Characters / Cross Ange: The Knight of Hilda

Late-Arrival Spoiler warning. This story assumes that the reader is familiar with the canonical plot from the anime so spoilers for all of them will be unmarked.

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Original Characters

Rio-a.k.a. Aaron Kramer

Artwork by Raggylad98

The main OC and protagonist of the story, Rio is a member of a renegade faction of Mana users called the Network who have rejected the predjudice against the Norma and seek to protect the from exploitation. He rescues Hilda from the police that captured her at the end of episode 9 and finds himself drawn into the main conflict of the series.

• Abusive Parents: Rio reveals to Hilda during their heart to heart in chapter 19 that his mother and father were emotionally neglectful growing up which is why he bonded so strongly with Sarah and her parents. Then when her status as a Norma was revealed along with Aaron's role in hiding it, he was essentially exiled to a boarding school so his parents wouldn't have to live with the shame of what he did. It's also suggested that his father struck him when Aaron admitted he felt no shame over what he had done.
• The Ace: As an agent, Rio has been trained in a number of fields so that he can fulfill whatever the Network requires of him. As a result, he's a capable combatant, an expert in covert movement, a gifted actor and master of disguise, and has even been trained in Para-mail flight and combat.
• Badass in Distress: Rio has a habit of letting his Chronic Hero Syndrome to override his sense of self-preservation and leap headfirst into any situation where he feels others are in danger. Luckily, Hilda is usually there to pull him out of the fire.
• Big Brother Mentor: Becomes this to Ange.
• Chick Magnet: Downplayed. After his true identity is revealed to the Norma, most of them are still hesitant to trust Rio due to him lying to them and being a Mana-user. He does get his fair share of admirers however such as Hilda (his love interest), Salia (the Betty to Hilda's Veronica), Ersha (after seeing how nice he is to the Arzenal children), Maggie (though she's more of The Tease for her own amusement), the three Bridge Bunnies (for helping them during the DRAGONs attack) and Inspector Bronson ( a case of Loves My Alter Ego).
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Deconstructed. Rio won't hesitate to throw himself headlong into danger to rescue people in trouble. As to be expected, he has a habit of getting in over his head and only survives due to a combination of luck and his comrades coming to his aide, something which Hilda calls him out on at least twice.
• Combat Pragmatist: Favors shock and awe tactics to sow confusion among his enemies before blindsiding them.
• Covered with Scars: To what extent is never fully explained due to only using his mana to heal in a way that either prevents debilitation or compromising his identity, but Rio's torso has all the markings you'd expect from someone who's made a career of fighting government oppression. He later tells Hilda that Boss told him that "scars make a man" and remind him of things that really matter.
• Friend to All Children: Uses his Mana to fix Cynthia's plush and later entertains a group of them with Mana infused card tricks. As he explains to Ersha, he had to become this as more often than not, parents who want to protect their Norma children aren't willing to make the sacrifices to go with them, and any agent who conducts them has to prove they can be trusted.
• Good Is Not Soft: While generally a nice guy, Rio won't hesitate to fight dirty if it means protecting others.
• It's Personal with the Dragon: He has a more direct conflict with Dark than with Embryo himself, starting from their first encounter when he fights Dark to prevent him from taking Hilda.
• Leeroy Jenkins: Subverted and deconstructed. When Rio allows his sympathy for Hilda's intent to save Ange cloud his judgement, he takes her to Misurugi and butts in on the Wild Pack's rescue operation. The subversion occurs in that he waits for something to go wrong to intervene. Deconstructed in his comrade's reaction afterwards. Rhino, Vulture, and Kamaitachi all subject him to a retaliatory beating for complicating their operation and Boss himself says that the only reason he isn't dragged back to headquarters for punishment is that he has another mission lined up which takes precedence.
• The Multiverse: Is the first to consider the possibility upon arriving in the True Earth that they're actually in a parallel universe rather than the future, citing the lack of Mana-tech as proof.
• Pep-Talk Song: The recipient of. Emotionally distraught after learning of Sarah's death, Rio hears Hilda singing her mother's lullaby and finds the resolve to keep fighting.
• Pragmatic Hero: Is willing to Shoot the Dog, lie, and fight dirty if it means protecting others but still has lines he won't cross such as endangering unarmed civilians.
• Sad Clown: A more subtle version but Rio's more easygoing and jocular moments are meant to cover up the guilt he feels for not being able to protect his friend Sarah and his disgust at the injustice present in the Mana system.
• Shut Up, Hannibal!:
  • Gives one to Jill when she calls Tusk a failure as a knight for how he helped Ange escape. Doubles as a Hannibal Lecture as he, Tusk, and Vivian were incarcerated for rebelling against her authority.
  • When Dark accuses him of being a coward for not fighting him one on one during the attempted rescue of Ange, Rio counters that he doesn't fight alongside the Norma because he's afraid, but rather they fight alongside him because they're his friends.
  • Later, during the convergence, when Dark attempts his Shut Up, Kirk! by accusing Rio of being noting more than a pawn for Aura, Rio counters that he's fighting because he chooses to rather than letting Embryo determine his fate the way Dark has.
• Super Serum: After the DRAGONs discover Aura had altered the DNA of Rio and his allies to use the same energy as them, they provide him with the same refined Dracunium pills Lizardia used to replicate the light of Aura. They warn him however to not take anymore than one a day to prevent any unforeseen side effects.
• Supporting Protagonist: Rio is not the chosen one but rather becomes one of Ange's most dependable allies.
• Understanding Boyfriend: Between his awareness of Arzenal, as well as the injustice of the Mana system, Rio doesn't judge Hilda when she tells him the story of what she did to survive Arzenal and gives her the emotional support she needs.

