May

	"Mature Content"
	This character or verse has mature themes and concepts, thus those of young age are ill-advised to look through these.

May is a recurring character in the Guilty Gear series. A cheerful and energetic member of the Jellyfish Pirates, she serves as the crew’s first mate and is deeply devoted to her captain, Johnny, who took her in and raised her after she was orphaned near the end of the Crusades.

May
Guilty Gear Strive ▾Previous Games ▾Other Games ▾ RegularChibi Guilty Gear ▾Guilty Gear X ▾Guilty Gear XX ▾Guilty Gear IsukaGuilty Gear VastedgeGuilty Gear Xrd ▾ Artwork ▾Sprite 12 ArtworkOpening Sprite Λ CoreXX ArtworkSprite AnimationΛ Core Plus SD artwork Artwork ▾In-Game Sprite SignRevelator Counterside ▾King of FightersElemental StoryFantasy WarLost SagaBrave Frontier ▾Last PeriodCrusaders Quest ▾Code Shifter 12 Artwork 1Artwork 2 12 “ Don't worry, Johnny! May's coming to save you! „
Origin
Origin	Guilty Gear (1998)
Creator	Daisuke Ishiwatari
First Appearance	Guilty Gear (1998)
Voiced by	Satomi Kōrogi (Japanese), Eden Riegel (English)
Characteristics
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Pronouns	She/Her
Sexuality	Heterosexual
Age	Unknown Adult Age
Birthday	May 5th
Height	5'2"
Weight	93 lbs
Ethnicity	Japanese
Status	Alive
Alignment	Chaotic Good
Occupation	Pirate, First Mate
Time Period	22nd Century
Language	Japanese
Homeworld	Earth
Relationships
Affiliations	Johnny, April, Novel, Jellyfish Pirates, Dizzy, Bridget, Testament
Enemies	Testament (Formerly), Justice, Delilah (Formerly)

Background

This dropdown contains the synopsis of May's story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Background Born to parents from one of the colonies, May lost her family and home to the Crusades at a very young age. With no memory of her real name, birthdate, or nationality, she wandered the battlefield alone until Johnny found her in 2174 and rescued her. He named her "May" after the rainy month in which he discovered her, gave her a new home aboard the May Ship, and welcomed her into the Jellyfish Pirates as family. Over time, she became an important member of the crew and was eventually made first mate. Despite viewing Johnny as a father figure and brother, May also developed a strong romantic affection for him. However, in 2180, Johnny was captured while stealing from the rich to aid the poor and imprisoned for a long term. Guilty Gear Determined to save Johnny, May and her crewmates planned a daring prison break. The day before, April mentioned an alternative plan involving the Second Holy Order Selection Tournament, which granted any wish to its winner. Hoping to use the wish to free Johnny, May entered the tournament. Unaware that the competition was actually a plot to free Justice, May fought her way through but did not win. Nevertheless, Johnny managed to escape on his own. In May’s ending, Justice identifies her as Japanese before Johnny and the crew arrive to rescue her. Johnny brushes off Justice’s words and insists they celebrate his return instead. Guilty Gear X In 2181, May decides to get Johnny a birthday present and, upon hearing about a bounty on a Gear, sets out to capture the target herself. In one path, she meets Anji Mito, who realizes she is Japanese and urges her to ask Johnny about it—though he avoids the subject. In another, she encounters Dizzy, realizes she isn’t evil, and invites her to join the Jellyfish Pirates as her gift to Johnny. Ultimately, Johnny is the one who finds and recruits Dizzy. Though May fails her mission, she gains a new friend and helps Dizzy adapt to life aboard the ship. Guilty Gear XX Weeks later, the Jellyfish Pirates are attacked by I-No, who damages their ship and knocks Dizzy overboard. Testament, misunderstanding the situation, attacks May, leading to a fight. Afterward, the crew sets out to rescue Dizzy. Depending on the path, May encounters Potemkin, Bridget, or Anji—each meeting shaping her outlook on her identity and loyalty to her crew. Throughout her journeys, May becomes increasingly curious about her past and Japanese heritage, but Johnny reassures her that no matter her origins, she will always have a family with the Jellyfish Pirates. Guilty Gear Xrd By October 2187, May begins suffering from strange headaches, prompting Johnny to seek Faust’s help while leaving her in charge of the May Ship II. When Ramlethal Valentine declares war on humanity, May sets out to confront her but is stopped by Chipp Zanuff, who reminds her that her crew worries deeply about her. Learning from Ramlethal that she is seen as a “disease” because of her heritage, May runs away to avoid endangering her friends. Chipp later rescues her, encouraging her to face her fears. After reuniting with the crew, May tearfully apologizes, and Faust provides medicine to help her condition. The Jellyfish Pirates later assist Faust, Haehyun, and Leo Whitefang in efforts against the Cradle and the Universal Will, with May showing courage and maturity through every hardship. Guilty Gear -Strive- Three weeks after the events of the G4 Summit, May enjoys a peaceful life aboard the May Ship II, celebrating alongside April, Johnny, and the other Jellyfish Pirates as they settle down after the world’s latest crisis. During the Afterstory, May and April help out Ramlethal, Baiken, Sin Kiske, and Dr. Faust in stopping Delilah from unleashing her information density across the planet.

Appearance

General Description: May is depicted as a young girl with dark orange eyes and long brown hair that reaches her waist, usually tied in a ponytail. Despite the timeline of the series spanning several years, her youthful appearance remains unchanged.

Facial Features: She has a round, expressive face with dark orange eyes and light skin. Her long brown hair is straight and tied in a high ponytail, though she wears it loose in some appearances.

Clothing/Outfit: May’s primary outfit consists of an orange sleeveless coat resembling a dress, worn over a black skintight bodysuit, and large orange boots. She completes the look with fingerless gloves featuring silver plating and her signature orange tricorn pirate hat. She is often seen carrying a ship’s anchor roughly her own size. In the Xrd series, her waist cape is altered, losing the front cloth, and her tights are replaced with orange overalls while keeping most other design elements intact. In -Strive-, she retains her hat, gloves, and boots but now wears an orange hooded sweatshirt paired with black lycra shorts. She also carries a beige Chimaki-themed backpack, wears her hair loose, and has pink heart markings on her right leg.

Special Features: Her notable accessories include her distinctive pirate hat and the large anchor she wields in battle.

Alternate Forms/Disguises: May’s design changes across the series, but her general appearance and bright color scheme remain consistent throughout.

Personality

• Cheerful and openhearted: May is an energetic and upbeat individual who always tries to see the bright side of things. Her friendly and outgoing nature makes her easy to get along with.

• Childlike mindset: Though kind and well-intentioned, she can be naive and tends to think in simple, straightforward terms, often acting before thinking things through.

• Loyal and family-oriented: Her life revolves around the Jellyfish Pirates, whom she considers her family. She will readily sacrifice her own happiness or safety if it means protecting them.

