Follow TV Tropes

Following

Characters / Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
aka: Hai To Gensou No Grimgar

Go To

Characters from Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash

    open/close all folders 

     Goblin Slayers 
Haruhiro's team and the main protagonists. Lacking the raw talent, natural skill, and miraculous luck enjoyed by successful volunteer soldier teams, the Goblin Slayers suffer considerable setbacks and tragedies, but always find the means to persevere and survive. Though initially weak and inexperienced, they slowly overcome multiple hardships to become hardened adventurers who overlook the magnitude of their successes. The Goblin Slayers are by no means the strongest volunteer soldier team in Grimgar, but have risen to the occasion against challenges others would never overcome without them. In Haruhiro's opinion they are below average adventurers, but their underestimated achievements have profound influence on those who rank above them.

Tropes pertaining to the Goblin Slayers in General:

  • Always Second Best: Their initial start was plagued with periodic mistakes and poor judgment, causing them to fall behind their counterparts in Team Renji, who became a Badass Crew in the same time. While never reaching the same height of success as Team Renji, other groups such as Team Chokko and Team Tokkis prove to be their inferiors.
  • Big Damn Heroes: They are this to both Team Renji and Team Tokkis, having stopped both from suffering a Total Party Kill. The Goblin Slayers don't seem to view themselves in the same light, but those they've saved remember the deed and repay their dues.
  • Determinator: They experience hardship after hardship, yet never give up hope to survive.
  • Honor Before Reason: The Goblin Slayers will aid other teams, even when doing so has no immediate or tangible gain for them. This is because the Goblin Slayers have been in positions where passerby groups have ridiculed them when in need and done nothing to help. They refuse to become as cynical or immoral.
  • In-Series Nickname: Kimura of Orion dubs them the Haru Heroes in volume 17. Haruhiro refuses to even dignify the pun by refuting it.
  • Undying Loyalty: They won't abandon one another, even for the allure of greater success, and will jeopardize the survival of the entire team to rescue a single member. As a team they have the utmost respect for their leader, willing to follow him into the depths of hell and beyond.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: They are seen as exceptional among those who've seen them in action. Renji praises Moguzo, sees Manato as an equal, and offers Ranta to join him. Yume and Shihoru are given the offer to join a renowned Amazon Brigade. Team Tokkis proclaim Haruhiro is a leader they respect.


Haruhiro

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/263375.jpg
Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya (Japanese), Ricco Fajardo (English)

The main protagonist, dungeon scout, and eventual leader of the Goblin Slayers. Haruhiro is regarded as an ordinary guy who doesn't stand out. Pessimistic and overcautious, he considered Manato the perfect role model and aspiration. He's on good terms with all his teammates, with the exception of Ranta, whom he considers a necessary liability for team survival. Though trained by the Thieves' Guild, he focuses on reconnaissance and assassination techniques, over traditional pilfering.


