キンバリー

Kimberly — Counter-Guide

Key Info

Overhead that combos on hit
- 4HK
Defense
- No OD invincible move
- 214KK: startup 6F, anti-air invincible
- 236236K: startup 10F, no projectile invincibility
- 214214P: startup 13F
  - After the hit animation ends, 4F forward dash allows shimmy
- 236236P: startup 8F
  - After the hit animation ends, Kimberly's damage and movement speed increase by 1.1x
Moves that are advantageous on block
- HK
- 2MK
- 236K→LK

Neutral Play (Mindset)

Dealing with 3MK
- Don't stay at a range where you can't punish it
- At round-start distance you generally can't punish it, so fight at a slightly closer range
Dealing with the Elbow Drop (前ジャンプ中に)2MP
- Don't stay at the range where fakes are easy (round-start distance is the prime fake range)
- If you're at fake range, use a normal with upper-diagonal coverage to anti-air both the Elbow Drop and forward jump together
  - If you don't have such a normal, default to standard anti-air normals
Dealing with throw followups
- On in-place recovery, if Kimberly uses raw rush, OD invincible is guaranteed
- Without OD invincible, any SA with startup 8F or faster is guaranteed unless she super-counters
Understanding the 236K mix-up
- 236K canceled from anything other than MP and heavy attacks can be stopped by a jab / crouching LP mash
- If canceled from MP or a heavy attack, your options are: jab mash or do nothing
- Doing nothing leads into the Arc Step mix-up, but adjusting risk vs. reward is easier after Arc Step, so confirming 236K and doing nothing is recommended
Understanding the Arc Step mix-up
- You only need these 3 options:
  - Do nothing (Bushin Hojin Kick is punishable on block)
  - Back dash (punish Bushin Izuna Otoshi after whiffing)
  - Instant rush → medium attack (counter Kimberly's jump-read rush)
- Jumping is the worst option (raw rush picks you up for a combo)
Dealing with 214P
- 214P: teleports in front of you from ground level
- 214PP: teleports in front of you from above
- When you see the smoke, delay slightly and place a normal with upward coverage to handle both OD and normal versions
Rush
- Don't back away; stop the rush up close
- Kimberly's favorite rush → 2MK confirms into Drive Impact (DI), so look for it

Sprint

Kimberly's main special, cancelable from any cancelable normal, opening up a wide variety of options. 236K → quick stop (Emergency Stop) fakes out the opponent, and regardless of which range it's used from, Kimberly ends up in throw range.

The frame disadvantage after 236K → Emergency Stop varies depending on which normal it was canceled from. Unless it comes from a cancel rush normal, Kimberly is at disadvantage, so mashing is stable. However, doing nothing auto-branches into Arc Step (236K→自動派生), and Arc Step from specific normals crushes reversals.

Recommended Counter

236K → Arc Step from the following normals can be beaten with an instant reversal attempt:

236K from anything other than the above (e.g., MK or LK) is not a mix-up — mash through it. In the video below, 2LP is recorded as the guard reversal and the following sequences are shown:

MK → 236K → Arc Step
LK → 236K → Arc Step

Warning

Exceptions — the following also crush reversals:

Exception 1: Rush → MK or higher normal cancel → 236K → Arc Step
- Rush → 2MP and other rush → light starters still allow mashing

Rush → MK → 236K → Arc Step is recorded below — mashing gets crushed:

Exception 2: MK → 236KK
- 2MP and light starters still allow mashing

MK → 236KK → Arc Step is recorded below — mashing gets crushed:

236K from HP / 2HP / MP

Arc Step from these normals crushes reversals:

When Arc Step crushes reversals, the situation expands into this mix-up:

236K → Emergency Stop → throw (guard break)
- If you read this, press MP at max speed for maximum reward; if you want safety, 4F is fine too (beats invincible bait as well)
236K → Arc Step (reversal crusher)
- Mashing loses
- Perfect parry wins
236K → Emergency Stop → delayed tech throw (invincible bait)
- Invincible move gets blocked
- Neutral jump wins
236K → back dash → delayed HP
- HP was delayed, so neutral jump wins
236K → back walk → delayed HP
- Delayed tech throw / fuzzy strike loses
- HP was delayed, so neutral jump wins

Recommended Counter

Emergency Stop into throw
- If you read this, press 6F medium at max speed for a big reward
HP / 2HP / MP → 236K → Arc Step
- If you read this, do nothing (mashing causes Arc Step to connect)
- Transitions into the Arc Step follow-up mix-up
236K from any normal other than HP / 2HP / MP
- It's not a mix-up — always mash with a 4F move (e.g., MK → 236K is beaten by a 4F instant mash)
If they show the invincible-bait delayed option, neutral jump to punish

The mix-up can feel complex, but your actual decision is just two things when you see 236K: press 6F medium instantly, or do nothing.

DI can work against some options, but it's countered by Emergency Stop, so it's not recommended. Even if you block Arc Step by doing nothing, it just starts the next mix-up — stay calm and keep your options in mind.

The video below has HP → 236K → Emergency Stop → throw recorded:

Losing to HP → 236K → Arc Step is just rock-paper-scissors — accept it. What matters is making the reward as high as possible when you win the guess. Pressing LP when you read Emergency Stop is a waste. Landing a medium counter-hit combo for 2000–3000+ damage puts the Kimberly matchup firmly in your favor.

Advanced Counter

If you'd rather skip the rock-paper-scissors, a 3F-window fuzzy jab beats both instant throw and no-follow-up. It's very strict, so the above read approach is probably better — but keep it in mind.

This counter loses if Kimberly delays the follow-up or uses Emergency Stop → LP, so it's not universal.

Press a button 3F–5F after blocking the attack to succeed:

Arc Step (236K→自動派生) — Post-Arc Mix-up

The special that activates when nothing is input after 236K. Kimberly climbs the opponent, then chooses between a command grab, a strike, or no follow-up.

Kimberly's main options after Arc Step on block:

Bushin Izuna Otoshi (command grab)
- After a back dash, anything works as a punish
Bushin Hojin Kick (strike option)
- Kimberly is -8F on block
No follow-up → neutral
- Arc Step → no follow-up leaves Kimberly at -6F
- Chosen when Kimberly doesn't want to take risks
No follow-up → forward jump
No follow-up → raw rush

Recommended Counter

After blocking Arc Step, you only need these 2 options:

Wait
Back dash

Never jump — it's the one thing you must not do.

When you wait, watch for Kimberly's options:

Raw rush
- Likely rushing because they read a neutral jump
- Fuzzy a medium with short recovery
Forward jump
- Could be Elbow Drop, so use an anti-air with wide coverage
- Distance is short, so a heavy Shoryuken type will usually work

Recommended: fuzzy medium → watch for anti-air. The video records the following:

Raw rush → 2MK
Forward jump → (near apex) 2MP
Forward jump → (jump) HK

Advanced Counter

Kimberly may force a 50/50 with:

Bushin Izuna Otoshi
Bushin Hojin Kick

In this case, a 2F-window fuzzy jump on frame 10–11 covers both. Aim for frame 11. The video shows this — the first attempt in the video is a miss. These two follow-ups can't be delayed, so use this if you can do it consistently.

Be aware of the losing line: Kimberly no follow-up → raw rush → HK.

Oki (Wakeup Pressure) after Arc Step Hit

On Arc Step hit, Kimberly branches into Bushin Hojin Kick and starts oki. On hit you choose between in-place recovery or back-roll recovery.

