GGST/Anji Mito/Strategy

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 Anji Mito




General Strategies

Anji is a character who gets lots of mileage out of being able to call out the opponent, generally starting out by playing mostly reactively, then taking more initiative once the Anji player has a better idea of the opponent's habits in neutral and on defense.

Once you have developed an understanding of your opponent's habits, you can begin to take initiative and start taking risks to call the opponent out on their habits. Start using things like your autoguard specials to try punishing the opponent's poke attempts or to gain ground, or make use of your long airdash to take the opponent off guard when approaching.

Neutral

At closer ranges, 5K, 2D, and f.S are major players for Anji.

5K is a low risk, low reward poke that is effective at stopping reckless grounded approaches, with 2D and 6H gatlings that provide opportunities for Anji to begin pressuring the opponent. Anji will generally want to position himself just outside of the range of this move, giving himself time to react to and stuff a sudden approach, while still being able to fish for counterhits and whiff punish with 2D and f.S, which always combos into FuujinGGST Anji Mito 236H.pngGuardAllStartup16 [32]Recovery21Advantage-8 [-6].

Should Anji wish to take initiative against a passive opponent at this range, he can use 6H as a relatively safe gap closer to start pressure, or kara Issokutobi (236H~K) into Throw or 2K > 2D for a riskier but more rewarding callout.

f.S will likely want to be used just outside of 5K's effective range, due to its comparatively slower startup. If it is used as an approaching normal from a dash, it can either gatling into a 5H frametrap at closer ranges or a Fuujin frametrap at longer ranges from a special cancel.

At f.S range or a bit further, Anji can make use of his autoguard spins to help him get in by threatening a variety of options that are difficult to respect all at once. His ideal positioning in these situations is around maximum held Fuujin (236[H]) range, from which he can do short, empty 236Ks to establish presence outside the opponent's threat range. By gradually introducing longer spins and pre-emptive cover options like held kara Shin: Ichishiki (236[H]~P), Anji can take note of how the opponent reacts and gauge opportunity for subsequent approaches:

  • if the opponent acts defensively, Anji can start to claim more space towards the opponent;
  • if they try to approach aggressively, he can go back to doing shorter spins and stuff approaches with, for example, 5K;
  • if they take to the air, he can control that space with held Kou (236[S]);
  • if they're acting too passive overall, a held Fuujin or kara followup should keep them on their toes.

Kara Nagiha (236H~S) in particular is a solid approaching option because of its long range and safety, allowing Anji to get back in near the opponent and granting him an advantageous situation if it hits. Kara Rin (236H~H) is also on the table if the opponent starts pre-emptively blocking low and is a remarkably better mixup than it is out of regular Fuujin. The key here is that the autoguard spins on the held versions of Fuujin and Kou are initially indistinguishable from 236K, so the opponent needs to make a decision as to which option(s) they actually want to respect. Alternatively, if the opponent is giving Anji a lot of leeway, he can use Shitsu (236P) to cover him as he approaches.

Anji is generally a very grounded character, and it's important for him to keep the opponent on the ground as well so he can safely use options like 2D, f.S, and Fuujin followups. Kou, 5P, 6P, j.D, and even his airthrow are great tools to dissuade the opponent from hanging out in the air, which is very important against characters like Ramlethal, Millia, and May that love to jump. Once the opponent becomes more hesitant to leave the ground against Anji, he can begin pestering them with kara Shin: Ichishiki (236H~P) to begin pressure situations.

Round Start

Anji's safest bet against an unknown opponent will likely be a defensive option, i.e. a backdash or jump back.


