Plasma Series Power - Marvel vs Capcom 2
Hayato FAQ
V.3
By:  Mysterious M
For more MvsC2 and SFZ3 related articles, game stuff, anime stuff and more,
visit my site at www.members.home.net/myst.mc
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Hayato
Revision History
V.3 -  Added Hayato's story, more character specific strategies, and a few
combos.
V.2 - Added some information about Hayato's kicks, as well as some character
specific strategies.
V.1 - Uh... Whatever you see here
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Overview
Hayato is relatively new to the Capcom family of characters.  His first
appearance was Capcom's first 3D fighting game, Star Gladiators.  The game was
mediocre at best but it did have some nice ideas.  The game did not launch all
that well and Hayato was never picked up in a big way, despite being the poster
boy for said game.  Next, a couple of years later, enter Plasma Sword, the
sequel to Star Gladiators.  Again, Hayato remains the poster boy of the game and
it remains to be seen how the game will be accepted by those of Japan / America.
*New*
"Storyline: Hayato comes from the future in the year 2348. He is a bounty
hunter who fought against the Evil Dr. Edward Bilsten (not "Blisten") who
was leading the "Fourth Empire" to invade the Earth. Why? Because Bilsten
was humiliated and imprisoned after the Earth Federation discovered that he
was sacrificing human beings to create Plasma Weapons (like the sword Hayato
uses). So Bilsten eventually escapes to revenge, and Hayato is one of the
Plasma Weapon wielders sent to stop him. Hayato is part of the Earth
Federation Army's project code-named "STAR GLADIATOR."
There is a bit more to Hayato's storyline than I've written here, or that I
know of myself. I do know he is somehow "related" to both June and Saturn,
characters from both Star Gladiator games. Also, in the second game("Star
Gladiator 2: The Nightmare of Bilsten" or "Plasma Sword"), Edward Bilsten
succeeded in planting an "Evil Factor" into Hayato. As a result, Hayato
becomes evil under certain circumstances, and literally transforms into
"Black Hayato" or "B.Hayato" By the way, this is the person, or image you
see at the end of Hayato's Level 3 super move. No, Hayato is not wearing
'normal clothes' as you say. He is wearing a different outfit. The official
name of this super move is "B.Hayato" in MvC2. Pretty interesting, huh?"
(Quoted directly from "Master Warrior", Thanks!)
As for Hayato himself, I was immediately drawn to him for that high "Style-
factor".  He is in NO way similar to any generic shoto characters, which is a
big plus, and his sword is just too cool!  The little light trail it leaves
behind, coupled with the sound effects just reminds me so much of a lightsaber!
= )
(BTW, as you can tell, I don't know much about his actual story)
+  Hayato's main advantage is his HUGE REACH!  His small size is very, VERY
misleading because his sword easily has at least twice the reach of Strider's
Cypher.
+  High priority regular moves make him ideal for fighting marvel fighters.
+  Hayato's got tons of style, he's just so cool in everything he does.
+  He's not a shoto or a shoto clone
+  The only character with Plasma Series combos
-  Hayato has lots of lag after his sword moves.  You may find yourself being
punished often
-  Hayato's power and speed are only average.  You need to string together
combos in order to get big damage
-  Hayato's specials / supers leave something to be desired.
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Contents
1.1 - Abbreviations
1.2 - Movelist
1.3 - Special Movelist
1.4 - Super Movelist
1.5 - Assists
1.6 - Strategies
1.7 - Facing Hayato
1.8 - Combos
1.9 - Cool Animations
2.0 - Thanks
2.1 - Legal Stuff
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1.1 - Abbreviations
LP = Weak punch
MP = Medium punch  (Press WP twice)
HP = Hard punch
LK = Weak kick
MK = Medium kick  (Press WK twice)
HK = Hard kick
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1.2 - Movelist
Due to the rather odd fighting stance which Capcom gave Hayato, Hayato finds
himself with lag times both before AND after most of his normal moves.
