That's one thing I miss from the first game. Certain characters should be able to start off in awakening. Like the 9 tails forms of Naruto, Sasuke's curse mark, the 8 gates of Guy and Lee, Madara being Madara, Killer Bee transformed into the 8 tails, Itachi's Susanno'o, and some others for sure. To me it's just a shame you can't just use the awakening for certain characters who completely transform in their awakening.
Then they could make it an option to lock or unlock starting as an awakening in online mode. Well they could do that if they'd back down the strength a little of the awakenings. The fact that the entire screen shakes when they hit you is intense. Then you can't use an ultimate jutsu on them which sucks a little. No special ultimate jutsu in awakening was disappointing too.
I love the game, just a few things I wish they'd have done differently.