  • 2K (Frame 7) - is Anji's quickest round start button, and can gatling into 2D for a knockdown. Beats  May S DolphinGGST May Mr. Dolphin Horizontal.pngGuardAllStartup7Recovery20 (24 OH)Advantage-3 and  Sol f.SGGST Sol Badguy fS.pngGuardAllStartup10Recovery13Advantage+2, for example.
  • 5K (Frame 8) - is a frame slower and hits some moves that 2K can't, such as  Giovanna 5HGGST Giovanna 5H.pngGuardAllStartup10Recovery19Advantage-5 (can 2D after) and  Ramlethal f.S.
  • 6P (Frame 10) - is a strong counterpoke against moves like  Leo 2DGGST Leo Whitefang 2D.pngGuardLowStartup12Recovery19Advantage-8 and  Nagoriyuki f.SGGST Nagoriyuki fS1.pngGuardAllStartup16Recovery28Advantage-17, but has more recovery. Launches the opponent towards the corner and can be followed up with Fuujin (236H) → Issokutobi (K) to close the gap.
  • f.S (Frame 12) - is a decent proactive option that will counterhit long but slow pokes (e.g.  Nagoriyuki 5HGGST Nagoriyuki 5HComparison.pngGuardAllStartup20Recovery27Advantage-14) and combo into Fuujin.
  • Autoguard is also an option, albeit a very risky one, to get a bigger punish against most frame ≥10 buttons. Use sparingly or not at all.

Pressure

TL;DR

Anji's pressure revolves around the threat of his throw and his massively damaging counterhit starters, allowing him to get away with resetting pressure whilst being minus 8 or more on block. Anji has massive cancel windows on the majority of his gatlings, and almost any hit he can land will lead to potentially incredible meterless damage depending on positioning, making his staggers very scary to defend against. Another big aspect of Anji's pressure is what he does at around max Fuujin range; at this range, Anji can mix in a held 236H and a 236K, since the difference between the latter half of the attack's animation isn't easy to discern if at all. Thanks to the fear of Fuujin, you can get away with doing an empty 236K and reset pressure or even run up and grab if the opponent is giving you a lot of respect. Once the opponent is no longer inclined to respect 236K, they will either mash, run up and grab, or jump, which all can be answered in their own way. If the opponent mashes or tries to run up throw, you can do uncharged/half charged Fuujin and land a counterhit. If the opponent jumps you can answer with Kou, which either gives you a combo leading to a knockdown or will place you back at point blank to continue pressure.

Strike / Throw Mix-Up

There are several ways to initiate strike/throw mix-ups. Connecting c.S on hit or block is one of the simplest ways of doing it. Another option is 2S, which is likely to cause the foe to play patiently after blocking it due to its short recovery frames and frame trap potential. You can also meaty their wake-up with strikes like c.S, or a ground throw. If you connect a move and knock them down, meaty them again. They will eventually block a strike on wake-up, which allows you to transition to blockstrings to frame trap them.

Sample Blockstrings

The following are Anji’s best blockstrings due to their versatility and ease of use. If you're a beginner, start with these and practice other sequences later.

  • f.S / 2S > 5H > (Fuujin Followup)

f.S and 2S are good midrange pokes due to their speed and range, making this an effective blockstring when used at mid range. If you want to special cancel, you can use FuujinGGST Anji Mito 236H.pngGuardAllStartup16 [32]Recovery21Advantage-8 [-6] into NagihaGGST Anji Mito 236HS.pngGuardLowStartup15 (28 with early cancel)Recovery20Advantage-7 (236H ~ S) to finish the sequence for safety and give a knockdown on hit or Shin: IchishikiGGST Anji Mito 236HP.pngGuardAllStartup30 (43 if early cancelled from Fuujin)RecoveryTotal 43+6 after LandingAdvantage+7 (236H ~ P) to reset presure but possibly get punished. Do note that 5H whiffs if 2S hits at tip range. In this situation, skip the 5H and go straight for specials. You can also reset after a 2S because the opponents will likely expect a follow-up. The fact that 2S recovers so quickly makes resets from it hard to react to. If either 2S or f.S score a counterhit, confirm Fuujin into RinGGST Anji Mito 236HH.pngGuardHighStartup21 (34 with early cancel)Recovery24Advantage-9 (236H ~ H) for a closer knockdown.