• Deeply devoted to Johnny: May harbors strong affection for Johnny, her captain and savior, valuing him above all else. She dreams of earning his attention and strives to be seen as more mature in his eyes.

• Playful and mischievous: May enjoys jokes and pranks, often bringing laughter to those around her. Her impulsive sense of fun occasionally leads to trouble but also keeps morale high.

• Impulsive but positive: She tends to act on instinct rather than reason, leading her friends into spontaneous adventures. However, her enthusiasm and optimism make her a source of encouragement and joy.

• Fearful yet trusting: Despite her cheerful demeanor, May has a strong fear of bald people, which makes her cautious around Faust. Even so, she respects his medical abilities and puts trust in his skill.

Goals

• Save Johnny (Succeeded).
• Buy Johnny a present (Succeeded).
• Travel the world helping people with the Jellyfish Pirates (Ongoing).

Relationships

Johnny

Johnny was a pirate that grabbed May when she was a infant, giving her the name "May", with May seeing him as part father figure, part brother, and perhaps even part boyfriend to her, with May having a fierce love for Johnny.

In her route, learning that Testament was not planning to give her a wish, she assumes beating them will make her a hero and if she's a hero, she can break Johnny out of jail easier.

In Guilty Gear X she attempts to get the huge bounty on the Gear in order to give Johnny a birthday present.

General Information

Name: May

Origin: Guilty Gear (1998)

Overall Series: Guilty Gear

First Appearance: Guilty Gear (1998)

Company: Arc System Works

Creator: Daisuke Ishiwatari

Actor

• Japanese Voice Actor: Satomi Kōrogi (Guilty Gear, Guilty Gear X, Guilty Gear XX, Guilt Gear Xrd: -SIGN-, Guilty Gear Xrd: -REVELATOR-, Guilty Gear Strive)
• English Voice Actor: Eden Riegel (Guilty Gear Strive)

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Pronouns: She/Her

Handedness: Right-Handed

Age: Unknown Adult Age (RoboMay notes that she was mulling over the fact that May is technically an adult and even knows May's exact age. May notes herself that she is not a kid and when Chipp asks for her age he is shocked to hear the answer. Even in Guilty Gear XX, May is an adult)

Eye Color: Black

Blood Type: B

Birthday: May 5th (It's not her real birthday, but it's the day Johnny found her)

Time Period: 22nd Century:

• During Guilty Gear (1998): 2180 (The Sacred Holy Order of Knights secured humanity's victory in 217 and the first Guilty Gear takes place 5 years later)
• During Guilty Gear X: 2181 (This game takes place one year after Guilty Gear)
• During Guilty Gear Xrd: 2187 (Directly noted in the intro to Chapter 1 to take place during this time period)
• During Guilty Gear -Strive-: 2187 (Directly noted that this game takes place three weeks after the end of Guilty Gear Xrd)

Timeline: Main Timeline

Homeworld: Earth

Residence: Pirate Ship

Birthplace: Unknown

Story Role: Fighter, Playable Fighter, Supporting Protagonist

Legacy: Global Legacy (The Jellyfish Pirates were initially an infamous pirate crew known across the world)

Influence: Event Influence

Language: Japanese

Ethnicity: Japanese

Religion: N/A

Classification: Orphan, Pirate

Species: Human

State of Being: Regular

Physiology: Humanoid Physiology

In-Universe Creator: Unknown

Occupation: Pirate

Ranking: First Mate

Affiliations: Johnny, April, Novel (Made her Anchor), Jellyfish Pirates, Dizzy, Bridget, Testament

Enemies: Testament (Formerly), Justice, Delilah (Formerly)

Height: 5'2"

Weight: 93 lbs

Status: Alive

Alignment: Chaotic Good (May is apart of Johnny's pirate crew, a crew that steals from the well-off to aid those in need. Johnny's crew is also noted to be a band of chivalrous bandits, who aim to help those in need)

Protection Level: Global Protector (Noted how she wanted to aid in stopping the end of the world)

Potential

• Type of Potential: Growth Potential
• Level of Potential: Transcendent Potential
• Description: Humans in Guilty Gear have been noted by the likes of Happy Chaos to experience immense growth and potential.
• Limitations: The potential is limted to how much they're willing to put in.

Archetypal Tiering: Pint-Sized Powerhouse

Codex Statistics

Grade: S

Tier: At least 8-B, Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard

Cardinality: Finite

Dimensionality: 3-D

Power Source: Magic (Mankind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic. This is further supported in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid where a band of mages calling themselves "Apostles" taught magic to the people. Magic is described as a scientific impossibility, a power close to omnipotence, with all of its information being of an unknown origin)

Attack Potency: At least City Block level (Potency) (Justice questions how May could be so powerful, attributing it to her being Japanese. Zato notes that May has ungodly strength, with it being a legacy from the incident in 1999), Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, however without an intermediary, this energy would destroy the planet). Can ignore durability with Magic (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power. Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants)

Durability: At least City Block level, Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself)

Striking Strength: At least City Block Class (Potency), Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself, to where even a single strike or punch from them carries more energy than anything on the planet is capable of producing)

Lifting Strength: At least Class 25 (Can swing around a giant anchor with a single arm, which can weigh up to 30,000 pounds)

Travel Speed: Regular Human, Superhuman with Blast Drive (Blast Drive allows the fighter to move like the wind, running far faster then the fighter normally moves), Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard

Attack Speed: Superhuman, Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself. Fighters can move so fast with their Roman Cancels that they create a light afterimage of two of the same fighter doing a roman cancel)

Reaction Speed: Superhuman, Much Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself. Can avoid sword slashes from Johnny, where it's noted that Johnny's attacks move at the speed of light)

Stamina: Superhuman, Limitless Magic (Makind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic)

Range: Standard Melee, Extended Melee with Anchor. At least Tens of Meters with Instant Kill (May's instant kill has a bunch of dolphins come in and attack the entire screen along with light shooting out). Multiversal with Magic (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power, with it being larger then the universe)

Intelligence: Average Intelligence

Knowledge: At least Journeyman level (Shown to be decently knowledgeable throughout the Explamaytions with May short series, though nowhere near as knowledgeable as Robo May)

