Thoughts on Ranai? (Japans best player / Villager)

[jmjb]

So Ranai; one of, if not the best players in Japan, is a Villager main, and the dude is legit..
Anyway, it's probably safe to say he's the best Villager in the world.
I've been watching trying to dissect what makes him so good.. and honestly, it's got pretty much nothing to do with Villager.. =/
He has machine-like reactions, and can pocket a point blank Mario cape'd slingshot 10/10 times..
after watching basically every match from the past month, I've decided there's nothing I can really learn from him.. just be frame perfect with everything and react like a machine.

moves he uses:
BAir
NAir
UAir (rising only)
Grab (pivot only)
Lloyd (mostly for momentum stalls in air)
Tree (edge guard only)
Bowling Ball (edge guard only)

anddddd that's it lol, I'd say that's 95% of his play.

What are you guy's thoughts on this guy?

Raini up vs mario&sonic

Raini vs Abadongo's PacMan

 

[Antonykun]

So Raini; one of, if not the best players in Japan, is a Villager main, and the dude is legit..
Anyway, it's probably safe to say he's the best Villager in the world.
I've been watching trying to dissect what makes him so good.. and honestly, it's got pretty much nothing to do with Villager.. =/
He has machine-like reactions, and can pocket a point blank Mario cape'd slingshot 10/10 times..
after watching basically every match from the past month, I've decided there's nothing I can really learn from him.. just be frame perfect with everything and react like a machine.

moves he uses:
BAir
NAir
UAir (rising only)
Grab (pivot only)
Lloyd (mostly for momentum stalls in air)
Tree (edge guard only)
Bowling Ball (edge guard only)

anddddd that's it lol, I'd say that's 95% of his play.

What are you guy's thoughts on this guy?

Raini up vs mario&sonic

Raini vs Abadongo's PacMan

It's Ranai not Raini

yes I strive to be like Ranai

 

[jmjb]

It's Ranai not Raini

yes I strive to be like Ranai

LOL NOOO I just realized my phone auto corrected his name both times and in the middle of editing it before you went and quoted my whole damn post LOOOL.. ohwellz hahaha

 

[verbatim]

I see him doing a LOT of tomahawk jab's. It's my understanding that that is safe on shield/something more people should be doing.

 

[Moosseff]

My guess is because he uses a lot of pivot grabs and tbh villagers grab isnt as bad as people say, if you get grabbed by villager youre either going to get juggled or lose stage controll...or both lol Dthrow to Fair <3

 

[BlazikenGod]

He's the villager main villagers try to achieve to be.

 

[jmjb]

I see him doing a LOT of tomahawk jab's. It's my understanding that that is safe on shield/something more people should be doing.

tomahawk jabs? is that different than just normal jabs? or..

and yeah this is basically the kind of discussion I was trying to spark. just sort of dissecting his play and learning from it.
using jab right after NAir when your opponent shielded the NAir, seems to be the "correct" option, since there's not enough time to really escape or do anything else.

 

[verbatim]

tbh villagers grab isnt as bad as people say

This,

For comparison, Villager's standing grab ends a THIRD OF A SECOND faster than Pacman's.



edit:

tomahawk jabs? is that different than just normal jabs? or..

and yeah this is basically the kind of discussion I was trying to spark. just sort of dissecting his play and learning from it.
using jab right after NAir when your opponent shielded the NAir, seems to be the "correct" option, since there's not enough time to really escape or do anything else.

tomahawk is a melee term for jumping in the air to make your opponent think you're going to do an attack so they shield, then immediately fastfalling and grabbing them. I appropriated it since it's pretty much what Ranai does, short hop to make the opponent shield, then fastfall into rapid jab to deal solid shield pressure.

 

[Moosseff]

This,

For comparison, Villager's standing grab ends a THIRD OF A SECOND faster than Pacman's.

When I said that I meant his pivot grab. His dash grab and sheild grab are garbage there I agree with you but his pivot grab comes out fast amd has increased range, however if you miss you recieve quite a bit of ending lag. His pivot grab rewards you for having quick reaction timing and correct spacing.

 

[Darklink401]

Active FAF
Standing Grab 15-16 56
Dash Grab 16-17 70
Pivot Grab 17-18 66

His grabs are pretty garbage lmao. His throws are good tho.


That being said, I think what makes Ranai so good is his constant use of lloid, and understand how to use a large part of its potential.

I mean, that, and the fact the man's just a god.

 

[Moosseff]

I mean, that, and the fact the man's just a god.