  • c.S (dl) 2S > 5H > 236H ~ (dl)S

A variant of the former blockstring that works best from a meaty c.S. Dash momentum makes all three hits connect more reliably, allowing for three frame traps. Due to the combined pushback of the three attacks, NagihaGGST Anji Mito 236HS.pngGuardLowStartup15 (28 with early cancel)Recovery20Advantage-7 is usually a safe way to end the string due to it only being -7, giving a knockdown, and having the ability to be heavily delayed to catch jump outs and abare An attack during the opponent's pressure, intended to interrupt it. attempts. 5H can also be delayed and c.S can be staggered for a strike/reset mix-up. If 2S scores a counter hit, 236H ~ H for a closer knockdown.

  • 2P * n > 6P > (Fuujin Followup)

This blockstring starts from Anji's fastest move, making it useful in many situations. 2P can be staggered for a strike/throw mix-up and can be confirmed into 6P if a 2P hits. On hit 236H will likely not be an option as Anji's 6P knocks the opponent away.

  • 5K / 2K > 2D > (Special)

Starts from Anji’s fastest midrange poke or low depending on if you start with 5K and 2K respectively. You can stagger K buttons for a strike/throw mix-up. You can also delay 2D for a frame trap or replace it with 5D for a mix-up. If the lows connect, you can hit-confirm into ShitsuGGST Anji Mito 236P.pngGuardAllStartup29RecoveryTotal 52Advantage-6 (236P) for better okizeme or OTG Fuujin into IssokutobiGGST Anji Mito 236HK.pngGuardStartupRecovery22+6 after LandingAdvantage- (236H ~ K) for corner carry. On block cancelling into Fuujin creates a natural 3 frame gap, which only  Sol and  Chipp are able to challenge with their 5KGGST Sol Badguy 5K.pngGuardAllStartup3Recovery25Advantage-16 and 5PGGST Chipp Zanuff 5P.pngGuardAllStartup3Recovery10Advantage-2 normals respectively.

  • c.S > Link 2P > 6H > (Fuujin Followup)

Starts from Anjis primary meaty and gives a 4 frame gap as a link, do be aware that  Baiken's 5PGGST Baiken 5P.pngGuardAllStartup4Recovery10Advantage-2,  Giovanna's 5PGGST Giovanna 5P.pngGuardAllStartup4Recovery9Advantage-2,  May's 5PGGST May 5P.pngGuardAllStartup4Recovery8Advantage-1,  Millia's 2PGGST Millia Rage 2P.pngGuardAllStartup4Recovery10Advantage-2,  Sol's 5KGGST Sol Badguy 5K.pngGuardAllStartup3Recovery25Advantage-16, and  Chipp's 5PGGST Chipp Zanuff 5P.pngGuardAllStartup3Recovery10Advantage-2 can challenge this part of the blockstring. The 2P into 6H part of this string combos if the opponent was counterhit by the 2P, but on block it carrys a 7 frame gap, which is challengable by all characters in the game. But do keep in mind it can catch delay mashes. For safety end with Nagiha after Fuujin or for plus frames end with Shin: Ichishiki.

Fuujin, the Good and Bad

Fuujin is a defining part of Anji's gameplay that has been a famous part of his character since his inception, and unlike how it was in Slash through +R, it is (thankfully) not the memeworthy special move it once was, as the move and it's followups are not nearly as good. But this is not to say Fuujin and it's followups are not without their applications. In order to use Fuujin properly in Strive requires proper intentionality and a good sense of risk/reward in any situation where you would use it.

