#limiters

Her clairvoyance is TOO powerful and she can see when someone dies and knows from experience that it can’t be changed. That if it does get changed, someone else will take that person’s place because someone must died that day. That person could be someone they love. Something like that. 

Allow me to sing @the-nysh ‘s praises for a minute here. I love the way they put this so cleanly into words. 

Saitama will always remain the original successful exception. So far, he’s the only example of one who’s achieved limitless power (successfully broken through his limiter) through the merits of his own willpower. He persevered through an uncompromising training regimen, personally tailored to his own skill level (a personal hell scaled to his ‘ordinary’ limits; aka it would not be enough for those with higher potential), all for the sake of a simple, yet dedicated goal that aligned with the core values of who he truly wanted to become. An undefeatable, strongest hero with the ability to win in one punch.  (Quote from this post: https://the-nysh.tumblr.com/post/174714401176/the-will-to-power) 

There are some of theories going around about Ramlethal’s bandages possibly being limiters of some kind to help her improve her fighting style. 

Hmmm, to be honest, I was at first worried about her and thought that the bandages will hinder her combat prowess. However, I feel more at ease because Ramlethal’s demeanor and the way she came off in her reveal trailer implies that she’s gotten stronger and more--well ‘lethal’! 

By now, I’ve figured Ram would’ve removed the bandages long time ago, but its not the case. But if we look back in XRD, Ramlethal never really displayed signs of being seriously injured or in distress, she was still able to move around just fine and helped Sol and co. lift Justice back into position without much effort.

So, going back to her reveal trailer, it looks like she’s become more powerful than usual and is more motivated, putting in major effort in using her swords. 

Unfortunately, the trailer didn’t show the rest of her moves, so we might have to wait until we get the full display in the future. 

Frankly, I do like speculating the story of Guilty Gear not only just for fun, but to invest more into the lore and eager to learn more. The theory of Ramlethal’s bandages being used as a ‘limiter’ of some kind seems plausible, but I’m still a little iffy on this because there’s not a lot evidence that could help support or confirm it. 

Then again, the bandages originally were gray, but somehow changed to red. Although, there is a small possibility of it being a mere redesign. 

I support this theory, don’t get me wrong, but I’m taking it with a grain of salt. Hopefully we’ll see her Overdrives soon because the Overdrives were the main ones I’m most curious of. 

Unambiguously?  Phoenixman showed us just why Gyoro-Gyoro termed it ‘explosive growth’  and of course we have Monster King Orochi as a shining example.  That monsters can evolve rapidly under the right circumstances is not an unknown problem: 

Kill your monsters thoroughly or leave them be, kids

Ambiguously?  I’m giving a certain cyborg the side eye  but I haven’t the time or space to discuss that.  Let’s leave that at ‘insufficient data’ and revisit that another chapter. 

Mere survival doesn’t confer greater strength -- if it did, then heroin addicts would be the strongest people on OPM world.  It looks like the individual’s will to not only survive but to overcome their situation is crucial.  Gyoro-Gyoro notes that monsters who experience mental degeneration (who knew that near-death situations tend to be brain damaging?) also lose their ability to grow.

Nigel posted this picture on his twitter account, showing (some) of the equipment he has, saying “Home studio.”

Most of it has been covered on this blog, but I’ll re-cap here, going roughly from left to right: 

Rack 1.

1. Avid HD interfaces (2)

2. Apogee X-Series converter (not sure whether it’s an AD or DA) or possibly an Apogee Big Ben Master Clock

3. Apple computer

Rack 2. 

1. Neve 1081 modules x 8 

2. Pultec EQH-2

3. unknown?

4. GML 8200 

5. Focusrite ISA 215

Rack 3. 

1. Summit DCL-200

2. Eventide Omnipressor

3. An RS124-looking compressor (could be an original EMI or a clone - remember that Nigel previously endorsed the Lisson Grove RS124).

4. Spectrasonics 610

5. Inward Connections Modular Vac Rac System with two TMP-1 (tube mic preamp) modules and two TLM-1 (tube limiter) modules.

Rack 4. 

1. Roland RE-201 Space Echo

2. Sansamp PSA-1

3. Roland DC-20

4. Korg SDD-2000

5. AMS RMX-16

6. unknown? (REALLY WISH I KNEW WHAT THIS ONE WAS - could be the “bizarre three-knob digital reverb” that Justin Meldal-Johnsen mentioned Allan Sides gave Nigel as a gift)

Rack 5. 

1. AMS 15-80S

2. unknown Yamaha rackmount unit

3. unknown?

4. MXR Pitch Transposer

5. Mutronics Mutator

6. Bel BD-80

In the center is the API 2488 console with some unknown speakers. 

Rack 6. 

1. UREI 1176 (blackface)

2. UREI 1176 (blackface)

3. UREI 1176 Rev. H (silverface)

4. Tube Tech CL1B

5. Esoteric Audio Research 660

Rack 7. 

Just patchbays and drawers.

On top of Rack 8. 

1. Palmer PDI-03

2. MXR Pitch Transposer

3. MXR Flanger/Doubler

4. UREI 1176 Rev. H (silverface)

Rack 8. 

I have no idea what any of this is. 

Rack 9. 

1. Unknown (maybe a sampler?)

2. Unknown

3. Unknown

Hello!  I do hate those character limits -- they’re quite restrictive at times. 

Okay, best shot at both parts, then. 

I could see Gouketsu being an inspiration to Garou, but in a negative way.  From Garou’s perspective, Gouketsu would have been this amazing martial artist who could beat anyone... but got killed by a monster.  Which is why he has to aim to be a monster in the long term.  People are weak. 

From Gyoro Gyoro’s perspective, Gouketsu was a cheap monster. The very best of her cheap monsters, but a cheap monster nonetheless.  Gouketsu ate a monster cell, which creates abilities based on the maximum potential already possessed by that individual -- at the expense of any further growth.   As we’ve seen with Class S heroes, humans can come absurdly powerful in OPM world, so she was bound to get at least one dragon-level monster out of all the hundreds of individuals who were persuaded to eat the monster cells. 

On the other hand, we’ve seen that monsters that either exist naturally (like the demon pangolin that started out as an inoffensive wolf-level monster until it was repeatedly tortured to the point of death by a greedy Hero Association functionary), or people who spontaneously monsterise (like Rhino Wrestler, or  Phoenixman), retain the ability to grow to new limits.  That a person doesn’t need to transform to do so is a nicety that has thus far eluded Gyoro-Gyoro, although it is a point that Dr Genus appreciates.   

Garou was intended to supplant Monster King Orochi, her one success story in the cycle of unbearable torture and recovery.  I suspect that in an ideal world, Gyoro Gyoro would have been able to brainwash Garou and have him and Orochi take turns beating the other to the point of death, thus spurring them both to continue to grow explosively.

Apropos of nothing, doesn’t this sound like carte blanche for an author into torture porn?  :D