Continuing the trend of Western influence altering once distinctly Japanese franchises for global audiences, Arc System Works has once again modified a classic character design in Guilty Gear -Strive- to be far less revealing and controversial.
Arc System Works has confirmed that Queen Dizzy will launch as a downloadable content character on October 31st for $7 as part of Guilty Gear -Strive- Season 4.
The season will also feature additional characters, including Venom in early 2025, followed by Unika and Lucy later in the year.
Queen Dizzy is yet another example of Arc System Works’ ongoing trend with the Guilty Gear franchise since the release of Strive in 2021, where iconic character designs are continually altered or, in some cases, retconned to cater to modern activist sensibilities, particularly transgender narratives.
The Guilty Gear series is a long-standing, fast-paced, and visually striking 2D fighting game franchise developed by Arc System Works. Since its debut in 1998, it has been celebrated for its intense, combo-heavy gameplay, its high degree of technical depth, and its signature anime-inspired art style, which has garnered a dedicated fan base worldwide.
Unlike many fighting games, Guilty Gear stands out with its over-the-top characters, each with unique abilities and intricate backstories rooted in sci-fi, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic themes. The series features a distinctive rock-and-metal aesthetic, with many characters and in-game references paying homage to famous bands and musicians.
Dizzy is one of the most iconic and beloved characters in the Guilty Gear universe. First introduced in Guilty Gear X in 2000, she quickly became a central figure within the series’ lore, even serving as the final boss of that game. Since then, Dizzy has remained a fan favorite due to her complex backstory and pivotal role in the Guilty Gear narrative.
Dizzy is a half-Gear, an artificial life form central to the Guilty Gear world. As the daughter of Justice, a powerful Gear who led a war against humanity, Dizzy carries a complex legacy. Her design has always been both striking and alluring, contributing to her iconic status in the series.
Over time, Dizzy’s role has evolved from a misunderstood outcast to a symbol of hope and unity between humans and Gears. Her relationship with Ky Kiske signifies a crucial bridge between the two races, who have long been at odds throughout much of the series’ backstory.
Dizzy has reprised her role in multiple installments of the Guilty Gear series, notably in Guilty Gear XX, where she plays a significant part in both the story and as a key member of the roster. Guilty Gear XX, originally released in 2002 as the third main entry in the franchise, helped solidify her popularity due to her unique design, rich backstory, and complex playstyle, making her a fan favorite.
Middle: GUILTY GEAR X
Right: GUILTY GEAR XX
Her character design, featuring her signature angelic and demonic wings, has always been a key part of her appeal, making Dizzy one of the most visually iconic characters in the Guilty Gear series. She quickly became a fan favorite, not only for her distinct gameplay mechanics but also due to her design and personality.
Dizzy’s story, centered around her desire to live a peaceful life despite her nature as a Gear, resonates deeply with players. Additionally, her strategic, defensive playstyle, which emphasizes controlling the battlefield rather than rushing into combat, appeals to those who enjoy a more thoughtful approach to fighting games.
However, as seen with previous reintroduced DLC characters like A.B.A and Elphelt, Dizzy’s original design, which prominently displayed her abdomen and parts of her chest, has undergone significant changes over time.
In her latest appearance, Dizzy’s outfit has been altered to offer more coverage, aligning her visual design more closely with the angelic and demonic (white and black) motif, while moving away from the more revealing style that was once a hallmark of her character.
Dizzy’s previous outfit was intricate and regal, featuring numerous buckles, straps, and layers that lent her a high-fantasy aesthetic. The black-and-white color scheme emphasized the duality of her nature, half angelic, half demonic, highlighting the contrast central to her character.
Despite its noble and powerful appearance, the costume remained quite revealing, a design choice that was once commonplace for many characters in the Guilty Gear series, especially the female ones.
This reflected the anime-inspired style the series embraced, with exaggerated elements and stylized visuals. Dizzy’s oversized yellow hair ribbons, a signature part of her look, added a touch of innocence, softening her otherwise fierce, battle-ready demeanor.
In Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, Dizzy’s revised outfit features a corset-like top that enhances her delicate and feminine appearance. This elegant corset, combined with armored elements, mirrors Dizzy’s duality, fragile yet overwhelmingly powerful. The design captures her complex nature, blending vulnerability with strength.
However, her upcoming depiction in Guilty Gear Strive reflects a significant change. While the black-and-white color theme remains, Dizzy’s new design is far more refined. She now appears as a queenly or divine figure, exuding a mature, composed presence.
Her outfit is more modest, signaling her evolution from a young, uncertain fighter to a powerful, controlled character. The shift in her appearance reflects the progression of her role within the narrative.
It’s a significant departure from her previous design, as Dizzy is now almost completely covered, with only one leg exposed. Her naval and chest areas are fully concealed in a mature dress that covers her from head to toe. The iconic yellow ribbons that once defined her look have been replaced with flowers, signaling a shift in aesthetic.
Notably, it also appears that Dizzy has undergone a clear change in her physical appearance, as her once more prominent figure has been toned down in Strive, leading fans to speculate that her design has been intentionally altered to better suite the games newfound western audience.
This is hardly new territory for Arc System Works, as they’ve been steadily prioritizing Western influences in their staple franchise over the past few years.
A prime example is the character of Bridget, originally a man raised as a girl due to his village’s superstitions. In his initial story, Bridget set out to become a bounty hunter to defy the elders and prove his worth as a man by capturing high-profile criminals.
However, upon his reappearance in Strive, his character was retconned, specifically in the Western release thanks to rogue localization where his journey of growth and triumph is now rewritten, with Bridget doing a complete 180 and supposedly “identifying” as a “woman” but only in English.
Arc System also reimagined Elphelt, discarding her signature Bunny girl bride motif in favor of a more covered-up, pastel-colored “punk” rock star aesthetic. Similarly, A.B.A underwent a visual change, trading her iconic orange hair for a greenish-cyan hue, while her outfit featured longer shorts and more coverage around the waist and chest.
Arc System Works, which recently expanded with a new European division and has long maintained a globalist presence in California, has been altering the depictions of its iconic characters, seemingly to cater to progressive Western audiences who would otherwise criticize the original portrayals of such characters as being “oversexualized” and “problematic,” often citing concerns over how they appear “childlike” and are therefore pedophilic in nature.
The influence of Western sensibilities is evident, particularly in their collaboration with Cygames on Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, where censorship was introduced to prevent players from looking up character skirts, replacing the view with a black void.
Additionally, Arc System Works has redesigned various character outfits to be less revealing, though these revised costumes were optional.
Queen Dizzy’s redesign is just the latest in a series of instances where Arc System Works has deliberately moved away from traditional portrayals of femininity, opting to cover up characters’ bodies and downplay their physical features. This shift appears to be an effort to cater to the franchises newfound audience which insists on promoting the idea that Bridget is transgender, all in a bid to make the game more generic and “safe.” Dizzy is yet another casualty of the progressive overhaul that has affected Strive.