Pros of Fuujin:

  • Fuujin is a very quick burst movement option for Anji, allowing him to catch the opponent off guard in midrange or when expecting a different autoguard special
  • Fuujin's hitbox is deceptively long, allowing Anji to threaten a decently long ways away from him on the ground
  • Very rewarding on counterhit, especially when charged, where it is a strong starter. Frametrapping or counterpoking with this special will make the opponent think twice about pressing something
  • Charging Fuujin adds an autoguard twirl to the startup, allowing opponents attacking in anticipation of Anji gaining ground to get punished and/or put into a defensive position
  • Low risk when properly spaced on block, as Nagiha and Shin: Ichishiki are near impossible to punish meaningfully by the mass majority of the cast

Cons of Fuujin:

  • Fuujin and its followups are susceptible to airborne opponents, as the positioning of the hitboxes of these attacks are all fairly low to the ground. If the opponent does a jumping button and you do Fuujin, they will almost always win or put you on the backfoot most of the time
  • There is a small window on charged Fuujin where Anji is vulnerable in between the autoguard and the actual attack, meaning the move can easily be stuffed if you're unlucky
  • Downright awful when spaced too close to the opponent without 50 meter, pretty much any followup you do can be beaten easily thanks to your close proximity in a variety of ways
  • Reward on normal hit (for both Fuujin and its followups) is underwhelming at best, save for when you have 50 meter

Fuujin "Mixup": Fuujin has a variety of followups that you can use on block or hit, allowing for an extra level of versatility. All of the followups are punishable in their own way (given the circumstances), but attempting to play around and punish one followup can make them susceptible to the others, this is the secret behind Fuujin's "mixups" as you entice the opponent into punishing a specific followup while you punish that expectation with a different followup. Because of how conditioning heavy the followups of Fuujin are in order to function, it doesn't really count as a mixup and is more of an RPS situation that you end your pressure with. The followups and the mindgames behind them are like so:

NagihaGGST Anji Mito 236HS.pngGuardLowStartup15 (28 with early cancel)Recovery20Advantage-7: Fuujin's guessing game primarily revolves around Nagiha (S after Fuujin). Nagiha is the safest followup Anji has at his disposal after Fuujin and hits low, it is minus 7, meaning that he is essentially safe thanks to the move's high pushback unless spaced badly. There is a wide cancel window on Fuujin, meaning that you can delay Nagiha for frametraps and catching jump startup, granting you at worst a soft knockdown, which leads to a repeat of the Fuujin situation. Once the opponent has started to block Nagiha to let your pressure end or is trying to punish Nagiha by instant blocking, you can move on to using the other followups.


Shin: IchishikiGGST Anji Mito 236HP.pngGuardAllStartup30 (43 if early cancelled from Fuujin)RecoveryTotal 43+6 after LandingAdvantage+7: Once you've conditioned the opponent to respect and play around Nagiha, you can now more safely use Fuujin's other followups. The next safest option you have access to is Shin: Ichishiki (P after Fuujin), which will reward you with plus frames if the opponent blocks it, allowing you to throw out a f.S or 5K to stuff an attempt to poke out from the opponent and continue pressure. Midscreen this followup is weaker as it's hitbox is narrow and following up after the move is inconsistent. The point of using this move is primarily to pester the opponent into trying to jump up and either punish you or escape the situation. Once they start to do so, you can return to using Nagiha to stop this behaviour. When the opponent shows that they don't wish to participate in the RPS between punishing Nagiha and Shin: Ichishiki by continuing to block is where the other two followups can come into play.

IssokutobiGGST Anji Mito 236HK.pngGuardStartupRecovery22+6 after LandingAdvantage-: So what do you do when the opponent is just downbacking? This is where Issokutobi (K after Fuujin) comes into play. Issokutobi moves you directly next to the opponent, allowing you to land a grab and go into butterfly oki. This followup is where you can start to put yourself at some serious risk, since if the opponent is looking out for this followup, they are able to punish you on reaction. This move is a prime example of what the Fuujin mindgame is about, as while this move is technically reactable, it is not reactable enough to punish every time unless the opponent is looking out for it specifically, which allows you to get away with all of the other possible options. Using this when you think the opponent isn't prepared for it is essential to keeping the opponent on their toes and opening themselves to the other followups.

