Akuma has always been the "balance" between Ryu's excessive defense and Ken's

excessive offense. His playstyle is very technical and he requires a lot of practice, but
the payoff is well worth it. Akuma players live by one simple motto: "The best defense
is a good offense." Akuma has the second worst health and the worst stun in the game,
but his extremely high speed and massive damage output more than make up for it. His
vortex game is absolutely unparalleled, and is practically the defining point of his
playstyle. He has so many options at his disposal that the very prospect itself can be
downright frightening. If you like playing mind games with your opponents, or if you
feel that Ryu and Ken aren't challenging enough, Akuma may be for you.
Players to Watch
Infiltration (Korea)
Tokido (Japan)
Eita (Japan)

Ultra SFIV Changes

(From Ultra SFIV Arcade Japan)

Close MK: Now forces stand on hit; startup reduced to 4 frames from
5 frames; Hitbox expanded downward

Crouch HK: Can no longer be cancelled into Wrath of the Raging

Demon (UC1)

Zanku Hadoken: All versions done during back jump have recovery
increased by 2F, to 18 frames from 16 frames for Light, Medium, and
Hard versions and to 11 frames from 9 frames for EX version

EX Zanku Hadoken: Can now be performed during the start of Light,

Medium, and Hard Hyakkishu (Demon Flip) as well

Goshoryuken: 2nd hit of Medium version can no longer be EX Focus

cancelled on block

Goshoryuken: 2nd and 3rd hit of Hard version can no longer be EX

Focus cancelled on block

Goshoryuken: Hard version startup invincibility reduced to 5 frames

from 6 frames

L, M and H Goshoryuken --> EX Focus Cancel --> Forward Dash is now

-5 on block at best

(New to Ultra SFIV Console Digital Release)

Close MK: Attack range recognition increased

Stand HP: Damage reduced to 90 from 120

Stand HP: Can now be canceled into Special Moves, Super, or EX

Focus Attack

EX Shakunetsu Hadoken: Startup reduced to 19 frames from 25

frames

Tatsumaki Zankukyaku: Light version Hitbox expanded downward

(New to 1.04 Update)

Gohadoken: All versions' startup reduced to 13 frames from 14

frames

Character Specific Data

Akuma
VITALS
Health:

850

Stun:

WALKING
Forward Walk
Speed:
Back Walk Speed:

Jump Total
Frames:

W-Ultra
Scaling:

75%

DASHING
0.055
0.04

Forward Dash
Distance:
Forward Dash Total
Frames:
Back Dash
Distance:

JUMPING
Jump Height
Apex:

850

1.76
40 (4+36)

Back Dash Total

Frames:
Back Dash
Invincibility:

1.00
18
0.90
25
8

Forward Jump
Distance:

1.92

Back Dash
Airborne:

10

Back Jump

1.92

Back Dash

Distance

Recovery:
THROWS

WAKE-UP TIMING

Forward Throw
Range:

0.91

Face Up Total
Frames:

31

Back Throw
Range:

0.91

Face Down Total

Frames:

21

NOTABLE MOVE CLASSES

High
Zugaihasatsu,
Attacks: Tenmakujinkyaku

Crouch HK, Hyakki

Hard
Gozan, Hyakki
Knockdo
Gosho, Hyakki
wns:
Gosai

Crouch LK, Crouch

Low
MK, Crouch HK,
Attacks:
Hyakki Gozan

Hyakki Gosho,
Armor
Demon
Breakers:
Armageddon

FOCUS ATTACK DATA

Level 1 Focus
Startup Frames:

21

Close MP, Close HP,

Far HP, Crouch HP,
L1 EX Red GoHadoken (Corner
Focus
Only), MP/HP
Attack
Goshoryuken (1st
Combo
Hit), MK/HK
Lead-Ins: Tatsumaki
Zankukyaku (1st
Hit)

Level 2 Focus
Startup Frames:

29

Level 3 Focus
Startup Frames:

65

L1 Focus Attack
Forward Dash:

-2

L2 FA Forward
Dash (On Block):

+4

L1 Focus Attack
Back Dash:

-9

L2 FA Back Dash
(On Block):

-3

Frame Data (At A Glance)

More detailed Frame Data Table at bottom of page.

