from starting from a low attack. Cl.C can be brought into his (qcf + C, hcb + C, f + C), or (rpd + B) or his (hcb + B/D)

Desperation Move Combos

1.) cr. B, cr. A XX qcf, qcf + A/C

• A very important combo which nets you great damage confirming from a low. Every Kyo player needs to learn this. You can add two cr.B's before the cr.A, or a cl.C to cr.B to cr.A or st. A for a 3 hit starter.

Extra Meter

1.) qcf. C, ABC, cr. A, qcf, qcf + A/C

2.) close qcf. C, ABC, cl. C, qcf. C, hcb. A/C, f+ A/C

3.) low health, cross up, qcf. C, ABC, qcb, hcf + P

Videos

King of Fighters 98 UM FE: Kyo Guide by Mash It Out