Ragnarok the Animation

is a mage who wears a blindfold (a Dark Blinker) and searches the world for the ultimate truth. Her mission for this "ultimate truth" was put on her by her teacher, Zephyr (who also gave her the blinker). With the blinker and her original staff intact, Zephyr had the ability to control her. After going mad and being recruited by Dark Lord, he uses this ability to manipulate Takius in favor of Dark Lord's plans. Eventually, Takius is able to conquer her internal struggles, breaking free from her ties with him and removing the blinker permanently. To further this transformation she became a Sage, resulting in one final confrontation with the one man she ever loved. During the final battle with Zephyr, her master was betrayed by the Dark Lord, who had been using Zephyr from the beginning. As a result, he falls from a collapsing wall, only to be saved just in time by Takius. However, the two are killed from a spell Zephyr had casted previously. However, this wouldn't be Takius's last appearance in the anime. The voice of Takius would come to Roan during the final battle, encouraging Roan to fight on for he had lost all hope (some believe that Takius has survived the Lord of Vermillion spell Zephyr summoned). Takius's staff would then come crashing down from the air, cancelling the attack Dark Lord had intended on using (somehow, the wand seems to contain the magic called Spellbreaker, which is the reason of the cancelling effect). Maya carries out her wand as a memory of her. Her real name is is the greatest representation of evil within Rune-Midgard. He shows a noticeable superiority to all other monsters in the anime, and proves to be the world's greatest threat, despite being sealed away long ago by the "Seven Ambitions." He is so cunning and devious, he manages to convince three of the seven souls he needs to be revived to work for him. From several scenes, it seems that the Dark Lord consists of two identities, both being equally evil. There is no apparent difference between the two identities, seemingly only shown to explain the different voices of this villain. Dark Lord is an actual MVP (boss) in Ragnarok Online.

Keough

Yufa's elder brother, a knight, and currently a subordinate of the Dark Lord. nihongo|Keough|キーオ|Kīo|voiced by Takehito Koyasu is childhood friends with Iruga and accompanied him to investigate Glast Heim. The ruins proved to be too much for the group and forced them to flee. However, their escape route was blocked by an Abysmal Knight. Despite Iruga's protests, Keough distracted the knight as Iruga got Roan and Yufa out. However, before Iruga could make it back Keough was stabbed and the doors of Glast Heim closed. In the beginning it is assumed he died, but the group later learns that he was brainwashed and corrupted by the Dark Lord. Keough's stab wound was made by a "Blade Lost in Darkness," which would become symbolic to what he had become. His main purpose would be to lure Yufa to join the dark side, for she was holding a soul crystal vital for Dark Lord's revival. Merely seconds from death, Keough reforms and apologizes to Iruga for everything. His soul later appears in Yufa's dream sequence telling her not to choose the path he had taken, and to follow Roan for he would protect her. Iruga nicknames him Haze after he turns to the dark side.

Zephyr

nihongo|Zephyr|ゼフェル|Zeferu|voiced by Nachi Nozawa is a wizard, and Takius's teacher. He possesses similar characteristics to The Joker. He has a high-pitched laugh and does some very goofy antics throughout the anime, from laughing for no apparent reason, to fighting Roan with a candy cane. However, all that cannot seem to hide his incredible power, knowledge of magic, and his utter insanity. Zephyr once had a family, but they had lost their lives due to a failed experiment of his. Coupled with the ridicule of the public, Zephyr was driven insane to the point where he could be easily manipulated by the Dark Lord. The anime is vague on whether he went insane during teaching Takius or after. He is eventually saved by his former pupil, but too late for both of them. In the anime, Zephyr was the only character to have attained an "aura" which signifies the ultimate power he has gained through mercilessly killing hundreds of monsters and people (in "Ragnarok Online" it instead represents reaching level 99).

Zealotus

nihongo|Zealotus|ジルタス|Jirutasu|voiced by Mariko Suzuki is the offspring of a monster father and a human mother. Because of the prejudice of her monster half, Zealotus and her mother were forced to leave their village. The cruelty of the villagers left a deep hatred of humans in Zealotus' heart. After her mother's death, Zealotus lived among the monsters and became a cruel being. A chance encounter with Baphomet made her rethink her lifestyle until she is approached by Dark Lord to serve him. She was first seen in Prontera Sewers, manipulating the actions of the Golden Thief Bug. During the anime, she has a particular dislike for Maya because of Maya's love for monsters and relationship with Alice. They eventually resolve their differences. In the end, she sacrifice her life to protect Maya as a sign of their friendship. Her spirit would appear before Maya during the final battle and instruct her on how to defeat the Dark Lord. Zealotus is an actual monster in the game.

Other

Baphomet

nihongo|Baphomet|バフォメット|Bafometto|voiced by Mugihito, a towering, horned goat-like being who is the first to best the entire group of protagonists, possessing immense power, but obviously not fighting to the fullest in his fights (and often toying with his opponents). Though considered evil at first, he shows mercy by sparing the group and then respect when Judia rescues his son. It seems the Baphomet was one the greatest beings preventing Dark Lord's revitalization, though he never directly interferes until the end. It is unknown whether or not Baphomet is stronger than the Dark Lord. At one point in the series it is revealed that Baphomet is concerned for the "balance of good and evil" which could explain why he opposes Dark Lord while being the evil himself. His weapon is a large hammer in the anime, while in the game he uses a purple scythe. Baphomet is an actual MVP (boss) in the game.