Susano'o

• An Arm and a Leg: During the final battle, it loses its shield arm and Rio continues to fight without it.
• BFG: Its compressed particle beam gun, a.k.a. Buster Rifle.
• Blade Below the Shoulder: Armed with a pair of energized metal rods that extend from its forearms.
• Expy: Of the Unicorn Gundam minus the NT-system
• Super Prototype: The original ancestor to the Ragna-mail, Para-mail, and the Ryu-shinn-ki. Embryo however considered it ugly and devoid of any real elegance so he left it behind when he originally annihilated the True Earth and departed for the Mana Earth.

Dark

Artwork byRaggylad98

Embryo's right hand man, messenger, and chief enforcer.

• Artificial Human: Is later revealed to be a composite clone created from the DNA of Embryo's original followers.
• Battle Butler: In addition to his combat abilities, Dark also makes a delightful cup of chamomile tea.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: Because Ersha had gone out of her way to treat a minor wound of his despite knowing he could heal it himself with his Mana, Dark helps her bury the schoolkids after they die a second time during Salamandinay's attack on the Dawn Pillar. Then later, despite knowing that Ersha plans to defect following Embryo's refusal to revive them, Dark doesn't alert his master to this and allows her to escape.
• Clone Angst: Unlike the rest of humanity and the Norma, Dark knew from the beginning that they were all creations of Master Embryo and as such, feels it is pointless to play anything other than the role he intended for them.
• The Dragon: He's Embryo's most trusted vassal and top enforcer.
• Hero Killer: Kills both Chaplain and Major, leaving Boss the only surviving member of the Network's leadership.
• One-Winged Angel: At the climax of the final battle, Dark downs the entire bottle of refined Dracunium Embryo had confiscated from Lizardia and transforms into a massive black scaled Brig.
• Noble Demon: Despite his loyalty to Embryo, Dark is not without honor. As she had earlier showed him kindness, he helps Ersha bury the children and later allows her to escape when she defects back to the Aurora. It was also suggested in the final battle that he actually despises Embryo but feels that as one of his creations he has no choice but to play the role Embryo intended for him.
• Redemption Rejection: As Dark knew the truth about the World of Mana, he was revealed to have been altered by Aura the same way Rio and the rest of the renegade humans had been. However, as he felt it wouldn't change who he was, Dark refused to betray Embryo.
• Shut Up, Kirk!: When Rio accused Dark of being a coward for not breaking free of Embryo despite Aura altering his genetic structure to use the Light of Aura, Dark counters that if he is a puppet of Embryo like Rio says than Rio and the rest of the Network are Aura's puppets.
• Super Serum: After the Light of Mana is removed from humanity, Embryo gives Dark the refined Dracunium pills Lizardia used to simulate the Light of Mana, allowing him to fight to his full power. Unlike Rio however, Dark OD's on the pills and slowly starts turning into a DRAGON before he downs the entire bottle and fully transforms into one.
• You Can't Fight Fate: He has this attitude, feeling it's pointless to try and deviate from the purpose Embryo created him for, no matter how much he hates it.

Bareta

• Ace Custom: A one of a kind Para-mail able to channel the Light of Mana, allowing it to fight on the same level as a Ragna-mail.
• The Dreaded: Before it destroyed their submarine, Chaplain recognized it as "The Nightmare of Zion".
• Homage: Its design was based on the Master Gundam.
• Playing with Fire: It's most powerful weapon is the Burn Bullet launcher which causes anything it hits to spontaneously combust.

Sarah Honister

Artwork by Raggylad98

A Norma Rio befriended in his childhood whom he attempted to keep secret before she was found out and shipped off to Arzenal.

• Childhood Friends: With not only Aaron Kramer but also Ersha and Zola after she arrived at Arzenal.
• Childhood Friend Romance: Suggested that she and Aaron would have become this if she hadn't been sent off to Arzenal.
• Heroic Sacrifice: According to Jasmine, she died when she pushed her squad captain out of the way of a Frigate-Class DRAGON attack.
• It Was a Gift: The bracelet that Aaron gave her when they were kids. She took a part-time job in Arzenal's mall to buy it back.
• Post Humous Character: Dies sometime before the story begins but her memory serves as a driving force behind Rio's actions.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: Developed this dynamic in her friendship with Zola, serving as the girly girl to Zola's tomboy.

Boss-a.k.a. Blitz

Artwork by Raggylad98

Leader of the Network and the one who brought Rio into the fold.