It can't be stressed enough that Hayato's primary advantage in battle is his
ludicrous reach and as such, a fine game of poking and countering must be
applied to make him truly useful.
LP:
Standing:  A forward thrust across his chest with his plasma sword.  My main
poke.  The recovery time is more reminiscent of Strider's moves (i.e. very
fast), which makes it pretty safe to use this.
Crouching:  Basically a crouching version of the same thing.  Again, another
excellent poke because the recovery time is so good.  It can still be blocked
high though...
Jumping:  A strike diagonally downward with the hilt of Hayato's plasma sword.
The range is good and it comes out instantly.  This is actually my main jump in
attack because its range is a little shorter and thus, combos easier.  The
priority is quite good, but nothing compared to his HP.
MP:
Standing:  A horizontal swing of the sword.  While the move comes out rather
quickly, the recover is pretty bad.  You want to always cancel this into
something else.  Generally if you buffer the launcher after this you'll leave
enough room to be pretty safe.  An average poke, the range is huge, but bad
recovery.
Crouching:  A horizontal swing of the sword, and then pulled back in the same
direction as it was swung.  Basically the same things can be applied here as to
the standing version, but the recovery is actually a little better.  Doesn't
matter much since its combo only.
Jumping:  A horizontal swing of the sword across the body.  It works excellently
as an air poke and can keep jumpers from ever turning their defense into
offense.  Use often as air-to-air.  Don't use at all in air-to-ground combos,
because it is aimed forwards not diagonally.
HP:
Standing:  Hayato swings his swords down from above his head right onto the head
of the opponent.  This move covers a lot of distance and can be used as an anti-
air if your timing is good.  The reach, like all his sword moves, is incredibly
long and as such can be used to keep an opponent at bay.  It also acts as a good
ground combo ender because it pushes the opponent far enough that they can't
capitalize on its horrible recovery.
Crouching:  Hayato places all his effort into an upwards sweep from a ducking
position to a standing position with his plasma sword.  This constitutes
Hayato's launcher.  Again, HUGE range and priority, but horrible recovery.  My
favorite tactic is to tag far ranged whiffs and then air combo to my heart's
content.  If you use this as an air counter, you have to anticipate about a
second before pulling it, because there's a half second of startup time on it.
Jumping:  Hayato swings down diagonally with his plasma sword.  Not so great an
air-to-air but an excellent air-to-ground.  The range is a little longer than
his WP and it doesn't come out instantly (there's that annoying half second lag
again) and thus is a little harder to use as a jump in.  While the priority is
higher, I just don't like it as a jump in because the timing to combo off of it
is a little strange.  I have seen it used effectively as such however.
LK:
Standing:  A kick to the gut.  Not really of any use outside of combos since the
range is quite paltry compared to his standing LP.
Crouching:  A crouching kick aimed at the opponent's feet.  Again, not much use
compared to his plasma sword although the move does buffer nicely.
Jumping:  A kick aimed forward and slightly diagonally down.  Not bad as a jump
in, but I prefer the sword attacks much more.  This is probably his fastest air
move, so it has certain uses in air-to-air scenarios.
MK:
Standing:  An extended kick forwards.  Could be used to poke (if it wasn't a
medium attack), but why would you bother when its range is so small compared to
his sword attacks?
Crouching:  Another low kick forward.  Another move that isn't useful outside of
combos.
Jumping:  A sword swipe aimed forward.  The air-to-air properties are quite
useful, but don't abuse it because the recovery ain't all that hot.  Good for
chaining strings.
HK:
Standing:  A diagonal swing of the plasma sword from his feet to just above his
head in the direction starting closest to the screen to the back.  This move has
HUGE range and can be used as such.  Try to nail your opponent with the end of
the sword, but NEVER any closer than that.  The recovery time is pretty bad so
you'll probably get nailed if you use it as anything but a poke.  It looks like
it could be a good counter too, but I've yet to identify a good scenario...
