Mai

舞

Mai — 대책

Key Info

  • Sustained overhead — with combo on hit
    • 6MP
  • Defence
    • OD Ryuenjin (623KK): 6F startup, fully invincible
      • If you play Luke or Kimberly, avoid Drive Rush after throws
    • Ryuenjin LK (623LK): 5F startup, anti-air invincible
    • SA1 Kagerono Mai (236236P): 6F startup, no projectile invincibility
    • SA2 Cho Hissatsu Shinobibachi (236236K): 7F startup, no projectile invincibility
      • Enhanced version has projectile invincibility
    • SA3 (214214P): 10F startup
  • Advantage on block
    • None

Neutral Game (Focus Points)

  • Do not retreat
    • Too much distance lets her throw Kagero no Mai (236P) and begin her offense from there
    • Maintain a spacing where her 2MK cannot reach
  • Heavy use of light-button setups
    • She has no moves that are plus on block, so she steals turns after light normals
    • LP → throw: counter with fuzzy c.LP
    • LP → 2MK → 236P, etc.: if she is skipping LP counter-hit confirms, press a strike during the fuzzy window to make her uncomfortable
  • Do not abandon the jump option
    • Being afraid to jump in the Mai matchup is the wrong mindset
    • Show jump-ins against her Kagero no Mai (236P) — especially on wakeup or after delayed tech
    • Let her anti-air you once, then reassess from there
  • Ryuenjin (623K) has a narrow horizontal hitbox
    • Her anti-air special lacks horizontal range
    • Mixing in whiff baits is effective
  • Her throw mix-up is weak
    • The strike side of her judo mix-up has very low return
    • In the corner when held down, forward jump or back dash is extremely effective
  • Weak to pre-emptive normals
    • Many of Mai's moves (2MP, HP, etc.) advance forward before hitting
    • Placing a normal that rewards you on counter-hit lets you win the risk-return battle

Ryuenjin (623K)

Mai's anti-air special. Used for anti-air and combo enders.

  • 623LK: 5F startup
  • 623MK: 6F startup
  • 623HK: 7F startup
  • 623KK (OD): 6F startup, fully invincible

Recommended Counter

623LK does not have a strong horizontal hitbox. Mix in whiff baits to force a guessing game.

Ryuuenbu (214P)

Used as a combo ender.

  • 214LP: -4F on block
  • 214MP: -6F on block
  • 214HP: -6F on block
  • 214PP (OD): -12F on block

Recommended Counter

Each version leaves only a short recovery window, but find the most efficient punish for each strength and apply it consistently.

Hissatsu Shinobibachi (236K)

  • 236LK: -10F on block
  • 236MK: -12F on block
  • 236HK: -13F on block
  • 236KK (OD): -12F on block

Recommended Counter

All versions are punishable on block — apply a punish every time.

Kagero no Mai (236P)

Mai's main weapon. If she gets to charge it, her offense is essentially guaranteed. Projectile speed and the height of the second hit change by strength. The uncharged version can be cancelled by your own fireball — fireball characters should throw them at a steady pace.

Her options by strength:

  • 236LP → forward step → throw: pressing Parry loses
  • 236LP → Drive Rush: crouching guard causes you to retreat and the second hit whiffs; Parry converts to standing guard so the second hit connects — Parry loses here
  • 236HP → forward step: at opening-range distance, invincible reversal is guaranteed after blocking the first hit
  • 236MP → Drive Rush: at opening-range distance, invincible reversal is guaranteed after blocking the first hit

Recommended Counter

  • Do not press Parry
    • Against HP and MP versions, pressing Parry puts you in a losing situation
  • Fire an invincible reversal
    • At opening range, if she used Drive Rush after the first hit, invincible reversal is guaranteed
  • LP → special cancel
    • At opening range, fuzzy-pressing LP after the first hit hits her forward step
    • Buffer a knockdown special (e.g., Ryuenjin) after it for full return

OD Kagero no Mai (236PP)

Her fireball that starts her offense once it connects. The first hit is blocked, then the second arrives delayed. Learning the correct response lets you deal with it reliably.

First-hit counter:

  • Do not walk back
    • Walking back increases her post-block advantage, making the next two options impossible
  • Just Parry
    • Just Parry on close-range OD Kagero no Mai
    • You must accept the first hit, but it is worth aiming for
  • Vertical jump
    • At mid-range, vertical jump is the easiest option to avoid OD Kagero no Mai
    • Her Ryuenjin has a short horizontal hitbox, making it hard to get return on a vertical jump
    • If you walk back before jumping, it becomes easier for her to anti-air — do not walk back first

Second-hit counter:

  • OD reversal: if she Drive Rushes, Ryuenjin is guaranteed at mid-range — do not be lazy about this
  • Drive Impact: loses to Drive Rush but beats a forward step, putting risk on Mai
  • Back dash: when she throws, it becomes your turn to attack
  • Eat-and-escape: input a knockdown move such as Ryuenjin — if it hits her, her turn ends; if it was guarded, OD Kagero no Mai's second hit knocks you down but she loses her combo damage

Recommended Counter

After blocking the first hit of OD Kagero no Mai at close range, buffer a light attack and Ryuenjin to stop the Drive Rush and guarantee Ryuenjin. Depending on range, a forward step can also be punished — keep it as an option.

(Hold) OD Kagero no Mai → 6P (Midare Kagero no Mai)

Remember: without Drive Rush she has no real offense after this. Her most common follow-up options are:

  • Step → throw
  • Step → overhead
  • Step → low

Recommended Counter

In the center, back dash after the third hit to avoid all three options. It is impossible if she uses Drive Rush, but she spent three Drive bars — build your advantage in the following exchanges.

HP (Ofan)

She will cancel HP into Kagero no Mai (236P) to force a guessing game.

If it was the charged version, Drive Impact is guaranteed. If uncharged, Drive Impact is beaten. OD reversal technically punishes both versions, but it creates a Drive Gauge gap.

Recommended Counter

Jump is the best answer — hold up and accept the damage if necessary; put risk on her either way. Falling behind on Drive Gauge in the corner is a common loss pattern.

  • If she charged HP: your jump attack is guaranteed
  • If she did not charge: you take an airborne hit — no combo follows (Ryuenjin follow-up is possible but difficult)