Spectral vs Generation/Hiro

Hiro
Health	510
Pre-Jump Frames	3
Play Style	All-Around, Setplay
Dash Type	Step

Character Background

Race: Demon
Motivation: To revive the Demon King
Weapon: Gate Of Heaven
Likes: Pride in demons
Dislikes: "Heroic" Humans

Gameplay Overview

Playstyle

Hiro is a strong character with an all-around tool kit that mainly focuses on set-play and solid neutral play. Hiro has decent anti-zoning tools, rushdown tools, and solid buttons to keep the opponent in check. Hiro's main strengths lie within her 214D floor trap. If the opponent steps onto the trap, it will be triggered. This is amazing for holding neutral, punishing careless rushdown, and setting up 50/50 okizeme situations. Most of her match-ups allow Hiro to stay back and set-up 214D but, she falls short to rushdown characters who can abuse her poor defensive options. Finding a way to set-up 214D is your main priority in most match-ups to keep a stranglehold on neutral. Hiro is a jack-of-all-trades mainly focused on setplay with strong neutral tools allowing her to play as she wants, may it be rushdown or zoner.
Pros	Cons
Keepaway Master: Most of her tools such as her 236x and 214x forces the opponent into approaching while her 214D works as a trap which can catch those who are careless enough to step on it making Hiro hard to pin down. Anti-Zoning : Because they wanted her to fill the 'shoto' role despite not having a dp, they gave her a super fireball which tends to end any projectile war, and even without it, she can use 214x to stop careless zoning or dash through with 236D. 50/50 On Demand: Thanks to 214D alongside her unique string 5B>5C>j.B>j.C allowing for a HKD, she can force the opponent to guess between high and low anywhere on the screen after most hitconfirms, meaning she can play agressive if she wants. Amazing Normals: 5B, 5C, 8C have huge range compared to most of the cast's moves, 5b being an excellent anti air while the other two can stop approaching attempts. Her j.C works as an excellent jump in for good damage and j.B can be used for crossups. Simple Yet Effective Hiro doesn't have a demanding execution compared to most of the cast making her easy to pick and learn but hard to master.	Poor Defense: Hiro relies on meter to get out of pressure, such as using guard cancel or a super reversal, outside of it she's forced to block on most situations and guess right. Average Damage: Without meter, Hiro's damage can be a bit underwhelming, requiring up to 4 or 5 interactions to get a round. Sometimes it makes you pick between damage and okizeme or dust for meter gain which resets neutral. This lack of damage also allows the opponent to enter burst threshold often and spin the round on their favor. Honest In A Dishonest Game: While she has many tools to work with, she's often the one having to play a lot more careful as most of the cast can blow her up out of 2 or 3 hitconfirms and she doesn't have anything extremely crazy compared to some characters.

Normals

Far Standing Normals

5A

Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 15 Mid Specials 9 - - - Hiro jabs her scythe forward. The usefulness doesn't seem apparent at first but remember that not everyone on this game has a long reaching jab. Mostly used on the corner if by some reason you couldn't get a HKD such as after super fireball which leaves you at jab range allowing you to cover opponents holding up after tech, just beware of parry.

5B	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30 Mid Specials 9 - - - Hiro pokes her scythe diagonally upwards, main anti air. The hitbox is around the same as the end of the scythe which means you'll rarely lose against jump ins. it only hits standing both Jadous, Earth, Ryuken and Krayce.

5C	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 50 Mid Specials 13 - - - Hiro thrusts her scythe forward, sends them back but they can tech, her longest grounded button. You could throw it out once in a while when close but it has a long recovery and can get you killed if they jump so beware.

5D	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 10 Mid Specials 12 - - - Hiro balances on her scythe and kicks moving her forward a bit, the hitstun is surprisingly higher than you'd expect. You can buffer super from it without actually getting the super on whiff allowing for easy hitconfirms. Surprisingly her only far standing normal from which you can combo onto something.

Close Standing Normals

5A	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 15 Mid Specials 8 - - - Hiro jabs her scythe at a lower angle, nothing special about it.

5B	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30 Mid Specials 9 - - - Hiro swipes her claw vertically. Usually comes out when you try to anti air with f.5b but they are far too close. Not really a bad button but you have better options at close range.

5C	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 25, 25 Mid Specials 10 - - - Horizontal scythe slash. Hits twice and can be canceled after the first hit. Pretty good move to use in close range as it is barely minus on block and thanks to the cancel you can keep your offensive going.

5D	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 10 Mid Specials 8 - - - Just a knee, really, another filler for basic combo and you'll usually opt for 2d than this.

