I’ll never forget the day in October 2021 when HoYoverse (still miHoYo back then) hit us with the official drip marketing for Version 2.3. Seriously, after months of whispers and blurry model leaks, seeing Arataki Itto and Gorou plastered all over social media felt like coming home after a long grind. I’d been stockpiling Primogems like a dragon hoarding treasure, hoping for a new husbando to shake up my mono-element teams. And boy, did these two deliver.
When the first image dropped—the one with both characters striking a pose—I was over the moon. The community erupted, and my Discord pinged non-stop. Arataki Itto, the self-proclaimed “First and Greatest Head of the Arataki Gang,” was a 5-star Geo Claymore user with Oni blood. That instantly clicked with my love for rowdy anime characters who are loud, proud, and a little bit dumb. Meanwhile, Gorou, the Canine Warrior, was a 4-star Geo bow general of the Watatsumi Army. Two Geo units arriving together? You could almost hear the theorycrafters slamming their spreadsheets. I remember thinking, “This is either going to break the meta or be a glorious meme.” Spoiler: it was both, in the best way.
Arataki Itto: The One and Oni
Itto’s official lore painted him as an intrepid man who is “fast as the wind and mighty as thunder,” a typical Oni stereotype from anime—he’s rowdy, loud, and runs a gang, yet isn’t evil. I was absolutely chuffed to see they gave him a classic Japanese club instead of a refined greatsword. His burst transformation, Taurus Iracundus, turned his Geo-infused attacks into something straight out of a festival brawl. I’ll confess: my first ten pull on his banner (November 24, 2021) was a disaster—Qiqi showed up at 78 pity and broke my spirits. But after grinding every single chest in Inazuma, I managed to snag him right before the banner ended. Worth every tear.
Playing Itto felt like controlling a one-man-army. His stacking mechanics, the iconic “Ushi” cow throw, and that manic laughter during his ultimate made exploration feel like a rock concert. I slapped a 4-piece Husk of Opulent Dreams on him and watched numbers fly. He was an untamed soul, just as the lore described, and even my most min-maxing friends admitted he was a breath of fresh air.
Gorou: The Loyal Good Boy
Gorou had already stolen my heart during the Inazuma Archon quest, so knowing he’d become playable made me do a little happy dance. His Kazuha voice line described him as “kindness and loyalty are the representation of virtue,” and that captured him perfectly. I admired how his character—a general who sees his soldiers as beloved companions—mirrored my support-main playstyle. I ended up with a C3 Gorou in the same banner, and I’ve never looked back. His elemental skill providing Geo DMG bonuses and resistance to interruption turned my Itto hypercarry team into a well-oiled machine.
I ran Itto, Gorou, Albedo, and a flex healer (usually Bennett or Diona) through every abyss cycle for an entire year. It was that reliable. Even now in 2026, with dozens of new characters, I still break out the Geo bros for domains where I just want to smash face without thinking.
A Quick Look at the Duo
| Character | Rarity | Element | Weapon | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arataki Itto | 5★ | Geo | Claymore | Main DPS / Burst carry |
| Gorou | 4★ | Geo | Bow | Support / Geo buffer |
Team Dynamics and Nostalgia
The synergy was chef’s kiss—Gorou buffs Itto, Itto deletes everything, and I’d cackle like a maniac while his charged attacks slammed down. It felt like having the whole Arataki Gang at my back, even though Shinobu wasn’t playable yet back then (she later joined and completed the gang vibe). The English voice acting for Itto was an absolute gem—Max Mittelman’s performance gave the character so much swagger that I’d sometimes just leave him idle to listen to his monologues about bugs and beetle fights.
Over the years, the game introduced new artifact sets, support characters, and even a few Oni-centric events that deepened the lore of Chiyo and the Raiden sisters. Itto got a rerun alongside Gorou in 2023, and by then I’d saved enough to C6 my general. These two Geo boys never really fell off the meta cliff; they became a comfort pick for countless players who just wanted a straightforward, satisfying smash team.
Looking back from 2026, the 2.3 drip marketing was a turning point. It proved that Geo could be not only viable but incredibly fun, and it gave us some of the most memorable character designs and personalities in the game. If you’re still running an Itto team in the current abyss, you know exactly what I mean. So here’s to Arataki Itto, the oni with a heart of gold, and Gorou, the fluffiest general Teyvat has ever seen. They’re forever my go-to when I want to feel like a true hero of Hanamizaka. 💎🐂