Crouching:  Hayato swipes the ground laterally with his plasma sword.  For a
sweep move, it has insane reach and as such you can use it to keep your opponent
off balance quite often.  I wouldn't recommend using it at a close range due to
its incredible lag time afterward, but as a mid-range sweep its about as good as
they get.
Jumping:  A sword swipe from the back of the screen to the front, diagonally
down.  An excellent jump-in since its priority is hard to beat, and the lag time
isn't all that bad.  Use this to start your ground strings as well.
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1.3 - Special Movelist
To be quite honest, I don't find Hayato's special moves all that useful, so this
section may be a tad short for a while.
Shiden
Motion: Down, down-forward, forward + Punch
The Shiden reminds me of a variation of Gambit's Cajun Strike.  Basically Hayato
rushes forward and slashes the opponent multiple times.  Since this is a body
attack, its uses are quite limited.  This fact is hindered further by the fact
that the starting time and lag time are both pretty horrid.  The LP version
gives you 2 strikes, the HP version gives you 3.  This is not a special move you
want to be pulling out of the blue.  Its main uses are either comboed or as a
counter (and getting it as a counter is actually quite difficult).  The only
real upside to the Shiden is that Hayato covers ground rather quickly.  Its
priority is also rather high if you manage to hit the opponent with the tip of
the plasma blade.
Guren
Motion: Forward, down, down-forward + Punch  (Ground or air)
"HI-SHOZUM"... er, wrong game.  Did you know Capcom had a hand in Toshinden 2?
Eww... um, anyway, that's basically where this move comes from.  Hayato dashes
forward a short distance and then performs a spinning uppercut.  As an anti air
its use is rather limited due to the small dash at the beginning.  If you try
for anti-air, be sure you can manage the distance he dashes, the time it takes
the opponent to land, and the distance that the move goes up.  LP will result in
a tiny dash forward (about a step) and then a short spinning hop (leaves the
ground about as much as Ryu's LP Shoryuken).  HP will go much farther (about 4-5
steps) and then a pretty high spinning leap (leaves the ground about as much as
Ryu's MP Shoryuken from MvsC1).  Note that you can hit the opponent with the
dash.
Plasma Series
Motion:  Hold backwards on the control stick and press...
HP, HP
LP, LP, LP, LP
LP, LP, HP, HK, HP
HP, LP, HP, HP, HP
HP, LP, HP, LK, HP
HP, LP, LP, HP, HP
LP, LP, HP, HK, LP, LP
LP, LP, LP, HK, LP, LP
HP, LP, LP, LP, HK, LP, LP
HP, LP, LP, HP, HK, LP, LP
There's some explaining that needs to be done here.  In Star Gladiators and
Plasma Sword, the characters work on a combo system known as the "Plasma
Series".  They basically encompass auto combos, which are initiated with certain
moves.  Plasma series represent Hayato's best method of racking up big damage,
but don't abuse them because the lag time on a lot of them is quite horrid.
Sword Pierce
Motion: Down + HK (Air)
Not really a special move in most regards, the Sword pierce is still very
useful.  Basically, Hayato stops dead in mid-air and comes down with his sword
end first.  The main usefulness of this move is that it stops you in mid-air and
gives you an attack.  This moves main use should be for hopping fireballs and
giving quick retaliation.  Opponents often don't expect it, and it makes them
more cautious about playing keep away.  Don't let it get blocked though, you
will usually get nailed...
Personal Story:  Once I was playing against a Ken in the arcade and was passing
over his fireball.  His instant reaction was to go into a Shinyuuken.  My
instant reaction to that was to do a Sword Pierce.  He went up, and I went down,
RIGHT NEXT TO EACHOTHER!  He almost swore out loud when I just barely escaped
firey death... no real reason to tell this story, I just thought it was cool.