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Powers and Techniques

Standard Fighter AbilitiesJapanese Specific AbilitiesUnique Abilities

• Acrobatics (Fighters are able to perform high jumps while in combat)
• Air Dash (Fighters are able to dash while in the air to perform an air dash)
• Multiple Jumps (Fighters are able to jump twice)
• Aerial Recovery (Fighters through the use of Knockdown Evasion are able to flip out of a knockdown hit, ready to retaliate. With Recovery Direction, when using a Recovery move while pushing a directional button, the fighter can recover from a knock down in the direction they press, allowing them a chance to counterattack if used correctly)
• Charged Attack (The Charge Attack System is a system where fighters charge up their attacks for increased power, being able to charge it up t three levels)
• Counter (Fighters through the use of Dead-Angle Attack are able to strike the enemy even while the enemy is still attacking. With Counter Hit, while the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hititng them with one of their attacks, causing the opponent's time off balance to increase)
• Second Wind (Fighters can get back up and fight for a second round even after their health is depleted)
  • Healing (Fighters can restore back their health for the second round of a fight)
• Guard Break (With Dust Attacks, by pushing a Slash and Heavy Slash, the fighter can use attacks that break the crouching guard. With Power Attacks, fighters can unleash a slow move that whe hit, has a high guard crash rate)
• Auto-Pilot (With Auto Guard, if fighters are not performing an action, they will automatically guard head-on attacks)
• Aerial Recovery Nullification (With Sweep, if this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a recovery move)
• Acausality
  • Future or Past Defiance: When it looks like I-No has killed Sol through destroying his past, That Man comes in to note that it is foolish to believe this "Now" is what's really important, if there is no present, then neither the past nor future can exist, making everyone immune to affects from the past or future of time as they exist in their own presents.
  • Time Paradox Immunity
    • Paradox Immunity: "Now" is what's really important, if there is no present, then neither the past nor future can exist, making everyone immune to paradoxes that effect the past or future.
• Magic (Mankind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic. This is further supported in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid where a band of mages calling themselves "Apostles" taught magic to the people. Magic is described as a scientific impossibility, a power close to omnipotence, with all of its information being of an unknown origin)
  • Axiom Manipulation, Truth Manipulation & Information Manipulation (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power)
    • Law Manipulation (Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants. Noted by Asuka that magic is the power to bend the rules of nature)
    • Statistics Amplification (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, however without an intermediary, this energy would destroy the planet)
    • Dormant Power Reservoir (As Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, they possess immense dormant energy that they cannot release as it would result in the destruction of the planet)
      • Non-Standard Damage (Through amplifying their energy on this scale, they can destroy physical space occupied by a barrier, creating a spontaneous microverse)
    • Biological Manipulation & Fusionism (Noted in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid that through the use of magic one can fuse Gear cells to the material world, allowing them to reproduce and become at least semi-permanent)
    • Fire Manipulation, Telepathy & Teleportation (Magic has become a foundation of people's lives in Guilty Gear, for starting fires, communicating with people from afater, teleporting)
• Non-Standard Interaction
  • Soul Interaction: Fighters are able to fight and interact with ghost.
  • Higher-Dimensional Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with Bedman, who deleted his own ID and became a multi-dimensional being.
  • Transcendent Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with beings like Slayer, where it's noted by Happy Chaos that Vampires are apart of Demi-humans, who transcend genetics, physics, and even time itself with their very existence being essentially a bug in the world's programming.
  • Non-Existent Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with Raven, a being that notes he is non-existent entity.
    • Creation (Magic users can create beings like magehounds, who are not that different from a real dog, their personality depending entirely on how the user raises them)
• Lock-On (Fighters are able to enter a "Lock-on Mode", where they target a single foe)
  • Statistics Boost (Attacks in Lock-on Mode are powerful, catering to one-on-one battles)
• Finishing Blow (With Instant Kills, if either fighter wins with an Instant Kill move, he or she wins the match immediately, no matter which round the game is currently in)
  • One Hit KO
• Power Modification (If fighter's inflict even a single attack on a ghost they will take control of it and be able to use its abilities against the opponent)
• Chaos Manipulation (Fighters utilize an energy known as "Chaos Energy" to do things like perform Perfect Guarding and perform Chaos Moves, a super-powerful attack that takes a completely full Chaos Bar to use)
  • Energy Manipulation
  • Perfect Guard (Fighters are able to use perfect guard to block special moves or chaos moves without losing any life at all)
  • Statistics Boost (If a fighters Chaos Bar is full and they dash from across the screen, they will flash and be able to tackle the opponent)
• Forcefield Manipulation (Fighters can use a technique known as Faultess Defense, this allows the fighter to enter a special guard condition that creates a barrier around them preventing the opponent from shaving away strength with deadly attack, and the knock back is greater than a normal guard, giving them more time to ready an attack against the opponent)
• Energy Manipulation (With Roman Cancels, the fighter generates an energy field around themself)
  • Afterimage Creation (Fighters can move so fast with their Roman Cancels that they create a light afterimage of two of the same fighter doing a roman cancel)
  • Time Manipulation (With Red Roman Cancel, knocks back the enemy and briefly slows them down in time. With the Blue Roman Cancel, slows the enemy down in time. With Purple Roman Cancel, slows the enemy down in time)
    • Counter (With the Yellow Roman Cancel, can stop the opponent while they're attacking and slow them in time)
    • Vibration Manipulation
• Space-Time Manipulation (Through two fighters slamming into each other at strong forces, they spread space-time wide open).

• Resistance to
  • Extreme Heats (Fighters can take fire attacks from Sol, which burn around their entire body, along with take hits from Axl's different flame attacks)
  • Electricity (Fighters can block and take hits from electric attacks, such as Justice's attacks that electrocute with each hit)
  • Shadow Attacks (Fighters are able to take hits from Zato's shadow Eddie where the Shadow can instant kill someone through destroying their shadow)
  • Poison Manipulation (Fighters can eventually have poisons wear out)
  • Power Modification (Fighters are able to hit each other without any effects to their abilities, where if fighter's inflict even a single attack on a ghost they will take control of it and be able to use its abilities against the opponent)
  • Axiom Manipulation, Truth Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Fighters can face off against Gears, where Gear Cells are what That Man used to create a sphere within the Backyard which was making a physical interference with it and causing distortions within it, where the Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power)
    • Law Manipulation (As they resist the Gear Cells mere existence interfering with the Backyard, they also resist other effects uch as the Backyard being a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants)
  • Soul Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Fighters are able to fight against Justice, where Justice's information density is equivalent to a galaxy cluster, where the soul breaks down under the pressure of the information density, an example of this can be seen through the Backyard, when a normal life form enters the Backyard they turn to dust, the Backyard is composed of high-density information which governs all of creation, any normal creature is instantly crushed by that wealth of data)

• Fusionism (The Japanese have the energy to merge Jack-O' with Justice)
• Empowerment (Justice questions how May could be so powerful, attributing it to her being Japanese)

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics
  • Superhuman Strength
  • Superhuman Durability
  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Reaction
  • Superhuman Lifting
  • Superhuman Energy Efficiency
• Intimidation (Put fear into RoboMay when she wanted the title of the segment changed through just saying "No". Sent fear into RoboMay again when she said she does not look or acct like an adult)
• Weapon Mastery
  • Unique Weaponry: Ma can swing around a giant anchor with a single arm and use it in combat against other weapon wielders.
• Vehicular Usage
  • Seaborne Vehicles: May is able to ride on dolphins.
    • Animal Taming
• Enhanced Senses (May is able to hear April talk to her all the way from the flying ship, while she's on the ground)
• Bestowal (May alongside many others lended her energy to Sin Kiske and Unika as they fought the core of the entity)
• Animal Manipulation (Can summon animals to help her fight, such as giant whales, along with dolphins, the effect is shown to be done through her whistling)
  • Helper Call
  • Summoning (May notes that magic is the reason she is able to do things like summon Dolphins)
  • Water Manipulation (When summoning an animal to help her fight such as giant whales, they bring with them a massive tidal wave to attack the opponent with)
• Vibration Manipulation (Causes shockwaves through slamming the ground with her anchor)
• Her Instant Kills
  • Animal Manipulation (May's instant kill has a bunch of dolphins come in and attack the entire screen along with light shooting out)
    • Light Manipulation
    • Helper Call
  • Helper Call (May calls her crew to come in and stampede on the opponent)

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Equipment

Anchor

May wielding her anchor in Guilty Gear X.

