Art of Fighting 3/Ryo Sakazaki

リョウ・サカザキ, Ryo Sakazaki
Difficulty	Easy
Playstyle	Shoto with offensive tools
Birthplace	Japan
Occupation	Dojo master
Fighting style	Kyokugenryu Karate
Weight Class	Heavy (9/10)
Birthday	August 2

Introduction

Player 1 Color	Player 2 Color

The poster boy of Art of Fighting, Ryo is your typical fighting game shoto, a mix between both Ryu and Ken of Street Fighter fame. That being said, that doesn't stop him from being cool in his own right. With a tool for every situation, solid fundamentals, a balance between both offense and defense, and strong damage overall, Ryo makes for a great character in Art of Fighting 3. He's easy to pick up and play as, due to a wide selection of easy to use and versatile tools, including the best crossup in the game.

That's not to say he doesn't have some shortcomings, however. For one, his C button is pretty much worth ignoring most of the match, and lower than average corner carry and strange juggle combos can leave him lacking in stable offense.

As opposed to Robert, Ryo has slightly more offense focused tools overall than Robert does, and an emphasis on close range fighting and hard hitting, single strikes.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Unique utility to his best moves: Ryo's huge array of moves all give them some sort of noteworthy property that makes them all practical one way or another, and can easily throw people off even when they know the matchup. Good variety of lows: Ryo has just enough lows to make them threatening while also giving each one a different purpose, helping his mixup game comfortably. High chip damage: Ryo's attacks naturally deal higher chip damage than other characters which can help itch out extra damage and otherwise close out a round on unsuspecting players, particularly his Zan Retsu Ken. Largest toolkit in the game: The only character in the game with a move list close to Ryo's is Robert's move list. Ryo has moves for every situation and is always prepared. Flexible game strategy: Ryo is so flexible, he can be played whatever way the player decides to play him. Rushdown, turtle, mixups, zoning, hit-and-run, Ryo has it all. Heavy weight: Ryo's heavier weight makes him immune to some juggle combos due to spending less time in the air, though not as heavy as Jin. Unblockable ranbu super: Ryo's ranbu super is one of the best supers in the game, and combined with being unblockable and in some cases unavoidable, Ryo can put on quite a scare with his super. Easy to use: Ryo is easily pick up and play, limited only by players memorizing his moves and some awkward juggle combos. Much of what makes him strong players can easily pick up on and watch as Ryo's aggressive playstyle flourishes in any scenario. They gave him Iori's taco for some reason: Free cross-ups, so Ryo's okizeme is a pinch better, especially if you can time it to hit the opponent during their turn around for an unblockable cross-up.

Can become predictable in his approach: Although diverse in his playstyle, if a Ryo player sticks to just the one playstyle, it can be easy for Ryo to flowchart how he plays. Each playstyle has its pros and cons, but primarily that Ryo cannot take advantage of all his moves in any given playstyle, thus he may need to cycle through them. C button isn’t very useful: Ryo's 5C has no real practical purpose beyond a raw poke, and it's unlikely he needs to use his DP C, either. Fireball C is sometimes useful as is cross-up j.C, but is otherwise a button Ryo can ignore. Corner carry isn't noteworthy: Some attacks have decent corner carry, but outside of that, his attacks are all very static and don't push the opponent far, thus Ryo needs rush combos to push people in the corner, or otherwise bait them into it. Fluctuating matchups despite winning most: Ryo only has one bad matchup against Kasumi, but he has to approach each one differently regardless, on top of his varied playstle. Some characters he does great at, others he still wins but only slightly, so Ryo players will need to get a general idea of how effective some playstyles are against other characters. Slightly beaten by specialists: Ryo is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Robert has better special moves and defensive play, Rody is better at rushdown, Karman is better as a turtle, Lenny is better at hit-and-run zoning, the list goes on. He doesn't truly shine in any one area. Overall poor frame data: Challenged only by Wang in bad frame advantage, Ryo may have plenty of fast and delayed attacks to work with but unless he scores a knockdown or wrongblock stagger, he's minus. Jab is his only move that is guaranteed to leave him plus, whereas everything else leaves Ryo wide open on block in all matchups, and in some cases even on hit. Even when he scores a stagger or wrongblock, follow-ups aren't guaranteed either due to lengthy animations or because they put him at negative frame advantage. Brought Yuri with him on the road trip but she isn’t playable

Move List

Esoterics

Color Coding

• Green refers to special move damage/frames when done in green meter, or otherwise the strongest damage it can deal.
• Blue refers to special move damage/frames when done in blue meter, or otherwise moderate damage it can deal.
• Purple refers to special move damage/frames when done in purple meter, or otherwise the weakest damage it can deal.
• Orange refers to the damage dealt in chip damage during block.
• Colors may be used otherwise to associate frames/scenarios to avoid confusion, i.e. Kasumi's 4C parry having two different sets of frame data.

Attacks, Notation and Damage

• [Brackets] refers to the specific attack in a string/rush combo that the attack box data is referring to.

• The arrow > on the left of it is the attacks that need to be done before the move in brackets can be performed. If there is an X, it means there are multiple ways of getting to the move in brackets which will be listed in the description.

• Damage values always assume grounded damage with no modifiers. If two damage values are listed with a / in-between them, it lists the damage it deals for grounded and airborne respectively.

• This is because these attacks are used in strings or otherwise as follow-ups where they're more likely to connect with airborne opponents rather than grounded opponents, such as Jin's 6B which hits twice, the first hit leaving the opponent airborne before the second hit.

• Ground/Aerial means if the attack is performed grounded or airborne. If an aerial, being hit during the attack will result in the attacker being knocked down.
• There is no true throw invulnerability in Art of Fighting 3, so when a move is listed as "Throw Invulnerable" it means the attack changes the character's hurtboxes in a way that the throw hitbox cannot collide with it.

Reading Frame Data

• Description of the five stats:

• Startup frames counts all frames before the first active frame comes out, aka how long it takes for the attack to come out
• Active frames is how long the attack is able to hit the opponent, starting at the first active frame
• Recovery frames is how long it takes before the player resets to neutral and can act again
• Total is all three stats above added up, so total number of frames in the move
• Hit/Block advantage is how much faster or slower you can act than the opponent by the number of frames

• Frame advantage, both on hit and block, always assumes frame advantage after the first active frame connects.
• If an attack lists "QKD" in its properties, this means it's an attack that can be teched out of faster than a normal knockdown. This affect only applies to counter hit launches or if the attack connects with the opponent in the air.
• When a move lists ST, SKD, etc. followed by a number in (parentheses) it indicates the frame advantage for the attacking player. Not all knockdowns are plus on hit and depends on the move.

• Knockdown frames always assume frame advantage against Jin. Everyone except for Robert, Sinclair, and Wyler share 16f of wakeup recovery after a knockdown. For Robert, Sinclair, and Wyler, add +1 frame advantage.
• This rule also applies to SKDs, however in this case Jin and everyone else shares 58f total of being in an SKD state except for Lenny, who is in an SKD state for 59 frames instead. For SKD frame advantage against Lenny, add +1 frame advantage.
• The wiki omits STKD frame advantage mostly because those are always plus no matter what, so it's somewhat pointless.

• The frames in (parentheses) next to a "Cancellable into..." sentence is how long you can delay a follow-up, AKA which exact frames you're allowed to cancel into a follow-up. If it states "onwards" then the cancel can be done whenever after the given frame. This info helps both for buffering inputs and also delaying strings for mixups.

Other Tips

• Moves are sorted by ascending number followed by ascending alphabet, so lower numbers first followed by lower alphabet letters. Moves with two button presses are organized last.
• It is recommended you read the brief descriptions to how the attacks animate in-game to familiarize yourself with each attack. Unfortunately, due to the rotoscoped graphics, animations lack key frames that help distinguish themselves as separate moves when viewed as single frames. This in turn makes some moves that share frames look identical to one another without context to how they are supposed to appear, without resorting to using gifs.

