ggs story telling through the sound track

In the latest addition to the Guilty Gear fighting game series, Guilty Gear Strive, each character's theme includes lyrics. Naoki Hashimoto used this as a tool to deliver lore and explore the deeper struggles of each fighter. Today, I want to talk about one of them—Zato-1.

Zato has been part of the roster since the very first game, and he was the first puppet character in fighting game history.

His entire deal is that he's an assassin who made a deal with a demon, allowing him to turn his **shadow into a weapon**. But as the series progresses, **Eddie (the shadow) starts taking over Zato's body** little by little.

Zato even died at one point, but Eddie revived him—not out of kindness, but just to keep playing with him.

In Strive, Zato is nothing more than a puppet for Eddie now. (How ironic.)

🎵 Let Me Carve Your Way: Zato-1's Theme

Let Me Carve Your Way serves as Zato-1’s battle theme in Guilty Gear Strive. The lyrics dive deep into memory, loss, and darkness, perfectly matching Zato’s story.

🔹 "I once had some sweet memories; its worth remains the same"

At the start of the song, this line is muffled, almost like it’s being spoken through layers of control. This could represent how much power **Eddie has over Zato**, warping his thoughts and suppressing his past.

🔹 "Drowned in pain, I lost my mind; there's no good or bad in there"

This line speaks to how Zato has completely lost himself. At this point, he's just an empty husk, unable to feel morality, regret, or even his own desires.

🔹 "Abyss of desire; abyss of dreams"

This could be Zato admitting that the **power he sought was never worth it**. He went to such extreme lengths to obtain Eddie, only for Eddie to **become the one in control**.

🩸 The Final Verse: The Best Part of the OST

Now we reach the last section of the song, which is **by far the most powerful part**—and my favorite in the entire Strive OST.

🔹 "I once had some sweet memories / Its worth remains all the same / How can I remember those moments, sweetheart?"

Zato reflects on how he **still remembers his past**—before he joined the **underground world of assassins**. But no matter how much he remembers, **he can never go back.**

🔹 "If there's a man who can make anything / Give me the tools to live in the past"

At this point, he’s **desperate**. He **wants to go back**—to undo everything. But Eddie’s influence has changed him so much that **his entire perspective is warped**.

🔹 "Let me carve your way; I'm a shadow, always... with you"

And then we reach the **final line**—spoken by Eddie. It fully explains their toxic relationship. Eddie believes that he's helping Zato by giving him power, but in reality, he’s **completely erased Zato’s will**.

🔻 Conclusion: Zato-1's Tragic Existence

For some characters, their theme songs are just music.

For Zato-1, Let Me Carve Your Way is his reality. It is the sound of a man who once controlled the darkness, only to become a part of it. It is the voice of a man who is still fighting to remember who he was, even as his body no longer belongs to him.

His story is one of regret, control, and the loss of identity.

And his song?

His song is a funeral march.

💬 A Few Final Words...

this style of story telling is not that rare but it shines here more because of how little zato appeared in the ggs story 

I had an absolute blast writing this entry. Guilty Gear has always been something I love, and being able to break down a song, analyze it, and connect it to the character just made me appreciate it even more.

This is what SpaceHey is all about—talking about the things you love, sharing your thoughts, and making something cool out of it.

Maybe next time, I’ll do another breakdown. Until then, stay in the shadows…