Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers First Impressions

Written by Ross Locksley on 06 May 2025

I have to admit, I come in a little late to Guilty Gear. I've played various iterations over the years, but it was really Arc System Works' Blazblue series that had me hooked on their fighing content. They've since created many more themed brawlers, from Granblue Fantasy Vs to DNF Duel, but it's arguably Guilty Gear that is most representative of Daisuke Ishiwatari's signature style. The series radiates pure rock sensibilities, from the music to the wardrobe, the buxom women and the musclebound men. It's undeniably loud, brash and turned up to 11.

Sol Badguy (left) and Sin Kiske discuss tactics

I can't say I'm overly familiar with the series lore beyond the two leads (Ky Kiske and Sol Badguy) and the idea of Gears being living weapons. To the credit of the first episode, it lays out the world and characters of Guilty Gear in a remarkably succinct fashion - Ky Kiske falls in love with the powerful Gear named Dizzy - after numerous encounters, they fall in love, rule a kingdom and have a son named Sin Kiske, who trains with Sol Badguy to hone his skills. After ruling together for years, Ky and Dizzy are finally in a position to celebrate by tying the knot, but the ceremony is interrupted...

The tone of the series is set by the narrator, Tomokazu Sugita. With the muscles and the outrageous outfits I was already getting some serious JoJo's Bizarre Adventure vibes, but when it clicked that Sugita was also the voice of Joseph Joestar, I understood why it felt so related. His over-the-top delivery coupled with stylised imagery really does create an anime that should resonate with JoJo fans, so if it's going to emulate the best, it's off to a good start.

Dizzy and Ki Kiske defend themselves

Where it falters somewhat is the animation - it's painfully clear that this was created on a shoestring, but that doesn't necessarily doom a series so long as the cost cutting is managed in a stylish manner. I actually liked the simple stained-glass window stylings of Ky and Dizzy's love story, it added a fairy tale element to the romance that's certainly enhanced by the way in which Ky protects Dizzy from attack at the wedding, both frozen in a protective barrier by the end of the episode. The constant close-ups are a little less subtle, clearly keeping the animation very simple, not to mention the copious amount of freeze-frames employed as the narrator fills in the gaps, though to be fair, Guilty Gear lore is a difficult beast by design. I'm almost better off not knowing most of it.

To the show's credit, the fighting felt crunchy and brutal, the attacks all being as over-the-top and stylised as the game itself. In terms of action, I'd say the opening episode delivered nicely. 

Yes, there may be a lot of stills, but they're pretty stylish at least!

So my first impressions are somewhat mixed - it certainly has its moments, mostly centered around the combat and tableside announcer style of the narrator, but with some shortcuts and perhaps a slightly goofy lead in Sin Kiske, I get the feeling it'll be a mixed reaction from fans of the series. For a relative newcomer, I enjoyed the story and felt that episode one did a solid job in setting up the backstory, introducing complex characters in a digestible manner while keeping the story tight. Whether it can maintain the fine balance of budget and entertainment is going to come down to the writing, but whether you're an old hand at the games or a newcomer to the series, this is worth a look - the first episode should be enough to decide whether its for you or not - the first impression is certainly distinctive.

Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers is available to stream on Crunchyroll.