General Frame Data

Character	Jump Startup	Jump Recovery	Jump Frames	Hop Frames	Crouch Frames	Restand Frames	Crouch Height
	5f	8f	54f	41f	6f	6f	Average
Walk Startup	Walk Speed	F. Dash Frames	F. Dash Speed	F. Dash Distance	Backdash Frames	Backdash Speed	Backdash Distance
0f	Average	32f	Slow	Average	24f	Average	Average

Grounded Normals

5A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 128 High 4 - - - +8 +3 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 129 points Ryo does a quick forward, left-handed jab. Strong jab overall. Ryo is always plus after it, both on hit and block, though blocked jabs can still be countered with parries and high crushes. Can be easily chained into combos for extra damage, so if Ryo gets a launch off, with minimal practice there's little reason not to try and add a few extra jabs into his juggle combos. In neutral, makes for easy pressure since Ryo can keep throwing it out and force the opponent to navigate around it in order to deal with him. Combined with rush combo attacks and delayed strings, it can be decent mixup potential for Ryo if the opponent gets too hasty, scoring him a simple counter hit combo, although keep in mind Ryo's rush combo attacks leave him minus regardless of the result so be careful about delaying your strings if you do so. This is the only move of Ryo's with overall good frame data on it. His other moves can have pretty fast startup, but other than that, almost all of them suffer by having Ryo lose his turn both on hit and block unless he scores a knockdown, and on block it's usually easy to punish him for it. Don't feel awkward about spamming 5A jabs, it's the only completely safe option he has for the most part. While Kasumi's jab is even better in terms of frame advantage, Kasumi has two versions: close and far jab. The far version comes out at 3 frames and the close version at 4, but the close version has the better frame advantage. This makes it a little trickier to set up for Kasumi; Ryo doesn't have to worry about this minor drawback so he can freely pressure with jab. 5A can combo both into Zan Retsu Ken (646A) and his DP, Kohou (623P). It's easier and more optimal to link into another jab, or attempt a rush combo. Landing his DP is a very tight link, while Zan Retsu Ken deals more damage while also being easier to land, albeit still difficult given it's only guaranteed if Ryo manages to hit confirm it.

5B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 High 4 - - - +2 -3 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 257 points Able to anti-air Ryo leans back and strikes forward with a left kick angled upwards. Forgettable move, 5A has the same startup for better reward. Being angled upwards doesn't benefit Ryo much, unfortunately. From farther away, 5B can actually whiff due to its taller hitbox, so it can't be used as a spacing tool. Its best use is as an anti-air against hops, if you need something instantly to work with. However, Ryo can just use jab, too. It's a hair better against full jumps as an anti-air than 5A is, but if you have meter, Ryo can also use that instead, both with DP and 646A. Anything you can think of using it for, Ryo probably has another move that he can use to do it better. You need to be creative to get any mileage out of it.

5C Conquering Strike Conquering Strike

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 512 Mid 7 - - - KD -4 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 513 points Ryo does a strong hitting jab with his right fist. Arguably more useful than 5B, but it's basically just a stronger, but slower jab punch with a bit more range. For juggle combos, 5C will end the combo, which makes it a poor combo ender given the average damage. The recovery is also too long for Ryo to get anything other than a pursuit afterwards. If Ryo gets a counter hit juggle but has little room to combo into something, 5C can be a good way to end a counter hit juggle. 5C is unnecessary for full juggles, using regular jab is preferable since Ryo can link them in his combos. Has better range than 5A, but not by much. It also leaves Ryo -4, so he loses his turn by using it. Plus, the fastest attacks in the game can still punish him on block. There's worse to work with if you use 5C as a midranged footsies poke, since it deals decent damage and can be safe on block if spaced out. Rush attacks may be potentially more rewarding, particularly if you use delayed strings, since that can lead to a counter hit juggle.

2A Low Blow Low Blow

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 Low 13 - - - -7 -15 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 257 points Ryo right punches his opponent at their legs after leaning in a little bit. You wanna be careful using this move, while the frame advantage on hit is definitely much better than Ryo's 2B, there's nowhere near as much pushback and it has longer startup, too. Albeit it's only -7 on hit, that's still enough to lead into a punish on hit for most characters, if not into a full juggle punish. Stubby range, it isn't as much range as when Ryo uses one of his low kicks. 33A gives 2A more range, but that's a separate move despite serving the same purpose, which also means different (and worse) frame data. You can try using it if you're confident you can start a counter hit juggle off of a low, but beyond that 2A doesn't stand out. Being punishable on hit makes it too risky to be worth using often, if ever. You could probably get away with using it anyways if the opponent forgets it's punishable on hit. Compared to Karman and Kasumi, while their 2As are both technically punishable on hit, too, they are only -4 which leaves only the fastest attacks able to punish them, if at all, making them safe in comparison. Ryo is easier to punish with the extra 3 frames.

Full Crouch 2A / 2B / FC 2B Weak/Strong Low Tap Weak/Strong Low Tap

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 192 Low 5 - - - +0 -5 STKD Ground Version: Full Crouch 2A Spirit restored when blocked: 193 points Ryo does a faster and safer version of his 2B low kick attack. Out of all of Ryo's lows, this is the only one you should ideally be using. Everything else in comparison has poor frame data or is otherwise flawed in another aspect. You also need to factor in the crouching frames before Ryo can actually use FC 2A. This inadvertently increases the startup if he's not already in FC state. Ryo loses damage using this move, but the overall utility is much better while being mostly safe to use, too. It's his only low with decent frame data by a longshot. Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 320 Low 8 - - - -14 -37 KD Ground Version: 2B Spirit restored when blocked: 321 points Ryo crouches down onto the ground, kicking forwards with a left kick to the opponent's feet. Try to avoid using this low. Its frame data is poor despite the pushback Ryo gets from landing it. The FC version of 2A is the better low in this aspect. The frame advantage hurts him quite a lot against players that know how to punish him accordingly, which only gets worse on block and it's even worse than that on whiff with the lack of active frames, making it easy to hop over. Even with the big pushback on hit Ryo gets with 2B, he can still be punished for using it, albeit a little harder. While yes, the reward for landing this move as a counter hit is a knockdown, Full Crouch 2B does the same thing. FC 2B does everything better other than 2 more frames of startup. Use this if you desperately need a long ranged low attack, or you really need to keep low-ranged characters away from you (such as Wang), and otherwise never use it over his FC lows. Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 Low 10 - - - +2 -21 KD Ground Version: Full Crouch 2B Spirit restored when blocked: 257 points An in-between low kick between FC 2A and 2B. Slower startup than 2B and also weaker, but slightly better frame advantage. If Ryo hits with FC 2B, he'll be +2 but it doesn't really give him anything to work with since FC 2B pushes the opponent back. Just as punishable on block as regular 2B is, being at -21. Still, it's safer in comparison even if negligible. If you can, just use this version instead of normal 2B. It's harder to punish, albeit only slightly, and he can still score a counter hit knockdown. The frame advantage of normal 2B is bad enough that it should only be used for dire situations, but even then he's better off using any other low.

Jumps

j.A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 High 5 - - - Varies Varies LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 257 points Ryo throws out a quick fist in the air. Ryo's fastest aerial attack, but only by 2 frames. Angled downwards with stubby range, much less than the range of j.B. If used in conjunction with hops, it can be an okay way to start counter hit juggles, particularly if jumping over lows, but that's rare to begin with. Ordinary move without much use, since it's more likely to whiff and it's unlikely you need 2 less frames for a jump-in or air-to-air, when j.B will do just fine, otherwise.

j.B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 384 High 7 - - - Varies Varies LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 385 points Ryo angles his leg diagonally downwards to poke at the opponent with a left kick. Ryo's go-to air-to-air and jump-in attack. Better range than j.A despite 2 frames more of startup and better damage. It's the attack that comes out when Ryo uses the B version of his wall jump with the exception that that version knocks down on hit, whereas this only does a normal hit. Standard range for a jump attack in this game, doesn't hurt to throw it out to attempt to score a free poke. Ryo will be challenged jumping upwards since none of his aerial buttons hit above him, the best he can work with is j.A which is angled downwards, anyways.

