Introduction
Blanka generally considered to be a low tier character, but its not impossible to get wins with him, probably due to not many people having come across him and have little understanding of his moves and tricks. I have only begun to play blanka recently but with the help of many threads and some friends especially RWD and Crayfish for helping to write lage parts of this guide.
I have started to piece together what I hope is pretty sound strategy for Blanka. Hopefully a few Blanka masters will see this that can add to and edit this guide.
--r3ko 07:00, 26 April 2006 (CDT)
Moves List
Normal Moves
Special Moves
Super Move
The Basics
Air Attacks and Anti-airs
j.LP and j.LK are evil - probably the best jump in attacks in the game. j.LK is a crossover which is argueably the best in the game (at least tied with Deejay's j.MK).
His j.HK is excellent for punishing fireballs at close range.
j.HP is an awsome high priority air attack. Like its standing counterpart, it can hit through a range of angles, including straight down. With good timing, it can beat all the killer AA sweeps in the game, Geif c.HK, Shoto c.HK, Sim slidde etc.. as well as numerous AA moves like shoto s.HK and even mirror Blanka Electricity.
Anti-airs are the vertical ball (obvious), s.HP does a good job, if your feeling confident Electricity does well but is the hardest masher move to use (randomly won't come out when you follow the same "proper mashing" rules that apply to Chun and Honda). However Electricity will beat all but the most high priority air moves, very underused nowdays.
Other anti airs are straight up LP and straight up HP, the HP gets extra credit since it is literally a pimp slap - sexy!
With good (early) timing s.HP can hit opponents directly above you, as well as 45degrees.
s.MP is superfast 45degree antiair, this move alone can pin characters like Gief to the ground.
Jump forward MP is awsome air to air, the hitbox and his jump arc is high, so it hits most other airmoves from above.
Footsies
c.HP is awsome. Huge range and quick recovery, great for punishing whiffed sweeps and especialy good against Fireballers, work at its max range (this is a good jump in range too) and try to trade hits with/ snuff fireball throwing frames. c.HP can beat flat air attacks like Guile's j.HK and Dictators 'Swallow Dive' (the backflip puch that follows Head Stomp)
Against Shotos you can also use his s.HK (backflip kick). At the right range, you will flip over any crouching kicks they throw, but your feet will hit thier hands snuffing thier fireball throwing frames! It works like Sagat's far s.HP in this respect.
c.MK and c.LK are great against other low kicks, they can beat moves like Guile's c.MK clean. This really undermines the opponents comfort ranges and helps you put pressure on.
s.LK has incredible priority, with good enough timing it can beat almost anything. s.LP is great too, experiment...
Whenever attempting a Slide, always charge back in case it connects since it will start his wake-up options.
Misc
Blanka’s ball if great for closing the gap, you can even roll up and throw and from certain ranges, using LP and MP balls.
Blanka is one of the best throwers in the game, and is extremely good at countering tick throws with his own.
Alot of people worry about other characters body torpedo moves when playing with Blanka. j.LK beats them clean. Jump back LK, repeat is a safe, easy deterant against the threat of psychocrushers and Honda headbutts. Especially good when your ahead on energy.
O.Blanka is a waste of time, all hes got is a slightly faster walk speed and a different type of vertical ball. I find Blanka’s slide, leaps and even his super just too valuable to give up.
--r3ko 07:00, 26 April 2006 (CDT)
Advanced Strategy
Fast Meter Building + Super
This is obvious, backwards beast leap charges meter retardedly fast, unfortunatly, Blanka probably has one of the worst supers in the game, or at least it's tied with Honda's "random hits of doom" but, just like Honda's, it does have a some uses.
Firstly, its actually a decent anti-air, you can make the first hit connect when Blanka goes up, hold onto the button to keep Blanka in place, the let go when the opponent is falling - this abuses the volley ball effect so you can get some damage in from it. The invincible start-up is nice so you don't get whacked attempting it too.
Don't use this as a chipper, its the most obvious thing in the world and most jabs/shorts beat it
It rolls under all projectiles except for Low Tiger Shots.
Another odd little trick about the super is on knockdown near the corner, with proper timing this can be used as, I think at least, a crossover which then leads into a free combo attempt - this has been highlighted in the TZW combo videos. I say I think it is a crossover as (when done right) Blanka hits the opponent from behind, but like CE Bison's psycho crusher, it is probably random how it hits when done this way, and is even comboable which you can find details on in the combo section.
Using the leap
The leap is a valuble tool which is often over looked, most people would attribute it to only really setting up throw and combo cheese (which will explained in later sections.), which its great at. But it also makes blanka a very nimble character.
Don't forget that there is little bit of invincibility at the atart of the leap which will help you to avoid low attacks and even get out of SPDs since when you leap your off the ground. So if Gief lands a meaty c.LK, you can leap backwards out of it making his SPD whiff.
You can bait attacks with it, by leaping backwards at close range, and countering with a slide or c.HP or even ball.
You can use it effectively to close the gap after knockdowns if you don’t have a charge ready, so you can start a meaty or cross up.
Leaping forward in to throw range out of blue or off a c.MK can take your opponent by suspise, giving you a throw/headbutt/tick/combo
When Downed
Blanka cannot be crossovered... ever... vertical ball is simply too good and,. Fear the beast...
