Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Kazuya wants to punish Greninja’s jab string, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Up Air, Down Air, and Side B with Up B (5f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (12f) so Greninja’s speed loses value the moment it touches shield.
In Kazuya vs Greninja, chasing the full air mobility is weaker than using crouch dash and shield to narrow the landing spot and forcing the next close-range read after Down Tilt or Dash Attack.
The table shows that Greninja’s Side B, all three smashes, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Air, Down Air, and Neutral B leave real punish windows, and one clean answer can immediately shift the stock pace.
Neutral Air is still basically safe, and shallow Forward Air or Back Air are harder to hit back on reaction, so Kazuya should not force a scramble after every block and should instead keep pressure on the landing or defensive option.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Kazuya OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -15 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -15 |
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| Jab 3 | 5 | -26 |
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| Rapid Jab | 5/8/11/14… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -39 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -14/-14 |
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| Up Tilt | 9 | -18 |
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| Down Tilt | 5 | -12 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -13 |
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| Forward Smash | 13 | -26 |
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| Up Smash | 12/18 | -23 |
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| Down Smash | 11 | -29 |
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| Neutral Air | 12 | -2/-4 |
|
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| Forward Air | 16 | -6 |
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| Back Air | 5/7/11 | -8/-7 |
|
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| Up Air | 7/10/13/16/19/22 | -12/-12 |
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| Down Air | 17 | -16 |
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| Neutral B | 20—60 | -18 to -13 |
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| Side B | 24(+5) | -29/-28 |
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| Up B | 19 | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 8 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 19 | -33/-32 |
| |
| Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 14 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Kazuya should use crouch dash and shield to make Greninja’s Down Tilt, Dash Attack, and Side B run into grounded defense first.
- After blocking Greninja’s jab string, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Up Air, Down Air, Side B, or Neutral B, take the reachable punish from Up B (5f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (12f) immediately.
- When Neutral Air, Forward Air, or Back Air lands shallow, do not mash; hold pressure on the landing route or spotdodge route instead.
- Turn each successful punish into ledge pressure or an upward kill sequence before Greninja’s light weight gets traded for extra neutral resets.
Actions to Avoid
- Swinging too much while chasing the air drift and letting Greninja’s whiff punish speed take over.
- Blocking Down Tilt or Dash Attack and still refusing the Up B (5f) or Grab (10f) punish window.
- Going too deep offstage, missing the Hydro Pump recovery drift, and losing position for free.
- Panicking against the fast aerial rhythm and eating another Neutral Air starter right away.