Move
Name

Nickn Dama Stun Meter Hi Can Sta

ame
ge
Gain t cel rtu
Le Abili p
ve ty
l

Active

Rcv Ad
ry v
On
Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H

it
Close LP

Close MP

Close HP

Close LK

Close MK

Close HK

Close

Close

Close

Close

Close

Close

30

50

20

HL

ch/s
4
p/su

70

100

40

HL

sp/s
u

13 -1

100

200

60

HL

sp/s
u

26 -10 -6

40

50

20

HL

70

100

40

HL su

14 -2

+
1

2(4)4

17 -3

+
2

40*70

125*7
60*20 HL su*5

ch/s
3
p/su

Far LP

Far

30

50

20

HL

Far MP

Far

80

100

40

HL su

Far HP

Far

90

200

60

HL

Far LK

Far

40

50

20

Far MK

Far

80

100

40

Far HK

Far

50*30

Crouch
LP

Crouch

Crouch
MP

Crouch

Crouch
HP

Crouch

Crouch
LK

Crouch

Crouch

Crouch

+3

+2

+4

+
6
+
4

+
5

+
7

13 -1

+
2

sp/s
u

16 -1

+
3

HL

HL

13 -1

+
2

125*7
60*20 HL
5

2(8)2

16 -2

+
5

+1

+
4

30

50

20

HL

ch/s
3
p/su

+2

+
5

60

100

40

HL

sp/s
u

+2

+
5

100

200

60

HL

sp/s
u

20

50

20

ch/s
4
p/su

60

100

40

sp/s

23 -9 -4

+
3

13 -2 +

MK
Crouch
HK
Zugaihas
atsu

Move
Name

Neutral
Jump LP

u
Crouch

90

100

60

24 -9 -

30*50 50*50 40*20 H

17

2*2

17 -5 0

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l
Neutral
Jump

Neutral
Neutral
Jump
Jump MP

Active

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

50

50

20

80

100

40

200

60

Neutral
Neutral
Jump
100
Jump HP
Neutral
Neutral
Jump
Jump LK

40

50

20

Neutral
Neutral
Jump
Jump MK

80

100

40

200

60

50

50

20

80

100

40

Neutral
Neutral
Jump
100
Jump HK
Diagon
Diagonal al
Jump LP Jump

Diagon
Diagonal al
Jump MP Jump

Diagon
Diagonal al
100
Jump HP Jump

Diagon
Diagonal al
Jump LK Jump

Diagon
Diagonal al
Jump MK Jump

200

60

40

50

20

70

100

40

200

60

100

40

Diagon
Diagonal al
100
Jump HK Jump

Tenmakuj (air)
inkyaku +

Move
Name

60

12 Until ground

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l

Focus
Level 1
Attack
Focus
(Level 1)

60

100

20

HL

Focus
Level 2
Attack
Focus
(Level 2)

80

150

40

Focus
Level 3
Attack
140
Focus
(Level 3)

200

Forwar
Goshoha d
Throw

130

Syuretto Back

130

Active

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

10+
11

35 -21 2
1

HL

18+
11

35 -15 -

60

65

40

120

40

0.
91

20

120

40

0.

20

Throw

Move
Name

91

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l

GoHadok GoHad
en
oken

60

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

10/20 HL su

14

30 -4 0

GoHad
EX
100*1
GoHadok oken
60*60
-250/0 HL su
00
en

14

30 -1 -

Shakun
Shakunet etsu
su
Hadok
Hadoken
en

25

25 -4 -

25

32 -3 -

25

38 -1 -

19

25

Afte
r
lan
din g
16[
18]

50

100

Active

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

200

10/30 HL su

Shakun
etsu
50*10 10/16*
HL su
Hadok 35*35
0
16
en
Shakun
etsu
10/16x
HL su
Hadok 33x3 35x3
3
en
EX
Shakunet
su
Hadoken

Shakun
etsu
70x2*
Hadok 47x3 100 -250/0 HL su

+1
8

en

Zanku
Zanku
Hadok
Hadoken
en

HL

14

EX Zanku Zanku 40*40 50*50 -250/0 HL

Hadoken Hadok

en

40

50

5/20

Afte r
lan
din

g
9[1
1]
Goshor
Goshoryu
100[7
yuken
100
ken
0]

14

17
+1 -28 8

2*12

25
+1 -34 8

2*2*12

28
+1 -37 8

2*2*12

28
+1 -37 8

11

2(6)2

12
-9 +8

2(5)[2(5)2]
(5)1

16
+1 -8 2

2(5)[1(5)1]
13
(5)[1(5)1]
-1 +8
(5)1

11

1(3)1(3)1(3) 18
-1 1(3)1
+3

30/40 HL su

Goshor
30/30*
yuken 70*60 80*50
HL su*16
Goshor
70*50* 70*50 30/30*
su*yuken
HL
30
*30 10*10
*-

Goshor
EX
80*60* 100*5
su*s
Goshoryu yuken
-250/0 HL
3
50
0*50
u*su
ken
Tatsum
Tatsumak
aki
i
Zankuk
Zankukya
yaku
ku

70

50

20/20 HL

Tatsum
aki
80*40* 100*5 20/20*
su*Zankuk
HL
40
0*50 10*10
*yaku

Tatsum
aki
80*40 100*5 20/20*
su*Zankuk
HL
x3
0x3 10x3
(x3)
yaku

Tatsum
EX
Tatsumak aki
Zankuk 35x5 40x5 -250/0 HL
i
Zankukya yaku
ku
Air
Air
Tatsumak Tatsum
i
aki
Zankukya Zankuk
ku
yaku

60

50

10/30 HL

[2(6)2](6)2 Afte r
lan
din
g

10
Air
Tatsum
aki
Zankuk
yaku

Air
Tatsum
aki
Zankuk
yaku

70

80

50

50

10/30 HL

10/30 HL

Afte
r
lan
[2(6)2](6)2
din
g
10

Afte
r
lan
[2(6)2](6)2
din
g
10

Afte
r
1(3)1(3)1(3)
lan 1(3)1
din
g4

Air
EX Air
Tatsum
Tatsumak
aki
i
40x5 50x5 -250/0 HL
Zankuk
Zankukya
yaku
ku

Hyakkish Hyakki
u
shu

EX
Hyakki
Hyakkish
shu
u

-250/0 -

100

200

39+
7

15

Hyakki
Gozan

Hyakki
Gosho

Hyakki
Gozan

Hyakki
Gosho

Hyakki
Gojin

Hyakki
Gojin

Hyakki
Gosai

Hyakki
Gosai

110

200

20/-

0/40

0/30

HL

14 -11 -

27+
8

Afte
r
lan din
g4

Afte
r
27+
Until ground lan 11
din
g4

70

100

0/30

HL

150

150

0/60

0.
9

27+
3

Afte r
lan
din
g

17
Ashura
Senku
(Far)

Ashura
Senku
(Far)