  • Affectionate Nickname: Yume and Mary get into the habit of calling him Haru. Choco called him Hiro. His Thieves Guild codename, which he personally hates, is Old Cat (for having sleepy looking eyes).
  • Audience Surrogate: He is described as generally unremarkable in demeanor and appearance, and his viewpoints and narrations follow a relatable thought-process.
  • Backstab: One of his abilities.
  • Boke and Tsukkomi Routine: According to the official anime site, Haruhiro fits into the tsukkomi role. Presumably, the boke would be Ranta.
  • Captain Obvious: According to Ranta, he gives orders in combat that should be commonsense. This is because Ranta fights using pure instinct, while Haruhiro is analytical. However Ranta does acknowledge Haruhiro's advice is important for the others to perform at their best... just that it's useless when applied to him.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: Volume 3 of the Light Novel reveals his feelings for Choco. She even calls him out for it. He also avoids admitting his true feelings to Mary, fearing she's too good for him and will reject a relationship.
  • The Chains of Commanding: Haruhiro suffers from the stress and pressure of leadership, especially after Moguzo dies under his command, and reveals signs of gradual mental breakdown. Fortunately Shihoru steps up to relieve the burdens of leadership and become his unofficial second in command and silently keep an eye on his mental wellbeing.
  • Chivalrous Pervert: He tries not peek at the girls when they're in a state of undress, but can't quite keep his eyes to himself. That said, he tries to prevent Ranta from harassing the girls.
  • Clueless Chick-Magnet: Haruhiro's pessimism, lack of initiative, and occasional self loathing blocks him from noticing he's a bit of a Chick Magnet. Choco, Mary, and Mimori liked him. Shihoru at the very least admires him, while his Thieves' Guild Sexy Mentor loves teasing him with innuendo and relationship advise.
  • Critical Hit: Those of the thief class can occasionally see ebbs and flows in their surroundings, that when followed with a weapon, can even make a One-Hit Kill possible. Seeing these patterns is said to be incredibly rare: some thieves never see it their entire career. Haruhiro's own frequency of seeing them is unnaturally high, though his Sexy Mentor is very quick to discipline him to not become overconfident or reliant on it.
  • Cry into Chest: Although Yume is the one that initiates it, Haruhiro ends up crying on Yume when his grief over Manato's death catches up to him.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Usually the one to point out the absurdity of Ranta's shenanigans or complaints.
  • Death of a Thousand Cuts: Haruhiro's Assault skill, which he learned to obtain a more offensive ace in the hole. It allows Haruhiro, while dual-wielding, to attack rapidly nonstop until either he or the enemy is dead. The attack is very dangerous to use because he is left wide open to retaliation during his assault, and it also leaves him exhausted afterwards.
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Done twice after the death of Manato, when offered money out of pity. Once toward the Cathedral's Head Priest and later toward Renji in the tavern.
  • Dual Wielding: For more offensive power, he starts training to wield a sap in his left hand to allow him to parry and land opportunistic strikes during duels with enemies.
  • Fatal Flaw: Not following his gut when it tells him his people are about to get in over their heads. On multiple occassions he's allowed others to pressure him, even without meaning to, into taking missions and jobs his team weren't ready for. This weakness of his leads to the deaths of Moguzo and Kiichi and gets his team stranded in Darunggar, the Night Realm, for months.
  • Fragile Speedster: He doesn't wear much in the way of armor, affording him more maneuverability. Unfortunately, that means that he has less protection and needs to frequently dodge to avoid injury.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: He's just a teensy bit bothered by Kuzaku's close relationship with Mary, enough so that Haruhiro briefly considers barring relationships amongst the party before coming to his senses.
  • Honor Before Reason: When Renji gives Haruhiro a gold coin in sympathy for Manato's death, Haruhiro refuses it. Ranta complains that they could have used it to buy the entire group their Volunteer Soldier badges, but Haruhiro points out that Manato wouldn't have wanted them to get their badges with pity money.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy:
    • His relationship with Choco. She was also aware of it. If he would admit that he loved her, she'd have instantly been his girl. It appears she was waiting for him to say the words for years.
    • It occurs again in his relationship with Mary.
  • The Leader: Assumes the position after Manato dies. Unlike their previous leader, Haruhiro is very unsure of himself and constantly compares himself to Manato.
  • Number Two: Was this for Manato.
  • Oblivious to Love:
    • Choco hated vending machine drinks. The only reason she hanged around the vending machine near Haruhiro's home was to talk to him. She never actually dated or maintained long term friendship with anyone except him. He never picked up on these hints, though it certainly did not help Choco was always passive-aggressive with her own feelings and refused to admit her attraction to him.
    • Mary always got upset whenever Mimori pulled a Marshmallow Hell or Love Confession on him. He never figured out why she seemed colder or jaded about it.
  • Please, I Will Do Anything!: Begs the head priest to save Manato, saying he'll do anything. The priest can only tell them that he cannot bring back the dead.
  • Shirtless Scene: Wears only boxers to sleep in episode 1.
  • Sleeves Are for Wimps: His thief outfit involves a black shirt without sleeves.
  • The Sneaky Guy: His Thief skills allows him to function as the team's scout, locating enemies and mapping the terrain before reporting back to his allies.
  • The Straight Man: Often plays this role when interacting with Ranta.
  • The Strategist: Part of his development as a leader is trying to understand himself and his teammates, not only as a warriors, but as people, and how their strengths and weaknesses should be considered for the sake of victory.
  • Taking the Bullet: Several times, Haruhiro will place himself in the way of attacks aimed at defenseless teammates, allowing himself to be injured in their place.
  • Talking to the Dead: He occasionally speaks to the late Manato, asking him for guidance.
  • Tranquil Fury: When seeing a Line of Light, Haruhiro enters Bullet Time and can One-Hit Kill an enemy, but he must remain perfectly calm and composed the entire time or the effect wears off.
  • What Would X Do?: With Manato's death, Haruhiro is forced to assume the role of leader. However, his new role weighs heavily on him, leading to him frequently asking himself what Manato would do in his place.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Haruhiro doesn't consider himself and the others in his party heroes fighting for justice, in fact, he even compares what they are doing to the monsters they invade and kill, "straight murder", and doesn't like it, but they have to do it for simple survival. But he just can't stand how indifferent and unrespectful Ranta has become when he tore off roughly the talisman of the nose of the kobold they killed without any care.
    • Moments later, Ranta suggested killing some Kobolds that were resting and wouldn't wake up no matter what, because they were "easy kill". Haru calls him an immoral demon and he and the rest of the group vote against it.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Haruhiro continues to see himself as inadequate, uninteresting, and the most disposable member of his team. In reality he's admired for being an irreplaceable leader, taking risks he'd never demand others to take, has won the affection of several women, and achieved feats that borderline the near impossible.
  • You Are in Command Now: Forced into this role after Manato's death.
  • You Should Have Died Instead: Haruhiro initially has trouble fully accepting Kuzaku into the team, recalling how Kuzaku is suppose to protect others as a Paladin, but Choco still died under his watch. He admits this is unfair of him, and eventually overcomes it.

Yume

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/333227.jpg
Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu (Japanese), Jeannie Tirado (English)

The team archer and wilderness expert. Yume is a cheerful, easygoing girl with a unique prospective of seeing events and expressing herself. Despite extensive training in bowmanship, she has terrible aim. She spends her free time supporting Shihoru, then extends that friendship to include Mary as an inseparable trio.


  • Adaptation Dye-Job: From orange (light novel) to reddish brown (anime).
  • Bow and Sword in Accord: Yume primarily uses her dagger instead of her bow.
  • Braids of Action: Of the "one long braid in the back"-variant. Fittingly, she is the most action-oriented female member of the main group.
  • Chekhov's Skill: She is seen by Ranta rock climbing during her free time. Later, she helps lead the group out of Siren Mine, acting as the lead climber along the way.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: She's very silly and tends to babble about random things and inject her own bizarre commentary into conversations.
  • Cuddle Bug: Early on towards Shihoru, showing how open and affectionate Yume is.
  • Cry into Chest: Does this into Haruhiro's chest when expressing her grief over Manato's death. She reciprocates when Haruhiro starts crying too, holding him while he sobs.
  • The Ditz: Zigzagged in that she's usually very perceptive, but when it comes to stealth, she frequently comes close to giving away the party's position, to Haruhiro's frustration.
  • Fragile Speedster: Like Haruhiro, she has almost no armor, and her combat style revolves around having superior agility while in close-range.
  • Friendly Sniper: She's the party's archer and is very outgoing. However, her aim is initially poor, but is progressively nurtured throughout the story.
  • Genki Girl: Usually very positive and upbeat.
  • The Heart: Understands the emotions of her allies very well, easily able to sympathize and comfort them. She provides a morally supportive role that aids in Haruhiro's development as a leader, as well as Shihoru's coming out of her shell.
  • Heroes Love Dogs: The whole reason she became an Archer is because the class gains access to a wolf companion. Yume never actually cashes in on this, however.
  • Leg Focus: She wears shorts, and the camera often focuses on her legs.
  • Male Gaze: In the anime, the camera often showed off her shapely butt.
  • Nice Girl: She looks after Shihoru, hanging out with her in her spare time and making sure that the shyer girl is okay during combat.
  • Plucky Girl: Every step of the way. He defining strength is her ability to be brave in the face of adversity.
  • Third-Person Person: Often refers to herself by her first name.

