This is a list of characters in the MÄR series developed and designed by Nobuyuki Anzai.
(虎水ギンタ Toramizu Ginta)
Voiced by: Motoko Kumai (Japanese), Spike Spencer (English)
The main character of the series. A fun-loving, care-free boy who uses Babbo as his ÄRM. Being originally from another world (Earth) he was originally weak and nerdy (a stereotypical otaku) until he arrived in MÄR-Heaven, where he gained superior physical ability (and clear vision without his glasses), and his path happened to coincide with that of the ÄRM of legend Babbo.
(スノウ, Sunou)
Voiced by: Ai Shimizu (Japanese), Michelle Ruff (English)
Snow who was on the run from her step mother with her servant and good friend Ed. People were told by the queen to kill her. Much later they find an abandoned castle. As they explore it Snow decided to seal herself away in ice. Ed tried to convince her to not seal herself, but Snow reminded him about the fact of the people after her and told him to run. Snow then told him to come back later with a Fire ÄRM to free her when he is strong enough. When Ed returned with Ginta, Babbo, and Jack they met up with Dorothy then after saying farewell Dorothy told the Chess to come out and she killed them as a favor for Ginta. That's when Alviss and Bell arrive. When Ginta and friends arrive to Snow they see the enemies a man and a little girl. A fight starts with Ginta and the man. Later Ed becomes Alan who then gives the Fire ÄRM to Ginta telling him to save Snow while continues the fight in his place. Behind a pillar is Alviss and Bell watching the fight. When Ginta melts Snow from the ice, Snow falls on and accidentally kisses Ginta, making it Ginta's and Snow's first kiss. This is when Snow first appeared on MÄR.
Snow is the princess and only heir to Lestava and is the counter part of Koyuki. Lestava is the capital of MÄR Heaven. Snow has a VERY BIG crush on Ginta, so she is easily jealous of the times when Dorothy rubs on Ginta, kisses him all over the face, or jumps on him. Anytime Snow gets jealous you can see giant flames cover her, so Ed usually panics right about now. You mainly see Snow wearing a pink ribbon, a pink with white jacket, a pink two strapped tanktop (that you don't see very often), deep red shorts, pink leg warmers, and pink tennis shoes. At first look Snow seems like a helpless 14 year old princess, but her true self is an incredibly strong, loud, easily annoyed, scary, and completely strange girl. Due to her appearance many people misjudge her and go easy on her to find themselves beaten to a bloody pulp. Only her good friends seem to know of her true personality. Snow uses Ice ÄRM to fight and protect.
Towards the end of the series, Snow's feelings for Ginta become more evident. Once the war games are over, and Team MÄR goes to rescue Snow, they find her in the Darkness ÄRM "Death Cube" where they have to solve the puzzle (similar to a Rubik's Cube) in order to get her out. This puzzle is solved by Magical Roe, who dies soon after due to the effects of the Death Cube, and Snow falls and accidentally kisses Ginta like they did the first time he rescued her. Later on, when the group splits up to collect information about the strange events that have been ocouring throughout MÄR Heaven, Snow's group was attacked by the King. When they returned to Ginta and Dorothy, Snow was laying in Ginta's arms; she admitted that she now knows who she is and why she was born, and, because she thinks she's about to die, she admits that she is in love with Ginta.
(ジャック, Jakku)
Voiced by: Daisuke Sakaguchi (Japanese), Bryce Papenbrook (English)
The one who meets Ginta early in his adventure and after the boy helps him beat the Rugelu Brothers, a pair of werewolves that were terrorizing Jack's home to claim the farm's vegetables, he and Ginta becomes best friends. Loud-mouthed and clumsy, Jack is the weakest of Team MÄR (though he is still on par with a knight), although not by any means the least resolute, if not the most: he never misses a chance on training to get stronger, first not to be a burden to others, and second, to avenge the death of his father Jake—a former soldier of the Cross Guard—who died in the first War Game at the hand of one Zodiac Knight, Weasel. He also has a hopeless crush on every cute girl he can lay his eyes on, especially Snow and Dorothy, despite how cruelly they treat him. Eventually, his luck with females changes as he gains former Rook Pano as his girlfriend. In the end of the anime, Jack lives with his mom, Pano, and the two vegetarian werewolves that now work for him. A user of plant/earth-type ÄRMs:(he closely resembles Monta from Eyeshield 21)
(ドロシー, Doroshii)
Voiced by: Saki Nakajima (Japanese), Wendee Lee (English)
The beautiful Princess of Caldea who is also a witch of immeasurable power, and the younger sister of Diana, Queen of Chess Pieces (the former princess of Caldia). She is the step-aunt of Snow and thus, she bears the responsibility to put a permanent rest to Diana's actions in accordance to the laws of their birthplace, the magic kingdom Caldea. She is first to appear walking up to Ginta. Since she saw the great strength of Ginta, she asked him to help her get ÄRM. When he refused, she offered up a Weapon ÄRM that was completely useless. Ginta agreed not knowing a thing about the ÄRM, so they enter the cave of where the ÄRM is sealed. Later, when they arrive at the ÄRM's location they have to face a powerful Guardian ÄRM, Brikkin. As Dorothy fights it with her Guardian ÄRM Flying Leo, Ginta gets the ÄRM who calls himself Babbo, then Flying Leo breaks, and so with Babbo he beats the Guardian Brikkin. Later they argue over Babbo to the point when Dorothy tried and failed to pick up Babbo because it was too heavy thus Ginta got Babbo. Disappointed she flew away on the Weapon ÄRM Zephiroth's Broom.
Dorothy has an interest in stealing any uncommon ÄRMs she comes across (which is also her other duty on Kaldea's behalf), heaping up into a wide variety for her collection, but she seems to prefer Guardian ÄRMs and Wind-themed ÄRMs in battle. Dorothy's moods can vary from the sweet, kind-hearted girl to the pitiless, cruel fighter who could kill her enemies without any second thought. She also has a notably large crush on Ginta, leading her to smother him with attention, much to Princess Snow's chagrin.
During the last Chess battle with the Chess Pieces, when she was against Chimaera, part of her dress were ripped away to expose a majority of her left breast (but not enough to expose her nudity), while a portion of the dress at her right hip was exposed too. Many viewers also commented on the 'intentional' attention on her breasts, when her breasts shake when Dorothy was surprised at Chimaera's Ghost ÄRM, a close up at her breasts at a view slightly behind Dorothy, and when Ugly Hag was touching her breast while she was struggling against a pair of Ogre Hands. There is also a joke-skill that Dorothy has, called mostly 'Defy Gravity', made out when Chimaera takes Dorothy's leg and turns her upside down, but her dress does not slip down to reveal a likely genital (since it was speculated that with no brassiere, there will be no undergarments). This fact is also supported as the story never shows undergarments, as when Pinocchio uses his multiple hands to grab both of Dorothy's legs and spreads them, while pulling her towards a chainsaw to cut her into half from between the legs, only her lap and thigh can be seen, with a slip of the dress between her legs.
(アラン, Aran)
Voiced by: Juurouta Kosugi (Japanese), Lex Lang (English)
A hardened (smoking) warrior, the powerful human who participated in the previous MÄR-Heaven War against the Chess Piece, known as the 2nd man, Danna's partner in the Cross Guard. His power level is said to be equivalent to a Knight in the method of power ranking used by the Chess Pieces, and once fought to a draw with the Knight's second in command, the one ranked directly under the No.1 Knight Phantom, Halloween. However, because of a curse set by Halloween's Darkness ÄRM, Igneil, in the same fight, Alan was sealed inside the court guardian and custodian dog of princess Snow, Edward. In order to change back into Alan, Ed has to sleep three times, often forcibly knocking himself out, which is too risky and inconvenient for most situations. If Alan sleeps once, he becomes Ed again. After the visit from Phantom and his Zodiac Knights, Alan and Ed are split apart into two beings by Ginta, using Babbo's Alice transformation. Ironically, due to his time inside Edward, Alan has developed a fear of cats. In the end of the anime, Alan lives with Chaton, Babbo, and the baby Loco.
(アルヴィス, Aruvisu)
Voiced by: Souichirou Hoshi (Japanese), Yuri Lowenthal (English)
The cold figure of MÄR, Alviss is the one who brought Ginta into MÄR-Heaven. He joined the Cross Guard in the 1st War Game and grew fond of their leader, Danna, with whom he shared the very same goal for which they put their lives at risk, to fight the Chess and protect MÄR-Heaven. This pure courage, however, got Alviss further than he could ever have expected even in his wildest dream: Phantom also chose him as one who would reside in the dreary future of MÄR-Heaven, in the form of a Zombie-tattooed undead.
