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Mitsuru website: https://www.mitsurumains.com
Mitsuru gitbook: https://samthegawd.gitbook.io/
Mitsuru Kirijo Mitsuru Kirijo is a charge character that excels in neutral with her big buttons and damage without sacrificing mixup potential as long as she has meter.
- Punish Game: Mitsuru gets high damage off her counterhit confirms and excels at punishing opponents for making mistakes. She also excels at forcing to opponent to make these mistakes.
- Neutral: Mitsuru's pokes such as 5A and j.A are incredibly large and also quite fast, allowing her to pressure opponents easily while staying out of their range.
- Metered Mixups: Her j.B is a real instant overhead, that can then be OMC'd into a charged j.[B] that forces crouching for a crouch confirm off of it.
- Strike/Throw: Mitsuru can play a strike/throw game very well. She can set up for throws mid-offense with her feintable sweep and her Coup Droit at the end of some strings. In the corner, her throw gives her a combo which makes throws extra rewarding, and she also has various uniquely rewarding options for punishing throw tech attempts such as 5B, j.B, and j.C.
- Status Infliction: Marin Karin inflicts the charm status, allowing Mitsuru to gain meter faster than most of the cast. (This is very powerful for her Shadow variant)
- Meter Hungry: Mitsuru needs meter to do even basic things like confirm into knockdowns. This is on top of her mixup game needing meter to be truly unpredictable, making meter management a vital skill for any Mitsuru player.
- Committal Defense: While her DP and reversal supers are great, her buttons are quite slow. This makes mashing on defense much harder for Mitsuru as her fastest button is 3 frames slower than average.
- Whiff Recovery: While having some of the longest range in the game, Mitsuru's normals have extremely high recovery on whiff.
To use Mitsuru's special moves you are required to charge for 30 frames in one direction and release it in the opposite direction while pressing a button. When learning Mitsuru it is important to utilize her charged normals such as 5[B] and 2[B] to build up charge during the startup of other moves.
Executing charge moves is an extremely important part of learning Mitsuru, but her long startup times and charge normals make her significantly intuitive than other charge characters.
Normal Attacks
5A
- 5A
- Backdash cancel is -8 on block.
- Chest attribute.
5A is huge range, fast startup poke that is a cornerstone of Mitsuru's ground game. At its max range, it is safe to many DPs and simply dominates some matchups. However, it is one of the slowest 5As in the game and has noticeable recovery. Can be low profiled by almost every character, leaving Mitsuru vulnerable to a punish. The rest of her autocombo almost always fully combos on airborne opponents.
- 5AA
- Very safe on block.
- Advances forwards.
Normal 5AA complements 5A in every way possible. It's very safe and combos easily into 5B or 5AAA. 5AA can also single-handedly shut down characters like Elizabeth who don't have fast, long reaching pokes. As funny as it is, this button provides a strong argument for playing Normal Mitsuru over Shadow Mitsruru as it's far safer to use overall.
- 5AAA
- Multihit, allows for easy charging (although you really don't need to).
Fairly safe and can be cancelled into specials or other normals, making it a good pressure tool. Autocombo continues into A Droit, but comboing manually into B Droit gives her a knockdown and a safejump. This is another improvement over Shadow Mitsuru but the combo into B Droit only works somewhat close.
- 5A
- Backdash cancel is -8 on block.
- Chest attribute.
5A is huge range, fast startup poke that is a cornerstone of Mitsuru's ground game. At its max range, it is safe to many DPs and simply dominates some matchups. However, it is one of the slowest 5As in the game and has noticeable recovery. Can be low profiled by almost every character, leaving Mitsuru vulnerable to a punish.
- 5AA/5AAAA
- -9 on block.
Shadow Mitsuru has 5 hits in her autocombo instead of 3, aiding hitconfirms. Unlike Normal 5AA, Shadow 5AA pulls Mitsuru close enough to land just frame 2B, greatly increasing her damage potential. Shadow Mitsuru can perform a full launch combo off of a close 5A hit, boosting her punish game significantly.
- 5AAA/5AAAAA
- -14 on block.
Somehow even more unsafe than the autocombo moves before it. Always try to cancel it into something to avoid being punished.
5B
- Forces Fatal on Counterhit.
- 4B/6B steer Mitsuru backwards and forwards.
- 6B > 2AB still allows Doit to connect but the charge is tight.
- Held 5[B] increases damage and crumples on counterhit.
- 5B dash cancel is -3 on block, 5[B] dash cancel is +4.
A hop attack that has invincibility to both lows and grounded throws, making it a strong component of Mitsuru's throw mixup game. The held version of 5B sees a lot of use in Mitsuru's combos as it's increased hitstun allows it to reliably combo into her 2[B]/2AB to extend combos and AoA to end them.
2A
- Gatlings into itself 3 times.
Mitsuru's fastest low. Much slower than average and doesn't lead to very much damage without meter or a good counterhit. 2A 2A 2A will give Mitsuru enough time to charge an A Droit, which is usually her best ender without resources. However, what it lacks in speed it makes up for in utility and is complemented quite well by her instant overhead j.B.
2B
- Launches on counterhit.
