Netherworld Chronicles is a fanmade Disgaea sprite comic by DeviantArt user Firewarrior 117. It takes place after the events of Disgaea 3, and centers around the adventures of Unlucky Everydude hero Almaz von Almandine Adamant, who once again finds himself in the spotlight after unwittingly receiving the main character title and triggering war as a number of other former protagonists — and side characters as well — scrabble to claim the title from him.
However, becoming the unwilling recipient of the main character position is only the beginning of Almaz's troubles. In the midst of fighting over the title, another far greater danger arises in the form of a feared and prophesized figure known as the Overlord of the Abyss returning to the Netherworld. With time working against him and only a handful of reluctant (if not outright impossible) allies to aid him, it's up to Almaz and his Ragtag Bunch of Misfits to stop the apocalypse and return the title to its rightful owner.
Disgaea NC is host to a blended cast of canon and original characters; while canon primarily dominates the main storyline, the original cast takes over as the central focus in the 'Post-Game' plot after the main events of the comic, which brings more of their personalities and antics to light.
Netherworld Chronicles provides examples of the following tropes:
- Abduction Is Love: Vent, who kidnaps women from a nearby desert village.
- The Alcoholic: Archimedes
- Ambiguously Gay: While the nature of their relationship is explained as strictly employer-vassal, it doesn't explain why Vyers and Archimedes are parenting a couple of kids together, or why they seem awfully close... Made less ambiguous in the Post-Game, where the two are heavily implied to be in a romantic relationship.
- Ascended Extra: After appearing only one other time as comic relief in a one-shot vignette, Vyers debuted in later chapters as Tauntus and Adon's guardian, netting a significant role and working to provide exposition.
- Author Appeal: Heroes doing heroic things, Cat Girl maids, and more weaponry porn than you can shake a comically-oversized BFS at.
- Author Avatar: Akimoto
- Authority Equals Asskicking: The general rule of thumb for Netherworld politics.
- Battle Aura: An uncountable number of major characters have one of these. Vent's is probably the most notable.
- BFS: Akimoto's weapon of choice.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The characters are all fighting each other for the title of main character within the comic. Laharl is a repeat offender.
- Big Damn Heroes: Aki and party, though Aki seems to be the most guiltty party.
- Casanova Wannabe: Vent, who seems to be the only one incapable of getting a girlfriend or romantic interest. It is implied that he later hooks up with a werewolf girl.
- Child Mage: Adon and Fiona both fall under this category.
- Cool Sword: Whenever a character is given a new weapon, it often comes with a lengthy description and a name.
- Deadpan Snarker: Archimedes and Adon.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Somewhat subverted. Akimoto initially resents Almaz and still looks down on him even after he loses to him in battle, although he gradually warms to him.
- Did I Mention I Am Heterosexual Today: Akimoto and Vent are both repeat offenders. It's difficult to tell which one works harder at reminding the audience that they're attracted to women.
- Driven to Villainy: Vent.
- Evil Laugh / Obnoxious Laugh: Akimoto
- Fanservice: Krystal, when she belly-dances to distract Vent.
- Fiery Redhead: Tauntus, though he is less evil and more Chaotic Stupid.
- Freudian Excuse: Vent. Lots of people have bad parents and worse home lives as children, but very few of them go on to attempt to turn the world into a perpetual realm of night because of it.
- Goldfish Poop Gang: Travis and the rest of the Rebels.
- Informed Attribute: Krystal's status of "Kind Overlord" and her being referred to as such in the prophecy is little more than this, as she turns out to be rather rude to the majority of the cast over the course of the story. As it turns out, the title was intended for Laharl rather than her, possibly subverting this trope.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Adon and Archimedes.
- Jerkass:
- Akimoto. Dear lord, Akimoto.
- Also Archimedes, possibly to an even greater degree.
- Large Ham: Vyers, Akimoto, Vent, Tauntus, and later Asbael are all but made of bacon.
- Lovable Coward: Almaz
- Morality Pet: Fiona to Akimoto. How well this actually works is up for debate.
- Mysterious Employer: Vyers, to Archimedes.
- Papa Wolf: While he's not exactly Dad of the Year material with his own son, Archi is fiercely protective of Adon.
- Parental Substitute: Vyers and Archimedes serve as these of a sort to Adon and Tauntus.
- Plot Hole:
- Akimoto's childhood and adolescence are unexplainable. Both of his parents were dead when he was an infant. It is never mentioned if he had a nanny or not. It is also unknown how he remembers his parents in such detail despite being a squirming babe in diapers.
- Retconned with the later inclusion of Grandpa and Grandma Infernus, who took Aki in and raised him themselves. Though this still fails to explain how baby Akimoto managed to come out the sole survivor of an otherwise all-out slaughter.
- Akimoto's childhood and adolescence are unexplainable. Both of his parents were dead when he was an infant. It is never mentioned if he had a nanny or not. It is also unknown how he remembers his parents in such detail despite being a squirming babe in diapers.
- Power Limiter: Fiona's shackles.
- Powers via Possession:
- Fiona, apparently possessed by the mighty Overlord of Mana.
- Adon falls under this category as well, though to a lesser degree.
- Puppy Love: Adon and Fiona.
- Putting the Band Back Together:
- Aki, Vent, Raziel, and several side characters used to be in a band, Hell's Watchdogs, which previously disbanded after an out-of-character attack by Krichevskoy.
- Aki and Vent frequently use this as a method to pick up girls. Particularly Aki, the former bass player.
- In an off-panel, Aki attempts to have a rock battle with Axel despite Axel having a guitar and Aki a bass.
- Rich Bitch: Vayle
- Rule of Cool: The entire series pretty much runs on this.
- Sink or Swim Mentor: A good number of Archi's "training lessons" have run the risk of seriously injuring or even killing Adon.
- Slap-Slap-Kiss: Vayle, who beats on Aki but at the same time seems to foster a strange attraction to him.
- The Starscream: Etna betrays Akimoto after he loses his battle with Almaz due to a fluke.
- Supporting Protagonist: While Almaz is arguably the most traditionally heroic character in the series, he tends to be demoted to this role while the more action-oriented characters are in the limelight.
- Token Romance: Akimoto and Vayle.
- Woman Scorned: Vayle
- World of Ham
- You and What Army?: Etna aims to claim the title of protagonist for herself by commandeering the Krichevskoy Black Ops, a secret assassin force of Laharl's that appears to have completely been pulled from Hammerspace.