I feel like he has so much understanding of the character, like ZeRo's diddy but in the form of villagr lol

 

[Darklink401]

He's the one man that can do so many mistakes as Villager, and still go unpunished xD

 

[Moosseff]

He's the one man that can do so many mistakes as Villager, and still go unpunished xD

Inb4 he starts grabbing on purpose as bait xD

 

[Quarium]

He has machine fast reactions and his awareness as well as conditioning are just stupid incredible... I honestly think the only way to be as good as him is to meditate 12 hours a day or some **** because this guy's mind must be in absolute inner peace or something.

 

[jset818]

So he doesn't use Fair at all? It's so hard to tell the difference between Fair and Bair since the animation for both look the same. Side question: when should I use Fair and when should I use Bair?

 

[Moosseff]

So he doesn't use Fair at all? It's so hard to tell the difference between Fair and Bair since the animation for both look the same. Side question: when should I use Fair and when should I use Bair?

Use fair for approaching/stuffing shorthops and use bair for retreating/spacing (When I try and space I go for the sour spot. Im not sure if this is bad or good but either way it still gets me results)

 

[Kofu]

This,

For comparison, Villager's standing grab ends a THIRD OF A SECOND faster than Pacman's.

Important comparison: Villager's grab only has two active frames. Pac-Man has 14, with two spurts of three frames and a final spurt of eight. Villager's standing grab comes out on frame 15, Pac-Man's on frame 12. Villager also recovers slower; there are 40 frames between the end of the grab hitbox and when he can act, Pac-Man has 37. If Pac-Man completely screws up the aim then sure, he's more punishable. But Villager's grab is worse if whiffed facing the target.

Anyway, watched a bit of Ranai tonight. His run off platforms into slingshots were nice, as was his use of NAir's full range.

 

[adamn765]

I really like his use of foxtrot. Baiting a ledge option from the opponent or to bait them to run in.

 

[prismoid]

Ranai is the reason that villager is both underrated and overrated. I strongly believe that if ranai started using a campy playstyle like most high level villagers, his results would drop very quickly and villager would plummet overall. I really hope to see the other great villager players incorporate his playstyle and give this character a name. I see villager as a top 10 pick if people actually started to learn how he is truly meant to be played instead of camping with slow, weak, and incredibly exploitable projectiles. Best of luck to Ranai at genesis, I see him taking down some top players, namely dabuz and esam.

 

[Darklink401]

Ranai is the reason that villager is both underrated and overrated. I strongly believe that if ranai started using a campy playstyle like most high level villagers, his results would drop very quickly and villager would plummet overall. I really hope to see the other great villager players incorporate his playstyle and give this character a name. I see villager as a top 10 pick if people actually started to learn how he is truly meant to be played instead of camping with slow, weak, and incredibly exploitable projectiles. Best of luck to Ranai at genesis, I see him taking down some top players, namely dabuz and esam.

What top Villager besides Captain Awesome plays campy...? xD

Also I think Villager is top 10 already in most people's books...

 

[Mtn64]

Ranai is the reason that villager is both underrated and overrated. I strongly believe that if ranai started using a campy playstyle like most high level villagers, his results would drop very quickly and villager would plummet overall. I really hope to see the other great villager players incorporate his playstyle and give this character a name. I see villager as a top 10 pick if people actually started to learn how he is truly meant to be played instead of camping with slow, weak, and incredibly exploitable projectiles. Best of luck to Ranai at genesis, I see him taking down some top players, namely dabuz and esam.

Really? It seems like most villagers are figuring it out. The only campy villager player in top level is captain awesum, but I think it shows it isn't the way to play him since he's been dropping a lot of sets (including to me) due to his predictability in the few options villager actually has to zone effectively. I think most villagers are stopping the zone game as the results are showing that it isn't working.

 

[De Wolfe]

I think Villager can be played effectively both ways. Just depends on your own personal preference aswell as what the character or player matchup requires.

 

[Moosseff]

Villager is one of those characters that has Yoshi disease, everyone in the community knows that villager is good, however people like sticking to top tiers like sheik because probability for losing is much lower. Villager can win majors but its not as likely as sheik or ZSS which drives newer players away from him/her.

 

[GoodleShoes]

So he doesn't use Fair at all? It's so hard to tell the difference between Fair and Bair since the animation for both look the same. Side question: when should I use Fair and when should I use Bair?

He uses fh rising fair because it has more lag than bair. With bair you can auto cancel sh bair I'm pretty sure.

 

[Darklink401]

He uses fh rising fair because it has more lag than bair. With bair you can auto cancel sh bair I'm pretty sure.

You can autocancel both fair and bair off a sh, but bair has a bigger autocancel window, so you can sh rising bair, then fastfall and have no landing lag, whereas with fair you have to wait a tiny bit.