Shihoru

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/265681_8.jpg
Voiced by: Haruka Terui (Japanese), Sarah Wiedenheft (English)

The team Black Mage and eventual assistant leader. Shihoru is a shy, timid, and overly apologetic individual who lacks self-esteem and tries to avoid attention. She initially specializes in dark magic, though expands her knowledge to include spells in the opposing field of light magic. Often commented on for having large breasts, usually from Ranta, which she falsely believes make her unattractively fat.


  • Black Mage: In Grimgar, black mages use energy from magical beings called elementals. Shihoru decides to learn to use shadow elementals in episode 4.
  • Cartwright Curse: Manato attempts to talk to her a few times, trying to help her get out of her Shrinking Violet shell. However, once she starts to get closer to him after seeing him feed some animals, he gets killed off after a goblin ambush. Though they all mourn his death, she busts out the waterworks and openly sobs.
  • Casting a Shadow: She learns to use shadow elementals.
  • Cute Witch: Short, demure, and magically-inclined.
  • D-Cup Distress: When Ranta points out her big breasts, she becomes embarrassed and self-conscious.
  • Dude Magnet: Though she claims being overweight and uninteresting, Shihoru is considered very attractive by multiple males in Grimgar, including those within her own party. She has sternly turned down the advances of every man who made a pass at her (the one she liked never asked for a date).
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: Starts to wear the hairclip that Manato gave her to hold her bangs out of the way. This happens after Shihoru bonds with Manato while feeding some birds, showing that she's starting to open up a little.
  • Fainting: Of the Emotional variant. She faints into Yume's arms when Ranta goes on a rampage trying to kill a goblin.
  • Guilt Complex: A mild case, but she does feel guilty and apologize the most of the group. Even over the fact that she doesn't feel as much sorrow when Mogzo died as she did when Manato died.
  • I Am Not Pretty: Said word for word and believes her huge breasts make her overweight despite everyone protests otherwise.
  • Love Hurts: She has a one sided infatuation for Manato. His death hit her so hard that Mogzo's felt far less painful to her.
  • Number Two: Becomes this for Haruhiro.
  • Shock and Awe: She learns lightning magic, able to call down a bolt or, with extra meditation, a storm of bolts.
  • Shrinking Violet: Shihoru tends to hide behind Yume and let the latter handle social interactions.
  • Single Woman Seeks Good Man: She has an attraction for guys who are humble, yet take charge and have leadership. This starts out with Manato, and later she show signs of interest in Haruhiro.
  • Weight Woe: Shihoru thinks that she's fat, even though she isn't at all overweight.

Ranta

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/265699.jpg
Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese), Orion Pitts (English)

Ranta is a hot-headed Dark Knight who functions as the team's damage dealer and backup tank. An unapologetic, shortsighted, egomaniac with a bad tendency of rushing into situations without how it impacts others. He is universally despised by everyone, but respected for his battle skills and unspoken loyalty. Arguably Haruhiro's best friend and worst enemy.


