While Akuma has been labelled as a top tier character in Street Fighter V, much of the evidence points to Tokido as the singular culprit of that perception. The character’s large amount of utility gives him many options, but makes him more difficult than other characters at the top echelon to play well — partnered with being a very powerful but very brittle glass cannon.
Akuma’s strength and tools still make for a very deadly character in the right hands, and VesperArcade and his guest Mir still consider him top tier. With this in mind, they talk about ways to balance out the character: primarily, they focus on the idea of a health reduction and the removal of his throw loop potential as a way to balance out his versatility and high degree of damage.
Source: VesperArcade
