[SF6] A.K.I. Countermeasures Guide [Win Just by Reading]
Categories:
Basic Info
- Sustained Overhead leads to combo
- 3MP
- Defensive Options
- 1F Startup strike invincible: 236KK
- 6F Startup anti-air invincible 236HP available
- 236236K has 10F Startup, not Projectile invincible
- 214214P has 7F Startup, no invincibility
- 236236P has 10F Startup, full invincibility
- Moves that are plus on Block
- 6HK
- 214KK
- 2MK
Neutral (Awareness Priority)
- Dealing with 214LP
- Due to 214LP and Venomous Fang, don’t walk back
- Walk forward to Block 214LP at close range — this shortens A.K.I.’s Advantage and prevents Overhead and Rush attacks from meatying
- Walk forward even after 214LP is fired
- Be aware of frequent delayed strikes
- A.K.I. has difficulty confirming throw whiff
- Also, anti-airing cross-ups with specials is difficult in some situations — mixing in forward jumps when she has Advantage improves your situation
- Watch for cross-up attacks
- A.K.I.’s cross-up has an extremely strong hitbox — normal anti-air almost never works
- Special anti-air can also get beaten by the attack arriving first — during Shimmy, walk back properly so she can’t cross-up
- Remember that A.K.I.’s strong cross-up only has cross-up hitbox — it doesn’t hit from the front
- Punishing 236K
- OD Snake Step has strike invincibility
- When Shimmying during Oki, first walk back firmly and create time to punish 236KK
- When choosing safe jumps for Oki, buffering throw just before the jump attack can throw 236KK — don’t skip this
- Don’t worry about Lows
- Without 2MK Rush, even at strike range, using more walk back to create whiff punish time is fine
- Watch for Overhead during Oki defense
- Many Overhead setplays — always be on guard
Poison State
Getting hit by 214LP or Venomous Fang causes poison status. While poisoned, taking damage extends carry distance and damage.
Poison deals up to 500 damage if you do nothing. While poisoned, anti-air returns increase — don’t jump carelessly. Projectiles are also dangerous due to 2PPP.
Recommended Counter
- When poisoned
- Jumping is dangerous — 236HP returns increase
- Projectiles are dangerous — 2PPP returns increase
- Removing poison
- Poison wears off over time — playing patient ground game is fine
236P
- 236LP
- Long-range whip
- Mainly used as a poke
- 236MP
- Can punish neutral jumps
- 236HP
- A.K.I.’s anti-air
- Higher return than normal anti-air
- 236PP
- Fires the whip while nullifying projectiles
- Getting hit pulls you in for huge damage
Recommended Counter
- 236LP
- Forward jump and DI tend to land, so keep them as options
- Close Block: standing LK or other fast long-range normals may Punish. Check per character.
- Whiff punishing is tough, so don’t try
- 236MP
- Medium version is used against neutral jumps
- It does give return on neutral jumps, but it’s very difficult in practice — don’t remove neutral jump as an option because of this
- 236HP
- Strong version is an anti-air invincible special aimed directly above
- Only has hitbox directly above, so if she only uses this for anti-air, empty jumps are very effective
- 236PP
- -14F on Block
- Punish up close with a Block Punish combo
2PP
A stance that can be cancelled from any normal. Follow-ups:
- 2PP > P
- Projectile evade
- 2PP > K
- Strike
- 2PP > LPLK
- Command Grab
HK cancel into 2PP is a true mixup:
- 2PP > K
- 2PP > LPLK
- Pressing 4F at the timing 2PP > K arrives allows Fuzzy, but A.K.I. can also delay, so it’s not fully reliable
Recommended Counter
Fuzzy is possible but delayed options make it still a mixup. Rather than complicating the mixup, the following is better:
- If you read 2PP > LPLK: fastest heavy attack for maximum return
- If it’s strike follow-up, Counter Hit starts a combo — accept it as rock-paper-scissors
- If you read 2PP > K: Drive Impact for return
- Loses to 2PP > LPLK, but the damage is low
- Aggressively press Drive Impact to balance risk-reward
Not very effective, but Fuzzy is possible — very effective against A.K.I.s who only do fastest timing. When Fuzzy pressing buttons, always use crouching attacks. Standing attacks will whiff.
The video below has these recorded:
- HK > 2PP > K
- HK > 2PP > LPLK
214K
- 214LK
- Punishable
- 214MK
- Punishable
- 214HK
- Punishable
- 214KK
- OD version: A.K.I. +2F on Block / knockdown on Hit
- Normal anti-air is more likely to get beaten — use anti-air invincible
- If reacting is too hard, Drive Reversal is guaranteed so just use it
- A.K.I. can counter D Reversal with SA3 but it’s very difficult
Recommended Counter
214KK is +2F at point-blank. Depending on distance, Shimmy is even possible — use D Reversal to push her away.Caution
214K is a 4-hit move — if you Just Parry the 1st hit, Drive Impact gets broken by remaining hits. To do Just Parry > Drive Impact, you need to crouch Block to dodge the 1st hit, Just Parry the 2nd hit, then Drive Impact.
This is too difficult mid-match, so just counter with anti-air invincible or a compatible normal.
214LP
A.K.I.’s slow projectile.
