no. the two are completely separate. he was talking about action charge frcs after you finish a combo. most combos end in storm viper or brp which you can ac frc to recover faster and gain charge.
and he's really right. lv1 hos still has good damage and great normals. all i gain at higher levels is more rewarding mixup, knockdowns, and scary supers. gaining levels isn't that hard either. you're always one charge cancel and an ac frc away from gaining a level. it's not like aba's case, where improper meter management gets you killed. his charge bar is there, but it isn't a necessity to put building it up above all else.
play who you like. easier characters might get you results sooner, but at this stage of the game's life it's more important to have fun.