Alviss, not wanting to live as an immortal, makes it his life's goal to defeat Phantom. A superior in the Cross Guard, Gaira, recognizes this and trains Alviss. When Alviss finally succeeds in defeating Gaira in a wooden sword fight, Alviss is rewarded with two ÄRM: Gate Keeper Clown, and 13 Totem Pole. While training, Alviss also befriends the fairy Belle. From then on Belle is almost always seen in Alviss' company outside of battles.
For years Alviss lives under the looming shadow of this most unwanted tomorrow, and recluses from opening his heart for others. However after meeting with Ginta, Alviss starts to change and finally stands up facing destiny in full height.
Alviss is first introduced sending Ginta Toramizu to MÄR-Heaven. Alviss then searches for the one brought to MÄR Heaven, only to find out that it's a child with no magical power. Alviss then turns Jack into a bird and tells Ginta he will destroy Babbo, which angers Ginta. Ginta immediately fights Alviss, however, Ginta stands no chance and quickly loses. Alviss, however, releases Jack and doesn't kill Babbo. Alviss follows Ginta and his allies around until they reach the War Games, where Alviss enters as a member of the Cross Guard. Alviss is the only member of the Cross Guard that made it past the preliminaries.
During the War Games, Alviss forms a rivalry of sorts with Rolan of the Chess Pieces, and the two battle twice: once in the 3rd round, where Alviss loses, and again in the final round, where Alviss emerges as the victor. Part of their rivalry is due, in part, to both of them owning a Zombie Tattoo, though, unlike Alviss, Rolan is happy to have received one.
In the anime, following the War Games, Alviss' Zombie Tattoo is awakened by the Ghost Chess, bringing Alviss under Phantom's control. After confronting former allies in Team MÄR, Alviss manages to resist the Zombie Tattoo and leave Phantom. Alviss later returns, however, to destroy Phantom. Rolan confronts Alviss, attempting to stop him, but, realizing Phantom will leave this world soon, attempts suicide, though, unknown to Alviss, Rolan survives. Phantom then appears before Alviss and willingly allows Alviss to kill him. When Alviss finds himself unable to, Phantom uses Alviss' weapon to perform the death strike on himself, freeing Alviss from the Zombie Tattoo.
After Phantom's death, Alviss, along with the rest of Team MÄR, are confronted by the Chess Pieces' King. Like most of the other members, Alviss dies fighting King. Once King is defeated by Ginta, however, Alviss is brought back to life. At the end of both the manga and anime, Alviss and Belle live together.
(ナナシ, Nanashi)
Voiced by: Masaya Onosaka (Japanese), Liam O'Brien (English)
Nanashi was found by Galian in the middle of nowhere, lying alone and nearly dead due to a nasty wound in his stomach. After he was revived by him and taken to the bandit Guild of Luberia, it turned out he had no memory of his past or even his name, and thus Galian named him Nanashi (nameless). Galian would later betray Nanashi, joining the Chess Pieces and leaving him in charge of Luberia after erasing his memory of him. Nanashi's main goal is to track down the Chess Piece responsible for wiping out Luberia (Peta) and avenge his slain allies. Though through all his seriousness in killing Peta and avenging his comrades, Nanashi still has time for flirting. It's also implied that Nanashi is from earth, because Babbo says he has the same scent as Ginta, his unusual strength while fighting Oruko and his knowledge in how to make takoyaki which does not exist in MÄR.
It is heavily implied that Nanashi is Joker from Nobuyuki AnzaI's previous manga Flame of Recca because of his appearance somewhat matching Joker's(during the SODOM story arc) and the wound to his stomach, because Joker was impaled in his stomach before he created a black hole which sucked him in, possibly leading to MÄR. Joker is never seen again after he was sucked in the black hole.
Chess Pieces (チェスの兵隊 Chesu no Koma) is a fictional organization in the anime and manga series and plays the role of the main antagonist faction. It is a military faction which, over the 10 years it was in existence, has established supremacy over the rest of its rebellious kind in MÄR-Heaven; its notoriety for being the predominantly antagonist organization enjoys a prestige of such the name of Chess Pieces has become a taboo for generations to come. This organization's home to people from a mélange of backgrounds with a mélange of motives: discarded humans seeking a refuge, victims of social injustice wishing to avenge themselves upon their antagonists, radicals aiming to 'cleanse' the current MÄR-Heaven, or simply lusters of wealth, power, women, ÄRMs or war; all united under the same goal: to conquer the world. The Chess ranks are based on the pieces in the game of chess with rank going from king down to queen, knights, bishops, rooks, and pawns, separating the hierarchy into two parts. Its top is governed by the command force of one King and one Queen, which lurks in darkness most of the time the identity of its two members privy almost to none outside the Chess Pieces; headed by the Queen Diana. Second to it is the combat force consisted of echeloned Knights (elite fighters, leading operation executors), Bishops, Rooks and Pawns (foot soldiers); headed by the no.1 Knight Phantom. Chess members from Rook ranks upward is permitted the possession of class earrings (which are actually Dimension ÄRMs that allow them to communicate with other Chess Pieces,[1] like the Cross Guard's are) and individual masks. Although the rudimentary rule for ranking one is based on their power (proved by mastery of ARMs or in less usual cases, impressive feats), it's also noted that soldiers of lower ranks can be stronger than their superiors.[2]
(キング, Kingu)
Top class of the Chess Pieces, accessible to Queen class only. According to the anime, his real mask is shown in the anime in the last few episodes, where an unexpected twist happens. The King is Ginta's dad, Danna, who was killed by Phantom in the first MÄR heaven war. His dead body was implanted by the evil Orb from Caldea which was transplanted into Babbo. The Orb was the same one which entranced Phantom as a child in the forbidden room of Caldea. Simply put, the anime shows the King as the Orb which contains all the evil minds from Ginta's world.
Caldia's Orb is an orb formed in Caldia, the island of magic users, to contain the most evil of evils, and thus was locked away in Caldia's floating palace. After influencing both Phantom and Diana with its thoughts, Caldia's Orb was freed by the two, and the three together formed the Chess Pieces with the Orb as King. The Orb entered Babbo for Phantom to use as a weapon, and after Phantom's death possessed Danna's body as a new host with which to control the Chess Pieces. While awaiting Phantom's revival, the Orb concocted a plan to conquer both MÄR-Heaven and Earth alongside his Queen. Caldia's Orb's only thoughts are those of pure malevolence, though, ironically, hates the human race for such sins as well. The true form of the evil that is the Orb is an eyeless corpse wielding a scythe, a perfect form for something of such impurity. The anime shows the Orb having other abilities, such as strangling enemies without touching them in a manner similar to The Force from Star Wars, and immediately killing those who touch its deadly aura.
The Orb, following the defeat of Phantom, decided that all of the Chess Piece soldiers, outside of itself and Diana, were useless pawns and massacred all of them, the only survivors being those who already abandoned the Chess. The next step to total victory the Orb devised was the annihilation of Team MÄR, killing all of its members outside Ginta and Jack. Following Diana's defeat, the Orb challenged Ginta and revealed its form of Danna. Though at first discouraged to fight his father's body, Ginta eventually managed to use Babbo to draw the Orb out of his father and put Danna's soul back in its rightful place. In the manga, the Orb then entered Babbo and battled Ginta, who entered Babbo as well, and was defeated right there, its remains a magic stone for Babbo. In the anime, the Orb escapes to Earth and begins wreaking havoc. Eventually, Ginta returns to Earth and, using the collective willpower of his friends (include the dead comrades) in MÄR-Heaven, summoned a golden Gargoyle to ultimately destroy the Orb. In both versions the Orb's final words were to warn humanity that one day all life will be destroyed by their own hands.
(クイーン, Kuin)
Second most powerful class of the Chess Pieces. The Queen insignia is a Queen-piece earring.
Diana is a former citizen of Caldia, the island nation of witches and wizards off the Southern Continent of MÄR-Heaven. Very little is known about her time in Caldia, though from what is known Diana and her sister Dorothy belonged to an aristocratic wizarding family.[3] It was Diana who trained Dorothy to use the ÄRM Zephyrus Broom, as indicated by a flashback in the anime, and it is also possible she was its original wielder. It is also known that she made dolls for Dorothy and repaired them when they were broken, one of which was the Chess Pieces Knight Pinocchio. While to Caldia and her little sister she was a caring figure and a well-liked citizen, Dorothy says that Diana insatiably coveted nearly everything since a young age.[4]
It is also known that, fourteen years before the series, Diana snuck a Magic Stone into Lestava's queen, giving birth to Snow and giving her a connection to Koyuki. Diana's quotes in the manga, however, make it apparent that Snow's connection with Koyuki was formed through other events. 10 years before the series, motivated by an immense craving for power, she began to discard her loyalty to Caldia.[5] After releasing Phantom from Caldia's cell,[6] the two unsealed the Orb,[7] which the sorcerers held under imprisonment, and stole 798 ÄRMs (including Babbo, which they downloaded the Orb into). They then fled Caldia to the outside world.