Crouching Normals

2A	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 15 Mid Specials 9 - - - Forward claw swipe, a worse 2b.

2B	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30 Mid Specials 9 - - - Upward claw swipe. Pocket anti air but usually you just want to block as most jump ins on this game are huge and the reward is not worth the risk.

2C

Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 50 Low Specials 10 - - - Hiro's scythe turns into multiple blades. Good range(Albeit it doesn't reach the last part of the scythe) combined with a smaller pushback than c.5c(also being only 1 hit) makes it less prone for lv3 to miss alongside dealing more damage. While it is better than c.5c on combos, it is not plus so don't use it on blockstrings.

2D

Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 10 Low Specials 7 - - - Low kick, fundamental on her 50/50 as 2c is pretty slow, sadly it has a poor range(Hitbox doesn't even reach her feet properly) and since it doesn't have too many active frames(alongside the various wake up timings), it becomes hard to actually hit the opponent with when you go for a low on the mixup. The dashing version however shines on neutral to mix your approach between air dash or D.2d thanks to the quick recovery.

Jumping Normals

j.A	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 15 High - 7 - - - Hiro pokes her scythe out until she lands. The high for the 50/50, unlike 2d it's actually easy to hit at the same time as 214D triggers.

j.B	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30 High - 10 - - - Hiro twirls her scythe around her. Long hitbox that extends behind you. Cross-up tool. Abuse it if your opponent starts respecting you as it can setup 50/50 from a raw hit.

j.C Neutral jump (8) Neutral jump (8) Directional jump (7/9) or Airdash Directional jump (7/9) or Airdash

Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block Neutral 50 High - 16 - - - Hiro swings her scythe down, doing it too close to the ground makes the hitbox not even come out allowing for parry baits. Stops anyone on their tracks, may as well hit the opponent out of the air when they try to approach just by how insanely huge the button is. Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block Directional 50 High - 10 - - - Faster swing and also vital to her gameplan. Main jump in with a good hitbox making interactions on the air usually on her favor, thanks to the quick startup it can be quite the oppressive move once you put your opponent on the corner. Has Hard-Knockdown property if chained after j.B if used as an air-to-air which leads onto her 50/50.

j.D	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 10 High - 9 - - - Air kick, Exists i guess.

Chain Specific Normals

A -> 3C	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30 High None - - - - Only accessible after chaining from any A normal. See Chain Combos. Hiro crouches and does a downward claw swipe. Long startup, far too gimmicky to be used as long as poor reward since it doesn't lead into anything.

Throws

A+D Forward Throw	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 60 Throw N/A 8 - - - Hiro picks the opponent up and crushes them.

B+D Back Throw

Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 70 Throw N/A 8 - - - Hiro picks you up, teleports behind you, and slashes you. Can be comboed off of, but any immediate specials or supers need inputs in the same direction you were before the throw. The opponent cannot tech until they hit the ground, which carries over to any combos. Juggle limit of 3 means you can't get a HKD with j.b>j.c since the opponent becomes inmune to any hits after the first 3 except dust.

Sword Series Slash (Dust)

5B+C Standing SSS	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 150 High N/A 34 - - - Triggers an air chase when you press A. To complete the air chase you must do AAABBBCCCD > 236D.

2B+C Low SSS	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 150 Low N/A 34 - - - Same as standing SSS but hits low. Triggers an air chase when you press A. To complete the air chase you must do AAABBBCCCD > 236D.

Chaos Breaking (Parry)

A+B Standing Parry Standing Parry Crouching Parry Crouching Parry Jumping Parry Jumping Parry	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block - - - 4 - - - Dodges projectiles and counters any physical, non-grab attacks. The Standing and Jumping versions parry anything that can be blocked High, but is vulnerable to grabs. The Crouching version only parries lows and cannot be grabbed.

Special Moves

Flaming Soul 焔魂 236A/B/C

Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block A 33 Mid Super 11 - - - Light (A) version. Travels the slowest and does the least damage. You can have more than one projectile on the screen allowing you to do things like 236A and 236C. Thanks to the slow travel speed you can dash along with it for a safe approach if spaced properly. Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block B 35 Mid Super 12 - - - Medium (B) version. Moderate speed with moderate damage. Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block C 37 Mid Super 13 - - - Heavy (C) version. Travels the fastest and does the most damage. The one you'll be using often for your basic combos as the others might not combo midscreen.

