Like a Dragon: Ishin! Ishin could have easily been straight ported without a remake. I think you can catch your breath while guarding too, but you're still at risk of all the drawbacks of guarding if you decide to do this. It looks like this is a holdover from multiplayer, where the fighting-game-ish systems would make grabs too weak if they could be freely escaped. Most things you do will drain stamina, but the main way to eat it up is by attacking, and especially running and dodging.
nest...