Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Hero is dangerous when he is allowed to sit at midrange, cycle through charge threats, and fish for Command Selection turns, but his close-range defense and scramble speed are much less stable. That means Kazuya’s biggest mistake is waiting in front of Hero and letting the spell game develop for free. The matchup is much better when Kazuya keeps creeping forward with crouch dash and shield, forcing Hero to commit before the menu, charge, or sword swing becomes comfortable.
The win condition is to deny setup time, get in once, and turn that opening into repeated landing and ledge pressure rather than assuming every touch must become a zero-to-death. Hero’s disadvantage is vulnerable, and low MP makes his recovery and reversal game much thinner. If Kazuya keeps Hero from resetting space, the matchup starts revolving around close-range guesses that favor Kazuya’s damage output. What Kazuya cannot afford is repeated jump-ins and passive midrange standoffs that feed straight into Hero’s best pace.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Kazuya OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 6 | -15 |
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| Jab 2 | 6 | -15 |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -25 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 9 | -21 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -31 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -23 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -19 |
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| Dash Attack | 21 | -16 |
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| Forward Smash | 17 | -36 (-26) |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -29 (-19) |
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| Down Smash | 9/20 | -37/-26 (-29/-18) |
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| Neutral Air | 8 | -6 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -7 |
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| Back Air | 18 | -9 |
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| Up Air | 6 | -5 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -12 |
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| Neutral B | [10(+7)] [11(+25)] [16(2/8/14/20)] | -22/-28/-24 |
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| Side B | [9/13(+7)] [10/15(+16)] [43/50/72/75/81] | -12/-25/-29 |
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| Up B | [4(+3)] [6/13/20/27(+13)] [39/49/59/69/79/89] | ** | ||
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not sit at midrange; use crouch dash and shield to keep removing Hero’s spell setup time
- Punish Command Selection, charged fire, Side B, smash attacks, and other heavier commitments every time they are left open
- After the first launch, keep pressing landing and ledge instead of backing off and giving Hero time to rebuild MP and spacing
- Mix throws and grounded pressure after getting in so shielding Hero still has to guess at close range
- Track Hero’s MP and lean harder into corner pressure whenever his recovery and reversal options get thinner
Actions to Avoid
- Waiting passively at midrange and giving Hero more rolls of menu and charge-based pressure
- Using the same frontal jump-in over and over into Fair and spell anti-airs
- Overchasing in the air after one hit and giving up the cleaner ledge and landing traps
- Playing the same slow neutral even when Hero’s MP is low and his recovery is easier to squeeze