j.C Conquering Strike Conquering Strike

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 384 High 6 - - - SKD Varies SKD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 385 points Ryo summons his inner Iori Yagami and performs the infamous Iori Taco, in other words he lunges a backwards kick in the air to attack from behind. Not that it matters, but unlike the actual Iori Taco, Ryo keeps his leg straight which helps visualize the hitbox just a bit better. Obviously not useful for taking on opponents directly since it doesn't hit in front of him, but the hitbox is quite large and it’s easy to cross up with so it’s an air move you should definitely be using when possible, albeit don't get too predictable with it. Depending on when Ryo lands the attack, he can still be punished for using it during his landing frames. If he hits it deep, then on block he is safe. If he hits earlier, it's unsafe. If the attack lands at all, Ryo can score a small juggle off of the SKD (which isn't too easy to time, especially with weight differences). Most he can do is a basic rush combo follow-up, though it still does okay damage. Ryo can also land a DP after the attack, even against Jin, but he needs to be very close for it to land. 646A will always whiff. If blocked, Ryo doesn't really have anything to stand his ground afterwards even if it's still his turn after a deep enough hit. The best he can do is either force a low attack, attempt to walk up tick throw, or use a special move which will leave him free to punish anyways, even if it's 646A (since it can be punished on whiff). Ryo can opt to use rush combo attacks afterwards, but if j.C is blocked, then the opponent is already blocking standing which means Ryo will have no mixups off of a rush combo. The best he can do is a 3B > 5C mixup between ending on 5C or using 2A. However, both attacks hit overhead so there's no reason for the opponent to block low. Ryo can attempt to use 33A as an alternate low to 2B or 2A, though be mindful about its slower startup speed. Other than 3B, Ryo can use rush combos to pressure the opponent, but he's minus on every attack since it's blocked, leaving Ryo with nothing but delayable strings to try and force the opponent to open up, in other words he has to force them to guess. This won't work on patient players, and sometimes the opponent can force a trade such as Kasumi using 5C. That, or any character can 4C parry in-between and knock Ryo down. If j.C is blocked, Ryo can try following up the pressure into a block string using rush combos. However, unless he can pull off a very strong read by delaying his strings, he isn't going to get anything off of it and instead get punished on block. Using any of Ryo's rush combo enders will leave him free to punish on block given their frame advantage on block as opposed to if he ends the rush combo earlier. This move can hit in front of Ryo in some situations, if the opponent's hurtbox is extended forward from a whiffed normal, such as if Robert whiffs his j.B. The main reason that makes this move truly scary is not the move itself, but how the game handles cross-ups - you can find a full explanation here, but basically, if timed right, there's a small 8 frame window where Ryo's j.C becomes unblockable. Actually doing this consistently is easier said than done, especially depending on when the opponent performs the turn-around animation to begin with, especially since the opponent can circumvent this with counters, reversals, wakeup low kicks, and the like to either punish the attack, or avoid it anyways. This also poses a sort of conundrum for Ryo - time the cross-up to hit during the turn around animation for the unblockable attack, or deep hit it to land safely. Good timing gives him free damage, maybe even a juggle, but mistimed and it will lead to him being punished. Either that, or he plays it safe/times it too late and he gets blocked, in which case he has no real options anymore. Ryo probably has the advantage after using j.C, though because of his frame data, unless he scores a juggle, he will have to regain advantage every use. TL;DR Version: Great move when used right, as it can help keep Ryo's momentum especially with the small unblockable window, but poorly timed and/or blocked and Ryo has little he can use to safely follow up the pressure. Don't get trigger happy with it and it's a solid mixup. If trigger happy, it can either be read and punished or a gateway for Ryo to lose his pressure off of one bad button press.

Dashing Normals

66A Torage Uchi Torage Uchi

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 576 Overhead 10 - - - -4 -9 LCHL Ground, Wrongblock (ST; +27) Spirit restored when blocked: 577 points Ryo runs forward with a right fist swinging downwards. Since it hits overhead it can wrongblock stagger, and the advantage is just enough that Ryo can get a better combo than the follow-up with 66A[A]. 66B also hits overhead, but since it raises Ryo up a lot higher, it's inconsistent whether it hits or not especially when ducked. 66A can otherwise be used to start counter hit juggles, as opposed to 66B leading to only a knockdown. As a standalone attack, there's no reason to use it in combos since it drops them even without the follow-up. In neutral, it's somewhat safe, since on hit it's only -4 but on block it's -9, so fast attacks can stuff Ryo for using it. Ryo has more practical punish options than trying to use 66A, since it doesn't pack much range. Better used as a quick overhead, assuming the opponent cannot duck to crouch it. It recovers faster than his other overheads at wrongblock +21, with 3A/28A wrongblock at +18, so it's slightly easier to combo off of.

66A[A] Tsurabe Uchi Tsurabe Uchi

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 384 Overhead 4 - - - KD -34 KD Ground, Wrongblock (ST; -4) Spirit restored when blocked: 385 points Ryo follows-up 66A with a small left fisted uppercut attack. Only reason to use it is if you hit confirmed 66A with no wrongblock so you can score a knockdown, or it was blocked and you need to delay it to try and shake the opponent off. Trying to score a wrongblock stagger is the better reward which gives Ryo little reason to combo into this attack, unless 66A hits the opponent while they're standing meaning Ryo can only convert into a knockdown with this follow-up. It also suffers significantly worse frame advantage on block, so Ryo should avoid using this follow-up on block without delaying it.

66B Hopping Gale Kick Hopping Gale Kick

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 640 High Overhead 25 - - - KD -44 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 641 points Able to anti-air Ryo leaps forward into a charging kick hurdling towards the enemy. Slower startup than Kasumi's 66B, and it also jumps Ryo much higher in comparison which makes it easier to whiff. While not as useful as Kasumi's 66B, and also more punishable, it can still be useful once in awhile for full screen punishes (without spending meter), or scenarios where the opponent is crouching low expecting a different attack. The main reason you shouldn't use this attack is due to Ryo's height making it easier to duck under, particularly right next to him. If it hits, Ryo scores a knockdown right next to the opponent, which can make it rewarding. Given that Ryo lacks easy access to lows he can use to apply 50/50 mixups with, this would be a good tool in his mixup bag, but as is 66A is the better dash attack given the juggle potential it provides, whereas 66B is the rare long-ranged poke punish.

Command Normals

Against Wall During Jump A/B Triangle Jump / Sankaku Geri Triangle Jump / Sankaku Geri

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 / 384 High 20 / 28 - - - Varies Varies LCHL / KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 257 / 385 points Ryo jumps off of the wall behind him (the border of the screen) to leap towards the opponent. The leap Ryo does depends on the button pressed: A version has Ryo jump upwards in an arc towards the opponent where he gets some extra height before falling. He gets a lot more horizontal range off of this jump than his regular jumps. He can then perform any of his 3 jump buttons, including 5C if he is lucky enough to fall right behind the opponent. B version has Ryo jump diagonally downwards with a dive kick attack. Doesn't travel nearly as far but the hit leads to a knockdown. Somewhat difficult to punish on block and anti-air, but there are gaps in the startup, landing frames, and the hitbox size itself. This move is what defines Ryo's hit and run game, if that's the way you want to approach playing him, although be aware of the window that the opponent can set up a punish to anti-air you. For overall utility, use the A version. It lets Ryo become mobile and allows him to prepare better for the opponent if you're unsure what the opponent will do, or you want to force the opponent to guess. For offense, use the B version. It is more rewarding than a regular aerial attack, and can be used to keep the opponent out from trying to approach against his dive kick. Keep in mind that it can still be anti-aired against, however.

33A Dashing Low Blow Dashing Low Blow

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 640 Low 18 - - - KD -44 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 641 points Ryo dashes in before lunging forwards with a stronger version of his low hitting 2A punch attack. The input is somewhat awkward to do, given the game expects relatively clean diagonals. Much more active frames than 2A. With practice, Ryo can time meaties with this attack, leading to free knockdowns where he can continue his pressure - but try not to get blocked. It's also significantly easier to punish on block on top of the higher startup of the attack, all characters are capable of setting up a full juggle punish. A good chance for Ryo to mix in a low from farther away if he's playing the footsies game and if used sparingly. If done too often, it can be punished on reaction easily, or worse, blocked into a juggle punish.

3B Hiza Arashi Hiza Arashi

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 320 Overhead 5 - - - -40 -45 LCHL Ground, Wrongblock (ST; -10) Spirit restored when blocked: 321 points Ryo lifts his right knee to strike. Hard to hit-confirm reliably since it leaves Ryo very minus on hit, which makes it somewhat of a commitment. Only follow-up options are 5B or 5C, both of which have their own issues. It's easier to hit-confirm off of a wrongblock, but it still leaves Ryo minus so you don't have much room to idle about. Using it to hit overhead is the main, and probably only, reason to use the attack. Can't be used in juggles, and on counter hit while it launches, Ryo gets nothing extra for it due to the animation's length. It can be decent damage if you'd rather not fish for the wrongblock off of a different overhead or a launcher but keep in mind it's risky, and it's unlikely you'll find Ryo players using it, anyways.

