Magic Knight Rayearth/Characters

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The major characters from the first series/season.

This is the character sheet for Magic Knight Rayearth. Please help with the blurbs.

Magic Knights

Hikaru Shidou

Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina (Japanese), Julie Maddalena (English, TV series), Tara Jayne (English, OVA)

The pint-sized but hard-willed Red Headed Heroine. Hikaru is cheery and excitable, but surprisingly shows a lot of wisdom and is probably the most mature of the team. She gets chosen as the Magic Knight of Fire and her Rune God is Rayearth. Of the three girls, she is the one who embraces the mantle of Magic Knight the most eagerly and is usually the first person to wade into their battles with the creatures of Cephiro and Zagato's servants.

She is the one who is most crushed when she killed Emeraude, leaving a lot of guilt that forms up into a being called Nova in the anime. She later gets picked as the new Pillar of Cephiro, thereby granting her godlike power, but relinquishes it immediately so the power of the land can belong to the people living there.

Fire symbolizes energy, passion and will. Hikaru has all of these in spades.

She doesn't think much about love, but managed to garner the interest of both Lantis and Eagle. When asked why (in the manga), she just states she loves both of them equally and will marry both. How far this goes is under debate by the fandom.

Tropes associated with Hikaru:

Umi Ryuuzaki

Voiced by: Konami Yoshida (Japanese), Wendee Lee (English, TV Series), Amy Birnbaum (English, OVA)

The tallest of the girls, coming from a rich family and attends a private school for rich girls. Umi at first is the least willing to do her job, and comes off very snobbish and uncaring about Cephiro's problems. However, amongst the girls, she can be seen as the most developed out of them, as the situation completely demands her to really mature up, and she really did, becoming a much more admirable character. She's also pretty handy with a rapier, being in the fencing team of the school. She is the Magic Knight of Water and her Rune God is Seles. Seems a bit obsessed on eating Mokona, who annoys her greatly.

Water symbolizes emotion, and Umi is the most temperamental of the Magic Knights. It also symbolizes cleansing and rebirth, and Umi's role in Ascot's heel-face turn hints at this.

She doesn't have much romance going on either, but she is quite fond of Clef. Ascot also shows feelings towards her, but it's not known whether she returns his feelings.

Tropes associated with Umi:

Fuu Hououji

Voiced by: Hiroko Kasahara (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English, TV Series), Lisa Ortiz (English, OVA)

The resident bookworm of the trio. She attends a school for intellectually gifted girls. Fuu is polite to a fault, adding suffixes to EVERYONE she meets. Despite that, her analytical skills are formidable. She also likes RPGs. She's always seen with her glasses, and only unequips it when she is riding her Rune God. She is a member of archery club and for the earlier part, uses a bow and arrow before switching to a BFS. She is selected as the Magic Knight of Wind, and her Rune God is Windam.

Air symbolizes intellect and communication. Fuu is the most intellectual of the Magic Knights, and she always speaks with precision.

She's also the only character involved in a real romance, with Ferio.

  • Adaptation Dye Job: She's blonde in the manga but has light brown hair in the anime and OVA.
  • The Archer: Initially. Later drops it for the sword, although she gets to show off her archery skills again in the second season of the anime.
    • The Sega game retains her archery, with an Escudo bow rather than a sword.
  • Ascended Fangirl (See Otaku)
  • BFS: While the other Escudo swords develop more ornate hilts as they evolve, Fuu's just gets bigger and bigger--by the time they're ready to face Zagato, it's a good foot taller than she is long.
  • Blow You Away: Her magic.
  • Captain Obvious: Sometimes on purpose.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Very, very mild example. Every so often she will come to extremely bizarre conclusions. Or try to reassure her friends that they shouldn't worry about falling from the stratosphere because they will black out before they hit the ground.
  • Elemental Hair
  • Genre Savvy: Hoo boy, is she ever. Lampshaded in the games, and BLATANTLY admitted in the anime.
  • Meganekko
  • The Medic: Her green winds can also heal injuries.
  • Official Couple: Her and Ferio, pretty much the most canon and obvious in the show. The games try to dial this down slightly, but it's still very obvious.
  • Otaku: In the first volume, she is constantly pointing out the ways their adventure is similar to a fantasy RPG. (Or dismayed when they clearly have not leveled up enough to take on Alcyone, who appears right after they meet Clef.)
  • The Smart Girl: She's very good at devising new spells for the situation and thinks her way out of Caldina's enchantment, with a hint from Windam.
  • Teen Genius: She attends a school for gifted students and studies computer programming.
  • Unwanted Rescue: When Ferio breaks her out of the Dreamchild in the anime, Fuu objects to the risk he took. And it's true that she probably didn't need it--like Hikaru and Umi, she could have broken out with Windam's help.
  • Zettai Ryouiki


Supporting Characters

Cephiro

Clef

Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki (Japanese), Steve Cannon (English, TV Series), Immy Uncle (English, OVA)

Clef is Cephiro's Guru, the most powerful magician in the land. He is one of Emeraude's most trusted advisers and was sent by her to guide the Magic Knights upon their arrival in Cephiro. Even though he is quite venerable and powerful, he's rather tetchy towards the Magic Knights when they first arrive.

