This is going to be quite comprehensive but here it is. With Momiji I play close-mid range footsies to score counter hits or whiff punishment off of her 4K, 44K, 66P and 4P. For keep-out I use PK, K, 4P, H+K, 2H+K, 6P, 3K,4K, 44K,44P and 7K.
In close range I abuse her neutral 2P to setup counter hit scenarios. Assuming the opposition has a 10i jab / 12i mid it goes like this:
1. Goal: CH off of any high; preferably K or H+K. Procedure: Condition with 2P > 2P, 2P > 6P for a bit. A player that pays attention will realize the option with the most success here is their 12i mid since it beats both 2P and 6P. When I feel it coming I'll do 2P > K and confirm the CH into one of the string followups or mixup off the frame advantage.
2. Goal: CH 6P, CH 1P Procedure: Condition with 2P > 6P and 2P > P. This sequence accomplishes both things it just depends on what read you make. 2P > P will tie with their 10i jab and since it beats their mid they will want to crush or sidestep to deal with it. In that case you start introducing PK a little more to kill step, and 6P to CH their crush attempt. 1P is there for step killing purposes and to crush their highs when they start using them to stop your 6P.
For step killing purposes during 2P pressure vs 10i/12i characters I stick to PK/H+K because they beat 2 options: mids and sidestep. 4P I use when the opponent has a 14i or slower 2P because otherwise when you do things like 2P > 4P any strike the opponent chooses to do will CH you. I also use SS and holds here and there but not so much because it's not like they can really disrespect Momiji's 2P unless you've been making shitty reads or doing a terrible job conditioning them.
Against 9i/11i mid characters I switch to more defensive gears during 2P pressure. 2P > 2P or 1P and 2P > P for the offense and 2P > sidestep, 2P > hold for defense. 10i/11i characters I lay off Momiji's 12 frame highs and stick to P/PK when I want a counterhit high. All other procedures remain the similar to the 10i/12i characters only I'll use SS and holds a bit more to help shut down their mids. Unlike characters with a 9i jab, 10i jabbers HAVE to use their low/crush to shut down Momiji's jab or use a high hold which means 6P has worth in these MUs to get some free damage on a failed hold or CH crush attempts.
For string based pressure I very rarely do her transitions into double jump off 6K because those give nothing. I rarely put 6K on the board in general during neutral. It really kills her momentum IMO and forces you to commit. I'll use P free cancel pressure or P/PP into a throw or 2P to reset pressure, PP4P to kill step and score a CH on ppl trying to crush out of my tick throws, PPP for the deep stun on CH and PPPP near walls for the quick stun into splat on CH. It's safe as well so no reason not to go for it near walls. My other option is PP into Uzukaze K which is decent IMO because it's a quick guard break. I use this one more near the wall because on hit midscreen the opponent has no reason to hold anything from this. If they do it's just making it easier for you to convert into damage off Uzukaze K. The alternative is a uzukaze feint to reset pressure.
When I use 6P I tend to free cancel and block if I don't get the CH since its -12 so it is easy to counterblow Momiji when she free cancels into other strikes. If I'm not blocking I'm either committing to 6PP / 6PK or a slight delay of the two with 6P free cancelled into 2P to reset pressure or 1P stuff to crush people with the balls to throw someone for free canceling.
Now for her stun game. In the stun game I am all about maximum efficiency. I don't believe in giving players many chances to hold or playing it just to set up a specific move (such as Momiji's moves that guarantee damage) because it is a waste. I stun-launch unless I am low on health or know a setup will close a round out. I only CB power blow when I have 50% health or lower and it is necessary for a comeback. This is how it goes for me:
CH 6P
Routes:
#1. Launch with 8K for 79 points. This is 26% damage; A little more than 1/4th their life bar. Her oki off of 6PKKP is good because it is a hard knockdown so you have time to react to them tech rolling. If they aren't doing it I take my grounded 2P and 7P away. I only really bulldog players after I do grounded 2P if they are committing to WU kicks or just rising off the ground.