  • Accentuate the Negative: He's definitely the most vocal of the group and is usually the first to complain about any situation.
    • He starts pointing fingers after Manato's death, blaming Haruhiro for making Manato spend too much magic. It takes Moguzo yelling at him to make him stop.
  • Adaptational Heroism: Ranta is a jerk, but he is considerably toned down from his Light Novel version. A lot of his more jerkass moments and suicidal idiocy in combat were cut out, making him a more decent guy.
  • Becoming the Mask: In volume 8 of the light novel he pulls a Face–Heel Turn to avoid getting killed and prevent Mary from getting raped. However, after a rescue mission lead by Haruhiro frees Mary, he refuses to return back to the party and fights Haruhiro to the death. In the end, Haruhiro wins the duel, but is stopped from delivering the deathblow by Mary. Ranta remains behind with the enemy.
  • Boke and Tsukkomi Routine: The boke to Haruhiro's tsukkomi.
  • Brutal Honesty: Ranta chooses the most inappropriate times and the most hurtful ways to try and make the party or a member focus:
    • Told the party to get their act together after Manato died, focused on what they needed to then without their ever reliable leader, the party took that as Ranta not caring for Manato’s death and being insensitive of their pain; it was shown the event took a heavy toll on him as well.
    • Brushed off many of Haruhiro’s orders when he became the Leader of the party, telling him to focus on other tasks and direct the other members properly, Haruhiro took as Ranta being uncooperative; Ranta wanted Haruhiro to get off his funk on thinking of himself as unworthy of being the leader, Ranta thought of himself as a more of an independent card in which Haruhiro should focus more on the others; Haruhiro comes to get Ranta’s intention and the fact he can act on his own sometimes later.
  • Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Ranta is loud, obnoxious, and everyone but Moguzo, the nicest member finds him extremely aggravating, but they need his combat abilities and his status as their backup tank for battles, which is ultimately the only reason the party hasn't kicked him out yet. Ranta is well aware of their disdain for him, but feels as long as he does his part in the party things will be fine.
  • Calling Your Attacks: Ranta likes to do this, sometimes even making up attack names that are not real. He's notably the only one of the group to do so.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: Ranta follows quite the dark code his Guild has established; the Religion worships demons, embraces a paganism attitude to partake in all base desires with reckless abandon and then die to become one with their god, Ranta would be a very dark character if he didn’t look and act like a brat most of the time, that and despite bragging about that belief being cool, he isn't really acting strictly along those lines.
  • Demonic Possession: Dark Knights get their powers from a demon that possesses them. Ranta named his Zodiac.
  • Do You Want to Haggle?: He's really good at haggling for the group.
  • Familiar: Dark Knights can summon a demon to aid them in battle. Ranta's demon, Zodiac, is a floating hairball of an imp that, when summoned, does little more than insult his summoner and actively wish for Ranta's demise. As unreliable as it is, Zodiac is willing to support Ranta if the situation gets dire enough. Its supposed main function is to act as a danger sensor for Ranta, whispering warnings of impending threats.
  • Fiery Red Head: Has a short temper and isn't afraid of making his thoughts known.
  • The Friend Nobody Likes: Not to say that they outright despise him, but they are often upset by how he constantly tries their patience every chance he gets. Yume, in particular has threatened physical violence on him on multiple occasions, and no one, not even Shihoru, raises any objections, mainly due to the fact that he seems to go out of his way to provoke her. However he's an original party member and always pulls his weight in battle, so the others try to their best to just accept and ignore him.
    • His team-mates seem to find him exasperating at best, with no one going out of their way to befriend him. He's revealed to Haruhiro that he's aware that everyone in the party doesn't like him, but feels that as long as he does his part in the party he doesn't care about their approval.
  • Girl on Girl Is Hot: Ranta thinks so. He gets very interested when Yume cuddles Shihoru.
  • Hidden Depths: Has a physical need to always try to make himself look the best, most valiant and most capable of the party, backfiring it or making the party work harder due his disruption on occasion, ensuring that his companions to not really enjoy his presence all that much, even more pronounced in the LNs where his worst traits are given a greater focus; however Ranta has been extremely helpful in many occasions, showing he can follow orders and sincere care for his friends, even his apparent betrayal and falling out with Haruhiro later in the novels is quite suspect, seemingly being more than meets the eye.
  • Hot-Blooded: Ranta is typically very loud and brash, more than happy to start a fight, be it during a battle, or in arguments with his allies.
  • Jerkass: He's selfish, egotistical, and unapologetic. Moguzo and Shihoru seem to be the only members of the group who doesn't dislike him. The party only tolerates him because they need his combat skills to survive.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: He may be an insufferable knob, but as hurtful as much of the things he says are, they're often no less true.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Oh, it's buried pretty deep, but it's there. He may act like a royal tool, but he means well, most of the time. A particularly notable example is after he inadvertently hurts Shihoru with his usual cold remarks, driving her to tears. He gives her a swift, genuine and unforced apology.
  • The Lancer: His aggressive and independent personality contrasts with Haruhiro's cautious, team-focused personality. This allows him to share insight that Haruhiro wouldn't think of, but also leads to them butting heads often.
  • Large Ham: Loves to play up is Dread Knight role, often boasting of his abilities and supposedly heartless fighting-style.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: When the group is trying to sneak up on a solitary goblin, Ranta gets impatient and rushes into battle.
  • Lovable Sex Maniac: He's very open about his appreciation for the female body and not at all shy about vocalizing it. He will often times threaten to sexually harass the girls when they insult him.
  • No Indoor Voice: Yells whenever he gets excited, which is quite often.
  • Post-Stress Overeating: Ranta makes it a habit of eating soruzo (Grimgar's equivalent of ramen) when he feels down. He eats an absurd amount of bowls in a single sitting following Moguzo's death.
  • Sarcastic Devotee: Ranta always has a complaint or insult to throw Haruhiro's way when it comes to his leadership, and regularly expresses annoyance at his teammate's shortcomings, often claiming he's too good for them. Despite this, he never actually leaves and has even chosen to stay with the party when given an offer to join other parties.
    • Concurrently, Zodiac seems to be the only one who can verbally put Ranta in his place despite being the latter's demonic familiar. Every time he is summoned, it immediately throws insults at Ranta and cackles at his misfortune. That said, when in a life or death situation, it always actively aids Ranta and has even allowed itself to take blows meant for Ranta while protecting him.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: To his fellow party members. The irony is that he does possess immense talent and his party might actually be holding him back. Renji certainly thought as much.
  • Spider-Sense: When summoned by Ranta, Zodiac is able to detect nearby danger and warn its summoner in advance... if it feels like it.
  • Summon Magic: He can call forth his demon to help him in various ways... but it's completely dependent on the demon's temperament. When he summons it in the Siren Mine in the anime, it spends the entire time refusing to help him and telling him to die with a smile. In the LN, it at least made an effort to help him against Death Spots by distracting it.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With Mary. None of the party members like her, but Ranta really doesn't get along with the new cleric. It doesn't help that Mary keeps demanding that Ranta speak more politely to her and refuses to heal him in battle.
    • Has this with everyone except Moguzo and Shihoru, with them being the only ones who were nice to him, as well as the only ones he shown respect to.(Or at least the closest thing to respect he can muster) Haruhiro has admitted that he doesn't care for him and Yume openly shows dislike of him. Their need for his combat abilities and status as a secondary tank are the only reasons they put up with his crap.
  • Tsundere: He's a complete and total Jerkass, but does possess a sense of loyalty to his party. He also has feelings for Yume, but hides them under insults and sexist actions. Ranta is brutally honest with everyone but himself, when it looks like a legit compliment or act of affection will come out of him, Ranta will try his hardest to twist that into the many acts of rudeness he has shown, that and he will never admit he can be scared in a dire situation or hurt when someone close dies.
  • The Unapologetic: Ranta is infamous for his stubborn refusal to ever admit he was wrong, making it all the more surprising on the rare occasions when he does.
  • Wisdom from the Gutter: While extremely harsh and constant poor use of words, Ranta has tried to make the party get their act together after traumatic events, only Moguzo seems to notice Ranta’s intentions beneath his brashness, Haruhiro comes to understand a bit as well when he becomes the party leader.

Manato

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/265697.jpg
Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki (Japanese), Justin Briner (English)

The initial team leader and priest of the Goblin Slayers. Manato proves to be a positive pillar of support everyone can count on, managing the group's money and gathering information they need to survive. His selfless personality draws admiration from everyone, within and without the team, being a charismatic figure many deem destined for greatness.