• Description: A massive anchor wielded by May as her primary weapon and trademark tool in battle. While anchors are typically used to keep ships stationary, May repurposes hers as a powerful melee weapon.
• Appearance: The anchor is oversized, featuring a thick shaft and broad flukes, often seen carried effortlessly over May’s shoulder. Its design varies slightly across games but consistently retains a nautical and industrial look.
• Usage: Despite its immense size and weight, May swings the anchor with ease, demonstrating her superhuman strength. She employs it in a wide range of techniques, from heavy strikes to projectile-based attacks.
• Function: Serves as both a physical weapon and a thematic extension of May’s maritime identity, reflecting her background as a member of the Jellyfish Pirates.
• Notable Traits: In Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-, the anchor bears the inscription “a work of Novel 2187,” indicating it was crafted by her crewmate Novel. Across different titles, she is shown to have used multiple variations of the anchor. The weapon was originally conceived as an axe during early design stages of the character.

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Notable Techniques

Standard Fighter Techniques ▾Unique Techniques ▾Other Techniques

Guilty Gear (1998)Guilty Gear XGuilty Gear XX ▾Guilty Gear 2 Overture

Gatling Combo System

Gatling Combos involve chaining together normal attacks, always increases or staying the same level of strength. After a Gatling Combo, the fighter can then usually cancel, or two-in-one, into a Special Move.

Charge Attack

Fighters have a special move that can be charged up for increased power, this is accomplished by charging their special in order to use an enhanced version of an attack that reaches all the way to level 3.

Instant Kill System

Instant Kill moves are moves that are a fighter's most powerful technique. Defeating an opponent with the Instant Kill will end the match immediately, regardless of the round the fighters are on.

Chaos Moves

Chaos Moves are super-powerful attacks that takes a completely full Chaos Bar to use. These moves do far more damage then a fighters standard attacks.

Dash / Back-Dash / Air Dash

Fighters can dash forward, do a back dash, and dash even in mid air, allowing for greater mobility of moving around their opponents during fights.

High Jump

A high jump is much higher then a regular jump, and a forward or backward High Jump travels all the way across the screen. A Double Jump cannot be performed during a High Jump.

Knockdown Evasion

When a fighter gets hit with an attack that knocks down, they will flip out of the hit immediately, ready to retaliate.

Double Jump

A fighter can jump once on the ground and once again in the air, allowing them to reach higher and out of reach spots from other fighters.

Throws

Fighters can grab opponents to throw them, being able to throw them either forward or backwards.

Mid-Air Turn

Through pressing the Taunt Button when in mid-air, the fighter can turn around and face the opposite direction, this technique can be useful to attack from behind.

Aerial Combos

Fighters have an Aerial Combo Launcher, which allows them to launch the opponent into the air, they can follow with a Chase Jump where they can attack the opponent with a multi-hit, mid-air Gatling Combo.

Dead-Angle Attack

When blocking an opponent's attacks, the fighter can quickly input a Special Move command to cancel their block animation and strike the enemy while they're still attacking.

Perfect Guard

Unlike normal blocking which drains a small amount of life when blocking against a special move or Chaos Move, the Perfect Guard can block without losing any life at all. Though the Perfect Guard will drain the fighter's Chaos Bar, and if they have no Chaos Energy at all, they will not be able to use Perfect Guard.

Faultess Defense

Through inputing the punch and kick simultaneously while pushgin the directional button for a guard position, the fighter enters a special guard condition that creates a barrier around them. This prevents opponents from shaving away at their strength with deadly attacks and the knock back is greater than when using normal guards, giving the fighter more time to ready an attack against their opponent. This also enables the ability to guard against attacks that cannot be guarded against during jumps. However, while performing Faultess Defense the Tension Gauge decreases, once it is fully depleted the fighter can no longer use Fautless Defense.

Roman Cancel

While hitting an opponent with an attack, pushing any of the attack buttons will forcefully stop attack actions and return the character to a normal standing pose. This allows the fighter to create their own original combo moves and hit unique attacks the opponent was not expecting.

Jump Cancel

There are certain attacks that can be cancelled mid-move into a jump, being called a Jump Cancel. When hitting an opponent with, or guarding against certain attacks, press the Directional button UP to cancel into a jump. Successful use of this can help to enhance their combo techniques.

Counter Hit

While the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hitting them with one of their attacks, because the opponent's time off balance is increased, this move allows for use of combo attacks that normally couldn't be used.

Recovery Direction

When using a recovery move by pushing a directional button, the fighter can recover from a knock down in the direction pressed, this can provide with a chance for a counterattack if used correctly.

Instant Kill Technique

As the name implies, these are the ultimate deadly attack that can do away with opponents with a single blast. Due to the sheer power of these moves, they take a long time to unleash. Unleashing an Instant Kill attack, completely depletes the Tension Gauge, thus missing this move at all makes the fighter struggle worse as they won't be able to use various actions that require the Tension Gauge.

Guard

Push the directional button opposite of the direction of the fighter's opponent to guard against attacks. There are standing and crouching guards which guard against the respective areas, with standard guard defending against high and mid-level attacks while crouch guarding defends against low attacks. Fighters can even guard during jumps to protect against attacks in the air.

Two-Level Jumps

Fighters can jump again while in the air.

Gatling Combo

A method of linking normal moves together as combo attacks. The moment a fighter hits an opponent with a normal attack, they proceed to enter commands for another normal attack to create combos. The number of moves that can be used in combos vary with each character.

Overdrive Attack

Over Drive attacks are powerful attacks that use up 50% of the Tension Gauge. The commands for the move vary with each character.

High Jump

Press the down then up directional buttons quickly to jump higher than the usual jumps, though a Two-Level jump cannot be used after a High Jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

With a Punch or Heavy Attack common to all characters, keep the right directional button pressed down while attacking to transform attacks.

