Melty Blood/MBAACC/Akiha Vermilion/Half Moon

Be sure to check this article about H-VAkiha: https://drunkardshade.com/2015/08/03/melty-bits-h-v-akiha/

Combos

What makes this character easy and effective is that she gets okizeme from her usual combo ender and can easily carry from fullscreen with any starter as long as you don't trip the opponent. Also, her easy combos are just as effective as her harder ones. You'll just lose a bit of damage and meter. That's why I think she's good for beginners. The starting string is pretty much the same for some for her ground combos, and is long enough to give you plenty of time to think which route do you want to take or if you want to spend meter.

For this character, in my opinion, your priority for combo routes should follow this:

Okizeme > Meter > Damage

H-V.Akiha's damage is average. Don't expect to do over 5k starting from 2a without putting a massive amount of effort.

You'll have to learn the infamous momiji loop, which, by the way isn't that hard. It's based on hitting an airborne opponent just before he touches the floor with your 623b so that you have enough time for you to follow with another attack. There's also a5bb route that will give you an easy damage air combo and is for the most part consistent, but it's mostly avoided since there are ways to get better damage and ending the air combo will leave you pretty much in neutral. You'll tend to see it most of the time in the final repetition of the momiji loop, as a round ender.

Be careful about doing 5b early in your combos. It'll trip crouching opponents, in the same way as 2c, and will cause your 5c to wallslam (if you're near the corner), costing you a bounce counter and thus a momiji loop repetition.

Combos with grounded opponent

If you manage to hit the opponent out of 2a range, a bit near the limit of 5c (not super near the limit) you'll have to let 4c hit just once. If your 5a whiffes don't worry, just cancel it fast. Remember to not use 5a in your combos early in place of 2a otherwise you won't be able to do the 6aa combos.

Babby combos

• 2a 5c 4c 2c 5bb -> air combo

This is the so called 5bb route. Since you don't get very much from the air combo it's not recommended. You also do it when you can't continue the combo because the opponent wasn't on the floor when you started the combo, but following with 4c instead of 5bb is recommended in those cases. Actually, I find it slightly harder than doing the easy momiji loop so it's not that easy.

• 2a 5c 4c 5b 2c 623b -> momiji loop

The most basic string followed by a 623b, which if done near the corner will allow you to follow up with 2 momiji loop repetitions. The loop is optional if you're a beginner, but it's super recommended and I encourage you to learn it fast. Done at midscreen it gives you oki, which mostly consist of doing j.22b/a.

• 2a 5c 4c 5a 6aa 2c 623b -> momiji loop

You can do this combo from a farther position (about the middle of screen) than the previous combo and still be able to follow with a momiji loop. If you can do it then there's no reason to do the previous combo since it'll get you more damage and meter.

• 2a 5c 4c 5a 6aa 6c 66 (variable delay) 4c 623b -> momiji loop

This is your fullscreen to midscreen combo. You'll have to delay the 4c depending of how far you are from the opposite corner, if you're near the middle of screen, cancel the dash into 4c as soon as you can so the 6c doesn't wallslam. If it does wallslam it'll cost a bounce and won't be able to do the last momiji loop repetition. Also the proration of the 6c is a bit high so you won't get as much damage as the previous combos. The dash after 6c is special because it's not your regular dash, that means you can cancel that dash into another which allows for some interesting combos.

Usual combos

You can replace the 2a with a 5b for much better damage. Beware of tripping the opponent with this.

• 2a 5c 4c 5a 6aa 4c 2c 623b -> momiji loop

Not much to say. A tiny bit harder than it's previous version, mainly because 6aa 4c is a 4-5 frame link (Not sure about this).

• 2a 5c 4c 5a 6aa 66 wait 5c 4c 2c 623b -> momiji loop

A more damaging version, also it gets you over 100 meter with a easy momiji loop. You'll want to avoid using 5c if near the corner, otherwise you'll wallslam the foe. You can change the order of the 5c and 4c after the dash if you want, but I believe it does a tiny bit less of damage.