Shirotora Hou
Motion:  Back, forward + 2 Punches
Hayato motions forward with his hand.  This move has two uses.  First, if
initiated close Hayato performs a throw that chucks your opponent far to the
other side of the screen.  Second, if an opponent hits you in this animation, he
parries and gives you a chance to hit back with basically whatever you want
(sans supers).  I don't actually find this move all that useful because its
window of counter is really quite small.  Timing it is near impossible, but if
you can, go ahead and use it.  The few times I've gotten this to work right,
I've really liked the results... >= )
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1.4 - Super Movelist
As with his special moves, Hayato's supers aren't the most useful in the
world... I'll list them, but they aren't really great advantages.
Rasetsu Zan
Motion: Down, down-forward, forward + 2 Punches
Hayato reels back for a half second and then rushes forward with an extended
version of the Shiden.  While this is probably Hayato's most used super, it
isn't really the most useful.  The startup time is just as bad as his Shiden,
the damage inflicted is marginal at best (compared to other character's supers)
and the lag at the end is just enough to allow you to be punished by specials or
even supers!  Like the Shiden, this is a super that you really only want to
combo or, if the situation presents itself, counter with.
Engetsu
Motion: Down, down-forward, forward + 2 Kicks
Hayato raises his sword straight above him into the air and then sweeps it
downwards.  As he does this, a huge pillar of light emerges from the ground and
then similar pillars move forward in a wave-like pattern.  Think of this as a
merging of Captain Commando's "Captain Sword" super and Magneto's "Magnetic
Shockwave super".  The block damage on it is pretty pidley, so I wouldn't waste
time with spewing it out.  Of course the single best way to ensure the super's
hit is to combo it, but this is actually quite difficult (you must IMMEDIATELY
cancel it from the move before), but in other cases...
Your best bet is to anticipate a whiffed jumping move and then counter with the
shockwave.  In other cases, the old tactic of tripping your opponent (crouching
HK) and then using the Engetsu will acquire the desired results as well.  It
should be noted that this super's damage is dependant on where you performed it.
DO NOT perform the super while corner trapping your opponent... you'll get about
2 hits.  The most ideal scenario is to perform it at the end of the screen or in
the center.  Your basic formula is the farther the distance the shockwave has to
move, the more hits and damage it will produce.  I believe there is a limit to
this (it doesn't just go right from one end of the screen to the other), but
I'll have to test this theorem under controlled conditions.  Look for it in
future updates.
Plasma Field
Motion: Down, down-back, back + 2 Kicks  (Ground or Air)
Hayato leaps straight up into the air and spreads out his arms and legs in a
"power up" position (Dragon Ball anyone?).  A circular field of light then
surrounds him.  If the light hits the enemy, Hayato gains unlimited super bars
for a short amount of time.
Well, what can I say?  Honestly, I don't use this super often for 2 main
reasons.  First, its near impossible to hit an opponent whose worth anything
with because the window of startup is so long.  Second, having unlimited supers
with Hayato really isn't a big deal since his supers all leave him so open.  If
you ever do manage to get this to hit, your best bet is to just spew supers like
mad.  Try super canceling (I'm not sure if Hayato can even do it) Rasetsu Zan's
into Engetsu's for maximum damage.  It should be noted that a lot of opponent's
become panicked when Hayato is in this mode, so try and press an advantage
through sheer intimidation.
Here's where I contradict myself.  The only really good place to use a Plasma
Field is during the long combo which I'll have starred below.  Its main use is
to knock off Hayato's version of the "Raging Demon" without wasting 3 levels...
B.Hayato Super
Motion: LP, HP, back, LK, HK
I saw someone pull this off in the arcade and immediately asked them "WOW, HOW
DID YOU DO THAT!?"  When I figured out it was just Morrigan's old missile super,
I was kicking myself.  Hey, I never thought Capcom would give Hayato such a move
(hmm, then again, they gave Morrigan one... and then took it away, hehehe).
