Flame canceling
In NTSC versions 1.0 and 1.1 of Melee, Bowser can cancel the startup lag of this move if he lands during its initial frames, in a manner similar to the spacies' short hop laser. This technique is not possible with Bowser in the NTSC 1.2 and PAL versions, and is as a result not legal in most tournaments. Flame Cancelling results from the frame conversion between aerial and grounded Fire Breath. Thus, landing in general will trigger it.
Through Flame Cancelling, it's possible to get some unique movement with Bowser; including some options such as jumping from the ledge and initiating the tech. In this context, Bowser can get out of some difficult ledgetrap situations, which is vital given his large hurtbox. Landing with Fire Breath in general will cause a Flame Cancel to occur, and due to this it's possible to initiate it through dropping through platforms, using it during tech situations with 1 frame to act, and more. As a result, there are a plethora of options the tech provides, giving Bowser an edge he otherwise wouldn't have. While it is possible to SDI towards Bowser and exploit the minimal hitstun to punish him in the endlag, the lack of time to react can arguably lower the risk of this, potentially giving Fire Breath more use in Bowser's toolkit.
It is also possible for Giga Bowser to Flame Cancel, although this was also patched out at the same time. Giga Bowser arguably uses it better due to his very small short hop, allowing for quicker access than Bowser. If a player uses Giga Bowser through hacking, it is possible to set up edgeguards with Fire Breath quite quickly, as it goes quite far off-stage. As a result, it is possible to KO opponents very efficiently through the use of this tech in conjunction with his large hitboxes (most notably his down tilt, which goes exceptionally far off-stage).
Strangely, Flame Cancelling remains possible with Kirby throughout all versions of Melee, likely an oversight by the developers. Due to his air speed however, it is difficult to make effective use of the tech: it tends to be easier just to use it normally. However, it can be used during tomahawking situations or with a turnaround special as a mixup option in the matchup. It can also be a useful landing option, which is important when considering Kirby's vulnerability to juggling. It can be used as a ledge option as well, much like with Bowser.
