Both characters are good. There is no cheap or not cheap in a game(unless you are cheating). It is called strategy. If you can't get out of being cornered, then you should have acted faster. If you can't stop being fireballed or superfireballed you should have acted faster. Wolverine iss espicially leathal in close combat and Ryu is dangerous in long range combat.

It is how you paly the game.