History Characters / BlazblueRagnaTheBloodedge

* CorruptedCharacterCopy
** He's this for [[Characters/DevilMayCryDante Dante]], one of his main inspirations according to WordOfGod[[invoked]]. Both are white-haired nonhuman protagonists who wear red, use demonic powers, have a OneHandedZweihander that can transform into another weapon as their main weapon, have an antagonistic relationship with a brother who uses a long katana, [[IaijutsuPractitioner fights with a quick-draw style]] and wears blue, are massive [[ButtMonkey butt monkeys]], and have a DarkAndTroubledPast that included having their mother figure killed when they were young. Except whereas Dante is an [[TheAce ace]], charismatic, laid-back and has a good enough reputation, Ragna is a major FailureHero, [[IdiotHero is not really bright]], and is hated and feared by most people who meet him. He's also an extremely fucked-up and [[TheWoobie emotionally vulnerable]] man beneath his hard exterior and has to deal with said demonic powers that are eating away at him. In short, he’s [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome realistically]] what someone who’s lived Dante’s life would be in a more cynical world.
** He's also this for [[Characters/GuiltyGearSolBadguy Sol Badguy]]. Similar to Dante, both are nonhuman protagonists who wear red, use demonic powers, have a OneHandedZweihander that can transform into another weapon as their main weapon, have an edgy-sounding name, and have a rivalry with a blonde {{Deuteragonist}} who wears blue. However, Sol is an accomplished scientist and a GeniusBruiser (even if he [[BrilliantButLazy doesn't necessarily look or act like one]]) as well as a bounty hunter, Ragna is an indigent IdiotHero and a wanted world-class criminal. Also their respective endings are complete opposites, with Sol [[spoiler:getting a HundredPercentHeroismRating for saving the world (even if Sol's not a fan of it to the extent that he has Asuka fake his death so the world can stop being reliant on him as their savior so he can live his life on his terms)]] whilst Ragna [[spoiler:pulls a ZeroApprovalGambit and erases himself from existence and is HatedByAll and remembered as that same criminal and "The Enemy of the World"]].
** He's also one for [[Manga/{{Trigun}} Vash the Stampede]], another main inspiration according to WordOfGod[[invoked]]. Both are fair-haired ArtificialHuman protagonists who wear red, have a large bounty on their heads, and have a transforming weapon, but whereas Vash has a positive, idealistic attitude in spite of living in a CrapsackWorld and tries to strictly adhere to ThouShaltNotKill, Ragna is an embittered, vindictive man who is lashing out on the world at large for everything that's been inflicted on him and doesn't care who ends up in his crossfire. Similar to him being this for Dante above, he’s [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome realistically]] what someone who’s lived Vash’s life would be in a more cynical world.

-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TomokazuSugita (Teenage-Adult), Creator/RinaSato (Child)(Japanese)[=/=]Creator/PatrickSeitz (Teenage-Adult, ''Calamity Trigger''-''Chronophantasma''), Creator/CaitlinGlass (Child, ''[[Anime/BlazblueAlterMemory Alter Memory]]'' only) (English)

!![[center: Playable Characters: [[Characters/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger Calamity Trigger]] ([[Characters/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger1 Part 1]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger2 Part 2]]) | [[Characters/BlazBlueContinuumShift Continuum Shift]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueChronoPhantasma ChronoPhantasma]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueCentralFiction Central Fiction]]\\
[-Others: [[Characters/BlazBlueNonPlayerCharacters Non-Player Characters]] | [[Characters/BlazblueRemixHeart Remix Heart]] | [[Characters/BlazblueLightNovelCharacters Light Novel Characters]] | Characters/XBlaze ([[Characters/XBlazeCodeEmbryo Code: Embryo]] | [[Characters/XBlazeLostMemories Lost: Memories]]) | [[Characters/BlazBlueAlternativeDarkWar Alternative: Dark War]]\\