RinGGST Anji Mito 236HH.pngGuardHighStartup21 (34 with early cancel)Recovery24Advantage-9: Rin is a quick, but unsafe on block overhead option that is useful for pestering the opponent into getting uncomfortable whilst blocking Fuujin, since the mental stack created by the other followups makes this 21 frame overhead essentially unreactable. This makes Rin very important in Fuujin offense, since people will grow more and more motivated to attempt to escape the situation instead of be satisfied with just blocking and waiting for you to give them an opening, so make sure to use this on opponents who are trying to wait and block after Fuujin

Nothing: Sometimes when you have conditioned the opponent well enough with your Fuujin followups, it is possible to get away with not using a followup at all and resetting pressure from there, even though Fuujin is minus 8 on it's own! Make sure to use this especially against opponents who are fuzzy blocking/jumping after Fuujin, since they'll be expecting delays and other tricks in an attempt to call out their defensive habits. Usually when this happens, it can signal to your opponent that they are being too patient with you and can persuade them to be more aggressive, therefore allowing you to try frametrapping with Nagiha again, or shift the opponent's focus off of your other options.

REMINDER THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER RELY ON FUUJIN TO OPEN THE OPPONENT UP. WHILE FUUJIN IS IMPORTANT THINK OF IT MORE AS A PRESSURE ENDING RPS AND NOT A MIXUP.

Okizeme

Anji's mix-ups aren't particularly strong against crouching opponents because he lacks fast overheads or plus frame normals. Scoring hard knockdowns and making the most out of them is essential for Anji because his mix-ups are lackluster without them. Off of NagihaGGST Anji Mito 236HS.pngGuardLowStartup15 (28 with early cancel)Recovery20Advantage-7, Anji still gets options to continue offense even though it only gives a soft knockdown.

Key Knockdown Moves

2DGGST Anji Mito 2D.pngGuardLowStartup10Recovery22Advantage-11 - Causes a knockdown that provides strong Oki. 5K and 2K combos into 2D. Cancel into Shitsu for a strong Oki set-up.

5DGGST Anji Mito 5D.pngGuardHighStartup20Recovery26Advantage-15 - Leads into a powerful combo and knockdown if you charge it, but it is punishable on block. Use it with discretion.

ThrowsGGST Anji Mito Ground Throw.pngGuardGround ThrowStartup2Recovery38Advantage- - Grant knockdowns and gives Shitsu oki, the Oki is especially powerful if the opponent is thrown into the corner.

Nagiha (236H~S)GGST Anji Mito 236HS.pngGuardLowStartup15 (28 with early cancel)Recovery20Advantage-7 - Anji's main meterless combo ender. Grants a soft knockdown which gives Anji less oki options and requires him to be more commital to continue offense. Anji will likely have to use and advancing move like 6H or Fuujin to continue pressure, giving him less ways to reset pressure than from a meaty like c.S. In the corner, Anji can go for a meaty c.S or try to go for a Shitsu, do note that the opponent can challenge Anji trying to set this up.

Kou (236S)GGST Anji Mito 236S.pngGuardAllStartup12 [28]Recovery14Advantage- - Usually Anji's main combo ender if he is more confident in the punish, usually from DP Dragon Punch A move that has invulnerability during its startup, long recovery, and a rising motion.s. Gives a soft knockdown but still gives him enough time for a meaty c.S or a crossup setup, depending on how Kou is comboed into.

Ground Normal Juggles - Ground normal juggles are Anji using his ground normals such as c.S and 5H to keep an opponent in the air, this is usually done to get a wallbreak from an RC combo but can also be used to end a combo early and special cancel into Shitsu when in the corner.