After 2 years of wandering, Diana was chosen as Lestava kingdom's royal bride, with Lestava's king wishing for a new queen for the sake of Snow, who was saddened by the death of her mother, and the two instantly got along like a true mother and daughter.[8] During her rule of Lestava, Diana was respected by residents of the palace as a kind-hearted queen, because her malice was so well concealed. In secret, Diana was also enthroned as Chess Pieces' Queen, being one of the founders, and granted Phantom the title the no.1 Knight. She also branded him with a Zombie Tattoo, which grants the wearer eternal life, as a reward.[9]
With the uprise of the Chess Piece army, she moved on to the next step of her plan to conquer MÄR-Heaven: creating the Cross Guard, presenting them all with ÄRMs for weapons, with the other-worlder Danna for leader.[10] Understandably, she was acknowledged as the one who walked MÄR-Heaven to victory, a position from which she could achieve her true goal - domination over Ginta Toramizu's world, wishing to use their advanced weapons and technology to defeat the much less developed people of MÄR-Heaven. With the king falling ill, Diana began to show her darker side, constantly ordering more delicacies, ÄRMs, and also began to order Lestava's army to conquer new territory.[11] As more and more suspicious characters developed around Lestava Castle, Alan, one of Lestava's strongest knights and the Cross Guards second-in-command, led Snow to safety outside the castle.
Diana is initially sinister, selfish, and uninterested in anything as long as those of a lower rank can do her biddings without fail. As the Chess Piece Queen she is one of the two heads of a twin-headed snake commanding the Chess army, made Lestava Castle a safe haven for the army, and shaping MÄR-Heaven into a land of war and destruction. Remaining in the background at all times, Diana pulls the strings of the Knights, using them as her ultimate weapons for her plan to conquer both MÄR-Heaven and Ginta's world.
Unknown to anyone else, including herself, Diana's true self is still locked away inside of her, clouded by the influence and manipulation of the King, which was not reminded to her until the very end.
Diana is introduced fairly late into the storyline, during the second round of the War Games. During that round she meets with Phantom and Peta, discussing the progress of the war and Team MÄR. During the War Games, it is shown she watches the battles from Lestava Castle, through her own personal, and overlarge crystal ball.
Diana later reappears after Dorothy's battle with the Knight Rapunzel, who reveals to Dorothy how Diana is the Chess Pieces' Queen. Diana gives an order to Phantom to lead a large number of Rooks into Caldia and steal all of the remaining ÄRMs, coincidentally the same time Team MÄR visits Caldia. Phantom, however, calls back the invasion following his battle with Ginta, surprised by how Ginta wounded him and deciding to immediately report this to his Queen. Diana, too, is impressed by how Ginta has grown, and realizes that soon he will become a great threat.
Diana later orders Magical Roe to capture Snow in a battle against her in the 6th round of the War Games, which he does reluctantly. With Snow in her possession, Diana's plan to take control over both worlds began to fully bloom, watching the other world through the eyes of Ginta's mother. Following Phantom's next battle with Ginta, which ends in Ginta's victory, Diana scolds Phantom for losing and casts him away as a useless and outdated weapon.
(ナイト, Naito)
In the Chess combat force's hierarchy, Knights are top members highest ranked for their powers. The number of Knights is strictly within 13, making up the alias Zodiac Knights (ゾディアックのナイト, Zodiakku no Naito) - each Knight has a Zodiac constellation correspondence,[12] with the odd 13th is the number one Knight, Phantom. Each one when dubbed a Knight will have an insignia earring (the knight piece in a chess game) bestowed upon him/her, usually by Phantom. There are two unnamed members that were only shown in episode 69, their positions were probably taken over by Rolan and Chimera as they died in the First War.
The leader of the Knights, Phantom was born thirty years before the main part of the series takes place in the magical island nation of Caldia within MÄR-Heaven.[13] At age ten, while exploring Caldia's Floating Castle, he discovered Caldia's Orb, a magical orb in which was sealed the consciousnesses of the world's greatest evils. Seduced by the orb, he began to visit nearly every day until discovered by the guards and is discreetly sentenced to death at the hand of his parents by Caldia's laws.[14] Unwilling to do so, however, they committed suicide (by hanging in the manga,[14] and with a knife originally intended for their son's murder in the anime). Because of this, Phantom, having no other relatives, was imprisoned for life.[15] Phantom's reactions to his parents' decision differ in the original version and anime adaption: in the manga, he regards it as an act of profound love towards their son, while in the anime he rejects it as a wish forced on him which ultimately ruined his life and only accepts it as a form of love when reminded by Candice's love at the end of his existence.
10 years later, Phantom was rescued by Diana, and out of mesmerization with her beauty and convictions, became her faithful follower.[16] They stole 798 ÄRMs from Caldiaa's vault and Babbo (with the Orb's soul downloaded into it), then deserted Caldia for a journey across MÄR-Heaven, recruiting warriors for the army they called Chess Pieces. In 2 years' time, Phantom befriended Peta and fell in love with Alma, a Vestrian sailor - until Diana was chosen as the bride of Lestava kingdom and enthroned herself Queen of the Chess Pieces. With the mantle of Chess Pieces' number 1 Knight and the completion of its construction falling onto Phantom, Diana bestowed on him the Zombie Tattoo, making him unkillable and thus, undefeatable. This, however, resulted in the wane of Phantom's romance: while he was infatuated with immortality and believed it would deliver him of the flawed, limited human existence, Alma sought the opposite, respecting its constant cycle of death and rebirth. Seeing the disharmony, each took their own leave and Phantom set out on another journey to assemble brethrens whose ideals were akin to his.
After another 2 years, the Chess Pieces gathered enough power to wage war against MÄR-Heaven and Phantom, in command of its thousand fighters, quickly suppressed every opposing force. In reply, the kingdom of Lestava, MÄR-Heaven's sovereign superpower, incorporated a mass of worldwide fighters into a retaliating army, the Cross Guard. The Chess Pieces, in an attempt to fight off the Cross Guard, then initiated the War Games. During the last round of the War Games, Phantom and Danna fought to a draw; both of them ended up dead. Phantom's body is laid to rest in a graveyard known to the Chess Pieces only, visited by Peta every year.
Being the primary villain throughout most of the story, although he appears suave on the outside, Phantom is sadistic, callous and like other Chess Pieces, revels in bloodshed and destruction. He especially likes to be entertained at all times, hoping during each Great War that a strong enemy will appear and trying his best to make each battle as enjoyable as possible, even to the point of allowing Ginta's power to grow equal to his. As opposed to the main protagonists, who respect life and unite in their love for MÄR-Heaven, he considers humans vile, rotten and above all, seeks emancipation from their transient lifespan with its natural weaknesses by means of immortality . Despite this, he appreciates certain human values such as courage.
As the Chess Pieces' de facto commander, Phantom rules the four classes with an iron fist, tolerating no cowardice in his men or even haphazard killings of lowerclass members. At the same time, his charisma elicits great love and respects from many of his followers, i.e. Rolan, Peta and Candice. Later in the story (more obviously shown in the anime than the manga), Phantom's revealed to treasure those who are close to him, and his desire for eternity partly originates from his unwillingness to part with them. On occasions, he openly laments his solitude in their passings: his parents, Alma, and in the course of the War Game, his best friend Peta. Voiced by Mitsuki Saiga
Very little is known about Peta's early background. At some point he would befriend Phantom, a Kaldean outlaw and eventually the strongest Knight, some point before Phantom received the Zombie Tattoo.[17] Shortly before that Peta witnessed the breakup of Phantom and his lover, the Vestrian Alma. At some point, apparently after Alviss, Peta would receive Phantom's Zombie Tattoo, wishing to walk the path of destruction together for all eternity. After the formation of the Chess Piece army, Peta quickly gained Knighthood and became the Knights' strategic officer. Peta, however, did not fight in the previous War Games, choosing instead to broadcast the battles throughout MÄR-Heaven.[18]
After Phantom's death in his fight with Danna, Peta was initiated as the Chess army's leader until Phantom's eventual resurrection, as he explained to the Cross Guard. At some point during his leadership, Peta would meet Eileen, a woman ripped to shreds from torture, and accepted her into the Chess Pieces, granting her forbidden Ghost ÄRM to make this task easier.[19] Under Peta's tutelage, Eileen, from then on known as Chimera, would one day rise to the rank of Knight. It is also known that Peta would commonly send in thieves to the Cave of Babbo,[20] locked inside of which was Phantom's former ÄRM, in an attempt to gain possession of Babbo and resurrect Phantom.