Advanced combos

Just by looking at these you'll understand H-V.Akiha's combo theory much better. If you're able to do these then starter is up to you. Ideally it would be j.c 5b 5c 4c.

• 5a 6aa 5b 2c 2a(whiff) delay 4c 623b -> momiji loop

This is even tighter than its easier version but gets you significantly more damage and meter. This is my preferred starting string, and I recommend it if you want to learn a better momiji loop since it's quite similar. Nero likes to thinks he's on the moon so it's super hard to do hit him with this, but it's possible.

• 5a 6aa 5b/4c 5c 2c 5a(whiff) 6aa (2a)(whiff) (2c/4c or 2c->4c) (5c) 623b -> momiji loop

Probably the most damaging fullscreen combo possible. Moves between parentheses are optional and may depend on the character and or timing. You can whiff a 2a after the second 6aa to make the timing of 2c easier, don't worry, the reverse beat doesn't affect this combo that much. This combo is much easier on high gravity so try to cram as many hits as you can before the 6aa. The last 5c is not recommended (because of an unavoidable wallslam) unless 4c 623b doesn't combo properly because of height. I haven't been able to try it on more than 3 characters, since it's quite hard for me at the moment, but it doesn't seem to be very character specific. Remember to do 5a->6a fast and 6a->6a slowly. Here's how it might look like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20RqxYq-h44&t=1420

• 5a 6aa 6c 4c 5c 2c 5a(whiff) 6aa (2a)(whiff) 2c 623b -> momiji loop

This is most probably a better idea than the previous combo for fullscreen carry, and much easier too. I don't know if you can do the variations after the second 6aa but I don't see why it shouldn't be possible. As always, try to cram as many hits as you can. If you manage to hit the foe with j.c then doing this combo is guaranteed.

Metered Combos

H-V.Akiha doesn't use meter in her combos because it doesn't give her damage (actually, using meter loses her some damage) or anything very useful at all. Since most of her ex-edges are more suited for setups, that'd leave you with 623c and 41236c, her Arc Drive. It's kind of funny that both of those are more frequently used as reversals, and bad ones at that. You can replace 623b with 623c for meter management, that is, not reaching heat when you don't need it. You have to be a bit careful with it because 623c is kind of finicky and tends to whiff some hits for airborne opponents. If you want to end the round and look cool just use 41236c instead 623b at the final of your momiji loop, although simply going for the 5bb air combo route at the end nets you more damage. Truly a shame.

The momiji loop

Don't worry, they're not hard, unless you're trying to do the harder ones. It just happens to be a bit character specific regarding timing. Basically, this is what you do after you manage to do 623b near the corner. If manage to end up a somewhat away from the corner after 623b you'll want to proceed with 4c. I've heard ways of correcting the distance with 2b but I haven't found an effective way of doing this yet.

Babby loop

• 4c 623b 4c 623b

This one is super easy and there's no way you can fail it. As always, it leaves you with the (not so) amazing corner oki.

Regular loop

• 4c 2c 623b 4c 2c 5bb (air combo/623b)

You'll want to delay a bit your 4c sometimes so 2c hits, and after 2c hits you'll want to delay the 623b (so it hits the opponent just before touching floor) so it hits all of its hits. It's easy to do it as much as it's easy to fail it because of a tiny character specific factor. You know, gravity and that stuff.

Doing 5bb at the is not seen very often but it makes you look cooler and gives you more damage and meter, also it's quite easy. You can also go for an air combo to end the round.