Issei Ougi: Sai (632146H)GGST Anji Mito 632146H.pngGuardAllStartup11+6RecoveryAdvantage-30 - Issei Ougi: Sai, which is Anji's super can wall break from surprisingly long distances, which grants a decent mix-up and Positive Bonus.

Key Okizeme Options

c.SGGST Anji Mito cS.pngGuardAllStartup7Recovery11Advantage+1 - The standard and the go-to, as it fast and can be setup from almost any knockdown. This normal carrys a wide variety of gatling options and ways to reset pressure, especially since its +1 on block. For more information about general pressure, click here.

Shitsu (236P)GGST Anji Mito 236P.pngGuardAllStartup29RecoveryTotal 52Advantage-6
You can capitalize on hard knockdowns by setting up Shitsu. Forcing your opponent to block it rewards you with massive frame advantage and potential for mixups. It can be set up from moves that cause hard knockdowns, but you need to be mindful of how you use it.

  • If set up from a sweep at close range, delay the Shitsu slightly, or else it will pass through the opponent before they get up.
  • After a throw midscreen, doing raw Shitsu is an option but dashing up (usually with the dash macro) will give better pressure. In the corner, throw into microwalk back Shitsu is the best option as it is reversal safe.
  • Below this are examples of using Shitsu to make devastating setups and mixups:

Sample Setups

The following are Anji’s best setups due to their versatility and ease of use. If you're a beginner, start with these and practice other sequences later.

After Throw

Start with these setups to enhance the reward off of your strike/throw mixup game.

After Midscreen Throw Shitsu SetupThe one all Anji's start with
Very Easy

Throw > 236P
This setup gives plus frames and allows Anji to go for a number of mixups afterward. This is the most basic version, adjustments are still required in the corner though.

After Midscreen Throw Microdash Shitsu SetupGives a gapless blockstring into c.S
Easy

Throw > 66236P
This setup is stronger than the previous one as it leaves Anji closer to the opponent while giving the same amount of plus frames on block, it even enables a gapless string into c.S which can be delayed to catch mashers.

  • In the video, the dummy is set to press 2P after blocking any move.

After Corner Throw OTG Normal Shitsu SetupIs not safe against most metered reversals
Very Easy

Throw > OTG Normal > 236P
This setup gives plus frames and is safe to meterless reversals, the OTG normal will have to be altered depending on the character. Do note that this setup is almost never safe to metered reversals.

2S: Safe against the meterless DPs of  Sol,  Ky,  Bridget, and  Chipp
2H: Required against the meterless DP of  Leo


Note that while 2H technically works against all characters meterless reversals, it puts Anji farther away from the opponent making him have less options for offense.

After Corner Throw Walkback Shitsu SetupProtects against every reversal super in the game.
Easy To Medium

Throw > microwalk 4 > 236P
This setup gives more plus frames than the previous corner Shitsu setup but is harder depending on the reversal. The key to having Shitsu recover before the reversal comes out is to look at Anji's shoes, and right after he takes one physical step back, input Shitsu. The window becomes tighter depending on how fast the reversal is. The best part about this setup is that nothing needs to be changed about it depending on the reversal, in short, its universal.

  • In the video, Anji was recorded to do the same inputs in both showcases of the setup. In addition  Chipps DP has the fastest possible startup a reversal can have.

Defense

Anji can sometimes struggle to force his way out of defensive situations due to his lack of a meterless reversal. His 2P is 5f which allows him room to mash out of tick throws and some other mixups, but he still has to rely on other options (e.g. backdash or jump) often as well. Staying patient while blocking is crucial to avoid getting blown up off of a counterhit and to eventually reset back to neutral.

Defensive System Mechanics

Faultless Defense (FD), Psych Burst and Yellow Roman Cancel (YRC) are cornerstones of defense in Guilty Gear, as they are quite handy for breaking out of pressure. Using them well is essential for mastering any character. They all cost a resource though, so think about how you use them.