  • Adaptation Dye-Job: Has white hair in the manga.
  • Big Brother Mentor: He looks out for the other group members, and takes care of the logistics of day-to-day living and adventuring.
  • Combat Medic: Despite being the team's healer, Manato always fights alongside his allies, protecting them and working side-by-side to bring enemies down.
  • The Heart: Acts as a peacekeeper, smoothing out interactions between his more excitable team-mates. He's also the person that everyone in the group relies on and looks up to. The group almost falls apart when he dies.
  • I Need a Freaking Drink: While the others are asleep, he occasionally goes for a drink at a nearby tavern, presumably to ease his stress from being the group's leader.
  • In the Back: A goblin shoots him in the back with an arrow. It's likely that the arrow pierced a vital organ, since Manato bleeds out soon after.
  • Ideal Hero: What he is seen as by the rest of his party for his skill as a warrior, leader, and as a friend.
  • The Leader: Of the Levelheaded variety. He's the most mature and levelheaded of the group, coming up with plans and organizing the team.
  • Mentor Occupational Hazard: He's an inspiration and leader to the rest of the team, so naturally he is the first member of the main group to die.
  • Nice Guy: Manato is very kind and patient, and goes out of his way to look after the others.
  • The Reliable One: Manato does triple-duty serving as the group's leader, the White Mage, and fighting on the front lines. This also ends up being Manato's Fatal Flaw; his desire to constantly heal his teammates while also leading from the front leads the party into an ambush that he ends up dying in.
  • Sacrificial Lamb: He dies before the end of episode 4.
  • Sorry That I'm Dying: Apologizes to Haruhiro as he bleeds out from an arrow wound.
  • White Mage: Responsible for healing injuries, although he can't restore lost blood.

Moguzo

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/263377.jpg
Voiced by: Fukushi Ochiai (Japanese), Jarrod Greene (English)

Quietest member of the Goblin Slayers, Moguzo is the resolute Mighty Glacier warrior of the team. Gifted with tremendous strength and stamina, he proves to be a combatant equal to battlefield juggernauts like Renji. Though mastering massive two-handed swords others cannot even carry, the Gentle Giant holds additional talents as a cook and woodworker.


  • Apologetic Attacker: Played with. He's so polite that he always yells "Thank you!" whenever he's about to strike a finishing blow.
  • Beware the Quiet Ones: Yells at Ranta and Haruhiro when they start fighting about who caused Manato's death. He even manages to quell Ranta with a glare when the latter starts trying to argue more.
  • The Big Guy: As the bulkiest and strongest of the group, Moguzo plays a key role in fights by acting as a formidable force to distract the enemy, or to land finishing blows while supported by the rest of the team
  • BFS: His sword is almost taller than he is. It's seems to be quite heavy, since Moguzo has trouble wielding it effectively in combat.
  • Catchphrase: "Thank you!", which he always yells before swinging a finishing blow.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Snarks at Ranta in episode 6, to the amazement of the latter.
  • Dumb Muscle: Moguzo is not the most clever of fighters and isn't very well-spoken, so he is often judged as slower or dimwitted by others. He is aware of this, but still does his best to contribute to the team.
  • Gentle Giant: He's physically the largest in the group, but he's fairly easygoing.
  • Hidden Depths: Despite his imposing build and fighting style, Moguzo enjoys meticulous hobbies like wood carving and cooking.
  • Mighty Glacier: He performs this role in the group, being the largest but slowest of the members, and using the biggest weapon.
  • Post-Victory Collapse: How he dies. After a battle with an orc lord, everyone involved is exhausted but Moguzo succumbs to his.
  • The Quiet One: Compared to the others (besides Shrinking Violet, Shihoru), Moguzo rarely speaks up. He's not particularly shy, but likes to keep to himself.
  • Signature Move: His "Thank You!" slash, which got its name from Moguzo always shouting such while using Rage Cleave. It becomes his finishing move of sorts, essentially, "Thank you for letting me kill you."
  • Team Chef: Moguzo is very good at cooking. He also enjoys it, preparing meals even when not assigned to the task.

Mary

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/265683.jpg
Voiced by: Chika Anzai (Japanese), Jad Saxton (English)

The team's second priest and most experienced adventurer. The sole survivor after the loss of her original party, she tends to be distant and antisocial, refusing to fight on the frontlines with her comrades or heal wounds she considers minor injuries. However, as time passes she becomes comfortable with the Goblin Slayers, gaining a closer friendship with Haruhiro and forming a trio with the girls.


  • Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Has dark blue hair and a cold, reserved attitude. She is emotionally distant and rejects any friendly gestures from the others.
  • Broken Bird: Mary acts cold at first because in the past, she was much more like Manato. However, after three members of her original party were killed due to her running out of magic, Mary blamed herself for their deaths and strove to become a much better healer so she wouldn't lose another party under her care.
  • Brutal Honesty: She's quick to point out the flaws in her comrades' plans in a very blunt and unflattering way.
  • Came Back Wrong: After being resurrected from death, Mary begins exhibiting "troubling" behavior, such as a secretive and sinister disposition, sometimes breaking into foreign languages, and speaking about the others in a cold, expressionless way, only made worse when the group finds themselves in the dreamlike world of Parano. So far, only Setora has noticed this due to spending extensive time alone with her.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: She loves Haruhiro, but their timid personalities prevent her from seizing the opportunities to tell him.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: In her previous party, Mary was much more cheerful and encouraging. She healed any wound sustained by her party members and fought on the front lines. When her party encountered a powerful kobold, three members of her group were killed. Mary was unable to help them because she had run out of magic, causing her to blame herself for their deaths.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: While she's never shown directly interacting with anyone other than Haruhiro in her spare time, at least in the anime, her relationship with the team as a whole becomes noticeably smoother over time. She eventually starts eating meals and going on group outings with them, and in turn, the group seems to get more used to her more conservative style of healing.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: Since her time with her original party, her ponytail has changed from higher on her head and proud, to lower and more subdued.
  • Fire-Forged Friends: Her integration into Haruhiro's team is a rough and almost hopeless endeavor, but by working to understand one another, Mary becomes a true ally of the party.
  • Healing Hands: She can Cure allies to mend injuries, though she cannot heal herself, and healing does not restore lost blood or soothe pain, so the patient will still feel the fatigue of battle. She also learns Sacrament, which can mend even fatal wounds or reattach severed limbs.
  • Ice Queen: She comes off as this when she is first recruited into the group, as she takes her role as the party healer very seriously. That means she doesn't risk her own safety by fighting on the frontline alongside the others and she doesn't consider healing minor wounds in order to conserve energy. Naturally, the rest of the group grows to resent her for this.
  • Informed Attractiveness: Many characters, and even Haruhiro in his rambling internal monologues, describe Mary as especially pretty.
  • It's All My Fault: As a healer, Mary takes it very hard when others are hurt or killed while under her protection, often insisting the blame is entirely hers.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: Mary isn't wrong to refuse to fight on the frontlines and heal minor injuries. As the only member of the party that can heal, she needs to stay out of danger and reserve her magic for serious, life-threatening injuries. If she hadn't wasted her magic on minor injuries during the fight with the spotted kobold, she might have been able to save her comrades from dying.
  • Kuudere: Present day Mary comes across as very mature and reserved, though her thoughts are always of her teammates and what's best for the group.
  • Near-Rape Experience: She drinks heavily after Moguzo's death and finds herself nearly assaulted, but is saved by Kuzaku.
  • Never Be Hurt Again: Her reluctance to heal is a result of over-healing in the past, which resulted in not having the magic to heal when her past teammates needed it most. Her cold and distant demeanor is a result of no longer wanting to get emotionally attached to others.
  • The Reliable One: During a fight, Mary is usually situated in the back, observing her teammates and healing as needed or even defending them. She often assists Haruhiro in strategizing, keeping him informed of her magic uses and helping keep everyone's minds at ease with her cool composure.
  • Ship Tease: She gets quite a bit with Haruhiro; from their evolving, close relationship, to Mary giving Haru a nickname, to Haru eventually being one of the few people who can easily make her smile.
  • The Smart Guy: It's clear that she is significantly more experienced than the rest of Haruhiro's team, knowing much more about the enemy monsters, and strengths and weaknesses of their classes.
  • Sole Survivor: The lone survivor of her original party who were all killed in Cyrene Mines. Mary's failure as a healer to protect her old teammates haunts her, shaping her more serious disposition in the present day.
  • Spell My Name With An S: Anime translations such as Funimation spell her name as "Mary" in English. The light novels, however, will opt for "Merry," which would make her name something of an Ironic Name.
  • Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Although she acts cold and aloof, she does seem to want to befriend the main party. She heals Moguzo's head wound without being asked and defends Shihoru from attacking goblins. It's likely that her aloof personality is a way of protecting herself from seeing more friends die.
  • Used to Be More Social: She was very cheerful and expressive with her old party, but by the time she joins Haruhiro's, she's very reclusive and cold.
  • When She Smiles: Her genuine smiles are few and far between but always noted as beautiful by Haruhiro.
    • She finally smiles upon Haruhiro's awakening at the end of Volume 2.
    • She give Haruhiro another one at the end of volume 10 at the moment she realizes her death approaches.

Kuzaku

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kuzaku_ln_4.jpg

A Paladin who becomes the Goblin Slayer's second tank following a tragedy that involved his previous team. Arriving to Grimgar several months after Haruhiro and the others, he is their least experienced member and initially finds it difficult to accommodate their tactics. However, he quickly adapts and becomes a commendable combatant they can rely upon. Unlike the others he actually finds Ranta's antics amusing, though would never let him know that.


  • The Big Guy: He's extremely tall, standing at 190 cm, towering over his teammates. His role as the party's tank has him at the forefront of the fray.
  • Cowardly Lion: He's a total newbie at volunteer life and barely knows how to fight when he's introduced. He can come across as gloomy, and somewhat uncertain during a fight, but when push comes to shove he's able to fight very bravely.
  • In-Series Nickname: Before he got to know his actual name, Haruhiro mentally notes him as "Mr. Tall."
  • Knightly Sword and Shield: He wields a sword and a large shield in battle.
  • Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Initially, Kuzaku can barely fight at all, and it takes all his focus just to block attacks with his shield before he eventually gains more confidence. One of the Paladin's starting skills is Block, which allows him to perfectly meet an attacker's strike with his shield.
  • The Paladin: His class. Kuzaku himself doesn't necessarily embody the typical beliefs or characteristics, but he has the standard abilities, wielding a sword and shield and some healing magic.
  • Rage Breaking Point: Kuzaku can seem pretty glum most of the time, but when he is stressed during a fight, he can become much more aggressive and can even give a few battle cries.
  • "Reason You Suck" Speech: Gets one from Ranta over his early ineptness at fighting.
  • Replacement Goldfish: Kuzaku fills in the massive tank role left by Moguzo that proves almost too big for him, at least initially. Haruhiro and the others struggle not to presume Kuzaku will immediately live up to his predecessor.
  • Sole Survivor: He is the only one from his team who survives the Deadhead raid and is at a total loss before finding his place among Haruhiro's group.

Setora

A Necromancer, and the third daughter of a powerful House Shuro from the Thousand Valley Hidden Village. She initially helped Haruhiro save Mary from Forgan in exchange for one of his eyes. Later, she reneged on this and decided to join his party, and instead of taking his eye, she made him act like her lover instead. In so doing, she abandoned the Hidden Village and her family name. She brought her golem Enba, her first creation, along with her, though it was destroyed beyond repair at a later date, and she can't remake him without returning to her village. She's a powerful mage whose antics, nonetheless, rile up jealousy in Mary.


  • Clingy Jealous Girl: Does not like Haruhiro getting too close with other women. Ironically, the person she is jealous of most is Mary, who Haruhiro admitted to Setora about having feelings for, despite the fact that Setora's own antics rile up Mary as well.
  • Not Himself: Begins to notice that Mary has...changed since being resurrected, even calling her new persona the "Not Mary", or the "the woman wearing Mary's face".