Ashura
Senku
(Close)

Ashura
Senku
(Close)

Move
Name

Raging
Demon

Move
Name

Wrath of
the
Raging
Demon

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l
Raging
330
Demon

0.
1000/0 9

1+0

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l
Wrath
of the
510
Raging
Demon

Demon Demon
50*45
Armaged Armag
0[421]
don
eddon

Move
Name

Standing Close Normals

Tot
al 53

Active

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

13

36

Active

0/0

0.
9

0+5

33

0/0

HL

0+1
4

Hi
Can
t
Sta
Nickn Dama
Meter
cel
Stun
Le
rtu
ame
ge
Gain
Abili
ve
p
ty
l

Moves

Tot
al 61

Active

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

19

46 -27 -

Ad
v
Rcv On
ry Gu
ar
d

A
d
v
O
n
H
it

Name

Nickname

Command

Close LP

Close Jab

Close

Notes

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

Aside from being able to combo into Akuma's cr. HK, you won't find
too many uses for this move.
Close MP Close Strong Close
File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~
png

You could potentially use this as a frame trap and fish for a counter hit,
letting you combo into cr. HK and a few other normal moves.
Close HP Close Fierce

Close

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

This is the go-to normal if you want to start any bread and butter or
punish combo. You can link into this normal off of cr. LP and cr. MP,
letting you dish out more damage than usual.
Close LK Close Short

Close

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
It leaves you at a frame advantage on block, and also leaves you at
png

enough frame advantage to link into cr. MP. You can sometimes start a
block string with cr. LK, then follow it with a chain cancelled close st.
LK and can either continue block string pressure, fish for counter hits,
or go for a throw.

File:Example.
Close MK Close Forward Close
png

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

The release of Ultra Street Fighter IV made this move shine. In the
previous versions, Akuma had limited combo opportunities (outside of
counter hits) if his opponent was crouching. This move now forces
opponent to stand, so you can do way more damaging combos to

crouching opponents than you could have done before. What's also
nice is that you can hit your opponent with two cr. LP's or one cr. MP,
and you'll still be in range for Akuma's close st. MK to connect.
Close HK Close

Close

Roundhouse

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

There's practically no use for this move. Even if you land a counter hit,
it tends to push the opponent far away to land useful combos.
Standing Far Normals
Name

Nickname

Far LP

Far Jab

Command

Notes

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

This is a great move to use if you need to punish something that

requires tight timing, such as Balrog's LP Dash Straight. You can
combo into cr. HK or far st. HP off of this move as well.

File:Example. Far MP
png

Far Strong

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

A mostly useless normal.
File:Example.
Far HP
png

Far Fierce

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma's far st. HP has many uses. The change made in Ultra Street
Fighter IV is that this move is now special cancellable, meaning you
can cancel a far st. HP into a special move. This is a great buff because
against most characters, you cancel into LK Tatsu and it will still
connect, even from the tip of the st. HP. It can also be used for pressure
because fireballs can be tighter block strings than they were before.
Even better is that if you happen to land a counter hit with this move
while you were pressuring the opponent, you can link into cr. HK as
well.
This move can also be used as an anti-air as well. There are times
when the opponent will jump from a range where your Goshoryuken

might whiff. In those instances, this is the anti-air move to go for.

There are times when the opponent will jump from a range where your
Goshoryuken might whiff. In those instances, this is the anti-air move
to go for. Combined with the ability to special cancel, if you manage to
successfully hit your opponent out of the air, you can cancel into a LK
Gohadouken for safe chip; by the time you opponent lands from the
move and the fireball connects, you will have already recovered before
the opponent can attempt an anti-projectile move.
Far LK

Far Short

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
You might occasionally be able to hit your opponent out of the air with
png

a far st. LK, but it's not that reliable for the purpose of anti-air. It's
mostly used to feint a fireball after you do a quarter-circle forward
motion.
Far MK

Far Forward

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
png
This is nothing compared to Evil Ryu's far st. MK, but using this once

in a while as a poke can have its advantages. Otherwise, its uses are
limited.
File:Example. Far HK
png

Far
Roundhouse

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

A pretty nasty move, this move can frustrate opponents while playing
footsies. Akuma will do a series of two roundhouse kicks, and if the
second hit connects, it gives you enough frame advantage to link into
most of his other normal moves. You can also use this to pester
opponents who likes to focus a lot, since this move hits two times. You
can still be hit by the focus in between the kicks, but it requires some
timing from the opponent to be able to hit you out of this.
While this move has many uses due to having two hits and lots of
combo potential, this move should be used sparingly in high-level
matches. Opponents may be looking for this move outside of its range
and will neutral jump to counter you, so don't abuse this move too
much. Also, the second kick will whiff against certain opponents when
they are crouch blocking.

