Are you talking about the character that shows up on their picture in lobbies/ranked? If so you can select that to be "most played" or you can choose a character. Like mine still shows Hitomi even though I never use her anymore.
Free Step Dodge
Raansu
Sly Bass
Miss direction for ranked matches.
WiZzYx
I love Virtua Fighter's Akira, in fact is my main in that game, but I can't use him in DoA 5, in any way... 
Sly Bass
If anything, he is easier to use in DoA 5. Virtua Fighter is a strong game, but there is something about the impact of the strikes that feels blocky. It's visually uncomfortable to me. Like a disturbance in the force.
WiZzYx
VF5 is more "heavy", and DoA 5 more "floaty". I prefer the VF5 physics.