Gunslinger Stratos

Gunslinger Stratos
Official logo of the franchise
ガンスリンガー ストラトス (Gansuringā sutoratosu)
Genre	Action, Sci-Fi, Romance
Game
Developer	Byking (under Taito)
Publisher	Square Enix
Genre	Third-person shooter Light gun shooter
Engine	Orochi, Havok
Platform	Arcade, Microsoft Windows
Released	Gunslinger Stratos JP July 12, 2012 Gunslinger Stratos 2 JP November 7, 2013 (location test)[1] JP February 20, 2014 (nationwide) Gunslinger Stratos: Reloaded JP February 6, 2015 (alpha test)[2] JP 2016 (nationwide)
Anime television series
Gunslinger Stratos: THE ANIMATION
Directed by	Shinpei Ezaki
Written by	Norimitsu Kaihō
Music by	Tetsuya Kobayashi
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Licensed by	AUS Madman Entertainment NA Aniplex of America
Network	Tokyo MX, BS11, GYT, GTV
Original run	April 4, 2015 – June 20, 2015
Episodes	12

Gunslinger Stratos (ガンスリンガー ストラトス, Gansuringā Sutoratosu) is a series of third-person shooter video games developed by Byking (under Taito) and published by Square Enix, that debuted in arcades on July 12, 2012, with the scenario provided by Norimitsu Kaihō (from Nitroplus) based on a concept by Gen Urobuchi.^[3] It uses Silicon Studio's Orochi game engine,^[4] and runs on the Taito Type X³ arcade system board.

Its sequel, Gunslinger Stratos 2 (ガンスリンガー ストラトス2, Gansuringā Sutoratosu 2), was released on February 20, 2014, featuring new characters (Tetsuya Nomura and Akira Yasuda each create two characters exclusively for the game^[5]), new battle mechanics, and new stages. A third game, Gunslinger Stratos 3 (ガンスリンガー ストラトス3, Gansuringā Sutoratosu 3), is currently in development.^[6]

A sequel to the second game, titled Gunslinger Stratos: Reloaded (ガンスリンガー ストラトス リローデッド, Gansuringā Sutoratosu Rirōdeddo), was announced to be released in 2016 for Windows PC.^[7]

An anime adaptation of the game, known under its expanded title, Gunslinger Stratos: THE ANIMATION (ガンスリンガー ストラトス -THE ANIMATION-, Gansuringā Sutoratosu Animēshon), was announced and made its premiere on April 4, 2015.^[8] The opening theme is "Vanilla Sky" by Ayano Mashiro and the ending theme is "Mirai" by Garnidelia.^[9]

Gameplay

The game is played from a third-person perspective, and the player must move around the massive battleground (using the analog sticks and buttons on the two gun controllers), while using the Gun Controllers to aim and shoot at enemies. The goal is to survive and shoot down the rival team to decrease the opposing team's team meter within a given time limit. The round ends when either teams' team meter drops to zero and/or if the timer reaches zero.

Players can switch weapons in-battle, utilizing various strategies and tactics, by melding the two gun controllers together into different positions, such as:

• Side Style: by clipping the side of the gun controllers together, the players can use their character's secondary arsenal.
• Tandem Style: by clipping the tip of right gun controller onto the top of the left gun controller, the players can use their character's powerful arsenal.

As the players progressed to the game's multiplayer mode, those who using the NESiCAxLive card can accumulate "Team Points" by winning battles, and using it to purchase and equip "Weapon Packs". Weapons Packs are a set of weapons that can be purchased and use in battle. Some of the packs has upgraded versions of the character's default weapons with boosted stats.

Plot

Setting

In 2115, the country known formerly as Japan has been split into two parallel worlds: the Frontier S (Stratos) (フロンティアS（ストラトス）, Furontia S (sutoratosu)) and the 17th Far East Imperial City Management District (第十七極東帝都管理区, Dai jū nana Kyokutō no teikoku kanri-ku). Frontier S is an outlaw universe in which freedom runs rampant, while the 17th Far East Imperial City Management District is a totalitarian universe completely bereft of freedom and is under constant surveillance. When the two universes are starting to fuse into one, the government of each worlds initiates the Operation Stratos (オペレーション・ストラトス, Operēshon sutoratosu), a world-scale protocol wherein a handpicked group of gunslingers, mercenaries, and special individuals, each from the two universes, will be sent in the year 2015 to alter the past by eliminating the other side until only one group survives, erasing a parallel universe in the process.

Story

The story revolves on a group of gunslingers, each from the two universes who participate in Operation Stratos, particularly on a group of four childhood friends: Tohru Kazasumi, Kyōka Katagiri, Kyōma Katagiri, and Shizune Rindo, who all must confront their own flaws and differences when they battle their alternate selves in order to survive.

Characters

Main characters

Tohru Kazasumi (かざすみ とおる, Kazasumi Tōru)

Voiced by: Atsushi Abe

Main Weapon: Pistol (x2)

The main character of the story. A high school student who does his best to avoid violence as possible.

Kyōka Katagiri (かたぎり きょうか, Katagiri Kyoka)

Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto

Main Weapon: Machine Gun

A childhood friend of Tohru, she has a ever-ready attitude and is always concerned for Tohru.

Kyōma Katagiri (かたぎり きょうま, Katagiri Kyoma)

Voiced by: Masakazu Nishida

Main Weapon: Revolver/M61 Vulcan

Kyōka's older brother, he is a prideful and greedy rival to Tohru for Kyōka's attention.

Sidune Rindo (りんどう しづね, Rindō Shizune)

Voiced by: Kana Ueda

Main Weapon: UZI (x2)

Kyōma's personal bodyguard, she is a young descendant of an assassin clan.

Remy Ohdner (レミー・オードナー, Remī Ōdonā)

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

Main Weapon: Stationary Gatling Beam Vulcan/Deflecting Shield

A cold-hearted child who possessed ESP powers.

Media

Anime

Episode list

References

External links

• Gunslinger Stratos official English website
• Gunslinger Stratos official Japanese webite
• Gunslinger Stratos 2 official Japanese webite
• Gunslinger Stratos Reloaded official Japanese website
• Official anime website