The second hit of far st. HK will whiff on the following characters
when they crouch block: Blanka, C.Viper, Cammy, Chun-Li, Cody
(will kick twice a bit up close), Decapre, Dee Jay, Dhalsim, Dudley
(will kick twice a bit up close), El Fuerte (only at further ranges),
Elena, Evil Ryu, Ibuki, Juri, Ken, M. Bison (at further ranges), Oni (at
further ranges), Poison, Rose, Rufus, Ryu, Sakura, Yang, Yun.
Crouching Normals
Name

Nickname Command

Crouch LP Crouch Jab

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
A fairly common combo starter, but it can also be used to punish
png

certain moves as well. You will most likely use this move to start hit
confirming, as it is both advantageous on both block and on hit. You
can apply safe block string pressure, or you can link into most other
normal moves.

File:Example.
Crouch MP Crouch
png
Strong

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Another nasty move in Akuma's arsenal. You want to use his cr. MP to
fish for counter hits, because the amount of things you can do off of
landing a counter hit cr. MP is insane. You can link into cr. HK for a
hard knockdown, giving you a mix-up opportunity. At closer ranges,
you can even link into far st. HK, letting you do combos with
ridiculous damage and stun.
Even if you fail to land a counter hit cr. MP, you're not missing out
entirely, since you can still combo into other normal moves such as
another cr. MP, cr. MK, or close st. HP for big damage too.
This move is also safe on block, so when you're applying pressure up
close, this is a godlike normal to go for.
File:Example.
Crouch HP Crouch Fierce
png

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma raises his fist upwards, and this is actually a solid anti-air
normal. It's nothing like an uppercut where it would knock your

opponent down, but this is the anti-air to go for if your opponent is

directly above. Things like a cross up tatsu attempt, Honda's Sumo
Splash, or Vega's wall dive will get hit by cr. HP. If you're also not
prepared to do a Goshoryuken, cr. HP will also do a decent job hitting
opponents that jump towards you from up close.
Crouch LK Crouch Short

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. This move is a solid normal to use to apply pressure on opponent's
wake up. However, don't just input a meaty cr. LK. It's best to press
png

both cr. LP and cr. LK so that if the opponent tries to throw you on
their wake up, you can also tech their throw. If the opponent blocks the
meaty cr. LK, a common frame trap setup is to follow it up with a
close st. LK afterwards, then mix the opponent up with either a throw
or a cr. MP to fish for a counter hit.

File:Example.
Crouch MK Crouch
png
Forward

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

This is one of Akuma's primary pokes. It's not as good of a cr. MK in
comparison to Ryu's since it has less active frames, but it can still get
the job done in a poking war. I would argue that with the release of
Ultra Street Fighter IV, this should be the poke that Akuma should go
for more often rather than the cr. HK. It may have shorter range, but
the fact that you can cancel into special moves and Ultra more than
makes up for it.
There are many things you can answer to from a cr. MK. If the
opponent focuses your poke, you can cancel into HK Tatsu to punish
them for trying. If the move connects (hit or block) mix it up with
doing just a simple cr. MK or cancel it into a Gohadouken to keep the
opponent guessing. Note that a cr. MK cancelled into a Gohadouken is
not a true block string from further ranges, which is why it is advised
to mix it up. Lastly, if the opponent jumps, you can buffer the Wrath of
the Raging Demon to convince your opponent that they are a fool for
jumping at you while you have an Ultra stocked up.
File:Example.
Crouch HK Crouch
png
Roundhouse

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

In the previous versions, one of the reasons why Akuma was hated on
so much was because of his cr. HK. It seemed completely safe to use
without much thought, as it had great range, was difficult to punish,
and even if a character could punish a blocked cr. HK, Akuma would
have usually been able to just easily cancel into Wrath of the Raging
Demon to counter the punish attempt.
That is no longer the case in Ultra Street Fighter IV. This move has lost
the ability to cancel into Wrath of the Raging Demon, although it can
be cancelled into the Super Raging Demon (which is pointless because
the Super does not have any invincibility). Therefore, this move will
lose to Focus Attacks now, and can also be countered with a jump
attack if predicted. It still has great reach and somewhat difficult to
punish on block. While it is -9 on block, it does quite a bit of
pushback, so some characters may have trouble trying to punish it.
You can still use this somewhat in footsies, as long as you don't abuse
it like you could've in the previous versions. However, rather than
using this to stick out a poke, it's better to use this to whiff punish your
opponent's pokes due to its range. Also, it gives you a hard
knockdown, giving you the opportunity to mix your opponent up on
his or her wake up.
Neutral Jumping Normals
Name

Nickname

Neutral Jump Neutral Jump

Jab
LP

Command

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
Akuma uses his elbow to hit a jumping opponent. It's the fastest
png

neutral jumping attack that Akuma has, so it can sometimes be used in

air-to-air situations. The only problem is that the range isn't that great,
but you can use this in a pinch if you need to quickly hit an opponent
in the air.

File:Example. Neutral Jump Neutral Jump

png
Strong
MP

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

If you have the opponent in the corner, this normal move may have its
uses. If you opponent tries to jump his or her way out of the corner,
you can peg him with a nj. MP. It's not as fast as nj. LP, but it has

better range.
Neutral Jump Neutral Jump
Fierce
HP

File:Example.
~~ Uses and Strategies ~~
png

Like nj. MP, this can also be used to trap a jumping opponent to keep
him or her stay in the corner.
Neutral Jump Neutral Jump
Short
LK

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

This move is pretty much useless. It has almost no range, and you have
better neutral jumping normals for air-to-air situations, so avoid using
this.