     Team Renji 
Five of the thirteen people who arrived in Grimgar at the same time as Haruhiro, but rapidly became a team of legends everyone acknowledges as among the best. They have fought the fiercest monsters and completed the most difficult quests without suffering a fatal loss, gaining well earned fame in the process. Though the Goblin Slayers are not their equals, Renji respects his less fortunate counterparts and does not respond well to those who would openly cheat them.

Tropes pertaining to Team Renji in General:

  • Badass Crew: They've accomplished more feats in mere months, that others have taken years to complete.
  • Big Damn Heroes: How everyone sees them, being one of the most renowned and successful adventure teams.

Renji

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/renji_light_novel.jpg
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese), Jason Liebrecht (English)

A stoic man with an intimidating air, Renji naturally takes charge of the situation. He leads the adventurers that are not part of Haruhiro's group.


  • The Ace: Renji's group becomes so famous for their achievements, that when Renji walks into a crowded bar, the entire bar falls into silence, in complete awe of Renji's mere presence.
  • Hero of Another Story: Renji is this setting's version of Kirito or Shiroe: he's the The Ace who excels at adventuring and the leader of an elite party. However he's NOT the focus of this story, so his fame and deeds are background events that only reinforce how ordinary Haruhiro's party is.
  • Hidden Heart of Gold: While he comes off as detached and arrogant, he's actually kind. His choice of Chibi was done out of compassion, and though it seemed he accepted Sassa after claiming she'd do anything for him, he doesn't abuse her. He's a gruff realist, not a sensitive dreamer, so his actions seem harsher than actuality. In the Light novel he is massively homophobic.
  • The Leader: Leads his team of adventurers.
  • The Social Darwinist: Subverted. He initially selected his original party members from the 12 people he arrived to Grimgar with, based off his impression of how strong they were physically and mentally. Ron and Adachi were the most capable. Manato wordlessly refused. It's strongly implied he wanted Haruhiro to join, but instead decided upon Chibi out of compassion, who was the weakest of everyone present and needed protection most. Sassa exclaims, "Please, I Will Do Anything!," just moments before he leaves, to which he accepts. Not counting himself, the party gained as many strong individuals, as it did weak.
    • There's compelling Fridge Logic Renji did not choose Haruhiro, because taking all the talented people into one team would guarantee the others were doomed. With Manato and Haruhiro in the second group, they'd stand a better chance at success. Renji overlooked Ranta's potential, and most likely did not predict Kikkawa would Take a Third Option.
  • The Stoic: He doesn't so much as flinch when Brittany points a knife at him. Hell, he grabs onto the knife with his bare hand!

Ron

The paladin and second in command of Renji's party.
  • The Lancer: Has no issue with voicing his opinion if he has a problem with Renji.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: He accepts Renji as the team leader, because Renji beat him up in a fight to determine who was stronger. He's still sore about that, and the animosity between them still exists.

Adachi

The mage of Renji's party.

Chibi

The priest of Renji's party.
  • The Ingenue: The light novel depicts her as a preteen child. The anime makes her a short and autistic teenager.
  • Mistaken for Badass: Chibi is a high level and competent, though nonetheless average healer. Because she's part of Team Renji, whose other members are incredibly badass, it's mistakenly assumed she's a Hidden Badass.
  • Token Mini-Moe: Her light novel incarnation.

Sassa

The thief of Renji's party.
  • Head-Turning Beauty: Considered one of the sexiest women alive. It might be linked to seduction skills she's acquired from the thief class, but Haruhiro mentions she was already a looker before she become one.
  • Please, I Will Do Anything!: She wasn't initially chosen by Renji to join his team. As he was leaving, she threw herself on him and begged to come along. The tone and implication of her plea, indicated she would offer him anything she had that he wanted. Renji agreed, though it seems the only demands he made of her, was to become the team thief and obey his orders in combat.

     Team Tokkis 
A volunteer soldier team whom the Goblin Slayers work along side during the events of the fifth novel. They're roughly equivalent to Haruhiro's group in terms of strength, though willing to take greater risks and are noticeably less organized. Many of their members are "multiclass" and can perform several adventuring roles at once, with two exceptions.

Tropes pertaining to Team Tokkis in General:

  • Cloudcuckoolander: The Goblin Slayers consider them beyond sane redemption.
  • Determinator: While far from invincible, they're not easy to kill.
  • Jack of All Trades: Just about every member was a different class than the one they currently are at some point, allowing them to be more versatile than most other teams. Thus, most of the mages and support characters can be frontline fighters, and one of the characters is both a capable mage and priest.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: They admit not liking the idea of planning and will do whatever seems fun at the moment.
  • Lethally Stupid: Almost get themselves and the Goblin Slayers involved in a Total Party Kill several times.
  • Let's Get Dangerous!: Managed to succeed where others have failed, because they're badass in a fight.
  • Lured into a Trap: Their lack of caution results in this, requiring the Goblin Slayers to pull a Big Damn Heroes to save them.


Kikkawa

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/htgng_kikkawa.png
Voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa (Japanese), Todd Haberkorn (English)

Kikkawa is an easygoing fellow that doesn't take anything seriously. Even though he's been transported to a strange, new world, Kikkawa isn't particularly concerned about his situation. Joins Tokkis as a warrior and extra tank, and is one of the two who is not multiclassed.


  • Dumbass Has a Point: Even while drunk, he points out the flaws in their approach and how at this point they should have known the basics.
  • Eyes Always Shut: Opens his eyes on occasion, but keeps them shut for the most part. This fits with his relaxed personality.
  • Innocently Insensitive: In episode 5, he rubs salt into the wound of Manato's death by pointing out that priests have a high fatality rate and that's why the warrior is supposed to defend them (which Moguzo failed to do).
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Really likes getting up close and friendly with his conversation partners. He drapes himself all over Haruhiro and Moguzo like it's no big deal.
  • Plucky Comic Relief: He bounces in on a very tense and despondent situation between Haruhiro, Ranta, and Moguzo and immediately inserts himself into the conversation, somewhat lightening the mood.
  • Take a Third Option: After Renji selected his teammates and departed, he didn't join Manato's team of the remaining individuals.

