List of s-CRY-ed characters

This is a list of fictional characters appearing in the Japanese anime television series s-CRY-ed.

Inner characters

After the Lost Ground was separated from the Mainland, a sense of order had to be reestablished. A modernized city was crafted in the middle of the island, protecting its citizens from the "Wasteland" outside by use of a gigantic wall encircling the city. This was crafted primarily as defense against the scourge known as "Alter Users"; the uncivilized ones still living in the wasteland being branded "Native Alters". However, many normal people also live outside the wall, and there is a slight prejudice of them among city dwellers, hence the term "Inners".

Kazuma

Voiced by: Soichiro Hoshi (Japanese), Steven Jay Blum (English)

Age 16 - Clad in a black, one-sleeved battle jacket throughout and first appearing in episode one, Kazuma, known as The Shell Bullet and referred to by HOLY as 1st degree criminal NP3228 in the anime, and Kazuma "The Treasoner" in the manga, is one of the two central protagonists of the s-CRY-ed series, though is usually featured first in every version of the story. A Native Alter from the Lost Ground, he was initially classified as a Class "C" Alter User by HOLY (a militaristic anti-Native Alter organization composed of Alter Users), but was risen to Class "A" after defeating Asuka Tachibana. However, when Kazuma and Ryuho violently clash in Episode 13, Tachibana states that their power has to be of Class "S" in order to cause so much devastation. Kazuma is regarded as the most dangerous Native Alter in the Lost Ground for good reason; he is an entirely reckless person with little regard for his own safety and nearly unstoppable when enraged into a frenzy. He will do anything for the right price, although he does show his strong convictions and deep concern for his closest friends. He lives with the young girl Kanami Yuta (who is also an Alter User) in an abandoned dentist's office, and the two of them seem to have a very strong, brother-sister type bond, despite both being unrelated orphans. The primary focus of the story is his fierce clash with Ryuho, the most powerful Alter User within the HOLY organization and how their rivalry shapes the Lost Ground throughout the series. If Ryuho represents order, Kazuma would represent chaos; this is particularly why their strong convictions clash so violently with one another so early on. Kazuma has stated that he finds the unpredictability of the Lost Ground to be quite enjoyable, while Ryuho quite literally stakes his life on ending all forms of chaos throughout. Ironically, towards the end of the series, the one person Kazuma is forced to ally himself with is none other than Ryuho. Though by the end of the series, even though they do come to respect one another, they would still never call themselves friends and part ways soon thereafter. And even though Kazuma thoroughly detests the HOLY organization, even very early on, he was a former student of current HOLY member Straight Cougar, to whom Kazuma still refers to as his "big brother"; though this is more of a nickname, common in Japan between males, rather than a true fraternal relation. In the final episode (26-Dream), Kazuma and Ryuho, both weary from battling the battling against the Mainland invasion for months, decide to finally settle who is the strongest before they finally part ways. They both use their most powerful attacks, and, although it is never said who wins the fight, a fist is shown clenching in a manner similar to Kazuma's during the final scene. In his very last scene, Kazuma is seen years later, still wearing the same ragged clothes, and challenging the Mainland's military before punching through a rock wall and forming the series' logo.

A perfect representation of his straightforward, rather blunt personality, Kazuma's Alter power is the Shell Bullet, an alloy fusion-type Alter. In its first form, his right arm is covered in a protective metal alloy and three curved fins are created on his right shoulder blade. In this form, the fins disintegrate, granting him three shots, and propel him forward at a great velocity. When a fin is disintegrated, Kazuma shouts either "Shocking First Bullet" if it is the first fin, "Annihilating Second Bullet" if it is the second fin or "Exterminating Last Bullet" if it is the third top fin. It is stated that these "bullet" techniques were taught to him by Straight Cougar.

Later in the series, Kazuma combats the Crystal Alter form, the physical manifestation of the "Other Side", and, through a broken piece of its body, evolves his Alter to its second form, in which his armor is thickened and the fins are replaced by a propeller that allows him flight for much longer intervals and greater speed. In this form, his Alter entirely replaces his arm, instead of merely covering it, and three fins appear over the right side of his face, near his eye. His second form's ultimate attack is known as "Shell Bullet Burst", and, as expected, is much more powerful than any of his first form's moves and can be used infinitely. This Shell Bullet will even regenerate and reattach itself if cut off.