Optimized loop

• 5b 2c (2a)(whiff) 4c 623b 5b 2c (2a)(whiff) 4c 623b

a.k.a. the one preferred by the japanese. I feel like this one is less character specific than the combo above. 5b is a significantly harder link, i believe it's 2-4 frames (depending on various factors, I believe), since it's not buffered like 4c. What makes this link infamous is that waiting very long for a short window of input is kind of hard. Whiffing 2a is optional and maybe required to NOT do against some characters, like nero. Also, you can replace it with a whiff with 5a, only if you find it easier. If you happen to hit the opponent with the 5a, it'll just give you a bit more of damage and wont't mess up your loop.

Optimal (?) loop

• 5b 2c 5a(whiff) link 2a 2c 4c 623b 5b 2c 5a(whiff) 6aa 2c 4c 5bb (air combo/623b(2))

Apparently there's only one player that does these. This one is quite hard but does maximum damage and is guaranteed to get you to heat from anywhere. If you can't do the second rep (because of wallslam and the like) just do the second rep instead of the first one, for example after confirming a 6c. Have a video for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20RqxYq-h44&t=1012

You can also go for an air combo as usual.

Air comboing

I could just tell you to do j.bc 9 j.bc and be done with it, but this thing is a bit more complex than that.

Whether you picked up an air counter hit or whether you simply messed up and did 2c quite early (with no way of following that but to do 623b or aircomboing), the same logic always applies.

The most logical way to proceed would be by doing a 5bb, woulnd't it? Actually, no. Although it's quite common to see this, in my opinion it might be the worst choice. Aside from being one of the hardest combos routes, it doesn't give you that much damage. It's hard because you've got do this: delay the second hit of 5bb as much as possible, then hold 8, wait until you get to your apex (which is more or less when your is able to tech) do j.b j.c and then double high jump cancel and do j.b j.c again. If you did it right you'll be able to air throw them, if not you'll return to actual neutral. Even if it sounds easy, the timing is somewhat tight. Most players just opt to do j.c AT without the j.b. This thing is pretty much garbage for how hard it is. Also, there's no place for j.a here.

What I prefer to do instead is doing 5b 4c -> air combo, where aircombo depends on what height did you hit them. There's a way to cram a 5c before the 4c but I don't think it's worth going for since it's quite hard to hit them with your j.b after that. While the 5b is optional it's always recommended since it makes the combo easier.

If you hit them too high, with your 4c barely hitting, that's ideal height, and there's only one way you should proceed:

j.b j.c 8 or 9 j.b j.c AT

That's the optimal damage, and the one you should strive for. See, there's no need to double high jump unless you mistimed your air normals or there's a character specific factor. I prefer the neutral jump cancel, because air normals don't push the foe too far away.

If you hit them a bit low than that and you think your j.b will whiff, it's do j.c j.b 8 j.b j.c AT. Don't worry, the reverse beat penalty is much better than the proration. You should be doing j.c first every time you feel like you're to low for j.b to hit.

If you hit them too low then j.a j.b j.c 9 j.a j.b j.c AT is the most reasonable choice, also the easiest and most consistent. Avoid the last j.a if you leave them too high in the air. Also, this is the best choice if you started your combo with a 2a/5a or the proration got too high, that is, not picking up an air counterhit (unless it was done with j.a, 236X or j.236X, and those are quite unrealistic). That's because the j.a will add damage without lowering the proration even more.

If you're finding these too hard, this is your babby air combo:

• j.a (j.a) j.c 9 j.a (j.a) j.c AT

The second j.a's are optional but they add slightly more damage.

The very same thing applies for high shield counter confirms. 2c 5bb is suboptimal while 5b 4c is the better choice.

For all situations above, if you're in the corner, facing it, you can replace the 5b 4c stuff with 623b and continue with a momiji loop. If you're a bit too away for that you can do 5c 623b, it'll wallslam but you can follow with one rep of the loop.

Advanced stuff

I'm still researching these but expect new information soon.

Miscellaneous confirms

Shield counter (high)

Fun fact: you can cancel the shield counter into specials, so if you find some cool confirm please tell me.