- Charging 2[B] increases damage, hitstun, and Head invulnerability.
- Release on frame 12 for the just frame version.
Mitsuru's strongest anti-air, with a long-range diagonal hitbox and high combo damage afterwards. Often used to combo into 2DD and Bufula (Ice Mirror). Typically not used on grounded opponents because of its low horizontal range and high amount of recovery.
j.A
- Incredible horizontal range.
High range, high priority, low reward horizontal jumping attack.
j.B
- Charging j.[B] increases damage and hitstun.
- Release on frame 12 for the just frame version.
- Instant overhead.
Commomly used as an air-to-ground poke during a lazy jump. On counter-hit, charged j.B leads to a combo. j.B OMC charged j.B leads to a full combo from an instant overhead and is one of Mitsuru's staple mix-up strings. Not comboable on normal hit, so mix-up potential and reward require charging, meter, or a counter-hit. Can be performed when hop-cancelling attacks to extend pressure. When executed as a hop-cancel, j.B is -3, j.[B] +4 ~+11F.
All Out Attack
5A+B
- 4AB/6AB steer Mitsuru backwards and forwards.
- Common combo ender using Freeze.
In addition to being an overhead, this attack can also cross up the opponent if Mitsuru dashes at a crouching opponent and holds forward. Because of Mitsuru's weak combo options in midair, typically the D followup is best, cancelled into a B Coup Droit. This requires the Fatal Counter earned by mashing all 17 hits of the All-Out Attack, but allows for a full meterless combo near the corner.
Mitsuru's AoA has slow start-up, an obvious animation, and a tremendous amount of recovery, so it's best reserved for its use in combos. Highly punishable on block without the meter to One More! Cancel.
Sweep
2A+B
- Safe on block.
- Hold 2[AB] to feint and recover faster.
Long-reaching low that is safe on block. Allows Mitsuru to combo into B Doit without meter and leads to huge damage with meter.
Persona Attacks
5C
- Ground bounces on air hit.
- Hold [C] to extend the move.
- Only the first 6 hits fully combo.
- Attacks in 3-hit intervals for a max of 15 hits.
- Only combos fully during Fatal Counter and counter-hit states.
- Dash cancelable, both forwards and backwards. Frame advantage depends on number of hits:
- Forward dash cancel: 3 or 15 hits: -6, 6 or 12 hits: -8, 9 hits: -10.
- Back dash cancel: 3 or 15 hits: -5, 6 or 12 hits: -7, 9 hits: -9.
- If dash-cancelled backward, Artemistia remains next to the opponent.
Good pressure tool and adds time to charge for A Doit. Backdash cancel typically leaves Mitsuru in 5A range, allowing her to easily punish opponents trying to hit Artemistia. Opponents can fall out if the attack is held too long in normal combos, but 5[C] adds a ton of damage in Fatal Counter routes.
5D
- 5D applies Freeze.
- 5DD unfreezes and pulls opponents towards Mitsuru.
- Whiffs against crouching opponents.
- Significantly plus on block.
Long-range projectile whip attack that pulls the opponent in on block and hit. 5DD can be followed up with 2DD midscreen for a combo.
2C
- No active hitbox.
- Applies Charm on connect.
- Holding [C] increases the flower's active frames.
- Flower disappears if Mitsuru is hit.
Mitsuru uses meter very well, so having access to Charm is very good for her. Shadow Mitsuru has several opportunities to fit this move in combos, further increasing Shadow character's innately higher meter gain.
2D
- 2D applies Freeze.
- 2DD unfreezes and pulls opponents towards Mitsuru.
- 2DD whiffs in the corner, use 5[B] instead.
Combo tool and long-reaching anti-air. Commonly seen after AA 2B, as the pull-in from 2DD lets Mitsuru easily extend combos.
j.C
- Hits all around Mitsuru.
- Completely untechable on counterhit.
Can be used to bait throw attempts and standing attacks. Its massive hitbox also lends it some use as a crossup, although this is risky due to how it changes Mitsuru's momentum.
j.D
- j.D applies Freeze.
- j.DD unfreezes and pulls opponents towards Mitsuru.
Similar to grounded 2D, but angled downwards. Long range anti-anti-air tool.
Universal Mechanics
Ground Throw
C+D
- Knocks down on counterhit, opponent can air tech on regular hit.
- Combos into 5A in the corner.
Core to Mitsuru's pressure game when she doesn't have meter for j.B IOH attempts. Her big normals make scaring opponents into blocking relatively easy, and her big damage on counterhits greatly rewards her for proper conditioning. 5B being throw invulnerable makes her throw game something to be feared.
Air Throw
j.C+D
- Throws opponents behind Mitsuru.
- Can combo after on CH or with OMC/OMB.
Getsu-ei
B+D air OK
- Super cancelable on landing.
- Recovers crouching and in CH state.
- Combos into 236236C on counterhit.
Mitsuru's DP. It's massive and hits on both sides, but doesn't knock down (even on counterhit). Only combos into C Bufudyne on counterhit, otherwise the opponent will be able to tech out and punish the Bufudyne.
