Shun or Akira?

IMHO, it depends on your tolerance for pain. If you don't mind losing a LOT in the beginning, play Akira. I started with him when I started playing the game, and got soundly trounced left and right until I got the moves, and all of a sudden, I started winning. /versus/images/icons/smile.gif

Shun is easier to pick up, but he's got a lot more "Wow, I really shouldn't have done THAT" moves.