Anime Fantasy Encyclopedia

Galatea
Japanese VA : Ai Orikasa
Rank : #3
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Galatea is Claymore #3 and a defensive fighter. She is one of the more kind-hearted Claymores. She is a master at sensing Yoki, being able to sense other Claymores from a long distance, read their emotions, and see their actions as if she were close by. She uses this to act as the organization’s “eye”. She can also control other people’s actions by subtly manipulating their Yoki flows. In addition, she claims that her Yoma power, when released, is the greatest among all the current Claymores.

Galatea, as the organization’s eye, was sent to spy on Miria’s party during the male Awakened Being incident. When Clare went missing after encountering Ophelia, Galatea was sent to search for her, and she finds Clare battling against Dauf. She fights alongside her and Jean against Dauf, and helps Clare control her Yoma power. Afterwards, she abandons her mission, returning to the organization without Clare. Meanwhile, Galatea becomes more and more suspicious of the organization, and although the organization is aware of her growing disobedience, they keep her due to her usefulness.

Ophelia
Japanese VA : Emi Shinohara
Rank : #4
Type : Offensive

Character Description
When Ophelia was a child, her beloved brother died protecting her from Priscilla. This caused Ophelia to deeply hate all Awakened Beings and she vowed to take revenge on the “one-horned monster”.

Ophelia eventually became Claymore #4. Though powerful, she was psychotic and reveled in killing. She murdered others indiscriminately for the sheer fun of it, and killed humans while slaughtering all witnesses to avoid punishment. She has even destroyed a fellow Claymore’s Black Card. She also enjoyed torturing and played sadistic “games” with her opponents in battle. Even though many of her crimes were secret, even other Claymores considered her a monster.

Her special fighting technique is “rippling” her sword by waving it back and forth at great speed. This technique is extremely difficult to dodge or block, even for an opponent who can predict her movements, such as Clare. Based on this technique, she gave herself the title Rippling Ophelia, based on the belief she hadn’t any other title.

Ophelia was assigned to fight with Clare against an Awakened Being, but she tried to kill Clare and Raki instead as she suspected that Clare was partially Awakened. She almost succeeded, but was stopped by Ilena, who severely wounded her.

Badly wounded and furious at her defeat, Ophelia released all her Yoma energy and Awakened, becoming a serpentine creature, similar to the Lamia from Greek Mythology. Despite her hunger and desire for guts, Ophelia doesn’t realise she’s Awakened until she caught a glimpse of her reflection in a lake. She was killed by Clare with the assistance of Ilena’s Quick Sword technique and her own suicidal tendencies.

Her character and death scene bear some similarities to the character Ophelia from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.

Rafaela
Japanese VA : Satsuki Yukino
Rank : #5
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Rafaela is Claymore #5 in Clare’s Time. Her job is to execute Claymores who disobey the organization. Rafaela first appeared as Ilena’s executioner.

Miria
Japanese VA : Kikuko Inoue
Rank : #6
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Miria is Claymore #6. She can greatly, but briefly, increase her speed to the point where she leaves many afterimages of herself in battle, confusing the opponent, thus earning herself the nickname Phantom Miria. She is also very skilled at teamwork and tactics. Miria is a partially awakened Claymore and is subtly rebelling against the organization, trying to learn its secrets. These both stem from an Awakened Being hunt, when she discovered that the target was originally a close friend, Hilda, who had awakened. The shock of this led her to nearly awaken herself.

Miria was first introduced in the story as the head of a squad, which was sent to a town that had a possibility of harboring an Awakened Being. This squad included Clare, but before the squad could meet up, Clare had already taken action after discovering there were only Yoma. Some time later, Miria was assigned again as leader of an Awakened Being hunting squad - formed of Clare, Helen, and Deneve. However, the squad hadn’t been informed that the Awakened Being was male, and thus far older and stronger than a more recently awakened Claymore. With only one single-digit Claymore on the squad, all four Claymores came dangerously close to death, though Clare and Miria were ultimately able to use teamwork and their special abilities to take the creature down.

After realizing that they had had almost no chance of surviving the fight, Miria believed that her squad had been betrayed by the organization and sent on a suicide mission. Her theory was that her squad, composed of partially-Awakened Claymores, were considered troublemakers by the organization. After the battle, she told Clare, Helen, and Deneve that she’d found one of the organization’s darkest secrets, but didn’t reveal it out of fear for the others’ safeties. She told them to keep a low profile and stamp out their trouble making images, and that she’d contact them when the time was right.

Miria was also the chief Claymore in the Northern campaign. She demonstrated her tactical skills by the way she organized the Claymores into small teams that would allow them to gain experience in fighting with Awakened Ones with minimal loss of life. In the first fight against three male Awakened Ones, her strategic capabilities were even recognized by one of the Awakened Ones. Miria directly led the following Claymores: Queenie (#20), Tabitha (#31) and Yuma (#40). It was her planning that enabled some of the Claymores in the campaign to survive.

Eva
Japanese VA : N/A
Rank : #7
Type : N/A

Character Description
Eva and her team members (Kate, Lucia, and an unknown member) were killed when they encountered a large number of awakened ones in the North. This led to the Northern Campaign.

Flora
Japanese VA : Miyu Matsuki
Rank : #8
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Flora was Claymore #8. Her nickname is Windcutter Flora, after her lightning-fast sword drawing technique, considered to be the fastest draw of any Claymore. As a division captain during the North campaign, she led the following Claymores: Lily (#18), Wendy (#30), Karla (#39), and Clare (#47). Unlike most of the other Claymores (such as Clare, Helen) who speak in blunt Japanese, Flora always uses polite language (keigo), even when she is trying to impose tight discipline on Miria’s behalf.

After the first skirmish in the Northern campaign, she challenged Clare to a duel in order to test her Windcutter sword style against Clare’s Quick Sword technique. It was found that while Windcutter was more powerful and precise, Clare’s Quick Sword was faster.

Flora was killed by Rigardo.

Jean
Japanese VA : Kotono Mitsuishi
Rank : #9
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Jean is Claymore #9 and an offensive fighter. Her attack, based on storing energy by twisting her arm and releasing it in one burst, is said to be the most destructive among her peers. She is serious and strictly honorable.

Jean and her team members (Katea, Rakel, and an unnamed Claymore) are captured by Dauf and Riful during an Awakened Being hunt, which turns out to be an ambush. After prolonged torture, she awakens, but is able to revert back to human shape by virtue of her extraordinary willpower and Clare’s help. She then decides to pay back the life debt she now owes Clare, choosing to follow Clare.

In the Northern Campaign, Miria gives her the position of division captain. Her team includes Eliza (#17), Emelia (#27), Natalie (#37), and Diana (#44).

Her awakened form resembled a butterfly.

Undine
Japanese VA : Rie Ishizuka
Rank : #11
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Undine is Claymore #11 and is notably brash and aggressive. Unlike other Claymores, she carries two swords. Undine appears as a bulky, muscular woman, however this is a result of shapeshifting and her natural form is small and delicate. Deneve deduced that as a young Claymore, a friend died protecting her and out of shame she developed the attitude and build she later possesses. One of the swords she carries belonged to the Claymore who died protecting her.

Undine is one of the division captains in the Northern campaign and led Deneve (#15), Zelda (#24), Claudia (#36), and Juliana (#43).

She was killed by Rigardo during the second battle.

Veronica
Japanese VA : Akeno Watanabe
Rank : #13
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Veronica is a defensive fighter and seems calm and professional. She was one of the division captains in the Northern campaign, who led Cynthia (#14), Helen (#22), Pamela (#35), and Matilda (#41). Veronica was the first warrior killed by Rigardo.

Cynthia
Japanese VA : Miho Miyagawa
Rank : #14
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Cynthia is Claymore #14 and a defensive fighter. Cynthia is another survivor of the Northern Campaign, during which she was part of Veronica’s team. She seems to have a hopeful and cheerful personality despite all that she and the group have gone through.

Deneve
Japanese VA : Hana Takeda
Rank : #15
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Deneve is #15 among the Claymores and has partially awakened, though she succeeded in reverting to her normal state. She possesses a calm and understanding personality but can be a perfectionist. Her regeneration ability is exceptional, even for a defensive fighter.

Like many Claymores, Deneve is a survivor of a Yoma attack. After a Yoma killed their parents, her elder sister hid Deneve under a bed. While the Yoma proceeded to rape and kill her sister, Deneve managed to remain undetected by covering her mouth to keep her screams from being heard. As a Claymore, she desired vengence. However, she found she wanted to live more than kill her enemy (which made her a defensive warrior). Ashamed of what she regarded as her cowardice, she fought suicidally until she met Helen, who told her that it is natural for Claymores to want to live; they are only human. This deeply affects Deneve, who becomes virtually inseparable from her new friend.