Dead Angle Attack

At the instant the fighter has guarded against an opponent's attack, push two attack buttons simultaneously while pushing down on the right directional button to counterattack from the guard position. The Tension Gauge needs to be at 50% or above for this move.

Dust Attack

By pushing a Slash and Heavy Slash button, the fighter can use attacks that break crouching guards. Opponents attacked with this move will be spun around and knocked down, becoming temporarily defenseless. At this time, push up on the directional button for the fighter to pounce on the opponent and have a perfect chance to strike back with a combo attack.

Sweep

Push a Slash and Heavy Slash button while in crouch to use the Sweep move. If this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a recovery move.

Tension Gauge

The Tension Gauge is a gauge that shows a character's hostility, which holds the key to victory. The power of this gauge increases when the fighter uses aggressive moves like moving forward, dashing, forward jumps, and attacks. As the power of this gauge increases more moves can be used.

Recovery

When knocked down after being attacked, push any 2 attack buttons simultaneously while in the air to regain balance. This moves enables the fighter to quickly ready themself against the next attack.

Throw

Push the right or left directional button near an opponent and push the Heavy Slash button to activate this special attack. It's a risky move as the fighter needs to be near an opponent, though the opponent cannot guard against this, making it an effective move to mix in with normal attacks.

Guilty Gear X2Guilty Gear XX Λ Core Plus

Psych Burst

Allows the fighter to not only knock back enemies but also increase the Tension Gauge to "MAX" b meeting certain conditions. The Pysch Burst can only be used when the Burst Gauge reaches "MAX" and it redners them invulnerable for a set tie when activated, but it cannot be activated while the fighter s hit by an Overdrive Attack or when being thrown.

Two-Level Jumps

Lets the fighter jump again while in the air.

High Jump

Press down then up on the directional buttons quickly to jump higher then a usual jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

With a Punch or Heavy Slash common to all characters, keep the right direction button pressed down while attacking to transform attacks.

Dead Angle Attack

At the instant the fighter guarded against an opponent's attack, push any two attack buttons simultaneously while pushing the right directional button to counterattack from the guard position.

The Tension Gauge must be at 50% or above for this move.

Dust Attack

By pushing the Dust button, fighters can use attacks that spin around and knock down the opponents. This causes them to become temporarily defenseless. At this time, push up on the directional button to pounce on the opponent. It's a perfect chance to strike back with a combo attack.

Sweep

Push a Dust button while in a crouch to use the Sweep move. If this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a Recovery move.

Recovery

When knocked down after being attacked, push any two attack buttons simultaneously while in the air to regain their balance. This move enables them to quickly ready themself against the next attack.

Throw

Push the right or left directional button near an opponent and push a Heavy Slash button to actiavte this special attack.

Approach an opponent during a jump while pushing the directional button in the direction of their approach and push the heavy slash button to be able to body toss the enemy during a jump.

During a Dash or Backstep, the fighter can not use a throw move.

Gatling Combo

A method of linking normal moves together as combo attacks. The moment they hit an opponent with a normal attack, enter the commands for another normal attack to create combos. The number of moves that can be used in combos vary with each character.

Overdrive Attack

These are very powerful attacks that use up 50% of the Tension Gauge. The command for this move varies on the fighter.

Instant Kill

As the name implies, this is the ultimate deadly attack that can do away with opponents in a single blast. As these moves are very powerful, they take a long tme to unleash.

Faultless Defense

Push the punch and kick button simultaneously while pushing the directional button for a guard position to enter a special guard condition that creates a special barrier around the fighter. This prevents opponents from shaving away through a fighter's strength with deadly attacks, and the knock back is greater than when a fighter uses normal guards, giving them more time to ready an attack against the opponent. They can also guard against attacks that cannot be guarded against during jumps.

While performing the Faultless Defense, the tension gauge decreases in real time, when the Tension Gauge powr is depleted, this guard can no longer be used.

Jump Cancel

There are certain normal moves where fighters can forcibly stop hitting an opponent with an attack or stop guarding against an attack and link it to a jump. By using these attacks, the fighter can combine these with attacks to widen their repertoire of combo attacks.

Roman Cancel

While hitting your opponent with an attack, push any three of the attack buttons except Dust button to forcefully stop attack actions and return the character to a normal standing pose. With the application of the move, fighters can create their own original combo attack. In order to perform a Roman Cancel, the Tension Gauge must be at least 50% full.

Counter Hit

While the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hitting them with one of their attacks. Because the opponent's time off balance is increased, the move allows the fighter to use combo attacks that they normally couldn't use.

Recovery Direction

When the fighter uses a Recovery move, they can recover from a knock down in the direction pressed. A recovery can provide the chance to counterattack if used correctly.

Slip

Specific Normal Moves, Special Moves, and Overdrive Attacks have the special ability to put opponents into a "slip" condition. When the fighter hits an opponent with these moves, they render enemies defenseless for a set time.

Two-Level Jumps

The fighter can jump again while in mid-air.

High Jump

The fighter can jump higher than usual by quickly pressing the directional input down and up. However, Two-Level jumps cannot be used after a High Jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

Through pressing the directional button while pressing the Punch or Heavy Slash buttons, the fighter can transform attacks.

Psych Burst

The fighter becomes temporarily invincible and knocks away the opponent when the Burst Gauge is at max. This technique cannot be used while taking damage from an Overdrive Attack or while being thrown. The Tension Gauge also maxes out whenever the fighter hits an opponent with a move.

Dust Attack

A fighter launches a Dust Attack by pressing Dust while standing. It's impossible to guard against a Dust Attack by crouching. After hitting the opponent with a Dust Attack, press the directional button to chase the opponent and him them with a combo attack while in the air.

Sweep

The fighter uses the Sweep move on the opponent by pressing the Dust button while crouching. A swept opponent cannot use a Recovery move.

Recovery

The fighter can regain balance when knocked down by pressing any attack button in midair.

Throws

The fighter can throw their opponent by pressing the directional button while pressing Heavy Slash when near the opponent. The opponent can also be thrown while in midair using the same method.

Throw Escape

The fighter can escape the opponent's throw while they are on the ground or in mid air through pressing the directional button while pressing Heavy Slash. This technique cannot be used while unconscious or launching an attack.

Gatling Combos

The fighter can create a combo out of a series of Normal Moves, launching a second attack as soon as the opponent is hit with the first attack. The number of moves that can be used for this technique are different for each fighter.

Force Break

It's a unique Special Move that consumes 25% of the Tension Gauge. Commands for this technique vary for each character.

Overdrive Attacks

These are extremely powerful attacks that consume 50% of the Tension Gauge. Commands for this technique vary for each character.

Instant Kills

As the name suggests, this is the ultimate attack that can knockout the opponent in one blow. Although these moves are extremely powerful, it takes time to successfully execute them.

