Might already be on your todo list, but some indication of getting hit in addition to the blood spatter. I know you might be limited by what frames are in the sprite sheet for that character, but it could also be done with a dazed stars effect over the head maybe, and a brief moment of stun, and/or some nockback. I'm rambling a little... but if the first swing in the sequence activated a little faster I think that would feel good, and also the block animation being a little quicker.