C&C for Sprites: Practice, possible game. Need help

[Hoeloe]

I don't include any buildup for a few reasons, though it goes against normal animation practices.

There is a solution that I find works quite well, and that's to include buildup only when standing still. That way, it doesn't look jarring when you jump from rest, but if you're already moving sideways, it allows you to keep the flow of the game.