Here's everything you need to know about Testament in Guilty Gear Strive and the GG series by Daisuke Ishiwatari: first appearance, gender, and story elements.
Arc System Works at ARCREVO America Finals just announced Testament as the next DLC character in Guilty Gear Strive, and many players never saw this character before. Especially newer players who got into the series with Strive, seeing GGST is by far the most popular game in the series and one of the most popular fighting games of all time now. Though many would also tell you it's sadly not the most enjoyable game in the series, but I digress.
Who is Testament in Guilty Gear?
Testament first appeared in the original Guilty Gear on PlayStation 1 in 1998 as the penultimate boss, and was originally a villain planning to resurrect Justice. Testament is a recurrent, iconic character of the series since then. However, Testament wasn't playable in GG Xrd, so this GGST DLC announcement is a big return for older fans of the series. Testament specializes in long-reach attacks by wielding a scythe, and in long-range attacks with familiars.
What is Testament's gender?
Testament always had an extremely effeminate character design but has been officially referred to as a male character in the past, such as "Kliff's adopted son". However, Arc System Works in the past also officially stated that Testament became non-binary due to his modification into a Gear. Moreover, the press release for his DLC release in GGST also uses the pronoun "they".
I'd personally add that it's important to note Japan's pop culture has its own history and culture when it comes to LGBTQ+ themes and genderless characters. Those themes were already very prevalent in a lot of anime, games, and manga ever since the 80s. It's definitely not something "new". You could even cite Go Nagai's Devilman from 1972 as a good example.
Visual kei and goth inspirations
Moreover, just like everything else in Guilty Gear, Testament's design has references to music. In their case, Testament is basically a reference to Japanese Visual Kei. Testament looks like a typical Visual Kei artist.
Visual Kei is a movement consisting of musical artists who have striking makeup, hairstyles, and distinct androgynous features. It's a style that has been popular in Japan since the 80s, with iconic artists like X Japan and Yoshiki.
Testament's story in Guilty Gear
Testament was originally part of the Holy Order, a group of fighters who fought against Gears and their leader Justice, and was the adoptive son of the leader, Kliff Undersn. However, Testament was captured by a certain country and turned into a Gear, triggering their hatred for humans. Kliff believed his son to be dead and hadn't seen him for over 40 years. Testament is around 60 to 70 years old in human years.
However, Testament was still alive, and just like every other Gear, was under the control of Justice. In the original Guilty Gear game, Testament was the organizer of a tournament seemingly organized to gather stronger fighters to fight Justice. However, the true goal of the tournament was to gather blood sacrifices to break Justice's seal and resurrect her. In the penultimate battle of the tournament, Testament fights protagonist Sol Bad Guy, saying only one more sacrifice is needed. When Sol defeats Testament, he reveals he planned to use himself as the final sacrifice either way, triggering the resurrection of Justice in what is still one of the coolest cutscenes in games history to this day:
Testament's redemption
At the end of the original game, Sol manages to defeat Justice with his Dragon Install gear power, as it turns out Sol is the original prototype Gear that cannot be controlled by Justice. In the sequel, Guilty Gear X, Testament is actually still alive and free of mind control, but still hates humans, most notably as they try to hunt down Justice's innocent daughter, Dizzy. Testament feels like a Guilty Gear, trying to atone for their past sins, and decides to protect Dizzy. Testament is, again, the penultimate boss in Guilty Gear X.
Now in Strive, Testament's profile mentioned they are currently living with the elderly couple who used to protect Dizzy and managed to reach happiness, leaving their misanthropy behind.
Testament voice actor and seiyuu in GGST
In Japanese, Testament is now voiced by Yu Kobayashi in GGST. She's a veteran seiyuu popular since her debut in the early 2000s. She tends to voice high-tension, comedic female characters like Lala in School Rumble or Yanagin in Danshi Koukousei no NIchijou. Or Sasha in Attack on Titan to cite an example younger people know about. She also voices more serious characters like Lucina in Fire Emblem and Mikoto in Rune Factory Oceans.
Yu Kobayashi also regularly voices young-looking male characters like Kanon in Umineko. She's also an accomplished singer and most notably voices Otome Tohoten in the popular joseimuke rapping franchise Hypnosis Mic. Joseimuke are franchises primarily aiming for a female audience. Lastly, Kobayashi Yu is also infamous for her talent for drawing incredibly disturbing and horrific imagery.
In previous games, Testament was voiced by Katsuaki Kobayashi. In English, Testament is now voiced by Kayleigh McKee, who recently voiced Yuta Okkotsu in the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie, and Tasuku Kuresawa in Sasaki and Miyano.
Comments on Testament from VA Yu Kobayashi
"Yu Kobayashi in the house. I was allowed to voice Testament in Guilty Gear Strive. I'm incredibly grateful to be voicing Testament-san, joining the newest game of such a historic franchise. You'll get to hear me soon. Thanks for your support."
Testament reveal trailer and official profile translated
- Name: Testament
- Height: 185cm
- Weight: 73kg
- Blood type: Can't be analyzed
- Date of birth: May 9th
- Birthplace: Switzerland
- Hobbies: Subscribing to fashion magazines, do-it-yourself, collecting cosmetics, making plastic models (especially giant robots), visiting tourist attractions, fishing, ceramics, stream climbing, road biking, watching opera, muscle training, fortune-telling, bonsai, gardening, professional wrestling, making sweets, mahjong, painting (but never improves), embroidery, mountain climbing, nail art, golf, astronomical observation, hot springs tours, board games, writing SF novels, barbecue, belly dancing, beach volleyball, watching baseball games, making doll houses, alcohol(but can't drink), snowboarding, watching shark horror B movies, collecting occult goods sold in stores, making picture diaries.
- Important things: Themselves, their family and familiars, the late Kliff Undersn, potatoes
- Dislikes: Saito Style ancient martial arts
Saito Style ancient martial arts is the style using scythes practiced by Testament and Axl. In other words, it seems Testament dislikes their own fighting style.