Written by: KyubiBlitz
Kuroko is a speedy character who mostly wants to keep relatively close to her opponent and apply pressure with needles and her fast normals. She can play both passively and more aggressively, usually timed with her potential activation. Ultimately Kuroko will want to activate her potential as quickly as she can and use this time to smother her opponent. As she can activate her potential twice per round, an early potential does not leave her in a bad place like early blue trump does for other characters.
Kuroko has a few options round start. She can back up to create some space and zone with needles to activate her potential, do dash 5B to catch an opponent who jumps or she can choose to super jump and use a jump in combined with j236A to begin her pressure. Which every start is chosen, Kuroko will want to use this opportunity to try and establish control of the pace of the match.
In neutral, Kuroko will want to look for opportunities throw needles to try and snipe the opponent or force them to block. Outside of needles, Kuroko will mostly want to look for when the opponent jumps so that she can dash in and try to anti-air or meet them air-to-air. Kuroko can convert each of these into an easy potential activation with the use of one bar.
Pressure is where Kuroko excels as she has many tools in her arsenal to mix up the opponent. 2B, while mostly a filler has a very quick animation that is jump cancellable. This can allow Kuroko to end blockstrings with it and dash back in if the opponent drops their guard or is looking for the jump cancel. If the opponent tries to pushblock, cancelling into 214X can leave Kuroko plus after block, allowing her to continue her pressure. Low to the ground needles are also plus on block so if the opponent lets you jump in, Kuroko can steal her turn once more and go for another mix up. Cancelling into needles from a jump in has a small gap that can be used to frame trap an opponent who is mashing. In addition to these tools, Kuroko’s airdash can be used to create double overhead situations or even cross up ones. If the opponent is anticipating the airdash, they can react so this should be used sparingly when not in potential. An example pressure string could look like “2A 2B dash back in 5A j.C iad j.C j236A
In potential Kuroko gets a bunch of new properties to the way a couple of her tools work.
5AB homes anywhere on screen
2AB covers half the screen horizontally.
Forward dash covers the screen very quickly. Gives her one the fastest forward dashes.
Airdash max range is nearly 3 backdashes now. Much faster start up and recovery
Trump tracks the opponent infinitely vertically and practically full screen
All of these tools are utilized to create fear in the opponent and pressure them even from fullscreen. The opponent must respect Kuroko because she can convert into a full combo with 5AB and at any point can close the distance with dashing. From a dash, she is able to grab and 2A quickly making her strike-throw game very strong and leaving the opponent with little time to react. The opponent may feel like they have to jump to avoid that situation which is when Kuroko can use her 5B or even trump to punish and keep the opponent in the blender.
Kuroko has two choices when at advantage. She can press forward and continue to keep pressuring her opponent or back up and zone the opponent, forcing them to weave through her projectiles. The best option for the situation will be dependant on the match up. Characters without projectiles or weak approach options, such as Akira should be zoned out. This reduces the chances they can land a hit and even up the life. Against characters with weak defenses, Kuroko should pressuring the opponent and keep them locked down in the corner. If running a lockdown assist, this will be very beneficial while ahead as it limits the options of your opponent.
When behind Kuroko has to put in a lot of work but thankfully she has her potential. With potential she is able to cross distance quickly if being zoned and one good whiff punish can lead to a hard knockdown. They main goal while behind is to try and activate potential. Look for opportunities to whiff punish with 236AB or snipe an opponent doing a raw assist call. Another way to get back in the game is to play a solid anti-air game. Kuroko has good answers to jumps, so establishing a strong defense on the ground may force your opponent to try and jump in to open you up. Careful usage of 5B, 2B, j.A and j.B are all ways that Kuroko can flip momentum and equalize the match.
Ways to get a hard knockdown. All lead to an opportunity for a safe jump.
2C: The most basic way.
236EX: Metered way to convert into a hard knockdown from anywhere.
j/214EX: Metered way to convert into a hard knockdown from the air or ground. The most common way to get it. Recovers quick enough to get an assist call after.
Grab: Knocks the opponent a super jump distance away.
41236BC: Opponent ends around 236B distance.
63214BC: Knocks the opponent a super jump distance away.
Trump: Leaves them very close allowing for many safe jumps or instant overheads
236[X]: Relative safe option as oki to keep opponent in blockstun and charge potential.
IAD Mixups from Trump
5A(w) iad j.C(w) - safe jumps everything
8 immediately delay iad j.A(w) - safe jumps everything
8 immediately delay more iad j.A - safe to wake up power blast, will hit them if they mash. On block cancel to j.B for a double overhead. Example Video of double overhead
Mashiro:
214AB: 5S iad j.C/236X or 6S 236A into 4AB/2A or 5A mix ups
Throw 6S 236X
Frolaytia:
214AB: 5S iad j.A or 236X 236X to build potential.
*Most oki will come from assists.
Power Blast: After a well spaced 214X Kuroko can powerblast to catch the opponent trying to punish
236X: used in block strings to dissuade opponents from pressing a button. Charging for different lengths will change the timing the needles will come out
5AB: 5AB is a very good way to bait out an escape blast. If the opponent chooses to escape blast after Kuroko knocks them away, the escape blast will whiff even if escape blast character is chosen. This allows you to punish into a full combo. The escape blast will only whiff if Kuroko does nothing after the 5AB. Moving or inputting any button will cause Kuroko to get hit by the escape blast, unless it’s a Ranbu.
5AB: More risky way to punish but is a good meterless way to do so. Mostly useful in potential because it will home in on the opponent.
236AB: This can punish anything from anywhere and is very good at punishing enemy power blasts in neutral or an opponent trying to call an assist.
63214BC: This can punish anything from anywhere and is very good at punishing enemy power blasts in neutral or an opponent trying to call an assist. More meter but gets you in so that you can oki or begin pressure.
For guaranteed punishes, aim to land a C normal for maximum damage.
Used as oki to punish a wake up power blast attempt, AB and red trump. Risky and not recommended unless used with the above set up as manually timing can cause you to be punished. Video Example
Used as oki to punish a wake up power blast attempt or wake up red trump. More consistent. Video Example
Useful OS to tech throws. Kuroko will either tech a throw or activate trump. Using this OS during a grab situations will usually activate trump and tech a throw simultaneously if done successfully. If mistimed you will be thrown out of your trump activation. Having access to red trump means that if your opponent jumps, this will hit them out of the air. If this OS is mistimed, the player will simply block, making this a very easy and reliable OS to use, but less good than it is with blue trump characters..
Kuroko does not really have any use for combo blast so escape blast is almost always what you want to choose. It is a universally strong choice that ensures that you will almost always get out of a combo or situation when you use it. Kuroko lacks solid reversal or defensive options so enhanced escape blast is a valuable tool and debatably the strongest choice