There's no doubt that the George was an excellent design, maximized as much as possible to counter the Hellcat and Corsair.
However, it makes little sense to take the attitude that the production and operational problems that bedeviled it in combat were somehow irrelevant.
It was fully a match for the American Naval fighters IF the engines were properly manufactured, IF they were properly tuned, IF they were running on 130 octane aviation fuel, IF they were manned by properly trained and combat experienced pilots, and IF the proper tactics were employed, IF one discounts the fact that the George's pilot had only a bullet proof pane of glass in the front of the canopy for pilot protection and no armor plating behind him whatsoever, and IF one ignores the all too often brittle landing gear.
The fact is, the Japanese simply could not match the quantitative and qualitative superiority of the American manufacturers.
In perhaps the most famous clash between the George and U.S. carrier fighters over Matsuyama airfield, the 343rd Kokutai, manned by Japan's best pilots, and with altitude and complete surprise on their side, achieved, according to Saburo Sakai, a tremendous victory over the American pilots.
The actual losses were: TF58 lost 14 fighters, some being pushed overboard after returning to their carriers, and 8 pilots. The 343rd Kokutain lost 15 fighters and 14 pilots.
That's as even as it gets.
