[AnimeGamer]

Guilty Gear Strive Anime Review 2023

Figure 1. Guilty Gear Strive

Anime, a medium that in the modern media landscape requires no introduction as it has become a cultural phenomenon that has overtaken the likes of traditional media in every aspect. Other than its pension for original stories it is also used by game developers as the first medium to adapt their games. A reason for this is the relevance of both mediums in Japan in their younger years which has resulted in a connection like none other between the two mediums. Both also manage to funnel their fanbases to the other, increasing the market share of both. 

Following this line of thinking Arc System Works the creators of the greatest 2D fighting game of the last decade Guilty Gear Strive also have shown pention for adapting the story of the series into a feature-length anime series. And why wouldn’t they since they are no strangers to anime, as their adaptation of Dragon Ball into the Dragon Ball FighterZ game is heralded by fans as the best adaptation of any anime to date. Guilty Gears world serves as a fantastic backdrop to an anime series as it is rich with lore and filled to the brim with character stories waiting to be told. A prime example of this can be seen in the animated music video published by Arcs Systems Works for the first anniversary of the series. The music video is underscored by a fantastic pop-punk song by the name of "Find Your One Way" and it is a sort of snapshot of the series protagonist Sol Bad Guy's most iconic moments in the series. From his betrayal at the start of the series to his loss to the resurrected Judgment and his final wakening as a gear to stop Judgement. All in all, it is a fantastic take on the backstory of the series' most iconic character and arguably the most important one. As Sol has single-handedly been the driving force of the series for the last 2 decades and now with the conclusion of the gear saga and the end of Sol Bad Guy we might finally get to see the secondary characters like May, Valentine, and Sin take center stage.

Figure 2. Guilty Gear Strive Side Characters

As for the possibility of more animated shorts of the series or even an OVA-style series, nothing concrete can be said as the developers have shown interest in adapting the story many times but can't due to time constraints. Even if a series was green-lit it would be a nightmare to organize the chronological events of the games and somehow create a narrative through line. Because one thing I haven’t mentioned up to this point is the fact that the series is notorious for being more convoluted than the Kazuma family tree from Tekken. And while yes the recap mode in Strive allows players to see the main events in the timeline. It does not tell the players about the smaller ones which arguably have a more prominent impact on the series such as Valentine’s finding new love for burgers, an event that is responsible for saving the lives of millions of people.

Figure 3. Guilty Gear Strive Valentine

Yes, you heard me correctly all of that is just a minor side event in the series history. But if you want to talk about over the top then let me remind you that the first anniversary animation only scratches the surface of the character known as Sol Bad Guy. Because if you are a long-time fan of the series like me you will know that it skips over key moments from the series' history to deliver a concise but impactful tale of the hero who lost it all. And for that, the animation will forever stand as one of the best pieces of character storytelling ever made. But as for the anime series, we can not say anything about it for now as Arcs System Works seems to be working on a continuation of the new storyline in Strive, hence we can only hope one day we get to see the 100-year battle of mankind against the gears.

Figure 4. Guilty Gear Strive Sol Bad Guy Gear Awakening

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