- 214LP
- A.K.I.’s turn starts when fired, but total recovery is long so jump has high expected value
- If jump won’t make it in time, walk forward and Block at close range
- Shortens A.K.I.’s Advantage so Rush strikes and throw are harder to meaty
- Follow-up:
- 214LP > 6P
- 214PP
- OD version: same basic counter — walk forward and Block
- 214PP > Step > Walk forward offense: throw becomes difficult, so Parrying 214LP is fine
- Parrying 214LP reduces Block pushback, making throw easier to land
- 214PP > Raw Rush: interrupt with D Reversal or OD invincible
- Walking forward less means less interrupt frames, so walk properly and watch A.K.I.’s actions
- Follow-up:
- 214PP > 6P
Recommended Counter
- 214LP
- From closer than mid-range: invincible on Rush confirm or delayed neutral jump
- From farther than mid-range: risk of anti-air/invincible being late and Blocked, but better than doing nothing
- Also, neutral jump landing can give a return
- If both jump and invincible are difficult: Parry before Blocking 214LP to push your hurtbox forward, denying 2nd projectile true Block string
- This creates a gap for invincible — use this as a mixup point
Adjust options based on distance — Block at close range and prepare for Rush. When Blocking, use Parry — it widens Block hitbox, reduces Block stun compared to normal Block. A bonus Just Parry is a nice extra.
236K
Movement distance changes based on strength.
- 236LK
- Feint
- 236MK
- 236HK
- 236KK
- Corner escape reversal
- Throw gives Punish Counter
Recommended Counter
When cornered, 236KK escape forces you to chase again — very annoying. 236KK is Punish Counter on throw, so throw more often. If you also want to cover invincible, delayed throw is an option.Caution
Delayed throw gets Punish Countered by A.K.I.’s (forward jump) 2HP. Check gauge and choose the best option.(Forward jump) 2HP
An abnormally strong cross-up attack. Has no front hitbox.
A common occurrence: since it has no front hitbox, A.K.I. frequently whiffs the attack by mistake. If you’re Parrying when that happens, you eat a Punish Counter throw leading to a loss — also very common.
Recommended Counter
Against close-range A.K.I. forward jumps, don’t Parry — walk forward to dodge and Fuzzy with a heavy attack. Losing to the opponent’s mistake is very mentally draining.
214214P
Rarely happens in real matches, but you may end up Blocking 214214P from far. There’s a punish method for long-range Block, so remember it.
Recommended Counter
- Parry > Drive Reversal > Rush
LPLK
A.K.I. has +19F Advantage. A.K.I.’s gimmick point.
- On Back Rise
- 214LP becomes safe
- If you read 214LP: Quick Rise instead
- On Quick Rise
- If Quick Rise into 214LP: fastest Drive Impact is guaranteed
- Quick Rise: Rush strikes are meatied but walk Shimmy is impossible
- Even with Rush, jab safe jumps, so invincible is not a stable option
Recommended Counter
- Quick Rise is standard unless there’s a specific reason otherwise
- Rush: A.K.I. can’t walk Shimmy
- 214LP: Drive Impact is guaranteed
- Even 1F late and Drive Impact is no longer guaranteed
- You can buffer DI on wakeup. If opponent uses 214LP: DI lands / if opponent Rushes: flash erases input so no need to confirm — very easy
If you could react to 214LP and Impact that would be ideal, but 1F late and it gets countered. In ranked, A.K.I. typically uses Rush and 214LP after forward throw, so the DI buffer is relatively easy to apply.
The video below has these recorded:
- Throw > Raw Rush > 2MK
- Throw > 214LP
Caution
If it’s 214PP or the opponent does nothing, Drive Impact leaks — so remember this is only for when you’re tired of confirming. If possible, confirm 214LP then Drive Impact.4LPLK
A.K.I. has +20F Advantage.
- Rush Oki
- Against characters with projectile evade, this becomes the option
- Quick Rise makes Shimmy impossible
- 214LP > Rush
- Against characters without projectile evade, this becomes the option
- Can force both Quick Rise and Back Rise to deal with it — A.K.I.’s strong choice
Recommended Counter
- Against Rush
- Becomes a mixup. Quick Rise prevents Shimmy — don’t carelessly take Back Rise
- Against 214LP > Rush
- Quick Rise > Walk forward > Parry 214LP (buffer heavy attack or OD invincible) is recommended
- On Just Parry success
- Just Parrying 214LP means your buffered attack hits the raw Rush. Always buffer an attack with Parry
- On Just Parry failure
- If you see Rush, interrupt with OD invincible
- Walking forward shortens 214LP Block stun, preventing true Block string. Walking forward prevents Parry recovery from eating Punish Counter. Create “gaps” with walk forward awareness
- On Just Parry success
- Quick Rise > Walk forward > Parry 214LP (buffer heavy attack or OD invincible) is recommended
When Applying Oki
A.K.I.’s reversal options are limited to slow SAs and 236KK — her defense is very weak. Go for throws aggressively.
Recommended Counter
- Projectile meaty
- Characters with projectiles should meaty with them
- Normal throw
- 236KK gives Punish Counter on throw — highly recommended
- If you want to cover invincible, include delayed throw
- Safe jump
- Buffer throw just before the jump attack lands
- If 236KK was used, you throw her
- Since A.K.I. has no OD invincible, there’s no need to hold back
- To prevent accidental back throw, input neutral or forward instead of back