The Gravity is an Existentialist Rock Anthem (Guilty Gear Strive Song Breakdown)

[@BaronSterling]

A fun fact I'd like to share since you mentioned the clone briefly "Asuka R#" is pronounced aloud using the German name of the # symbol -- "Doppelkreutz." Cause it's a doppel or double of Kreutz. Very neat.

[@sam_in_the_corner642]

When the theme says "what fact should we accept" I look at it like "we know that there's a lot of shit in this world like poverty and hunger. Can we really just accept this?" And this speaks to Asuka's character because he wants to do good, he wants to make a better word

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

Exactly

[@arthurpprado]

I like how the lyrics of this song have layers of meaning. If you take them at face value, they speak to his more pedantic and knowledge-obsessed nature but, when viewed with the context of his story and more recent events, it shows his self-loathing and identity crisis. Even in his arcade mode, he created a clone and the clone immediately calls out the immorality of his motives to make a copy of himself, then proceeds to deconstruct his self-image and what his actual impact on the world was

[@arthurpprado]

Also, it just occurred to me that "Innocents lied to, just to spare them" may be talking about Frederick and Aria. He lied to both of them before turning them into Gears, in hopes that he would be able to cure Aria of her disease and keep Frederick alive to live with her

[@GaraxyAurora]

Also, "does existence have a meaning?" and "does meaning have a meaning" I figure is also a reference to the philosophy Asuka's teacher has. Where existence doesn't really have a meaning, and it doesn't matter because existing in on itself is something amazing. I think the song is about Asuka trying to come to terms with himself and search for the answer to the question of the meaning of existence, the song doesn't really end with him saying "I know everything" he says "I now understand where the answers lie". He feels relieved because he found something that he can strive towards, but he didn't attain it yet.

[@tire_iron488]

I've always thought it was "doth" and not "does"

[@GaraxyAurora]

I think that "gravity" here references another thing, if we take the sun question about fate as his plead to Sol Badguy, then gravity means here as an unseen force that pulls people together "accumulation of human hopes and dreams". What I am saying here ironically does reference the fact that I-NO was literally created by accumulation of human hopes and dreams for a brighter future.

[@ToyotaCorolla-en2mv]

Something I love is when metal incorporates organs. I loved it in Devils Never Cry but its almost more fitting for Asuka. The guitar commands and asserts his power, while the organ represents his elegance and sophistication as well as his almost divine appearance. Its a simple and effective way of communicating a lot of what his character is, and unlike in Devils Never Cry its more fused with each other instead of playing separately to represent two at conflict sides of a character.

[@Seloliva1015]

Another reason for the song being called gracity is what clone Asuka tells asuka at the end of his arcade story. Asuka doesn't want to accept the feelings of loneliness and regret over his past actions, posible becouse he belives that they were "the right thing ovjectibly". He tries to find an objective proof of his feelings, and clone Asuka after assuring himself it's not suicidal, tells him he they might as well try to prove gravity exists next (becouse you don't need a mathematical proof to know it or feelings exist)

[@izzyfrozen]

The end line "The Gravity holds all the answers" is an interesting one. Asuka is a scientist of sorts, and that line stuck out to me as him kind of coming to terms with not knowing. Prior to that line there's all of these questions without a definitive answer: does meaning have meaning? What facts should we accept? Did the sun ever defy fate? For him to come to the conclusion that the gravity holds all the answers, to me, means that he's leaving the conclusion that a "higher power" knows all the answers. But instead of that higher power being god, he assigns it to a power that is observable and persistent through the universe. Really liked your breakdown of it! This was super interesting!

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

I'm loving all these insightful responses!

[@OccuredJakub12]

Great analysis! I interpret the lyrics "When the universe turns black/Did the sun ever defy fate?" differently. I think it's the idea of entropy and if in the end everything is fated to dissapear, then would existence, LIFE itself, symbolized by the sun here, be a kind of rebellion against entropy? And the idea of Asuka being this rebelious person, like the Devil rebelling against God, his creation of Gears a rebellion against accepting mortality. But still there's this question, if the universe is fated to destruction then does the sun, or anything in the world ever matter? There won't be anything left of it in the end so what can we do?

[@OccuredJakub12]

Also the whole thing of Gravity being the main theme in the song I think isn't just scientific gravity but also the kind of personal gravity, kinda like Pucci's philosophy in Jojo part 5, the idea that not just the laws of the universe but also human hearts are governed by it. In his Arcade mode when asuka speaks with his doppelganger, one says that he wants to understand the human heart through some kind of simple, understandable way, but the other one jokingly replies "Maybe we're going to disprove gravity next."

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

@@OccuredJakub12 Interesting! Yes MarcoMeatball talks about a personal gravity, as well in his analysis.