 

[SoniCraft]

Really? It seems like most villagers are figuring it out. The only campy villager player in top level is captain awesum, but I think it shows it isn't the way to play him since he's been dropping a lot of sets (including to me) due to his predictability in the few options villager actually has to zone effectively. I think most villagers are stopping the zone game as the results are showing that it isn't working.

I think Villager's moveset is inherently zone-based, but I definitely think defensive play is not the optimal way to play Villager at this point. How should we describe Ranai's villager? It's not overly aggressive; it's still very patient at the right times. He seems to capitalize on his openings much more than most villagers, and I think that gives him the edge.

 

[Darklink401]

Villager has a zone that moves around the stage lol. Mid-range is ideal for Villager.

 

[FUEGO!]

^^this.

Ranai has figured out the perfect balance of patience and aggresion, kinda like how Abadongo described ZeRo when asked.

 

[Darklink401]

^^this.

Ranai has figured out the perfect balance of patience and aggresion, kinda like how Abadongo described ZeRo when asked.

I think he's still too agressive at times, and can learn to be more patient. He's stubborn with those FF dairs to land.

 

[prismoid]

What top Villager besides Captain Awesome plays campy...? xD

Also I think Villager is top 10 already in most people's books...

I just find other top level villagers to have a very different and somewhat lame playstyle compared to Ranai. As a spectator I don't mind people playing lame because it is a valid strategy but I feel like villager isn't one go carry it out. I just don't see other villagers exhibiting this philosophy. As far as other campy villager's besides cptaws, Villyness plays a considerably campy villager and gets good results despite the Australian skill level being relatively low.

 

[Darklink401]

I just find other top level villagers to have a very different and somewhat lame playstyle compared to Ranai. As a spectator I don't mind people playing lame because it is a valid strategy but I feel like villager isn't one go carry it out. I just don't see other villagers exhibiting this philosophy. As far as other campy villager's besides cptaws, Villyness plays a considerably campy villager and gets good results despite the Australian skill level being relatively low.

IDK, I personally have only seen Captain Awesum be campy xD Ranai, BC, SS and myself are all quite agressive.

 

[SoniCraft]

Zee and MJG are aggressive as well, although MJG seems more balanced. I myself play a pretty balanced style.

 

[verbatim]

IDK, I personally have only seen Captain Awesum be campy xD Ranai, BC, SS and myself are all quite agressive.

I think D1 said that Ranai actually told him this but i think it stands to say either way.

Ranai's not so much an offensive Villager as he is an optimal Villager. Like any character, the optimal way to play Villager is to switch up how you play throughout the course of battle, something Ranai is really good at. He just seems super aggressive because of how well he's able to capitalize on mistakes in the neutral and because Villager doesn't really have to worry about dying if he goes "too deep".

Whenever I see a Villager "ledge camping" outside of customs it's usually not so much the fact that they're intentionally doing so much as it is that they can't successfully get back on the stage and their opponent can't successfully edge guard them.

 

[Darklink401]

I think D1 said that Ranai actually told him this but i think it stands to say either way.

Ranai's not so much an offensive Villager as he is an optimal Villager. Like any character, the optimal way to play Villager is to switch up how you play throughout the course of battle, something Ranai is really good at. He just seems super aggressive because of how well he's able to capitalize on mistakes in the neutral and because Villager doesn't really have to worry about dying if he goes "too deep".

Whenever I see a Villager "ledge camping" outside of customs it's usually not so much the fact that they're intentionally doing so much as it is that they can't successfully get back on the stage and their opponent can't successfully edge guard them.

Pretty much, I'm never in the ledge by choice,unless I'm doing run-off bair, but for Villager I feel a good mix of offense and defense is great.

 

[prismoid]

I think D1 said that Ranai actually told him this but i think it stands to say either way.

Ranai's not so much an offensive Villager as he is an optimal Villager. Like any character, the optimal way to play Villager is to switch up how you play throughout the course of battle, something Ranai is really good at. He just seems super aggressive because of how well he's able to capitalize on mistakes in the neutral and because Villager doesn't really have to worry about dying if he goes "too deep".

Whenever I see a Villager "ledge camping" outside of customs it's usually not so much the fact that they're intentionally doing so much as it is that they can't successfully get back on the stage and their opponent can't successfully edge guard them.

This is a good way of describing Ranai's playstyle. Thank you for the explaination

 

[Grayson the Emblemier]

Ranai is my favorite Smasher, I main Villager and Marth so that's partly why I like him.

 

[Remi45]

Always watching his videos and trying to implement what he does in my playstyle, still pretty noob as I'm still working on not having to roll :/ he will roll like once in a set