#2. Extend stun with 3P. From here I do many things:
A. Launch immediately with 236P, 66K, 8K or throw.
B. If I want to watch for a hold I switch my launchers to 8P and 3P4P. If the hold comes I 41236T, 6T or 66T depending on my positioning.
C. Uzukaze / Tenku mixups off of 6K which is my "Comeback attempt / Close out round option." @
Saber stated these mixups give nothing and this is true if Momiji enters them in the middle of critical level 1/2 because the options that draw the opponents attention away from holding the important moves like Uzukaze K and Tenku K either give lower damage than stun launch or nothing at all. However after a 3P, doing Uzukaze/Tenku stuff off of 6K leads to good results because she is put at level 2/3.
1. Uzukaze K. This will put them at threshold where they must hold if they don't want to take tenku K.
2. 6KP. This leads to 100 damage; 1/3rd of their life bar.
3. Tenku K. Self explanatory.
4. Tenku P. This will lead to 112 points of damage.
5. Land into 3P4P. This launch will also lead to 112 points of damage.
6. Land into 6K. This launch leads to 107 points.
7. Tenku throw.
8. Landing throw. This is the most risky because it involves too much reading for the hi counter damage IMO.
D. 44P mixups. I chose an option and commit to it. No point in extra guesswork as Momiji when she doesn't have to do that.
1. Uzukaze K. See Route 2C1-8 for your options.
2. Uzukaze PK. This leads to 108 damage.
3. Uzukaze PP. Will put you at Critical level 3 for the generic CB/Launch/Throw Mixup.
E. Extend stun with PP8P mixups or PPP/ PPK. After extending stun with 3P then doing PP there's no reason to stop at PP unless you are throwing. Stopping at PP after a 3P extension just gives you critical level 2 with no burst chance. If your intention was critical level 2 from the start you can accomplish this with just PPP and PP6K off a CH 6P without having to extend stun with 3P.
#3. Throw.
#4. PP string mixups. Her mixup after 2 jabs is pretty strong.
1. PPK. Mixup options are detailed in route 2C1-8.
2. PPP or PPP4P. PPP4P guarantees a 3P4P launch for 113 points. PPP is Critical Level 2 in which you have the option to setup burst with 3P/6K/P, launch or throw.
3.PP into Uzukaze mixups. I would rate these higher if the mixup off uzukaze K was stronger at this point in stun but it basically gives nothing unless you commit to the burst.
#5. 3K mixups
1. 3KP into Uzukaze. See 2D for options. Unlike in 2D I would consider doing nothing from Uzukaze because you are still left in + frames if they stagger escape for a 50/50.
2. Lauch high or throw after 3k.
#6. Extend stun with 6K or CH confirmed 6PK.
A. A slight alteration of 2A-D. If you hit the lab you'll know what options you gain and lose from those.
B. If I watch for holds I launch with 8P or extend stun with PP/3P. PP will bring to level 2 for a burst attempt. 3P is just level 2 but puts them in the same scenario as #2. You cannot burst if you extend with 3P.
#7. Extend stun with a single jab. I don't do this much because Route #1 is superior IMO.
A. 9K > 66PP for 110+ damage. This is the only reason to ever extend stun with a single jab and the only way to setup 9K from CH 6P.
B. Route 2A-D; basically accomplishing the same thing as a 3P extension without as many options.
CH 3P or any other deep stun initiator
Routes:
#1. Mixup between 9K, 214PP+K, 6H+K. Her guaranteed options are best used after deep stuns initiatiors like this because they force must hold situations.
#2. Slight alteration of 2A-E. This is just to teach them that committing to stagger escape to get out of her guaranteed options isn't a smart defense.
#3. 6P mixups. This does the same thing as her PPP/ PPK mixups only starting mid.
A. 6PK series.
B. 6PP for critical level 3.
#4. PPK mixups. I would only do this if I want the burst mixup because other wise the guaranteed damage from 9K is high enough.
...Well shit I basically made half a guide for Momiji in one post.