Individual Characters: '''[=Ragna the Bloodedge=]''' | [[Characters/BlazBlueJinKisaragi Jin Kisaragi]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueNoelVermillion Noel Vermillion]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueRachelAlucard Rachel Alucard]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueLitchiFayeLing Litchi Faye-Ling]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueBangShishigami Bang Shishigami]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueHakumen Hakumen]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueTsubakiYayoi Tsubaki Yayoi]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueHazama Hazama]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueMakotoNanaya Makoto Nanaya]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueYuukiTerumi Yuuki Terumi]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueNineThePhantom Nine the Phantom]] | [[Characters/BlazBlueIzanami Izanami]]-]]]

** Of [[Manga/{{Trigun}} Vash the Stampede]] since they both wear red coats, and have large bounties on them, although in Ragna's case his bounty is justified.

* TooManyBelts: [[JustForPun Two Many Belts]], to be exact.

-> The protagonist of the series (well the C-series anyway). A rebel outlaw with a bad attitude, a short temper, and an axe to grind with the Librarium, the international government. After destroying a branch of the Library and having a colossal bounty put on his head, he sets out for the city of Kagutsuchi in order to destroy the last "Cauldron" and prevent the resurrection of the Black Beast. As the story goes, he becomes more heroic and uses his power towards beating the genuine villains.

* AntiHero: Ragna is a good person at heart, but he has a really bad attitude problem and tends to take his frustrations out on other people most of the time. He's basically a terrorist fighting against an established government. And no, he's not doing this for altruistic reasons, but to hunt down one man who royally screwed him over. ''CP'' has him grow out of this and become genuinely more altruistic.

* BoxingLessonsForSuperman: Was subject to this in ''Chronophantasma'' when he was unable to use the Azure and by extension, the use of his right arm and eye for most of the game. He becomes a much more efficient fighter when he regains the use of his limbs and sight, and is able to even defeat Nu in the True Ending without using the Azure, something he was never able to do prior.

** Delivers a pretty epic one to Nu-13, ''without using the Azure Grimoire!''

** His [[SuperMode Unlimited Form]] also ends up receiving a {{Nerf}} in ''Continuum Shift'' so that [[UltimateLifeForm Mu-12]] and [[BigBad Hazama]] seem more impressive as final bosses. This is despite him receiving the Idea Engine, which makes his Unlimited Form stronger than both of them In-Universe.
** Within the story of ''Central Fiction'', he [[spoiler:fights Susano'o with the Idea Engine's limiters on the Grimoire removed]]. Normally, this would mean the player fights in Unlimited Mode. However, this isn't the case in gameplay for ''CF''.

** In ''Chronophantasma'', he learns how to fight without relying on the Azure Grimoire's power constantly, becoming far more skilled and powerful than he ever was previously. As a result, in True Ending he (with the Azure Grimoire activated) managed to defeat Gigant: Take-Mikazuchi when both his brother and Noel (both of whom had also [[TookALevelInBadass taken many levels in badass]]) where incapable of hurting it. Keep in mind that Gigant is not only the size of a satellite but is also said to be equal to the ''[[EldritchAbomination Black Beast]]'', albeit that time it was weakened by both Celica's power and Kushinada's Lynchpin.[[note]]Though this is a bit ambiguous, as while Celica and Kushinada's Lynchpin did weaken it, Izanami did outright state that she would lend Gigant her power. This implies that she kept it at full potential throughout the fight.[[/note]] Later he also [[CurbStompBattle effortlessly defeats]] ''[[ImplacableMan Nu-13]]'' of all people, ''without using the Azure Grimoire''. Unlike all their previous encounters, Nu was actively trying to kill him and Ragna was actively trying to save her (i.e. he was holding back).
** Zig-zagged in ''Central Fiction''. After getting his memory back, he's strong enough to curb-stomp the entire roster, [[spoiler:but this is largely due to everyone progressively becoming weaker thanks to the Embryo.]] Even still, he does become much smarter, coming up with a plan to deny the entitled their desires and almost single-handedly derails Doomsday. In spite of the above [[spoiler:regarding the Embryo]], he does become powerful enough to outright stalemate sealed Azrael, Kagura[[note]]who proved to be the only one capable of fighting and defeating Azrael and did so [[spoiler:while weakened by the Embryo's effects]][[/note]] and Nine[[note]]one of the only characters not being [[spoiler:weakened by the Embryo due to using natural magic]][[/note]]. He also ultimately becomes the only character [[spoiler:powerful enough to match the PhysicalGod, Susano'o, through the use of his DangerousForbiddenTechnique.]]
* TookALevelInKindness: In ''Chronophantasma'', he becomes much nicer and more polite with his allies, and even starts moving past his need for revenge. But since he's still Ragna at heart, he's still a bit of a smart-ass, just not a perpetually angry one anymore.