Anywhere

• 5d -> wait 2c 5bb hold 8 j.b j.c 9 (j.b) j.c AT (2633 / 45.5%)

Babby confirm. A.K.A. the one you should stop doing as soon as possible. It's good since it'll give you a feel for confirming with 2c, which will be used in a different confirm. If you've timed it well you can go for the j.b but it's simply better to just go for the combo below.

• 5d -> 2c 5b 4c 9 (j.a) bc 9 (j.a) j.bc AT (2812 / 52.4%)

Usual confirm for damage. You can use this anywhere but it's mostly used when you can't go for the momiji loop confirm. Since the shield counter prorates like crazy it's good to do a j.a. Doing a second j.a is super hard and unless your timing is pretty much perfect you won't able to air throw at the end. I recommend to do only the second one.

• 5d -> 5c 4c 2c 5a(whiff) 6aa 2c 623b -> momiji loop (???/???)

Haven't we seen this combo before? Yes, but this time it's much easier. You can't do this combo from everywhere, only working if done at the middle of screen and less. Sadly, you don't have enough time to cross under them if you're too away from the corner. Wallslaming at the end with 5c 623b increases its range (and the range of the combos below). I've seen a 6aa 6c fullscreen route before but I'm not sure if it's character specific or if it's feasible at all.

Corner

• 5d -> 2c 623b -> momiji loop (3236 / 70.3%)

The best thing to do when you counter in the corner. If you were against the wall facing the corner far away you've got enough time to walk cross under the opponent before hitting them with your 2c, so that you can combo them. You might think that it's a good idea to do 4c before 2c, but reverse beats really affect the damage for shield counters, that being about 200 damage less.

• 5d -> 4b 2c (2a)(whiff) 4c 623b -> momiji loop (3311 / 77.3%)

One I just invented. It's harder and barely gives more damage/meter. If you do the 2a whiff you get like 20 damage less. It's better to play it safe and go for the one above.

Strategy

Do what you need to do to extrapolate on the character. Here are example categories below.

Move Descriptions

Normal Moves

2A Obviously, this is your standard fastest low at 5 frames. It's not quite as fast as other 2a so expect to lose some mashing fights. There's not much to say about it. You shouldn't be reverse beating or reverse beat whiffing this move since its recovery is longer than 5a, also it's -1 on block, prefer 5a to it in these cases. You should use this to start pressure or combos since you don't lose your chance to do 6aa. If you haven't used it yet in your string, but you have done 6a already, you can do something like this 5a 6a 2a 5a 6a. It looks quite confusing and it's easy to stagger so I recommend it. You'll want to mash this if you're not sure if any other attacks are going to hit, for example j.c (non counter-hit) -> 2a, but I recommend doing 2b instead in that particular case since it doesn't prorate as much and is also quite fast.

5A Your only non charged normal on plus. This is the move you want to reverse beat into after a *c move, although I think it's better to hit the opponent with it rather than whiffin since *c moves pushback is super high. Also it's a decent anti-air for when you're being jumped-in in the corner. And it's quite sad that it's one of your best ground to air moves. H-V.Akiha's doesn't have a proper anti air. This one has never whiffed on me on crouchers, but maybe it whiffes on cat len.

6A This one moves you a bit forward and the pushback is enough that it's equivalent to doing 2a directly after it. This one of the moves you'll be using often when pressuring the opponent. Don't end your string on it and try not to go for an 6aa, unless you don't do it very often, you know, this akiha's a bag of gimmicks.