Near the end of the series, Kazuma gains access to the third form of his Alter by fully tapping into the "Other Side" during his final battle with Kyoji Mujo. In this form, the metal alloy covers his entire body and he gains the appearance of a humanoid cross between a samurai and a lion. The propeller is replaced by a tail-like whip, which he uses to propel himself into the air, and is capable of spaceflight. He can also now launch Shell Bullet attacks, which are vastly stronger than those of his second form, with both arms (known as his "Proud Fist"). This attack is sufficiently powerful enough to punch an opponent clear through dimensional barriers.

While it was never completely explained or noticed by other characters (Kanami points it out once, but never mentions it again), the unnatural evolution of Kazuma's alter ability seems to be causing physical destruction to his natural body the more he uses it. The damage seems to increase from the first use of his second form, snowballing out of control by the time his third form is discovered. His right arm constantly spasms in pain after a battle, regardless of how difficult or easy it was and bares numerous Alter scarring from each overuse. His right eye remains shut without use of his Alter, and its iris is a noticeably brighter color as well, while the right side of his bangs seem to dull in color where the second form fins attach to the side of his head. By the end of the series, it seems that the damage has spread throughout all of Kazuma's body, leaving his body, and the majority of his now Alter scarred face, in overall terrible condition.

In the manga, his Alter abilities are noticeably different. His first Shell Bullet form has infinite usage, and, rather than using the fins on his back, his ammunition comes from his strong convictions and/or feelings. Also, like the second Shell Bullet in the anime, it has the ability to regenerate injuries (e.g.: if the arm is cut off). He is also able to change the shape of his alter to suit his needs in combat, e.g.: Learning the Shell Bullet of Velocity, a hyper charged speedy version of his Alter, which is based from Cougar's attacks.

His final Alter form covers most of his body in patches, leaving it with a rather gruesome looking appearance. This form is renamed the "Death Bullet" in the English translation, though still retains the "Shell Bullet" moniker in the original Japanese version. Also, in the English adaptation, Kazuma's name is mistranslated as "Kazuma Torisuna, the Treasoner" which is just the romaji of his "Treasoner" title. In Japanese, he is solely "Kazuma, the Treasoner".

Additionally in the manga, Kazuma is stated to have an actual brother figure by the name of Taiki Aono, a member of the illustrious "Super HOLY". They both share the same birthmark on their right hands (to which is stated why Kazuma wears his glove to cover it).

By the end of the manga, Kazuma is in far worse shape than the anime; missing his entire left arm, a quarter of his right leg, while his right eye has noticeably been clawed away, leaving three pronounced scars across it. However, he is seen able to again simulate full mobility under the influence of his ultimate Alter form in the epilogue.

Kanami Yuta

Voiced by: Yukari Tamura (Japanese), Carrie Daniels (English)

Kanami is an eight-year-old orphan girl who lives with Kazuma in wastelands of the Lost Ground. While she knows nothing of Kazuma's alter ability or his missions at first, she constantly has telepathic dreams about him by using her Alter ability without her knowledge (e.g., scrying). While awake, all she knows is that Kazuma brings home money from whatever he is out doing, though sometimes the pay is not enough to support the both of them. Though obviously more responsible and mature than Kazuma when it comes to running things, she often affectionately calls him Kazu-kun, a name which he detests, and is still very much wet behind the ears on many other details surrounding both her and Kazuma's current situation.

During the middle of the series, in which the abandoned dentist's office where she and Kazuma had been living is destroyed, and with Kazuma also missing in action, she is sold into slave labor with many other Inners. She and the rest of the Inners are eventually saved by Ryuho, and, while she accepted Ryuho as her new ally (even though she remembered him as Kazuma's enemy), she still vigorously searched for Kazuma any way she could, even risking her life to do so. Towards the end of the series, she is kidnapped by Kyoji Mujo, using her as not only his shield, but his ultimate spying ability as well, all thanks to her Alter ability. Kanami's peril is essentially the main reason behind Kazuma and Ryuho storming inside Mujo's stronghold so quickly. After she is rescued, she is seen living alongside Mimori and many other Inners at the very end of the series, still hoping that one day Kazuma will return to her, with her very last appearance being several years later, now as an adult, shown after the ending credits of the final episode. She finally admits her true feelings for Kazuma and that she loves him, to which he says he knew all along. It's unknown if Kazuma ever came back to her, or if he reciprocated her feelings.

In the manga, Kanami has no Alter abilities and is solely a normal little girl; though her role remains the same.