Melopsum

nihongo|Melopsum|メロプシュム|Meropushumu|voiced by Rumi Ochiai is a shapeshifting witch who was responsible for a tragedy at Comodo many years ago (although it has been implied that is was just a misinterpreted tale). She seems to be associated with Baphomet, but is a largely mysterious character. She has a particular interest in Roan. She first changed into a Crusader in Izlude Island and saves Roan and convinces him to become a Crusader. Then she changes into an Archer in Payon to teach him the true path that power isn't everything and finally a Monk when Roan is trapped in a cave near Comodo, teaching him not to use the sword arrogantly and that pure strength is not enough. In her last appearance to Roan, she (and two dancers indirectly) teach Roan to tell the enemies moves and gives him a sword that was used to seal she herself away, entrusting him to use it to protect those he loved.

In-game events

Japan and the Philippines have both held some sort of in-game events to commemorate the release of the anime. On jRO, players could speak to an NPC in Comodo then carry out quests paralleling the anime, while two characters modeled after Roan and Yufa roamed around Prontera on pRO.

Voice actors

Japanese voice actors (seiyū)

*Roan - Daisuke Sakaguchi
*Yufa - Nana Mizuki
*Takius, Catherine (Young Takius) - Aya Hisakawa
*Maya - Haruko Momoi
*Iruga - Kazuya Nakai
*Judia - Minako Arakawa
*Keough/Haze - Takehito Koyasu
*Poi-poi - Fujiko Takimoto
*Baphomet - Mugihito
*Zephyr - Nachi Nozawa
*Baphomet Jr. - Nao Nagasawa
*Archer - Rumi Ochiai
*Alice - Saki Nakajima
*Dark Lord - Yōsuke Akimoto

English voice actors

*Roan - Greg Ayres
*Yufa - Carrie Savage
*Takius - Jennifer Seman
*Maaya - Luci Christian
*Iruga - Charles Baker
*Judia - Caitlin Glass
*Keough/Haze - Robert McCollum
*Zealotus - Colleen Clinkenbeard
*Baphomet - Cole Brown
*Baphomet Jr. - Chris Cason
*Alice - Monica Rial

Episode list

#nihongo|For What Reasons Do You Wield That Sword?|その剣は何のためにあるのです|Sono Ken wa Nani no Tame ni Aru no desu
#nihongo|Nice To Meet You, Big Brother|よろしくね、お兄ちゃん|Yoroshiku ne, Oniichan
#nihongo|I Will Believe|私は信じてます|Watashi wa Shinjitemasu
#nihongo|Is That Your Strength?|それはお前の力なのか|Sore wa Omae no Chikara nano ka
#nihongo|What Did You Just Say?|今、なんていったの?|Ima, Nante Itta no?
#nihongo|Because I Won't Let Anyone Interfere|誰にも私の邪魔はさせないんだから|Tare ni mo Watashi no Jama wa Sasenain dakara
#nihongo|Are You Consoling Me!?|なぐさめてくれるの!?|Nagusamete Kureru no!?
#nihongo|Those Who Don't Know the Value of Life are Unfortunate|命の尊さを知らぬものは不幸だ|Inochi no Tattosa o Shiranu Mono wa Fukō da
#nihongo|Everything is For the Sake of Truth|全ては真理のために|Subete wa Shinri no Tame ni
#nihongo|You are my Brother, Right!?|兄さんなんでしょ!|Oniichan Nan desho!
#nihongo|There is Only Despair in This World|この世にあるのは失望だけだ|Kono Yo ni Aru-no wa Shitsubō Dake da
#nihongo|I'm No Good…|僕じゃダメなんだ…|Boku ja Dame Nan da…
#nihongo|Guardian…|守る者…|Mamoru Mono…
#nihongo|Why Don't You Answer?|どうして答えてくださらないのです|Dōshite Kotaete Kudasaranai no desu
#nihongo|Don't Worry, I'm Here|大丈夫、俺がいる|Daijōbu, Ore ga Iru
#nihongo|I Can't Save Anything…|何も救えない…|Nani mo Sukuenai…
#nihongo|You've Already Dirtied Your Hands|すでにお前も汚れている|Sude ni Omae mo Kagarete Iru
#nihongo|Everyone Already Knew|みんなわかってたんや|Minna Wakatta n'ya
#nihongo|We'll Always Be Together|ずっといっしょだよ|Zutto Issho da yo
#nihongo|Enough Already…|もう、いいや…|Mō, Ii ya…
#nihongo|I Need You|お前が必要なんだ|Omae ga Hitsuyō Nan da
#nihongo|Which is the Lonely One!?|寂しいのはどっち!|Samishii-no wa Dotchi!
#nihongo|Goodbye…|さよなら…|Sayonara…
#nihongo|The Place of Everything's Conclusion|全ての決着をつける場所|Subete no Ketchaku o Tsukeru Basho
#nihongo|He Who Realized His Mistake|過ちに気付きし者|Ayamachi ni Kizuki-shi Mono
#nihongo|For the Sake Of Our Future!|私達の未来のために!|Watashi-tachi no Mirai no Tame ni!

ee also

*Ragnarok Online, an MMORPG
*Ragnarok, a Manhwa

External links

* [http://www.ragnarokonline.jp/news/game/roanime Ragnarok the Animation news on Japan]
* [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/ragnarok TV Tokyo Ragnarok the Animation Homepage]
* [http://tv.sbs.co.kr/ragnarok SBS Ragnarok the Animation Homepage]
* [http://www.ragnarok.ph/anime/ Level Up! Games (Philippines) Ragnarok the Animation Homepage]
* [http://www.funimation.com/ragnarok/ FUNimation's Ragnarok Anime Website]
* [http://ero.gameflier.com.my/Action/2005825/RO_anime_main.html Singapore/Malaysia 's Ragnarok the Animation Homepage]
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