During the North Campaign, Deneve deduces the reason for Undine’s powers, attitude, and extra sword. Deneve currently carries the fallen Undine’s sword in memory of her captain.

Helen
Japanese VA : Miki Nagasawa
Rank : #22
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Helen is ranked #22. Her special power is to stretch her arms to extreme lengths to attack at range or bind her opponents. Helen is partially Awoken, but has reverted to her human state. She seems to have a large appetite for a Claymore. Helen is hot tempered and aggressive. Her mouthy and sometimes insensitive nature means that she can appear to be something of a bully. She is Deneve’s constant companion. Deneve commented that she is “always the troublemaker.” However, Helen is honest and cares fiercely for her friends.

When they first met, Helen immediately disliked Clare for her low rank and weak power. But Helen later grew to admire Clare’s fighting performance and determination and considers her a friend. They are close enough that, in the Northern campaign, Clare trusted Helen with the job of killing her when she felt herself awakening.

Tabitha
Japanese VA : Akeno Watanabe
Rank : #31
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Tabatha is Claymore #31. She was on Miria’s team and is one of the survivors of the Northern campaign. Tabitha is a defensive fighter and, like Galatea, appears to specialise in sensing Yoki at a large distance accurately enough to distinguish the moods of distant Claymores, fullfiling the role of the ‘Eye’ for the survivors. She is serious-minded and puts her loyalty to Miria first and foremost.

Katea
Japanese VA : Shiho Kawaragi
Rank : #32
Type : N/A

Character Description
Katea was part of Jean’s team in a hunt for an Awakened Being in the Zakol Mountains. After being captured by Riful and Dauf, she was tortured until she awakened. However after concluding that she was too weak, Riful ordered Dauf to kill her.

Uma
Japanese VA : N/A
Rank : #40
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Uma is Claymore #40. She is a defensive fighter and was on Miria’s team during the Northern campaign. She lost an arm in the first skirmish, but was able to regenerate it in time for the second battle, and she is one of the seven survivors. She appears extremely insecure and is in awe of her group’s more powerful members.

Elena
Japanese VA : Ayako Kawasumi
Rank : N/A
Type : Defensive

Character Description
Elena entered the organization at the same time as Clare and was her closest friend during training. However, while she started her missions later than Clare, she overused her Yoma energy, resulting in her gradually losing control. When she finally felt the Yoma taking over her, she resorted to sending her Black Card to Clare. She was subsequently slain by Clare.

Rakel
Japanese VA : Sachi Matsumoto
Rank : N/A
Type : N/A

Character Description
Rakel was also part of Jean’s team in the hunt for an Awakened Being. Severely injured she managed to escape (or was possibly allowed to escape in order to lure more Claymores into Riful’s trap). In the nearby town of Hanel she meets Clare and begs her to save her teammates. She then dies in Clare’s arms.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Clare
Japanese VA : Houko Kuwashima
Rank : #47
Type : Offensive

Character Description
Clare is the series’ protagonist. When she was a little girl, her family was killed and eaten by a yoma impersonating her brother. After being chased out of her village, another captured her and made her part of its disguise and its toy, often torturing her. She was saved by Teresa and empathizing with Teresa’s pain, Clare followed her for days without rest, food, or water. Teresa, after at first trying to get rid of Clare, eventually let her travel with her, and the two became attached. The presence of a caring human in her life helped Teresa regain her lost happiness and humanity. Their life together was cut short when Teresa was forced to kill some human bandits to save Clare’s life. The organization sent four of their best Claymores to execute Teresa, who was eventually killed by the awakened Priscilla.

Clare, who mysteriously wasn’t harmed, vowed to take Priscilla’s head in revenge, and begged the organization to fuse herself with Teresa’s flesh and blood. She thus became the only person to volunteer to join the Claymores and the first hybrid with 1/4 Yoma blood instead of the normal 1/2 and 1/2. Because of this low demonic ratio and power, she was given rank #47 — the lowest of all. However, Clare shares Teresa’s ability of heightened Yoki sensing to the point of being able to predict an opponent’s moves. It is unclear whether this is due to a biological inheritance, Clare choosing to follow in her mentors footsteps or a deliberately chosen tactic in order to fight Awakened Beings.

Clare partially awakened during her fight in Rabona, but was able to revert to her human state with Raki’s help. She lost her right arm during an incident involving Ophelia, but later received a new one from Ilena, along with the “Quick Sword” technique.

She once again came close to awakening during her battle against Dauf, but Galatea manipulated her yoki flow and brought her back. She then was able to use the same method to save Jean from losing her mind to awakening.

In the Northern campaign, Clare joined Flora’s party. Having grown significantly stronger she manages to fight on the same level as her captain. During the fight against Rigardo, Clare was able to deliberately awaken parts of her body, while remaining mentally human. Later, she confronts Priscilla immedately after her fight with Rigardo.

Raki
Japanese VA : Motoki Takagi
Rank : N/A
Type : N/A

Character Description
Raki is a young boy whose family was murdered by a Yoma, which then took the form of his older brother, Zaki, as a disguise. This Yoma was slain by Clare, but Raki was suspected of being a Yoma as well, and was exiled from his village. Clare originally only offered to take him with her until he found a village he wished to live in, but she gets attached to him because their pasts are quite similar and Raki’s life with Clare parallels Clare’s life with Teresa in many ways. Raki also cares very deeply for Clare, and protects her without hesitation. It remains unclear whether their relationship is fraternal or romantic.

Raki was separated from Clare during her fight with Ophelia. While looking for Clara, he fell under the care of Isley and Priscilla, although he is not aware of their true identities as Awakened Beings. He is currently studying swordsmanship under Isley. Raki becomes aware that Priscilla is an Awakened Being and a former Claymore and leaves Priscilla and Isley in order to meet up with Clare, whom he finally sees from a small distance during her fight against Rigardo.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Chizuru Aizawa
Japanese VA : Mamiko Noto
English VA : Dorothy Elias-Fahn

Character Description
One of Chika’s good friends in high school, who took swimming lessons from Tina along with her schoolmates. She’s very afraid of the water, but managed to overcome her fear and learned how to swim. She is the shy one of Chika’s group, often overwhelmed by adult matters and prone to constant blushing and the occasional fainting fit.

Natsuki Komiya
Japanese VA : Kimiko Koyama
English VA : Julie Ann Taylor

Character Description
Another of Chika’s good friends in high school. She considers Chika to be her chief rival and is often jealous of the love-love relationship that she and Chizuru assume Chika to have with Kaoru. She is about the only person who can beat Chika at swimming besides Tina Foster.

Suzuki
Japanese VA : Kazuya Nakai
English VA : Lex Lang

Character Description
Kaoru’s and Taeko’s senpai, and President of Meiritsu University’s Photography Club. He’s noted for his love of trains and locomotives.

Sato
Japanese VA : Makoto Higo
English VA : Kirk Thornton

Character Description
Kaoru’s and Taeko’s senpai, and Vice President of Meiritsu University’s Photography Club. He’s noted for his love of idols (especially female ones).

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Kaoru Hanabishi
Japanese VA : Soichiro Hoshi
English VA : Dave Wittenberg

Character Description
The primary male protagonist of the series. He’s a fairly average person and he doesn’t fit the mold of the stereotypical male hero in most harem anime series. For the most part, he’s shown to be a fairly good student, and isn’t prone to emotional outbursts unlike other leading males in harem anime. He’s generally well liked and is a member of the photography club at Meiritsu University. He harbors a deep dislike for the Hanabishi clan due to their inhumane treatment of himself and his mother, which was due in turn to that clan’s disapproval of his parents’ relationship and resulted in Kaoru leaving the clan. Kaoru’s mother and father never married, and he was an illegitimate child. His back is scarred from when he was tortured with a bamboo cane for trying to prevent his grandfather from burning mementos of his dead mother.

