Blanka's Backstep Roll Ultra Street Fighter 4 - Rainbow Ball

feralwolf72 posted December 5, 2014

Blanka's most gimmicky special move. It has it's uses, but probably best used sparingly. It has the most recovery of any of his special moves and can easily be focus absorbed. You could actually build your opponent that last bit of Ultra gauge before they hit you with it, with a poor times rainbow ball.

EX version is arguably his best meter based move though. It has invincibility the early animation, making it great for escapse(more than EX upball and Ultra 2, slightly less than Ultra 1). There is a small window where it is even throw invincible after the regular invincibility runs out. It isn't as good as it used to be for escaping the corner, but can still work. If the EX version is a reversal, it can break armor unlike any other version of rainbow roll. That makes the reversal version the only one that can help with negating not just focus attacks, but things like Hugo's standing HP or El Fuerte's EX run.

ShotoSurgery posted November 26, 2014

Rainbow ball, or the backstep roll, is an effective way to punish projectiles and is an effective anti-air tool, but at close range it is a bad idea to use the backstep roll because you are vunerable during the flip. One good thing about this move is that, if blocked, it bounces you away from the opponent, avoiding anti-airs. The EX version allows you to control the trajectory of the attack, executes faster and causes more damage.