• Ace Custom: Pilots a customized Arquebus with arm mounted grenade launcher and a rotary canon.
• A Father to His Men: Was NOT pleased to hear Jill's plan involved using both the DRAGONs and his militia as canon fodder.
• Cool Old Guy: In addition to being an Old Soldier and a Reasonable Authority Figure, Boss has several moments where he gives fatherly advice to Hilda.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Boss's daughter died of an alleged infection shortly after her birth and his grief stricken wife committed suicide afterwards. He then learned the doctor had actually euthanized her for being a Norma and had only received a slap on the wrist by the authorities.
• Expy: Of old Joseph Joestar from Stardust Crusaders. Several moments feature references such as him surviving a Para-mail crash (and hinted to not be the first one he's had either) or using Mana to manipulate wires similar to Hermit Purple. The author even says his pick to voice him would be Richard Epcar.
• Foil: To Jill. Both have a dark and troubled past with a devoted protégé. Unlike Jill however, Boss's motivation is to protect others while his relationship with Rio is defined by mutual respect and honesty.
• The Kirk / The Ego: Of the Network's power trio.
• Like a Son to Me: Subverted. Boss tells Hilda that Rio is not the son he never had, but rather the son-in-law he should have had.
• Mentor Archetype: Was the one who brought Rio into the fold and supervised his training. He also becomes this for Hilda; encouraging her to trust her own judgement after Jill passes command on to her and to be more open with Rio regarding her feelings for him.
• Old Soldier: While taking more of an administrative/leadership role, when called upon Boss can still kick ass like in his prime, even managing to hold his own against Dark's Baretta in one-on-one combat. Rio has good reason to be intimidated when Boss voices his displeasure regarding how Rio went off script regarding his recovery of Hilda and inserting himself into the Wild Pack's rescue of Ange.
• Papa Wolf: Murdered the doctor who euthanized his daughter for being a Norma. He was later busted out by the Network and joined them as an agent to protect other little girls from his daughter's fate.
• Shout-Out: His Arquebus Blitz custom is an homage to Noriss Packard's Gouf Custom from Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.

Chaplain

Artwork by Raggylad98

Head of the Network's intelligence.

• But Not Too White: Hails from the Velda Dynasty which in canon seems to be a near east/Indian like culture.
• Shout-Out: To Deacon of Fallout 4 as both are intelligence operatives working for an underground organization dedicated to helping an oppressed minority and have codenames derived from clerical titles.
• The McCoy / The Id: Of the Network's three heroes

Major

Artwork by Raggylad98

Commander of the Network's militia.

• The Spock: Of the Network's three heroes

The Wild Pack

A team of Network operatives who specialize in guerilla warfare.

As A Whole

• Big Damn Heroes: When they help Tusk save Ange from the gallows and again when they arrive to give support to Arzenal during Julio's attack.
• My Fist Forgives You: After escaping Misurugi with Ange;Rhino, Kamaitachi, and Vulture step aside with Rio and beat him up for going off script with his own mission and interfering in theirs.

Rhino

Rhino: Artwork by Raggylad98

• The Big Guy: At 6'6, he towers over the other characters and even when sitting down is nearly able to look Tusk in the eye.
• Bruiser with a Soft Center: Becomes the pseudo-guardian of Cynthia in Ersha's absence.
• Demoted to Extra: As his size makes him unable to fit in a Para-mail's cockpit, Rhino is demoted to aiding the armorers after joining the Aurora's crew
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Ersha, who is around 5'8 herself, barely comes up to his chin.
• Large and in Charge: He's physically the largest member of the Wildpack, and their leader.
• Mighty Glacier: His signature technique is to use his Mana to make his body as hard as iron and augment his strength even more.
• Gatling Good: His favorite weapon is a rotary pulse rifle.
• Official Couple: With Ersha after Libertus.
• Papa Wolf: Rescues Cynthia during Julio's attack and becomes her caretaker in Ersha's absence. Later becomes a full-on Papa Wolf when he and Ersha marry after Libertus and adopt Cynthia as their daughter.
• Sergeant Rock: It really gets under his skin how Rio tends to go off on his own.

Kamaitachi

Kamaitachi: Artwork by Raggylad98

• Dual Wielding: Wields a pair of swords both in hand to hand and Para-mail combat
• Fragile Speedster: Uses his Mana to boost his speed to levels where he can dodge bullets.
• The Lancer: Second in command to Rhino.

Vulture

Vulture: Artwork by Raggylad98

• Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Maggie due to the two of them constantly bickering over Vulture's tendency to smoke in the confined space of the Aurora.
• The Big Guy: Not so much physically but as the team sniper he wields the largest caliber weapon. He's also the most ruthless and pragmatic when it comes to operations.
• Cold Sniper: The most emotionally aloof and pragmatic of the Wild Pack, even asking if he can take out Julio during Ange's rescue.
• Combat Pragmatist: When he, Rhino, and Tusk try to rescue Ange from Embryo; they find themselves surrounded by the possessed citizenry. Vulture and Rhino hold them off so Tusk can go after Ange and at first try to disable them until their numbers keep growing and Vulture decides it's all or nothing. Luckily, Embryo breaks his control over the citizenry before they have to.
• Lean and Mean: Described as looking like a scarecrow and is the one most willing to use lethal force.
• Smoking Is Cool: Rarely seen without a cigarette in his mouth.