3B~[5B] High Kick High Kick

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 320 Mid 6 - - - KD -58 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 321 points Able to anti-air Ryo follows-up his knee attack with a high rising kick diagonally upwards. Only useful if Ryo hit-confirms off of 3B, but lacks the damage that the 5C follow-up provided. Few active frames, so it's not great as an anti-air. Situations where Ryo will catch an opponent walking towards him and getting hit by this follow-up don't exist. They can poke with a semi-long move and call it a day. Inconsistently lands if Ryo combos off of a wrongblocked 3B, mainly if he's farther away from the opponent, and especially if they're smaller. Difficult to justify its use when Ryo has both better reward off of the 5C follow-up and it's safer. The 5B follow-up kick is also the second hit of 4B, meaning Ryo doesn't need to worry about hit confirming the attack.

3B > [5C] Knee Drive Knee Drive

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 320 x2 Mid / Overhead 10 - - - KD -51 LCHL; KD Ground, Wrongblock (ST; -21) Spirit restored when blocked: 321 x2 points Ryo performs a double knee strike after his first knee attack. During blockstun, the opponent recovers faster than Ryo can throw out the second hit of the 5C follow-up. This means you can buffer a backdash to escape and force a whiff scenario with a backdash cancel, however keep in mind backdashes are not invincible so doing this in the corner will lead you to getting hit. You can also choose to parry or otherwise throw out a lightning fast attack if possible. If 5C lands, the second hit will always connect, however. The more practical follow-up in comparison to 3BB. However, Ryo loses mixups off of this rush combo if the opponent blocks 3B. He can only delay the 5C, but not 5C > 2A as the 2A has to be activated right away. Ryo can choose to either continue to the end of 5C's animation, or stop into 2A after the first knee attack. Both attacks hit overhead, but as stated, since he cannot delay the 2A follow-up, only 5C, then if 3B > 5C is blocked, Ryo should always opt to use the 2A follow-up to make it harder to punish him on block. By finishing 5C to the second hit, he is much easier to punish. Having no mixup potential on this rush combo hurts its usefulness. If you use this move, only do so on a hit-confirm. On block it's overly risky, unless the opponent doesn't have matchup knowledge, but even then Ryo should still end on 2A to make it safer. However, even on a hit-confirm, cancelling 5C into the final 2A follow-up will still deal more damage than using both hits of 5C anyways. In other words, don't use the second hit of 5C. It's only for style points.

3B > 5C > [2A] Low Blow Low Blow

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 512 Overhead 10 - - - KD -10 KD Ground, Wrongblock (ST; +20) Spirit restored when blocked: 513 points Ryo ends his double knee strike with an overhead hitting 2A fist attack. Despite looking identical to 2A and 33A, this attack hits overhead instead of low. At least it knocks down, but you're only using this if you think the opponent isn't expecting to get hit by it or you need to save yourself from a blocked 3B. However, since Ryo can only do this attack as a rush combo, and the opponent would need to be standing in order to block 3B anyways, Ryo will likely never confirm a wrongblock off of this move, and while only -10 on block, is still enough to punish him since rush combos leave you right next to your opponent. Ryo has limited use for this move in neutral beyond making a blocked 3B harder to punish given the specific way he has to gain access to this attack. No reason not to combo into this move when it both makes a blocked 3B safer but also deals more damage than the second hit of 3B > 5C.

4B Fuusatsu Keri Fuusatsu Keri

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 480 + 480/600 Mid / High 8 - - - KD -49 / -38 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 481 x2 points Able to anti-air Ryo double right kicks the opponent into a knockdown, first directly in front of him then higher up. If you intend to use 5BC, use this move instead. Both hits knockdown, it does more damage if both hits connect, and has only 8 frames of startup as opposed to 5BC's 28 frames of startup. Because of the 8 frames of startup, it can be difficult to react to. 4B is just as punishable as 5BC, but carries the same range, so it can be used as a midranged poke. Not useful in combos given the second hit has a tendency to whiff during juggles on top of the recovery frames. If used in a juggle, it will end the combo. The second hit is also duckable given its height, so the opponent doesn't need to block both hits.

5AB Sway Sway

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property X X - - - - X X X Ground Ryo steps to the side to dodge all incoming attacks for a brief moment. If you've played other fighting games with a similar mechanic, such as King of Fighters 94/95, Samurai Shodown 3, or Super Smash Bros., you already understand how this move works. Ryo stays in place and, upon activation, becomes fully invulnerable to all incoming attacks temporarily (and also has his pushbox completely disabled, too). However, he can still be punished during his recovery frames. The dodge can be used to bait the opponent into doing something risky, or also help Ryo avoid attacks altogether and punish soon afterwards. It shouldn't be used against fast attacks since the opponent will recover faster than Ryo can, thus allowing them to punish Ryo during his recovery frames. A useful tool for any playstyle you go for as Ryo as it gives him an extra defensive tool that other characters do not have. While Karman also has a dodge, he always performs an attack afterwards which while still good, doesn't give him the benefit of using the dodge by itself.

5BC Ate Keri Ate Keri

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 640 Mid 28 - - - KD -47 KD Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 641 points Ryo winds backwards to ready a fierce kick forward with his right leg. One of Ryo's weaker moves. The reward is mediocre for the amount of risk with using it compared to 4B. Hits mid, so it can be parried/countered, has almost a full half second of startup so it's hard to land in the first place, is -47 on block which makes even the slowest characters punish it easily, it's difficult justifying its use beyond an occasional midrange poke. The range is passable, though Ryo has safer options like 5C, 64BC, or 66A which are also more rewarding. If you wish to use this move, use 4B instead. It has less startup, does more overall damage, and has the same amount of range as 5BC.

Launchers

3A / 28A Tsurabe Uchi Tsurabe Uchi

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 / 640 Overhead 8 - - - Launch -12 HCHL Ground, Wrongblock (ST; +18) Spirit restored when blocked: 257 / 641 points 3A KSV: 48 / 28A KSV: 109 Able to anti-air Ryo throws out a short left fisted uppercut attack to the opponent, sending them high into the sky. 28A version is identical to 3A, only it deals much more damage and while the startup frames are the same, the attack technically doesn't start until Ryo's jump startup frames finish, giving it (ideally) a 13f startup. This is Ryo's main go-to launcher, one you'll almost definitely use more often than 64BC. It's not that 64BC is bad, but 3A hits overhead, can deal close to the same damage if you use the While Standing version, and has faster startup overall. Keep in mind the range is short, so it's fairly easy to whiff without practice. While he doesn't get much, wrongblock overhead gives Ryo a chance to continue the pressure, potentially into a combo off of stagger. Only -12 on block, but it's still an easy punish given its iffy range since Ryo will be placed next to the opponent. After some practice, it's how Ryo will usually start his juggle combos outside of counter hits, and since he has to be up close to land it anyways, he's always near the opponent that he can reliably juggle off of it, including linking a couple extra jabs without the need to forward dash cancel into them - or if he needs to get closer, he can just walk forward. Ideally try using the 28A version more since it's more than double the damage, but using 3A guarantees a faster launcher than 28A which can take over twice as long to come out depending on player execution and/or whether Ryo is standing or in Full Crouch. That, and also getting used to the input so that Ryo doesn't accidentally jump.

64BC Joudan Mawashi Geri Joudan Mawashi Geri

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 832 Mid 18 - - - Launch -6 HCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 833 points KSV: 109 Able to anti-air Ryo spins around into a high hitting roundhouse kick, sending the opponent flying. Safe on block at only -6 despite the startup, so only the fastest attacks such as jabs will be able to punish it, but add on top of that Ryo can space it since it has somewhat long range, giving it potential to be safe on block. 3A/28A is still more practical as a launcher, but if you can get a decent read and have good spacing, 64BC can be handy, dealing more damage and only requiring an extra forward dash cancel to juggle into the same combos. Hits mid so it won't affect crouchers, assuming they can't crouch to duck it by default. Most lows in the game aren't fast enough to punish the move on block anyways, meaning the opponent would need to FC cancel out of crouch to punish it instead. It's worth trying to use this move into your game plan, it can pay off in the long run with practice spacing it. It only loses utility in not hitting overhead, and having a taller hitbox, but it doesn't get completely overshadowed by 3A/28A.

