Neutral
Headbutt and Sumo Slam are the core of Honda's neutral.
Use Headbutt not only to cover horizontal space and check forward walking, but also to anti-air and push the opponent closer to the corner on both hit and block.
Use Sumo Slam to start pressure on block, alter your air trajectory, go over fireballs, perform a cross-up overhead, or to generally confuse the opponent.
Other useful moves: 2LP, 5MP, 2MP, 6HP, 6HK
Situational: 2HP (largely when you have Sumo Spirit active, it's underwhelming otherwise), neutral jump j.HP, forward jump j.2MK
Drive rush into 5MP (+5 oB, +8 oH), 2MK (+2 oB, +9 oH), or 3HK (+1 oB, +6 oH) are the best options in the neutral. Use DR 5MP for the best pressure, and DR 2MK/3HK for a low and overhead, respectively.
Offense
Frame Traps
Light Chains -
Sumo Slam (+1) -> 2LP or 5LP
Sumo Slam (+1) -> Throw (close)
5MP (+1) -> 2LP or 5LP
5MP (+1) -> Throw (close)
DR 3HK (+1) -> 2LP or 5LP
DR 3HK (+1) -> Throw (close)
OD Teppo Triple Slap 1 (+2) -> 2LP or 5LP
OD Teppo Triple Slap 1 (+2) -> 2LK
OD Teppo Tripple Slap 1 (+2) -> Throw (close)
DR 2MK (+2) -> 2LP or 5LP
DR 2MK (+2) -> 2LK
DR 2MK (+2) -> Throw (close)
DR 5MP (+5) -> 2MP
DR 5MP (+5) -> Oicho Throw
DR 5MP 3HK target combo is a frame trap
Okizeme and Mixups
Knockdown Advantage: all scenarios assume that opponent will Back Rise midscreen when possible, unless otherwise stated
| Knockdown | KD Adv. | Oki/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Throw | +17 |
|
| Back Throw | +24 |
|
| Drive Impact (No Crumple) |
+35 | ? |
| Drive Reversal | +23 | ? |
| 2HK | HKD +30 HKD +45 (CH/PC) |
? |
| PC 6HK (Harai Kick) |
KD +45 | ? |
| PC 5LP~MP (Double Slaps) |
KD +34 | ? |
| [4]6MP (MP Sumo Headbutt) |
+42 (air hit) |
|
| 236K~P (Teppo Triple Slap) |
+43 (air hit) |
|
| 63214K (Oicho Throw) |
HKD +7 |
|
| SA1 - 236236P (Show of Force) |
+13~38 |
|
| SA2 - [4]646K (Ultimate Killer Head Ram) |
HKD +13 | ? |
| SA3 - 214214P (The Final Bout) |
HKD +11 +19 (2nd hit) |
? |
| CA - 214214P (The Final Bout) |
HKD +34 +19 (2nd hit) |
? |
Basic sequences
Sumo headbutt and sumo smash create two of Honda's fundamental offensive scenarios.
Headbutt
Against a grounded opponent, headbutt is +40 on hit.
- Midscreen, you can forward dash then drive rush to hit the opponent on wakeup. Drive rush 5MP is Honda's major threat in this scenario, as it leads to large frame advantage and continued pressure on either hit or block.
- In the corner, you can press 5MK (as a frame kill) then 5MP, which will hit the opponent meaty. If done properly, you will hit the opponent on a late frame of 5MP, generating additional frame advantage (+3 on block and +6 on hit).
As an example sequence, you can do the following against a cornered opponent: headbutt knockdown, 5MK (frame kill), 5MP, 2P, 2P, medium headbutt.
If they wake up by pressing a button or jumping, 5MP will combo into 2P, letting you combo into headbutt. If they wake up with DI, you can cancel 5MP or 2P into your own DI. If they block the entire sequence, you will have dealt approximately 2 drive bars of damage.
Against an airborne or juggled opponent, headbutt is +41 or higher on hit. When the opponent is +42, +43, or +44, Honda gets a safe jump.
- The most consistent way to achieve +42 is to use 5LP > 5MP target combo. 5LP > 5MP > headbutt is +42 and enables a safe jump.
- Anti-air headbutt can lead to a safe jump if timed correctly, but requires good timing or a quick assessment of whether you hit the opponent at the correct height.
Sumo Smash
After hitting with sumo smash, Honda is +23 and next to the opponent. If you forward dash, you will still be next to the opponent even if they back rise and you will be +4.
When Honda is +4, the main mixup is a light button, regular throw, or Oicho throw. You can hit confirm with a light sequence (such as 2LK > 2LP) or the 5LP > 5MP target combo.
vs. Burnout
Drive Rush
When canceling a normal into Drive Rush on block and following it up with another normal, there may be an interruptible gap in the blockstring. The following table lists these blockstring gaps when performed at the fastest possible timing.
| Gap Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | True Blockstring (no gap) if input with fastest button timing; can still lose to Drive Reversal |
| 1 to 4 | Small blockstring gap; opponent can interrupt with an invincible reversal; a 4f gap can trade with 4f normal attack |
| 5+ | Large blockstring gap; opponent can interrupt without an invincible attack |
| 5LK/2LP | 5LP/2LK | 2MP/5HK | 2MK/5HP | 5MP/5MK | 2HP/2HK | 6HK | 3HK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5LP~DR | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 20 |
| 5MP~DR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| 5HP~DR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| 5LK~DR | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 22 |
| 5HK(1)~DR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| 5HK(2)~DR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| 2LP~DR | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 20 |
| 2MP~DR | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
| 5LP~MP~DR | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 18 |
The following table lists the general BnB combo routes when canceling a button into Drive Rush on hit.
| Starter | Hit Adv. | Combo Route |
|---|---|---|
| 5LK~DR | +6 | ? |
| 5LP~DR | +7 | |
| 2LP~DR | ||
| 5MP~DR | +11 | ? |
| 2MP~DR | +13 | ? |
| 5HP~DR | +15 | ? |
| 5HK(2)~DR | ||
| 5HK(1)~DR | +17 | ? |
| 5LP~MP~DR | +Free Juggle | ? |
Defense
Reversals
Anti-Airs
- Headbutt
Best for when the opponent is in front of you.
- 5HP
Very reliable anti-air normal, hits in front, directly above, and even slightly behind you.
- OD Sumo Slam
Invincible to air attacks on the way up.
Anti-Projectile
- Level 2 Super
Goes extremely far, invincible on startup. Can be done on reaction.
- OD Headbutt
Has two hits of armor and starts up relatively quickly. Can be done on reaction. Best to use this at around midscreen as if used full screen the opponent may be able to recover in time and block it.
- 22P
Destroys one hit of a projectile if clap's hitbox intersects with it. Generally unreliably, parry is safer and works against multi-hit projectiles as well.
- Sumo Slam
More difficult/impossible to do on reaction given Sumo Slam's long startup, but if used well pre-emptively, Sumo Slam can go over fireballs and punish counter the opponent's recovery into a full juggle combo.
Fighting vs. E. Honda