In-place recovery
- If Kimberly chose raw rush: walk shimmy is prevented
- If Kimberly chose 236K → Emergency Stop: no-gauge oki is possible (walk shimmy blocked; shimmy possible when SA3 is active)
Back-roll recovery
- If Kimberly chose rush: walk shimmy oki becomes possible
- If Kimberly chose 236K → Emergency Stop: +8F situation but throw doesn't land

Recommended Counter

Check which offense they use most
- If raw rush is common: choose in-place recovery
- If 236K → Emergency Stop is common: choose back-roll recovery
Without SA3 active: in-place recovery has better expected value
With SA3 active: back-roll recovery has better expected value
For large-hitbox characters: in-place recovery is fine even with SA3, as walk shimmy still can't reach

Hidden Variable

Kimberly's teleport special.

214P: normal version appears from the ground
214PP: OD version appears from the air

Recommended Counter

You don't need to distinguish between 214P and 214PP. When you see the smoke, wait slightly and place a normal with upward coverage — it handles both. Practice in training mode.

Bushin Tiger Fangs

Kimberly's target combo. After the full sequence the following mix-up begins:

Recommended Counter (on Block)

MP→HP→236K
- Mix-up pressure. Win with a 4F light attack
MP→HP→236KK →Arc Step
- Reversal crusher. There's a gap, so OD invincible wins
MP→HP→cancel rush→2LP
- Not a block string, so OD invincible wins
MP→HP→236KK →Emergency Stop
- Invincible-move bait

Recommended Counter (after Mid-screen Hit)

Kimberly's standard combo after MP→HP hits mid-screen:

MP→HP→236K→MK

After eating this combo, always take in-place recovery. Back-roll recovery still results in guaranteed oki at close range.

Kimberly's options:

Forward step → 236K → Emergency Stop
- Kimberly +7F
- Back-roll recovery causes a line loss
- In-place recovery prevents walk shimmy
Forward step → Forward step → HK
- Kimberly +11F
- Back-roll recovery causes a line loss
- In-place recovery still allows walk shimmy

Conclusion: take in-place recovery

If they do step→236K→Emergency Stop, the situation worsens
Remember that walk shimmy becomes available when SA3 is active
Large-hitbox characters prevent walk shimmy even with SA3

Recommended Counter (after Corner Hit)

Kimberly's combo after corner hit:

MP→HP→236K→MK→214K

Kimberly's options:

2LP → 2MK
Windmill Kick (overhead option)

After 2LP frame burn, walk shimmy requires SA3 to be active. Large-hitbox characters can't be walk shimmy'd even with SA3.

After SA3, Kimberly must walk far back, making the reversal low easy to hit. Drive Reversal is a re-stand hit on 2MK, so it gets blocked — don't use it.

Conclusion:

When SA3 is active:
- If 2LP is visible, 2MK is likely coming
- Large-hitbox characters: walk shimmy is blocked, so early throw tech is also an option
When SA3 is not active:
- Walk shimmy is blocked, so early throw tech is also an option
Don't use Drive Reversal (2MK passes through Drive Reversal block)

Water Slicer Slide

Staying at round-start distance against Kimberly is very weak. Maintain a slightly closer range where you can punish 3MK with at least -4F on block. This also makes it easier to stop rush and eliminates the Elbow Drop fake zone.

Recommended Counter

Don't camp at round-start distance. Always make 3MK pay.

Elbow Drop (前ジャンプ中に)2MP

Crouching guard: Kimberly -1F. Standing guard: 0F.

A special normal that powers up Kimberly's neutral. Used from a far-range jump, it can bait anti-air specials. This means even a simple jump becomes a guessing game.

Far jump
- Use a normal with upper-diagonal coverage. Even if it whiffs, landing recovery is hard to punish
Close jump
- Walking under is dangerous — simply stand-guard

Recommended Counter

Be conscious of selecting anti-air based on distance
Don't hit parry by habit — they may be baiting it
Frame advantage on block varies by stance
- Standing: Kimberly -1F
- Crouching: 0F
- Either way, press a 4F move at max speed

Hisen Kick

A forward-diving kick. Follow-up options:

6HK→8 (Step Up — jump direction determines cross-up or same-side)

Recommended Counter

Perfect parry is best on reaction
If perfect parry fails, a light attack with upward coverage can knock her down

Warning

After a successful perfect parry, you need a ground-hit combo — don't forget. Heavy attacks up to 13F startup are guaranteed.