Aoi Sakuraba
Japanese VA : Ayako Kawasumi
English VA : Michelle Ruff

Character Description
The primary female protagonist of the series. She’s generally very shy and demure. Also, she’s usually portrayed wearing a kimono; specifically, an indigo one. Because she’s a very good cook and keeps her house in a very clean state, she’s seen as a Yamato Nadeshiko (traditional Japanese beauty). Unlike other female leads in harem anime, she works to control her jealousy and is generally successful. She’s very devoted to Kaoru-sama, however, and will do all in her power to prevent being separated from him. When Aoi, Kaoru-sama, and Miyabi moved to the Sakuraba’s summer estate the public appearance Miyabi wanted was that Aoi would be the landlady, herself the manager, and Kaoru-sama a tenant. When Tina Foster moved in, Aoi and Miyabi became a real landlord and manager. Aoi has a quiet but strong willfulness. Many viewers have mistaken this for weakness or subservience due to her mild temperament.

Tina Foster
Japanese VA : Satsuki Yukino
English VA : Wendee Lee

Character Description
Tina was born in the United States, possibly Los Angeles, California, but spent the majority of her life in Hakata, a ward in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. She attends Meiritsu University with Kaoru, and was the one who convinced him to join the photography club, of which she’s also a member. She moves into the servant house that Kaoru is staying in because she had no place to stay after returning to Japan from a year-long trip around the world. She has a habit of greeting females by groping and fondling their breasts from behind, which most people find very uncouth (and frustrates Kaoru to no end). She’s loud and outspoken and very protective of Kaoru when it comes to Mayu. She’s also very fond of drinking and has an enormous capacity for alcohol…but still pays the inevitable price in hangovers. She has a white pet ferret, named Uzume, which most of the cast finds very cute, except, initially, for Miyabi.

Tina is also an experienced swimmer, and coaches Chika’s swim team for a time during the second series.

In many respects, Tina is one of the more deeply developed — and somewhat tragic — characters of the show, despite her ditzy behavior. Being an American, and yet having been raised in Japan, she’s constantly haunted by the fact that she can never truly fit in either country. When she left Japan to attend high school in America, she explained that she was unable to fit in there because she was culturally Japanese. But she also realizes that she can never truly fit in Japan either, because of her appearance. Tina wishes that she’d been born Japanese, so that perhaps she’d have a better chance at winning Kaoru’s heart.

Tina is very deeply in love with Kaoru, but pains her heart with efforts to hide her feelings, because she thinks that he could never feel the same way about her. Towards the end of Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi she realizes that Kaoru loves Aoi, and that her own opportunity to win his heart has passed.

Her ditzy character and drinking habit could be a nod to Love Hina’s Mutsumi Otohime, who Satsuki Yukino also voices. Mutsumi’s other traits (large bust and being clumsy) were given to Taeko.

Miyabi Kagurazaki
Japanese VA : Akiko Hiramatsu
English VA : Lia Sargent

Character Description
Aoi’s appointed guardian and caretaker, she spent most of her life looking after Aoi and helping in her upbringing. She’s also very active in the running of the Sakuraba Department Store. She’s generally very strict and enforces the rules of the Sakuraba summer house as the manager. Although she initially disliked Kaoru (and all of his friends), she learns to accept him because of the feelings that Aoi and Kaoru have for each other. She is somewhat humbled in the episode where Tina is introduced courtesy of losing in a drinking game with her. She’s also very fond of breaking watermelons in the summer.

Although the impression is given that she is a tough-as-nails workaholic, she shows various signs of being a very deeply compassionate person. When the pet ferret was in danger of dying from being crushed by a gigantic heirloom pendulum clock, for all her initial dislike of the animal she raced to find a crowbar which she then used to free the ferret, which later became more attached to her than to Tina. Aoi later explains that the ferret could sense the kind-heartedness within Miyabi-san’s samurai-like demeanor.

Taeko Minazuki
Japanese VA : Kaori Mizuhashi
English VA : Philece Sampler

Character Description
Taeko is a new member of the Meiritsu University photography club and eventually moves into the Sakuraba summer house as the housekeeper after being fired from her previous housekeeping job. Her most prominent features are her very large breasts and her clumsiness. She was so clumsy that Aoi had to convince Miyabi to hire her, as she had a tendency to break a lot of valuable objects, but she tries to do her best. Taeko explains that the reason she wants to be a housekeeper so badly is because when she was very young, her father died and her mother had to raise her as a single parent. Taeko’s mother was very proficient at keeping house, and Taeko wishes to achieve the same proficiency that her mother had. She also develops feelings for Kaoru as the series progresses. She likes to put chocolate in all the food she makes, even in fish. In an episode of Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi it is indicated that Taeko has an interest in the supernatural as well as training as a miko.

Mayu Miyuki
Japanese VA : Sayaka Narita
English VA : Karen Strassman

Character Description
Something of a prodigy, Mayu attends the same college as “Hanabishi-sama” purely by accident. Meiritsu University was chosen for her by her father and she initially thought poorly of it. She is in love with Kaoru because he cheered her up at a party when she was 12 years old. At that time, Mayu’s parents informed her that they would be missing her 12th birthday because of business overseas. They gave her a stuffed rabbit that she had been asking for as a gift to make up for it. Mayu’s parents had been holding a party for their business partners, and no matter what Mayu said or did, her parents simply did not have the time for her. Dismayed, Mayu ran off into the woods, bumping into Kaoru and dropping her rabbit as she fled. Kaoru followed her and tried to cheer her up, but she exclaimed that her parents did not take care of her at all, and that they also did not love her. Kaoru then uses the rabbit (which he named “Ussaa”, a contraction of usagi, the Japanese word for “rabbit”) as a puppet to cheer up Mayu, telling her that her parents do love her very much, and that even if they do not pay as much attention to her as they should, it’s better than having no parents at all, like himself. This left a significant impact on Mayu, and she kept and cherished Ussaa to the current day. Mayu is still very lonely, because her parents are always busy working. She tries as hard as she can to do things that would make Kaoru happy, such as learning how to cook from Aoi so she could make lunch for him.

Mayu shares a rivalry with Tina, whom she considers uncouth, and whose presence she cannot stand. The two characters are opposites in many ways. Where Mayu is serious, Tina is playful. Where Mayu is uncharacteristically open in her unrealistic desire for Kaoru, Tina is uncharacteristically shy in her (almost) reciprocated love of Kaoru. Where Tina is an American who embraces Japanese culture, Mayu is Japanese and embraces Western culture. When Tina accidentally bumped into her during their first meeting, Mayu reprimanded her in English, while the out-of-practice Tina struggled to recall an appropriate retort in her native language. Even their introductions to Kaoru are mirrors of one another. Kaoru did much to lift Mayu out of her loneliness, while Tina lifted Kaoru out of his own loneliness and apathy following his defection from the Hanabishi clan.

Mayu has the habit of referring to herself in the third person when speaking. Mayu is a gifted pianist, though this is never mentioned until the Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi series.

Chika Minazuki
Japanese VA : Haruko Momoi
English VA : Kari Wahlgren

Character Description
Taeko’s younger cousin. During the summer she spends most of her time working in a cafe down by the beach. Because of this, she’s very tanned. She notices that Taeko has a crush on Kaoru and spends a lot of time trying to fix the two of them up. She’s generally upbeat and energetic, and due to her appearance was frequently compared to Kaolla Su from Love Hina. She occasionally has mild feelings for Kaoru as the series progresses, but for the most part, looks up to him as an older brother. On another note she’s been seen naked several times during the seasons by Kaoru Hanabishi.

Uzume
Japanese VA : Yuka Inokuchi
English VA : N/A

Character Description
The pet ferret purchased by Tina but eventually becomes attached to the one person who initially rejected having anything to do with it, Miyabi. Its’ arrival at the ‘boarding house’ was predictably chaotic, with its’ accidentally destructive behavior causing Miyabi to develop an intense dislike for it, partly because in the episode it is learned that the tough-as-nails Miyabi is secretly afraid of insects, and Uzume has a tendency to present them, cat-like, as presents to her. Her anger at this discovery of her secret vulnerability being made by the other residents is short-circuited by being the only one who can save the animal’s life when it becomes trapped and is in danger of dying.

In later episodes, it is seen that the ferret has been accepted by Miyabi as being, for all intents and purposes, her pet. It is often seen in close proximity to her, laying or sleeping on a pillow in Miyabi’s office.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Okinawa Locals

Kaori Kinjo
Japanese VA : Mai Kadowaki
English VA : Amber Hood

Character Description
Saya’s best friend at Koza Commerce High School. Later to be reunited with Saya. Although she does not know what Saya is, nor the burden she has to carry, Kaori knows something is up and cheers Saya on.

Prof. Hirohisa Sukegawa
Japanese VA : Tamio Sobami
English VA : David Rasner

Character Description
Forensic Pathologist at Naha University, conducted autopsy on serial murder victims. His office was raided after Okamura gave him a bottle of Chateau Duel ‘67 to test the contents.