Faultless Defense

While simultaneously holding down any two attack buttons except Dust, press a directional button in the direction the fighter wants to defend in order to enter a special guard called "Faultless Defense". In this state, fighters life won't be consumed when guarding against opponents Special Moves, but the opponent will knock the fighter back further than usual. This technique can be used to guard an attack which normally cannot be defended in mid-air.

Jump Cancel

The fighter can override certain moves, such as hitting the opponent or being blocked by the opponent by jumping out of a move when the fighter is midway through it. This technique can create great varieties in attacks and combos.

Counter Hit

By hitting the opponent in the middle of a move, the fighter can counterattack the opponent's attacks. A counter hit staggers an opponent longer than usual, so it gives a fighter a great chance to try combos they wouldn't normally pull off.

Recovery Direction

Press any directional button while recovering to move towards that direction as the fighter recovers.

Staggering

Certain Normal Moves, Special Moves, and Overdrive Attacks can put the opponent in a "stagger" state after a hit. A "stagger" opponent is temporarily defenseless.

Instant Block

Guarding against the opponent's attack right before it hits activates the "Instant Block". This will cause the fighter to start shining white with a bright light. Unlike a normal guard, which has a period where the fighter cannot move or attack, this time frame is shorter for Instant Block. Thi technique is helpful for guarding against attacks from close range.

Slash Back

Simultaneously pressing Slash, Heavly Slash, and the directional button in the direction the fighter guards against creates a yellow effect.

If successful, the yellow effect flashes and will dramatically cut the stun time after a guard; however, the fighter becomes temporarily defenseless if it fails.

Roman Cancel

While hitting the opponent with an attack, simultaneously press any three attack buttons, except Dust, to cancel the attack move. This technique allows the fighter to create their own original combo attacks. However, it consumes 50% of the Tension Gauge.

Force Roman Cancel

Each fighter has several attack moves that are compatible with this technique, while using one of those attacks, simultaneously press any three attack buttons except Dust of a certain timing to cancel the attack move and return to a standing pose. The best timing to input the command varies for each attack move, and if the timing is missed, it fails. When it's successfully activated, the technique consumes 25% of the Tension Gauge.

Free Mode & Lock-on Mode

Free Mode

It's a normal mode where a fighter can freely move around the battlefield, in this mode fighters can unleash attacks that cover a wide-range to hit multiple foes, but the power of the attacks are rather weak.

Lock-On Mode

Lock-on Mode is an effective technique for one-on-one skirmishes or situations where a fighter would like to target a single foe. Through holding a lock-on on a target, attacks are far more powerful, catering to one-on-one battles, combined with directional input, they can use vertical or horizontal attacks on enemies to shake them up.

Aerial Dash

During a jump, press A to perform a forward dash in mid-air. The fighter uses aerial dashes to jump over units or shortening the gap during aerial combos.

Step

Use the directional input and A while locking on to use a step movement. The distance it covers may be short, but through taking advantage of its speed, one can avoid attacks from enemies or shake them up during an attack.

Blast Drive

Through usage of the left stick button, the fighter is able to run like the wind, being able to accelerated and decelerate respectively.

Drift

During a blast drive, a fighter can perform sharp turns, allowing them to keep their momentum.

Auto Guard

If a fighter is not performing an action, they will automatically guard head-on attacks. However, auto-guard does not block attacks from behind or while the fighter is performing attacks. Along with this, guarding opponent's attacks too much will cause a guard crash, making them defenseless.

Modern Cancel

A technique that skips the recover animation of attacks, allowing the fighter to immediately perform another. With Modern Cancels, the fighter cna combine attacks that normally do not combo to forcibly create a combo, or completely bypass the defenseless state of their attacks during their recovery animation.

Cyclone Blast

It's an emergency-evasion technique that releases a sphere-shaped energy when the fighter is attacked to knock enemies away. This move is effective for escaping an attack from a group of enemies, however it requires a lot of tension.

Short Dash

While in lock-on the fighter can quickly move a short distance, being able to quickly shorten the gap between themself and the opponent.

Power Attack

The fighter unleashes a powerful attack that has a slow start animation. It has a high guard crash rate.

Avoid Knockdown and Falling Techniques

When the fighter takes damage from an enemy and are knocked down as a result, press A in mid-air at an appropriate time to use "Avoid Knockdown" to quickly regain their balance.

By pressing A right before the fighter hits the ground, the fighter will be able to use "Falling Techniques" to quickly get up.

Super Backstep

Allows the fighter to travel a longer distance than a normal backstep, an important technique to quickly distance oneself from the enemy.

Homing Jump

Press A while locking on to jump toward the target. They can also use an air dash to charge toward their target.

Non-Command List Techniques

Anchor Mastery

May wields a massive ship’s anchor as her primary weapon and swings it effortlessly despite her small stature, demonstrating overwhelming superhuman strength.

Mr. Dolphin

May summons a powerful dolphin that charges forward at high speed to strike her opponent with tremendous force.

Dodomezaki

May briefly summons a large otter that rushes forward and collides with the opponent.

Mr. Goshogawara

May summons a killer whale that crashes into the opponent with devastating impact.

Ki Potential

Due to her Japanese heritage, May is believed to possess latent Ki manipulation abilities, though she has not yet shown clear control over this power. This power could be very likely the reason she summons animals and dolphins with magic.

Hidden Power

Individuals such as Faust have sensed an immense amount of dormant power within May, far beyond what her appearance suggests.

Command List

Guilty Gear

Type	Name	Command
Normal	Fierce Strike	Right + Punch
Special	Aqua Rolling	DownDown RightRight + Slash
Special	Aqua Rolling Charge Attack	Hold RightDown RightDown + Respect (up to 3 levels)
Special	Restive Rolling	RightDownDown Right + Slash
Special	→ Hard to Port	Direction + Slash during Restive Rolling
Special	Mr. Dolphin!	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Heavy Slash
Special	Mist Finer	DownDown LeftLeft + Slash
Special	→ Gentle Mist Finer	Tap Slash during Mist Finer
Special	Overhead Kiss	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Kick near opponent
Overdrive	May Dynamic	LeftRightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash
Instant Kill	May Catapult	Enter Instant Kill Mode → DownDown RightRight + Punch or Kick or Slash or Heavy Slash

Guilty Gear X

Type	Name	Command
Special	Mr. Dolphin! (Horizontal)	Left (briefly), Right + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Mr. Dolphin! (Vertical)	Down (briefly), Up + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Restive Rolling	RightDownDown Right + Slash (also in mid-air) → Direction + Slash
Special	Applause for the Victim	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Punch or Kick or Slash or Heavy Slash (hold to charge)
Special	Overhead Kiss	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Kick near opponent
Overdrive	Ultimate Whiner	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash
Overdrive	Great Yamada Attack	DownDown RightRightDownDown RightRight + Slash
Instant Kill	May and the Jolly Crew	Enter Instant Kill Mode → RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeftRightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash near opponent