File:Example. Neutral Jump Neutral Jump

png
Forward
MK

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

This move can be used in most air-to-air situations. It has pretty decent
range, and it can be used to hit an opponent trying to jump in on you. It
is on the slow side of things unfortunately, but it will work every now
and then at the right ranges.
Neutral Jump Neutral Jump
Roundhouse
HK

File:Example.
~~ Uses and Strategies ~~
png

This is a worse version of the nj. MK. It is slower, but it also has
decent range for air-to-air situations.
Diagonal Jumping Normals
Name

Nickname

File:Example. Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump

png
Jab
LP

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Command

Notes

Although uses for j. LP is limited, you can use it for sneaky tick throw
setups off of safe jumps.
Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump
Strong
MP

File:Example.
~~ Uses and Strategies ~~
png

A useless jump attack. There is almost no utility behind a diagonal j.

MP.
Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump
Fierce
HP

File:Example.
~~ Uses and Strategies ~~
png

This move can have its uses. You can use it as a jump-in, for air-to-air
counters, or to bait out a Zanku Hadoken.
Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump
Short
LK

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. This is a sneaky jump attack to use on the opponent's wake up. You
can setup an ambiguous cross up, but it does not provide as much
png

frame advantage on hit as j. MK or HK.. It can become difficult for the

opponent to guess whether this move will hit from the front or the
back, since it is not as obvious as a cross up j. MK. This can also be
used for tick setups as well, due to the little amount of block and hit
stun this move does.
Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump
Forward
MK

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

Akuma's diagonal j. MK is his primary cross up move. You can also

use this move to hit the opponent from the front as well, depending on
how you spaced your jump attack.

File:Example. Diagonal Jump Diagonal Jump

png
Roundhouse
HK

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

This is one Akuma's primary jump-in attacks, since it hits more

downwards than the diagonal j. HP. If you predict a fireball or a poke
with lots of recovery, you can use the occassional jump-in HK to hit
your opponent. It leaves you at tremendous block and hit stun, so you
can apply pressure or perform combos if the opponent fails to anti-air
you.
Unique Attacks
Name

Nicknam
Command Notes
e

Zugaihasatsu

Overhead

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. Akuma's overhead can be used once you condition your opponent to
png
block low. It can catch your opponents by surprise sometimes when

they are not expecting it. Be aware that you're at -5 on block, so it can
be punished if the opponent guesses correctly.
What makes the overhead really scary is that it is one of his primary
tools to kara-cancel into his Raging Demon.
File:Example.
png
Tenmakujinkyaku

(in air)
Dive Kick

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Holding down and pressing medium kick at the peak of Akuma's
forward jump will give you his dive kick. At first, this move may seem
useless, but it can actually be pretty dangerous if used correctly.
At certain ranges, when you want to jump over an opponent's
projectile, but he or she hasn't thrown a projectile, the dive kick might
save you from an anti-air move... as long as you didn't press a button
in the air beforehand. Just don't abuse this tactic because your
opponent may catch on and just walk forward and anti-air you out if
they start seeing a pattern.
This can be pretty useful on the opponent's wake up as well. Let's say
you successfully knocked an opponent down, and you're at a range
where a diagonal j. MK would cross the opponent up. Well, if they're
expecting that cross up, use the dive kick to hit the opponent from the
front instead. If this hits meaty, it provides enough frame advantage to
combo into big damage.

Focus Attacks
Name

Nickname

Focus
Attack
(Level 1)

Level 1 Focus

Command

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
png
Akuma's Focus Attack can be useful because Akuma steps back a

before he unleashes his his attack.

After a Level 1 Focus Attack forward dash, Akuma is at -2 on block
and on hit.
Focus
Attack
(Level 2)

Level 2 Focus

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. Akuma's Focus Attack can be useful because Akuma steps back a
png
before he unleashes his his attack.

After a Level 2 Focus Attack forward dash, Akuma is at +4 on block,

which makes this a great pressure tool if the opponent blocks. Akuma's
Focus Attack isn't exactly the fastest in the game though, so use it with
care.
File:Example. Focus
png
Attack
(Level 3)

Level 3 Focus

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

You're most likely going to land this only when your opponent is
dizzy, or if your opponent just doesn't realize what you're planning in
time.
Throws
Name
File:Example. Goshoha
png

Nickname
Forward
Throw

Command

or
+

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma will hit the opponent hard in the chest and send him or her
flying. Landing a forward throw sets your opponent up for your deadly
mixups.
Syuretto

Back Throw

File:Example. ~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

png

The back throw has much less utility than his forward throw. If you do
land a back throw, you can apply meaty pressure on your opponent's
wake up.

Special Moves
Name
File:Example.
GoHadoken
png

Nickname Command
Fireball

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma's fireball is projectile thrown on the ground. It's main use is for
zoning and FADC combos. The punch button pressed determines the
speed the fireball will travel at. LP Gohadoken will travel the slowest,
HP Gohadoken will travel the fastest, and MP Gohadoken is
somewhere in between.
LP Gohadoken can be used for a few different reasons. Akuma will
recover fast enough that he can somewhat follow the fireball and use it
as a shield. It's nothing like a Guile Sonic Boom or Poison Aelous
Edge, but it can be used to serve that purpose. HP Gohadoken can be
used as a poke in footsies, since at closer ranges, it can be hard to react
to the fireball. You can use MP Gohadoken at that range as well, or just
for general zoning from far or mid range.
Gohadoken is also useful for FADC combos. If you cancel a
Gohadoken into an FADC forward, you'll be at enough frame
advantage to combo into many of his other normal attacks too.
EX Gohadoken hits twice, and the second hit will always knock the
opponent down on hit. If you hit the opponent in the corner with an
EX Gohadoken at close range, you can juggle into a HP Goshoryuken

for bigger damage.