Spider

Spider: Artwork by Raggylad98

• Casanova Wannabe: Sees himself as a ladies man despite even most of the Norma finding him obnoxious.
• Chivalrous Pervert: Despite his failed attempts at womanizing, Spider is dedicated to protecting the Norma from being exploited. Then after Libertus, he and Salia enter into a relationship and even seems dedicated towards her.
• Mad Scientist: It's implied that Spider's inventions don't always function in ways that they're supposed to.
• Official Couple: With Salia after Libertus
• The Smart Guy: The team's techhead, hacker, and sabotage expert.

Kat

Kat: Artwork by Raggylad98

• Action Girl: The only female member of the Wildpack.
• Amicable Exes: With Rio.
• Battle Couple: With Kamaitachi.
• Dual Wielding: Favors dual guns in each hand for both hand to hand and Para-mail combat.
• Manic Pixie Dream Girl: To the more reserved Kamaitachi.
• She-Fu: Extremely agile and acrobatic which she incorporates into her fighting style

Cynthia

Cynthia: Artwork by Raggylad98

• Ascended Extra: Based on one of the Arzenal school kids from the canon series. Specifically, the one with the orange twin tails.
• Daddy's Girl: Made all the more heartwarming by being Rhino's adopted daughter
• Happily Adopted: By Ersha and Rhino after Libertus
• Spared by the Adaptation: Was based on one of the Arzenal children who was killed both at Arzenal and then again during Salamandinay's attack on the Dawn Pillar.
• Tag Along Kid: Inspired by Rio's words from earlier, Cynthia opts to stay onboard the Aurora when the Network takes custody of the surviving schoolkids and works alongside Rhino in the launch bay.

Constable Schwartz

Artwork by Raggylad98

A police officer recruited by Dark to track down Rio and Hilda.

• The Bus Came Back: Following Embryo's failed merger, the epilogue reveals that he and his family made their way to Misurugi where they found shelter with Sylvia.
• Everyone Has Standards: Has no problem going after an escaped Norma, but he draws the line at rape regardless of who it is.
• Noble Bigot / Innocent Bigot: Has a wife and daughter so despite his vow to uphold the law, he does empathize with the action's Ange's parents took to hide her status as a Norma and is especially disgusted with the lengths Julio goes to shame her at her execution. In the end, his encounter with Rio ignites doubts in Schwartz regarding the nature of Mana society and the persecution of the Norma.
• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Averted. Him showing higher standards than his colleagues leads to Rio sparing his life, and since his superiors never found out he never suffers any consequences.
• Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Threatens his own colleagues at gunpoint when they attempt to rape Hilda, saying that not even a Norma deserves that.
• Token Good Teammate: Of the police recruited by Dark to help track down Rio and Hilda.

Gila

Artwork by Raggylad98

The caretaker of Susano'o and the one who led Salamandinay's team in reverse engineering the Ryu-shinn-ki.

• Buxom Beauty Standard: The first thing most people notice about her is how well-endowed she is.
• Expy: Her appearance was based on Yomiko Readman of Read or Die.
• Mad Scientist: Her first reaction upon meeting Rio is excitement at having a new specimen to probe.
• Omni Disciplinary Scientist: Was able to reverse engineer the Ryu-Shinn-Ki by studying the Susano'o, crafted the refined Dracunium pills used by Lizardia and Rio, and also created a nicotine gum after Libertus to help Vulture give up cigarettes.

Canon Characters

Hilda

The primary heroine. After escaping Arzenal, Hilda attempted to reunite with her mother only to find that her mother had born another child who could use Mana to replace her. Following her assault at the hands of the police, Hilda is rescued by Rio and is set on a separate path from the canon series.

