Gun Gale Online S2 – There's a traitor among us

Key conclusions

• Season 2 of GGO breaks the norm with consistently fun and engaging episodes.
• Clever use of narrative framing and transitions keeps the story interesting for the audience.
• The introduction of new rules in Episode 4 changes the dynamic, keeping the plot fresh and unpredictable.

Naturally, every anime has a mix of good, average, and even bad episodes at the start of a new season. After all, creating an interesting episode is not an exact science. No formula can guarantee that viewers will enjoy watching new episodes. So, as viewers, we have to accept the fact that our favorite series will have its ups and downs.

At the same time, the second season Gun Gale online seems to be on its way to breaking this norm. Because the three episodes that have come out so far are very interesting to watch. These episodes manage to stay true to what makes GGO so interesting and offer viewers something new and exciting. So can they extend their winning streak? After watching the 4th episode, the answer is yes. Yes, they can.

A smart way to use footage

Narrative framing is a narrative technique in which a character tells a story either to another character or to themselves to jog their memory. Think of it as a story within a story. Some anime use this technique as a way to summarize what has happened in the story so far, such as a special episode called Sword Art Online: Extra Edition— while other anime tell the whole story through a frame — for example bacon, and to some extent, Actress of the millennium too. This episode also uses the shot, but in a completely different and rather clever way.

Jump into the future to see the past

In the first part of the episode, we jump forward briefly to some time after the conclusion of the Squad Jam 3 (SJ3) tournament. Kohiruimaki Karen, popularly known as Llen, sits in her room watching her laptop to see what happened during the third Squad Jam tournament. When she competed, she didn't know what the other teams were doing before she met them. Watching reruns and videos like that is the only way for her to see what happened at the beginning of SJ3.

This is the framing of the story. The events that happen to the other characters are laid out as a replay/video that the main character watches in the future. So in a way, we jump briefly into the future to see the past.

An interesting way to create a transition

When you have different characters doing different things in different places, the biggest challenge is managing the transition between each character while still keeping the focus on the main characters. Two of the most commonly used transition techniques are hard cuts and special episodes. The story can either switch from the main character to another cast in the middle of the story or they can prepare a special episode for the other characters. GGO chooses neither.

The harsh cuts between different characters, each with their own unique settings and situations, can confuse viewers. They already created a special episode for Shirley and Clarence in the previous episode, which means the second option is no longer viable. So the showrunners came up with an interesting and rather unusual way to set up the transition, which is the aforementioned narrative framing. The result is a very compact, efficient and very fun resume that doesn't feel like a resume. Moreover, they still have time to return to the main characters and move the story forward. A+ for creativity.

Clever way to show a battle royale

Let's dig into the battle of the other top teams for a second, because that's one of the most exciting parts of the episode. Apart from LPFM, there are four other well-known top teams competing in SJ3. Fierce Amazonian Women (SHINC), Real Soldiers (MMTM), Machine Gun Enthusiast (ZEMAL) and the mysterious winner of the previous Squad Jam tournament (TS). This episode showcases a clever way to bring all these teams together in an exciting battle royale.

Different teams, different situations, different styles

The two main reasons why the battle in this episode seems so interesting is because these battles took place in different places/situations and the different play styles of each team.

• HAM battles in desert-like terrain with a mix of open fields and various rock formations. They use machine guns to suppress the enemy and sniper to kill them one by one while doing pincer maneuver.
• MMTM fighting in a dense forest with tall trees and bushes. They opt for guerilla warfare tactics where one member lures the enemy in while the others use ghillie suits to hide and ambush the opponent from their blind spots.
• EARTH fighting in the center of the city with a lot of abandoned tall buildings. They make homemade mini mobile towers by combining shopping carts with lots of metal rods. This tactic practically eliminates their main weakness – defense.
• TS fighting in the skyscraper area. They decided to wait at the top of one of the skyscrapers and planned to use their position to gain an advantage over the enemy. Unfortunately, sea levels are rising faster than predicted. Now they were on top of a building surrounded by the sea.

Let the killing begin

Apart from the TS team, other top teams show a master class in teamwork and strategy. Not only do they create a strategy that best suits their play style, but they also manage to take full advantage of the environment. They may have different approaches to fighting, but the end result is pretty much the same. Slaughterhouse!

It is always interesting for a gamer to see high-level games from the best players. What makes it even more exciting is that we see these teams use different strategies to destroy their opponents. At this point, they're all on a level playing field, and it's hard to say if there's one that's clearly better than the others. So we have no choice but to keep watching to see if any of our favorites can make it to the end. Once again, this is proof that the showrunners know the mood of their core audience, which is mostly gamers, especially FPS and online shooter players.

Clever way to keep things interesting

One of the best things about the GGO S2 is its ability to keep things fresh and interesting. In episode 2, they introduce a map that will be covered by water over time. In episode 3, they ignore the main characters and focus on two deranged and obsessed supporting characters. And now, in Episode 4, they introduce a new rule that will change the course of the competition significantly.

New rules

Now that there are only a few teams left in the tournament, the organizer of Squad Jam 3 is introducing a new rule. For the final stage of the tournament, one member of each team will be designated as a traitor. Moreover, these traitors will form a new team and fight against other teams until the end of the tournament.

This new rule completely changes the dynamic of the tournament. Knowing that one of their members is now part of the enemy means that each team must change their strategy, something they have never done before. On the other hand, while a new traitor team has the advantage of having information about every opposing team, such a new team lacks chemistry and may have communication problems. In short, the plot thickens.

“Your former comrades are now your enemies! Now let the killings begin.”

— SJ3 announcer, episode 4

Always in motion, always changing

It's easy for series to follow the same routine and not take risks, especially if they already have a decent audience. As a result, the story becomes stale and predictable. That's pretty much what happened with the mainstream Sword Art Online series. It started with a bang, but slowly faded away until it was nothing more than a shell of its former self. The showrunners continue to try to chase that former glory while fans leave the franchise one by one.

As a simple spin-off, no one expects Gun Gale online. Regardless, the first season worked. GGO has proven that it can stand on its own with little to no connection to the main franchise. Then came the second season and they started off with a bang again and continued their winning streak until this fourth episode. All the while, they continue to present something new, fresh and unique in each series. Always moving, always changing. Kudos to the people behind this new season of GGO. Can't wait to watch the next episode.

Gun Gale online is available to stream on Crunchyroll.