Rush Combo Attacks

6A Rush Jab Rush Jab

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 160 Mid 6 - - - -1 -6 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 161 points Ryo does a short dash forwards into a lunging left punch attack. Punishable on block if you choose not to do anything after the one 6A. Slightly better range than normal 5A. This is what Ryo will usually opt for when starting rush combos. Little reason to use this by itself so always follow up with an additional attack. Delay the rush combo if you think you need to.

6A[A] Second Jab Second Jab	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 192 Mid 2 - - - +1 -4 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 193 points Ryo follows up the first jab with a second rushing jab using his right fist. Identical to 6A but slightly stronger damage. Same notes apply otherwise.

6AA[C] Cross Cross

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 192 Mid 4 - - - -1 -6 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 193 points Ryo follows up by throwing out his left elbow to pummel the enemy. Once against, identical to 6AA. Only real differences are the slightly lower range and different window for timing the 6AA[C] follow-up. Don't use this in the corner since the pushback from 6AA will make 6AA[C] whiff and therefore drop whatever combo Ryo is doing. This includes if Ryo is doing his infinite. Corner pushback will effectively drop the combo if you attempt to use the infinite in the corner without properly ending it.

6AAC[C] Short Upper Short Upper

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 416 Mid 2 - - - ST (-1) -36 LCHL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 417 points Able to anti-air Ryo finishes his rush of attacks with a right uppercut. 6XB is the better combo ender since it deals more damage and has a bigger hitbox. The move isn't bad but there's zero purpose to it beyond looking cool. It leaves Ryo minus both on hit and block so he loses his turn anyways. Its only advantage over 6XB is 2 frames of startup which makes it easier to punish with during delayed strings, but 6XB has 4 startup frames so it's a small benefit in comparison.

6B Chopping Roundhouse Chopping Roundhouse

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 320 Mid 8 - - - SCL -39 SCL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 321 points Able to anti-air Ryo swings his right leg into a circular kick towards the background. There's some potential for it to be used as an anti-air, particularly using it as 6BB for two kicks angled upwards. It's a very slow recovering move, however. The move exists, that's the most interesting thing to say about it other than it can anti-air. Just use 6A to start rush combos, instead. It's duckable, too, which limits its usefulness.

6X[B] Arc Kick Arc Kick

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 480 Mid 4 - - - SCL -15 SCL Ground Spirit restored when blocked: 481 points Able to anti-air Ryo finishes his rush combo with a swinging left kick towards the background. How Ryo should end his rush combos. Deals the most damage out of his rush combo enders. Also helps him set up his infinite combo and makes deadly juggles against other characters if you use 6AACB specifically. Nothing special, it's fast and will get the job done for the knockdown property if you combo into it. Not a whole lot of reason to use it though, other than maybe as a once in a blue moon anti-air.

Specials

Ko’oh Ken 236A/C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 960 (240) / 704 (176) / 256 (64) Mid 28 - - - - - X Ground Spirit Cost: 896 (~22%) Ryo throws out a fiercesome fireball in front of him, hurdling towards the opponent. The A version is "slow" whereas the C version almost instantly travels across the screen. However, the A version is still considerably fast for a slowed down fireball. Not an amazing tool as fireballs can be punched out and jumped over, but it's unlikely the opponent will punch the fireball out anyways, particularly the C fireball. Good damage, good counter hit damage, good chip damage, it's an overall effective zoning tool. Attempting to play a heavy zoning game will leave Ryo stripped of meter pretty quickly, and he needs meter to be effective at playing offense, so it's best to avoid playing a strictly fireball game. There's several ways to apply his fireballs in a match: Catch an opponent in the air misjudging their jump arc Going for a chip kill with the fireball Dealing forced chip damage in general on wakeup Whiff punishing an opponent Nullifying ranbu super hitboxes Forcing the opponent to jump towards you Ryo will be using fireballs as a utility more than he is looking for pure damage, but is nonetheless quite useful in any match.

Hien Shippū Kyaku 16B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 800 + 544 (200 + 136) / 544 (136) x2 / 256 (64) Overhead 29 - - - KD -6 KD Ground Spirit Cost: 1056 (~26%) Able to anti-air (sort of) Ryo prepares a fast lunge forward with a powerful double kick attack. Not only can it deal quite a bit of damage, but it can also hit from fullscreen. So at any point, Ryo has a whiff punish attack that also leaves him right next to the opponent after it finishes. Punishable on block, but at only -11 frame disadvantage, it doesn't give the opponent a lot of room to work with for punishing it. Every character is capable of punishing it, even if only with a jab or rush combo, but in the context of AOF3, 11 frames is not that big of a window given the long animations and relatively higher startup of attacks in general. When on low health, it can make for a good forced chip kill, if the opponent is unable to avoid it otherwise. Be careful about performing it fullscreen, because while it can punish from that distance, Hien Shippuu Kyaku will whiff from the farthest distances both players can travel, which will leave Ryo much easier to punish than if he were to have landed it on block. It also hits overhead, so be sure to remember to block standing, and not try and duck it, or else get hit. Too slow to be used in combos, so its overall practicality isn't superb, but not a bad mixup and if used sparingly, may be a little hard to deal with.

Kohou 623A/C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property Varies Mid 7 - - - KD -36 KD Ground Spirit Cost: 960 (~24%) Able to anti-air Ryo leaps into the air with a rising punch attack. Damage output varies not only based on the meter color but also the button pressed 623A: 992 (248) / 672 (168) 623C: 576 (144 x2) / 384 (96 x2) It’s your ordinary DP attack, nothing crazy to see here. His A DP is typical range for a DP, whereas his C DP reaches as high as the ceiling of the stage at the cost of less damage. Good anti-air as per usual, but it's not as useful as Robert's DP, which pushes him forward, therefore Ryo won't get quite as much horizontal range off of it. He can still combo into it, and is 1 frame faster than Robert's DP, but isn't as effective as a footsies tool. He has other moves which are better for horizontal offense anyways, such as 646A. It's rare that you'll need to use the C version of Ryo's DP, so most cases you'll want to use the A version. The C version is only if Ryo absolutely needs to try and hit that high up. The C version will hit twice if blocked, but only once on hit. This results in more chip damage, but that's it.

Zan Retsu Ken 646A

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 384 + 800 (96 xN) / 160 + 800(40 xN) Mid 4 - - - KD -128 KD Ground Spirit Cost: 1344 (~33%) Able to anti-air Ryo stands in place throwing out a blisteringly fast flurry of punches. Can be potentially annoying to deal with as any character. Ryo does this attack for a surprisingly long amount of time, giving you ample leg room to catch the opponent if used right, but on the flipside that gives the opponent more time to punish you as well, albeit the punish window during its recovery isn't big. Compared to Robert's special moves, Zan Retsu Ken is the one special move Ryo does better than Robert can. The move's hitboxes also fluctuate up and down rhythmically, but most cases Ryo will catch opponents on both sides because of how large the hitboxes are. Although there's a blind spot below it, the only character who can consistently punish it is Kasumi with low crushing sweeps, and everyone else is forced to respect it. In this case, Kasumi still has to make sure she times it so that she doesn't get hit while transitioning to 2B, although this isn't likely to happen. More importantly, it would be beneficial for her to taunt Ryo to deplete his entire spirit meter, then punish him during his recovery frames. Technically, Wang can punish 646A with 2AB, and Jin with 2B, but they both need near perfect spacing. In Wang's case, he can also use 22A and Ryo can't do anything about it, as long as Wang isn't close enough to get vacuumed. Jin may be able to punish from above with a jump-in attack thanks to his double jump, but it would be easier to double jump above Ryo instead and punish from behind, if he gets the chance to do so. Sinclair can also punish 646A with her 28A special, since she jumps above Ryo, but even this is very unreliable. 646A will vacuum above Ryo, so you have to time it while Ryo's hitbox is lowered, or else Sinclair will either trade or get squashed. The 4 frames of startup means that Ryo can punish almost anything in the game with this move, and if it hits first, it turns Ryo hurtboxes off, making him immune to trades. Around halfway through using the move, the hitboxes increase in horizontal range, meaning Ryo can "vacuum" the opponent in with the attack, which is particularly effective against moves with extended hurtboxes. Easy to combo into, as well, so it's a solid juggle ender. Otherwise, it's a great wakeup option or even a simple neutral attack since it's unreactable unless you're already blocking. There's no reason not to use this move, it's one of Ryo's strongest assets. Your opponents are guaranteed to get hit by it at least once every match because of how useful of a punish/combo tool it is, but be cautious about the steep meter cost.