Peta is one of MÄR-Heaven's darkest and most mysterious figures. Usually calm and intelligent, Peta knows just the right amount of effort needed to put into anything, and is also sly and cunning. Peta is, literally, a very bloodthirsty figure, and has a habit of drinking the blood of others in a skull-emblazed wine glass.[21] Like other Chess Pieces, Peta shares the view that humans are worthless beings. Peta is also one of Phantom's most loyal followers, and is subject to any of Phantom's beliefs. Phantom himself admits that he considers Peta his friend.[22]
Halloween is the second strongest Knight and the third in command, losing out to Peta only for the latter's intelligence. Halloween was abandoned as a child by his parents, who gave him the name of Pump, and was often bullied by other children in his town. During his childhood, Pump also developed a penchant for dismembering small animals, such as dogs. Despite this and the town's disliking towards him, Pump's childhood friends, Alan, still remained friends with him. One day, however, Alan showed Pump an ÄRM that creates flames. Attracted to it, Pump thieved the ÄRM, murdered the children who bullied him, and left the village, but not before telling Alan they would always be different people. At some point, Pump joined the Chess Pieces, and, taking on the title of Halloween and chaining himself to a cross ÄRM, would eventually rise to the rank of Knight. As fate would have it, Halloween would fight Alan, who had joined the Cross Guard, and the fight ended in a draw. Even to today Halloween still holds a deep hatred for Alan inside of his crippled heart.
Halloween is a most sadistic character, taking enjoyment in the pain and sufferings of others. Like other Chess Pieces, Halloween takes enjoyment out of slowly killing his enemies in battle. A lover of war and bloodshed, Halloween is often put in charge of Chess Piece operations, particularly major invasions. Halloween has a fancy for punishing lower-ranked Chess Pieces, as seen with him enjoying the mental torment of Ian when informed about the upcoming punishment of his lover, Gido. When Ian threatens to escape and murder Halloween, Halloween responds by mockingly wishing Ian really was strong enough to kill him.[23] Halloween's love of torment and punishment extends even to his fellow Knights, commonly making death threats to Rapunzel should her greed get out of hand. Several times he is the pun of a joke about tomatoes because of his mask, which is mistaken for a tomato, earning him the nickname 'Tomato Head' from Alan. Deep inside, however, Halloween is still the cowardly child he was when under his former name, as pointed out by Alan.
Halloween first appeared to inform Loco and Ian that the mission to kidnap Snow had been canceled. Following a rampage through the port city of Vestry alongside Chimera, Halloween punished Ian by sentencing his lover, Gido, to torture. Just prior to the War Games' 3rd Round, Halloween gives Pozun the order to enter Alan into the War Games. Alan and Halloween at last had the confrontation they'd been waiting for during the final round of the War Games. During the fight Halloween goes on a killing rampage among the audience members by sending Alan blows he can easily dodge only for them to hit the audience. After Alan willingly takes each attack Halloween sends, Halloween reveals his identity of Pump, much to Alan's horror. Halloween goes on with the battle, hoping that Alan will eventually succumb to him and leave the defenseless audience vulnerable. Alan, however, no longer holds back and manages to wound Halloween. Halloween responds by unleashing his Guardian, Wanka Tanka, which nearly manages to kill Alan if Alan had not unleashed the Guardian he got in Caldia, Saint Anger, to destroy Halloween's. Defenseless, Halloween is then picked up by Alan's Guardian, thrown, and punched skyward. With Halloween being thrust into the sky to unknown whereabouts, Alan is named victor with Halloween's apparent demise. Halloween's ÄRM include:
Chimera's appearance, masked or unmasked, is generally anomalous for her gender. She usually dons a ghastly skeletal mask with a green wig attached to it, concealing her blonde hair color (the green color is possibly exclusive to only the anime, however, as the cover of volume 13 shows a blonde-haired masked Chimera). It is seen that she was about to get married to an ex-Chess Piece. However, villagers intervene their wedding and take her fiance away, violently murdering him. The villagers then capture Chimera herself after revealing to her that they murdered her fiance. Chimera is tortured for days in hopes that she will reveal the location of the remaining Chess Pieces. She finally escapes, only to find that her body is deformed due to the torture she endured. She is recruited to the Chess Pieces by Peta, who offered her a ghost arm. Since her enlisting for the Chess Pieces she's fashioned her hair spiky, a mode far more commonly styled for males, and (exclusively for the anime) builds up her stature into a more masculine form, misleading people about her actual gender.[24] In addition to these extraordinary outward features, Chimera's facial appearance carries hideously unique traits: she wears a grotesque mass of eyeballs on the left side of her face, stitches a horizontal black line on the scar across her nose's bridge, and seasons the overall gruesome sight by piercing her Knight insignia earring on the tip of her tongue.
Out of the 13 Zodiac Knights, Chimera is by far the most mysterious. In her every seldom appearance until the Final Battles, Chimera never takes off her mask, nor is she seen conversing with anyone in words. Always shielding her emotions behind the skull face, Chimera possesses the silence of a beast, and also the humanity of one: she's ruthless in battles, and is a barbarous warrior, once seen ripping apart a Cross Guard soldier thrusting at her. Her savagery is commended by even the 2nd-in-command Knight Halloween;[25] and her prowess is hinted to be one of the most noteworthy among the Knights: Alan of Team MÄR once remarks he didn't notice her in the 1stWar Game, which allegedly implies either she moved up to the 4th seat of the Chess Zodiac in a matter of only 6 years' times from a previous unknown lower rank, or that she entered the Chess after the 1st War Game and managed to occupy it after only 6 years (which was precisely the case).[26] Pozun, referee of the War Game, too esteemed surviving a fight with Chimera - be the fight itself a loss- as an impressive deed (even when the survivor in question is Gaira, 3rd-in-command of Cross Guard, the Chess' nemesis in the 1st War).[27]
When stripped of her mask, Chimera's personality is shown to be an overly sarcastic and scornful one, reflected in the jeers she attributes to others, e.g. Gaira whom she outfought, and Dorothy when her attacks were merely sufficient enough to land her but one blow. She's also resolutely resentful of the world, claiming she will never forsake her path of destruction, War Game or not;[28] and refuses to decline herself to be sympathized by opponents.[29] Besides killings, Chimera appears to have interest in disfiguring (pretty) woman body, hints at having an entire collection of it.[30] Despite all this fiendishness, Chimera still has her own emotional insecurities, being easily irritated/incited to losing concentration.
At some point early in Rolan's childhood, Rolan's parents died to unknown circumstances, leaving a poor and starving Rolan to live on the streets. Rolan was always ignored by the others, and Rolan himself would have died under such a living eventually. At one point, a number of kids stealing food bumped into Rolan and left a large amount of food around him, leaving the owner of the stolen food to blame Rolan and severely abuse him, putting Rolan in an even worse state than before. Just after this, Rolan was found by Phantom, the leader of the Chess Pieces. Phantom became the only one to treat Rolan with kindness, giving him food to survive.
Just before Phantom left, he asked Rolan if he would follow him, which was followed by Rolan taking Phantom's hand and the two walking out of Rolan's home village together. Rolan, having a wish to serve Phantom, would join the Chess Pieces. According to Alan, Rolan fought in the first War Games as a Rook.
Girly behaviour, stuttering speech and possessing a Zombie Tattoo, Rolan of the Knights class is Alviss of Team MÄR's direct counterpart. The one prime difference between them is that while Alviss' feeling for Phantom is sheer hatred, Rolan's is love, keeping him Phantom's company on the path to eternity. This is incomprehensible to others, given Phantom's fearful figure, but understandable for him, as Rolan once experienced Phantom's considerate side. He doesn't like to fight if it isn't necessary, as seen in episode 29, but will do anything Phantom asks of him. In the final episodes of the series, Rolan is sent to retrieve Alviss by Phantom but is shocked to find his friend and Candice have seemingly abandoned him and in sadness he tries to commit suicide by stabbing himself through the throat, but is seen alive in the last episode.
It is possible that his personality is that of Roland from the epic poem, The Song of Roland Roland is depicted in the poem as heroic, brave, and amazing. In reality, he was just that, so it could be that Rolan of the Chess Pieces' personality is derived as the same of that of Rolan from the epic poem.
Weasel is the oldest of the Knights (84 years old), but nevertheless a nimble fighter. He is easily distinguished due to his eccentric appearance with a tree growing out of his head containing all his magic power, and always seen holding a wood cane inside which he hides all his ÄRMs. As a Chess Piece he's wicked, but is overall an amicable figure to his Chess fellows, and is civil enough towards his opponents.