Sorimachi
Japanese VA : Daisuke Ono
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
Journalist working for a national paper in Okinawa. Attended the same University as Okamura

Editor Takeda
Japanese VA : Ikuya Sawaki
English VA : N/A

Character Description
The editor of the local Ryuku Daily as well as Okamura’s boss, character design modeleled after Seiji Takeda.

Katou
Japanese VA : Takayuki Sakazume
English VA : Benjamin Diskin

Character Description
Both Katou and Kakimoto are a duo of comic relief, always turn up where there is free food, ride scooters, used to hang out with Kai.

Kakimoto
Japanese VA : Hiroshi Shirokuma
English VA : Wally Wingert

Character Description
Both Katou and Kakimoto are a duo of comic relief, always turn up where there is free food, ride scooters, used to hang out with Kai.

“Cry Baby” Forrest
Japanese VA : You Kitazawa
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
George Miyagusuku’s regular customer, ex-GI who is turned into a Chiropteran.

Vietnam Locals

Kurara
Japanese VA : Romi Paku
English VA : Jennifer Darling

Character Description
Red Shield Special Operations Team, who accompanied Saya and David into a Vietnam jungle in an effort to retrieve Diva’s container. The mission was a failure, and these four team members were killed. In fact, at least one of them (including Kurara herself, who gets inflicted by a fatal blade wound) might have been slain by Saya who went berserk for a moment.

Spencer
Japanese VA : Takuya Kirimoto
English VA : Nestor Chiesse

Character Description
Red Shield Special Operations Team, who accompanied Saya and David into a Vietnam jungle in an effort to retrieve Diva’s container. The mission was a failure, and these four team members were killed. In fact, at least one of them (including Kurara herself, who gets inflicted by a fatal blade wound) might have been slain by Saya who went berserk for a moment.

Rodgers
Japanese VA : Takaya Kuroda
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Red Shield Special Operations Team, who accompanied Saya and David into a Vietnam jungle in an effort to retrieve Diva’s container. The mission was a failure, and these four team members were killed. In fact, at least one of them (including Kurara herself, who gets inflicted by a fatal blade wound) might have been slain by Saya who went berserk for a moment.

Makkoi
Japanese VA : Tetsu Inada
English VA : Quinton Flynn

Character Description
Red Shield Special Operations Team, who accompanied Saya and David into a Vietnam jungle in an effort to retrieve Diva’s container. The mission was a failure, and these four team members were killed. In fact, at least one of them (including Kurara herself, who gets inflicted by a fatal blade wound) might have been slain by Saya who went berserk for a moment.

Ms. Lee
Japanese VA : Miyuki Ichigo
English VA : Jennifer Darling

Character Description
Ms. Lee is the school teacher at Saya’s school when she was working under cover in a private girls school in Vietnam.

Min
Japanese VA : Mai Kadowaki
English VA : Lara Jill Miller

Character Description
Saya’s roommate and best friend in Vietnam. She has a bubbly personality and is apparently crazy about getting to know boys and dating. She gets the fright of her life when she witnesses Saya’s newly-inflicted wounds heal right in front of her.

Mui
Japanese VA : Risa Suzuki
English VA : Janice Kawaye

Character Description
Riku’s friend, test subject of the Delta 67 Phase 1 trial. She became a Chiropteran by Diva’s Song and is now being held at Red Shield. It is unknown if they cure her or not.

Russian Locals

Liza
Japanese VA : Rika Fukami
English VA : Kari Wahlgren

Character Description
Russian Red Shield agent. During her travel in the Trains-Siberian express, she is killed while taking a shower , and her naked body was thrown off the train by Amshel, who assumed her place, in order to get closer to Saya.

Ted A. Adams
Japanese VA : Kenichi Ogata
English VA : David Rasner

Character Description
MIA Chiropteran scientists, last seen in Ekaterinburg. Ted died in the Sverdlovsk facility from wounds inflicted by his son. As a last request, he asked David to set off the bombs he placed in the facility to bury his son. David took his body away before complying to this request. Kai suggested that they should bury him there, but it is unknown whether they did or not.

Phillip Rosenberg
Japanese VA : Fumio Matsuoka
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
MIA Chiropteran scientists, last seen in Ekaterinburg. It is also unknown what happened to Phillip Rosenberg, though he was very ill and bed-ridden when David last saw him.

Andrei
Japanese VA : Tadahisa Saizen
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Ted’s son. Was changed into a chiropteran, and since the Russia experiments were terminated, his body was sealed in a Sverdlovsk facility, inside a massive block of concrete. Despite being almost entirely immobilized, he managed to claw his father and drink a little of his blood, and subsequently broke out. He was shot many times by Kai, David and Lewis, before being set on fire. He was buried in the facility when his father’s explosives destroyed the building.

United Kingdom Locals

Glay
Japanese VA : Takayuki Sugo
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Was in Vietnam with George. Today he runs an orphanage trying to do the little things to make the world a more peaceful place, while teaching his military expertise to Kai.

Monique
Japanese VA : Kaori Nazuka
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Lives in Glay’s orphanage helping him with the children. Apparently she likes Kai.

Javier
Japanese VA : Mai Kadowaki
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Javier is a orphan living with Glay and Monique while waiting for adoption.

Nahabi
Japanese VA : Rika Morinaga
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Nahabi is a orphan living with Glay and Monique while waiting for adoption.

American Locals

Mr. Grant
Japanese VA : Tadahisa Saizen
English VA : N/A

Character Description
US Secretary of Defense, partnered with Amshel. Obviously modeled on Donald Rumsfeld.

Bread
Japanese VA : Minako Ichiki
English VA : N/A

Character Description
American politician. Turned into a chiropteran in the Metropolitan Opera House and was shot by Mr. Grant’s White House bodyguards. Modeled on Condoleezza Rice.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

The Schiff are an unstable balance between Chevaliers & Chiroptera. They are prototypes for the Corpse Corps, pseudo-Chevalier soldiers created by a group of scientists led by Boris, under the sponsorship of Amshel Goldsmith. The Schiff differ from the Chevalier and Chiroptera in certain ways. For instance, they cannot be in sunlight without being crystallized and consumed by a green flame. But just as Chevaliers and Chiroptera must feed on blood, the Schiff require the same to stop their “Thorn” attribute which crystallizes them if they go without drinking blood. At first they thought the blood of Saya would cure the “Thorn” attribute but they were made from Diva’s blood and so, like normal Chiroptera, crystallize when they come in contact with Saya’s blood. Lulu is the only schiff who survives through out the series, and continues to survive thanks to Julia’s research.

Moses
Japanese VA : Naoki Yanagi
English VA : Steve Blum

Character Description
Deceased Ep. 45. The leader of the Schiff who uses a scythe. Clones of Moses are used to make up the Corpse Corps. He committed suicide along with Karman, who was about to die from Thorn, by both removing their hoods in direct sunlight.

Karman
Japanese VA : Kenji Nojima
English VA : Dave Wittenberg

Character Description
Deceased Ep. 45. An aggressive individual who uses a yari (yari is a Japanese term for spear, more specifically, a straight-headed spear). Is constantly reprimanded by Moses for his aggressive demeanor and extreme dislike for humans.

Irene
Japanese VA : Megumi Toyoguchi
English VA : Olivia Hack

Character Description
Deceased Ep 29. Uses a wide, double-sided sword. Has the ability to locate Saya regardless of distance. Her unfamiliarity with the normal things along the streets of Paris are used for comical effects (such as being a killer, but shunning away from a friendly dog out of fear; taking great interest in everything around her like an innocent child). Decided to stop killing humans and drinking blood, leaving her weakened and is saved from thugs by Kai in Paris. From the anime, most of the background information about the Schiffs are made known via the conversation between Irene and Kai shortly after, and Kai offers to talk Saya into giving some of her blood to Irene, who was suffering from “Thorn” by then. It seems that Kai gave Irene much hope from the conversation they had, and Irene’s last words are that if she recovers, she wishes for another chance to stroll around in Paris with him again. Dies after Saya agreed to give her some of her blood. Her death is instrumental to Saya’s subsequent fall into depression and feeling lost and questioning her own path and purpose.