Standing Heavy Kick

On block: Kimberly +2F outside throw range.

Recommended Counter

After blocking, only LP, LK, and MP can reach. Without MP, the follow-up combo requires cancel rush, so the strike option is almost always MP.

Pressing 4F leads to a trade combo. Here are Kimberly's trade combos by character. Few Kimberly players research per-character trade combos, so characters whose "reaches" column isn't MP can safely mash 4F instantly.

Manon and DJ in particular benefit greatly from instant 4F mashing.

Character	Advantage	Reaches
Ryu	9F	HP
Luke	8F	MP
Jamie	8F	MP
Chun-Li	9F	HP
Guile	8F	MK
Kimberly	10F	HP
Juri	8F	MP
Ken	8F	MP
Blanka	8F	MK
Dhalsim	9F	HP
E. Honda	8F	MP
DJ	11F	HP
Manon	7F	214KK
Marisa	9F	HP
JP	7F	MP
Zangief	9F	HP
Lily	8F	MK
Cammy	9F	HP
Rashid	8F	MP
A.K.I.	6F	MP
Ed	8F	MP
Akuma	8F	MP
Bison	8F	MP
Terry	9F	HP

22P Oki

Many patterns exist — learn the minimum universal answers.

MP→HP→236K→MK→22P

A common sequence. Close range +3F, walk shimmy blocked, options: chip / throw / overhead / low. For simplifying the mix-up in ranked, OD invincible is the call (accept the risk of losing to raw reversal). Recently more Kimberly players forward jump, so watch for it and consider walking forward.

MP→HP→236KK→236K→LK→22P

OD gauge costs enable walk shimmy. Options: chip / throw / overhead / low.

Recommended Counter

Getting Drive Gauge chipped is the main losing condition, so unless you're going for the kill, hold parry to avoid burst damage. Throws hurt but aren't devastating — in ranked, just accepting them is fine.

MP→HP→236K→MK→22P
- Walk shimmy is blocked, so OD invincible or early throw tech are fine reverse options
- If they respond to reverse options with strikes, aim for a perfect parry
MP→HP→236KK→236K→LK→22P
- Walk shimmy is on, so ease off OD invincible and throw
- Kimberly's delayed strike is a strong option, so walk-throw and forward jump are very effective
- Aim for perfect parry → hold parry
  - Throws deal low damage, so holding parry is valid
  - Throw damage reference: punish counter throw 1800–2400, mid/low ~3000
  - If chip was chosen, it drains 2–4 Drive stocks; holding parry can recover ~3 stocks

Warning

After MP→HP→236K→MK→22P, some characters get hit by the bomb even when OD invincible hits Kimberly. Check your character's OD invincible properties, and consider using a SA invincible move instead.

