Kazuya strategy

General Strategies

Kazuya's gameplan is very simple. He wants to punish any of the opponents moves that whiff and deal heavy damage through his mixup from wave dash.

Kazuya usually plays 2+ range utilizing movement such as the mishima crouch dash to create space and force opponents to whiff moves. He can punish whiffed moves using moves like f3, db1,2 (heat engager), df1,2 and the execution heavy move Electric Wind God Fist (EWGF).

Kazuya also has good punishment such as the flash punch (1,1,2) a fast natural hitting combo that knockdown the opponent and starts his okizeme game

Okizeme game

Kazuya has all the tools to deal with every wakeup option. And if successful, can continuously keep the opponent grounded. Enabling him to snowball rounds.
When the opponent is knocked down, you can try to stuff their wakeup option.

• f,F+4 also known as demon pedal, will hit the opponent on the ground if they do nothing. Can Counter hit for a combo.
  
• SWR and whiff punish wakeup kicks.
• Crouch Dash df+4,1 (hellsweep) will hit grounded opponents or reground them if they stand up.
  
• f,F+3 is his mid safe launcher, used to mixup with his hellsweep.
  
• f,F+2 is a long range, tracking, safe mid. It's a heat engager. It's an excellent choice to stuff wake-up kicks or catch side-rolling while not taking a large risk.
  

Key moves

• DF+2 is a short range fast mid counter hit launcher.
• EWGF is Kazuya's launcher from wavedash, incredibly useful for pressure, block & whiff punishment
• Hellsweep (CD4,1) is Kazuya's powerful low from wavedash. Grounds opponents and is used as part of his 50/50
• f,F+3 is Kazuya's safe mid launcher, the other part of his 50/50
• 1 Kazuya's best poke
• F+2 Kazuya's power crush. Slow but does it's job
• F+1+2 a punch Sabaki. Can parry EWGF, Demon paw, Claudio's running 2, every jab in the game. The startup of the parry is 2~4 frames, can be used inbetween some strings. Very slow recovery on whiff however.
• uf+3 fast low crush
• f+3 long range mid poke
• B+4 medium range high homing poke. Also a heat engager
• Df1,2 heat engager and does chip damage on block
• f,F+2 A new move that's great for whiff punishing and it's a heat engager. And in heat it can launch on hit by heat dashing

Neutral

• EWGF - Safe on block, fast high launcher. Can be used to whiff punish slow moves or if spaced correctly, can counter hit moves
• 1 or 1,1 - the initial hit is +1 on block, and the second is -1. Can be used to interrupt attacks or float opponents in the air.
• f+4 - A move that gives Kazuya plus frames on block. Can be used to setup frametraps for example, f+4 into df+2
• d+3 - A low poke that high crushes, has more range then d+4

Close range

• 1 - Can lead to 1, 1, 2 which knocks down, but without enough advantage to beat wakeup kicks. 10f fast jab and be used to interrupt strings or the opponents offence.
• D1 - Crouch jab. Can stop an opponent's offence and gives plus frames on hit. Can be low parried however. You can also use WS (while standing) moves from crouch after the jab like WS1,2 a 13f launcher, the fastest WS launcher in the game. Or WS4 as a quick mid check, if you wish to play less risky.
• D4 - a fast low poke that high crushes. Gives minus frames on hit and can be launched if blocked by some characters, useful if D1 doesn't have the range
• DF2 - 14f homing mid that launchs on counterhit. Great for opponents that sidestep and press buttons
• B1,2 - 11f punisher, can also be used if 1 doesn't have enough range. Punishable, but can lead to a knockdown if successful.
• f1+2 - Punch parry
• ff1+2 / uf1+2 - stonehead throw, 1+2 break. Leaves opponent are your feet, can do ff+4 for a followup

Mid range

• F+3 - A mid long range kick, very linear but can stuff any attempts to advance onto Kazuya. Do not use up close as it is punishable on block.
• B+4 - A high homing kick, also a heat engager. Can be used in conjuction with F+3 to stop people sidestepping.
• SS.3 - Very linear, but safe kick used for keepout.

Long range

• EWGF with Mishimia wavedash - The Mishima wavedash allows Kazuya to close distance very very quickly. Paired with EWGF can make Kazuya a threat should he chose to approach.

Using Heat

Heat adds more damage and better oki to core parts of your 50/50s. f,F+2 gets better damage. CD3 gets better damage and leaves them closer to you for continued pressure. CD4,1 gets more damage and it floor breaks, turning it into a launcher on select stages.

• DB+3+4 is a low long range stomp that can lead into CD for a mixup on hit.
• 1+4 becomes a very solid panic move.
• SS.2 is a strong, but unique launcher.