Scythe Ride Strike サイズ・ライド・ストライク 623A/B/C Dive into GGS Dive into GGS

Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block A 33 High SoT 25 - - - Hiro dives forward with an overhead attack. Move doesn't become active until hiro starts her dive. Any of the versions can be safe on block if they block on the later frames and comboed out of it if they get hit. Doesn't seem so useful at first but the active hitbox on the air can stop air dashes and work as a low risk parry bait if they run forward Expecting the other far reaching versions. Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block B 35 High SoT 25 - - - B and C versions are often used to catch opponents jumping around as the arc traversed gets longer. Can surprisingly crossup if the opponent is crouching against some of the characters but don't rely too much on it happening. Easy to parry so try to catch them off guard with it. Version Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block C 37 High SoT 25 - - - Hiro dives more than half a screen forward on this version and can RARELY cross-up. Used in your combos a lot and in neutral thanks to the huge arc being capable of even catching backdashes. Just hit them with it for the funnies.

Gate of Hell ゲート・オブ・ヘル 214A/B/C A version A version B version B version C version C version	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 54 (18 per hit) Mid N/A 32 - - - All three versions do the same damage, hit three times, and cause a knockdown on hit. Good tool for anti-zoning. 214A appears directly in front of Hiro. 214B appears mid-screen. 214C appears at the opposite corner.

Gate of Hell (D) ゲート・オブ・ヘル 214D Testament is proud. Testament is proud.

Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 60 Mid N/A 46 - - - Hiro places a trap directly in front of her and said trap will not trigger unless the opponent steps on where it was placed. The trap does not detect the opponent if they have invincibility from Bursting, Parrying, etc. If the opponent doesn't step on the trap, it will disappear if Hiro is hit or after 10 seconds pass. 214D is extremely strong for Hiro's okizeme and can allow for 50/50 mixups.

Hell's Zone ヘルズ・ゾーン 236D	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 0 N/A N/A - - - - Hiro twirls forward and disappears for a few frames. She is invulnerable until she reappears. Good for avoiding projectiles but can be hit out of in recovery.

Super Moves

Level 1 Supers

Devil Dust ~ Inferno 魔界粧・轟炎 236-236A	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 24x5 (120) Mid N/A - - - - Consumes One Meter. Five very slow moving fireballs are thrown horizontally together. Difficult to combo into but can pressure the opponent on oki. Excellent guard break tool when in burst.

236-236B	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 33x6 (198) Mid N/A - - - - Consumes One Meter. Three average speed fireballs thrown above Hiro. Doesn't work well as anti air since no version has iframes and they can air parry on reaction. Does the most damage raw but scales the hardest in combos. Use this on the corner instead of the C version to make it safe.

236-236C	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 30x5 (150) Mid N/A - - - - Consumes One Meter. Only one fireball is thrown but this is the fastest compared to the A and B versions. This is your go to super for ending combos or catching zoning. Do not use it on the corner as they recover first getting you punished.

Devil Summon ~ Purgatory 魔召・煉獄 214-214D	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 115 Mid N/A - - - - Consumes 1 meter. Really good anti-air super but can be parried since it's not a projectile. 214214D or 214214A on wake up, pick your poison. Hitting your opponent gets you a free HKD and enough time to set up 50/50.

Blazing Ghost Slice 烈火死霊斬 214-214A/B/C Let's just mash it on their blockstring and see what happens Let's just mash it on their blockstring and see what happens on hit on hit	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 139 Mid N/A - - - - Hitgrab so you can be parried out of it. Can catch opponents in the air and it's your other reversal as it has more horizontal range and faster recovery. You can combo into it from back throw but it's not universal.

Level 3 Super

Last Heaven ラスト・ヘブン 2141236A/B/C Is it gonna kill? Is it gonna kill?	Damage Guard Cancel Startup Adv Hit Adv Block Chain Adv Block 337 Mid N/A - - - - Consumes 3 meter. Hitgrab, sort of works like a raging demon but can be confirmed off of most things like a fireball. Completely invulnerable on startup and active frames. Like other lv3s, it does a lot of damage but this one comes with a lot of iframes and Hiro has easy combos onto it, making this one of the bests.

Strategy

Neutral

Hiro is a very well rounded character for playing neutral. She has solid buttons to cover various angles, such as 5B which is great as a predictive anti air, 5C which covers a lot of space in front of her, and 8j.C which covers a lot of air space and makes it very hard to approach. Hiro also has a fast step dash letting her get in fast when there is a gap she can take advantage of. Hiro's main goal in neutral is to set up her 214D trap to control space and force the opponent to have to alter their approach, normally forcing them into the air which Hiro has options for. Once you manage to set up a 214D you can start zoning fullscreen with 236A/B/C or 214A/B/C as most characters will struggle approaching with Hiro's many tools to stop them alongside 214D which they could land on after air dash.