Well anyway, basically Hayato bends low, charges a super and then rushes forward
quickly.  If he connects with his opponent, all you see is a mess of sword
strikes in total darkness.  After about 15 or so hits, the screen reappears and
Hayato is dressed in NORMAL CLOTHES while striking a pose as the opponent falls
down.  TOTAL STYLE!  This is Hayato's BEST super, figures since it takes 3
FREAKIN' BARS!  I'm not completely sure if its blockable or not (I always pull
it in combos) but I do know you have to input the motion EXTREMELY fast.  Did I
mention it makes a great counter as well?  = )
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1.5 - Assists
Assists are Marvel vs Capcom 2's new feature.  An assist temporarily brings in
one of your partners to perform one of their moves.  I haven't used them
extensively so I'm not sure as to how useful the assists are...
Alpha:  Shiden
Beta:  Guren
Gamma:  Shiden
The assist that you choose also determines which super that Psylocke will use
with his double / triple teams.
Alpha:  Rasetsu Zan
Beta:  Engetsu
Gamma:  Engetsu
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1.6 - Strategies
General Strategy
To put it bluntly, Hayato is a pure offense character.  He has elements of both
a dialer and a pixie in him, but his main strength is his mad poking power.
Let's run down the elements that make him this way shall we?
1.) Hayato has really, REALLY long reach.  Now you could say "Hey, Venom has
long reach, howcome you never mention anything about him?", but let's look at
the big picture.  The reason Hayato has long reach is due to a weapon.  A weapon
is an extension to the body.  The body is the only part of the character which
can be hit.  Understand now?  Since Hayato's range comes from an extension, it
means that its priority is much higher than any body attacks.
2.) Hayato is no Strider.  Far too often have I found individuals trying to
utilize him as if he were some sort of Strider clone.  The truth, however, could
not be farther.  Strider is a button masher.  Basically, you get close, pound
the buttons and whatever you get is what you get.  Generally you don't have to
be worried about how you end the combo because Strider's recovery time is so
quick.  Hayato on the other hand is a very precise combo character.  You must
know exactly which combo you are performing and the timing of how to perform it.
Due to Hayato's lag after most moves, you must be sure to end in such a way that
you won't be punished at the end.  Hayato is not a button masher, repeat, not a
button masher.  Mastery of his Plasma series is the basis to his game.
3.) Hayato is devoid of really good defensive moves.  It seems as though this
guy was built for offense.  All his special moves seem to propel him forwards in
some way.  His normal moves are of no real use either since they have such long
lag afterward (meaning you'll get whipped on defense).  Hayato must be played
mid-range or closer to be effective.  Constant pressuring is a necessity and
once this is understood, playing Hayato suddenly becomes so much clearer.
Defensive
As I stated earlier, this is really Hayato's main weakness.  His defensive game
needs heaps and heaps of anticipation to work well, and more often than not even
that isn't good enough.  His launcher (the basic air counter for all characters)
is slow both on startup and recovery.  His normal moves just can't keep the
opponent at bay for very long (they can dash in between the lag times) and
specials and supers usually just get stuffed right back into his face.  Again,
your best bet is to anticipate a jump in, launch the opponent into an air combo
and take an offensive position from there.  A well timed "Plasma Field" can work
well, followed by a plethora of supers to put pressure on your opponent and
again, moving you into an offensive position.  If all else fails, switch to Jin
(you DID pick Jin as a helper right?)  = )
Mid Range
Hayato can just do SO MUCH at mid range.  His normal moves were MADE for poking.
First, his LP and MP are essential at this range because they have tons of range
and are generally quick enough to avoid retaliation at this sort of distance
(always aim to hit opponents by the end of the sword, never the middle or the
hilt).  His Plasma Series combos are VASTLY useful and should definitely be
included in overall strategies.  Don't really be expecting to use his other
special moves very much because they all get him a little too close.  One thing
that many individuals don't realize is the sheer range of Hayato's launcher.
Due to this, you can actually launch people from mid-range!  This means that
you've got a misleading combo potential which must be exploited to its full
potential.  Try countering missed dragon punch moves with a launcher and then
moving into a big combo.  This is one of Hayato's most tried and true tactics.