* UnskilledButStrong: As noted by Kagura, Ragna really doesn't use any sort of skill or finesse when he fights but just straight up throws his power around against anyone who gets in his way and use the Azure Grimoire when things look bleak. If somebody can negate his Azure Grimoire (which a lot of characters have the ability to do) then he really finds himself in trouble. Though he starts growing out of this in ''Chronophantasma'', as mentioned above in BoxingLessonsForSuperman. By the end of that game, he seems to have improved enough that he can [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]] [[ImplacableMan Nu]], and later in mid-to-late ''Central Fiction'', he can outright equal [[TheJuggernaut Azrael]] and [[TheAce Kagura]], all 3 are done without relying on the Azure Grimoire and fight evenly against [[SuperpowerLottery Nine]].[[note]]Though in Kagura's case, [[spoiler:he was one of the entitled having his soul drained by the Boundary]], though it is worth noting that this doesn't diminish skill. Especially since Kagura was able to fight and defeat ''Azrael'' later down the road relying primarily on skill and finesse (with some help from Jin). In Nine's case, she's one of the [[spoiler:few NOT getting their soul and strength sapped out]] due to having natural magic, not a drive.[[/note]]

* {{Tulpa}}: [[spoiler: As the titular ''Central Fiction'', this is effectively the true nature of Ragna's existence. He came to be because the Origin, the girl inside of the Amaterasu Unit, wished for someone to free her from her imprisonment within the Boundary. This single powerful desire, combined with teh Amaterasu Unit's ability to performn phenomenon intervention, resulted in Ragna literally being willed into the world, being born as one of the three children of the 5th Prime Field Device. Per Rachel's description, Ragna is the "hero" of the Origin's dream, created to slay the monster Susano'o and save her. Fittingly, it also partially explains how he can erase both his own existence from the world and memories of himself from others: because he technically doesn't exist, and never was supposed to exist in the first palce.]]

* {{Tulpa}}: [[spoiler: As the titular ''Central Fiction'', this is effectively the true nature of Ragna's existence. He came to be because the Origin, the girl inside of the Amaterasu Unit, wished for someone to free her from her imprisonment within the Boundary. This single powerful desire, combined with teh Amaterasu Unit's ability to performn phenomenon intervention, resulted in Ragna literally being willed into the world, being born as one of the three children of the 5th Prime Field Device. Fittingly, it also partially explains how he can erase both his own existence from the world and memories of himself from others: because he technically doesn't really exist, and never was supposed to exist in the first palce.]]

* TragicHero: The entire series may as well be called 'How Ragna's Life Sucks' with the amount of potshots and shit he goes through. Despite being born in a lab, Ragna was able to live a happy life with Celica and his siblings, Jin and Saya. It all ended when his own brother, manipulated by Terumi, cuts off his arm and on the verge of death, is replaced with a piece of an EldritchAbomination that once polluted the world a century ago. This instilled immense anger within Ragna, who resorted to taking down NOL bases as a means of revenge and to get back at him. However, his path of vengeance, while understandable, has earned him the world's hatred, with many from all sides and factions mocking him for his shortsightedness or outright call him evil even when he becomes a better person. To make it even worse, [[spoiler: It's then found out that he's the Central Fiction, and the world would be unable to move forward and stuck in a state of constant reset unless Ragna saves Amaterasu. He does so, at the cost of his own existence and everyone's approval of him, causing him to be viewed as nothing more than a monster]]. You ''know'' you're this trope if the only way to get a semblance of rest is [[spoiler: total existence erasure with no one remembering the good you do]].