In the 1st War Games, Weasel fought Jack's father, Jake and grasped victory using his Guardian Bird of Rotten Wood, leaving Jake fatally wounded (and dying at his home shortly thereafter, which was unknown to Weasel). He plays little to no role in the 2nd War, save for once in the War campaign when he took over Henli castle by his trees, and like most of the Chess Pieces spends the War Games observing the fights. He takes special notice of Jack since his debut of victory, for the boy also masters his wood element and uses Jake's memento scoop. He fights Jack in the final round of the 2nd War Games and is defeated by him, who used Kikazoku Fire to burn the tree on his head, eliminating the source of his power. Weasel compliments Jack by telling him that he has surpassed his father, and after the War Games ends, receives no more lines for the rest of the series. Weasel is a plant Guardian ÄRM user:
On the surface, Ian appears to be a laid-back, jovial young man who (even when he was still a low-ranked Rook) is one of the few Chess Pieces to have the daring to be blunt and disrespectful towards his superiors. This ranges from addressing the senior Loco "-chan" in spite of her insistence on their age gap, to talking back to Halloween who is one of the highest-ranked Knights, and in his quest for vengeance later on, challenging even the Knights. Ian's amiable manners, however, belies the lethal, battle-thrilled fighter he can be in the battlefield. Once driven by determination he is relentless in his pursuit, be it a simple case of getting the fight he enjoys or the venture to eliminate a superior sworn enemy. Ian's tenacity is prone to lead him go against his orders, and Ian admits because of it, he is always mentally prepared for death penalty.[31]
Although his affiliation evidences the contrary, Ian is a man of high morals - in fact, it was his idealistic dream to purify the world instead of selfish desires like most other Chess Pieces that urged him to join it in the first place.[32] He cares for his girlfriend, Gido, deeply: his love for her outweighs his ideals and well-being, and later becomes his motivation in battle throughout the series. His upright nature attracts great respect from his opponent, Ginta, and though the sympathy doesn't align their causes, it eventually manages to diminish their initial enmity.
Unlike the rest of the Knights, Ian's rank isn't a given - he started off in the series as a Rook, the second lowest class. His elevation to Knight position took place during the course of the story.
Magical Roe is a clown directly under Queen Diana's command. When Diana's stepdaughter, Princess of Lestava Snow was little, she cried often and it was during one of those times that Diana introduced Lou to her. For her entertainment, he always demonstrated many circus tricks and as they grew close, became her favorite babysitter and childhood friend. However later the two parted ways, at an unknown point in Snow's life and under unknown circumstances.
Roe was present at Phantom's revival. In the 2nd War, he was seen with Phantom and the other Knights after the 3rd Round. Roe reappeared in the War Games and fought Snow herself in the 6th round (secretly obeying Diana's order to kidnap Snow) and told Snow that he didn't join the Chess Pieces, he was with the Chess Pieces to begin with. He did manage to play around with Snow as a way of tiring her down. While struggling with the thought of betraying his princess himself, Roe still proceeded with his mission and eventually managed to take Snow back to the Lestava headquarter, winning the Game fight by default. After the War Games' Final Battles when Team MÄR stormed Lestava Castle, he fought off Nanashi, Alan, and Gaira to prevent them from reaching Snow and ended up defeated, regretting his actions. In the anime adaption, instead he fought Alan and Ginta, and after his loss, Roe sacrificed his life to save Snow from Diana's Darkness ÄRM, atoning for his wrongdoings towards the princess. Magical Roe uses circus-themed ÄRM:
Galian is the former leader of the notorious thief guild Luberia, founding it as a sanctuary for the lowest of the world. As a leader he was an amicable figure and well-loved by his subordinate thieves, and led Luberia in a peaceful reign - until the 1st War started. The birth of a homicidal Chess Pieces army begot disasters and destructions all over MÄR-Heaven, which, while seen as a bad thing for 'business' by many Luberians, set Galian on constant agitation, eager to test his power. His first encounter with the Chess was inside a havoc-wrought castle they occupied, and after defeating many Pawns, Galian faced the strategist Knight Peta. Although Galian was easily worsted, Peta still acknowledged his great potentials and let him go after provocatively advising him to invest his power in a worthier place.
The 1st War Games concluded with the Chess' defeat, however that did little to help Galian's already triggered infatuation with their immense power. Predicting the Chess' inevitable return, he resolved to abandon Luberia and joined the Chess. During that time he found and saved a wounded man with no memory of his past life, but nevertheless endowed with latent might, whom he named Nanashi. Turning a deaf ear to his thieves' suspicion and cool reception towards Nanashi, Galian took Nanashi under his wings. To help him win Luberia's heart Galian sent a monster to the guild's fortress, which Nanashi outfought and earned him the respect of many, just like Galian wished. After that he trained Nanashi and when he was strong enough, he left his throne and the Electric Eyes ÄRMs, symbols of Luberia's leader to Nanashi, erased all memories regarding him and went to Peta to accept his previous offer. Over the years, his name also faded from Luberia's memories itself as the thieves recognized Nanashi as their true leader.
Although Galian severed all his ties to Luberia when he gave up on it, the news of Luberia's extermination (along with its ragged flag), brought to him by the perpetrator Peta himself, comes as a great personal blow, though he denies it by setting fire to the flag. Knowing Nanashi's nature and his reaction to this homicide, Galian anticipated the man's participation in the 2nd War Games and entered it thus, to prove he had chosen the right path. With Phantom's approval, he revealed himself to Nanashi in the 5th round after Ash's defeat and the two battled, Nanashi's memories of him gradually returning. He's defeated by Nanashi and compliments him for having become a fine leader, admitting his envy. At the end of the series, Nanashi and Galian rule Luberia together. Like Nanashi, he fights with lightning-themed ÄRMs:
Ash is easily distinguished by his mask: a grim reaper skull with its tongue sticking out. Ash joined the Chess Pieces in the hopes on using their immense power to conquer the world, ending all other wars countries might bring up, preventing the deaths of the children he loves. Ash's personality is rather unusual on Chess Piece standards, being both playful and fun-loving. Ash prefers to solve matters without fighting, urging the other knights during a meeting not to deal with Rapunzel's insolence. Phantom himself, who is one of the Knights' more sadistic members, states that he could never hate Ash, as he is "just that sort of person". Ash is almost always seen enjoyably playing with children, usually Defu, Ko, and Benni, three children he rescued from the war, when not fighting a battle. Ash is also very willing to take punishment, sometimes volunteering to be punished when he felt he did something wrong. Galian also states that Ash is usually not one to give up in battle. Ash's original design had little differences from his final one, the most notable being having a regular mask rather than a skull one.[33]
Ash is first introduced revealing to Nanashi that an opponent, Galian, requests that Nanashi appears in the fifth round of the War Games, and also states to Ginta Toramizu as wish to fight him as well. During the fight, Ash chooses to use his Psycho Space on Ginta, claiming that he doesn't want children to see the rest of the battle. Once inside, when Ash reveals he joined the Chess Pieces to save the children he loves, and Ginta, angered, responds by yelling at Ash that the Chess Pieces would only kill those children by their own hands. After Ginta defeats Ash's Guardian, Ash gives up the fight, and tells Ginta that he supports Ginta's wish to save MÄR-Heaven. Ash, Defu, Ko, and Benni later watch Ginta's battle with Phantom together, and leave once Phantom is defeated.
Ash, along with most other Chess Pieces, later is called for a meeting by Diana, and there Diana has King kill all of them, though Ash escapes. While leading survivors of the war to safety, Ash meets up with Ian and Gido, who themselves are escaping the Chess Pieces, and together the three search for Ginta while also closing various portals between the two worlds. Once they reunite with what remains of Team MÄR, Ash reveals to them King's plan to conquer both worlds. As Ash and Ginta close another portal later that night, King attempts to stop them, though Ash locks him in his Phsyco Space. The two then have a short battle, ending with Ash's death. Like others killed by King, Ash is revived following his death, and still allows his friends Ian and Gido to live with him.
A sadomasochistic woman who relishes physical pains in a fight as pleasures, before joining the Chess, Candice was a mercenary officer, and was feared by many for her violent and abusing personality. After a defeat to Phantom, however, Candice fell in love with Phantom and followed him. Though this remains largely an unreciprocal passion, Candice still endeavours to undertake many demanding tasks (e.g. taking on powerful enemies) to get Phantom's commends, and is resolute to obliterate whoever obstructs his way.
Candice first appeared during Phantom's revival and informed him that Queen Diana summoned him. During the Chess Pieces' war campaign, Candice single-handedly defeats the soldiers at Castle Geirelulu using Gorgon to turn them into stone. Candice reappeared during the 5th Round of the War Games and fought to a draw with Jack. After Phantom's defeat, Candice accompanies Phantom to Lestava's castle, and in the manga witnesses his death while he rests on his throne. In the anime Candice tries to help him escape from the pursuit by Team MÄR in the end of the Ghost Chess attack. Though this ends unsuccessfully, it deeply touches Phantom and partly lets him die in peace, knowing he after all isn't so hated. Her last appearance is with the revived Rolan, visiting Phantom's grave.
