SPOILERS AHEAD:
Gun x Sword presents a story of revenge wrapped up in something much bigger. While the story has a linear path, every bump on the road or interaction had adds to the characters themselves, their relationships, addresses characters' philosophy, or furthers the plot with new information gained and usually more questions to answer. For the first half of the show, I have zero complaints and nothing to really criticize besides small nitpicks that aren't worth discussing. Van and Wendy's dynamic is always enjoyable to watch, especially since its handled in a way that feels realistic given what Van has been through. Our supporting characters for the first half, Carmen, Joshua, and Ray, are decent characters to add more motivations as to joining the journey. Carmen being money, Joshua being his brother, and Ray essentially being a rival to Van's dark deed by having the same goal. I appreciated the fact that seemingly the story was heavily playing into motivations and rivaling philosophies. What I believed the story was going to tell was both a story of revenge but also if revenge is the right path or not.
With such an interesting first half, I highly anticipated what came next, what philosophy was the story trying to push towards as the correct path? What was the true intentions and nature of the main villain? What will become of Ray and Van? Why did the Claw do the things he did in the past? Unfortunately half of these questions aren't really answered and none are explored to their fullest potential. It's strange when almost all the time given doesn't feel misused, besides the one episode dedicated to pretty egregious fan-service. That being said, the questions that do get answered I have to give props to the story trying its best to give the impression that this story isn't about good guys getting revenge on just an evil man.
It's spun into the question of "When can someone be forgiven for their past actions?" The man with the Claw is not someone who is seen to be a man of hatred but instead someone who has seemingly good intentions. This introduction to our apparent main antagonist definitely throws the morality of what the heroes are doing. Of course their goals of revenge still are justifiable due to the Claw's past, but what if they were trying to get revenge on a man who is both trying to better the future but also gives purpose to a lot of people's lives. It's a great setup to cast aside the "good guys" facade that our protagonist has. However, this great introduction to our villain doesn't develop much further. The idea and some execution was pulled off at the climax of the first half of the show but doesn't exactly move the concept anymore for the rest of the show. In fact, the concept is backpaddled with the main villain seemingly crazy on the surface. Of course, you could dig and head canon an explanation where the Claw is supposed to represent forgiveness and pacifism (albeit the pacifist part is shaky at best), while Van is unforgiving vengeance. Those two on paper sort of switch the two roles without any context, but with what we know the Claw has done to Van, and the Claw's goal seemingly making him an antagonistic force once again, we've, again, backpaddled the concept to become a "good reason to get revenge and save the present" making any of the morality of vengeance all but forgotten.
You could make an argument for the Claw's vision and how its conceptually not bad, but its nothing more than a fantasy. For everyone to be the same, which means no conflict, no unequal status, all down to having the same dream. It's once you look into it more than a second that it really is horrible. But from characters like Fasalina its clear that this cult-like group may have preyed on vulnerable people, it makes sense why they wish for eternal peace at the cost of their own identities.
But not all concepts and messages are lost or lose meaning in the show. It still does a great job of showing that revenge can rip the person seeking it to a shadow of their former selves, the different kinds of paths people take to get revenge, what paths are truly right or wrong, and dreams. Ray and Van both suffer physical and mental damage in their pursuit of the Claw, either from each other or due to their enemies. Van believes that killing everyone in his path is unnecessary, trying to keep some moral compass despite his ultimate goal. He only wishes for the man who essentially ruined his life and killed him to die, but in situations where its them or him, he's ready to do the deed. While Ray is the embodiment of "the end justifies the means," killing anyone that stands in his way, refusing to hold anything back no matter who they are. Ray suffers from essentially losing his sight and depth perception (seeing everyone equally as obstacles) and Van loses his satellite which puts him on a death sentence, slowly becoming more weary as time goes on (the weight of those lives he had to take). But despite Ray and Van being rivals with the same goal, they both achieve what they want in a way. Ray dies and believes that he kills the Claw's dream after he sees his shocked expression, not from being shot but from his plan seemingly being stopped, destroying his dream. Ray then rests in peace and dies. It's a very fitting end to such a bloodthirsty and sad person who had his dream stolen from him.
Many others find their peace by the end, Wendy metaphorically finds her closure with her brother and matures, and Van accomplishes his goal. My one nitpick from Van's fate is that I believe he also should have died after killing the Claw. Due to being the literal embodiment of the past and vengeance, wearing his tuxedo from the day he "died" and his only real thought being to kill the Claw. We do in a way see that by his hat falling off as soon as he kills the Claw but I also believe that the idea of him being a spirit of vengeance is a lot more fitting than the "perfect all ends well" ending he got. Although I can see the appeal of him moving on now and maybe finding the emotion of love again. But on the side of unsatisfying conclusions, we have Fasalina and Michael who both supposedly survive but you aren't told this very vital information in the show, you are told in an epilogue audio drama (as the wiki tells me). In the show you just kind of see them finally return to their senses, realizing they have real feelings for each other that they were essentially forced to ignore, and then get crushed by a boulder. It's one of the many things at the end you scratch your head at and go "wait what? Why did that happen?" Another big headscratcher comes from the fact that everyone joins up with Van in his pursuit to kill the Claw. No one really objects to it, and in some cases like Joshua, he gives up on stopping his brother from killing. It's a bit off from what seemingly was a group of people who would never consider killing or helping someone kill. While the threat becomes global, then it makes sense but from the start all they believed it was was a grudge that had to be fulfilled.
But with all these specific thoughts out of the way, overall Gun x Sword was a fun show to watch for the majority of its run, and while it doesn't explore concepts fully, and struggles to finish in the satisfying way it sets up, I can't lie that most of this show was well written fun. The voice work is phenomenal, the imagery and metaphors in episodes were amazing, the direction and voice work never failed to impress, and most apparent, the music was incredible start to finish. It easily is on par with the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack with its ethereal, fun-spirited, and cinematic tones with an unforgettable opening and ending thanks to Kotaro Nakagawa and Shuntaro Okino.
