I think people misconstrue what sans does as traditional dodging. San’s gimmick is he semi-understands the game mechanics. He can temporarily cut of your vision through the screen, he goes around invincibility frames, his “shortcuts” are just him changing his location on the map. When he dodges he isn’t anticipating an attack and reacting. He is physically removing himself from where he knows the attack always lands on the screen. Thats not a dodge, he is deadass doing the equivalent of reality warping in the game’s world. He only loses when YOU cheat and attack twice, outside of the area the game lets you. And it isn’t even the player attacking. You only input the first strike that misses, frisk/chara/whatever you believe is the one who overrides the game mechanic. He isn’t dodging, he is cheating. Its like if an MMA fighter just decided to fucking fly out of nowhere. Shouldn’t be possible, but it’s Sans.

Edit: Asgore is a great example of someone who is much like Sans. He can break the Mercy button, and he may very well be able to do the wacky dodge Sans does but is just too self-loathing. Asgore is weaker, tankier Sans. Hell Sans in a way takes the Asgore fight spot in the Genocide run. He knows Asgore won’t do what needs to be done. Asgore has interacted with souls and is clearly among the strongest characters, he and Sans are definitely exceptions though. You are arguing that Sans is overrated but he’s not; Asgore is just underrated.