Guilty Gear XX

Type	Name	Command
Normal Mode	Special Skill	Down Right + Kick / Down + Heavy Slash in air / Right + Punch (hold) / Right + Heavy Slash (hold)
Normal Mode	Just Kidding~	Dust (hold)
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)	Left (hold), Right + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Vertical)	Down (hold), Up + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Restive Rolling	RightDownDown Right + Slash or Heavy Slash (also in mid-air)
Special	→ Hard to Port	Direction + Slash or Heavy Slash during Restive Rolling
Special	Applause for the Victim	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Punch or Kick or Slash or Heavy Slash or Dust (hold to charge)
Special	→ Launch / Move	DownDown RightRight + Punch / DownDown LeftLeft + Punch during Applause for the Victim
Special	Overhead Kiss	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Kick near opponent
Special	Aqua Rolling	DownDown RightRight + Slash / DownDown LeftLeft + Slash (also in mid-air)
Special	Mist Finer	DownDown RightRight + Kick (hold to charge) → Stance Cancel: Heavy Slash
Special	MU • RO • FU • SHI	DownDown RightRight + Heavy Slash
Special	→ Follow-up	Right or Left during MU • RO • FU • SHI
Special	Jackhound	DownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash
Force Break	Jackhound	DownDown LeftLeft + Dust
Force Break	Go Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)	Neutral Right + Dust during Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)
Force Break	Go Mr. Dolphin (Vertical)	Neutral Up + Dust during Mr. Dolphin (Vertical)
Force Break	Delux Goshogawara Bomber	DownDown RightRight + Dust
Overdrive	Ultimate Whiner	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash
Overdrive	Great Yamada Attack	DownDown RightRightDownDown RightRight + Slash
Overdrive	Super Screaming Ultimate Spinning Whirlwind	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Slash
Overdrive	→ Delux Goshogawara Bomber	Punch during S.S.U.S.W.
Overdrive	May Dynamic	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Heavy Slash
Instant Kill	May and the Jolly Crew	Enter Instant Kill Mode → RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeftRightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash near opponent

Guilty Gear Xrd

Type	Name	Command
Normal	--	Right + Kick / Down Right + Kick / Down + Heavy Slash in air
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)	Left (hold), Right + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Vertical)	Down (hold), Up + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Overhead Kiss	RightDownDown Right + Kick near opponent
Special	Applause for the Victim	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Punch or Kick or Slash or Heavy Slash (hold to charge)
Special	Don't Miss It	DownDown LeftLeft + Punch or Kick
Special	Ensenga?	LeftDown LeftDownDown RightRight + Heavy Slash in air
Overdrive	Great Yamada Attack	DownDown RightRightDownDown RightRight + Slash or Dust
Overdrive	Ultimate Whiner	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Heavy Slash
Overdrive	Ultimate Spinning Whirlwind	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeft + Slash
Overdrive	→ Deluxe Goshogawara Bomber	Punch during Ultimate Spinning Whirlwind
Instant Kill	And Then She Said... Farewell	Enter Instant Kill Mode → DownDown RightRightDownDown RightRight + Heavy Slash

Guilty Gear -Strive-

Type	Name	Command
Normal	--	Right + Punch / Right + Kick / Down Right + Kick / Right + Heavy Slash / Down + Heavy Slash in mid-air
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)	Left (hold), Right + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	→ Split	Kick during Mr. Dolphin (Horizontal)
Special	Mr. Dolphin (Vertical)	Down (hold), Up + Slash or Heavy Slash
Special	Overhead Kiss	RightDownDown Right + Kick
Special	Arisugawa Sparkle	DownDown LeftLeft + Punch or Kick
Overdrive	Great Yamada Attack	DownDown RightRightDownDown RightRight + Slash
Overdrive	The Wonderful and Dynamic Goshogawara	RightDown RightDownDown LeftLeftRight + Heavy Slash (air OK)

Womanhood

The unmistakable strength of a Woman Fighter.

By honing her mind, body, and way of life, a Woman Fighter can leave her mark on her surroundings as much as on the battlefield. As womanhood is an eternal moving concept, so are the spirits and abilities that women can put to good use both in everyday life and during a fight: their personalities, speeches and even hobbies can all become assets when combined with adaptability.

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Other

Standard Tactics: May utilizes her anchor in combat, along with summoning animals and her crew.

Weaknesses

• Standard Fighter Weaknesses: Perfect Guarding is done through the use of Chaos Energy, if the fighter has no Chaos Energy at all, they will not be able to Perfect Guard. While performing Faultess Defense, the fighters Tension Gauge decreases, when the Tension Gauge power is depleted, this guar can no longer be used.
• Japanese Weaknesses: Information flares have an effect on the Japanese, transforming them into monsters.
• Unique Weaknesses: Nothing notable.

Explanations

The Backyard

When studying the energy that shouldn't exist (magic), a theory arose: that being the Backyard, a superior dimension. The Backyard is described by Sol as a virtual space though is refuted as the other way around, where the main world is the one that's a virtual space. The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world. The magic people like Sol and Sin use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power. Just as the Earth can't exist if there's no universe, this world cannot exist unless they have that "something", being larger then the universe. Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants. The Backyard can be explained as a book or library that has the theory of the world written on it. It's responsible for the usage of irregular magic even scientists such as Sol have never seen before, allowing people to use magic that disproves the fundamentals of magic. The Backyard was discovered by a Philosopher, being described to rule all things in the universe and from within it, one could understand any truth or even bend the world as they please. Sol notes that if Valentine could freely access the Backyard, then she can also mess with the world's fate. Asuka Kreutz notes that if someone strays too far into the Backyard, their soul breaks down under the pressure of the information's density. In Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-, the Backyard is defined as a world separate from our own, yet somehow controlling it, what's hidden behind its gates are the eternal truths, including good & evil, creation & destruction, and of chaos the likes of which mankind has never seen. The Backyard is a space connected by people's dreams. Axl traveling in the Backyard with I-No noted how his body felt heavy and his head felt weird, with I-No noting they're in a field created by That Man so they could exist in the Backyard in the flesh. When a normal life form enters the Backyard they turn to dust, the Backyard is composed of high-density information which governs all of creation, any normal creature is instantly crushed by that wealth of data. The Backyard has no effect on any non-living matter. RoboMay explains the Backyard as composed of extremely dense information that governs the creation of all material things and by adding new information to it, one could easily deform the world itself. Noting that it is a dangerous place that could literally cause the world to break.

Gameplay

May is a close-range rushdown fighter known for her strong normals, good air mobility, and signature dolphin attacks. A well-balanced choice for beginners, she combines solid power, speed, and accessibility, excelling in pressuring opponents once she closes the distance.