** He's this for [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]], one of his main inspirations according to WordOfGod[[invoked]]. Both are white-haired nonhuman protagonists who wear red, use demonic powers, have a OneHandedZweihander that can transform into another weapon as their main weapon, have an antagonistic relationship with a brother who uses a long katana, [[IaijutsuPractitioner fights with a quick-draw style]] and wears blue, are massive [[ButtMonkey butt monkeys]], and have a DarkAndTroubledPast that included having their mother figure killed when they were young. Except whereas Dante is an [[TheAce ace]], charismatic, laid-back and has a good enough reputation, Ragna is a major FailureHero, [[IdiotHero is not really bright]], and is hated and feared by most people who meet him. He's also an extremely fucked-up and [[TheWoobie emotionally vulnerable]] man beneath his hard exterior and has to deal with said demonic powers that are eating away at him. In short, he’s [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome realistically]] what someone who’s lived Dante’s life would be in a more cynical world.

* HatedByAll: It's always lampshaded in-game and self-inflicted at the end of ''Central Fiction''. In contrast to Jin's HundredPercentAdorationRating, due to him being seen as the famous "Hero of Ikaruga" and a LivingLegend, Ragna is a hated and wanted SS-Class Criminal in the world of ''Franchise/BlazBlue''. Sadly, it doesn't get any better by the end of the series since he pulls a [[HeroicSacrifice heroic]] ZeroApprovalGambit, so the world will forever remember him as the same wanted criminal and "The Enemy of the World", which contrasts Jin who remains the beloved and iconic folk hero of the world.

* BadassBaritone: Be it [[Creator/PatrickSeitz English]] or [[Creator/TomokazuSugita Japanese]], his voice is pretty deep. [[VocalEvolution It gets deeper as the series goes on]].

* EarnYourHappyEnding: After a life of trauma, fighting and constant danger; [[spoiler:Ragna manages to reunite with his family, defeat his enemies and save the world. Though the happy ending is more for his family and the world than for him, because he had to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice]] his own existence in order to save everyone. He's still perfectly willing to go through with it, though.]]

* BodyHorror: While its usually obscured due to his jacket, extra material shows the arm that houses the Azure Grimoire is covering his body in what looks like a shadow.[[note]]His younger character portraits show it only reaching up to a little over his arm, when he's an adult, its reached over the shoulder to his torso.[[/note]] When he uses Devoured by Darkness, said arm becomes a giant, red tipped claw with a pulsing eye. And in two endings of the series, his clothes start to shred as he turns into a very feral looking monstrosity.

* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: He rips apart the NinetiesAntiHero and the LeeroyJenkins attitude that goes along with it. Appearance wise, he fits this archetype like a glove; being an immensely powerful OneManArmy with a dark and gritty title fueled by his anger and driven by vengeance who rushes into the fray believing that he can just overpower any opposition that gets in his way. Rushing headfirst into danger almost ''never'' works out for him because the world and his enemies are much more savvy than he initially thinks, and his anger often gets him into far more trouble than he can handle. Because of this, he comes across less as a badass AntiHero, and more as a ButtMonkey, with nearly every cast member snarking at his expense as a result. It should really say something that he starts finding more success and respect the ''further'' he moves away from these archetypes and becomes more genuinely heroic.

* CynicismCatalyst: His whole DarkAndTroubledPast turns him into a rough man who doesn't care about the world and is obsessed with revenge. However CharacterDevelopment slowly [[TookALevelInKindness turns him into a better person]].

