REVIEW: ‘Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers’ Episode 2 – “Belief in Peace”

Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers Episode 2, “Belief in Peace,” sees Unika’s (Yui Ishikawa, Wuthering Waves) campaign against the Gears continue. In search of a powerful weapon, she crashes a celebration commemorating the end of the Crusades. But Sin (Issei Miyazaki) and Sol (Jôji Nakata, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengence) are on the trail, desperate to confront the terrorist.

The sophomore entry in this series gets off to a slightly rocky start. Following Sol and Sin, it dives into some of the larger lore of the world. As a continuation of its source material, it makes sense that some background would be needed, but its implementation here struggles.

The problem is that it dives into facts that aren’t needed. Too much detail can just confuse a new viewer, especially with some of the unique concepts Guilty Gear plays with. Making the full explanation more of a hindrance than helpful. This recurring issue happens several times during Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers Episode 2, holding the episode back.

Beyond this stumble, this episode delivers a ton of action as it draws new fighters into the fray as Unika’s attack plays out. Baiken (Mayumi Asano, Dance Dance Dansaeur), who was teased at the end of the last episode, along with Bridget (Manaka Iwami, Arknights: Prelude to Dawn), make their full debuts. Their simultaneous injection into the show brings a nice balance of personalities as Baiken’s simmering anger and Bridget’s enthusiastic dedication to protecting others combine in a way that allows both to leave a mark on the episode while never outshining each other.

This new infusion of personality is great, but what stands at the center of Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers Episode 2 is its action. As Unika’s latest attack kicks into overdrive, the combat escalates rapidly in scale, bringing a ton of excitement. The speed and power of the combatants are driven home thanks to the solid visual flares employed by the animation.

The hardest-hitting moments of the fights forsake the smoothness of the general line art used in the series, making the characters appear rougher in the heat of battle. This rough approach brings a sense of intensity to the sequences. This works great as the visual emotion combines perfectly with the clash of wills between Sin and Unika.

Sin is determined to understand Unika’s intentions as the two combatants duke it out. On the surface, one could dismiss her motives as blind hate for Gears, but there is more to it than that. Sin’s unwillingness to overlook what is under the surface gives the character a more complex motive than simply “stop the bad guy.” His resolve to understand her and hopefully turn her away from her current course gives the fight a more ideological tone rather than a simple battle of enemies.

Sin’s empathy, however, in no way ties his hands when it comes to stopping his opponent. The battle makes it clear that, despite his desire to understand her, he will stop her first and foremost. This is a great choice, as allowing his curiosity to hinder his willingness to protect those endangered by Unika’s actions would comprise the character’s integrity.

The whys of Unika are hinted at during the climactic battle, which further aids in building up her character. Despite no clear explanations, it does feel like she has a potentially well-intentioned, if misguided, reason for pursuing her endgame.

Great characters, evolving motivations, and over-the-top action more than make up for subpar choices with lore exploration in Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers Episode 2. Its ability to balance the plot and action allows the story to stay exciting while developing its narrative.

Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers Episode 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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