Presea

Voiced by: Emi Shinohara (Japanese), Jane Alan (English)

Presea is the Pharle, a title bestowed on the master blacksmith of Cephiro. She is the first person that the Magic Knights are sent to visit, as she possesses an impressive armory and can craft weapons especially for them. Although her smithing skills are unquestionable, she is... a little odd.

Mokona

Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori (All versions)

A small animal entrusted to the Magic Knights by Presea. He serves as a guide to them on their journey, as well as a supplier and a communication channel to Clef. It's unclear what he is, but Clef calls him a "sacred creature" of Cephiro.

In the manga, he eventually reveals himself to be the Creator of Cephiro, Earth, and the other nations trying to seize Cephiro. He created the Pillar System after his disappointment with the mess that became of Earth, but Hikaru convinces him that there's a middle path between chaos and putting it all on one person's shoulders.

In the anime, he reveals himself to be... nothing at all. He's just a big marshmallow.


Ferio

Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese), Terry Roberts (English, TV Series), Jim Esnz (English, OVA)

A swordsman that the Magic Knights encounter in the Forest of Silence. He has a smart-aleck attitude, but he teams up with them temporarily to navigate the monster-ridden forest. He claims to be looking for the Spring of Eterna like they are so that he can become a Magic Knight Himself. He takes a particular shine to Fuu and makes a point of flirting with her.

He's actually Emeraude's younger brother, which makes him the Prince. After Emeraude's death, he steps back into this role to try and help his ailing country.


Lafarga

Lafarga is the Captain of Emeraude's personal guard, a position he took up after Lantis left Cephiro. He is Cephiro's most skilled swordsman. Even though he doesn't use any magic, he's still a deadly foe when Zagato hypnotizes him and sends him to stop the Magic Knights from acquiring the final Mashin.

After being burned by Hikaru's sword, he snaps out of his brainwashing. He returns in the second season as his normal self, still determined to protect Cephiro.


Princess Emeraude

From the anime and OVA
Voiced by: Megumi Ogata (Japanese, Playing Against Type, and how), Wendee Lee (English TV series)

Emeraude is the Pillar of Cephiro. Her will and heart are the strongest in the land, and she is tasked with praying to keep the world peaceful and free of invaders. If she can't devote herself fully to her prayers, monsters and natural disasters spring up. This is exactly what happens when Zagato abducts her, and she summons the Magic Knights from another world to save Cephiro.

Except that last sentence isn't quite true. What actually happened was that Emeraude fell in love with Zagato, dividing her heart and compromising her duty. She entered the Water Dungeon in an effort to forget about him, but when this failed she summoned the Magic Knights to kill her before she could harm Cephiro any further. Zagato joined her to try and dissuade her and to protect her from them.

Sierra

Sierra appears in the second season of the anime. She is Presea's twin sister, and in addition to appearance shares her skill in smithing. During the second season, she masquerades as her sister at Clef's request, making up a story that Presea was revived with Emeraude's last wish so that the girls aren't shattered any more than they already are. Although she is genuinely fond of them, the prolonged masquerade takes a toll on her.

Lantis

Voiced by: Jurota Kosugi (Japanese)

Lantis appears in the second half of the story, when the Magic Knights return to Cephiro. He is Cephiro's only Cail (a swordsman who excels at magic) and the former captain of Princess Emeraude's personal guard. He left the country before the events of the first half, and is under a cloud of suspicion for being Zagato's brother and living in Autozam before his return. He doesn't say much about the real reason he's back, either.

His intention is to end Cephiro's Pillar System, so that the tragedy of Zagato, Emeraude, and the Magic Knights is never repeated.