6AA It's -1 so it's not that bad, but it's super obvious so linking another attack is not an option unless you get them to respect you. On block you can only cancel it into specials: 236a Use this one if they respect you, it's super plus. But it seems kind of reactable to me so expect to be mashed. It's slow enough to get hit by long C moves. 22a This one is like 236a but better since it pushes you back enough to not get hit by short normals. I think it might be slower than 236a though. It's slow enough to get hit by long C moves. 236b A good way to catch those pesky long reaching normals, aside from that it gives you back all of your air options. Dash back in, j.22a, etc. Link 5a/2a A good way to restart pressure if they respect you. 236c This might is a safe way to restart pressure if they don't have good ground to air moves since you jump so high. But it's a total gimmick if they expect it since they can just dash away. 214a You use this to catch mashers and make them respect you. If it hits well it'll leave you at 0. What do after is matchup specific but 4c may work well if they don't have any fast long reaching normals. You can't link a 5a. I've heard that 214* series is reactionable so it might not be a good idea. 623a This one is a total joke/bet and I don't recommend it at all unless they can read your 214a's, and disrespect everything else. These applies only to corner pressure. Getting blocked in midscreen is very different.

2B Unlike what you may have heard this one is not too bad. It's 1 frame slower than 2a but it's a lot longer and doesn't prorate as much, so you should prefer it. The only valid complain with it is that it pushes you back quite a bit but it's not C move leves of bad. Pressure wise it's better than C moves. This move is a little peculiar, although it pushes you back you can cancel it (into 2a/5a most preferably) almost instantly, negating that effect. If you cancel it like that it's quite useful to confuse the opponent since it happens so fast. It's also peculiar because there's a "fourth" hit, yes, that's right. That "fourth" hit only happens when you hit the foe at a super specific distance, hitting very late. You can't cancel that hit at all, although it's easy to avoid. This is the move that you'll want to mash when the opponent tries to reset his stagger, because of the speed and long range. It has saved my life countless times. Beware, this hits mid. So don't use it as one.

5B Fast if tapped. I suspect that this move is 1 frame faster than 4c. This move is -2 or so, -1 with a rebeat whiff 5a. I don't think it's that good for anti air since it hits a bit lower than 5a. This move is excellent for pressure since: it pushes you back as little as a 5a/2a; it can be charged for frametraps, and is super plus if blocked if charged fully, good for meaties, and if 5[b] hits it's better than j.c 5b damage-wise; and finally, the reverse beat windows is immense. And there's also 5BB which doesn't push you that back but it's cancel window is quite short. Cancelling 5BB Might be a better choice for stagger without reverse beat penalty than cancelling into *C moves. 5BB can't be used in neutral so I can't talk too much about it. Just beware that this move trips crouchers.

2BB This move is absolute trash and the only thing it does is making 5bbb even worse than it is. You can't cancel it into anything but 5bbb. Avoid it unles you're going for that 5bbb gimmick. This is the only move that you want to always whiff, if possible. It also trips the opponent on hit making 5bbb whiff sometimes, eww. This crap hits low.

2BBB This is the kind of move that you do only once or twice every 100 rounds, or if they don't know the matchup. It's an overhead but worse since the 5bb is slow, even if you whiff it, which make this move super telegraphed, even on high delay. Since 5bb -> 5bbb is not a frametrap at all you can get mashed quite well even with C moves. It's jump cancellable on block, and doing IAD j.a after it is airtight, allowing to continue pressure or doing a mixup with j.66 j.c. On hit you can confirm it with a low damage 9 j.c j.b AT combo or IAD j.b land 9 AT if you were expecting them to block. This might be good to do in on their wake up as it lets you continue doing pressure/mixups if they block it. I haven't experimented with this yet.

2C A sweep with the longest range of any of her normals. Since it's so long and it's not so slow I try to poke with it sometimes and reverse beat whiff it on block. It's super punishable if it whiffes. I also use when the opponent is landing, but that's kinda matchup specific. Dash 2c works more than I expect it to. I don't really recommend it on pressure. It doesn't moves you very much and it's only worth going for if you rebeat into a not whiffing 2a/5 because the pushback is very high. When you do it you're basically signalling the opponent that your pressure ends there. In neutral, on hit, your options are going for 2c okizeme, following with a 623b, or simply going for a 5b 4c air combo.

