Kizuna Encounter/Mezu

Mezu

Introduction

Mezu is a Jaguar ninja of ice. Lots of ice. Compared to his older brother Gozu, Mezu is paradoxically more suited to aggressive projectile gameplay, with easy knockdown combos from pretty much any hit and the ability to force unreactable mixups on his opponent's wakeup at the correct range. His projectiles are all strong for their intended purpose and his 6C is a great multipurpose normal if you need to make space. Despite being able to handle himself at close range, Mezu still struggles if his opponent doesn't let him have his way. He has no reversals and he has to choose between pressure and safety in his combo routes, due to his strongest mixup being risky. But Mezu is overall very well suited to Kizuna Encounter's gameplay in a way few other characters can claim, and he can explode with annoying mixup offense whenever he gets the right hit.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Great keepaway and Tag Zone camping Reliable knockdown combos at just about any range Incredibly annoying projectiles, with multiple that force trades in his favor Good mixup potential Fast movement and generally hard to pin down in the corner Retreating anti-air flash kick style move with 1B	No crossup and no good air specials means he doesn't make effective use of his double jump His most reliable long range combo tool doesn't give any pressure afterwards No real reversal, as he lacks invincible attacks and his guard cancel doesn't knock down

Light Attacks

c.5A

c.5A File:KE mezu c.5A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 5 4 8 ±0 +5

c.5B

c.5B File:KE mezu c.5B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6 5 8 ±0 +5

f.5A

f.5A File:KE mezu f.5A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 5 2 10 -2 +3

f.5B

f.5B File:KE mezu f.5B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6 2 10 -2 +3

2A

2A File:KE mezu 2A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 5 4 8 ±0 +5

2B

2B File:KE mezu 2B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - L o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 5 4 9 -1 +4

Strong Attacks

c.6A

c.6A File:KE mezu c.6A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M/M x/o 1/2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6/9 3/3 12 ±0 +4

c.6B

c.6B File:KE mezu c.6B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 7 4 12 ±0 +4

f.6A

f.6A File:KE mezu f.6A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6 4 23 -11 -7

f.6B

f.6B File:KE mezu f.6B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 7 4 12 ±0 +4

3A

3A File:KE mezu 3A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6 4 12 ±0 +4

3B

3B File:KE mezu 3B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - L/L RC/RC 1/1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 7/8 1/7 20 -12 Knockdown

Weapon Attacks

c.5C

c.5C File:KE mezu c.5C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 9 3 15 +3 +7

fal.5C

fal.5C File:KE mezu fal.5C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 9 3 15 +3 +7

c.2C

c.2C File:KE mezu c.2C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 12 3 15 +3 +7

f.2C

f.2C File:KE mezu f.2C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 12 3 15 +3 +7

6C

6C File:KE mezu 6C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M/M o/o 3/3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 8/18 3/3 17 +1 Pop-up

3C

3C File:KE mezu 3C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - L/L o/o 1/3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 7/22 4/3 17 +1 +5

Jumping Attacks

j.A

j.A File:KE mezu j.A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 4 - - - -

j.B

j.B File:KE mezu j.B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H o 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 3 25 - - -

j.6A

j.6A File:KE mezu j.6A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 4 11 - - -

j.6B

j.6B File:KE mezu j.6B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 4 5[3+2] - - -

j.C

j.C File:KE mezu j.C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6 6[3+3] - - -

j.6C

j.6C File:KE mezu j.6C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M/H o/o 2/3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 4/10 3/5[3+2] - - -

Universal Mechanics

3+A

3+A File:KE mezu 3+A.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - L o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 8 6[3+3] 13 -4 ±0

B+C

B+C File:KE mezu B+C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - H x 3L Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 13 11 15 -8 +6 Best: B+2F/H+16F

GC

GC File:KE mezu GC.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M - 1/1/3L Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 6/13/20 4/3/3 28 -10 +4 Sadly, this is marred by short range and lack of a knockdown. He can still move forward during it and can at least begin offense afterwards but it's relatively weak compared to other guard cancels.

