Another tutorial of mine where i will be discussing a very prominant game, and one you will probably find yourself fighting in several times as a Ryu user. Non VIP Ryu vs VIP Ken is a very important game for you to master especially when you are more familiar with same old Ryu vs Ryu. Having a good Ryu is the springboard to mastering all characters and Ryu vs VIP Ken is the springboard to mastering Ryu. Although Ryu vs Ryu is you primary traning idea your skill against unfamiliar characters will be harshly tested if you do not broaden you perspective. My discussion will be assuming that both players are vindicated.
Firstly you should know Kens plan.
Ken will be chillin' in the air mostly, and will come blasting maybe ten hadukens in you face the go back to chillin' in the air earning specials.
Boring routine. A good Ken will have outragous dynamic and will be uppercutting spin kicking and doing some vindi flame fist -to- close range special combos. Know the skill of you opponant before choosing a strategy.
When facing Ken you have to realize that he will be spending alot of time in the air, and that he will usually be at his strongest when his special bar is at 2 1/2. Ken usually wants to splurge out combos rather than a pump-action style Ryu. This brings up an important idea for Ryu: A defensive special. ALWAYS try to keep one special ready for action. Here are the reasons behind a "defensive special."
1. When Ken wants to land a combo, he will usually start with a Flame Leviathan, sucking you into an oncoming Shinku or some kind of combo hell; your jumping back simply won't help. Jump as far as you can and hit him with you intant trigger haduken, hitting him full on, and thanks to lag, probably cutting of his half-completed Shinku. He has wasted 2 specials and taken a full on spec thanks to one defensive maneuver.
2. When you see a Ken pulverising an empty corner, its almost guarenteed that on his screen YOU ARE in that corner, so he will be there for a will and throw a few specs. Now its time for some defence. Once aggain wasted specs and lost health.
3. Be creative with this, there will be plenty moments where nothing but a D-spec will save you from combo death.
I understand that not all players, esp. pro, will risk it all in one combo, but the ideas are solid. Some Kens will be agile, and you have to remember, in the hands of a pro, a Ken is MUCH faster than your screen is telling you. Stay alert. Stay alive.
lol
Jokes aside, you have to remain aware of his routine and plans and try get into the users head. If you where him, what would your worst case scenario be? Do THAT to him. Be fast and all over the place. Ken will devour a slow Ryu in seconds, and predictibility is his favorite seasoning(yes I made that up myself
)
The best place to land your non-D specials is below Ken, because thats where he will be after the lag goes away. Also, when you see a Ken hadukening (lol?) his way down, land an uppercut under him, you might just hit jackpot. Please practice these ideas, they may not work first time, its needs skill to execute them with flare, and skill comes with experience. Have fun and keep owning!
Subject: Ryu vs. VIP ken 
Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:04 am
im already immune to kens cuz i trained alot with HK and know almotst every stuff on ken 
