When it comes to top level Zangief players in Street Fighter 6 right now, you can likely count all of them on one hand. Though many consider the grappler to be on the lower end of the tier list, some loyalists continue to explore what all he can do in this game and find success with him.
Outside of Snake Eyez’s amazing Gief qualifying for Capcom Cup X, another Zangief player is looking like an absolute threat and one you need to keep an eye out for. If you haven’t heard of Kobayan yet, then allow us to share with you this incredible footage of them taking on some of the best players in the world including Tokido, BigBird, ChrisWong, and more.
Now, if Kobayan’s name sounds a little familiar, there’s reason for that. We previously featured this player on EventHubs for pulling off the most clutch Zangief comeback in Street Fighter 6 that we’ve ever seen.
To get the understanding of their true talents, though, you’ll want to check out this new compilation courtesy of YogaFlame24. Kobayan, who plays out of Japan, first locks horns with BigBird’s Rashid.
What makes Kobayan’s Zangief effective is not only their ability to maneuver the giant wrestler around and stand at ranges to properly whiff punish attacks, but also their emphasis on combos. Everyone knows that Zangief’s most powerful tool is his SPD command throw, and while Kobayan certainly uses them, it feels like an important part of their gameplan revolves around confirming into extended Drive Rush combos.
After landing an SPD, one of Zangief’s most common and effective techniques is to raw Drive Rush in to close the gap and hit a standing light kick to put the pressure on the opponent. Kobayan is excellent at hit confirming this, oftentimes canceling it into a Drive Rush and getting a full combo.
Kobayan’s reads and reactions are also impeccable. From counter Drive Impacts to knowing exactly when the opponent wants to wake up super, this Gief player is either always ready for what’s coming, or if their life is low, prepared to mount the comeback.
You can see the full set of matches featuring Kobayan’s Zangief in Street Fighter 6 below.