Arc System Works has confirmed that as of Guilty Gear Strive, the new character Bridget is confirmed to be trans, making her the second transgender character in the game’s cast.

Bridget’s gender had always been a bit of a conundrum in the Guilty Gear lore- born a boy and raised as a girl, Bridget’s appearance in Guilty Gear XX was similar to that of Astolfo from the fate series- a man who wears effeminate clothing, but still very much a man and using he/him pronouns.

As a result, fans were confused when her bio on the GG World menu used she/her pronouns instead- something some community members assumed was simply a typo, especially since Bridget keeps her very feminine appearance in Strive.

It wasn’t helped that the official website actively avoided giving her pronouns at all- likely due to the fact that it’s actually more of a reveal than in Testament’s case, who came out between games.

However, now that Bridget has released in Guilty Gear Strive, her arcade mode reveals that it wasn’t a typo- the character’s arc is about how Bridget comes out as trans, even getting encouragement from Goldlewis Dickinson and Ky Kiske.

Some comments obviously raised concerns about the optics of Bridget’s arc- being raised as a girl from young and then going on to decide you want to be a girl sounds like something JK Rowling would tweet out in the middle of the night.

However others still specifically praised the scene clipped above- that of Goldlewis and Ky explicitly telling Bridget that it’s her decision, no one else’s.

The Guilty Gear series has had a very positive relationship with the trans community- Bridget isn’t even the first trans character in Strive, with previous DLC character Testament being non-binary and using they/them pronouns.

Many players are cheering on the overall tone of Bridget’s character arc- being one about reclaiming your identity, something the trans community might know a little something about.

“People being mad thinking this contradicts bridget‘s lore is hilarious. The power to reclaim the identity that was initially forced upon you but turning it into something positive and learning to present that gender in your own unique way? metal AND guilty gear as fuck“, writes Twitter user PrincessXemnas.

The progressiveness of the Guilty Gear series should come as a surprise to literally nobody, especially when you remember Daisuke Ishiwatari is a man who idolized Freddy Mercury.

Guilty Gear Strive

Publisher: Arc System Works

Developer: Arc System Works

Release Date: 2021-06-11

PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam

Experience the thrill of battle with the in-depth mechanics and gorgeous animations of Guilty Gear -Strive-, the latest entry in the cutting edge Guilty Gear series! - Graphics so stunning they look like hand-drawn animation! Graphical advances make for a game so beautiful it could be mistaken for hand-drawn animation. The new generation of graphics are a delight for the eyes down to the tiniest detail! - The cutting edge of the fighting game genre! We set out with the goal to innovate the fighting game genre with this title. This game appeals to a wider audience, while maintaining the deep game mechanics that define the Guilty Gear series. The complex mechanics such as the dramatic new wall break system create opportunities for the mind games associated with fighting games. One clash after the next tells a story unique to each battle! - Their fates come to a conclusion! The story of Guilty Gear has been told over more than 20 years. At long last, each character's fate comes to a conclusion! What shocking truth awaits them? Content of the Ultimate Edition : - Guilty Gear -Strive- - Guilty Gear -Strive- : Season Pass 1 - Guilty Gear -Strive- : Soundtrack and Artbook - Guilty Gear -Strive- : Ultimate Edition Special Colours