Shakunetsu
Hadoken

Red Fireball

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

You should definitely consider having a meterless Shakunetsu as a
privilege, since not every character has a meterless multi-hitting
projectile. Akuma will charge up a little bit and throw a red fireball,
and this will knock the opponent down on hit. The LP Shakunetsu hits
once but recovers the fastest, MP Shakunetsu hits twice but recovers
slower, and HP Shakunetsu hits three times but recovers the slowest.
The Shakunetsu can be very useful in a projectile war. When Akuma

File:Example. and his opponent are exchanging projectiles full screen, throwing a
png
Shakunetsu will help you gain more advantage. The opponent sees

Akuma charge up, thinking he's about to throw a multi hitting

projectile. Whether you threw the LP Shakunetsu or the MP
Shakunetsu, your opponent will likely either jump or block the fireball,
and you'll have time to throw another fireball to help you gain the
advantage. HP Shakunetsu can be used occassionally in fireball wars,
but the slow recovery can become a hindrance, so use it wisely.
EX Shakunetsu has been changed in Ultra Street Fighter IV to make it
a much more viable tool. The startup on the move has been reduced, so
you can now combo from a far st. HP cancelled into an EX
Shakunetsu. It does decent chip damage and you'll recover just as fast
the LP Shakunetsu.
File:Example. Zanku Hadoken
png

Air Fireball

(in air)

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

This move is one of the reasons why Akuma is hated on by many. It
outclasses so many other tools in the entire game in terms of utility,
and it makes his zoning very difficult to deal with for most characters.
Having a projectile that covers both the air and the ground is a
godsend, so use it well.
LP Zanku Hadoken travels at a steep angle that will land close to you,
the HP Zanku Hadoken will land at a 45 degree angle, and the MP

Zanku Hadoken will land somewhere in between. You want to use

each different versions for different uses. You want to use the LP
Zanku Hadoken to try to discourage your opponent from trying to
close in on you, and the other versions should be used to irritate your
opponents from further ranges. Note that all versions of the EX Zanku
Hadoken have recovery on landing, so certain moves will be able to
punish you on landing (such as a projectile timed to hit you as you
land, or any well timed anti-projectile moves). So even if you have a
fantastic zoning tool at your disposal, don't get too cocky with it
because you could risk getting punished heavily if you're not careful.
There are certain setups on the opponent's knockdown where you can
do a tiger-knee air fireball to mix the opponent up; sometimes you will
cross the opponent up and sometimes you will just hit in front.
EX Zanku Hadoken can be used both as a keep-away tool and a get-in
tool. If you feel your opponent is starting to close in more, throw an
EX Zanku Hadoken to further push the opponent away from you. You
can also use EX Zanku Hadoken as you jump forward so that they will
feel restricted to try to anti-air you. Of course, don't overuse this tactic
because eventually they can just walk right under and punish you. EX
Zanku Hadoken can also be very nasty in the corner because it will
keep them locked down. If timed so that you throw it lower to the
ground (ie just before you land), it will give you enough block stun for
you to continue applying pressure. If both fireballs hit, it will give you
so much frame advantage to hit your opponent with a big combo.
Akuma can also cancel any of his Demon Flips into an altered version
of his EX Zanku Hadoken. You can trick your opponent into thinking
that you're going to take a risk doing a full screen Demon Flip, then
trick them and do an EX Zanku Hadouken for trying to counter. Even
if the opponent doesn't do anything, you will still gain space at the cost
of one bar.
File:Example.
Goshoryuken
png

Uppercut

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma's Goshoryuken is his primary anti-air option, but it can also be
used as combo enders and frame traps. It has more recovery than most
other uppercut special moves in the game, so be careful when using
this.
LP Goshoryuken has limited uses. It isn't that great of an anti-air, since

it has very little invincibility and bad angle. You're most likely to trade
if you use this as an anti-air, and most trades will not be in your favour.
If you do land a successful LP Goshoryuken, consider FADC'ing
forward and follow it up with a HP Shakunetsu for additional damage.
MP Goshoryuken should be your go to anti-air. It has the most
invincibility out of all the other non-EX Goshoryukens, so you won't
be trading that often if you use this as an anti-air. Try to hit deep
because a single hit MP Goshoryuken does very little damage; you
want both hits to connect.
HP Goshoryuken should be used mostly as a combo ender. You can use
it as an anti-air, but the problem is you need to make sure the first hit
of the HP Goshoryuken hits to dish out full damage. It's very difficult
to time the HP Goshoryuken to have all hits connect on an airborne
opponent, and a two-hit HP Goshoryuken does less damage than a
two-hit MP Goshoryuken. However, most juggle moves will let you hit
a full HP Goshoryuken afterwards. These include LK Tatsu and a cross
up air Tatsu. If you're feeling brave, you can use HP Goshoryuken as a
frame trap, but be aware that you can only FADC out of the first hit,
and you're also at a disadvantage if your opponent blocks. If you're
feeling even braver and feel like spending 3 meters, try to frame trap
with a HP Goshoryuken and cancel that into EX Red Focus. If that
hits, pat yourself on the back for a good read; you earned that combo.
EX Goshoryuken has uses for both anti air, combo enders, and
amazing ability to kill opponents by chip. EX Goshoryuken has
ridiculous amount of invincibility, and what's even better is that it is
fully invincible, even while it's active. That means if Zangief jumps up
and he does the Siberian Blizzard Ultra, if you do a regular
Goshoryuken then he will catch you. If you use EX Goshoryuken to
anti-air, you will be completely safe from the Ultra and even hit
Zangief out of the air. If you also manage to land a bread and butter
combo that normally ends with HP Goshoryuken, and your opponent is
very low on health, consider using the EX Goshoryuken to finish the
combo instead. You will either leave your opponent close to a KO, or
you might even do enough damage to get the win. EX Goshoryuken
also does quite a bit of chip, so if your opponent is in his or her last
few pixels of health, EX Goshoryuken will usually deliver the kill.
File:Example. Tatsumaki
png
Zankukyaku