• Adaptational Nice Girl: Due to her story following a different path from canon following Rio's rescue of her, Hilda is depicted as being more heroic and selfless than in canon; partaking in Ange's rescue, being less antagonistic towards Tusk as they're not competitors for Ange's affections, choosing to return to Arzenal of her own volition after seeing Rio being punished by his allies for going against orders to help her, as well as her growing feelings for Rio.
• Apology Gift: Cooks an apple pie to make up for a spat with Rio prior to Embryo's attack on the DRAGONs' city.
• Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: After Rio offers to help her save Ange, Hilda reluctantly agrees to have sex with him. To her surprise, Rio is too chivalrous to take advantage of her.
• Babies Ever After: In the epilogue set seven years after Libertus, Hilda has just given birth to her and Rio's daughter.
• Big Sister Instinct: Despite finding her annoying, Hilda adopts this stance towards Vivian in Ersha's absence; getting between her and Ange when Ange refuses to let Vivian rest after searching most of the ruins, and later admonishing Vivian when she plans to return to the World of Mana after just recently reuniting with her mother.
• Clingy Jealous Girl: Glues herself to Rio's side during their time in the DRAGONs' Earth due to Dr. Gecko wanting both him and Tusk as "research subjects." She also gets visibly annoyed whenever the other Norma come on to him.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: In the early chapters, Hilda retains her distrust towards men and Mana users in general. Fortunately, Rio's kindness and chivalry show her not all Mana users are her enemies and is a major contributor to her character growth.
• Does Not Like Spam: Hilda admits to Ange that she hates oranges. She also claims to dislike apples, though that has more to do with the recent trauma of her mother's rejection, but she later overcomes it with help from Rio.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: With the birth of her and Rio's daughter, Hilda hopes that if there really is a parallel version of her who never met Rio then she hopes she at least found happiness of her own, because Hilda isn't about to give up a piece of hers.
• Expository Hairstyle Change: Prior to returning to the Mana Earth, Hilda changes her hairstyle to a single ponytail, signifying her first steps to letting go of her past and moving towards her future.
• Hidden Depths: Is actually a pretty good cook (a reference to the Cross Ange PS Vita game) and turns out to have a lovely singing voice.
• I Hate Past Me: she is a bit more prevalent than in the canon, thanks to Rio's influence. Hilda admits to Rio that she hates herself for doing terrible, shameful, and disgusting past deeds in Arzenal just to survive long enough to escape and reunite with her mother, like being Zola's plaything for protection, secretly hating Chris and Roselie and manipulating them by using sex then throwing them away; sabotage the Vilkiss and almost kill Ange.
• Insecure Love Interest: When she realizes she's starting to develop feelings for him, Hilda attempts to push Rio away as she worries he'll abandon her just like her mother did once he finds out about what she had to do to survive Arzenal.
• Mama Bear: As she cradles her and Rio's newborn daughter, Hilda vows she'll never let anyone hurt her the way she was and any who try are going to answer to Hilda.
• Jerkass Realization: In Chapter 21, she ends up storming off of Lamia's house, getting angry at the way Lamia is shown to care for Vivian, refusing to believe that everything around her is real. Later, after she calms down, she finally realizes she's jealous of Vivian for having a mother who truly cares for her, and wonders if she would be happy to see Vivian go through the same misery as she did.
• Parental Love Song: While incarcerated with Ange, Hilda admits that one thing she had hoped for after she initially escaped was to hear the same lullaby her mother used to sing when Hilda was a child. After some goading from Ange, Hilda sings it herself and later finds that it helps lighten some of the lingering hurt she was carrying.
• Scar Survey: When helping Rio with his bath, Hilda takes a moment to study his scars. She later tends special attention to them during their consummation.
• Sexual Karma: When she and Rio finally consummate their relationship, Hilda is completely overwhelmed by the intimacy of making love compared to the detachment of casual sex.
• Shut Up Elves: When Naga accuses Rio of being no different than the rest of the Mana-using humans, Hilda angrily comes to his defense.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Despite Hilda's annoyance with Rio's Chronic Hero Syndrome and his at times quirky sense of humor, it's also the thing that makes her fall in love with him.
• Supporting Deuteragonist: Like Rio, Hilda is not the actual heroine but instead is one of Ange's main allies.'
• Tsundere: As per her Defrosting Ice Queen status, Hilda is initially hesitant to admit that she's developing romantic feelings towards Rio. She also calls him a dork several times though after a while it becomes more of a term of endearment.
• Violently Protective Girlfriend: Won't hesitate to throw down if she feels Rio is in trouble.

Ange

• Babies Ever After: Five years after Libertus, Ange and Tusk are married and have a six-month old son.
• Beta Couple: Subverted. Despite taking a backseat to Rio and Hilda, her and Tusk are still treated as the primary couple of the franchise.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Despite repeatedly butting heads over their conflicting ideals, Ange and Rio eventually develop a strong friendship.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: In the epilogue, as Ange cradles her and Tusk's son, she realizes that everything she went through was worth it to bring her to this one moment.
• Screw You, Elves!: Just like in canon but better justified, she snaps at Salamandinay for more than just destroying Arzenal while having the nerve to call her and the rest of the Norma violent. Here, when Sala reveals she knew of Ange's former status as a princess via Lizardia, or Riza, and how Julio was easily manipulated by her, Ange immediately puts the pieces together and calls her out for ruining her life as she rushes her as she does in canon.
• Tears of Joy: Ange was happy to have Momoka by her side while facing their execution.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Ange is more likely to be called out on her more callous moments than in canon. She is also a lot more direct towards Sala in their skirmish, calling out her side for being responsible for everything she has been put through starting with being outed as a Norma.

Tusk

• Adaptation Deviation / Adaptational Explanation: How Tusk survived his suicide run against Embryo. In this version, instead of a bomb vest, Tusk remote detonates his vehicle. As Embryo was standing between him and the blast, he wound up taking the worst of it. Tusk was later found by the police and taken to a hospital where the Mana doctors healed his wounds before Rio and Momoka busted him out.
• Chick Magnet: Even after marrying Ange, Tusk still finds himself popular among the DRAGON girls.
• Cordon Bleugh Chef: NOBODY likes his sea snake soup.
• Defeat Means Friendship: At some point in the past, Rio accompanied Boss to pick up some Para-mail Tusk had salvaged. Rio was less than impressed with him until Tusk threw the older and taller boy on his rear, earning Rio's respect and soon becoming friends with him.
• The Sixth Ranger: Whenever the Wild Pack accompanies Tusk such as during Ange's rescue in Misurugi or Julio's attack on Arzenal.

Momoka

• 11th-Hour Superpower: When the Light of Mana fades away, and Rio is forced with either letting Tusk die or breaking his promise to Hilda not to take more than one of the Dracunium pills each day, Momoka asks him to give her one instead, reasoning that as she was sympathetic to the Norma Aura must have altered her genetic structure as well. It pays off and Momoka is able to revive Tusk before he passes the time limit for oxygen deprived brain damage.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Despite considering him a friend and her appreciation for his aide to her mistress, Momoka won't hesitate to call out Rio on his more morally ambiguous actions.

