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Despite an ostensibly lust-based premise, Gal Gun 2 has a surprisingly lovable cast that I slowly got to know through various side events when I wasn’t shooting down love advances from other schoolgirls. The two main heroines of the game are the protagonist’s teasing childhood friend, Nanako Tamasaki, and the shut-in gamer neighbor Chiru Kondo, who wants nothing to do with the outside world.
Meanwhile, apart from the two main heroines, there is Risu, the angel guide from Angel Ring Co. who got me into this mess in the first place, and the cheeky devil Kurona, who aims to create more chaos in the world.
Romantic logic in Sakurazaki Academy runs in the same way as Story of Seasons, meaning that in order see the next events for the two main heroines, I had to chuck loads of food at them. It’s way simpler here than in Story of Seasons though, as it’s easy to find out which types of snacks Nanako and Chiru like and I never ran out of them. Just finishing up a day’s work had Heaven rewarding me with boxes of junk food.
Being someone who’s known the protagonist for most of their lives, Nanako is suitably used to dealing with their antics. I particularly loved the monotone way that she cheered me on after I tried explaining being stuck in a proxy war between Heaven and Hell. It’s pretty obvious that she was just going through the motions by that point. Yet, her offer to help in any way is really genuine.
Later in her story route, several things happen to Nanako. It’s after a few revelations where I really got to see how much the protagonist and Nanako cared about each other.
Compared to Nanako, Chiru is a relative stranger, as she only moved next door recently. After being a victim of bullying in online video games, she became a shut-in who really only talked to me due to our windows facing each other’s and us having a shared interest in classic video games. Oh, and Chiru’s also great with machinery in general, so she can actually upgrade the Demon Sweeper with the right parts.
Chiru’s route really feels more like the classic tale of romance, where the two characters slowly learn more about each other. I found out why she decided to cut off contact with the outside world, how she tricks her family into letting her stay at home, that she is obsessed with mech parts, and even more details. Her events feel shorter and more awkward, due to not knowing each other as well, but there is a genuine connection between the protagonist and Chiru that ignites my shipping senses.
Oh, and Chiru’s also a treasure trove of sagely observations. Despite being a shut-in, or maybe because of it, she’s a bit judgmental towards other humans and thinks herself above it all. Though, that comes off more as ignorance than condescension.
While not officially a heroine, Risu the angel may as well be one. She’s the reason that I was stuck on demon-hunting duty in the first place. Being a loyal employee of the Angel Ring Company, her duty is to make sure that demon hunters fill their quota before taking off the Pheromone Goggles for good. However, because Kurona steals her work ID and angels aren’t allowed to directly interfere with demons, Risu depends on the protagonist retrieve it or face complete expulsion from Heaven.
I was able to talk to Risu at any time when at home, and while she initially came off as an airhead (and proves this in the story as well), I was struck by the passion she held for her position. It’s a sort of mix between the weariness of having a job, but also really loving what she does. It’s a relatable sort of earnestness that really endeared her to me.
Finally, we have the “villain” Kurona, who’s really just there to cause some mischief. She’s boastful, yet cowardly sometimes, and somehow manages to work the word ‘hell’ into her every line. She’s really ineffectual as an antagonist, and even apologizes to Risu when she accidentally loses the ID she stole. It’s funny and cute, and also shows that she’s just a softie in the end. However, she’s not beyond just having a good fight now and again, which was another aspect to her personality I really enjoyed. It’s too bad she doesn’t have her own route and events in this game.
In the end, Gal Gun 2 has a lovable cast of characters to get to know, despite most of the appearing cast being schoolgirls who don’t get much more than a name, a few voice clips, and a profile description. Gal Gun 2’s heroines are admittedly not fresh, in terms of concept, but I didn’t let that get in the way of liking them for who they were.
Food for thought:
1. Nanako and Chiru both have two endings each, and which ending you get depends on how far into the main story quests you are.
2. There is also a secret ending for people to find, but I won’t spoil how to get it.
Gal Gun 2 is available on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan, North America, and Europe (except for Germany).
