* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Given the GreyAndGrayMorality of the series, this was bound to crop up.
** Tiir: the despicable psychopath that people see him as in-universe, with his kinder moments not even remotely making up for what he's done, or a JerkassWoobie who commits vile acts but is unable to fully recognize that what he's doing is wrong, due to a screwed up moral compass?
** Sion: TheWoobie who's sincerely doing his best to do what's right for the world, or just a hypocritical jerk full of {{Wangst}}?
** Gastark: a bunch of racist, irredeemable assholes, or [[MirroringFactions a country that's not much different from Roland]] (assuming, of course, you don't hate Roland too)? They might actually be the biggest target of this, especially due not getting the SympatheticPOV until the sequel, which the anime doesn't cover. This applies more so to the Orla siblings, though, as Lize barely has any screentime in the anime and Riphal, at least, is AffablyEvil.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqOayUNo01g Energy]], aka the insert song that played during the [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments fireworks scene]] in Episode 23.
* CompleteMonster: The anime version has [[PsychoForHire Lir Orla]]. In flashback he and his [[SiblingsInCrime Siblings in Crime]] murdered thirty-eight Alpha Stigmas who were under Tiir's protection; the victims, most of whom were [[WouldHurtAChild children]], were butchered so that their magic could be extracted and weaponized. In the present day, Lir acts as a [[ProfessionalKiller assassin]] for King Riphal of Gastark, assassinating a duke who had [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlived his usefulness]], and then trying to take out King Sion of Roland. A few weeks later, he tracks Tiir down again, and massacres another group of children who were in his charge, gloating the entire time about how they're [[FantasticRacism monsters]] and no one will care if they're exterminated. Essentially a swaggering street punk who managed to get his hands on a Ring of Power that turned him into a HeroKiller, Lir possesses no redeeming features, and unlike King Riphal, who [[WellIntentionedExtremist wants to end war]], he is just a {{sadist}} who finds murder more amusing than anything else.
* CreepyAwesome: This, along with his JerkassWoobie status, contributes to Tiir's popularity.
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** Tiir.
** Among the Japanese fandom [[note]]Most Western fans are only familiar with the anime, which Pia doesn't appear in beyond TheCameo[[/note]], [[TheAce Pia]] ranked quite high on the popularity poll, beating other fan favourites such as Tiir and Lucile.
** Froaude, as noted in JerkassDissonance.
* FoeYayShipping: Claugh and Froaude.
* HoYay:
** Ryner and Sion...Ryner and Tiir...and the producers are fully aware of this.
*** It starts way back in Episode 2... Okay, so {{it makes sense in context}}, but ''"I like your eyes"'', indeed!
** Sion in particular seems to be a magnet for this, given that he's also had minor subtext with Lucile (who even jokes at this to tease Ferris), and more than a little with Froaude (more so on Froaude's part, than anything). [[spoiler:As of DDYD 14, Froaude's feelings have gone from subtext to just plain text.]]
* IronWoobie:
** Sion tends to go between this and TheWoobie. Goodness knows he ''tries'' to be as strong as he can, but he has his moments where he falters.
** In spite of everything that life throws at her, Ferris, unlike Sion and Ryner, prefers not to sit around and angst and generally goes out and gets things done.
** [[NiceGuy Toale]], whose life is essentially ruined when [[spoiler:Roland invades Nelpha]] and yet continues smiling and refuses to feel sorry for himself even when [[spoiler:on his deathbed]].
* JerkassDissonance: Despite being one of the biggest [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] in the series with few redeeming qualities besides his loyalty to Sion (and by extension, the kingdom), Froaude manages to be quite popular with the fans. Tiir and Lucile could also apply, but they at least PetTheDog once in a while, which contributes to their popularity; Froaude appears to be liked primarily because he's such a jerk.
* JerkassWoobie:
** Tiir may be a hypocritical and AxCrazy psychopath, but the series is still no [[FantasticRacism kinder]] [[CynicismCatalyst to him]] [[BreaktheHaughty than it is to anyone else]].
** Lucile, once his backstory and how much he's sacrificed to protect Ferris are revealed.
* NightmareFuel:
** The Estabul [[KnightTemplar Magic Knights]], in their first appearance.
** Or when the [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Alpha Stigma]] activates.
** Miran Froaude's [[BlackMagic Shadow Beasts]].
** Tiir's... "meals".
* {{Narm}}: A later episode of the anime has Sion conversing with Froaude, despite the latter apparently being in a different location. Then the camera swings around and we see that Froaude was standing outside Sion's office in the hallway, ''talking through the door''. It may have been meant as a metaphor, but it looks ridiculous.
* OneTrueThreesome: Ferris/Ryner/Sion, due to all three being best friends with at least some degree of emotional dependency on each other.
* ViewerGenderConfusion: Calne, thanks to his [[CrossdressingVoices Japanese]] [[Creator/MiyukiSawashiro voice actor]].
* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: Despite its supposed shonen demographic, it does nothing to hide the fact that it takes place in a CrapsackWorld, filled with matters such as rape/sexual abuse, pedophilia, prostitution, torture, genocide, etc.
* TheWoobie: Nearly everyone at some point or another, what with this being a CrapsackWorld. Aside from those already mentioned, Ryner in particular deserves many, many hugs. Eventually, he becomes an IronWoobie.