12th strongest Knight and the smallest of the Knights, Pinocchio was once a marionnette made by Diana for her little sister Dorothy when Dorothy was a child, and was apparently animated to life upon joining the Chess Pieces. In the 6th round, he was ordered to defeat Dorothy if he wished to become human. Like his namesake, his nose grows when he lies, but it transforms into a cannon after about three lies and can be used to shoot his opponents. In the War Games at the Mushroom Field, he is ripped apart by Dorothy's ÄRM Toto, his remains salvaged by Chaton by the end of the 6th Round. In a filler episode, he was rebuilt with wagon wheels. Alongside Kouga and Girom, they ambushed Dorothy, Ginta and Alviss where Pinocchio destroyed Dorothy's Andarta at the time when Babbo gets cracked. After being repelled, Diana then sent them to capture Caldia's Grand Elder only to be defeated by Dorothy and Ginta. Also in the anime, they were last seen riding Kouga's Kung Fu Frog somewhere. A Weapon ÄRM user:
Rapunzel is the older sister of Girom. Their father died early of an illness, after which their mother became deranged and physically abused the siblings on a daily basis. Gradually driven to their limits, one day Rapunzel and her brother finally broke down and chopped their mother to death, then ran away. The scar of this matricide survives into her adulthood: Rapunzel grows up to be bloodthirsty, arrogant and riotous (to the irritation and exasperation of many Knights), and appears to share with her brother Girom (notably the only one she holds dear and is gentle with) a love for killing women. Despite being quite far from most visions of beauty herself, Rapunzel is shown to be helplessly narcissistic and looks down on everyone, men or women, as obnoxiously ugly.
Rapunzel was present at Phantom's revival, and in the campaign of the 2nd War Games, she was responsible for the siege of Reginrave castle. Besides being with Girom watching the match between Ginta and Garon, Rapunzel was only seen outside once with the rest of the Knights after the 3rd Round. She persuaded Phantom to let her and Girom fight in the 4th Round. When someone on her team loses to Team MÄR, she challenges the loser of her team to a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors and ends up decapitating them if they lose. After Ginta defeated Girom, Rapunzel wanted to fight Ginta only for Dorothy to step in. She loses to Dorothy in the 4th round of the War Game, but it was not after the 5th Round of the War Games that the deserving retribution was delivered: as punishment for slaying her comrades, Phantom has the Rook Ian battle and kill her (by decapitation in the manga, and incineration in the anime) in battle in front of Girom's eyes and usurp her Knighthood.
The weakest Knight and the largest of the Knights. Kouga is sensitive about his ugliness, due to which as a child he was always treated miserably. He's extremely arrogant and dense, and hates anyone with good looks (e.g. Alviss, as he claimed in their fight) as he thinks people with good appearances carry dark hearts. Although his magical powers and ÄRM strength are more along Bishop class, Kouga rose to Knight Class due to his vast amount of strength and a sturdy stamina which takes in unusually low damage from the most destructive of attacks.
Kouga appears cloaked throughout most of the series until War Games' 6th round, wherein he fights Alviss and loses. In a filler episode of the anime, he teams up with Pinocchio and Girom to attack Dorothy, Ginta, and Alviss. After being repelled, Diana then sent them on a mission to kidnap the Caldian Grand Elder, and is later defeated by Dorothy and Ginta. He is last seen (in the anime only) somewhere with Pinocchio and Girom, riding Kung Fu frog. A user of ninja-themed Weapon ÄRMs:
(ビショップ, Bishoppu)
The Bishops are the second-strongest group of the Chess Pieces after Knights. From this rank every rank is separated into 10 levels from weakest Level 10 upwards to strongest Level 1. Each of the Bishops wears a bishop earring as an insignia; designed like a shield with a cross rather than the actual piece in chess.
Chaton is a kitty girl and the strongest of the Bishops. Chaton is always happy, almost to an annoying level. She has a comical, yet entirely serious, crush on Alan, much to his distaste as Alan, ridiculously in contrast to his looks and due to an ironic twist of his situation with Edward, is a cat phobic. She is a good friend with Loco, even though Chaton is quick to get on Loco's nerves. Chaton deeply cares for Loco and constantly looks out for her well-being, though this usually tends to annoy Loco.
Chaton first appears in the 6th Round of the War Games and Alan was surprised at her appearance when she removed her hooded robe. She quickly manages to defeat Alan (who mistook her for a Knight before the battle began) due to his Cat phobia, which he inherited from Edward. During Halloween and Alan's battle, Chaton and Loco kept arguing over who would win while watching from a castle balcony. During Phantom and Ginta's battle, after Ginta's Puss in Boots was introduced, Chaton commented that it is "the greatest Guardian ever", making her the only one who took it seriously.
In the anime, after the War Games are completed, she and Loco, while traveling through the desert, get captured by the Ghost Chess along with Team MÄR. Working together, all of them escape the Ghost Chess, although due to Loco's constant use of Darkness ÄRM Loco is reverted back into a baby. Chaton is quick to begin taking care of Loco, and later watches the death of Alan to King, much to her horror. During Alan's last moments, he gives Chaton his earring and she seeks out other Chess Piece members and interrogates them on King's current location. After King is defeated, Chaton lives together with Alan and Babbo, who help take care of Loco.
Emokis: Emokis is one of the top three most powerful bishops and faces Princess Snow in the Sixth round of the war games. Emokis is very plump and thinks she is beautiful (she is also very sensitive about her appearance). In the end Emokis is defeated by Snow. Her ÄRMs include:
House of cake: When Emokis summons this ÄRM a giant candy house falls from the sky which Emokis eats. The more she eats the bigger and more powerful she becomes.
DANDALCIA: a guardian ÄRM that is in the shape of a sword and has a face that can speak. Emokis asks the ÄRM if she is pretty which Randarisia always says she is (although he is lying) in the end enraged Emokis destroys it.
FLOWER FORTUNE BOMB:"Does he love me or not?" it is exactly the capacity of the flower, that Emokis uses making a question: "is she ugly or not?" referred to her opponent, and when she pulls off a petal, it makes some of her oppents hair fall off, when every petal has been pulled of a explsion hits her oppent.
Girom, or Gillom in the game, is a psychotic boy about Ginta's age who enjoys killing, particularly women, much like his maniac older sister, the Knight Rapunzel. This is largeally due, however, to the tremendous stress from their childhood abuse from their mother, whom they later killed. He was present at Phantom's revival, along with the Knights and several other Chess Pieces. He and Orco attacked Vestry during the Chess Piece's war campaign, under the order to search for a certain ÄRM. While searching the boat at the cave's end, he quickly meets up with and fights Ginta, who defeats him using Gargoyle.
Girom was seen with Rapunzel observing the fight between Ginta and Garon. Girom then showed up in the 4th Round of the War Games, where he killed Aqua after her tie with Nanashi. As he wanted, Girom had a rematch with Ginta, and Girom almost won, due to Ginta's anger of him killing Aqua. Babbo later calmed Ginta down, however, and Ginta defeated Girom with Gargoyle, to which Girom also survived. He later witnessed his sister killed by Ian in battle as punishment for her killing of her teammates in the 4th Round. In a filler episode of the anime, he alongside with Kouga and Pinocchio attacked Ginta, Dorothy, and Alviss at the time Babbo was cracked. Ginta barely survived his battle with him. After being repelled, Diana sent them to kidnap the Kaldea Elder, to which Ginta and Dorothy come to rescue him. He is last seen (also in the anime only) with the two somewhere riding Kung Fu Frog. A user of ice-based Nature ÄRMs:.
Garon Rodokin is the Chess Piece who fought Ginta in the first round of the War Games and the father of Leno and Pano. He is an honorable man, and Ginta ends up sparing him (partly due to intervention by Pano) after Babbo's Gargoyle form broke his ÄRM. He was killed by King but was revived when King was defeated. He uses Nature ÄRM:
Aqua is a pretty girl wearing a sea-themed ball dress. Despite being a Chess Piece, the happy and rather unpredictable Aqua always keeps a smile on her face, much to the surprise of Team MÄR. Aqua refers to everyone with honorific suffixes in the Japanese version, while in the English dub puts either "Mr." or "Miss" in front of everyone's names, including herself.
Aqua appears in the 3rd round of the 4th Battle. After witnessing several examples of how Rapunzel kills any losing Chess Pieces, Nanashi and Aqua fight each other, where Nanashi defeats Aqua with his Electric Eye. Nanashi, however, pretends that attack removed all of his energy in order to make the fight a draw and save Aqua. Although Rapunzel isn't happy about this, Aqua wins Rock-Paper-Scissors against her and Rapunzel doesn't kill her, but has her brother Girom do it in her stead. Her final words were an apology to Nanashi. After Rapunzel was defeated by Dorothy, Nanashi floats her body into the water as a burial. Her character is based on The Little Mermaid. she uses sea-themed ÄRM:
(ルーク, Ruku)
Rooks are the third strongest of the Chess Pieces after Bishops, they tend to be weak and more along the lines of above-average Pawns. Rook earrings are their insignia.