Offense
Hayato's main offense tactic is, once again, his plasma series.  Once again, I
cannot stress enough that this is what makes Hayato special (everyone has
SOMETHING) and thus it must be used extensively to make yourself unpredictable.
First, to get in close, try a dropping stab (down + HK) on a jump in to come
right down on an opponent after they've thrown a fireball, then move into a
combo.  Alternately you can use your jump in LP or HP, both of which are a tad
safer but also more predictable.  When in close, mix up your plasma series
combos to keep the opponent guessing.  Alternately end them with supers once and
a while (of course when you hit, but sometimes even when you don't) to mess up
an opponent's timing.  Hayato isn't exactly the most unpredictable character in
the game, but he is VERY good at pressuring.  Keeping your opponent trapped in
the corner often isn't very hard if you know what you're doing.  My basic tactic
is to get in close over a jumped fireball, plasma series into an air combo then
retreat to mid-range and start again from there.  Of course you have to mix up
your game more than this.  Sweeping your opponent from time to time can aid
vastly in keeping them mixed up.  Remember, follow your sweeps with Engetsus!
Misc. Strategies
The Plasma Series
The Plasma series is what makes Hayato such a blast to play.  These are
basically a collection of auto-combo type moves which come out fairly quickly
and have far less lag than his normal ground combos.  Mixing up your plasma
combos is essential because once an opponent gets accustomed to seeing the way
one ends over and over, it isn't hard to counter them.  Certain Plasma Series
combos have less recovery than others, so be sure to try and be as tricky as
possible.  Try to avoid just spewing them out whenever, it's much more effective
to plan your attack strategy.  Remember, their recovery time is good, not GREAT.
Dealing with Hayato's lag
Over and over I have mentioned that Hayato's biggest weakness is his lag.  Does
this mean he is slow?  By all means the answer is no.  Hayato is in no way slow.
Lag is the amount of time it takes a character to recover after performing moves
(this includes normals, specials and supers).  In general, Hayato has lag on
just about EVERYTHING.  Don't get me wrong, this isn't necessarily that bad of a
dis-advantage.  One characteristic of the human mind is that it assumes a lot.
If you keep whipping out short lag moves (such as LP / LK) then your opponent
will expect them.  This way, when you throw out those long delay moves then your
opponent will generally be sleeping.  Another good thing to remember is that
Hayato's reach is far longer than most other characters.  With this in mind,
play mainly a mid-range game.  This is the safest way to play (but not the most
stylish) because it means that even when blocked, your opponent is often too far
away to retaliate with anything bigger than a fireball (often times this is even
too slow).  The final point to remember is try not to whiff any of Hayato's
moves.  Use your LP and occasionally the MP as your main pokes.  When these
connect, then go into a huge string.  Don't just be whipping off moves like no
tomorrow, or else there will be no tomorrow for your poor outmatched Hayato...
Damage
I'm not going to write a huge long thing about damage, but basically Hayato
takes a trifle more damage from the opponent's attacks than most other
characters.  This is around the area of 5% or so (its not a BIG problem, but one
nonetheless).
Character specific
No I'm not going to list a character strategy for every single opponent in the
game (that's 56 YOU FOOL!) but I will write strategies here for fighting the
hardest / most common opponents.
Ryu / Ken / Gouki
The inevitable shotos always pop up eventually, and there are a few ways of
dealing with them.  First of all, take advantage of Hayato's insane reach to LP
opponent's right out of their fireballs.  The shotos have an incredible ability
to counter your supers (uh, beams right after a missed Engetsu really hurt) so
don't really be counting on them too much to aid you in battle.  Try to keep
them mid range and off balance, then stick in a plasma string or two.  Block
often because they'll meet almost every jump in with a dragon punch.  On the
other hand, if they whiff a dragon punch, give them serious punishment with a
plasma combo into an air chain.  Don't let the shotos get too close, because
they're priority at close range is higher than Hayato's.
