Asuka Tekken 8 Guide by fergus2k8

asuka

Introduction

Asuka excels in her ability to turn steal vs the opponent with her plethora of defensive tools such as d+3+4, sabakis (b+2+3, f+2+3), reversals (b+1+3), f+1+2 power crush heat engager and fast counter tools with her 11f 4 and 1,2,4 CH jab string. She makes it difficult for the opponent to continue their offense and second guess themselves, in using their hesitation Asuka can slap on her strong 50/50s with her d+1+2 (low to free followups) and her mids of various choices

Asuka is pretty easy to play, doesn't demand too much execution, and is suited for players who like to play a read-heavy character as she is heavily rewarded for choosing the correct defensive options in correspondence to the opponent's offense

However, Asuka does have poor generics as she has the worst jab in the game and she has some of the slower low pokes in the game as well as indecent tracking so placing her moves well is a crucial skill to have to offset her weaknesses

Strengths

Amazing turn stealing options to make the opponent pressure her less
Strong 50/50 game that loops into itself (d+1+2 / 1+2)
High chip damage output while she has heat active
Amazing counter-hit game with a plethora of options

Weaknesses

Prone to being stepped, her tracking is fairly weak on her pokes
Bad generics such as her jab and no natural combo followups after df1
Slower lows which means she can be prone to be counter-hit out of her poking

Heat System

Can infinitely use her Naniwa gusto (NWG) moves as long as she has heat bar active. f,f+1+2, WR1+2 and u+1+2

Top 10 Moves

1 (with extensions)

Annoy them with 1,3 (low) and 1,1,3 (another mid to 1,1). All these are great for frustrating your opponent with little damage pokes and canned mixups.

df+1

A generic df1. Asuka’s df1 is pretty good as she has follow-ups guaranteed on CH with df+1,2 and df+1,4. df1 on block into the followups cannot be interrupted so it can be worth it to chuck them out at times in accordance to your opponent. It also has nice frames on hit for a df1, it’s much scarier at the wall.

db+3

A good ranged low. It’s +4 and it leaves your opponent in crouching. There is pushback on hit so if your opponent likes to press buttons afterward, you can easily create space and whiff punish with f+2. When they start hesitating because of this, you can start to take your offense. It’s godly at the wall as there is no pushback on hit so you can really bully them with it and it’s scary for them to press buttons in fear of eating df1 strings for wallsplat / knock down.

b+3

A very strong keepout move that can be awkward for characters to punish it and for people who aren’t ready for it. It can be hit-confirmed into b+3,4,3 for a followup combo. It has some high and low crush properties throughout the animation. Nice to chuck out at range for when your opponent gets a bit greedy with their approach.

d+3+4

14f CH launcher that low crushes very early, almost like a safe hopkick. Can throw it out during your opponent's offense if you sense a low coming or if they’re pressing buttons at a disadvantage. Can also use it during your own advantage if you have + frames and you wanna frame trap. It resets back to neutral since it pushes back so it’s a pretty nice tool.

SS.2

lol this move, it’s an extremely evasive mid that's unsafe on block. Makes the opponent hesitate in attacking Asuka, heat engager so can shift the momentum completely back in her favour.

f+1+2

Amazing to steal momentum from your opponent, and to heal Asuka just like SS.2, it’s a very fast powercrush and has some jab evasion, definitely strong to use as a panic move and as a keepout tool.

1+2

A safe mid launcher that launches crouching opponents, very abusable. Especially after moves like her jab on hit as they cannot step or press buttons vs it. This is your main mid option in the 50/50.

d+1+2

Her foot punch knockdown low always gives her a guaranteed f+2 if you do the running input. It gives her the install, which goes back into her strong approaching + frames game. It's your main low for comebacks and mixups.

f,f,f+1+2

This move is Asuka’s main approach tool. Make the opponent scared to interrupt Asuka as it’s a nasty CH launcher, due ot the + frames and chip damage, Asuka can really bully with the move, especially with the install.

Punishers

Standing

10f 1,3 | 1,2 (1,3 for damage or 1,2 for +6)

11f 4

12f 2,3

14f uf+2

15f df+2

17f f+2

Crouching

10f FC d+1

11f ws4

13f ws2,1

13f ws2,1+2 (into destabilizer)

14f ws1,4 (Guarantees "f+3+4" follow up)

18f ws3

Whiff punishers

1,3 (Fast punisher)

f+2 (Range)

df+2 (Safe and faster compared to f+2 if needed)

f+1+2 (If you need to activate heat )

Combos

df+2 | f+2 | WS+3 | 1+2 | CH d+3+4 | CH df+(1),4 | CH WS1+2

ff+2,3 → db+1,4 t! → SSL → ff+4 → ff+2,1+2

CH b+4

b+2,4,3 → db+1,4 t! → SSL → ff+4 → ff+2,1+2

b+3

b+3,4,3 → 2,1,1+2 t! → SSL → ff+4 → ff+2,1+2

CH (or NWG) WR1+2 | CH (or NWG) f,f+1+2 | 3~4

ff+4 → ff+2,3 → df+3 → f+2

Beginner Combos

df+2 | f+2 | 1+2 | WS+3 | CH b+4

db+4,3 → 2,1,1+2 t! → f,f+2,1+2

CH d+3+4

b+2,1,3 → 2,1,1+2 t! → ff+2,1+2

Low Parry

db+4,3 → 2,1,1+2

Combo Enders

Carry

db+4,3

Floor break

f,f+1

Wall break

b+1+4,4

Wall Combos

Normal

1+4,2,4

b+2,1,d+4

With tornado

db+2 t! 1+4,2,4

db+1,4 t! ff+2,1+2 (For NWG)

Small Combos

CH 4 | CH f,f+3

f+3+4

FC df+3 | CH (3),1 | d+1+2

f+2 | df+3

CH (1,1),3

db+1,2

CH FC df+2

WS+1,4 → f+3+4

Notable Moves

uf+3

A fast recovering mid CH launcher with good range, can be used to approach the opponent and since it's only -3 on block, Asuka can still force a mind game on block

f+2

Asuka's main whiff punisher at range, can also cancel it to use it as an gap closer

df+2

Safe generic launcher, hard to whiff punish, useful for keepout or clipping your opponent upclose

ws+1+2

A long ranged mid CH launcher that gives a chunky combo on CH, can be cancelled into FC which is useful for a gap closer when the opponent is scared to challenge her

f+4

Asuka's + on block homing launcher, useful to keep the opponent locked down

FC df+2

Asuka's main low out of crouching, on CH you can get ws+1,4 to f+3+4 or with some practice, you can crouch cancel df+2 to launch. Very useful to harass the opponent with