The creators of the Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers anime shared their thoughts with us on what they are most looking forward to in the anime and why there has been a recent surge in the production of shows and movies based on fighting games.
Following the success of Tekken’s animated series on Netflix and the announcement of Legendary’s upcoming Street Fighter film, Guilty Gear has become the newest fighting game to receive a television adaptation.
It is logical that Guilty Gear is receiving an anime adaptation; in fact, it is surprising that one has not been produced yet, considering its position as one of the top mainline anime fighting games available.
The fan base of Guilty Gear is both large and passionate, with a strong presence at fighting game tournaments around the world. Additionally, there is a surprising amount of Guilty Gear cosplayers at events like Anime Expo, where we had the opportunity to interview the team responsible for the game’s anime adaptation.
Looking at the current trend in Hollywood to adapt numerous video game IPs (including Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mario), it is clear that the gaming industry is focused on expanding their properties through film. We asked the Dual Rulers team for their thoughts on this pattern, specifically in regards to fighting games.
Ken Miyauchi, the producer of Guilty Gear Strive, acknowledged that as a representative of Arcsys and not Bandai Namco or Capcom, he is unable to provide a definitive answer for their actions. However, he speculates that the reason for expanding fighting games into various forms of media, such as movies, novels, and anime, is to ultimately attract a wider audience and increase the player base.
Reaching out to players and existing fans of a game may be easier, but when targeting individuals who are not frequent video game players, such as avid movie or anime fans, it is important to have content available in their preferred medium. This approach is commonly adopted by many companies.
The Dual Rulers’ team has high hopes that the anime will achieve the goal of bridging the gap between die-hard fans and those new to the franchise. They specifically noted the extensive history of Guilty Gear, which has been unfolding for over 26 years.
With such a vast amount of lore available, we needed to understand the difficulty in remaining true to the source material while creating the anime, which continues the story after the events of Guilty Gear Strive.
According to Seiji Mizushima, Associate Producer at Dual Rulers, one of the defining features of Guilty Gear is its extensive history. When producing an anime based on this franchise, it is crucial to carefully select the starting point and direction of the story. Choosing the wrong era could make it difficult for new viewers to get into the series. Therefore, the goal is to create a balance that appeals to both new and longtime fans.
Each person presents their ideas, and then you make the decision on how to proceed. From there, you establish a goal for all of these ideas. Once this is done, you hand it off to the scenario specialist.
Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers brings new characters into the well-known story of the beloved fighting game franchise, such as the ‘mysterious girl’ Unika, pictured here.
As the lead of the Dual Rulers’ series composition, Norimitsu Kaiho shared a similar sentiment, stating, “As Mizushima-san mentioned, there is a wealth of story and history surrounding this project. We cannot make hasty decisions without considering what will truly work and be enjoyable for the audience. Our team is dedicated to achieving this goal through our hard work and dedication.”
It is evident that the team has a strong passion for Guilty Gear, particularly Kaiho who has been dedicated to playing as Chipp Zanuff since the beginning. He has even gone as far as writing a novel about the character, which he shared during the Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers panel at Anime Expo.
Kaiho eagerly shared with me his enthusiasm for the anime, passionately explaining that he is highly interested in uniting the past, present, and future of the fighting game series through Dual Rulers, catering to both existing and new fans.
“For me, the most thrilling aspect of the Guilty Gear anime is the connection it creates between the past, present, and future,”he expressed. “The franchise boasts a deep history, filled with dynamic characters and a complex world. Within Guilty Gear, there are numerous themes and conflicts, such as the clash between Gears and humans and the exploration of humanity’s identity, that continue to intrigue and challenge viewers.”
“We will address those questions and provide answers for both new and old members. I am particularly thrilled about connecting the past with the future.”
Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers seeks to connect the fighting game series’ past, present, and future, while also providing an exciting opportunity for completely new fans to get in on the action.
Mizushima’s greatest source of excitement for Dual Rulers lies in his ability to effectively incorporate elements from an established property, particularly one with such intricate characters and mythology.
“Creating an anime and being able to continue a story is a way to showcase the world of Guilty Gear. The existing setting and characters are already rich and it is important to stay true to what has been established. It is rewarding to see new fans experience this world and become immersed in it.”
“Mizushima expressed excitement over the opportunity to use this as an entry point into the series and its world, as well as evoke strong reactions from long-time fans.”
The release date for Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers is set for 2025, after the world premiere of its first trailer at Anime Expo 2024.
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