Koh Geki 214A on grounded opponent

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 640 OTG 37 1 52 90 Varies X X Ground 214A OTG Pursuit Frame Advantage Jin: +15 Karman: +19 Kasumi: +15 Lenny: +15 Robert: +16 Rody: +15 Ryo: +21 Sinclair: +22 Wang: +18 Wyler: +16 Spirit Cost: 960 (~24%) This is the only special move in the game that is completely unaffected by the Spirit meter. It always deals 640 damage no matter what, even if Ryo is in Purple, and no properties change, thus Ryo always has access to it. Whenever Ryo scores a knockdown, he has the choice to go for either his regular pursuit, or this special version of it which deals more damage. As stated, it doesn't matter what Ryo's spirit is. That doesn't mean you should completely ignore his normal pursuit, however. This version is much slower in comparison and even if Ryo lands a normal knockdown, it's not terribly difficult for the opponent to recover in time to avoid it. Against SKDs and QKDs, it's usually guaranteed to whiff, leaving Ryo easy to punish. If you have the room and time to land it, however, by all means go for it, it's more free damage. Keep your meter in mind, however, in case you're the kind of player who uses Ryo's meter more often. Also, if you're unsure whether the special version will land or not, just use the regular version. You lose damage, but it's better to guarantee a pursuit than attempt to score more damage only to get juggled to death for whiffing it. 214A isn't easy to squeeze in.

Haoh Shoukou Ken 641236C

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 1280 (320) Mid 64 - - - KD -31 KD Ground Spirit Cost: 1600 (~39%) Able to anti-air Can only be done while in green meter Ryo charges up and releases a giant fireball towards his opponent. While it’s a super powerful and fast projectile, the startup takes way too long to activate, and by the time the opponent realizes it, they can block it, jump over it, or if they're daring, punch it out. It is possible to punch out, but timing it is very strict and only consistent with moves that have long active frames, such as Jin's 4A. Only really likely to land if the opponent is knee deep committed into an attack (albeit rare), they aren't paying attention, or as a trade. Can be used to chip kill, given its big 320 chip damage. And from far away, where you should use the move anyways, it's generally not possible to punish on block. Basically, not really worth using, but it's satisfying regardless. While unlikely to land, it can turn a match around if it does and being really difficult to avoid, despite being stoppable by jumps and strikes, helps force damage onto the opponent, or potentially scare them from approaching. It's one moment for Ryo to stand his ground and zone the opponent out, however temporary the advantage is. Only Jin can consistently avoid these fireballs altogether.

Ryuko Ranbu 641236~(slight delay) 5B

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 2302 Unblockable 32 - - - KD X KD Ground Spirit Cost: 3072 (75%) Ryo dashes forward to unleash a long series of fiercesome attacks. You have to reset the stick to neutral after the 641236 input, or else the game reads it as 16B. That is why there's a slight delay for the super input. Standard rush-in, moving forward super attack that you’re probably familiar with in King of Fighters. It has a pinch of startup on it, but if you have a solid read, it carries the opponent fairly far, and hurts. However, this super is unblockable as are all ranbu type supers, so that alone gives Ryo a very solid comeback to fall back on. Can be used to setup unblockable setups off of okizeme, but can be stopped by wakeup low kicks, if timed right. The hitbox will also go away if it collides with a projectile. Nothing special to say about it, but unblockable ranbu, so you'd be foolish not to use it whenever possible.

Miscellaneous

Raz 4C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 0 High/Mid 0 23 17 40 KD X X Ground Ryo's 4C parry.

Taunt 5D	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property X X - - - - X X X Ground Ryo's universal taunt. A complete taunt takes away 967/968 points of spirit meter.

Throw 6C	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 960 High - - - - X X X Ground Ryo's normal throw. Side-switches on hit For some reason, Ryo uses one of Robert's voice clips when performing the throw. This is fixed in the NeoGeo CD version of the game where Ryo uses his own voice.

Pursuit 3A/B when opponent is on the ground

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Total Hit Adv Block Adv Counterhit Property 256 OTG - - - - Varies X X Ground Universal OTG Pursuit Frame Advantage Jin: +15 Karman: +15 Kasumi: +15 Lenny: +15 Robert: +16 Rody: +15 Ryo: +15 Sinclair: +16 Wang: +15 Wyler: +16 Ryo's regular pursuit. His only other option for a pursuit is 214A, which has slightly better frame advanatage, much better damage, but slower startup. While 214A "costs meter" you can use it at any point and still deal full damage with it. Using this pursuit or 214A really boils down to if you have enough time to land 214A or not, and if you can do with the lost meter from it as well. Otherwise, default to this pursuit. Both are good.

Strategy

Moves to USE	Moves to AVOID
5A, rush combo attacks Launchers, wall jumps Special attacks and super, particularly 646A	The majority of his command normals 2B (only use if you absolutely have to; -14 on hit)

General Strategy

Ryo can be played however the player desires to play him, however Ryo does have tools that favor more aggressive play. You can play Ryo like a typical shoto, a hit and run character, a rushdown character kinda like Iori from King of Fighters, a bit of a turtle, he has tools that let him play any type of style. Almost all of Ryo's tools are effective and have some sort of use that the only major downsides are his C button being very limited and his corner carry being relatively weak. That being said, he is still limited by the game's Spirit system preventing him from having 24/7 access to his specials, and regardless of being able to play any way he wants and well, he can still be countered with general strategies. Specialists will also still beat him, but only slightly that it's not much of a setback. The only arguably bad moves that Ryo has are his 5C, 5BC, 3BB, and 2B. He has so many other tools at his disposal though that it hardly matters.

If you play him as a typical shoto character, he has all the tools you would expect: a fireball, DP, and a leaping kick special. He also has access to his Haoh Shou Kou Ken, or the giant fireball, as a special and not a super. His super, instead, is an unblockable ranbu, so overall a very well-rounded kit with a great set of normals. By this point, it's a matter of knowing when to use each of his moves effectively, and when to attempt juggle combos. As a hit-and-run character, Ryo can utilize both his C fireballs to punish opponents from afar very quickly and also his wall jumps. They give Ryo an easy way to escape the corner, whether it be jumping right above the opponent or divekicking off the wall. Ryo can sit on a life lead this way, but this leads to the issue of not really using any of his other moves and playing chicken instead. When divekicking, he can still be anti-aired while he's jumping down, that or an air-to-air will catch him, too. So careless players who choose to hit-and-run will eventually be called out on it once the opponent picks up their rhythm and steal the momentum back. For rushdown, Ryo attempts to score as many combos and raw pokes as possible, and upon okizeme, can go for an overhead, a low, his 646A, or even jump and force the opponent into an ambiguous crossup thanks to having the Iori taco in his Jump C. It only takes one block or a poorly timed special for the opponent to be given the window to punish him, though, since most everything is easy to punish on block or with patience on whiff. As a turtle, Ryo doesn't have a whole lot other than his raw pokes, fireballs, and 646A to keep the opponent out, with the occasional DP. Not a bad setup per se, but it doesn't utilize Ryo's other unique tools, and makes getting back on an opponent with a life lead a little difficult. Overall though, he can handle any situation well and with little setback, so long as the player adjusts accordingly.

Ryo will be able to handle the rest of the cast just fine, other than Kasumi who can stuff him fairly well. While he is beaten by specialists, he can make up for it by playing differently anyways. His matchups fluctuate a bit, since for example, he has really good matchups against Rody and Lenny due to his infinite, but is only slightly better than someone like Robert or Karman, and otherwise loses to Kasumi.

