First released in 2008, competitive fighting game BlazBlue has become one of Arc System Works’ leading anime fighting games on consoles as well as in arcades. Its 2D style gameplay and high-paced action have created an incredible player base with a character roster that went from 12 to 36 characters across the four main titles in the series.
Often overshadowed by other fighting games like Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, and Tekken, Blazblue’s player base is smaller, but they have the same if not higher dedication and passion for the series than other games do. Compared to other fighting games at the time, BlazBlue was still relatively new to the fighting game scene, but the incredibly high-paced action left many viewers and potential players curious. Moments like the BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma grand finals at EVO 2014 showed what it was that made BlazBlue such an incredible game.
On top of having some of the most phenomenal fighting game mechanics for 2D anime fighters, BlazBlue has a decent story to go along with it. The four main games in the series, Calamity Trigger, Continuum Shift, Chrono Phantasma, and Central Fiction, are all follow-ups of the previous title and fill a lot of the gaps that players will notice as they progress through the story.
BlazBlue features the main protagonist, Ragna the Bloodedge, a criminal wanted and feared by the NOL for rebelling and destroying many branches of their military force. He wields the ars magus called the Azure Grimoire, a powerful weapon capable of causing incredible destruction to the world. His goal is to destroy the NOL, which he believes is the reason why his family was torn apart and damaged. Though feared initially and hunted by many of the characters in the series, his kindness and loyalty sway a few of them who side with him throughout his journey.
Determined to eliminate Ragna at all costs through most of the BlazBlue series is First Lieutenant Jin Kisaragi, a man with a cold personality and is apathetic towards the feelings of others. Nearly being driven to insanity thanks to the influence of his ars magus, Yukianesa, Jin is always looking to get rid of Ragna for a majority of the series. Jin is Ragna’s biological brother, who was separated from him and their sister Saya after a fire that broke out at the church they lived in. He was awarded the title of Hero of Ikaruga thanks to his efforts in ending the war in Ikaruga and he was promoted to the rank of Major as a result.
BlazBlue’s storyline is very straightforward but includes multiple routes that the player can take towards different endings. The different branches in which the story can split into either a bad ending or a gag ending. None of these endings have any influence on the true ending of each game but the bad endings do add to a player’s understanding of each character’s personality. The gag endings, on the other hand, contribute to some of the best parts of the game for players looking for more than just a fighting game. From comedy skits involving the antagonists to rose-tinted glasses, Ragna somehow ends up being the victim in many of these endings.
If you’ve never tried a fighting game or you’re interested in trying out BlazBlue then now is the best time! You can learn about the story of all four games by playing Central Fiction without having to buy the previous three games! For a deeper dive into the story, you can check out the light novels The Bloodedge Experience, Variable Heart, or Phase Shift on ZenMarket! For our figure collectors, you can find some awesome figures like Es XBlaze, Hazama, or this beautiful black version of Mu-12! Cosplayers can also find outfits for Litchi Faye-Ling, Ragna, and Jin. For everyone else you can find keychains, phone straps, and even music from the games!
Currently, BlazBlue has finished one of the planned storylines for the series so this is the best chance you’ll get before the next official game in the series is released. If you need to fill that void, ZenMarket can help you out!