5C Thanks to its disjointed hitbox, it's better than 4c as a raw anti air, although a bit hard to confirm if not in the corner (which you can confirm 623b -> momiji loop) with since it'll send flying any airborne opponent. If you want a long range move you're better doing 4c or 2c. In neutral, on hit for airborne opponents, you can confirm it into 2c which you can follow with the same options described above in 2c. In pressure this move is better than both 2c and 4c since you'll move forward quite a bit before the 5c hits. Remember to rebeat into a 5a/2a hit after it or it'll be for all naught because of the pushback. I believe this is the best move to catch jumps.

6C A 26 frames overhead. That's on the slow side and pretty reactionable even on high delay. On block this move is minus but the pushback makes it safe, but you better say goodbye to your corner pressure. You're better doing this move after covering it 236c but it seems quite obvious then. Only do this move when the opponent doesn't expect it at all, that is, gimmicks. For example, this epic gimmick: 623a 6a instead of 623b while doing the momiji loop. I assure you that this will hit. There's also 4c(1) 6c which is kind of a frametrap for slow moves since fast short low moves won't reach it. This trades with C.V-Sion's 2a. You'll always win the trade though.

4C Your fastest *C move, multihit, and the designated anti IAD move. You can poke in neutral with this move, and can confirm it into 5c 2c (623b). For pressure the move this move can also catch jumps pretty well. You'll be using it when you get too far away for anything but 2c to hit, But when you use it you'll be telling your foe to escape, so try to mix it with fake resets after it, if you're not too far away. Try to cancel it on the first hit to avoid too much pushback. All C moves after rebeat whiffing 5a are +2. But I hope you don't get to that point in corner pressure.

J.A

J.B -

J.C

Special Moves

Plucking Birds 「If someone could add JP Names I'll be glad」 - 236ABC (Description) - Akiha will jump and spew some short range flame tongues. These are mostly used as resets or at foe's wakeup. You can't combo into or out of (except the EX one) any of these. (A version) - Akiha jumps a little and throws a flame tongue. She jumps high enough so that her own 2c doesn't hit her. It's massively plus on block allowing you to continue pressure. You can meaty do it after throwing an opponent, although dp beats it. Also it moves her a tiny bit forward. (B version) - It's kind of like a super backward jump that leaves a tongue. It won't hit anyone unless they mash big normals. It might work to bait some dps that go upwards. Also, after recovering it leaves you with a jump and 2 airdashes, which if executed well it allows you to keep your pressure. (EX version) - Akiha jumps high enough so that most normals won't even touch her and shots a lot of flame tongues. The startup is massively slow so you're better doing this in their wakeup, which allow for some mixups. If they chicken block you get a combo for free. You can also do a setup with this that involes throwing it in some part of the momiji loop so that if they tech it and block it you get a free combo, and if they don't tech it hits. I don't think this is worth the meter. Also, I don't see any use of these in neutral.

Brilliant Impetus - Temporary String「」 - J.236ABC (Description) - Akiha leaves a red web, an auto-mine, basically. It explodes after a set time. A and B are pretty much identical except for the momentum. (A version) - Stops your momentum before leaving a mine, then akiha's drop in a fixed angle and speed. Mostly used in 623b okizeme with the Tiger knee technique. (B version) - Keeps your momentum. After leaving the mine you'll drop in a fixed angle that looks like a jump in reverse. (EX version) - Same as A, except more damaging.

「」 - 28ABC (Description) - ...

「」 - 623ABC (Description) - ...

「」 - 214ABC (Description) - ...

「」 - 421ABC (Description) - ...

「」 - J22ABC (Description) -　...

「」 - 426ABC (Description) -　... (A version) - (B version) - (EX version) -

「」 - BC (Description) -　... (Standing) - (Crouching) - (Airborne) -

Arc Drive

「」 (Description) - AD description