Faultless Defense


Powerful defensive option, but drains Tension as you use it!
Hold any two buttons except D (or the FD Button if one was set) while blocking to perform Faultless Defense (FD). As long as the direction and buttons are held down (and the Tension Gauge isn't empty), you will continue to perform Faultless Defense.

A unique type of guard that gradually depletes Tension when used. Faultless Defense augments your block by giving it several special properties. Firstly, it increases pushback on block, making it useful to make space between you and the opponent. By using Faultless Defense early in the opponent's blockstring, the opponent will be pushed back enough that later attacks will miss, allowing you to punish the opponent's whiffed attack or disengage. When in use, Faultless Defense also prevents the R.I.S.C Level from increasing and nullifies chip damage. This is essential for survival in situations where chip damage runs the risk of finishing you off.

Keep in mind that you don't have to hold two buttons for a long time in order to use Faultless Defense effectively. It's also possible to press the buttons briefly - slightly longer than a tap - just before the opponent's hit connects. By doing this, you can let go of Faultless Defense in between the hits of an opponent's blockstring, allowing you to save some Tension. This requires some precision though, so it will require practice.


Yellow Roman Cancel


Turn the tables with this powerful defensive option!
Press any three attack buttons (except D) simultaneously while in blockstun to perform a Yellow Roman Cancel (YRC). Costs 50% Tension.

Yellow Roman Cancels can be used when blocking at the cost of 50% Tension, for the purpose of stopping an attacking opponent and resetting the momentum of the match. Yellow Roman Cancels can not be performed when your character is in a Guard Crush state. Upon activation, your character creates a shockwave that forces the opponent into a Guard Crush state, granting your character massive frame advantage. Yellow Roman Cancel is a useful tool for challenging an opponent’s pressure, especially for characters that are lacking in character-specific tools.

However, Yellow Roman Cancel is -16 on block and leaves your character in Counter Hit state during its recovery frames. Sharp opponents can block it on prediction and punish it heavily. Make sure to vary when you go for a Yellow Roman Cancel to avoid becoming predictable. In addition, the hefty 50% Tension cost must always be taken into consideration. Said Tension could be used for Overdrives or extending combos or blockstrings with other types of Roman Cancels. Practice utilizing all of your defensive options so as to not end up over relying on Yellow Roman Cancel and burning Tension too quickly.


Psych Burst


Press D + any other attack button to perform a Psych Burst. Costs a full Burst Gauge.

A powerful defensive option that can be used in a variety of situations at the cost of a full Burst Gauge. Upon activation, your character releases an invincible shockwave that knocks opponents away. If the opponent is in a completely invulnerable state, the shockwave can still hit the opponent's collision box instead of their hurtbox and ignore any type of shield or armor, which results in some invulnerable skills, such as Overdrives, still being hit during their invincibility frames. Bursts can be used at almost any point in the match, including when you’re in blockstun or hitstun. This allows Bursts to function as both a combo breaker and as a way to challenge the opponent’s pressure. The Burst Gauge refills very slowly over time, so it can be a good idea to use it early in a match to break out of a powerful combo, such as a Counter Hit combo. This will allow you to spend the rest of the round recharging it, making it more likely to have another opportunity to use it again later in the match.

While Bursts are very powerful, they are far from infallible. The activation shockwave is not instant, so sharp players can predict incoming Bursts and punish them heavily. A common method of doing so is canceling attacks with jump cancels or Roman Cancels, then blocking the Burst and punishing the recovery. Because of the risk associated with it, you should vary the timing of when you go for Burst to avoid becoming predictable. Lastly, keep in mind that Burst cannot be performed while your character is stuck to the wall, being thrown, or being hit by an Overdrive.


Anti-Airs

Anti-airs, as the name suggests, are moves that are useful against aerial opponents. They are typically either fast, high-reaching, protected by invulnerability of some kind, or a combination of these traits. Anji has several effective anti-airs: 6P, 5P, j.P, and air throws.