  • Aloof Ally: He doesn't bother arguing against the suspicion around him and just does his thing.
  • Badass
  • Bullying a Dragon: He threatens to kill Mokona the Creator if it doesn't release Hikaru and Eagle.
  • Cool Horse: A summoned one with a fiery mane.
  • Dead Older Brother: Zagato.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: Just because his older brother was a seen this way does not necessarily apply to him, and is even explicitly pointed out.
    • Pet the Dog: As a result, he openly admits he was sympathetic to said older brother, but didn't condone his actions regardless.
  • Defector From Decadence: He left his cushy job as Cail to travel other worlds after Zagato starts to question the Pillar system.
  • Irony: The Creator informs him that his heart is the strongest in all of Cephrio, making him a perfect candidate to be the Pillar himself. Hikaru and Eagle have stronger hearts, so he doesn't undergo the trial. But still.
  • Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: With either Hikaru or Primera.
  • Magic Knight: Not one of the Magic Knights, obviously. His title of Cail is granted only to those who master both swordsmanship and magic.
  • The Mole: Lafarga suspects him of being this for Autozam, as he spent some time there. But he isn't.
  • Professional Slacker: When he was Cail, he spent a lot of the day napping in trees. However, he genuinely didn't have a lot to do because Emeraude's prayers kept dangers from arising.
  • Tall, Dark and Snarky
  • The Stoic: Doesn't talk much, probably as a result of recently losing his brother. Flashbacks show him as more friendly.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: He wants to destroy the Pillar System, regardless of the consequences for Cephiro.

Primera

Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori (Japanese)

Autozam

Eagle Vision

Voiced by: Megumi Ogata (Japanese)

The son of Autozam's president and commander of the battleship sent to Cephrio in Part II. He's also the pilot of the FTO. Eagle grew very close to Lantis when the latter settled in Autozam and is deeply regretful of their present emnity, but he doesn't turn back. He's also one of the most dangerous opponents for the Magic Knights and the other invaders. The reason he gives for invasion is that Autozam needs something like the Pillar System to cleanse the rampant pollution that is slowly killing his world.

In the manga, this is a lie. Eagle's true intentions are to succumb to his impending comatose state after he becomes the Pillar, relocate Cephiro's population, and put the land into an eternal slumber. All of this is to fulfill Lantis' wish to end the Pillar System.

  • Ace Pilot: He comes out on top when his FTO fights solo against the three Magic Knights for the first time.
  • Anti-Villain: He wants to bring the Pillar system to Autozam to solve their pollution crisis.
    • At least, this is the assumption. In reality, he wants to put Cephiro and himself into an eternal sleep so that the Pillar tragedy will not be repeated, for the sake of Lantis.
  • Blood From the Mouth: He has Mysterious Anime Lung Disease in the anime.
  • Death by Adaptation: In the anime, he's killed by Debonair.
  • Friendly Enemy: He's polite to the Magic Knights, as well as the representatives of Fahren and Chizeta, and bears them no ill-will even while they're battling each other. It's even more apparent in the anime, when Hikaru spends some time in Autozam's ship.
  • Ill Boy: Due to his overuse of Autozam's technology, which is powered by mental energy.
  • Incurable Cough of Death
  • She's a Man In Japan: Eagle Vision is depicted as female in the Latin American dub as a way to avoid Ho Yay with Lantis and Geo Metro. The result is a Romantic Two-Girl Friendship with Hikaru.
  • Stepford Smiler: He almost always has a smile on his face, but Hikaru makes note of his sad eyes. Mainly because he's slowly dying on top of fighting his old friend Lantis.
  • Warrior President's Kid: He is the Presiden't son, the commander of Autozam's battleship, and an excellent pilot who insists on leading from the front.
  • White-Haired Pretty Boy

Geo Metro

Voiced by: Kiyoyuki Yanada (Japanese)

Tropes associated with Geo:

Zazu Torque

Voiced by: Junichi Kanemaru (Japanese)

Tropes associated with Zazu:

Chizeta

Tarta and Tatra

Tarta and Tatra are the princesses of Chizeta, a tiny country that neighbors Cephiro. In the second half, they see the leaderless world as a perfect colony for their overpopulated homeland.

Fahren

Princess Aska

Voiced by: Chinami Nishimura (Japanese)

The child princess of the nation of Fahren. Unlike Autozam and Chizeta, it's unclear if there's any justifiable reason for them to desire Cephiro... she seems to have ordered the invasion on a whim. Despite her immaturity, she is a powerful magician and a dangerous opponent.

In the anime, she captures Fuu and holds her prisoner on her ship, the Dreamchild. Fuu's polite and respectful demeanor (which is the polar opposite of Aska's) starts making Aska think more seriously about what she's doing and why.

  • A Child Shall Lead Them: Technically, Chang Ang is her regent, but she still calls all the shots.
  • Character Development: After meeting Fuu personally, Aska begins to question if what she's doing is a good idea.
  • Improbable Age: She's less than ten years old and has the authority to command her country's battleship, on top of having incredible magic and willpower for her age.
  • It's All About Me: Unlike Autozam and Chizeta, Fahren has no real justification to invade. They only do so because Aska wants it like a toy.
  • Noblewoman's Laugh
  • The Ojou
  • Power Strain Blackout: Not necessarily an inherent risk of her powers--opening a Road and recklessly casting giant drawings does it, though.
  • Royal Brat: She wants to become Pillar so she can turn Cephiro into a land of desserts and candy.
  • Screw the Rules, I Make Them: In the anime, she says that she'll allow Fuu to leave if she wins an archery contest. When Fuu wins, Aska changes the conditions to fighting an army of ninja. When Fuu defeats them....
  • Summon Magic: She's able to bring paper drawings to life.
  • Tsundere: to San Yung.