Matchups

VS Jin

Jin has better frame data than Ryo does on top of being able to launch Ryo more consistently. Ryo is forced to keep his combos short because Jin is too heavy and will fall through most of them. By having better frame data, Jin can punish many of Ryo's attacks on block quite easily and fast, with higher reward. In addition to this, Jin having a 6 frame low hitting counter hit launcher is pretty awful for Ryo who will usually be up close to fight. Ryo's jab is the only button that will leave him plus on both hit and block, so any time he's not using that button, he's probably losing his turn if he doesn't hit Jin. Their pursuit game is pretty much the same in damage, speed, and frame advantage with the only exceptions being Ryo has two pursuits whereas Jin has 5AB which hits from farther away. Jin can punish Zan Retsu Ken with his double jump and either j.C Ryo from above (not recommended as he can still be sniped out from the top of Zan Retsu Ken's hitboxes), or jump behind Ryo and juggle him that way. Jin's super can also beat out Ryo's ranbu super, so Ryo loses in that regard as well (albeit unlikely to happen that both supers come out). It's in Jin's favor for the fact he will have more chances to punish Ryo, on top of Ryo needing to spread his damage out a little thin, but keep in mind it's not an awful matchup for him. He just needs to be more cautious over his approach towards Jin or how Jin tries to mix him up and avoid using any of his punishable attacks at all, even wall jumps. Jin doesn't need to deal with wall jumps when he has his double jumps, super, and reflector to anti-air Ryo on his descent.

VS Karman

Depending on the way the Ryo player decides to play, Karman might either play an average matchup or he may play a tougher matchup. On a baseline level, Ryo has a better ranbu super and better specials than Karman, most of which Karman has no real counter for besides respecting them. On the bright side, it lets Karman conserve his meter for ranbu when he needs it, since Ryo will likely be fighting up close. Karman can deal with Ryo fighting as a shoto, rushdown mixup pressure fighter, but will struggle dealing with a defensive Ryo, a zoner, or the worst of it, if Ryo plays the hit-and-run game where Karman has no choice but to approach. Against a shoto or rushdown playstyle, Karman doesn't have much to worry about as he can approach it like any other matchup, only having to put up with crossups and Zan Retsu Ken. As a zoner or defensive playstyle of any kind, it means Karman has to approach Ryo. Karman's bigger hurtbox can make it difficult to avoid Ryo's projectiles, and otherwise has no attacks to reliably deal with Ryo's fireballs. If Ryo uses wall jumps, Karman will have to fight for his turn back. It's not impossible, though, because Karman has his j.B to attack upwards with and can use his 236B reversal to challenge Ryo, even his dodge attacks if the Ryo player is particularly careless. But in this playstyle too, Karman will be forced to time his ranbu super or otherwise face a whiff because Ryo barely jumped out in time. It could be the one time 646B is useful if Ryo is very far away, but the timing needed and meter spent is still too risky to make it worth the shot. Not Karman's worst matchup, as even the worst points have some kind of counter, but Ryo can also force the match to make it so that Karman has to move out of his turtle shell at all times.

VS Kasumi

This is Kasumi's "worst" matchup in the sense that she still has the advantage, but Ryo lags behind only a little in comparison to other characters. Firstly, Ryo's TOD will not work on Kasumi under any circumstances, so that leaves Ryo to rely on normal BnBs instead, but since they deal high damage anyways, it doesn't matter. Using 6AA > 6C > 6B on Kasumi can actually leave Ryo wide open for a free punish if mistimed, since he'll fly right past Kasumi. Secondly, Kasumi has better normals in general than Ryo does, due to 5AB and her lows, however Ryo has plenty of other solid normals he can use and can deal with Kasumi's range fine enough. Thirdly, if the Kasumi player can pull off the execution, her corner combos will still work just as well against Ryo which means he loses massive chunks of health, despite his heavy weight class. Finally, one of Ryo's strongest tools, Zan Retsu Ken, can be completely nullified by Kasumi with either 2B or Kasane Ate unless the Kasumi player spaces incorrectly. Kasumi won't have as easy of a time anti-airing Ryo in this matchup, because either Ryo is going for a crossup which Kasumi can't use Kasane Ate in time for, or Ryo's doing a wall jump which makes the Kasane Ate timing tricky. This gives Ryo fairly easy air pressure if the Kasumi player doesn't know when to time air-to-airs against Ryo or isn't fully sure how to punish either wall jump. Ryo also has his fireballs which let him earn chip damage and some zoning pressure, though Kasumi can easily jump most of them. Otherwise, Ryo loses to Kasumi from raw speed alone, but both characters have strong okizeme, good range, and both have enough tools to deal with each other that it's a 6-4 at worst in Kasumi's favor. Ryo also has the unblockable ranbu super which makes comebacks easier for him. That's at least assuming he has the meter for it, because like Robert, Ryo has a huge disadvantage against Kasumi's unique taunt for both characters that can completely deplete their spirit meter. Unlike Robert, however, Ryo doesn't rely on spirit quite as much, but depending on how you play Ryo, it can potentially kill his steam.

VS Lenny

Lenny doesn't suffer quite as much as Rody does in this matchup, but she still does not want to be caught next to Ryo under any circumstances. Just like Rody, Ryo is able to infinite combo Lenny using his 6AACB infinite combo, the only difference being timing it against Lenny works differently and is slightly less consistent only because Lenny is a tiny bit heavier than Rody is. She can still keep Ryo out, sure, but then that also means she isn't able to try and push him into the corner for her death loop and has to rely on midscreen damage instead. The risk with that, too, however is that if a really minus attack is blocked, that means a launcher for Ryo. And like Robert, if Lenny wants to play the zoning game, so can Ryo, and by also spending as less meter as Lenny is spending. Ryo can technically get away with wall jump pressure, too, but Lenny can use her fireball to deal with it or trade with 5B. The gist of this matchup is that both characters are able to kill the other character in a single juggle combo if played optimally and with consistent execution, though Ryo has it easier in this regard. The only major downsides are his frame data which Lenny can take advantage of, a slightly slower ranbu super in comparison to Lenny's ranbu super, and the fact Lenny has better command normals to let her run away or fight back to pressure Ryo. Lenny can also use her fully safe launchers against Ryo, and even confirm into 3B off of jab, but this requires close range and is the same range that Ryo can use to either Zan Retsu Ken or launch Lenny. Either way, Lenny needs to play cautiously and perhaps lay off from more aggressive strategies to remain safe, but so does Ryo. That said, Ryo has arguably better ways of getting in whereas Lenny has safer attacks and better range and keepout strategies.

VS Robert

Ryo has the better advantage, mostly because he doesn't need meter to work at all, aside from a couple moves which may not even need to be used. He does, however, lose in regards to frame data. 2B alone leaves Ryo -14 on hit as opposed to Robert's 2B which is -6 on hit. It's still not good advantage for either character, but Ryo leaves a lot to be desired for pressure and can easily lose his turn. The same goes for Robert, but he mostly only has to worry about jab, launchers, and Zan Retsu Ken, the former leaving Ryo plus and the latter coming out at frame 4. Robert's Genei Kyaku can also punish very quickly but lacks the vacuum effect and comes out 2 frames slower. Both characters have the same special moves with Robert utilizing them better, more notably j.214B being a good air punish and DP having a wider hitbox. Both characters also have ranbu supers, but the winning ranbu is just whoever player 1 is if they end up trading. Both characters are shotos, Ryo is more aggressive and Robert is more defensive. Ryo wants to pressure against Robert whereas Robert wants to look for openings to confirm juggles. Ryo's mixups are better in that he's not as linear as Robert is, plus having his wall jumps and a metered pursuit allows him to confirm damage faster on top of having a very annoying air game, though Robert can use j.C to beat out wall jumps. Ryo can confirm damage a little easier and it's generally higher than Robert's damage output but beyond that they're both pretty similar characters with similar tools that specialize in particular areas. Ryo not needing to rely on meter is a boon against Robert, however.