Hulk
Hulk actually falls pretty easy to a good Hayato player.  Make sure you block
any big strings he tries (trust me, they hurt).  After a missed Gamma charge
(they usually end with this) then you want to chain a LP -> MP -> launcher and
then an air combo.  You can usually dissipate his super armor from a safe
distance before having to get into a close combo.  With Hulk, generally stay on
constant offense and he'll fall easily.
Psylocke
Psylocke becomes a problem with Hayato simply because she has so many means of
making you whiff your moves.  Generally use your fast acting crouching LP
against her since it often fools players into thinking that its an easy counter.
Air combo her when possible as Hayato's range allows you to hit her when she
tries to escape with her retreating HK.
Cable
Cable's a real pain the backside not just for Hayato, but for EVERYONE!  Those
damn beams chip you to near death, and then he pulls out his BIG beam to chip it
the rest of the way.  While I'm not the best at fighting Cable (except with my
beloved Jin, his Tornado Kick is just too good!) I have developed a couple of
strategies for putting the X-man on ice.  First of all, try to super jump often.
Cable players often become confused and disoriented which causes them to stop
beaming you from every which way.  Since his beam has pretty bad lag, good
players tend not to use it unless you're just standing there.  When they do miss
a Viper Beam, nail them with a long string.  Remember that Cable's anti-air
defense is actually quite weak.  His only anti air move is a pain to time right,
so capitalize on this folly.  If you have the kind of player that likes to fight
face to face, use the superior priority of your standing or crouching LP to
whiff anything the big guy throws at you (his moves are actually rather slow).
Its generally not a good idea to whiff supers (but great to counter a close
range blocked Viper Beam) because you'll find yourself eating a super yourself.
One of my favorite tactics is to stick in a B.Hayato Super when the opponent
misses a NORMAL Viper Beam (this takes a lot of practice to do, but if you get
it, the look on your opponent's crushed face is just too good.).
Jin
Sadly this isn't a fight that you will probably encounter very often, but it
probably is a tough one nonetheless.  You will learn to hate the Saotome Cyclone
and the crouching HK into Saotome Dynamite.  You'll see the latter every time
you whiff anything (due to Hayato's long lag).  Your basic pattern should be to
fight him at mid-range, but even then you might not be very successful.  Your
best bet is to try and get Jin to whiff his long lag moves (they are numerous)
and then counter with Plasma Strings into air combos.  Don't be jumping in too
often because his Saotome Cyclone is a superior air defense (Even if you super
jump).  You'll find that the Saotome Dynamite will be able to pacify most of
your standing sword attacks, so don't try to combo him out of the blue.  Your
best bet is a game of attack, defense and then countering.  If you have to use
supers, I suggest the Plasma Field and then B. Hayato Super, everything else Jin
can counter nicely (seeing the Blodia Punch after a missed Engetsu is heart
breaking).
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1.7 - Facing Hayato
To tell you the truth, I haven't really played against a lot of good Hayato
players.  From what I know when I play him, and from the few arcade veterans I
have seen, here is my list of Do's and Don'ts.
Do's
- Try your hardest to get in close to Hayato.  His moves come out a little
slower than most other characters so keeping him pinned is one of the best
strategies to use against him.
- Capitalize on his slow recovery.  If you manage to block a missed HP or HK, go
for an air combo.
- Switch characters often when fighting him.  Hayato's damage is actually quite
poor and the only way he can inflict anything worth mentioning is through is
long strings.  If you get nailed by a Plasma Combo, by all means, switch out at
the next opportunity and rejuvenate your health.
Don't
- Try to win a poking game with him.  Even with character's like Strider or Hulk
(for God sakes he has Super armor!), they'll lose everytime to Hayato's superior
priority.
- Be running away from Hayato.  If you play someone who knows all of Hayato's
long strings, you may think it best to play a keep away game from him.  Hayato
does have the means necessary to deal with this and as such, you will probably
get nailed.