6P - A safe and reliable option due to its upper body invulnerability. It can combo into Fuujin into Issokutobi (236H ~ K) for a knockdown. A useful option in many instances.

5P - Faster than 6P but lacks upper body invulnerability. It can catch opponents trying to jump during close range brawling. It is still very rewarding on air hit as it can link into c.S for a rewarding juggle.

j.P is also a great air to air you can do to chase opponents in the air. This is usually done with a jump back into the move. Finally, air throws are a good way to stop opponent's air buttons and approach in their tracks and get an easy knockdown. This will require you to be in proximity and has a lenghtly whiff animation, though, but the reach makes it still fairly effective.


Abare

Abare An attack during the opponent's pressure, intended to interrupt it. means to attack during an opponents frame advantage with the intention of interrupting their pressure. Naturally, fast moves work best for this task.

2P - At 5F, this is Anji's fastest move and best abare option by extension. It does not combo with very much reward on normal hit, but on counter hit combos into 6H, which gives a Nagiha knockdown. 2P is preferred over 5P because the latter has a nasty tendency of whiffing against opponents that crouch or use low profile When a character's hurtbox is entirely beneath an opponent's attack. This can be caused by crouching, certain moves, and being short. moves.

2K - Slightly slower at 6F, but can lead to more rewarding Oki setups due to its ability to combo into 2D. Also hits lower to the ground.

Anji's reversal can also be used for abare due to its 1st frame guardpoint. Do note that Kachoufuugetsu Kai (632146S) loses to throws in some situations where attacking will not.

Reversals

Invincible Reversals are moves used to steal your turn back by force. They can be used during holes in an opponent's blockstrings or during your wake-up to punish sloppy oki. Anji has one reversal to choose from in Kachoufuugetsu Kai (632146S), however this costs 50% meter so it will not be available all of the time. He also has another invincible option, but it is not usable as a wakeup option and requires him to be studious in how large of a gap his opponent puts in their strings in Autoguard.

Kachoufuugetsu: Kai (632146S)GGST Anji Mito 632146S.pngGuardStartup1Recovery10Advantage- - Kachoufuugetsu (632146S) is a frame 1 counter reversal, and an opponent who swings into the active window will find themselves put into a blender cutscene, allowing Anji to get them off his back and deal a good chunk of damage.
Also, because it's a counter instead of a plain invincible reversal, it will beat safejump setups. However, it is throwable, will not do the full damage when triggered by projectiles and large disjoints, and does not follow crossups. These don't invalidate the move by any means, but are some things to keep in mind against characters like  Nagoriyuki,  Zato,  Leo, etc. An opponent who respects the threat that Kachoufuugetsu poses may opt to frametrap less often in favor of trying to bait this move by tick throwing. Because of this, holding onto 50% meter to threaten the counter can be more effective at weakening the opponent's pressure than outright using it.

AutoguardGGST Anji Mito 236K 1.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 34~50Advantage- - Anji's autoguard spins are not exactly a reliable defensive tool due to their 10-frame startup, during which the opponent can smack him for a counterhit or just walk up and throw. That being said, there are some situations where spinning during gaps in pressure can be beneficial. For example, after blocking  Ramlethal's Sword ThrowGGST Ramlethal Valentine Bajoneto H.pngGuardAllStartup20RecoveryTotal 43Advantage+3 in the corner, if she doesn't cover the explosion with a normal, spinning with 236[K] immediately afterwards will allow Anji to autoguard it and force the opponent to adjust their pressure accordingly (keep in mind you don't actually gain any frame advantage from this). Such scenarios should be listed under the relevant Matchups section.


Fighting Anji

  • Klaige's Fuujin Counterplay Guide video. A tad long-winded, feel free to skip to 23:40 to get to the meat of "how exactly do i block all the fujin followups at once". Caveat: the video was made pre 1.18 patch; Rin is faster now and is harder to react, but the general idea still holds.

External Resources

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