San Yung

Voiced by: Satomi Koorogi (Japanese)

Chang Ang

Villains

Zagato

Voiced by: Jurota Kosugi (Japanese), Lex Lang (English)

The villain of part one. Zagato abducted Princess Emeraude, stopping her prayers for Cephiro and plunging the land into chaos. Although he keeps her locked in the Water Dungeon and sends out his servants to stop the Magic Knights, he doesn't seem to have any interest in actually ruling.

This is because he didn't kidnap Emeraude at all--he's deeply in love with her and is trying to stop her from committing Suicide by Cop by killing the Magic Knights before they get there. Ultimately, all of his efforts fail and he dies in battle against them.

  • Anti-Villain: Though he still does not try to explain his true motivation.
    • He does start explaining when the Magic Knights reach his stronghold, but only in-between deadly magic spells.
  • Evil Sorceror: His magical power rivals Clef; none of the warriors from Cephiro who have tried to stop him returned.
  • Bodyguard Crush: On Emeraude, who loved him back
  • Lady and Knight: With Princess Emeraude
  • Lack of Empathy: He doesn't even look at Alcyone when she clings to him, dying of her wounds and professes not to care about the fate of Cephiro. He only cares about Emeraude and her happiness.
  • Love Makes You Evil: in terms what he actually wanted, subverted heavily, though his actions to achieve sad goal easily qualify.
  • Manipulative Bastard: He's aware of Alcyone's affections and uses them to his advantage, and gains Ascot's support by saying that he'll be able to live with his monsters in peace.
  • Obviously Evil: A sorcerer in black robes, with Shoulders of Doom, who sends out minions to kill a trio of young girls and abandons them when they fail. It's very easy for the girls to assume that he's a garden-variety RPG villain.
  • Only Sane Man: He was the only one who questioned the Pillar System enough to try and do something about it.
  • Talking to Himself: Both in the original Japanese and the English dub. Jurota Kosugi and Lex Lang voiced both Zagato and Lantis.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Even before he turned into the Big Bad, Zagato still disagreed heavily with the whole Pillar system, therefore he wanted to tear it down to save his beloved Emeraude from pretty much commiting assisted suicide.
  • Would Hurt a Child: He acknowledges that the Magic Knights are children, but doesn't hesitate to send his servants to kill them.

Alcyone

Voiced by: Yuri Amano (Japanese)

A sorceress who is in love with Zagato. She was taught by Clef himself, but she is utterly devoted to Zagato and willing to follow any order he gives. She is the first enemy that the Magic Knights face.

In the manga, she is mortally wounded after fighting them outside the Forest of Silence and dies begging Zagato to save her. In the anime he still rejects her for her failure, but she survives and is used as a puppet by Debonair in the second season.

Ascot

Voiced by: Minami Takayama (Japanese)

One of Zagato's servants. Ascot is a young boy, and a Palu--a monster summoner. He's arrogant and self-centered, dismissive of Alcyone and mocking of the Magic Knights. Zagato sends him to the underwater shrine that houses Seles, the first of the Mashin. Despite his brattiness, he does care about the monsters he summons. In the anime, he is sent out much earlier and kills Presea by having his creatures destroy her home.

He is defeated by Umi, who forces him to apologize and tells him he needs to stand up for his animal friends. This causes a Heel Face Turn, and he returns in the second half much taller, having developed a huge crush on her.

Caldina

One of the assassins sent by Zagato to kill the Magic Knights. Caldina is a self-possessed dancer from a foreign land, and is far less concerned with Zagato's motivations than getting paid for her work.

She decides that Fuu and her friends are pretty cool, so she leaves them alone after Fuu breaks her enchantments. But she returns to help Cephiro in the second half, in part because she develops feelings for Lafarga.

Innouva

Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu (Japanese)

Nova

Debonair

  • Abusive Parents: She adopted Nova and calls her daughter, but abandons her late in the story.
  • As Long as There Is Evil: Claims that she will never truly die because she came from the fears of Cephiro's people. A reasonable assumption until Hikaru decides to reshape the Pillar System.
  • Big Bad: Of season two in the anime.
  • Canon Foreigner: She only appears in the anime. In the manga, Cephiro is crumbling away quite capably on its own.
  • Evil Laugh: All the time.
  • Femme Fatalons: Good grief, they're about a foot long.
  • The Heartless: She was born from the fear and despair in Cephiro's inhabitants.
  • Nietzsche Wannabe: Her goal is simply the complete destruction of Cephiro.
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