When I first started playing it, I felt like everything was a bit too simple. That's been a common thing for me sometimes when I start with the shoto character, but I legit thought less of the game initially.

I was very very wrong. Akatsuki's reflector based neutral is pretty sick. Every character has some neat options on their general archtype form of grappler, zoner, etc. and it's so fucking competent that I did keep forgetting this is a doujin fighter.

The main appeal or mechanic that separates this out is how you have a zero-cost but high commit reflector move that is invincible and allows you to immediately counter on followup, basically functioning as a parry of sorts. Anyone can activate it by pressing two buttons and it's all built around reading the opponent. Working out this metagame though through the combat of Akatsuki is actually interesting, with a neutral that relies on your usual approach game but now with trying to read the opponent's head with this new dynamic. Blocking also has an armor rating that can deplete and replete with each hit on it, meaning you can't just hold back and get lucky with a reflect. This kind of tug of war really lends itself to interesting play.

Akatsuki Blitzkampf also has an awful lot of singleplayer options, and a highest difficulty mode with actually pretty decent AI (wtf??). Working my way to playing all of the characters only to realize on vallhalla mode that I didn't understand their neutral at all really brings home the deceptive idea I had of this game initially.

It's really good. Maybe not one of the best fighters by any means but it's extensively easy to pick up, has a decent combo game, and pretty sick neutral. It's also free and has rollback. Great stuff!