VS Rody

Ryo only needs to land one launcher and that's the match for him. Ryo's 6AACB rush combo gives him the ability to infinite combo Rody and Lenny due to their lightweight, and given that Rody is primarily a rush down character, to make one mistake spells his demise. Rody cannot afford to take this risk and instead opt to play the zoning/hit-and-run game against Ryo. While punishing Ryo won't be too big an issue, Ryo also has a ton more variety in the tools he can use and if he has the life lead, he can utilize fireballs and wall jumps to play the run away game and force Rody to chase after him. And if for whatever reason Ryo cannot punish Rody in a scenario, he can rely on Zan Retsu Ken and hope for the Rody player to choke for not expecting it. A unique trait for both characters is that they can both also meaty each other, Rody with CH 2B and Ryo with 33A, though Rody is better in this regard as it's less punishable and also faster to set up, on top of having better lows than Ryo to begin with. Plus, once he gets the momentum, Rody can of course still carry the round in his favor as he is just as capable of shredding Ryo's life bar, but too much of it relies on Ryo reacting poorly to Rody playing the zoning game and/or if Rody plays normally and can avoid being launched altogether. Counter hit launches won't be quite as bad, as they don't lead to an infinite, however it's okizeme for Ryo which Rody has little answer for beyond fast buttons and parries, and possibly a backdash away. Lacking a ranbu super doesn't help Rody much either, when he has a power slash type attack which leaves him still as opposed to Ryo's mobile ranbu super, making it harder to set up. As for Ryo, as long as he has the life lead, he forces Rody to play his game. The only immediate cause for concern is if the Rody player can bait whiff punishes and wall jumps not being as reliable due to Rody's anti-airs, most notably his fireball.

VS Sinclair

Any time Ryo pops off a Zan Retsu Ken, that's it for Sinclair. She can punish it back with 28A but timing this is incredibly difficult as it's a tiny window that has to be done while 646A's hitboxes are lowered down to the ground. And as a punish, it can punish just about anything Sinclair does thanks to its 4 frame startup. Sinclair shouldn't have too much trouble dealing with Ryo's wall jumps thanks to having decently ranged jump button attacks, but the timing of it and pressure of blocking them will still prove a hassle for her. She can attempt to jab them out too, but this usually leads to trades if jab hits. Ryo cannot perform his infinite on Sinclair, though he can still net a huge amount of damage with a second loop using the corner. Ryo's range outside of 2B or 646A vacuum hitboxes isn't particularly huge otherwise, Sinclair will struggle in this matchup as she will every other matchup, but it won't be quite as difficult for her to get in and set up for her TOD combo. The only fast launcher Ryo has is 3A, which requires close range and although not minus enough to be punished with her TOD, still gives Sinclair enough room to throw in a 214A or some other poke. Unless Sinclair does 4A super early in the attack's startup, she cannot punish Ryo's 64BC so Ryo can use that as a safe keepout poke if he's spaced out. Sinclair also doesn't need to worry as much since Ryo's frame data is abysmal. Thing is, if Ryo avoids his highly punishable attacks, Sinclair has to deal with the likes of Zan Retsu Ken, his DP, better hitboxes, and his plus jab. Ryo may have more room to pressure than Sinclair does, but it's a matter of who plays more patiently and lands the huge damaging blow. It's over for Ryo if Sinclair lands 4A, Ryo can take down Sinclair in about 2-3 knockdowns and/or juggles.

VS Wang

Without an anti-air beyond his finnicky DP, Wang will have trouble dealing with Ryo's wall jumps if he uses them, also taking into account his range issues that prevent his DP from posing a threat in the air without the first hit. Ryo having access to a traditional DP and 646A shuts Wang out from hop attacks without getting snuffed out. Ryo's superior air game otherwise, Wang doesn't lose much in this matchup. He'll have to contend with Ryo's 2B as well, a far reaching low that's harder to punish than Robert's is (unless Ryo uses normal 2B), and otherwise deal with Ryo's much higher range of tools he can use. What usually gives most everyone else trouble, Ryo's 646A, if Wang blocks it he can use 22A to punish it during its animation - just be careful about its vacuum hitbox. Ryo's overheads are less committal than Wang's. though not by much frame advantage wise, and on block Wang is still capable of punishing a lot of Ryo's attacks. Neither character needs to work with meter either, even for their supers as both are ranbu-types, albeit Ryo's super is better in range and speed. Wang's better corner carry can prove advantageous against Ryo if he keeps his okizeme up, as long as Wang doesn't also give him chances to wall jump from the corner either.

Combos

Note: Combos marked with a ★ symbol are the optimal combos available to the character. Characters are also denoted by the first three letters of their names to indicate that the combo works on them. If it works on all characters, it will, obviously, be marked as "All."

Character Combo Abbreviations

• JIN: Jin
• KAR: Karman
• KAS: Kasumi
• LEN: Lenny
• ROB: Robert
• ROD: Rody
• RYO: Ryo
• SIN: Sinclair
• WAN: Wang
• WYL: Wyler

Rush Combos

Rush Combos
Combo	Difficulty	Damage	Works On	Notes
6A > 6B	Easy			Basic rush combo. Ryo's jab range makes this more reliable than other characters, making long ranged punishes off of a basic poke easier. The recovery is quite lengthy after the 6B, however.
6AA > 6B	Easy			Same deal as 6A > 6B, but an extra hit and less recovery.
6A > 66B	Easy
6AA > 6CC	Easy
6AA > 6C 6B	Easy			Ryo's nastiest rush combo under the right conditions. While a couple of characters, including himself, can only be hit by it once, others can be looped with it in the corner for absurd damage, and a very unlucky couple of characters can even be infinite comboed off of it. Although getting the timing on characters who need the corner is among the strictest in the game, the characters who suffer most have lenient windows to perform it. More details can be found under Juggle Combos.
6BB	Easy
3B > 5C xx 2A	Easy

Juggle Combos

Juggle Combos
Combo	Difficulty	Damage	Works On	Notes
Launcher > 5A > 646A	Easy			Basic juggle combo that while tough to time the jab link, is effective for around 40% health. Almost zero corner carry, however.
Launcher, 6AA, 5AA, 5C	Easy			Might be able to squeeze a third 5A in but the timing is super strict.
Launcher, 6AA, 6AACC	Easy
(close to corner) Launcher, 6AACB, 646A	Easy
3A, 6AA, 5AAA, 646A	Easy
3A, 6AA, 5AAA, 6AACB	Easy
Launcher (preferably 28A) > 6AA~6C~6B Loop > 623P or 646A	Moderate		Depends; usually Rody and Lenny	Ryo's TOD combo, or otherwise a very painful combo when the spacing is optimal. Even if Ryo can't loop someone with it, he can probably still end it with a special move that makes for a very painful wakeup call that always ends on a knockdown. However, aside from the couple few who are affected most by it, it's a pretty tough combo to pull off. Works anywhere: Rody, Lenny, Wyler It's easiest to perform on Wyler because he's the lightest character in the game, ironically enough. Against Lenny and Rody, where it actually matters, a 3A launcher will guarantee you're closest to land the full combo, but any launcher should work. It's harder to time against Lenny, but it's still fairly lenient. The reason you must use 6AA 6C 6B is because the recovery on the 6B is the shortest in this rush combo, as opposed to 6AA 6B or even 6A 6B. If you're in the corner, you might need to use 6AA 6B to keep the juggle going, since the second 6A will push Ryo back and make 6C whiff. Against Rody, this shouldn't be an issue. As a midscreen combo though, this combo will guarantee a round win, special ender or not. Rody probably has his worst matchup here simply because he's a character who captalizes off of being in your face 24/7. Works, but second loop requires the corner: Sinclair, Karman, Robert, Wang When using the second loop in the corner, unless against Rody, you must shorten the string to its 6AA > 6B variant, as 6C will whiff due to the pushback, and drop the combo. On characters where it only loops in the corner, the timing depends on who you’re fighting. For example, it’s more consistent against Karman, but against Sinclair, it’s very strict timing both on the string itself and timing the reloop. Special attack follow up after the second loop technically can work, but it’s extremely hard timing. Reason you need the corner for some characters is because from midscreen, the rush combo pushes them too far back. Special after one loop is easier to time than after a second loop. Doesn’t work: Jin, Ryo, Kasumi Against Kasumi, you can try as hard as you want but it doesn’t matter how close you are, you cannot loop her even with the corner. Landing the string alone is rather difficult against Kasumi, since it’s very easy for an attack to whiff and drop the whole combo, or worse, you run past Kasumi and give her enough time to recover and punish you. Even if you land the string correctly, you cannot follow up against her, other than a Pursuit. Jin and Ryo are both too heavy to land the juggle, as they'll always drop past the rush combo. Only one loop will work and a Pursuit.