Is there a difference in mindset for VF in Japan and the West? Re Guaranteed Damage

I'm looking for some input from more VF players about something interesting I was discussing with some players and making comparisons to DOA5 which has more of the below elements.

The question is around whether the Japanese player base actually likes that VF5 contains many guaranteed damage situations, and is indeed very high damage.

Is it more a Western gamer's interest to have more guaranteed situations instead of nitaku and mindgame "guess" situations that you can escape?

Has VF5 lost popularity with average Japanese gamers because it is "too hardcore"?

 

No it lost its popularity because its more streamline and TOO user friendly..... The fact that the game has been "Dumbed" down has been frowned upon. In fact the majority of them will probably say "R" is more VF than FS is.

 

If anything, VF has been gaining users in the west, so whatever changes there has been, have propably been liked by the western players..

ps. Well, there is of course the netplay which is only recent addition to PS3 gamerbase..