I think JG is the best addition to the game and fits perfectly within SC5. I've only read one of NDK's post and, as such, am going to argue against the points made by one of the people he thinks had very good points
At what point did anyone say JG is bad because its too difficult.
Its bad because it breaks natural combos, it makes just about every attack in the game punishable, can be done at any time and carries absolutely no risk. It results in a guaranteed hit, and your opponent can not retaliate in any way. It makes slow attacks that are either unblockable or would cause frametraps completely redundant, often making them punishable. JG is simple to do once you learn it and particularly easy to perform against strings of attacks, such as the constant example of Astaroth's B6B, and slow charging attacks, such as his 44[A].
Astaroth is destroyed by very easy JGing.
I'm going to take this as a summary of your points.
1. It's bad because it breaks natural combos.
First, I think you mean "strings" as JGing...nothing hits a natural combo (a natural combo is a string of attacks wherein the following attacks are guaranteed after the first one). Secondly, it doesn't 'break' strings any more than ducking, stepping, GIing, or jumping. What I'm guessing you're talking about is jailed strings, which is where I can only say that SC is not and has never been a string based fighter. Most of the strings in SC are already bad in one or multiple ways if you do them on block. The only exception is the standard AA and BB, where most of them are barely punishable. What I'm saying is that I doubt that are many, if any, strings in the game outside of your standard AA and BB that could have not otherwise been countered in some way. In all actuality, JG also gives some characters who otherwise cannot deal with strings like NM's 22AA without meter to GI, the ability to not be helpless.
2. It makes just about every attack in the game punishable.
This is true but character dependent. But the fact that there varying attack speeds, high/mids and lows, and throws make it so that this a barely a factor.
3. Can be done at any time.
I'm going to assume this is hyperbole.
4. Carries no risk.
This is absolutely untrue as far as I'm concerned and I think you should elaborate on this because there are so many different ways that statement could be applied to this argument and just as many ways that it can be wrong.
5. It makes unblockables and slow attacks useless.
This is completely untrue. Show me a slow attack that wasn't useless before JG. Since we seem to be talking about at least somewhat competent play here, the only unblockable I can say lost effectiveness with JG is the one where Ivy walks backwards and does the long-ranged mid. What I'm saying, basically, is that these unblockables were never useful to begin with. Not only that, if your opponent is JGing every unblockable, in many cases, they open themselves up to a mid/low/throw mixup because the good majority of unblockables can be canceled (this is why many unblockables are still stepped and/or interrupted).
As for the slow attacks, what attacks, that aren't completely telegraphed, have been shut down by JGing (and would have otherwise been shut down by GIing or stepping or ducking or jumping?)? Things like Mitsu's 66A+B and 236B hold are still being used.
6. Astaroth.
You're simplifying the argument too much. I will discuss both of those attacks.
44A:
First of all, should this attack be able to be applied the way you're saying it should? It is still very good post GI, the hold. Not only that, but Astaroth has three different speeds for this attack. Are you mad that an attack like Astaroth 44A hold is not able to be abused in more situations (in this case, neutral)? In the case of this hold, this risk to it becomes as big as the potential reward only, thus making it less 'spammable' and able to only be applied in certain situations effectively, like most attacks in the game.
BB6:
First of all, let us look at the stem of this string in not one string in particular. After Ast's B, he has two different strings, B and B6. Let's look at what happens if your opponent JGs BB6 for BB6 in both scenarios.
BB6: Your opponent JG's and you're at -13, AA punished in most cases.
BB: Your opponent's JG MISSES. If they're vigilant and catch that they missed the JG, they eat some guard damage and you're at -10 but, with how much pushback Ast's BB has, you're effectively put back to neutral in most cases, where you can play the spacing game, continue to attack, etc.
Now, let's look FURTHER into this. Let's say I pick on the fact that my is JGing my BB6 and AAing or mixing me up everytime. I'm tired of that ish! So, you know what, I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine! So, the next time, I do B and then...wait for it...I don't finish the string! My opponent's at a lost! He lost his frames so it's time to mix him up! I'mma get some big damage! I go for a throw, but, shit! This guy's fast and 2A's me! I'm back to blocking again.
Still, I gained some good knowledge. I notice my opponent is pretty predictable with his responses. So, I've got the advantage this time. I single B...my predictable friend does an option select JG into 2A and then mashes out some other ish because he thinks he's got the situation under control....but he forgot about my fuckin' bullrush BE! I take my halflife wall combo real quick real fast.
Next time, my predictable friend is scared after I single B and trying to respect it more but he pulls a bitch move and tries to step and throw out a tech crouching attack. It don't matter though, because I listened to that LP guy and I'm ahead of the game. I stop my B, then I
4B, beating him out because he lost frames just like he would due to JGing. Now I'm at plus frames so you know I get my throw action going! By then, my predictable friend is out of chances...as I guessed right twice with Asta and won the round. Next round, who knows where these things will take us?
This is a very important concept we (and at least I call)
leading. Look at some high level SC some time. You'll notice highlevel players eating lower level players up by leading them while at the same time making it hard for them to get a read on them by
varying their responses. I know, for a fact, in Hawkeye and my own match where I used Pat and he Natsu, I picked up on the fact that, after every 44A I did, he would AA me to stop me from continuing my attack. So, what did I do? I waiting for a spot where I needed to make up some damage, 44A...then...DRIFT STRIKE! or Pat's B+K for the win.
This is what SC is all about and JG just adds another layer to a beautiful mindgame in most cases.