Arf

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Nanoha character

Arf
Age	16 in Nanoha and A's, 22 in A's epilogue and StrikerS manga[1]
Hair Colour	Orange
Eye Colour	Grey
Home World	Garden of Time
Magic System	Mid-Childa
Master	Fate Testarossa
Magic Colour	Orange
Seiyū	Natsuko Kuwatani

Arf (アルフ, Arufu^?) is a character in the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series. She does not appear in Triangle Heart. She is voiced by Natsuko Kuwatani. Arf is a dog-woman and the familiar of Fate Testarossa, whom she strives to protect. Her name has also been romanized as Alph.

Contents 1 Arf in Nanoha 2 Arf in A's 3 Powers 4 References

[edit] Arf in Nanoha

Arf makes her first appearance in episode 4, in the town with Fate in search of Jewel Seeds. She then appears in episode 5, establishing herself as a familiar that can shapeshift between human, dog-woman and a fearsome red wolf-creature. Arf appears at Uminari Onsen in human form, threatening Nanoha telepathically, and Alisa Bannings takes an instant dislike to her. In their battles, Arf keeps Yūno busy while Fate fights Nanoha.

Arf lives with Fate in an apartment on Earth, and teleports to their other home in Precia's hideout, the Garden of Time. Arf tries to tell Fate that her mother's abuse isn't right, but Fate refuses to listen and keeps coming back.

Late in the series, Arf finally strikes out at Precia, and is thrown out as "useless". She comes to Earth, injured, and is taken home by the dog-loving Alisa. Joining forces with Nanoha, Arf resolves to help Fate to see reason. While Fate finally starts to question her mother's motives, as Arf has always been there for her, she still refuses to join Nanoha and accepts her challenge to a winner-takes-all battle for the Jewel Seeds. Arf stands on the sidelines, worrying for Fate's safety, up until Fate is sent into a state of shock by the revelation that she is a clone of Alicia Testarossa. Arf watches over Fate until she feels that Nanoha, Chrono, Lindy and Yūno will need her, and leaves to help them. Fate joins up with the group later, and almost shares her mother's end in the collapse of the Garden of Time; Arf tries to help her, but fails, and Nanoha saves Fate. Arf is moved to tears by Nanoha's expression of friendship to Fate. Arf and Fate are arrested for their part in Precia's crimes, but will almost certainly be declared innocent.

[edit] Arf in A's

In A's, Fate and Arf join the Time-Space Administration Bureau and go to Earth to team up with Nanoha again. Their new mission is to prevent the Wolkenritter from stealing mages' Linker Cores (power source) for their Book of Darkness. Arf, now needing to blend in with the populace rather than scare them, exchanges her wolven form for that of a cute puppy, whom Alisa adores. Arf is now relegated to backup with Yūno, always fighting Zafira, who also has wolf ears and a wolflike form. Arf appears in the dream that Fate is trapped in by the Book of Darkness, as the pet of the Testarossa family; this is not the "real" Arf, but as much a construction of Fate's mind as the dream's versions of Precia, Rinis and Alicia. The real Arf also comes to join the fight against the automated defence program of the Book.

In an epilogue taking place six years later, Arf lives in the Haraoun household with Fate, presumably Chrono, and the retired Lindy. She has taught Zafira the skill to change his wolf form to a puppy form.

[edit] Powers

• Barrier Jacket — Arf's costume in humanoid form is a skimpy white top and pink short-shorts with a black cape, red belt-like garters, black gloves and black shoes, emulating Fate's own outfit. Similarly to Yūno's Jacket, she only uses her cape in combat situations. In A's, her Jacket is upgraded, giving her armored gloves and boots and thus increasing her hand-to-hand combat capability.
• Transformation — Arf is, of course, a shapeshifting familiar, who can become a human, dog-woman, imposing wolf-like creature, or puppy.
• Chain Bind — This works like Yūno and Chrono's "Struggle Bind" move.
• Dispel Force Field — Along with Yūno, Arf attempted to use this to break the Wolkenritter's isolation field in A's episode 02.

[edit] References

1. ^ This is according to the series' official website; however, it is stated in the Sound Stage 02 as well as the series itself that the nine-year-old Fate created Arf at the age of seven. The number on the official site likely refers to the character's mental and physical age, although she appears older, particularly taking into consideration her bust size. It is also to be noted that Arf does not actually appear in her humanoid form in the A's epilogue.

Nanoha
Series: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha | A's | Strikers | Triangle Heart (original source)
Characters
Main: Nanoha Takamachi | Yūno Scrya | Fate Testarossa | Arf | Hayate Yagami
Wolkenritter: Vita | Signum | Shamal | Zafira
Others: Precia Testarossa | Chrono Haraoun | Minor characters
Other
Misc: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha terminology