Lulu
Japanese VA : Chiwa Saito
English VA : Lara Jill Miller

Character Description
A diminutive young girl who uses an axe and befriends Saya’s group. She also has sunken eyebags. She started to live with them since the death of her Schiff companions. Her dream is to live long enough to be an important person of somebody’s memory. Her life has been extended and is the only survivor of the Schiff. She is last seen traveling with Akihiro and Mao. She has a innocent childish personality, as she is seen watching television and is the most cheerful of the Schiff, until times when Karman threw his tantrum on her for making friends with humans.

Ghee
Japanese VA : Jun Fukuyama
English VA : Kamali Minter

Character Description
Deceased Ep 21. A Schiff with an affinity for the moon. He used a type of dagger (katar).

Dismas
Japanese VA : Naomi Wakabayashi
English VA : Abby Craden

Character Description
Killed by Solomon Ep 20. Female who broke into Cinq Fleches Lab. She used a cleaver. Both Dismas and Gestas are the names of the two thieves that were crucified with Jesus.

Gestas
Japanese VA : Hideki Tasaka
English VA : Ben Diskin

Character Description
Killed by Solomon Ep 20. Male who broke into Cinq Fleches Lab. He used a halberd. Both Dismas and Gestas are the names of the two thieves that were crucified with Jesus.

Darth
Japanese VA : Tadahisa Saizen
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Slain by the Corpse Corps in Ep 35. Short, cooperative being. Used a large mace.

Gudrif
Japanese VA : Kouji Yusa
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Mortally wounded by the Corpse Corps in Ep 35, and chooses to die by the sun when Lulu brought Saya and Haji to save them. He wears large sunglasses, even at night and used a sword.

Jan
Japanese VA : Jin Domon
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Slain by Saya in Ep 26. A non-descript Schiff. Used a pick-axe

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

The Goldsmiths are a branch of the Goldschmidt family. The family crest of five arrows (Cinq Fleches) and the names of the five brothers are modeled after Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s family.

Diva
Japanese VA : Akiko Yajima
English VA : Kari Wahlgren

Character Description
Saya’s younger twin sister and main antagonist; she’s the greatest sworn enemy of the Red Shield. She proves this point with her incredible reflexes and strength since her debut appearance in episode 24 - she casually throws Saya through a brick wall with seeming ease; the speed at which she avoided a blow from Haji while playing with Saya with the broken tip of a sword; breaking down a heavy steel door with a single thrust of her arm; dodging through a rain of bullets; killing several sailors aboard a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier when she woke up at the very end of episode 19. Not only that - post episode 33, she is able to switch her appearance between the female Diva and the male Riku within the blink of an eye, much like Amshel did with Liza back in Russia.

Confined by the original Joel just after her birth, she spent her first decades of life locked in a tower in the outskirts of his estate. As she was just a guinea pig to Joel she had no name, until she was found by Saya, who named her Diva because of her voice. Diva has been found out to be the one who killed the original Joel in the late 1800’s after she was released by Saya in hope that she will sing for Joel at his birthday party. The “Delta 67″ substance used in the researches involving Chiroptera is obtained from her body, and the top echelons of the Cinq Fleches Group include some of her faithful chevaliers. Just like Saya’s blood is a threat to her and her minions’ existence, her blood can also destroy Saya and her chevaliers.

Her air-headed demeanor (much like a spoiled, naive child) probably is fruit of her secluded childhood. She casually makes comments in a child-like, innocent way. For example, she comments on how Riku “tasted good”; she giggled when Solomon’s offer for Saya to join their ranks was crudely refused, teasing “Solomon got rejected!”; she was determined to kill Saya by her own hands, and even has the latter held within her own grasp; then casually loses interest in the bloodbath after Haji comes to Saya’s rescue, saying to Solomon, “Let’s go. I want to change into a new dress.”

She drank much of Riku’s blood when she first met him, forcing Saya to turn him into a Chevalier to save his life. She later develops an interest in him and rapes him. After this, she kills him by giving him her blood, causing him to crystalize. One year after the attack on Red Shield HQ she entered into show business as a singer sponsored by the Cinq Fleches Group, as part of Amshel’s master plan. As it turns out, Diva actually used Riku in order to become pregnant. Now she seems to treasure her babies more than her Chevaliers and has expressed a noticeable disinterest in them as of late. She also takes a momentary interest in Kai, and even invited him to become her Chevalier. While it is clear as to why Saya hates her so much, we only learn that Diva’s hatred of Saya much later and comes from a strong envious feeling of Saya’s privileged life. From the Metropolitan Opera House, a broadcast of Diva’s singing triggered the transformation of many people across the world into Chiroptera. However, she is interrupted by Saya, and a fight between the two sisters ended when Diva and Saya pierced each other by swords coated with their respective bloods. Although her blood had no effect on Saya, Saya’s blood causes her to crystallize after Nathan has brought her two cocoons to her side, revealing that Diva’s blood lost its potency, having been passed on to her children. Throughout the entire series, Diva has been portrayed as a ruthless sadistic entity, willing to sacrifice even her own Chevaliers without so much as blinking; it is at her somewhat pitiful death when she shows the true side of herself - Upon her death, Diva tries to reach for her newborn babies. Just as Nathan comments, “All she wanted was to have a family.”

Amshel Goldsmiths
Japanese VA : Jouji Nakata
English VA : Wally Wingert

Character Description
1st Brother, French/Jewish - Amshel Goldsmith, London stockbroker. He tried to bring Saya to their side at first, killing Liza and assuming her form to reveal Saya her true nature. But he later proposed Saya’s extermination when she decided to continue fighting. He is the oldest and the most powerful of Diva’s Chevaliers, and used to work with the original Joel Goldshmidt. For some reason he has kept secrets from the others, including the creation of the Schiff. He does admit to experimenting with Diva’s pregnancy for a while, hinting at attempts by her own Chevaliers and humans with no success at all. Apparently he does not share the same love for Diva or Saya nurtured by the other chevaliers, and is merely interested in learning about them. After a fight with Hagi above New York City, he was impaled on the Chrysler Building and was presumed dead when a lightning strike surged through his body. He survived however, in a half human-half Chiropteran form. He was finally killed by Hagi stabbing him with Saya’s bloodied sword.

Solomon Goldsmiths
Japanese VA : Koji Tsujitani
English VA : Dave Wittenberg

Character Description
4th Brother, French/German - Solomon Goldsmith, CEO of Cinq Fleches Group, and Amshel’s younger brother from Amshel’s original human family. Although he agrees that Saya is now a threat to him and his partners, he harbors strong feelings for her, and always tries to protect her, despite his brothers’ intentions to destroy her. He is introduced first as a delightful young man while dancing with Saya at her school in Vietnam, but it is quickly revealed that he is a Chevalier. After saving Saya from James, he has revealed that he wishes to protect Saya because he is in love with her. After that, he appeared at Nathan’s mansion wearing a black suit. He told Diva when they first met he was wearing white. In the following conversation, it is revealed that he was made a Chevalier towards the end of World War 1. But now he wears black to symbolize that he no longer wishes to be Diva’s chevalier. He explains to Amshel that their Chevaliers’ instinct might be what draws them towards their progenitor, Diva; but as Solomon Goldsmith, he is drawn towards Saya. Since then, Diva has practically disowned him as a Chevalier of hers and tells him he may go wherever he wishes and do whatever he wishes. She also tells him he may take Saya’s hand and have her bear his children. After he saved Saya from Amshel at the US Airbase, he pledges to give his all to her. Saya reminds him, “But you’re Diva’s Chevalier, aren’t you?”, but he answers, “But before that, I am a man who loves you.” He sank into depression when Saya rejected him. He then launched a surprise attack on Diva (when he visits her and her newly-born babies), but gets beaten senseless by her. During his captivity after attacking Diva, James taunts him with comments such as, “Momma’s Favorite” and “Pretty Boy” and promises to kill Saya. Later, after being freed from captivity by Nathan, he rushes to save Saya once more from James, but during the battle was cut accidentally by Saya’s sword coated in her blood. He proclaimed his allegiance to Saya as her Chevalier, but then crystallized in Amshel’s arms shortly afterwards. He was the only chevalier to fight with his brothers (James and Amshel).