Embryo

The primary antagonist and the one who created the World of Mana.

• Bad Boss: Not even Dark is immune to Embryo's torture when he fails. Neither does Embryo hide the fact that if he so desires, he could very easily have Dark replaced.
• Cruel Mercy: When Embryo and Dark corner Rio during Julio's assault on Arzenal, Embryo admits that while Rio's presence has caused enough disruption to his plans, he also owes Rio for saving Ange's life, leading him to strip Rio of the Light of Mana so that he can spend the rest of his life powerless. As it turns out, Aura had other plans.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Like in canon, Embryo despises chaos and violence for its own sake.
• Sanity Slippage: In the final battle, between Ange's constant refusal of his advances and Tusk's ability to hold his own against him, Embryo quickly descends into a mad fury.

Salia

• Anguished Declaration of Love: When Rio tries to gently let her down, Salia offers to prove her feelings if he'll just return them. And when that doesn't work she literally jumps him.
• Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Hilda's Veronica and Rio's Archie.
• Calling the Old Man Out: Following the attack on Arzenal, Salia angrily demands to know why Jill never told her the truth about Villkiss and how she never had a chance to master it.
• Covert Pervert: Following Rio catching her in her Pretty Salia costume, Salia finds a new method of stress relief writing erotic fanfiction based on her favorite magical girl manga featuring self-inserts of herself as the heroine and Rio as a Tuxedo Kamen expy.
• Dude Magnet: Despite her embarrassment over Ange's punishment, Ange reminds her that afterwards she became highly popular among the male Network members.
• Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Averted. When Salia tries to force herself on him, Rio is not turned on and is justifiably angry with her.
• Loving a Shadow: Her infatuation with Rio is hinted to be this, seeing him as the knight in shining armor/prince charming without really knowing him as a person.
• Shout-Out: Just like in Super Robot Wars, the epilogue revealed that the punishment Ange decided for Salia's service to Embryo was to perform a pop idol concert in full magical girl cosplay.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: After maturing a bit and letting go of her overly simplistic views on love, Salia eventually becomes an Official Couple with Spider, especially since he gives her the love and appreciation she always longed for.
• Write Who You Know: In-Universe example. As an outlet, she starts writing a Magical Girl fanfic with herself and Rio as the protagonists (and Ange as the villainess).

Vivian

• Annoying Younger Sibling: Develops this dynamic with Hilda.
• Dual Wielding: During her fight with Naga's Soryugo, Vivian separates her Razer's boomerang into a pair of fighting knives.
• She Is All Grown Up: The narration in the epilogue 7 years later describes her now as being as tall and well-endowed as Ersha.
• Shipper on Deck: Is the first to realize Hilda's growing feelings for Rio and takes every chance she can get to push them together.

Ersha

• Age Lift: Was 18 in the canon series, was aged to 22 in the story.
• Babies Ever After: Following Libertus, Ersha and Rhino marry, adopt Cynthia, and by the time of the epilogue are awaiting the birth of twins.
• Death Seeker: Following the children under her care dying a second time and the realization of Embryo's manipulation of her, Ersha defects to Aurora with the intention of letting them execute her. Rio however, with help from Vivian and Cynthia, convinces her that she can do more to atone by living in a way that honors the kids' memory.
• Love at First Sight: During the climax, when a temporal tremor shakes the Aurora, Ersha loses her balance and stumbles into Rhino. As he steadies her, Ersha recognizes his hands as the ones that pulled her from her wrecked Para-mail and falls for him the moment she sets eyes on him.
• Ship Sinking: With Dark after the second death of the children, Embryo refusing to revive them again, Dark just stating how things are under Embryo's law drives Ersha to defect back to the Aurora, thus killing any future between her and Dark.
• Ship Tease: With both Dark and Rhino, the latter of whom she becomes an Official Couple with following Libertus.
  • Subverted with Rio. Though she admits to having an attraction for him, Ersha also realizes Hilda has feelings for him as well and decides not to pursue it.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: The basis of her attraction to both Rio and her later husband Rhino. They're both good with kids.

Rosalie

• Adaptational Jerkass: Is a bit more confrontational in the final Arc than in canon due to Hilda vanishing alongside Ange and the others into the True Earth, leaving Rosalie to shoulder being the only veteran Mail-rider by herself.
• Adoptive Peer Parent: She and Chris adopt an orphan DRAGON girl in the years after Libertus.
• Big Sister Instinct: Thanks to Mary, Nonna, and Marika having a somewhat larger role; Rosalie has some extra scenes herself displaying her taking them under her wing such as leading them to safety during their escape from Arzenal and supervising their training onboard the Aurora.
• But Not Too Bi: During Rio's time posing as Captain Algren, Rosalie admitted she was curious about what sex with a man would be like. She also reveals to Hilda that she had a one-night stand with one of the Network members after escaping Arzenal but ultimately prefers Norma.
• Happily Married: To Chris in the epilogue
• Sex for Solace: Attempts to seduce Hilda in the shower (as compared to canon where Hilda attempted to seduce Ange). She also reveals that she had a one-night stand with one of the male members of the Network after Hilda disappeared.