Don't attempt reversal horizontal ball... ever - you'd be surprised how many attacks will beat it clean which sort of defeats the whole point of a reversal really.
Reversal backwards leap is good to get out of jams mid-screen... just don't use it to avoid something in the corner unless you like being hit afterwards though.
Using Blanka Balls with Caution
Using Blanka’s horizontal ball is extremely risky against certain characters. If blocked the following characters can punish you. Warning some can even punish you when u hit aswell.
Dic can do a feirce psycho crusher
Dee Jay can do a feirce fire ball
Blanka can do a feirce blanka ball
Boxer can use his rush moves
Claw can walk > feirce
Dhalsim can do far feirce or roundhouse
O.sag can low roundhouse tiger
Bite Loops and follow-ups
Basic, retarded, fun - like Dhalsim's bullshit only a bit easier to get out of.
Blanka's bite range is simply sick, I think its actually larger than Sim's, but anyway... generally j.LK or j.LP tick into bite does wonders if not abused too much.
Once you land throw you can do the following:
- j.LK > throw again xx repeat - this is obvious to get out of, but its one of those things that works because Blanka is so fast, even if you only get a second set of bites, damage is damage.
-j.LK > MP > throw – MP ticks nicely into throw, but u have to walk the tiniest bit forward to land the throw otherwise you get normal standing HP.
-j.LK > MP > leap > throw - You can even add a leap in here which if your close enough will cross up, and you don’t necessarily have to go into a throw, a combo or a tick could be a better option.
-j.LK > x-over j.LK > combo attempt - the second c.LK should crossover when your at mid-screen so make them feel the rage (rawh!)... you also have the option of repeated j.LK's if the first crossover attempt doesn't hit.
-Slide - hilarious, but it works, people get so paranoid over the j.LK and trying to stop it they forget Blanka can just low knockdown them and start crossover ball fun again.
-Leap forward twice to crossup > throw/combo – this can be quite useful against characters which don’t have reversals.
Crossover Balls , Knockdown and Electricity Fun
These strats go hand in hand:
Whenever a slide, c.HK or vertical ball connects - you get a free attempt to do crossover horizontal balls... unfortunatly, your going to have to work out yourself which balls to use as the whole thing is dependant on where you are on the screen and how deep the attack you used connected - this is something you get a feel for in time and isn't too hard to work out in a heated battle.
Before we go onto the crossover fun, remember Blanka can also do the following on a fallen opponent:
Forward Beast Leap > meaty f.MP (the headbutt) - the headbutt hits twice and people seem to forget the second hit is low and eat it everytime... ghetto!
Forward Beast Leap > j.LK > Bite Loop - oh bite loops, how I love thee...
Forward Beast Leap > j.LK > x-over j.LK > combo attempt or repeat j.LK's until it hits or your hit - more crossover j.LK fun... told you it was a good attack ^_^
Slide - funny how the most basic of meatys does a fantastic job, gotta love the paranoia of air Blanka people have that they forget about the lows.
Anyway, back to the crossover balls - once you get the feel for it, you can start doing the following:
Crossover ball > combo attempt - I should dizzy all the cast (except maybe Gief) since you alright got a hit in prior, but ST hates people so this won't be the case all the time
Crossover Ball > forward/back MP - for times when you simply can't be bothered to combo, say hello to that headbutt again
Crossover Ball > MP or HP Electricity - what? you think those CvS2 whores made this famous? Bah, Blanka is too ghetto for that game, anyway, Electricity overall sucks but at least you can get some chip damage this way, don't use the LP version, learn how to mash like a man and use MP or HP only. Always be charging for another horizontal ball when doing this, if the electricity hits the opponent, you can do MP vertical ball to crossover then electricity again... repeat until the opponent blocks it
Electricity Chip/Bite psyche out.
When an opponent is getting up its fairly safe to chip with meaty Electricity. But it is also possible to time the early electricity so it finishes JUST before the opponent gets to thier feet, you can then simply puch towards + HP for a bite. Because electricity has almost 0 recovery this is really hard for the opponent to judge, and never fails to provoke a smile or sigh from the recipient :)
Whiffed Ball psyche outs.
Whiffing LP Ball for close range and MP Ball for medium range, you can stop directly infront of a high/low blocking opponent and seemlesly switch into a Bite or c.HK before the opponent has time to respond. Great tactic, really underused.
Combos
While some of these may not be the flashiest combos around these are without a doubt the most practical
j.HP > MP > HP
j.MP xx mp electric
j.HP/HK > c.HK
j.HP/HK > c.MK/Heabutt(1-hit) xx Ball
j.MK > c.MK > c.MK xx Ball
X-over LK > MP > Headbutt - this one gets alot of dizzies and is very easy
X-over LK > c.MK > MP > Headbutt
X-over LK > c.MK > c.MK xx Ball
c.HK knockdown in corner > Super > c.MK xx Ball
j.HP,s.MP,c.HK. This is the bread and butter for Blanka in ST because it gives him a the vital knockdown at the finish and also because in ST (unlinke CPS1 versions) your not guarenteed a dizzy from the HP finish variant of this combo.
Killer 4 hit (works on surprising amount of charas): Deep Crossover HP,s.MP.s.MP,c.HP
Long range 2 hit (especialy useful against Low Tiger Sagat): Max range Jump in late HK,c.HP
--r3ko 07:01, 26 April 2006 (CDT)