Carl Fei-Ong
Japanese VA : Nozomu Sasaki
English VA : Quinton Flynn

Character Description
5th Brother, Vietnamese - Karl Fei-Ong, school governing board chairman and CEO of Vietnamese branch of Cinq Fleches Group. Disguised as his alter ego “The Phantom”, Karl was secretly kidnapping girls that looked like Saya in his anguish to meet her someday so they can finish their fight. Apparently, what Karl desired the most was Diva’s love, but did not get it. So he went after Saya, partly believing that both he and Saya were soulmates, and partly due to his anger and lust for revenge because she had hacked off his arm. According to Amshel, he was only chosen to be a Chevalier to be used as a guinea pig for his experiments. His body suffered lots of modifications, including a spiked arm implanted in his body to replace the one destroyed by Saya in one of his fights. His final meeting with Saya was during the UK arc. Determined to die with her, his plan was to restrain her and drink all of her blood, killing both in the process as her blood is poison to him. Saya then realises that she has so much to live for so she stabs him through herself, thereby coating her sword in her blood and causing him to crystallize.

James Ironside
Japanese VA : Toru Okawa
English VA : David Rasner

Character Description
6th Brother, American - Made Chevalier in Berlin, James Ironside, Naval co-Captain on board a US aircraft carrier, he is the Cinq Fleches’ contact with the US military, and later was appointed by Amshel as leader of the Corpse Corps. Of all the Chevaliers, he is the one who cared most about Diva, always carrying a picture of her with him and calling her Mama. He barely survived his battle against Saya’s group on Christina Island after he tried to lure them into a trap, saved by having most of his body replaced by Schiff parts. Once Diva realizes that most of his body has been replaced with Schiff parts, she disapproves of it, and begins to avoid him. Towards the end of the series, James begins to lose his sanity due to his crumbling relationship with Diva, and he takes out his rage on the Schiff, who are inferior organisms to him. Ironically enough, in his final battle against Saya, James begins to succumb to the Thorn before being killed by Saya. He is able to harden his skin harder then steel to use it as armor.

Nathan Mahler
Japanese VA : Keiji Fujiwara
English VA : Wally Wingert

Character Description
7th Brother, American - Nathan Mahler, a producer at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, and the only Chevalier to stand up to Amshel. In the Japanese version (and somewhat in the English Dub) of the anime, Nathan sometimes speaks in a manner usually employed by the feminine gender (by using kashira and wa). Despite being one of Diva’s Chevaliers, Nathan seems more interested in Hagi and James, though his loyalty and love for Diva is still unquestioned. In episode 49 he says that Amshel never understood Diva and that the only thing Diva actually wanted was to have a family like Saya. He plans not only to destroy Saya, but to do it in a “stage” prepared only for the occasion. Despite this he seems to be one of the more cool headed Chevaliers, stopping Amshel and Solomon from fighting while at his home. He also seems to be aware of Amshel’s ulterior motives, saying that he won’t be bothered much as long as no harm comes to Diva. He also suggested offhandedly that similar events took place for Saya & Diva’s mother. Nathan was devastated at Diva’s death and asked that Saya kill him, changing into his Chiropteran form and allowing Saya to slice through him with her sword. Strangely, he was seen in the last episode after his death among a group of journalists. There are some speculations that Nathan actually was a Chevalier of a previous queen, and that Saya’s blood did not kill him. His statement about Saya’s and Diva’s mother (during the conversation with Amshel right before the concert) and his knowledge that Diva’s blood has lost its potency after the latter is slain seem to indicate this. If that was the case, he most likely chose to end his acting as a Diva’s Chevalier in a quite theatrical way, waiting for the next generation of Chiropteran queens… How he could have tricked Diva in making her believe he was made chevalier by her blood is never told.

Vin Argiano / Van Argeno
Japanese VA : Junichi Suwabe
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
Head scientist studying Chiroptera for the Goldsmiths. He was in charge of the current development of Delta 67, and likes small round candies–seemingly always unwrapping and eating one. He at first worked under Solomon, but convinced Amshel to change his position to working directly under him. He currently acts as CEO of Cinq Fleches America. Van is one of the few humans who sided with the Chevaliers despite knowing their true nature and their plans. He was abandoned by Grant at the Opera House to Chiropteran, though he survived by David’s help. He was later made to face charges. The name Argiano is probably named after the Italian Vintage Argiano.

Archer
Japanese VA : Kouji Yusa
English VA : N/A

Character Description
Argiano’s seemingly loyal assistant who has been making appearances since Episode 7. He was attacked by the White House politician Bread after she turned into a Chiropteran in the Metropolitan Opera House. He somehow managed to survive the incident and was appointed as a member of the committee investigating the corruption between Grant and Cinq Flèches. His name was finally revealed to be Archer, a government investigator who infiltrated Cinq Fleches.

Grigori
Japanese VA : Kaori Nazuka
English VA : Liz Sroka

Character Description
2nd Brother, Russian - Also known as Grigori Efimovich Rasputin (pronounced Gregory in the English dub), who is the same monk involved in the historical downfall of Romanov dynasty of Russia. He was killed in 1916 in a long and drawn out assassination attempt that, among other things, saw him poisoned, stabbed, shot, and thrown into a freezing river. In this fictional account, he survived the assassination attempt and took refuge in a village near his hometown. He took the physical form of a young girl who recently died named Sonya, until he was discovered and killed by Saya in the past.

Martin Bormann
Japanese VA : N/A
English VA : N/A

Character Description
3rd Brother, German - Martin Bormann appeared briefly in an old photograph from 1943 in Episode 12 and in the Blood+ manga. In real life, Bormann served as head of the Nazi Party Chancellary and as Adolf Hitler’s private secretary. He is regarded as one of the elites in the Third Reich. He is presumed to have been killed sometime between late April and early May 1945 during the apocalyptic Battle of Berlin. It is said that as he tried to break through the encircled city, he was shot and killed by soldiers of the Red Army. In this fictional account, he was killed by Solomon (Episode 12 and Episode 37 Solomon’s conversation) in Germany under Amshel’s order around the same time of his presumed historical death. Why he became a chevalier is never revealed.

Diva’s Daughters
Japanese VA : N/A
English VA : N/A

Character Description
As with all Chiropteran queens, Diva produces two babies girls after a fast pregnancy (after she raped Riku), as she and Saya had been. Saya reluctantly planned to kill both babies to keep anyone else from being hurt, but Kai dissuades her, promising that he’ll punch anyone who doesn’t accept them and show both girls his love. Amshel then tries to steal the babies, but they are protected by Kai and Hagi, and in following years Kai raises them as their father, much as George raised him and Riku. A few years later, we see Kai taking the two happy toddlers to Saya’s grave and eating lunch with them, showing that his love and kindness has kept the girls from following their mother’s path.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Red Shield is a group or an organization that is solely dedicated to killing Diva and exterminating Chiropterans from the face of the Earth. Many or most of its members are actually ex-soldiers who have encountered Chiropterans out in the field and were also the sole survivors of the subsequent attack on their unit.

David
Japanese VA : Jurouta Kosugi
English VA : Christopher Nissley

Character Description
The straight-faced, no-nonsense David is a agent of Red Shield, an organization formed to track down and destroy Chiroptera and they also carry a red crystal made from Chiroptera on a trinket. He, like many of the other Red Shield Members, was a sole survivor after his squad was attacked by a Chiropteran. He is aware of Saya’s past life and wishes to use her in the struggle against the Chiroptera. Much like Joel, David is a title bestowed to those entrusted with the task to watch over Saya, but might not be his true name, although it was his father’s, who was the Red Shield operative in Vietnam and possibly seen in Blood: The Last Vampire. Just like any Red Shield member, David always carries an item with a red crystal obtained from a Chiropteran’s remains encrusted in it—a cross in his case. He falls into a deep depression after the Red Shield’s HQ ship got busted by Diva’s attack and Saya presumed to have gone down with the vessel; living everyday off the bottle, he gets back up on his feet after a series of rough shaking up by Kai, who has by then, taken over much of the Chiropteran-hunting responsibilities and a Chiropteran that came right to their doorstep. He actually becomes a tad bit more cheerful after his depression episode, and is seen smiling on several occasions (he was never seen smiling at all before that). After Julia left for Cinq Fleches Group for a while, he might have started to miss her, as prompted by a remark from Lewis after David tries to infiltrate Cinq Fleches Group’s research lab. He saved Julia from the jealous Dr. Collins, and was critically wounded by a gunshot from Collins in the process but later recovered. It was also revealed that David was not his real name but the name he picked up from his father after his father’s death. It is under speculation that David’s character, appearance, and name are directly based off of the singer David Bowie.