Offence (On Hit)

On hit Hiro will aim to get a hard knockdown, normally achieved with her standard bnb 5B -> 5C >> 9jc >> j.B -> j.C which lets you set up a 214D for oki. Alternatively, you can instead of doing a jump cancel use 623A/B/C Sot which lets you extend for damage which still leads to a hard knockdown or a dust for meter. For the most part you wont use supers for combos as the meter is best spent on a 623A/B/C Sot, though in burst you should 100% go for a lvl 3 for damage.

HKD OKI

Hiro's HKD OKI is the best part of her kit thanks to her 214D and how easy it is to set it up after a combo. afterwards with a meaty 214D you have a solid mixup with 2D for a low, j.A for an instant overhead, and side swap mixups as well, letting you vortex the opponent into another HKD into 214D mixup.

Offence (On Block)

On block Hiro doesn't have to many tools for pressure on block, and most of her specials are for neutral and zoning, though her 623A/B/C is a true overhead, letting you open up people who arent expecting it. Note that it can be reacted to on block with a parry, complacently ending your turn.

Hiro's approach is usually through airdashes with j.9c or j.b if they're close, j.9c being quite plus allowing for more pressure afterwards or simply doing empty air dash into low, while j.b can catch opponents downbacking since her airdash can sideswitch. The problem with approaching through the ground is that usually you'll dash onto a normal or get stuffed, but at mid to close range you definitely can thanks to her d.2d.

Defense

Unfortunately for Hiro she lacks a meterless reversal forcing you to block most of the time, but so long as you manage your meter well you'll never ran out of it. You can guard cancel on wake up, use either 214214d or 214214a/b/c, perhaps if you're feeling bold also level 3 and lastly..blocking is for the weak, hold up on your wake up and yes this can surprisingly work.

Combos

Chain Combos

Chain Combo	Damage Per Hit	Notes
5A -> B -> C	15,15,22	C causes a knockdown.
5D -> B -> C	10,15,22	The Same as 5ABC chain but with D and does less damage. C causes a knockdown.
2A -> B -> C	15,15,22	Starting mid.
2D -> B -> C	10,15,22	Starting low.
5A -> C	15,25	C causes a knockdown. Always far C no matter how close you are.
5D -> C	10,25.	C causes a knockdown. Always far C no matter how close you are.
5B -> C	30,22	Launches the opponent into the air. Jump cancelable.
jB -> C	30,18	Air chain. If done as an air to air it will hard knockdown.
A -> 3C	15,30	C is an overhead that cannot be canceled. See Chain Specific Normals

BnB Combos

Combo	Total Damage	Notes
Meterless BnB
9C > 2D > 2B > 2C > 236C	116
9C > 5B > C > 9B > 9C	120	Hard knock-down chain, allows for 50/50, core to her gameplan.
One Bar BnB
9C > 5B> C > 623C (SOT) > B+C (AAABBBCCCDD > 236D)	180	Practical 1 meter combo, albeit the lack of a hard knockdown means you have to take risk and start pressuring your opponent right away.
9C > 2D > 2B > 2C > 236C > 236-236C	168	Punishable on hit in the corner point-blank. If in the corner, use 236-236B.
9C > 2c > 236C > 236-236C	180
9C > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > 5B > C > 9B > C	175	Hard Knockdown finish. Good tool for oki set-ups and finishing rounds where dust can't kill.
Back Throw > 236236C/214214C	124/121	Use 236236c midscreen and 214214c on the corner
Back Throw > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > sideswitch B+C (AAABBBCCCDD > 236D)	152	Good damage while also keeping them on the corner and thanks to the dust you barely lose any meter, one of Hiro's unique traits
Two Bar BnB
9C > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > B+C (AAABBBCCCDD > 236D)	213	May as well recover some with dust after all you can't live without meter.
Three Bar BnB
(Corner Only) 9C > 2D > 2B > 2C > 236C > 214-1236C	296	You can set up 214D after level 3 as a meaty but you don't have enough time for 50/50.
9C > 2C > 214-1236C	332	Highest raw damage without burst, works midscreen as well.
Burst BnB
9C > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > (Burst) 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > 5B > C > 623C (SOT) > clB > C > 623C (SOT) > 214-1236A	334	Requires 2 bar. In the end wait for your opponent to be close to the ground, about Hiro's head level, before doing level 3. If you don't they can tech out of the after the super flash.
(623C(SOT) > 214D)xN > 214-1236A	Kills anyone	SOT has to be the earliest and not late for 214D to combo, you can use 623B if you fear you'll go too far.Too close vs Erile can end up sideswitching.