- Become panicked after you see a huge combo done by Hayato.  Remember, that
little red bar is there to be refilled.  If you find Hayato is constantly
pressuring you, switch out with a double team (even if you have to let it be
blocked).  Losing 2 super bars is much better than losing an entire health bar.
- Let yourself be suckered into thinking Hayato cannot hit you at mid range.
Often times players miscalculate because they think of him as Strider.  His
range is FARTHER than Strider's and should be treated as such.
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1.8 - Combos
It is essential to learn Hayato's Plasma series to perform his most damaging
combos.  Practice often, once you get them down, the huge combos below are
actually quite easy to do.
The great thing about Hayato's combos are that they aren't the same repeated
move over and over again (Ahem, cough cough, Strider, Cable, Ryu, Cammy... too
many to name...).  They are all varied, which makes them more difficult to pull,
but also more stylish and skillful.
Dash in LP -> LK -> MP -> Crouching HP (launcher) -> Jump LP -> LK -> MP -> MK -
> Guren
- His basic magic series combo.  There are numerous variations on this, but this
is the most stylish version.
Dash in LP -> HP -> HP Shiden -> Rasetsu Zan
- Simple but effective.  You must cancel the FIRST hit of the Shiden for the
combo to work properly
Dash in LP -> LK -> MP -> crouching HK -> Engetsu
- Some people don't like OTGs, but let me remind you this can be rolled out of.
(Plasma String) B + LP, LP, LP, HP, LP -> Crouching HP -> jump HP -> LK -> LP
Guren -> Plasma field -> (wait to land) -> crouching HP -> B.Hayato Super
- Alright, this is the END ALL combo!  After seeing this combo on Shroyuken.com
I just had to try it for myself.  So, on my friend's Dreamcast, we booted up
practice mode and concentrated on it for a straight 10 min... by then we got it
down.  The hardest part is judging when to do the crouching HP after you land,
and then canceling the "Hayato Sword Pierce" afterward (you have to input that
command really fast.  Thanks to Johnny Foodmaster for outlining the exact chain.
Down-back LP -> LK -> HK -> Shiden -> Raesetsu Zan or Engetsu
- Your all purpose counter combo (thanks to Master-Warrior).  The damage done is
quite good, but you can only counter missed ground combos with it (duh).  It
works quite well and serves as creating a safe window for yourself to tag out.
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1.9 - Cool animations
Opening Animations
1.) Hayato is dressed in normal day clothes, he then is engulfed in a blaze of
fire and suddenly appears in his Star Gladiators costume complete with Plasma
sword.
2.) Hayato rides in on a futuristic looking motorcycle.  He then jumps off as
the motorcycle drives away off the screen (What a waste of a motorcycle!)
Standing Animation -  Hayato stands sideways holding his plasma sword far behind
him.  While this is a very cool looking fighting stance, it is not practical at
all.
Ending animations
1.) June (from Star Gladiator) appears and the two of them pose
2.) Saturn (from Star Gladiator) appears and the two of them pose (I luv
Saturn's teeth, so cool).
3.) Hayato changes back to normal clothes and poses.
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2.0 - Thanks
Morrigan - For telling me to actually use Hayato (I probably wouldn't have if
she didn't tell me to).  Afterward, for giving me a punching bag (namely her
Psylocke) to practice my Hayato on.
Red Sheep - Actually, I didn't really use my Hayato too much on you.  It's just
really for giving me a plethora of good rounds.
Johnny Foodmaster - Your Hayato FAQ helped me immensely with that combo section
as well as some of the move names.
Master-Warrior:  For HUGE tips concerning play and Hayato's storyline.
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2.1 - Legal Stuff
Feel free to distribute this FAQ so long as MY NAME IS ATTACHED TO IT!  Yes, we
do have a copyright thing here in Canada...  No we don't all live in igloos... =
)
MC