Hurricane
Kick

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

LP Tatsu is probably one of Akuma's most used special moves. It is

used primarily for combos, as it sets you up for a free juggle into most
normal or special moves. You will most likely follow any LK Tatsu
juggle into HP Goshoryuken, as it gives the most amount of damage
without using meter. On certain characters, you can land a cr. HK off
of a LK Tatsu juggle, but this is entirely character specific. Also be
aware that this is unsafe on block, so make sure you hit confirm
successfully before committing to LK Tatsu.
MK Tatsu doesn't have much utility. It acts similarly to HK Tatsu, but
it does less damage and hits.
HK Tatsu is a multi-hitting hurricane kick that hits up to three times.
There will be times where some hit confirms will leave you too far
away for the LK Tatsu to connect, in which you'll have to resort to
using HK Tatsu to finish the combo instead. Another use for HK Tatsu
is if your opponent likes to focus you at footsie range, cancelling a cr.
MK cancelled into HK Tatsu will punish him.
EX Tatsu keeps Akuma in one place instead of having him moving
forward. It is usually used for combos when opponents are crouching,
since regular Tatsu's don't hit on crouching opponents.. This isn't as big
of an issue due to Akuma's close st. MK buff, but it's still a combo to
use against crouching opponents if you have trouble linking into a
close stand MK. It is also very useful if you manage to hit the
opponent when he or she is cornered, as it lets you juggle into HP
Goshoryuken for more damage. It can also be used as a frame trap if
you time it right.
File:Example. Air Tatsumaki
png
Zankukyaku

Air Hurricane

Air Tatsumaki
Zankukyaku

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

There's very little utility for this move outside of mixups, but it can be
deadly if you do successfully knock your opponent down. In neutral,
one of the few uses can be to build bits of meter, but you have better
options for that. The most likely use of an air Tatsu is to cross the
opponent up on his or her wake up. From there, you're given a free
juggle between any normal move. You can either go for a reset by
hitting the opponent with a normal cancelled into a Demon Flip for
another mixup. You can also just end the juggle with a cr. HK to set up

for another mixup. If you want to go for damage, juggle with HP or

EX Goshoryuken.
Hyakkishu

Demon Flip

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Hyakki, AKA the Demon Flip, is Akuma's primary mix up tool.
Akuma will do a big leap forward, and the kick button pressed will
File:Example.
determine how far he will travel across the screen. LK Hyakki won't
png
move him much forward, HK Hyakki will fly him across almost 3/4 of
the screen, and MK Hyakki is somewhere in between. EX Hyakki will
travel a lot faster and home in on the opponent.
What you do after a Hyakki is determined by what you pressed after
Akuma has reached the peak of the Hyakki.
Hyakki Gozan

Demon Flip
Slide

No input after
performing
Kyakkishu

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example.
png
There is absolutely no reason to ever use this. If you press nothing

after performing a Hyakki, you will do a slide that will knock the
opponent down. It is ridiculously unsafe on block, and all variants of
Hyakki can be blocked by defensive crouch, so this is essentially next
to useless.
File:Example.
Hyakki Gosho
png

Demon Flip
Palm

Perform during
Hyakkishu

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Hyakki Gosho, aka the Demon Flip Palm, has many uses such as safe
jumping, armor break, and plays a part in Akuma's side-to-side
mixups.
In neutral, if you want to build meter from full screen, the Demon Flip
Palm is good to use along with his projectiles. Akuma will land almost
instantly if he does the palm, and you can go back to mixing up with
different fireballs and Demon Flip Palm to build meter quickly.
This is also a terrific option to use on the opponent's wake up.
Depending on the distance, you can use MK Demon Flip Palm to safe

jump and bait the enemy's reversal, or you can use the HK version to
go behind the opponent as he or she gets up. Speaking of safe jumping,
if your opponent has a reversal that has armor properties, this will
instantly break armor and knock the opponent down. You can set up
for a tiger knee fireball and make the opponent guess whether you will
hit up front or cross up.
Hyakki Gojin

Perform during
Hyakkishu

Demon Flip
Dive Kick

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

An awesome move, this is another way of safe jumping the opponent.
Most reversals will either whiff or even get stuffed if timed right.
File:Example.
Akuma is given a lot of advantage on block, so the opponent is in your
png
world while you go for pressure. If the opponent guesses wrong and
gets hit, have fun doing your big damage combos. This move will hit
up front about 90% of the time, but on rare occasions it will cross up.
This is very strict on timing, distance, and the match up, so this where
you just have to study whether you have a cross up Demon Flip Kick
setup or not.
Hyakki Gosai