OverallGuilty Gear -Strive-

• Playstyle: A close-range attacker who uses strong normals and mobility to overwhelm opponents at short distances.
• Strengths: Excellent aerial movement, strong priority on normal attacks, great hitboxes, and reliable pressure tools.
• Weaknesses: Relies heavily on closing distance; limited reach at long range.
• Signature Mechanic: Mr. Dolphin — a versatile charge attack that can be used horizontally or vertically for pressure, anti-air, and combo extensions.
• Ideal Range: Close range, where she can utilize her normals and Mr. Dolphin effectively.
• Recommended Playstyle: Use her mobility and priority normals to get in and maintain pressure, alternating between horizontal and vertical dolphin attacks to control neutral and approach safely.

• Playstyle: A simplified, rushdown-focused fighter with slower but stronger moves and fewer movement options.
• Strengths: High damage output, easy-to-use offense, and effective mix-ups with overhead and low options.
• Weaknesses: Reduced mobility and fewer escape tools compared to previous versions.
• Signature Mechanic: Mr. Dolphin (horizontal and vertical) remains her primary tool for approaching, pressuring, and comboing opponents.
• Ideal Range: Close range, maintaining offensive momentum and applying constant pressure.
• Recommended Playstyle: Stay near the opponent to apply mix-ups; alternate dolphin attacks and pressure strings while keeping movement unpredictable.

Profiles

Guilty Gear

Profiles

May “ Don't worry, Johnny! May's coming to save you! „ All the girl can remember of her infancy is the image of a suave and daring pirate captain whisking her away from a savage field of battle. The pirate, Johnny, named the orphan May, after the month of endless rain. Throughout the long years of wild living aboard the pirates' airship, May developed a fierce love for Johnny: He was part father figure, part brother, and perhaps even part boyfriend to her. However, one day, Johnny was caught in the act. Though he primarily stole from the well-off to aid those in need, crime is crime, and he was incarcerated. The term was not a short one, Johnny's crew immediately began planning on elaborate breakout. And so, the day before the plan was to commence- "May! Hold on! Is it too late to change the plan?!" "What's up, Chief Adviser April? A tournament...? And the prize is anything?! They'll grant any wish?!" "Yeah! We could wish for Johnny to be released!" "Good thinking! Just wait, Johnny! I'm coming!"

Original Translation on left.

Guilty Gear

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Guilty Gear X

May Height: 158 CM Weight: 40 KG Blood Type: B Eye Color: Black Birthday: May 5 (The day she was found) Origin: Unknown Hobby: Daydreaming about Johnny Having lost her parents at a young age, May was picked up by the pirate Johnny and raised as a chivalrous bandit. As time passed, she came to be charmed by her new guardian's kindness and fairness. After the previous Tournament, she had hoped to give Johnny a birthday present, but she realized she didn't have money. Then, she learned of the huge bounty put on the Gear, and decided to head for the Tournament.

Original Translation on left.

Guilty Gear X

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Guilty Gear XX

May

Original Translation on left.

Guilty Gear XX

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Guilty Gear Xrd Artbook

May Profile Height: 5'2" Blood-Type: B Weight: 108 lbs Origin: Unknown (Japan) DOB: May 5 (the day she was found) Hobbies: Thinking about Johnny Values: Johnny Dislikes: Bald people May is cheerful and openhearted, and never sweats the small stuff. She believes in taking action first, and thinking later, which is an attitude her friends often wish she could temper a little. Still, as much as she may be exasperating, her constant positivity is infectious, and no one can be around her for long without feeling buoyed by her enthusiasm.

Translation currently not obtained.

Guilty Gear Xrd Artbook

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Guilty Gear -Strive-

Charges forward with vibrant energy RELENTLESS GIRL She is spunky and does not sweat the small stuff. She is the type to act before thinking, and her friends are frequently swept along her actions. However, May's positive attitude is contagious and it keeps her entourage going despite their visible weariness.

Translation currently not obtained.

Guilty Gear -Strive-

Trivia

• May's hobbies are thinking of Johnny.
  • May's favorite thing is Johnny.
• May dislikes baldies, going "Baldies! Ick!".
• May's name is likely inspired by Brian May, guitarist of Queen.
• Her theme "Blue Water, Blue Sky" appears to be influenced by the Skid Row song "Forever".
• May's anchor, named Bohemian, references Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
• Although May's birthday is celebrated on May 5th, the first week of May is associated with the holiday "May Day", connected to spring flowers and the distress signal "Mayday" used in emergencies for planes, boats, and airships.
• Her original theme "Unidentified Child" may reference the 1986 thrash band Demolition Hammer and their song "Unidentified".
• "May Dynamic" likely takes its name from the Swedish neoclassical melodic power metal band "Dynamic".
• With her aquatic and seafaring themes, May evokes the title character Nadia from the 1990 anime Nadia, Secret of the Blue Water.

Pre-release profile.

• In pre-release concept art for the original Guilty Gear, May's name was written as "五月" (the month of May in Japanese) but pronounced "May". She wielded an axe named Bohemian and was 18 years old.
• Despite her profile height remaining unchanged, in Guilty Gear X Potemkin notes that May appears taller than at the tournament.
• May has imitated Johnny's special moves on multiple occasions: Mist Finer in Guilty Gear and its EX mode, Jackhound in Guilty Gear XX Λ Core, and Ensenga? in Guilty Gear Xrd.
• May seems attracted to older men, telling Ky Kiske (aged 23–24 at the time) that he needed five or ten more years, though she may have been comparing him to Johnny.
• The day May was found coincides with Cinco de Mayo and Children's Day in Japan.
• May’s stance, weapon, and occupation are reminiscent of Motochika Chousokabe from Sengoku BASARA X, developed by Arc System Works.
• May, along with a Robo-May counterpart, is the host of ExplaMaytions with May.
• Costumes based on May's Strive design appear in Tales of the Rays for Patty Fleur, and in Soulworker for Ephnel.
• May has made guest appearances in multiple games: Lost Saga, Mabinogi Duel, Fantasy War Tactics, Last Period, Brave Frontier, Crusaders Quest, #COMPASS, Elemental Battle, Code Shifter, Counter:Side, and The King of Fighters All Star.

Codex Statistics Questions

Q: Shouldn't they scale to the higher levels of magic naturally?

A: This would not make much senses as it there are scenes that showcase the cast do not regularly produce those levels of energy, Ramlethal was going to destroy the ship they (Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Sin Kiske, & Elphelt Vaentine) were flying on, claiming "We're thirty-four thousand feet up. If this ship goes down, I doubt anyone will survive", Dizzy's instant kill is a massive explosion that the explosion alone scares all fighters into surrendering, Jack-O's instant kill causes an explosion so wide it can be seen from the planet, however the planet is overall fine, etcetera. It makes much more sense that they are at far lower levels normally and can reach or even ignore higher levels through tapping into the Backyard.

Battle Records

VictoriesLossesInconclusive

None.

None.

None.