Chris

• Adoptive Peer Parent: She and Rosalie adopt an orphan DRAGON girl after Libertus.
• The Atoner: In the epilogue, to atone for what she did under Embryo, Chris joins the Earth Self Defense Force so she can be on the front lines to protect her family and friends in the event another transdimensional threat appears.
• Clingy Jealous Girl: Angrily accuses Rosalie of planning to abandon her just so she can have sex with the first man they've ever seen.
• Does Not Like Men: A subdued example. Upon seeing Rio in his Captain Algren persona, Chris is terrified of him. She also worries Rosalie is going to abandon her like Hilda did just for a chance to have sex with a man.
• Happily Married: To Rosalie in the epilogue.
• Who's Laughing Now?: Takes a lot of satisfaction when she routs a group of panicking Mana citizens who try to seek shelter on the grounds of the Dawn Pillar when the merger begins.

Irma & Tanya

• All Women Are Lustful: Both want to jump Rio's bones when he first arrives at Arzenal.
• Foil: To each other. Tanya is more outgoing and amorous while Irma is more introverted and reserved.
• Shadow Archetype: To Kaname and Naga. Despite fighting alongside Rio during the DRAGON invasion and later the Misurugi fleet, they had no problem siding with Embryo after he captured them, and they even happily gloat about how they've "gotten over him". Meanwhile, Kaname and Naga begin as Rio's enemies, but the former gains respect for Rio after he stood up to her without a machine of his own, and they eventually become his allies.
• Those Two Guys: They often partner up with each other in battle.

Jill

• Adaptational Jerkass: Jill is willing to cross lines she may or may not have been willing to in the canon series such as reorganizing Aurora's security into her personal band of enforcers, being prepared to kill Momoka immediately if Ange doesn't follow her orders, and even threatening to do the same to Tusk next. Justified as in this version, Aurora's crew is a mixture of not only Norma but members of the Network, requiring a more iron grip on her role as commander to fulfill her agenda of revenge against Embryo.
• Bad Boss: Even worse than in canon, since she forces the Network survivors under her thumb and constantly holds threats of kicking them out should they step out of line. This also extends to any Norma who does not follow her same mindset about them.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Faced with the fact that his friend Sarah had been killed years earlier and confronted with Jill's less than sympathetic attitude, Rio snaps and tries to deck her only for Jill to dodge and knock the wind out of him first before giving him a piece of her mind:
  Jill: What did you think was going to happen? Did you really think you could just fly in here like some hero and carry her off? You and your friends, you say you want to protect the Norma but you don't know a damn thing. Take a good look around. This is what it means to be a Norma. Why aren't you getting furious over their deaths? And what about Lisa? Have you already forgotten about her? Or do Norma only matter if you know them? All that talk and you don't give a damn about any of them. And now, because of your selfishness, you've endangered Libertus itself. The Inspector may be naïve but she isn't stupid. The minute she lays eyes on you she will know that something is wrong. I should have known better than to trust the Network. You failed us just like you did before.
  • Although, as stated, Jill comes across as cold and uncaring over Rio's mixture of rage and grief over Sarah's death, Jill's not wrong about it either. The Network had likely informed Rio about the DRAGONs and probably should have figured that Sarah had met an early death like Norma usually do. Plus his emotional state would put him at risk of discovery.
• Never My Fault: She blames the Network for the failure of Libertus, never mind that she was the one who decided to rush things and go through with it despite being very shorthanded, refusing their suggestion to wait and prepare better.

Jasmine

• Adaptational Heroism: Jasmine is more willing to draw the line with Jill's more morally objectionable actions than she was in canon; even pulling a gun on her when Jill threatens Momoka's life to keep Ange under her control.
• Never Mess with Granny: During the DRAGONs' assault on Arzenal, Jasmine picks off Schooners with an anti-armor rifle and then backs up Rio against Kaname's Hekiryugo using a pump action grenade launcher. She also threatens Jill at gunpoint when she attempts to use Momoka as a bargaining chip against Ange.

Maggie

Arzenal's chief medical officer.

• Adaptational Heroism: Like Jasmine Maggie is more willing to draw the line with Jill's more morally objectionable actions.
• The Gadfly: Maggie's ability to troll people is expanded upon with Inspector Bronson being a favorite target for her teasing. She also enjoys how flustered Rio gets when she flirts with him.
• Like an Old Married Couple: With Vulture due to his smoking in the contained environment of the Aurora.
• Male Gaze: The subject of. Rio on more than one occasion finds himself staring down Maggie's cleavage and Vulture, despite finding her constant nagging about his smoking annoying, can't help but notice her Supermodel Strut.
• Maybe Ever After: After Libertus, Maggie and Vulture carry an on-again/off-again relationship due to Vulture continually falling back into his smoking habit.
• Scar Survey: While checking his injuries following the DRAGONs' attack, Maggie can't help commenting on Rio's scars.
• The Tease: Maggie really enjoys Rio's reactions when she comes on to him.

Zhao Mei

• Young and in Charge: The leader of the Armorers despite being their youngest member.

The Command Staff: Pamela, Hikaru, & Olivier

• All Women Are Lustful: All three develop an infatuation with Rio and get jealous when he shows attention to other girls instead of them.