Julia Silverstein
Japanese VA : Yuko Kaida
English VA : Abby Craden
Character Description
Julia Silverstein, a medical doctor working for Red Shield Medical Section. She graduated from Sorbonne University, the same University as Argeno. She often accompanies David and has on two separate occasions (during the Vietnam Phantom arc) tried to get him to notice her looks (once in a Vietnam dress and another during a conversation with Saya over her revealing ball dress), but the latter has either chosen to ignore her or is too much of a dud to notice. She was Saya’s doctor when she was dormant, supervising her regular blood transfusion. She believed her research about the Chiroptera’s true nature, and the changes in Riku’s body while he is transforming into one, should be used in the Red Shield’s war against them, and be destroyed after it. Collins however, had other plans for this data, and she worked with him and the Cinq Fleches Group for some time, although it appears she is now back with Red Shield after Collins tried to kill her. It has been suggested on several occasions that she likes David, who behaves rather stoically towards her, treating her as just another colleague. As she was sitting with David in the hospital after he saved her from Collins, she leaned over and kissed him. Julia is also revealed to be pregnant in the last episode, more than likely with David’s child.

Lewis
Japanese VA : Takashi Nagasako
English VA :David Rasner

Character Description
Another Red Shield operative. A man who always has his shades on 24/7, Lewis is often responsible for the gadgets and transportation for the operations. He makes many of the meals and also provides most of the comic relief. He can be spotted fighting alongside with David on several operations. He used to be slim, while working for the CIA under the name of Sammy as seen and revealed near the end of the Blood+ OVA. His name is probably a reference the Louis from Blood: The Last Vampire, a man who, like Lewis, was also black and worked with a man named David in the same line of work.

Lewis can be seen as the heart of the series, since he is the warmest and most openly caring member of Red Shield. He seems very fond of Saya and the boys, and sees their arrival as an opportunity to lavish his cooking on them. Despite this, he does have a lot of fun teasing Kai about his attraction to Saya.

Joel (6th Generation)
Japanese VA : Akira Ishida
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
Joel Goldschmidt, current head of the Red Shield. His “diary” is a record of Red Shield’s activities since its formation, and also contains information regarding Saya, Diva, the Chevaliers and the Chiroptera. He is related to the man who found Saya and Diva, whose name was also Joel. It also seems that there is some relation between him and Amshel as he calls him “Uncle Amshel”. One year after the attack on the Red Shield HQ, he is shown to be confined to a wheelchair having been paralyzed from the waist down after he sustained a serious injury from Carl during the attack.

Collins
Japanese VA : Hideyuki Umezu
English VA : Steve Blum

Character Description
Second-in-command of the Red Shield. In charge of researching the Chiroptera with Julia as his assistant. Van Argeno convinced him to betray the Red Shield’s HQ position in order to preserve his research which he believes can be used for the future of mankind. After Amshel made Julia Diva’s physician, Collins had a mental breakdown and became extremely jealous of Julia’s importance in researching Diva and her babies. He says to Julia that a scientist’s task is to “tell the truth to the world” and the “world must accept that truth”, and Julia was shocked with his intentions of killing her so that Amshel will hire him to take her place and get what he demands as a greedy scientist, fame, fortune, and “putting a mark on history”. Right before he was about to shoot Julia, David took the bullet and act as a human shield to Julia and threw a scalpel in Collins’ arm which caused him to run away screaming. His status after this incident is never revealed.

Joel (1st Generation)
Japanese VA : Wahei Lida
English VA : David Rasner

Character Description
Joel Goldschmidt gathered rare specimens during the 1800s in an estate in Bordeaux named “The Zoo” for his personal studies. One of them was the mysterious creature visibly pregnant and containing Saya and Diva. He separated the sisters after birth, raising Saya as his own daughter, and locking Diva up in a tower, for scientific reasons. He also bought Hagi as Saya’s companion, hoping to create more specimens. He was killed by Diva on his seventy second birthday after Saya released her from the tower to sing at his birthday party.

Note : The Character guide was cited from Wikipedia.

Saya Otonashi
Japanese VA : Eri Kitamura
English VA : Kari Wahlgren

Character Description
At the start of the series, Saya appears to be a high school girl living a normal life on the island of Okinawa. She is adopted by George Miyagusuku and has no memory of her life earlier than one year ago.

She is able to heal all her injuries very quickly but must regularly receive blood transfusions or drink blood to remain healthy. Despite these strange traits, she has the outward appearance of a young human teenage girl with an unusually large appetite (used as a humorous effect several times). When someone would ask her if she is hungry; she would deny it out of reservation, but her stomach would growl right away.

Later on, she then starts having more flashbacks of her experiences fighting Chiropterans in the Vietnam War and in 1920’s Russia. Her oldest memories are from her birthplace at Joel’s mansion called the “Zoo” in France during the 19th century.

She was “born” in 1833 from a cocoon like object taken from a mummy of a Chiropteran along with another cocoon containing her sister Diva. She also can spend decades hibernating in a cocoon, only awaking for a few years (two to three, at least) before sleeping again for three decades. Whenever her and Diva’s blood mix, the blood crystallizes and disintegrates.

She is a skilled athlete and her weapon of choice is a nihont? (Japanese sword or katana, though one slightly changed to have features analogous to those of a kopesh) with bohi or grooves specially designed to spread her blood through its entire blade, making it a deadly weapon both for Diva and any Chiropteran made from Diva’s blood.

Amshel breaks the first blade in the series, but she acquires a new sword from David with a red crystal at the base of its blade. This crystal is actually a piece of her adoptive father, George’s blood which crystallized when she killed him with her own blood in order to spare him the fate of fully becoming a Chiropteran.

Saya’s human personality is usually that of a cheerful and optimistic girl, but her suppressed Chiropteran side, (evidenced whenever her eyes turn red in contrast to her twin sister Diva’s blue eyes and when her lips turn redder than usual) is infinitely colder, calculating, and with a warrior’s edge, that brooks no foolishness.

However, as of late Saya has had very little to be cheerful or optimistic about as she learns more and more about herself and the enemies that stalk her. Her greatest fear is perhaps finding out that she is indeed the same or much worse than the very monsters she now hunts as hinted by the grisly yet splintered memories she has of her dark, shadowy past.

It is revealed that after she and Haji had left the “Zoo”, she made him promise to kill her after she kills Diva to prevent the survival of Chiropterans. Post episode 33, Saya gains a much darker appearance and personality, sporting a dark maroon trench coat and generally longer hair.

Past this point in the series, her willingness to co-operate with the Red Shield and with her own family drops, as she wishes not to endanger them any further, believing that her fight with Diva is hers to fight alone. This also somehow marks a change in Saya’s previously cheerful personality, accompanied by an acceptance of her Chiropteran biology and a willingness of necessity to feed off Haji’s blood. Even Moses and Karmen remarks that she might, just like them, have already lost hope. But everyone does their part to try to “bring” her feelings back during Javier’s birthday party, the subsequent fight against Karl and the Corpse Corps, and before they depart for Christina Island to hunt down Diva - so to let her know that this fight is not for her to bear alone, and that she is never alone.

Saya confronts her sister at the Metropolitan Opera House, and the final duel ends when they simultaneously pierce their swords through each other. Although Diva begins to crystallize, Saya survives as Diva’s blood lost her potency due to her having children. Though Kai’s pleas and Haji’s admittance of love, Saya breaks her former promise to Haji that she would die after the death of Diva and decides to live instead, and spare the lives of Diva’s newborn baby twins, Kanade and Hibiki, as well.

Shortly after her return to Okinawa, Saya goes into her hibernation period, and Kai and Diva’s children watch over her as she rests in the Miyagusuku family grave. Haji had also visited, leaving a fresh pink rose with a ribbon at her grave.

Haji
Japanese VA : Katsuyuki Konishi
English VA : Crispin Freeman

Character Description
Saya’s first Chevalier, and her only surviving one. He is partly instrumental in Saya’s “awakening” and his right arm is covered in bandages, hiding some Chiropteran features that he is unable to change back into human form. This might be due to the trauma of when Saya sliced his arm off during the Vietnam incident, much like a scar. Haji first met Saya when he was bought by Joel to be her companion, with hopes that they might mate and create more specimens for future experimentation. He was a lot more talkative and cheerful when he was “younger”, i.e. when he was still a human and before Saya’s hibernation period in Siberia (as shown in the hunt for Grigori arc). He even appears to be flirtatious with Saya at times, such as when he walks around her with no shirt. This change may be due to the trauma of Saya’s crazed behavior in Vietnam, and the destruction of Haji’s hand.

By this time, Saya was around forty years old, however, since she had stopped aging in 1863, her appearance was still that of a sixteen year old girl. Haji lived with her in Joel’s mansion for many years. Nevertheless, one day he slipped and fell from a cliff in an attempt to pick a flower that Saya wanted as a present for Joel’s birthday. Seeing him bleeding everywhere and not really understanding that normal humans don’t drink blood to remain healthy, Saya gave him some of her own blood. Thus, she unwittingly turned him into her “Chevalier.”