Guard Cancel Attack
6A+B while blocking
- Invincible move that can be done out of blockstun for 50 meter.
- Does no damage, but knocks down on counter-hit.
- Unsafe on block
- Similar animation to Shadow Mitsuru's 5AA.
Skill Attacks
Coup Droit
[4]6A/B
- All Versions
- Passing through Bufula (Mirror) grants special properties:
- Travels farther.
- Deals more damage.
- Safer on block.
- Applies Freeze on hit.
- Loses collision box (can pass through opponent).
Mitsuru's famous sword stab. All three versions cover a good amount of space in neutral and are used often in Mitsuru's combos.
- [4]6A
- Leaves standing on ground connect.
- Opponent flies backwards on air connect.
- Links into 5A on CH.
A Droit has fast recovery and can be used as a means of approach. This should not be relied on as Droit is very linear. Ending combos on grounded opponents with A Droit will be just plus enough for 5A to beat mashing.
- [4]6B
- Ground slides on hit.
- Holding [B] increases damage but decreases frame advantage.
- Can steer Mitsuru slightly with 4/6.
- Fatal Recovery.
Mitsuru's go-to combo ender. Gives her a safejump anywhere and a good chunk of damage.
[4]6AB
- Leaves standing on ground connect.
- Opponent ground slides on air connect.
A better A Coup Droit with more damage, faster startup and a larger distance covered. Useful as a combo extender in the corner, as air hit SB Droit links into 2B.
Bufula
- All Versions
- Applies Freeze on hit.
- Fatal Recovery.
- [2]8C
- Mirror spawns above Mitsuru.
Less commonly used than the D version, but still useful. Combos from 2B in the corner and can stop airborne approaches.
- [2]8D
- Mirror spawns in front of Mitsuru.
- Can enhance Coup Droit.
Useful in giving yourself a small breather or to force the opponent to move in aerially. Mitsuru's most common Persona combo move.
- [2]8CD
- Mirror spawns in front of Mitsuru.
- Can enhance Coup Droit.
- Hits 5 times.
Has significantly more durability than the other versions and the higher amount of hits allows for trapping the opponent under it for a high/low aftewards. It's commonly done after AoA~D as it can cover two whole high/low mixups between IOH j.B and 2A.
Tentarafoo
- Fast, full screen, ground-hugging projectile.
- Safe on block if spaced.
- Applies Freeze on the first hit and Panic on the second.
- Hits low.
- C version has lower recovery while D version travels faster.
- SB version is the fastest and has the least recovery.
Not a move often used outside of combos. Tentarafoo is Shadow Mitsuru's execution check, as cancelling the first hit into Mabufudyne is incredibly spacing specific and comes with a very small cancel window. The window changes with every combo you do. Once mastered, Shadow Mitsuru's damage goes through the roof.
SP Skill Attacks
Myriad Arrows
236236A/B
- Reversal and midscreen combo ender. Can be One More Cancelled for safety on block.
- The first flurry of attacks crumples grounded opponents. Hold down the A or B button to continue charging the last kick for more damage. However, if you wait too long, the opponent will recover.
- Fully charged final kick does 4000 damage by itself. Can be combo'd into with a freeze.
- A version is fastest, but does the least damage. B version is does more damage and has more invincibility, but is slower. SB version does the most damage.
Bufudyne
- High-damage anti-air and corner combo ender
- Air unblockable with a very large hitbox.
- C version is faster, D version does more damage.
- SB version has a much larger hitbox and even more damage, but is even slower.
Awakened SP Skill Attacks
Mabufudyne
- Artemisia creates 8 large shards of ice. Mitsuru can move and attack freely during the super, but loses access to other Persona related attacks.
- Pressing C will shoot two shards straight forward, pressing D will shoot all remaining shards with tracking.
- Can lead to high damage when used in combos that involve Myriad Arrows.
- Artemisia is invincible during the SB version.
Instant Kill
Niflheim
- An instant kill that homes in on the opponent's location.
- Mitsuru is invincible during the attack's startup, but is vulnerable during the recovery.
- Mostly used for it's high invincibility (ie: Punishing Akihiko Maziodyne) and punishing attacks that have long recovery, but otherwise difficult to punish. (Yosuke kunai)
External References
- Japanese Name: 桐条 美鶴 (きりじょう みつる)
- Mitsuru Gameplay Document by SamTheGawd
- Japanese Wiki
- Japanese BBS
- Arcade Profile Dan Rankings
- Character Video Thread
- Aigis[★]
- Akihiko Sanada[★]
- Chie Satonaka[★]
- Elizabeth[★]
- Junpei Iori[★]
- Kanji Tatsumi[★]
- Ken Amada[★]
- Labrys[★]
- Margaret[★]
- Marie[★]
- Minazuki[★]
- Mitsuru Kirijo[★]
- Naoto Shirogane[★]
- Rise Kujikawa[★]
- Shadow Labrys[★]
- Sho[★]
- Teddie[★]
- Tohru Adachi[★]
- Yosuke Hanamura[★]
- Yu Narukami[★]
- Yukari Takeba[★]
- Yukiko Amagi[★]
Click [★] for character's full frame data