Demon Flip
Throw

Perform during
Hyakkishu

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. This is a beautiful move, both aesthetically and technically speaking.
png
Akuma will grab the opponent's head and hurl him or her some

distance away. Be careful that if this move is whiffed, you are very
much punishable due to its long recovery, so use it with caution. Once
you land the throw, you're given a few setup opportunities. See
strategies.
File:Example.
png
Ashura Senku
(Far)

Punch
Teleport (far)

moves
Akuma
or

+
forward;
moves Akuma
backwards

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

If Akuma isn't hated enough due to air fireballs and insane mixups, this
is probably the other reason why Akuma is hated. Akuma will teleport

to safety, and depending on whether you did a forward dragon punch

motion or a backward dragon punch motion, you will teleport in
different directions. You are completely invincible while the teleport is
active, but there is quite a bit of recovery once the move finishes, so
you can risk eating a big punish if the opponent successfully chases
you down. You can cancel the teleport from some of its active frames
with Demon Armageddon. What's even better is that the teleport gives
Akuma the ability to combo from a normal move cancelled into a
teleport into the Ultra.
The PPP version will travel very far, but it has longer recovery time.

Ashura Senku
(Close)

Kick Teleport
(close)

moves
Akuma
or

+
forward;
moves Akuma
backwards

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

If Akuma isn't hated enough due to air fireballs and insane mixups, this
is probably the other reason why Akuma is hated. Akuma will teleport
File:Example.
to safety, and depending on whether you did a forward dragon punch
png
motion or a backward dragon punch motion, you will teleport in
different directions. You are completely invincible while the teleport is
active, but there is quite a bit of recovery once the move finishes, so
you can risk eating a big punish if the opponent successfully chases
you down. You can cancel the teleport from some of its active frames
with Demon Armageddon. What's even better is that the teleport gives
Akuma the ability to combo from a normal move cancelled into a
teleport into the Ultra.
The KKK version will have a shorter travelling distance, but it has
shorter recovery time.
Super Combo
Name

Nickname

File:Example.
png
Raging Demon Super Combo

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Command

Notes

Akuma's Super is a 0 frame grab. This means that if the opponent is in

range to get grabbed by the Raging Demon, he or she cannot escape
from the Super. The opponent must also be in a throwable state for the
Super to land, meaning that any opponent in block stun or hit stun will
not be grabbed by the Raging Demon. See the strategies section to find
various setups to land the Raging Demon.
Ultra Combos
Name

Nickname

Wrath of the
Raging Demon

Ultra Combo I

Command

Notes

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

File:Example. Wrath of the Raging Demon is probably one of the scariest Ultra
Combos in the game. It can be used to punish certain moves on block,
png

and it can also serve as a fantastic anti-air and anti-focus tool. Unlike
the Super, Ultra is not a 0 frame grab, so even if the opponent is in
point blank range, he or she can still jump away from the Ultra. It does
510 points of damage with maximized Ultra meter, so you can expect
to do brick tons of damage if the opponent makes a crucial mistake.
See strategies for more detailed methods on how to land the Ultra.

File:Example. Demon
png
Armageddon

Ultra Combo
II

Can be used
in the middle
of Ashura
Senku

~~ Uses and Strategies ~~

Akuma's Ultra II also comes with a lot of uses. One of them is to
punish anybody that tries to punish your teleport with an Ultra or a
special move if you can react fast enough. Unfortunately, if you cancel
the teleport into Demon Armageddon, the damage to the Ultra will
scale down, but it's more than worth it if you need to escape safely
from the opponent. The hitbox of Demon Armageddon will also
expand if you cancel the teleport into it. Speaking of cancelling from a
teleport, you can combo into Ultra II off of a normal. To elaborate, if
you manage to hit the opponent with any normal with enough hit stun,
cancel that into the teleport and then quickly cancel into Ultra II, you
will be rewarded with tons of damage.

Against characters with large hitboxes (such as Sagat, Balrog, Abel,

Rufus etc), you can juggle into Ultra II with a cross up Tatsu. Timing is
tighter than juggling into other normals or special moves however.
The Basics

Akuma is a very versatile character. He has everything you need for every situation. He
has the fastest walk speed alongside Chun-Li, M. Bison, and Vega, so his ground game
is already very strong. He also has amazing zoning tools, thanks to his arsenal of great
normals, three different types of projectiles, and a variety of anti-air options. If that's not
enough, he also has an amazing teleport that can be pretty difficult to punish, since
there's no indication of which way he'll be going. Not only can he annoy you with
amazing keepaway zoning tools, but if he manages to land one hard knockdown, his
opponent is in his world. Even with delayed wake up, Akuma's mixup potential still
stands strong. He has many options that he can do as you get up, only to knock you
down again and even looping you into his vortex until his opponent dies.
That said, even though Akuma may have amazing abilities at his disposal, being able to
win consistently takes lots of practice. By no means is he an easy character, in fact some
may even argue that he is one of the most technical characters in the game. Not only is
he difficult to win with because of execution requirements and knowledge of how to
properly use his tools, but he also has the lowest health and stun in the game. You can
only get hit so much before falling dizzy and eventually falling dead, so you must strive
for perfection before being able to win consistently with Akuma. Another factor that
plays into the difficulty of using Akuma is that a lot of his setups vary from character to
character, so matchup knowledge is a requirement as well.