The glasses and belt are actually a blindfold! Zato traded his sight for control of a forbidden beast, which is his shadow guy, named Eddie. (He's inspired by a blind samurai called Zatoichi. And Ichi means one in Japanese, so he's Zato-1.) It wasn't the best idea though because Eddie killed him as soon as Zato was weak enough for Eddie to finish him off. After he died, Eddie uses Zato's body to get around easier before being defeated by Millia. They know each other because Zato was a part of and later the leader of an assassin's guild who took in the less fortunate to help them by giving them a job, and one was Millia! (She was an orphan.) He trained her, and they later on became lovers. He actually told her to get a forbidden beast too, but she was much luckier because it took her hair instead of her sight, and doesn't seem to have a personality or goals unlike Eddie so they co-exsist easy. Anyway, Zato was brought back to life, but he can't feel _any_ emotion anymore. The only thing that sparks some feelings in him is his memories of Milia, but she kinda hates him because she feels immense guilt about having to assassinate people, and is trying to turn a new leaf. So the last part of the song is just Zato longing to feel something again, and begging to Milia. (The parts where he refers to a 'sweetheart' of his.) He and Eddie seem to get along now, but I get the feeling it's more 'We need each other to survive' than 'I am loyal to you', but over time Eddie has shown some concern for Zato, which could explain the "I'm a shadow always with you" line. (Sorry this is long, but Zato has been a character since the first game, so he has a lot of story.)
That has to be one of the most complex relationships between characters I've ever heard. There's hate and love, murder and revival, and somehow they still keep contact. Thanks for sharing! / george
So zato is living in constant pain and depression due to paying a hard price for dark powers, and in the current installment the only thing that seems to make him feel *something* is Millia, his ex (kinda) so at the end of his song he pleads Millia to be his shadow body guard so he can stay with her (she accepts in the story).
I have a bit of a different take on the song, but I can see where you're coming from. I can split the song up into four parts. The first verse section is him as an assassin and Zato's feelings for Millia. The second is the arc between him and Millia where she kills him. The third is actually Eddy the shadow, puppeting Zato's corpse, and the last is a combo of Eddie's feeling to Zato, and Zato's feelings to Millia. I say Eddie's feelings for Zato at the end, because the shadow really became it's own character for the games Zato was dead.
Wow that's a lot of undead feelings! I imagine it's gotta suck to be unalived by the one you have feelings for so my heart goes out to this guy. Thanks for sharing the lore folks! / George
![Guilty Gear Strive OST Reaction - Let Me Carve Your Way [With Lyrics] (Zato Theme)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8owD3vz-lXI/mqdefault.jpg)
The glasses and belt are actually a blindfold! Zato traded his sight for control of a forbidden beast, which is his shadow guy, named Eddie. (He's inspired by a blind samurai called Zatoichi. And Ichi means one in Japanese, so he's Zato-1.) It wasn't the best idea though because Eddie killed him as soon as Zato was weak enough for Eddie to finish him off. After he died, Eddie uses Zato's body to get around easier before being defeated by Millia. They know each other because Zato was a part of and later the leader of an assassin's guild who took in the less fortunate to help them by giving them a job, and one was Millia! (She was an orphan.) He trained her, and they later on became lovers. He actually told her to get a forbidden beast too, but she was much luckier because it took her hair instead of her sight, and doesn't seem to have a personality or goals unlike Eddie so they co-exsist easy.
Anyway, Zato was brought back to life, but he can't feel _any_ emotion anymore. The only thing that sparks some feelings in him is his memories of Milia, but she kinda hates him because she feels immense guilt about having to assassinate people, and is trying to turn a new leaf. So the last part of the song is just Zato longing to feel something again, and begging to Milia. (The parts where he refers to a 'sweetheart' of his.)
He and Eddie seem to get along now, but I get the feeling it's more 'We need each other to survive' than 'I am loyal to you', but over time Eddie has shown some concern for Zato, which could explain the "I'm a shadow always with you" line.
(Sorry this is long, but Zato has been a character since the first game, so he has a lot of story.)
That has to be one of the most complex relationships between characters I've ever heard. There's hate and love, murder and revival, and somehow they still keep contact. Thanks for sharing! / george
I had growing pains with this song but I really love it now. Just a perfect character theme.
Yeah, definitely less of an immediate hook! / George
So zato is living in constant pain and depression due to paying a hard price for dark powers, and in the current installment the only thing that seems to make him feel *something* is Millia, his ex (kinda) so at the end of his song he pleads Millia to be his shadow body guard so he can stay with her (she accepts in the story).
I have a bit of a different take on the song, but I can see where you're coming from. I can split the song up into four parts. The first verse section is him as an assassin and Zato's feelings for Millia. The second is the arc between him and Millia where she kills him. The third is actually Eddy the shadow, puppeting Zato's corpse, and the last is a combo of Eddie's feeling to Zato, and Zato's feelings to Millia.
I say Eddie's feelings for Zato at the end, because the shadow really became it's own character for the games Zato was dead.
It would be the opposite, really. since Millia is now leader of the assassins, that would make him her bodyguard
Wow that's a lot of undead feelings! I imagine it's gotta suck to be unalived by the one you have feelings for so my heart goes out to this guy. Thanks for sharing the lore folks! / George
The emotionless husk of a human has the most emotional song
We love emotionless husks at the Windmill!
Fun reaction. Happy you guys enjoyed the song.
It was really cool yes! Thanks! / George
guuuys "necessary discrepancy" and "hellfire" please
I will wait for this sitting here all my life ngl
guys you cool and love ya
Yeah we gotta get to some more GG. /Andrei
Glad to see Zato's theme getting some love!
Like it deserves! / George
Infant Annihilator - Behold the Kingdom of the Wretched Undying
oh man it's been on our radar for so long... we really should! / George
9:30 onwards was hilarious
That was the plan. Thank you! /Andrei
Heh, there's no solo, cause Zato-1 is never solo.
That actually makes sense. /Andrei