Mary, Nonna, and Marika

• Ascended Extra: All three have a larger role, appearing as new recruits to third squad following the DRAGONs' attack on Arzenal and helping fight off Julio's invasion force.

Zola

• Age Lift: Was 25 in the canon series, had her age reduced to 22 in the story.
• The Anti-Nihilist: Despite feeling that their fate as Norma was already decided, Zola taught Hilda that it was no excuse to needlessly risk your life as fighting and surviving as long as they could was the only real way they had to rebel against their oppressors.
• Cool Big Sister: Played this role to the younger kids of Arzenal during her childhood.
• Dead Person Conversation: Following her consummation with Rio, Hilda has a vision of Zola who wishes her luck in the coming battle and to live the life she and all the other Norma who died because of Embryo couldn't.
• Freudian Excuse: Became good friends with Sarah whose death became the reason for Zola's hedonism as she decided her life didn't have any real value to the world so she might as well enjoy herself as much as she could before the inevitable.
• Post Humous Character: Has an expanded role thanks to flashbacks used to build character depth.

Inspector Emma Bronson

The human overseer of Arzenal.

• Abhorrent Admirer: Subverted. Though Rio does find her attractive, she's also his enemy and her growing infatuation for his Captain Algren persona becomes something of an annoyance. Especially when he and the others return to the Mana Earth and she drunkenly comes on to him.
• Covert Pervert: Gradually develops more risque fantasies about Rio's Capt. Algren persona, including one which nearly becomes outright masturbation and another where she cooks him a steak wearing nothing but an apron.
• Loves My Alter Ego: Rio's Captain Algren persona was tailor made by Network Intelligence to appeal to Emma's image of the ideal soldier and gentleman as determined by her profile. It works a little too well though as Emma quickly becomes infatuated with him.
• Token Enemy Minority: Having not awakened to the truth of the World of Mana until just before the climax, Emma remains the only renegade human to not have been altered significantly by Aura.

Julio Misurugi

• Ambition Is Evil: His primary motivation. Considers himself above not only his subjects but the other rulers of the Mana Earth as well, jumping at the chance to prove his loyalty to Embryo in the hopes that he'll be made Embryo's right hand man in the new world.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Is very fond of Riza despite thinking her of only his mistress and is crushed when she abandons him during Ange's counterattack. He also shows some concern for Sylvia, seeing her as the only member of his family who had never wronged him.

Aura

• Ascended Extra: Has a much larger role compared to the canon story.
• And I Must Scream: Subverted. Unlike in canon, Aura is suggested to maintain some level of consciousness the entire time she was imprisoned by Embryo. However, instead of going insane from her captivity, Aura reached out what little power she could to find humans who had rejected Embryo's world and altering their genetic structure in the hopes that one of them would contact her people and lead them to her.
• Big Good: Aura speaks to Rio through dreams, attempting to guide him and also altering his and the rest of the renegade humans' genetic structures to use the same energy as her people.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Gives such a speech to Rio during one of their dream communes prior to Salamandinay's attack on Arzenal.

Salamandinay

• Adaptational Nice Guy: Salamandinay is more hesitant to attack the Norma and even argues to establish an alliance with them before the High Priestess overrules her.
• Likes Older Men: When meeting Boss after joining the Aurora, Sala admits that she finds him an impressive specimen despite his age.

Kaname & Naga

• Ascended Extra: During the attack at Arzenal, both Kaname and Naga join in the attack instead of hanging back as in canon.
• David vs. Goliath: When attacking the hanger in her Hekiryugo, Kaname is challenged by Rio who fights her using a combination of his Mana and assault weapons. Despite putting up a brave effort, Rio is soon overwhelmed and nearly killed before Hilda arrives to save him.
• It Is Beyond Saving: Subverted. Surprised by Rio's determination to fight her just to protect others leads to Kaname reconsidering the notion that Embryo's humans are all beyond redemption.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Naga as the red oni to Kaname's blue, emphasized by Naga's continued antagonism towards Rio compared to Kaname who views him as both a Worthy Opponent and a potential ally.

High Priestess Aura Midgardia

• General Ripper: Not nearly as bad as Jill, but the High Priestess has a deep-seated mistrust of anything associated with Embryo, only agreeing to allow Salamandinay to give Rio Susano'o in exchange for her life should he betray them.

Dr. Gecko

• Horny Scientist: Like in canon, she's very eager to examine the human males' anatomy, particularly Tusk and Rio, For Science!.

Lamia

• Shipper on Deck: A trait she shares with her daughter, convincing Hilda to let Lamia doll her up to impress Rio.
• Team Mom: Imagines herself as this after learning from Hilda the scorn and rejection Norma receive even from their own families.

Misty Rosenblum

• Fallen Princess: Implied. After surviving the world calamity as seven years pass, Misty becomes one when her kingdom is destroyed and most likely loses her family.
• Pet the Dog: An aside comment from Emma reveals that after Misty was recovered following Ange and Hilda's escape, she contacted Emma and asked that the Inspector not punish Ange too harshly.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Averted. The epilogue reveals that she not only survived Embryo's attempt to merge the two Earths but established her own community of survivors on the grounds of the Rosenblum Imperial Palace.