that is a lot better it actually looks like a Pocket Fighter stance animation, I can see you made good use of Kon and Xion's advice.
I think your blue skinned dude still needs some tweaks, your sense of contrast doesnt quite match Pocket Figther style, I think you need to up it a bit in the kimono and lower it on the skin.
also, I've never really seen such harsh lighting in a Pocket fighter sprite, check some more refference faces, try to look for the one with the harshest lighting and see how far off you are.