Tekken 8 breaks my heart

I was planning on just posting on the salt reddit but I feel this might be a discussion worth having with more than the salty players. Because I genuinely love this game. My experience with Tekken was limited prior to 8, but I always loved the aesthetic.

I tried T7 but gave up trying to learn, not even knowing how to sidestep.

At the beginnig of T8 there was a genuine feeling of growth as the hidden rules of the game revealed themselves. Learning strings, which way to step, learning when to simply stop attacking. It all felt fun to learn.

But now, it's gotten to a point I just can't play without being angry. Like I've gained enough of an understanding to be frustrated at things like excessive plus frames or unfair properties like strings that realign or a plus on block homing ch launcher. But not enough to find the actually available counterplay. It feels like learning and adapting on the fly is impossible and you simply need to take the L and lab after. Like the counterplay feels so specific you need someone to tell you. So I get frustrated knowing I just have to lose.

But before I could learn even a little and it would suffice whereas now? Even if I learn to duck a string or to block a frametrap, that it isn't enough. I've begun to resent the systems the game promotes, but I am still in love with the core design. Having so much freedom for response to attacks, having so many attacks to perform, the characters, the music, the aesthetic, it all resonates with me in a way no other franchise ever has.

Tldr: I guess why I am posting this is, does anyone else share this frustration, where you have felt the potential of this game. But now you just hate what the devs/players have done? Secondly, for more advanced players, how have you dealt with the frustration of learning and reaching this sort of mentality plateau. Is it an "eat your vegetables and lab" kind of thing? Should I take a break? Is it genuinely the game?

Idk if it matters but I'm Tekken Emperor right now, was Tekken God but rage queued hard and haven't been able to get back since.