Gun Gale Online (GGO) is a sub-series to the popular anime Sword Art Online (SAO). The anime centers around a woman named Karen who has recently relocated for college. Karen’s main issue in life is she considers herself to be way too tall compared to other women. Her way of coping with this is to seek solace in the online VR game, GGO. This is where she is able to create a short, cute version of herself that she calls Llenn.
We really get to know Karen as a person right from the start; I love this! Her issues with height helps to make her extremely relatable. I love how she uses playing the game as a healthy way to cope with this issue. This is done through relatable and, sometimes, even comical moments that every gamer has experienced when trying out new games in an attempt to find that perfect fit. We even get to touch base on the opposite end of the spectrum as well (episode 6) where we hear about being too short as well!
I’m two episodes through and it sinks in that I am officially in love with Karen’s Llenn and her trusty P-90, P-Chan! She helps to breakdown multiple stereotypes right from the start by first addressing the ever-popular consensus that online gameplay, especially one centered around guns, is something only a male would be playing. Her ability to be short but still able to kick some major ass not only empowers women but also, helps burn the bridge leading to stereotypes of height affecting your abilities.
As we move ahead and get to Squad Jam, even more excitement is added with the introduction of M. Did I mention that I can’t help but also fall in love with M’s character as well? He may be intense and make some questionable moves, but he always has everyone else’s best intentions in mind. Never focusing on himself or how everything will affect him in the end. His teaming up with LLenn helps to showcase the ups and downs of friendship and just what it takes to be a “team player”.
Throughout the first 6 episodes, the show touches base on playing games as a method to escape reality and join an alternate universe. They refuse to feed into this, however, making it clear just how much in-game applications are to thank for the enhanced skills players have in-game. These skills do not reflect reality and games are meant for fun, not to replace real-life.
We get to see many stereotypes blown away in this series. One of the main ones that caught my attention was the reversal of roles in a toxic relationship. Most people only view this as a man vs woman sense where only the male can be the bad guy. We see this is not the case in M and Pito’s relationship when it is revealed what Pito’s true intentions are with M, highlighting the fact it is the female who is toxic in this case.
One of my favorite things so far, watching the growth of Karen as a person and Llenn as a character. Seeing her transformation from shy and withdrawn to outspoken and self-confident is a beautiful thing to experience. Her moment of Self-realization in episode 5 helps to capture just that when she realizes just how much she is capable of achieving inside, and outside, of the game! She even eventually forms a real-life friendship with her online rivals team SHINC (Saki Nitobe / Eva / "Boss", Kana Fujisawa / Sophie, Milana Sidorova / Toma, Moe Annaka / Anna, Risa Kusunoki / Tanya, Shiori Noguchi / Roza) showcasing true sportsmanship. Team SHINC also blows away stereotypes by being a group of girls who are gymnasts using the game as a way to help improve their teamwork.
In episode 6 we get a raw view into mental illness, severe depression, and unhealthy obsession. If you or anyone you know has had thoughts or showed signs of suicide, there is help and you are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
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