Tokimune

Tokimune is the actual leader of Tokkis and the team paladin, and the second member who never multiclassed. A positive, loud man leading a team filled with "eccentric" people


  • The Big Guy: Strong enough to tank a punch from a giant with his shield.
  • Blood Knight: Always spoiling for a good fight
  • The Leader: The actual leader of Tokkis, though Kikkawa is the more prominent member when it comes to interacting with the main characters.
  • The Paladin: His class. This effectively makes him the group's primary tank.

Tada

The Party's priest and a former warrior, Tada is quite egotistical and tends to rub people the wrong way often. However, he is very loyal to his teammates.


  • Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: As warrior he didn't wear one, but not because he didn't see the need, but because they would not have fit him well due to his glasses.
  • The Medic: His main role, but he can fight on the front line with the best of them, and is actually seen doing that more than healing.
  • Squishy Wizard: Averted. While he is the team's primary healer, he used to be warrior, and will still take the front lines, war hammer in hand.
  • White Mage: His functional class.

Inui

A hunter, though he was formerly both a warrior and a thief. Tough and quiet, he is one of the original members of the party and thus one of the oldest


Mimori

A mage who was formerly a warrior, and the group's primary spellcaster, mainly using fire magic to aid the rest of her team. Back on Earth, she went to the same school and class as Haruhiro and they met when he helped her take out the trash one day.


  • Abhorrent Admirer: To Haruhiro, especially at first, though this mellows out later.
  • Berserk Button: Anyone (even her own teammates) suggesting she forget Haruhiro after he is presumed dead will push this.
  • Huge Schoolgirl: Is 5'11'', which is huge for a woman in general, let alone a Japanese schoolgirl. Of course she had a complex about her height. Alongside this, she is big in general, though in no way fat. As a result of her size, she is nicknamed "the Giantess"
  • Squishy Wizard: Averted. Much like her teammate Tada, she used to be a warrior, and still carries her sword with her to wade into combat every so often. She enchants the sword with fire magic to give her a leg up in close combat, and dual wields the sword and staff together.
  • Statuesque Stunner: Is noted in universe as being voluptuous, with huge breasts and beautiful curves, with small, animal like facial features. After she stops eating after people assume Haruhiro was dead, she notably slims down a lot, losing some of voluptuousness, but not her beauty.
  • Unrequited Love: Played with to hell and back for drama. She is head over heels in love with Haruhiro and confesses to him after his team rescues the Tokkis in the Dusk realm. Though Haruhiro soundly rejects her, she doesn't give up her love for him at all. With Anna-san's help, she constantly forces Haruhiro to spend time with her, and despite the constant rejection, she makes it clear to him that she will continue to love him, whether he reciprocates or not. Haruhiro eventually accepts how she feels and that she has a right to feel that way, but makes it clear that she shouldn't expect him to return them. The two remain friendly, but Haruhiro goes out of his way to not give her false hope that he will return her feelings in some way. She, on the other hand, constantly protects him, and he sometimes lets her. Unfortunately, this takes a turn for the worst after Haruhiro's team gets stuck in the Dusk realm, and are feared dead. When this happens, Mimori completely loses it, refusing to eat and flying into a rage when her teammates suggest she forget Haruhiro. Even months later, she hasn't moved on and begins writing unsent love letters to Haruhiro expressing this, continuing to hold out hope that she will see him again. It gets to the point that, in her mourning, she begins using her magic powers recklessly, endangering her teammates.

Anna-san

Another priest of the party, formerly a mage. Is a secondary healer for the party and something of her team's mascot. The only non-Japanese member of the cast, which actually impedes her ability to work with other teams. Hot-headed and brash, yet also self-conscious, especially about her freckles.


  • Berserk Button: Attacking her in any way is one for her team, as they are all really protective of her, something Ranta found out the hard way when Tokimune threatened to attack him for upsetting her.
  • But Not Too Foreign: Averted. Anna is completely non-Japanese. Unfortunately, this also presents issues for her.
  • Covert Pervert: Not quite. She doesn't usually go around acting perverted, but she has a naughtier side to her,and will openly speak about obscene things and fantasies.
  • The Heart: The hopeless romantic of the group, who tries to help and support her friends at all times, even in their love lives. When in battle, she constantly yells out encouragement to them, and has become their mascot of sorts.
  • Hot-Blooded: Anna is eternally passionate about everything, from fighting to love, and lets everyone know it. When she was with past groups, her tendency to speak her mind usually led to them breaking up because of her lack of grasp of the language. Now, she has no problem being fiery.
  • Language Barrier: Unfortunately, this exists for Anna-san. Because she is non-Japanese, in a world filled with Japanese "heroes" and a native population that mostly understands them, there is a huge barrier between her and just about every group she has ever adventured with, as she just couldn't speak the language well, though she can apparently understand what others say just fine. Usually, this resulted her given party treating her poorly and not even bothering to try to understand her, and this would eventually lead to her party breaking up when she inevitably spoke up about it, though, many times the party would later get back together later without her. The Tokkis were the first group to not be bothered by the language barrier.
  • The Medic: Her role as a priest. This seems to be her main role within the party as she is mainly shown healing people, not fighting.
  • Phenotype Stereotype: Played completely straight: Anna is blond haired and Blue eyed, just to accentuate her foreignness.
  • Poirot Speak: What gives her the language barrier. She commonly slips into foreign words when speaking and her grammar and syntax leave something to be desired in general.
  • Sir Swears-a-Lot: Tends to use a lot of profanity when worked up, which is often.
  • Undying Loyalty: To the Tokkis in general, as they are the first group to treat her as one of their own and look past the language differences. She is especially protective of Kikkawa and Mimori.


Alternative Title(s): Hai To Gensou No Grimgar

Top