Loco is the strongest Rook and one of the first Chess Pieces introduced. Loco's name means a patron of healers in the religion of Voodoo, a reference to her ÄRM Straw Doll (Spikes and Hammer). Loco was born 32 years before the main part of the series. At age 26, Loco, at that point a Pawn, the lowest Chess Piece rank, was given the order to participate in the attacking of a, unknown, town. While fighting, Loco's only ÄRM the Weapon ÄRM Ring Dagger, was broken, leaving Loco defenseless. While stumbling throughout the battling village, Loco crossed paths with a midget-like cloaked figure carrying a large suitcase. The cloaked person asked Loco if she wanted strength, to which she answered that she only wanted power to fight with. The cloaked person then gave Loco the suitcase, telling her it was full of seven Darkness ÄRMs, the cost of using being reversed aging, and the mysterious figure died from the ARM's effects. Using the Darkness ÄRMs, Loco eventually increased in the ranking system to the strongest of the Rooks. The Darkness ÄRMs affects had damaged her, however, as her body had been transformed into a young child's by the series' beginning.
Acting emotionless at all times, Loco finds little importance out of the happenings around her, and prefers to do anything that is seemingly the most successful path to take at the time. Loco's dark personality can also make her cruel at times. Unlike most other Chess Pieces, Loco does not wear her mask on her face (except at Phantom's revival), keeping it on her head's side instead. Loco is intelligent and wise, often being able to deduce problems quickly others find difficult or simply unsolvable. Loco also apparently doesn't enjoy sitting in the background doing nothing when given the chance to fight. Despite constantly being under her Darkness ÄRMs' curse, Loco sees little significance of her reversed aging, instead taking more concern with outside matters. Despite her young appearance and rather emotionless cover, inside she is still a mature woman. Loco is also very good friends with Chaton of the Bishops, despite how Loco is easily annoyed by Chaton. Chaton still remains unaffected by Loco coldness, however, or rather, doesn't seem to understand how Loco is annoyed by this. Loco appears has a crush on the high-ranking Knight Halloween, keeping with her a small doll of the powerful Knight, as seen in the anime.[34] Loco's appearance is often a common center of jokes throughout the series.
Loco first appeared during Phantom's revival, and was later sent to kidnap Snow alongside Ian, though before they could succeed (or get killed by Alan), Halloween ordered them back to Lestava Castle. She later appears during the 2nd Round of the War Games and fights Nanashi, nearly killing him with her Darkness ÄRM. Nanashi, however, breaks free and uses his Electric Eye to destroy the Darkness ÄRM's affects, though losses because he is unwilling to harm her prior to his falling unconscious from exhaustion. In the manga Loco makes only background appearance after this, though in the anime Loco, and later Chaton as well, act as important allies to Team MÄR, helping them rescue the Princess of Reginlief and escape the Ghost Chess. During the fight with the Ghost Chess, however, Loco's consistent use of her Darkness ÄRM ages her back into an infant, leading Chaton to take care of her. At the end of the series, Chaton and Alan, who now live together, take care of the baby Loco together. Loco keeps all of her ÄRMs in the suitcase strapped on her back. Her ÄRMs are:
Ring Dagger: A ring Weapon ÄRM, transforms into a dagger. Loco had this ÄRM during the First Great War, but it was broken just before she gained the Darkness ÄRMs.
Negzero: A pendant Darkness ÄRM that paralyzes the target, the side-effect is to reverse its user's aging.
Straw Doll (Spikes and Hammer): A Darkness ÄRM in the shape of a straw man. Five metal stakes are hammered into ringed points on the straw man's body to damage the enemy in a Voodoo doll fashion. Using this ÄRM causes the user to decrease in age.
Animal Change (anime only): A torc ÄRM that metamorphoses people into animals which came into Loco's possession for a short period of time.
Additionally, Loco has five unknown Darkness ÄRMs that she has never been shown using. It is unknown if using the Darkness Ärm causes permanent de-aging, though more likely an age decrease through every use. If that's the case, the cost is a benefit by possibly increasing life span.
Leno Rodokin is the son of Garon and Pano's brother, and the first enemy fought in the war games. He fought against Alviss, who easily beat him. He was killed by King (which left behind his mask) and revived at the end, watching Pano and Jack from afar with his father. A Nature ÄRM user:
Pano Rodokin is the sister of Leno and the daughter of Garon. Pano's most notable trait is her relationship with Jack, who she falls in love with during the series. She defeats him in the first round of the War Games, though loses to him during their rematch in the third. In both of her battles with Jack, at some point Jack is comically hit in the groin by Pano. Using Jack's mushrooms, it's discovered she's scared of bats, being immobilized, leeches, and likes pretty flowers and butterflies.
Pano first appeared with her family in the 1st Round of the War Games, where she managed to defeat Jack by hitting him in the groin with her Weapon ÄRM. Jack and Pano have a rematch in the 3rd Round, where Jack uses his mushrooms to force Pano to surrender. While under the effect of the mushrooms, Pano sees an absurdly handsome vision of Jack, and is quick to fall in love with him followed by a hug. Once the illusion is removed, however, Pano quickly becomes angry at Jack and kicks him in a very bad place....hard.
Pano later appeared during Jack's battle with Weasel, where she gave her support to Jack and encouraged him throughout the battle. By that time she seems to have developed a vey big crush on Jack. In the anime, she later reappeared stealing food where she reunites with several members of Team MÄR, including Jack, where she reveals King's mass murder of several Chess Pieces, including her brother and father. After King is defeated, Pano lives with Jack and his mother on their farm together, and it appears that her family supports her relationship with Jack. Pano is a Weapon ÄRM user:
(ポーン, Pon)
There are many Pawns in the Chess, and all but one (Gido) have not possessed individuality. Most are nameless and identical with black cloaks and masks. All Pawns are given a Weapon ÄRM, either a spear or two-blades that are attached to the user's arms.
Gido is Ian's girlfriend and the only Pawn of the Chess Pieces to have an individual identity. She accompanied Ian in his first battle against Ginta. When Ian is taken down, she holds her ground against the others until she is knocked down by Jack's attack. Due to Ian's loss to Ginta, Halloween had Ian punished by ordering Chimera to transform Gido into a creature with her body fused with tentacles, unable to of speak as she transforms slowly into the hidieous creature.
Eventually she is returned to her human form by Chimera's death and the couple leaves the Chess Pieces. however In the anime, they meet up with Ash, who they quickly befriend, Ash dies protecting Ian and Gido from King, who return the favor by taking care of Ash's friends. Once Ash is revived, she and Ian continue to live with Ash and his kids.
An anime exclusive group which consists of psychopaths and bloodlusters of the Chess Pieces. Years prior to the current War, when the Chess Pieces army was in its heyday of bloodshed, among those converged towards its banner there was a group. Alone in this line of psychopaths and bloodlusters its members stood out as outstanding examples of barbarity - they found joy in that era of chaos, indulged themselves in abominable acts of abduction, decimation and destruction; and beheld the sight of ravage as a thing of absolute beauty. Their bestiality was of such that even Phantom revolted at their very presence; and far from being promoted, the group was estranged from the official military force and sent on a permanent residence in distant quarters. With the fall of Phantom and the Chess Pieces the group also decamped to oblivion; no effort to capture them has been answered ever since. That group was the gang of the Planets that revolves around the Evil Sun, Zonnen. After 6 years of anticipation, Phantom has resurrected, the Chess Pieces has risen, and with that the Zonnens have also returned. Having already been prejudiced against Phantom's way, they soon get impatient with his monotonous War Games and attempt on the lives of team Team MÄR to resume their savour in the war's bloody cycle. They attacked Team MÄR while they were in Alan's Training Gate.
An anime exclusive group which consists of Chess members who use Ghost ÄRMs. They appear in episode 85 to impede Team MÄR on their way to Phantom at Lestava castle. The leader, Kapellmeister, transports Phantom to the distant fortress Pultgain and sends Team MÄR to a desert. During the subsequent fight with Ghost Chess member, Nanashi and Alan ends up being captured and Alviss, enslaved by the will of a sped-up Zombie Tattoo (which is caused by a Ghost ÄRM Kapellmeister installs into his chest), pledges loyalty and affection to Phantom. After Team MÄR manage to regroup, they fight Alviss and successfully brings him back to his senses. In a final effort to destroy them, Kapellmeister assimilates his teammates with a Ghost ÄRM and transforms himself into a monster, only to be defeated by Ginta.
