General Notes:
In general, I think this is a 6:4 or at least a 5.5:4.5 in Akuma's favour but that is just my personal perspective as I believe I lack plenty of skills and experience. Akuma has a very scary vortex, one of the best in the game and as a Ryu player, you must understand what you can and can not do during certain situations after he knocks you down. On knocked down, a good Akuma player will start their vortex mix ups along with mind games, this is where things starts to get hard for the Ryu player, to avoid this... DON"T GET KNOCKED DOWN :) it's hard, I know, but to win you must keep that in mind. The match up revolves from zoning at the right distance, punishing air fireball where and when you can, build meter asap and don't try to pressure him too much after a knock down. Keep a good lead and slowly chipping away his HP. Push forward by walking after Akuma has Ultra 1 with Neutral jump, if Ultra 2 then watch out when you fireball, don't be predictable. Once you get him in the corner, stay just after mid screen and start to pressure from there, do not let him out by giving space or getting knocked down.
CREDITS: Air-Ryu for using some of his information from his guide.
Countering Akuma's special moves:
Fireball:Same as how you would counter any other fireball character, Tatsu or Super/ Ultra 1
Ex Version: Same as normal version with two hits knock down on the second hit.
Air Fireball:If you can bait this out or see it coming, use the following: Sweep trade, EX SRK beats it clean, Super/ Ultra 1 (sometimes trade).
Ex version:Similar to the normal version, but with 2 fireballs, you can EX SRK or block the first fireball and focus dash forward for the second linking into a punish combo.
Red Fireball:Hurricane kick. If you're to counter with Super or Ultra 1, make sure you do it just before the fireball hits you, the distance is crucial for this to hit Akuma.
Ex Version: I think its the same as normal? don't see much differences here...
Shoryuken:One word, you can't beat Akuma's SRK... the only thing to beat this is your EX SRK.
Ex Version:Don't even try on this one.
Hurricane Kick: Punish this the same way you punish other shoto's Tatsu.
Ex Version: Punish this the same way you punish other shoto's Tatsu.
Demon Flip Dive Kick: Depends on distance and timing, normally you can SRK trade, or EX SRK beating it clean, or jump up air to air attack is recommended. On wake up this is a different story, it depends on situation which will be explained later.
Ex Version: Same as normal, but the distance will be on point towards Ryu.
Demon Flip Palm:SRK can beat this clean, any jump air attack.
Ex Version: Same as normal.
Demon Flip Throw:SRK can beat this clean, any jump air attack.
Ex Version: Same as normal.
Super:This move is dangerous... if this comes out from point blank distance, you have to JUMP before the animation comes out, or else its unblock able. You will need to anticipate this...
Ultra 1:Once Akuma has Ultra 1, it very dangerous to jump in, the fire ball bait into Ultra can be easily cause a win to a lost for you. Always have a stock EX gauge on jump in during this situation so if you do fall for this, you can easily EX Tatsu to avoid it. Best way is just slowly walk in and pressure him.
Ultra 2:Watch your fireballs at mid range, teleport into Ultra 2 is deadly. So try baiting this and you should be fine. In AE Ultra 2 will also hit crouching Characters and be teleport cancelling will make the target bigger which lets Akuma hit them
Footsie and Ground game:
Full screen:
Throw fireballs and play your zoning game, slowly push him to the corner if you can, watch out for his EX demon flip once he has meter. Watch those air fireball and punish them with sweep.
Half screen:
I think at this range, it is in Akuma's favour as he has more arsenal than Ryu when it comes to Footsies. All Akuma players will try and get a knock down with his infamous sweep... If you can see the sweep coming, a Lv2 focus will crumble him or focus dash in and BnB. Do watch out for the double kick as it will break your focus most the time, also be vary of this sweep cancel into Ultra/ Super, don't be predictable on those focus.
As for the far standing double kick, if you block it, the second hit will whiff so punish accordingly. If he has super or Ultra stocked then punish with MP SRK as it will beat the Ultra and super.
Sweep distance and closeup:
This range is any body's game. Just try not to let him knock you down, learn to block, counter and read the Akuma player.
Mind games and Option Select:
There is not much OS you can do for this match up, it really depends on the Akuma player's play style. But if it's a good Akuma, then you're better off just slowly chip of the damage on ground. But I do recommend crossup Tatsu > super, your cross up is usually safe against most of his wake up.. unless its an auto correct Ultra1...if he SRK, your Cross up will beat it, if he teleports back you can sweep after the Tatsu, if he teleports forward, you're safe and situation resets. Mix this up with normal jump in OS Tatsu once in a while, this will keep him guessing and hence hesitate their options to do things. Just take this game slowly, push Akuma to the corner, it will make your life MUCH easier.
Ryu's Wakeup options after getting knocked down:
One thing I find hard when learning this match up is on a knock down from Akuma, what options do you as Ryu player have against his vortex? in order to understand this, there are certain conditions Akuma must meet in order to do so. The following will tell you what Akuma can do after each situation, hence will help you have an idea of what you can do, thus increasing your chances of winning by knowing these and how to avoid them.
Dive Kick:
-After a sweep
-In the corner, he will jump in very close up and pretend to cross you up but
instead a dive kick comes down for a front attack.
Crossup Tatsu:
-After a sweep
-Demon flip throw then double dash forward.
-Normal Forward throw then double dash forward.
note: Ryu's crouch mid kick will go under this if timed correctly on wake up.
Crossup Air Fireball:
Usually after you get demon flip thrown or palm and sweep, you have a few
options here.
1, stand and block the air fireball which makes it easier and harder to cross up.
2, focus out of it but this is risky.
Demon Flip Throw and Palm:
- Any untechable knock down the delay demon flip throw or palm.
Demon Flip Dive Kick:
-Sweep > Demon slip dive kick, this can trade with a MP SRK or EX SRK beats it clean.
-Combo into LP SRK > FADC > 3 hit fireball and if you quick wake up, the demon dive kick will beat everything you got, EX SRK will Whiff.
-Back throw > Demon flip Dive Kick will beat everything you got, EX SRK will
Whiff but you can forward dash to get out, though this is risky.
-Back throw, instant Demon Flip Dive Kick (Will beat all of your wake up
moves but however you can dash forward to get out, though I believe this is
risky, better to just block it.
-Forward throw, Demon Flip Dive Kick can be dash forward out off or MP SRK
trade.
-After a Demon Flip throw or palm > Demon Flip Dive Kick is trade able with
MP SRK.
In the Corner:
First off all, don't get cornered :)
But if you do, in SSF4 AE, after Akuma do an untechable knock down he can dash forward twice and jump forward MK, this is an UNBLOCK ABLE. If you see this coming, focus dash forward, everything else will lose or whiff. (Learn it the hard way from Mr Tokido....) -.-
