I'd be interested in anything you have to say. I've been trying to get better at 3S, and Makoto is a character that I'd like to get better at using, but not really much good at currently. Find myself using either Elena or Remy mostly.
Well, this will be very watered down, but....
Makoto's game revolves around landing the karakusa (the choke grab, half circle back and a kick button). It may look retarded and do nothing, but it's what sets up all her guessing games and huge punishing combos. Also, speaking of combos, always use SA2... the one that sort of starts out like a Maximum Spider having her jump off the wall and come down with a kick into short auto combo.
You have to use the karakusa grab and that will set up an easy standing HP-> Hayate (QCF punch). Use the EX hayate to guarantee a knock down and a little more damage. You can be a dick and do normal hayates, but they aren't as safe since they don't knock down the opponent... unless the opponent isn't expecting it, which often they aren't. You can mix up with another choke grab/ducking short into EX overhead chop/throw/universal overhead.
Her bread and butter is that damn SA2. Get your back against the wall, or at least halfway on the side of the screen (watch the timer... if your position is between the timer and the screen behind you, that's good enough... Grab with the karakusa, then do a standing HP as soon as you complete it. The timing seems tricky when you first play her, but you can get it down pretty easily. After the standing HP hits, immediately do SA2. This WILL combo if your position on the screen is right. You'll have to use judgement as to what kick button to use to determine the distance the super art kick comes down at. Anyhow, after that last hit pops up the opponent, it's not over! You can do a few thigns here. You can either go the easy route and cancel intoa super jump and do a medium axe kick in mid air (this will juggle them up in mid air)... land, and as they are still in the air, depending on your position, you can do a few more hayates on the opponent.
The real combo, however is a variation of that that does massive stun damage. I'll give you a beginner's version, as the advanced version requires you to do a kara throw like move, but with her DP move.
karakusa grab, standing HP chop, SA2, DASH FORWARD and MP dragon punch (this is her strange looking anti cross over punch that seems useless), into a standing HP.
This does really terrific stun damage, and is dirt simple to do. The advanced version is to dash forward, do a kara DP, then dash again, do a normal DP then end with an attack. Does not much more damage, but does more stun.
If you're still with me, I'll go into her normal attacks:
You will have a hard time if first starting with her because moves you'd expect to have certain properties don't. What I mean is, ducking roundhouse is NOT a sweep move. Ducking fierce is NOT a mid hit (it sweeps). Her best poke is easily ducking strong punch. For Fei Long players, this is the exact same move with the exact same poking use with the exact same button! lol. Standing roundhouse is a good stuffing move that has surprising reach. Most of her forward and a button moves aren't super useful, and are only for the occasional mind game only. When attacking, her best jump ins are medium kick and fierce punch. Her axe kick is actually not too bad if you use the medium version, as I said before, it pops up the other character for juggle chances.
Hayate is a sweet and fast move that can be delayed and even canceled. Biggest mistake people make when starting with Makoto is spamming this dash punch (again, QCF P). If the other guy blocks it, it's pretty much a guarantee that you're going to get blasted, as the delay on block is pretty terrible. However, poking one out now and then can lead to mix ups, and more of those damn karakusa grabs.
Her main plus is insane stun. Hayate, DP, and her choke grab do great stun, and all of which are usually used in one combo together. Go to youtube and watch how people play her to see what I mean with that wicked SA2 combo.
Without meter, she's a little pussy cat, but with meter she will kill just about anything in her path. Just stay back and try to use some of her pokes to start the round out, then when you can do an EX move, you start to gain advantage (correct me if I'm wrong, but a blocked EX hayate may be somewhat safe).
That's it for now. Just got to play and play and play. I got into the character because she looked cool and was using karate without being a damn shoto. But she's got one hell of a stun game. Akuma players, if you get caught in her SA2 trap, you're done for. It's a redizzy combo that your puny little stun bar can't handle. Only a Dudley with no stun bar filled at all can withstand this attack and not get up dizzy as hell.
I hate good Makoto players, but I think that's because they are so far and few between, it's hard to learn to play against.