[@ModernAegis]

@@OccuredJakub12 Part 6 BTW

[@damonkey6759]

I'm enjoying this series a lot. though i would like to mention that Japanese song writers love puns and putting multiple meanings behind lyrics. Asuka r# where # is a Doppelkreuz in German for example. Gravity in this song takes on many meanings in my opinion. relating too Daisuke's concepts of "the sky" and the ground where the sky is a state of being above everything knowing all which is gained from getting knowledge from the backyard or the tome . (which relates to Japanese folk-law of a library that exists outside reality with books that contain everything past present future of our world and others as well as some that never existed. "requiem" is a great song for exploring what it does to a brain though Halloween from chainsaw man is more accurate too the folk-law from my understanding.) and the ground being a narrowing of understanding too the things in your life. Also the weight(importance) of the world and things in it is given by gravity. so gravity can ether be that Asuka is human and can not understand everything and must live on the ground no mater how hard he may try too fly or the eastern idea of enlightenment where by gaining knowledge of everything he has learnt that to achieve things and live well he must come down too the ground? which then leaves the lingering question of is it true enlightenment or human nature/limitations that is bringing him back to society? Which Gravity is the truth? does it matter which? which gets into the other meaning of the cyclical universe many from philosophy or religion on the nature of the universe, the cycle of creation and destruction etc or the "sky" meaning or it could also refer too the nature of seeking understanding achieving a goal then forgetting too refocus on whats important a "ground" meaning so too speak. is the world cyclical because of universal truth or because of the nature of being human? and i think the underlying message is that it doesn't matter we must just accept things as they are the world is cyclical who knows why. Hopefully more words in comments means more algorithm juice for your channel

[@ladyann4552]

YOU COOKED, ATE AND LEFT NO CRUMBS AS IN THIS WAS AMAZING

[@GaraxyAurora]

Good take, I'd like to add the possibility that gravity in this song means force that pulls people together, and seeing how asuka wants to fight against suffering of humans it makes sense

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

@@GaraxyAurora I love that

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

I saw a comment about if I would do "The Circle". I will eventually when I get more accustomed to Dante.

[@oh-seecreations6308]

since you did the rise kujikawa video, is it possible to ask for a buddhist reading of baiken's theme and lore?

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

@@oh-seecreations6308 I will definitely. Nagoriyuki already has Buddhist stuff.

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

@@oh-seecreations6308 Your wish has been granted. I added it to the lineup! (Baiken’s theme)

[@Trainkidd123]

very insightful video, i love your takes and analysis on the song. it makes it hit so much harder listening to it after watching this. glad i found your channel

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

That feels great to hear! I'm happy I had that impact!

[@wittynickname4870]

This is some amazing content and I'm glad I found this channel. Can't wait for more!

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

Thank you so much!

[@charsage1036]

I think it's worth saying with the "reality of truth" line could also be referring to how what we see as truth today could be proven false in the future so what is reality of a truth if it could be proven false tomorrow?

[@vsgvladsilviu]

bro if you edit the breaks out this channel has amazing potential to go viral, keep it up

[@AofCastle]

Severely underrated channel. I've enjoyed this video a lot, I'll go on to watch the rest

[@AofCastle]

Ok, mayyyybe you're reaching a bit trying to give a reasoning behind certain chants but in general I liked your view on the song. I disagree on parts like "does the sun ever defy fate" because I think it's an obvious reference to Sol but the video was good nonetheless

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

@@AofCastle I accept that it is a reference to Sol, but I still think it has the other meaning as well. It can have multiple meanings. That is the beauty of these lyrics.

[@Seloliva1015]

Great video! I didn't know much about the filosofical story being referenced!

[@redbull63]

You have earned this delicious sub Steak n provolone light onions and bell peppers Lil bit o oil THEN toasted/ lettuce tomato salt n pepper Baja Chipotle sauce 1 line of mayo take these instructions to your local subway Also I've subbed to your channel

[@spring420]

The song is about the clone or the real asuka ? Maybe it applies to both

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

It probs applies to both?

[@ArtDumbster]

I always thought it was "the reality of the two" refering to asuka doing all of this pretty much to help frederick and aria be together but it went catrastophically wrong.

[@blindneophyte8318]

Idk the moon is pretty cool, I think asuka’s on to something

[@Rhaethyn]

You could have done a better job ennumerating asuka's crimes, imo. Atomizing Japan is a rather important thing to mention.

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

He did do that

[@someguy4405]

This video seriously would have benefited from a pre-written script.

[@JeoPumpkin]

Marcomeatball reference

[@philosospielvideogamephilo3736]

This is correct

[@shadowshinobin8641]

I thought the lyrics said the reality of a tool.

[@darealbickboi1156]

WHAT IS BLUD TALKING ABOUT😭😭😭🔥🔥🔥🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈

[@notzaipor7278]

Philosophy