Akira Yuki stands as one of the most difficult characters to master in Virtua Fighter 2 (and its derivative, Virtua Fighter Kids). However, when used correctly, he can be quite powerful. Firstly, take advantage of his Stun Palm. Replace his Punch with the simple three-button combo at the right moment to pack a powerful hit against some of the more advanced computer-controlled fighters. Secondly, keep the trickiness of hopping attacks (Hopping Hammer, Hop Kick, etc.) in mind. They can be easily used as a counter to low attacks, but be wary of their slowness. They work best during a rushing attack; if your opponent is on the defensive, they will most likely attempt a low attack, in which case a hopping attack would come in handy. This technique works best with the Bryant siblings as opponents, as they tend to abuse Sweeps.
A useful combo for Akira is the Side Kick followed by the Dashing Elbow (or Super Dashing Elbow). Since the Side Kick cannot be countered, the worst you will face is a miss or a guard; Punch, Kick is also useful against an opponent staggered by the Side Kick. Lastly, Akira has a powerful arsenal of jumping attacks. They're some of the more challenging to execute, but they're also some of the more powerful attacks he can use; surprise your opponent with them at the right moment and you'll be rewarded with a strong health advantage. As hopping attacks are best used against defensive opponents, keep jumping attacks in mind for offensive opponents. An example of a good opportunity for this would be an airborne opponent; dash toward them and perform a Take-Off Kick as they fall to the ground.
