Ventose

Ventose is one of Ash Crimson's Special Moves from The King of Fighters series.

Description
Ash creates a green crescent-shaped fireball, then throws it at the opponent. The version comes out quicker and does one hit, while the  version is slower but does two hits and counter acts other projectiles as well. Although powerful it requires a charge input, meaning one must be prepared before firing.

While Sans-Culotte is active, Ash can fire off Ventose without the need for charging.

Starting with The King of Fighters XIII, Ventose gains an EX Special Move variant, which allows it to deal more damage and has Ash throw out two fireballs in quick succession much like King's Double Strike.

Evil Ash's version of the move is done somewhat differently. The version has significantly increased projectile speed, while the  version launches two fireballs at once, much like the regular EX variant. As such, Evil Ash's EX takes it a step further by sending out four of them at a rapid pace. Faster startup and recovery also means Evil Ash can chain this move with his other special moves, especially in the corner.

Strategy
As simple as it gets for a projectile, this is the bread and butter of Ash's zoning game. The version is serviceable enough for a zoning tool, but the  version is not only faster, but also tends to be the more damaging option, with the XV version having the highest damage out of any meterless projectile in the game at a respectable 80 damage.

Additionally, if you time the version right just like Geese's or Rock's Double Reppuken, the first swipe will absorb any incoming projectile before Ash throws out his own, making it an effective (if situational) anti-projectile tool in itself. Though given that the first swipe has an additional hitbox before the projectile, this is better used as an anti-hop tool up close.

Finally, if you really don't want the opponent to come anywhere near you and/or want to do extra damage in the corner, there's always the EX version, which has Ash throw out two projectiles at once in very quick succession.

Similar Moves

 * Kiyoku no Tsuki, Saiki's variant.

Trivia

 * Ventose means "Wind" in French.


 * This attack serves as Ash's answer to Guile's Sonic Boom. Or rather, Remy's Light of Virtue from the Street Fighter III series. Unlike Light of Virtue, however, Ash doesn't have a version that lets him fire it close to the ground (oddly enough, Robert actually did back in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum/KOF XI).


 * Ventose was the name of the sixth month in the French Republican calendar, beginning on February 19th at the earliest and ending on March 21st at the latest.