** In ''Continuum Shift'', he gains the Idea Engine and is able to overpower Hazama/Terumi's influence on his Grimoire.
*** This one actually gets [[{{LampshadedTrope}} lampshaded]] by a few characters during his Arcade and early story mode in ''Chronophantasma''. Tager notes that his power supersedes all data previously acquired on him, and after fighting Hakumen to a draw later down the road, he notes his improvement.
---->'''Tager''': This power. This doesn't match the data I'd collected on you.\\\

* TookALevelInKindness: In Chronophantasma, he becomes much nicer and more polite with his allies, and even starts moving past his need for revenge. But since he's still Ragna at heart, he's still a bit of a smart-ass, just not a perpetually angry one anymore.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Did not consider any of the Prime Field Devices humans, just things that needed to be destroyed. However, after meeting Noel (and Lambda in the Anime), a Prime Field Device who is almost indistinguishable from a normal human, he starts questioning this stance. After Noel is {{MindRape}}d into her Prime Field personality, Ragna has the epiphany that it doesn't matter if she's human or not and that she has a right to live and this enables him to restore her to her "good" self.

* WouldHitAGirl: He ''will'' hit a girl if they attack him, but that's only because holding back against a [[ActionGirl girl]] in this setting [[TooDumbToLive is a good way to get your ass kicked]].
** (''to Litchi'') "*sigh* It just doesn't feel right fighting a woman."
** (''to Nu, before killing her'') "I really am sorry... Saya..."
** (''to Lambda'') "This whole thing... just... sucks!"
*** Much like his younger brother, Jin (in his defense, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Jin atleast was ''never'' shown on-screen to have killed a woman]] but would give them warnings if they get in his way), it was shown that Ragna has no qualms in hitting (or in this case, killing) a defenseless woman if you are in his way. ''especially'' if you are from the NOL. He was once shown to have violently killed everyone while raiding an NOL base, men and women alike. Yeah folks, [[TheDreaded Ragna doesn't discriminate]].

* YouRebelScum: How most of the normal NOL see him.
** Also, his theme song? It's called "Rebellion."

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: Let's see... White-haired, red-and-black wearing BadassLongcoat, who's a snarky DarkIsNotEvil AntiHero [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a compassionate side to him]] who wields a BFS [[OneHandedZweihander one-handed]], and has an antagonistic relationship with his brother who has a blue coat, a katana and fights using the quick-draw style ''AND'' is a ButtMonkey of epic proportions. It's almost like ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]]'' was [[DecompositeCharacter split]] into two characters with ''[[HandsomeLech Kagura]]'' getting the cocky, laidback charisma, [[ChickMagnet reputation with the ladies]], complete with [[ChivalrousPervert shameless ways]] and general status as TheAce; with Ragna getting every other aspect from the DarkAndTroubledPast right down to the general appearance and relationship with his brother.
** To nail the similarities even further, Aramasa basically functions exactly like Devil Sword Sparda: A {{BFS}} capable of transforming into spear and scythe.

* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Ragna has a really hard time recognizing that people see good traits in him, and doesn't see himself as anything more than a murderous scumbag who's only goal in life is to get revenge on Terumi, the man who wronged him. Gets over it after some CharacterDevelopment, see YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre below.

* IdiotHero: [[PlayingWithATrope Sorta.]] He has pretty average intelligence and even occasions of brilliance, but he also has a really nasty habit of [[LeeroyJenkins blindly attacking any problem head on.]] In all fairness, he tends to end up in the same room as the smartest characters in the series, so he ends up coming off as an idiot as a result. In addition, the characters who try to talk him out of his recklessness are [[PoorCommunicationKills really are godawful at explaining themselves]] -- see OnlySaneMan.
** The "idiot" portion gets played up a bit more in gag reels. In Valkenhayn's ''CS'' gag reel, he has no idea how to operate a smartphone that ''Tao'' of all people can use perfectly.

*** Much like his younger brother, Jin (in his defense, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Jin atleast was ''never'' shown on-screen to have killed a woman]] but would give them warnings if they get in his way), it was shown that Ragna has no qualms in hitting (or in this case, [[KillEmAll killing]]) a defenseless woman if you are in his way. ''especially'' if you are from the NOL. He was once shown to have violently killed everyone while raiding an NOL base, men and women alike. Yeah folks, [[TheDreaded Ragna doesn't discriminate]].