Melty Blood: Type Lumina

Melty Blood: Type Lumina is a reboot of the Melty Blood franchise, following the continuity of the Tsukihime Remake series. It was released on September 30, 2021, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. The game features a roster of 22 characters, including 14 initial characters and 8 DLC characters. Some characters, like Sion Eltnam Atlasia, are not physically present in this game's timeline due to its placement before the events of Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon-. The roster also includes four guest characters from the Fate franchise.

Mastering Melty Blood: Type Lumina goes beyond just knowing your character's moves; it requires a deep understanding of the invisible forces at play: hitboxes and hurtboxes. These fundamental concepts dictate whether your attacks connect, whether you get hit, and ultimately, the flow of battle. Ignoring them is like fighting blindfolded.

What are Hitboxes?

Simply put, a hitbox is the active area of an attack. If an opponent's hurtbox intersects with your attack's hitbox, they get hit. Hitboxes are typically colored red or orange in training mode visualizations.

• Size and Shape: Hitboxes vary wildly. A character like Shiki Tohno's 5A (Light Punch) has a small, quick hitbox directly in front of him. In contrast, Ciel's 236C (Black Barrel) creates a massive, slow-moving projectile hitbox that covers a significant portion of the screen.
• Duration: Hitboxes are active for a specific number of frames. A quick jab might have an active hitbox for only 2-3 frames, while a powerful special move or a Moon Skill could have an active hitbox for 10+ frames. Understanding this helps you time your attacks and whiff punish effectively.
• Placement: Where a hitbox is located relative to your character model is crucial. Some attacks, like Arcueid Brunestud's 6C (Heavy Kick), extend far forward, making them excellent for poking. Others, like Miyako Arima's 2B (Crouching Medium), hit low to the ground, designed to catch opponents trying to block high.
• Invulnerability Frames: Some moves, especially EX Specials and Moon Drive activations, grant invulnerability frames. During these frames, your character's hurtbox temporarily disappears or becomes immune to damage, allowing you to pass through attacks or counter-attack safely. For example, Red Arcueid's 214C (Beast's Roar) has significant invulnerability on startup.

What are Hurtboxes?

A hurtbox is the area of your character that can be hit by an opponent's attack. If an opponent's hitbox touches your hurtbox, you take damage. Hurtboxes are usually colored blue or green in training mode visualizations.

• Character Model vs. Hurtbox: It's vital to understand that a character's hurtbox does not always perfectly match their visual model. Sometimes, a character's arm or leg might visually extend, but the hurtbox doesn't cover that extension, making them harder to hit than they appear. Conversely, some characters might have surprisingly large hurtboxes for their size.
• Dynamic Hurtboxes: Hurtboxes are not static. They change shape and position based on your character's actions.
  • Crouching: When you crouch (2), your hurtbox shrinks and moves lower to the ground, allowing you to evade high attacks. This is why low attacks (2A, 2B, 2C) are essential for opening up crouching opponents.
  • Jumping: During a jump, your hurtbox is elevated, making you vulnerable to anti-air attacks.
  • Attacking: When performing an attack, your character's hurtbox can extend or shift. For instance, a character might lean forward during a heavy attack, extending their hurtbox and making them more susceptible to being hit out of their animation.
  • Dash/Backdash: During a dash or backdash, your hurtbox moves rapidly across the screen. Some backdashes have invulnerability frames, temporarily removing your hurtbox.
• Projectile Hurtboxes: Some projectiles, like Shiki Tohno's 236A/B/C (Flash Step), can have their own hurtboxes. This means they can be destroyed by other projectiles or even certain physical attacks before they reach their target.

Practical Application: Using the Training Mode

The best way to internalize these concepts is through the game's excellent Training Mode. Here's how to set it up:

1. Enter Training Mode: From the main menu, select "Training" and choose your desired characters.
2. Access Display Settings: Pause the game and navigate to "Display Settings."
3. Toggle Hitbox/Hurtbox Display:
   • Set "Player 1 Hitbox Display" to "On."
   • Set "Player 1 Hurtbox Display" to "On."
   • Optionally, set "Player 2 Hitbox Display" and "Player 2 Hurtbox Display" to "On" to see how your opponent's boxes interact.
4. Experiment:
   • Observe your own moves: Perform all your character's normals and specials. Pay attention to when the red hitboxes appear, how long they last, and where they are positioned. Notice how your blue hurtbox changes shape during these animations.
   • Test against the dummy: Set the dummy to perform specific moves (e.g., a jumping attack, a low poke). Practice using your character's moves to hit their hurtbox while avoiding their hitbox.
   • Whiff Punishing: Set the dummy to perform a slow, committal move (e.g., a heavy special). Observe its hitbox and hurtbox. Practice moving into range after the hitbox disappears to punish its recovery frames.
   • Anti-Airs: Set the dummy to jump. Observe the dummy's elevated hurtbox. Practice using your character's anti-air moves (e.g., 2C, 623A/B/C) to hit their hurtbox while they are airborne.
   • Cross-ups: Set the dummy to block. Practice jumping over them and hitting them with an attack that lands behind their blocking hurtbox.

By actively visualizing and understanding hitboxes and hurtboxes, you'll gain a profound insight into character matchups, attack priority, and defensive options. This knowledge is the bedrock upon which advanced strategies in Melty Blood: Type Lumina are built.