Guilty Gear

The Guilty Gear series takes place around the year 2180, in a chaotic, mystical future world. In 2010, mankind discovered an unlimited energy source of incredible power, which was labeled Magic. Despite providing a solution for world energy crises, wars continued. The power of Magic was combined with the human body creating living weapons known as Gears. Eventually the Gears turned on the human race, beginning a century-long global war known as the Crusades where the Sacred Order of Holy Knights (Seikishidan being the Japanese name), defeated Justice, leader of the Gears. Justice having been locked away in a dimensional prison, all other Gears seemingly ceased to function, bringing end to an age of conflict.

The Guilty Gear series is known for containing numerous rock and metal music references, both in the game’s music and in the names of characters, special attacks, and so forth. For example, the character Axl Low is likely named after Axl Rose, while Millia Rage’s special attack Iron Maiden is named for the band of the same name. In particular, the game includes numerous references to Queen, Guilty Gear creator Daisuke Ishiwatari’s favourite band. Ishiwatari originally voiced Sol Badguy, a leading character in the game whom the manual describes as an avid fan of Queen (might be named for the band’s lead singer Freddie Mercury’s nickname Mr. Bad Guy).