◎ = combos | ○ = bomb hits but no combo | × = doesn't hit

Character	L	M	H	LM	LH	MH	Notes
Luke	×	×	◎	×	◎	×	Single hit H/LH breaks invincible. After hit: Spiral Arrow → +39F
Jamie	×	×	×	×	×	×	Doesn't connect
Juri	×	×	◎	×	◎	×	H/LH bomb hit. After: Spinning Heel Kick/L Fuhajin, rush crouching HP extension
DJ	×	×	×	×	×	〇	MH only connects. No combo, Hidden Variable→2LP→crouching MK re-stand gap
Cammy	〇	〇	〇	◎	〇	◎	All hit. L/H/LH no combo. LM/MH: combo from Hisen Kick starter
Ryu	〇	〇	〇	◎	〇	◎	All hit. L/H/LH no combo. LM/MH: combo from Hisen Kick starter
E. Honda	〇	×	〇	◎	×	◎	Only with OD Bushin Hojin Kick. LM/MH: Hisen Kick → OD command grab combo
Blanka	×	〇	〇	◎	×	◎	LM/MH: Hisen Kick → OD command grab route
Guile	×	〇	〇	×	〇	◎	Single hit: Hidden Variable +12. MH: Hisen Kick → OD command grab
Ken	×	×	×	×	×	〇	Only MH hits with OD Bushin Hojin Kick. No combo
Chun-Li	×	×	×	×	×	×	Doesn't connect
Rashid	×	×	×	×	×	×	Doesn't connect
Ed	×	×	×	×	〇	◎	MH combos. LH single hit only
Akuma	×	×	×	×	×	×	Doesn't connect
Terry	〇	〇	〇	◎	〇	◎	All single hits (step step +9F). LM/MH: Hisen Kick route
Mai	◎	×	×	◎	×	◎	Shadow Sickle placement: L combos. LM/MH: Hisen Kick combo
Elena	〇	〇	〇	◎	〇	◎	All single hits (+12F). LM/MH: Hisen Kick combo
Sagat	×	×	×	×	×	×	Doesn't connect

Kimberly Throw Setplay

Kimberly's judo is top-tier in SF6. Throws land even when timed tightly, and back dash doesn't escape cleanly. Against forward jump, 2HP→236K→Emergency Stop can reverse position while continuing pressure. 2MP lands and creates cross-up ambiguity.

To escape judo, use back dash rather than forward jump.

Recommended Counter

Back dash and forward jump don't work, so use your strong reverse options if you have them
- Examples: Blanka OD Aerial Rolling Attack, Chun-Li aerial Hyakuretsukyaku
If you don't have strong reverse options:
- Kimberly's walk speed is fast, so she uses delayed strikes (HP) very often
  - If OD invincible gets blocked often, add fuzzy jump or one-guard jump to your options
  - You won't beat Kimberly without understanding the delayed-option mix-up
- If 2MP is catching your delayed tech throw, she's confirming the whiff, so consider walk-throw
Heavy strike HK is also very hard to land as oki
- Instant mash is also a valid option

Ripcord Throw — After Forward Throw

After Kimberly's throw, she's at +17F.

After a forward throw, without recovery Kimberly can walk up and start oki. Taking back-roll recovery results in rush oki. Critically, if she rushes against no-recovery, OD invincible is guaranteed — memorize this.

Your recovery / Kimberly	With Rush	Without Rush
In-place recovery	No oki (OD invincible guaranteed)	Oki
Back-roll recovery	Oki (Hidden Variable can dodge OD inv)	No oki

Recommended Counter

Characters with OD invincible
- In-place recovery → rush confirm → OD invincible
- Start by refusing the oki this way

Characters with a fast-startup, long-range SA
- Back-roll recovery → rush confirm → SA
- Hidden Variable can dodge OD invincible, but fast long-range SA covers everything for those characters
- Very effective for Luke, Blanka, and similar characters
- Check your character's SA startup and range

Warning

In-place recovery → rush confirm → OD invincible
- Excellent option, but remember that Kimberly can block it with Drive Impact (DI)

Back-roll recovery → rush confirm → SA
- 9F SA / Drive Reversal is safe-jumped (instant rush → 2LK creates a 9F safe jump)
- Only use moves with 8F startup or faster

Bell Ringer — After Back Throw

After Kimberly's back throw, she's at +8F.

Rush doesn't cover anything in this situation
Line loss means back-roll recovery is not recommended
It's a reset, but she may go for raw rush to force continued pressure — stop the rush for a punish

Recommended Counter

Default: in-place recovery → rush confirm → medium or higher for a punish

Rush

Hard to stop if you're not watching. If not watching, just perfect parry. If you commit to stopping it, stop it up close. At long range it gets beaten by moves like 2MK with strong hitboxes.

Recommended Counter

Don't back away — stop rush up close
Kimberly's favored rush → 2MK confirms into Drive Impact (DI) unless it's a re-stand, so look for that opening

This article is updated regularly to keep up with SF6 patches.