Special Moves

Mash B

Blazing Kick Mash B File:KE mezu Mash B.png File:KE mezu Mash B 236B.png 236B Follow-up 236B Follow-up

Normal Mash A Damage Guard Cancel Level - M*3 - 1/1/3L Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 7/14/21 4/3/3 28 -10 +4 Low range mash move. You can move forward and backwards while this attack is active. It’s pretty easy to combo off of light normals up close. Follow-up 236B Damage Guard Cancel Level - M - 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv - 3 33(11) -24 Pursuit OK KD Knockdown followup to Blazing Kick. You always want to use this if you can confirm the hit.

623B

Water Jet Pummel 623B File:KE mezu 623B.png

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M - 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 17 41 62[10] -16 Knockdown Rank A projectile. 9F weapon drop window. Low travelling projectile that sends the opponent spiraling up in a whirlpool before falling back down. The knockdown doesn’t leave them OTG vulnerable and allows lots of time to attempt a mixup afterwards. Mezu doesn’t recover until after the projectile disappears, but it doesn’t disappear if he’s hit so he can use this to force a trade in his favor. It also combos off of his 3C if he’s close enough.

63214B

Ice Kimono 63214B File:KE mezu 63214B.png AKA Molecular Shield AKA Molecular Shield

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3S*7 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 32*7 77*7 120 -33 Pursuit OK KD Rank A projectile. 9F weapon drop window. Pretty much an icy version of Doctor Doom’s Molecular Shield. Mezu does some hand signals and a bunch of icy pellets surround him until eventually dissipating. Much safer on whiff than on block, because blocking will leave him standing there with no protection, and dissipating pellets still have hitboxes. This is very good to use on top of the opponent’s Tag Zone to prevent them from tagging out to their healthier partner. A good downwards angled jumping attack will usually beat this, and sometimes an opposing projectile can sneak its way through and hit you.

41236B

Ice Drift Blast 41236B File:KE mezu 41236B.png

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M*5 o 3S*5 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 15/27/39/51/63 12*4/13 52[10] -8 Pursuit OK KD Pursuit Rank A projectile. 9F weapon drop window. Mezu fires a ball of ice at the ground, and four icicles will spawn sequentially, covering a large amount of ground space. These spikes reach pretty high up, so they can prevent opponents from jumping if placed right. The initial shot can OTG for a slight bit of extra damage after any ice projectile knockdown as well as after his super.

1+B

Cutting Wind 1+B File:KE mezu 1+B.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M - 1 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 5 5[3+2] (10) -28 Pursuit OK KD Must be input in the same way as 3+A, from a standing position. It is unknown if this move has any invincibility.

jW.4C

Aimless Ballast jW.4C File:KE mezu jW.4C.png	Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 2 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 19(24) - (13) -21 Pursuit OK KD Worst: B-21F The shared ninja walldive thing. Mezu leaps off of the wall (not the screen’s edge, specifically the wall) towards his opponent and does a spinning attack identical to 214C once he reaches them. Generally unsafe to use but it might catch them off guard or something.

214C

Thundering Heaven Blast 214C File:KE mezu 214C.png

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 8 42 -11 -39 Knockdown Pursuit 8F weapon drop window. When blocked only once, B-49F. Ninja Kano ball thing. Mezu leaps forward and does a multi-hitting spin attack when he reaches the opponent. Very reliable combo tool, comboing even at max 2C range, but unsafe on block and the knockdown isn’t the best. You can use this cross the opponent up on their wakeup or after an air reset.

236C

Crescent Moon 236C File:KE mezu 236C.png

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M o 3 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 11 - 51[14] -11 -7 Rank B projectile. Basic ninja fireball for basic ninja fireball purposes. It has a pretty good vertical hitbox and travels at a middling speed, so it’s generally useful for preventing the opponent from doing stuff or cancelling off of a far 2C. It’s vulnerable to being jumped over if you’re predictable with it.

Desperation Moves

632146A

Jaguar Assault Kick 632146A File:KE mezu 632146A.png

Damage Guard Cancel Level - M*8 - 2*8 Startup Active Recovery Block Adv Hit Adv 12/18/24/30/36/42/48/54 2*8 30 -19 Pursuit OK KD Pursuit Blazing Kick but it’s a super. This has really great range compared to most of Mezu’s other special moves, and will combo off of basically everything. It has a very long recovery, so you can’t just use this without confirming the hit. The knockdown afterwards leaves the opponent vulnerable to an OTG, and can OTG as well. The super OTG doesn’t exactly do much damage, but it’s funny.