Bridget, long a male-presenting femboy (otokonoko) character, undergoes a gender evolution in her Strive story mode where she realizes and embraces being a transgender woman, using she/her pronouns and correcting others to 'cowgirl,' with series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari explicitly confirming this trans identity. Testament is depicted as non-binary, using they/them pronouns.

Female character redesigns, such as I-No and Dizzy appearing less revealing than in prior entries, were justified by developers as pursuing 'accessibility' and a 'global audience,' leading to accusations of self-censorship, further evidenced by a recent update restricting provocative viewing angles in figure mode. These changes represent identity politics focal points for specific characters and design philosophy shifts, but remain subplots rather than the foundational narrative driver of interdimensional conflicts and tournaments. Controversy erupted around Bridget's reveal, with debates over 'pandering' and canon alteration, yet the game enjoys strong critical (86 OpenCritic) and audience reception, high Steam positivity, and sustained popularity, underscoring competent execution that does not derail appeal.