Since then, Haji’s single wish has been to protect Saya and fulfill her every desire, although he was evidently devoted to her long before. It is also revealed that unlike Saya, who “created” him, Haji neither eats, sleeps, nor goes into long periods of hibernation.

Saya was also the one who taught Haji to play the cello when he was young, but it didn’t take long for him to surpass her. He is often seen with a cello case in which he hides Saya’s sword, but he also uses the case as a shield or even as a blunt weapon; it seems to be virtually invincible, easily deflecting blows from things that can punch through walls.

Much like how Saya looks eternally young, Haji appears to be in his early to mid-twenties, even though he’s been around since the 19th century. It was implied in episode 28 that for some reason he didn’t believe he’d be around forever. This may have something to do with his promise to Saya to end her life for her, which would probably kill him as well.

Until recently, he had sealed his Chiropteran powers away because of an incident after they had left the Zoo, which had resulted in him killing many men who had wanted to capture Saya. This had frightened Saya, which motivated Haji into banishing his Chiropteran powers so that she would never feel that same fear again. In episode 43, it is revealed that Haji, like the other chevaliers, is also capable of flight via a pair of bat-like wings like the other chevaliers . In the final episode, he kills Amshel with Saya’s sword in conjunction with a large chunk of a balcony collapsing on the two.

Haji also has a habit of keeping his feelings bottled up within himself. Though he loves Saya (as her Chevalier and as her companion during all these long years), he keeps these feelings within himself, only bidding himself to do whatever that Saya “desires” him to do. But shortly before he disappears under the rubble with Amshel, he confesses that he has always loved Saya. He had also convinced Saya to live, which spurs the realization of their feelings and, as a result, they kiss before Amshel arrives. However, he survives the collapse, even though it isn’t immediately revealed on-screen. Everyone else assumed he had died, but they are proved wrong when Kai, with the twins, goes to the Miyagusuku grave, where Saya is currently sleeping, and finds a fresh pink rose with Haji’s blue hair ribbon tied to it. It seems that he is watching from afar, waiting patiently for his love to awaken after her thirty year sleep.

Note on Haji’s name : Production I.G.’s official site lists the Roman spelling of “Hagi,” but the katakana used for his name reads “Haji” which could be the Japanese render for the name Hadji or “Hadj”.

George Miyagusuku
Japanese VA : Houchu Ohtsuka
English VA : Wally Wingert

Character Description
An Okinawan-American US Army veteran, George served in the Vietnam War and now lives on Okinawa with his adopted children Saya, Kai, and Riku. He lost his wife and biological children in an accident years before, but was inspired to live by the sound of Saya’s heartbeat. So he bought a pub and adopted Kai and Riku, as well as Saya when she emerged from her crypt and proved not to be dangerous.

He is attacked by a Chiropteran when defending Saya. He is smuggled to a US military base and hooked up to an IV filled with Delta 67. After escaping, he was again clawed by a Chiropteran, and began developing Chiropteran features. So he asked Saya to kill him by pouring her blood on his wounds, something she did reluctantly only out of love and compassion for the man she knew as her father.

Despite a period of suicidal depression, George was a fundamentally upbeat person, with a lot of life lessons that he teaches Saya and his sons, particularly about the need for happiness, following your heart, and family unity.

Kai Miyagusuku
Japanese VA : Hiroyuki Yoshino
English VA : Benjamin Diskin

Character Description
Saya’s adopted “elder” brother. Kai is one of the most popular students at school and a star athlete. He stopped playing baseball when one of his arms sustained an injury. Since George’s death, he tried his best to keep his family united, but just when he was getting used to the fact that some of his relatives aren’t human, Riku was raped and eventually killed by Diva, and Saya disappeared for a year. He also becomes something of a love rival to Haji, but eventually accepts that he and Saya cannot remain together.

Since the destruction of the Red Shield, he lived with Lewis and David in an orphanage in London, actively hunting Chiropterans with Lewis and honing his skills as a soldier in the war against Diva and her minions. Initially Kai had little skill in fighting, and was badly beaten by David, but he grows in skill as the series goes on.

Just like Saya’s sword has a red crystal from his father’s body, Kai wears a pendant with a crystal from Riku’s remains crested in it. As the last surviving family member of Saya’s adoptive family, he has sworn to protect her and return to Okinawa together once everything has been settled. He takes over much of David’s responsibilities in Chiropteran-hunting while the latter sinks into a deep depression and alcohol addiction over the loss of the Red Shield HQ.

He managed to persuade Saya not to take her own life after she had slain Diva, and, after their return to Okinawa, reopened their omoro. Saya went into hibernation shortly afterwards, and Kai took care of Diva’s daughters as their father — though he is actually their uncle, as his little brother was their father — much as his father George cared for Saya. He still makes regular visits to Saya’s crypt with the little girls, and presumably is still running the pub George once owned.

Riku Miyagusuku
Japanese VA : Akiko Yajima
English VA : Kamali Minter

Character Description
Saya’s adopted younger brother. He is a very kind and intelligent boy who loves to cook. He kindness even rubs off on the seemingly-cold Haji to some degree, as shown by the Haji’s proactiveness in helping out an old lady (Amshel in disguise) by helping her with her luggage and giving up his seat to her during the Trans-Siberian arc. Haji even offers to teach him to play the cello. For some reason, he could hear the roar of Chiropterans and Diva’s song even before he was turned into a Chevalier, which is something only Chiropterans can seemingly do.

After Diva drank most of his blood at the “Zoo”, Saya had no option but to save his life by turning him into a Chevalier, just like she did with Haji. Since then, Riku was thought to be developing powers similar to Haji’s and just like him, was compelled to protect Saya at any cost.

Diva developed an interest in Riku, and during her and Carl’s assault at the Red Shield headquarters, she forced Riku to impregnate her, and then “rewarded” him with her blood. The evidence that she raped Riku by sex is not shown at all; the evidence is blur, but there is a possibility that she did so based on what she acted and felt over Riku before. Her blood caused him to crystallize and die, as he had become a Chevalier by Saya’s blood.

Akihiro Okamura
Japanese VA : Kentaro Ito
English VA : David Rasner

Character Description
A somewhat jaded, down-on-his-luck reporter working for the local Ryukyu Daily (Ryukyu Mainichi Shimbun) newspaper, he doesn’t seem to command much respect from his boss or colleagues as much as he does their contempt. His father was a photographer and war correspondent during the Vietnam war, having taken several mysterious black and white photos that seem to depict a young girl killing soldiers, innocent villagers, and misshapen monsters with a sword in a haze of bloodlust and rage.

These photographs have always haunted Akihiro, spurring him to discover the truth behind their meaning. Tracing wine dumped by the military he goes to Vietnam, where he took photos of Saya fighting Carl. He paired up with Mao, searching for Saya and Red Shield as they went to Europe at the expense of money stolen by Mao from her yakuza father, eventually finding that the truth is larger and more disturbing than they thought.

He and Mao may seem like an odd couple but they work surprisingly well together as they dig deeper and deeper into the mystery surrounding Saya and Red Shield. Ever the chain-smoking cynic (a habit Mao detests), Akihiro is driven by the pursuit of the truth and seems rather unfazed by Mao’s tempestuous nature.

In the last episode, Okamura is apparently heading to the Middle East with Mao and Lulu as his companions. Okamura’s father is probably modeled after the late photo-journalist Akihiko Okamura, who took many pictures for Life magazine during the Vietnam War.

Mao Jahana
Japanese VA : Ami Koshimizu
English VA : Olivia Hack

Character Description
Kai’s girlfriend (of sorts) and the daughter of the head of the Jahana Yakuza. She worked with the reporter Okamura to track down Saya so she could meet up with Kai. She’s often bossy and likes to be in control, a trait she no doubt picked up from her father. Her rather blunt, confrontational demeanor seems to be a brave facade she puts up whenever things don’t go her way, as evidenced whenever she finds disturbing clues of a strange and violent conspiracy in the course of her journey to find Kai (she gets scared upon finding traces of blood and Saya’s broken sword). Strong willed and stubborn,

Mao drags along Okamura to help find Kai with money she stole from her father (a fact not lost on Okamura and the threat that implies), and is determined to stick by Kai’s side despite his best efforts to shield her from the danger surrounding him and Saya. Late