Game Version: Capcom vs SNK 2 / Dreamcast / Japan / 2001

According to the frame data for Ken's light attacks, his c.LK has three-frame startup and his s.LK has four-frame startup. The c.LK has rapid fire capability but the s.LK does not. Logically, the c.LK can not be chained into another light attack until after the fourth frame to allow for at least one active frame. Otherwise it would be possible to whiff repeated rapid fire light attacks at point blank range.

Following non-meaty impact, Ken's c.LK causes sixteen frames of hit stun while only taking another eleven fames to recover, thus normally netting an advantage of five frames. As proven in the first clip, Ken is able to whiff one c.LK inbetween the non-meaty c.LK and the s.LK without interrupting the combo. Therefore, Ken's c.LK must become chain cancelable no later than the eighth frame, so that the eighth frame may be replaced by the first frame of the next iteration.

Unfortunately, these results yield four possibilities that can not be reduced further. Since the Ken whiff combo was fairly difficult to time properly, my guess is that chain cancelability appears towards the end of the spectrum of possibilities, but that's just a guess. The numbers are slightly different for other characters, but the general math is the same.

The concept was discovered without preliminary application of frame data, which simply acts as a tool to explain the idea more precisely in writing. With all technical calculations out of the way, it needs to be said that nothing is gained by using this technique. Whiffing light attacks produces no super meter in CvS2, so there are no advantages whatsoever to complicating matters this way. It's just an effort to counteract boredom and conformity with creativity and style. Maybe it works in other games too.

cvs2whiffrapid01.jpg (320x240, 61 KB, JPG)
cvs2whiffrapid01.wmv (0:06, 765 KB, WMV9)
cvs2whiffrapid02.jpg (320x240, 55 KB, JPG)
cvs2whiffrapid02.wmv (0:10, 1,046 KB, WMV9)