(ダンナ, Danna)
Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese), Keith Silverstein (English)
Ginta's father and the leader of the Cross Guard during the first War Games. Danna was obsessed with a "fantasy world" while in the human world, which he would later be taken into, and is both courageous and a role-model, though he is also very stubborn. All of these traits are shared by his son, and it is commented upon several times in the series their remarkable resemblance. He defeated Phantom in the Final Round of the original War Games, but was fatally wounded in the process. His body was later taken into usage by the King, and his soul was moved into Babbo. When the King is defeated, Ginta transfers his father's soul back into his body, and Danna is resurrected. At the end of the anime and manga, he leaves to return with his son Ginta to Earth world and his waiting wife.
Ginta's friend in his own world, who has often taken care of him. She has a strong connection to Princess Snow. Not only does she look just like her, the two of them often see the other's world through their eyes in their dreams. She uses this to keep track of how Ginta is doing, and tells Ginta's mother what's going on. She also collects his schoolbooks and homework, and plans to make Ginta study hard to catch up when he gets back. At the end of the series Koyuki begins to grow feelings for Ginta.
Voiced by: Sayori Ishizuka (Japanese), Jessica Straus (English)
An author who writes fantasy stories (which her missing husband and son are extremely interested in), Ginta's mother (neither the anime or manga gave her a first name) is a strong drinker and smoker, and also apparently has an interest in cooking unusual foods, once trying to make "pizza curry".[35] In spite of her occupation, she stands a very practical viewpoint in matters regarding fantasied subjects, therefore tends to make light of her husband's, and later son's, passion for such. After Ginta's disappearance, however, she rues this dearly, thinking it was her fault her family's gone and as Koyuki narrates Ginta's journey in MÄR-Heaven, starts seeing fantasy in a different light. It is later revealed that Diana watched Ginta's world through his mother's eyes in a manner similar to Snow with Koyuki. She is reunited with her husband Danna when he returns with Ginta.
Voiced by: Unavailable (Japanese), Ellyn Stern (English)
Wife of the Cross Guard soldier Jake and mother of Jack, she resides on a small farm with her son and later, when he's away, a pair of werewolves who once attacked their farm. Jack is very close to her heart, especially after Jake was killed by the knight Vizel in the first War Games, and she at first discourages him to get in any fights with any opponent who may try to kill him, even if facing them is the right thing to do (when the werewolves were terrorizing their farm, she happily tolerated their cruel gorging for fear that Jack would get hurt if they tried to stand up for themselves). However, after Jack's triumph over the werewolves, and later during Jack's first match in the War Games she realizes that the time has come for Jack to become a man and that she should support him in this. One of her regrets is that while she taught Jack everything she knew about farming, she never taught him the proper way to treat a lady, and Jack is thus a little bit of a pervert. Jack's mother also takes Pano in hand and considers her like a daughter, (or more like a daughter-in-law, as a wife for her son).
Voiced by: Toshihiko Nakajima (Japanese), Kyle Hebert (English)
Father of Jack and a disciple of Gaira. In the previous War, heeding Gaira's summon, Jake left his family and went join the Cross Guard. During a fight in the War Game, he was killed by Vizel and his memento, the Battle Shovel, was returned to Jack.
Voiced by: Masumi Asano (Japanese), Stephanie Sheh (English)
A dead Vestrian female sailor whose ghost haunts Vestry's underground cave with her fellow crew, and also the only one among them to actually possess the ability of materialization into a ghostly human form. Around 4 years before the 1st MÄR-Heaven war, Alma became Phantom's sweetheart until Phantom took on the Zombie Tattoo from his Queen, Diana. An argument soon broke out between the two, and as Alma realized she (and her viewpoint of life and humankind in general) couldn't shake his steadfast belief in the magnificence of immortality in the least, she bade Phantom farewell, never again met him.[36] Alma and the crew of her ship died in the 1st War and, by the King of Chess Pieces himself, cursed to be wandering ghosts sealed inside the underground cave (in which approximately 2 years before she'd departed with Phantom) along with the Holy ÄRM Purific Ave it hid. 6 years later, at the prelude of the 2nd War Game, Ginta & co. arrived at Vestry and ventured into the cave to defeat the two Chess Bishops responsible for rampaging Vestry, Orco and Girom. Heeding their beg for freedom, after defeating Girom, Ginta cleared the blocked end of the cave, opening the way for the ship to depart. As a token of gratitude (and also in a hope to stop Phantom[37]), Alma gave him one magic stone and the Purific Ave and ascended to heaven. Alma made a reappearance exclusive to the anime in the Ghost Chess attack, transporting Ginta and Dorothy back to Phantom's fortress after they were expelled out of there to her cave by the Ghost Chess. After the attack, she also appeared before Phantom and by assuring him he was not at all unloved, helped his soul achieve salvation before he died.
Voiced by: Mitsuo Iwata (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)
John Peach is a boy who fancies himself as the future great hero of MÄR, quite ignorant of his dim-witted and cowardly nature. John Peach is followed by three gelatinous creatures called Burube, Torobe, and Garobe, who care very much for his safety. He has a backpack of ÄRMs that are either too hard for him to use, very weak or do not work right. Hearing about the Chess raid in Vestry, he appeared there just after Ginta defeated Girom and challenged the boy for Team MÄR's leadership, which he lost miserably (as during each contest, just about every ÄRM he used backfired on him). When a group of thieves he had defeated (which was due to sheer dumb luck, since the Demon Tarantula ÄRM they used turned on them instead of him) appeared to take revenge on John Peach, he activated Demon Tarantula, only to had himself and his three friends nearly devoured by it, had it not been for Ginta's help. John Peach left before the Second War Games begun, and returned for once to cheer for MÄR in the Final Battles. He's seen at the end of the anime training with his three friends as he meditates under a waterfall.
Voiced by: Tomoyuki Shimura (Japanese), Steve Kramer (actor) (English)
The 3rd man who fought in the 1st War Game 6 years ago alongside Danna and Alan, earning the Cross Guard their victory. He, however, loses to the Knight Chimera in the preliminary of the 2nd, and since then aids MÄR by training its inexperienced members. At the end of the anime, he was last seen attending the wedding of the Princess of Reginlief and Carl.
Voiced by: Sayori Ishizuka (Japanese), Kirsten Potter (English)
Princess of the Kingdom of Reginlief in the center of MÄR Heaven, the host of the War Games. Fearing for her people's lives, she accedes to abiding by the Chess Pieces' wills[38] and takes charges of the Games' preliminary round, later on in the first four rounds of casting the die to decide number of participants and battle locations. For this, Snow looks up to her as an inspirational figure of how the ruler must care for her subjects. She is revealed to have a secret relationship with one of her soldiers, Carl. During the end credits of the last episode, she and Carl, with several other guests attending, were seen getting married.
Voiced by: Katsuya Shiga (Japanese), R. Martin Klein (English)
The "judge" of the War Games, in charge of rule explanation and fight announcement. He is a servant of the Chess Pieces, as seen when he takes orders from Halloween (upon Alan appearing before the third round). After the War Games are over, Ginta takes Pozun's Andata so they can go to Lestava Castle in the manga, while in the anime they have him take them to Lestava Castle, and he grows rather attached to Team MÄR. At the end of the anime, he is seen playing with the rest of his kind in a hot spring.
Voiced by: Unavailable (Japanese), Michael Sorich (English)
Caldia's Grand Elder is the most prominent figure of Caldia authority, always residing in the island's floating palace. As the elder he's ruthless when it comes to upholding Caldia's laws, having no apparent remorse when ordering family members to kill each other for the sake of redressing broken laws: 20 years ago it was he who urged Phantom's parents to execute their only son for having (almost) stolen the Orb, and it was also he who dispatched Dorothy to her one remaining relative, the older sister Diana's assassination for having absconded from Caldia with 798 of their ÄRMs. However in cases when it's in Caldia's interest, he can be very resourceful and of great help: to aid team MÄR in their war against the Chess (which was, in particular, commanded by two of Caldia's outlaws Diana and Phantom and therefore part of the responsibility goes to Caldia), he's given them powerful Guardian ÄRMs and as the Final Battles concludes, appears before them to teach Ginta the true power of Purific Ave (which was to dispel Phantom's Zombie curse, ending his immortality). In the anime when King and Queen attack Caldia's floating castle, he's morphed into a slimy giant and petrified when the curse is lifted. As King dies, everyone killed by him is revived, including the elder and he's seen talking to Caldian children in the ending credits.
Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya (Japanese), Stephanie Sheh (English)
A tiny fairy seen most of the times at Alviss' side. Belle befriended Alviss in his earlier years while he was training under Gaira's supervision and from then on has cherished a passion for him, which borders on monopolising crush: she cares for him a great deal, and gets jealous of whomever Alviss so much as behaves intimately to (which ranges from girls to friends, e.g. Alan). Belle and Edward host extras at the end of each episode that sums up the plot of each episode and lists the ÄRM Chess Pieces use in that episode. In the end of the anime, Alviss and Belle live together. Named for Tinkerbell from Peter Pan.
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