Kunihiko Kimishima

Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese), Lex Lang (English)

Age 17 - Mainly just called Kimishima, he was one of Kazuma's only friends, and typically stated to be his best friend. At first, he seems to have hired Kazuma, due to his impressive reputation as the Alter User who'd do anything for money, to fight with various thugs across the wasteland, including other Alter Users. This partnership eventually lead towards their close friendship. A running joke early on is that every vehicle he uses is destroyed as a direct result of someone's Alter power. Although he has no Alter ability himself, Kimishima is often willing to put himself in dangerous situations, such as defending the Lost Ground from a HOLY crackdown, or defending his friends. He has a crush on Ayase Terada, another of his and Kazuma's close Alter User allies, though she never reciprocates his feeling, actually stating that she was in love with Kazuma instead. Near the middle of the series, he is severely injured and later dies from wounds inflicted during a conflict with HOLY, something which drives Kazuma virtually insane with anger and grief; an event that ultimately leads to an epic clash between him and Ryuho, plunging the Lost Ground into its second uprising.

In his final scene, Kazuma is seen laying Kimishima to rest inside his treasured car, to which Kazuma vehemently fought against HOLD the previous night to retrieve.

In the manga, Kimishima mostly fills the same role, but remains alive and well at the end, now married to Ayase Terada.

Biff

Voiced by: Ginzou Matsuo/Bin Shimada (Japanese), Eddie Brumbaugh (English)

The first opponent Kazuma faces in the series, Biff is a recurring character in the series with the alter ability "NR Hammer," which creates a large mecha that, predictably enough, has a gigantic hammer for a right arm. Later on, he gets captured and his abilities are refined immensely, though he is also brainwashed and stripped of all will in the process, to the point that his vocabulary becomes limited solely to "Hammer!". While ordered to stake his life on killing Kazuma at the end, he eventually breaks free just before falling to his death, finally recalling, all with tears in his eyes, his original name and speaking it aloud.

Ayase Terada

Voiced by: Kumiko Nishihara (Japanese), Michelle Ruff (English)

Age 17 - Introduced in episode 4, she is a Native Alter and close friend of Kimishima. Her Alter ability, "Noble Tempest", manifests itself as a very tiny sea urchin hair ornament, which, when activated, turns everything her hair touches into water. She does not like to fight, but uses her power when she needs to, especially when it's to save her family. Later on, she gets captured and, under threat of HOLY withholding medical treatment from her sickly younger brother, has her alter abilities refined extensively. This allows her to entirely control any body of water, or even create her own. She can even alter the chemical reactions within water and manifest a gargantuan alter by using a special conch-like apparatus that resembles a necklace. Towards the middle of the series, after she returns, she engages into a fierce battle to the death with Kazuma against her will, solely for her brother's sake. However, when it looks like she had won, she finds out that her brother has died and loses the will to live immediately thereafter. As Kazuma, who had nearly lost his own will to live before, finally engages a fierce counterattack, Ayase deactivates her Alter and dies in his arms.

In the anime, Ayase seemed to have taken a liking towards Kazuma, though it is not confirmed if she had the same feelings for Kimishima. In the manga, however, she is only introduced in the last page, revealed to have married Kimishima.

Dread Red

Voiced by: Yukitoshi Hori (Japanese), Peter Spellos (English)

A corrupt Native Alter who enslaved Kanami's village to hoard precious gems from the Earth in payment for his protection. His Alter is a gigantic mecha-octopus that can attack with its tentacles and even spray a presumably toxic kind of ink. Revealed to have been one of the Native Alters whom Kimishima had asked for assistance back in episode 6, Red declined, stating in episode 14 how lucky he was to have done so now that he is isolated from HOLD after the second uprising. He sets up a criminal organization and captures Inners as slave labor to dig up precious metals so he can soon escape out of the Lost Ground to safety. However, Ryuho disposes of Red without even using his full Alter power. His name is never revealed in his only episode appearance, except in the episode's ending credits.

Akira Mijyou

Featured only in the manga, she is the leader of the Native Alter User corps LAWLESS, the nemesis of HOLY which supports chaos in the Lost Ground. Akira is a strong-willed woman with a curiously non-feminine appearance. She harbors feelings for fellow LAWLESS member Hannish Lightning and allies herself with Kazuma in his crusade against HOLY. Her Alter is the "Sound Staff", a large polearm-like weapon able to summon sonic-based attacks.

HOLY characters

Within the city walls stands a powerful organization bent on bringing order back to the Lost Ground. With the mentality of "Only Alter Users can defeat other Alter Users", a specialized group of Alter Users was formed to deal with the scourge of Native Alters outside the wall, calling itself HOLY. Consisting mostly of reformed Native Alters themselves, HOLY, along with its non-Alter security division HOLD, hold a constant vigil over the Lost Ground's wasteland. Typically it is HOLD who attempts to maintain order, but when Native Alters are spotted, or cause a ruckus, HOLY is called in.

Ryuho

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese), Jason Spisak (English)

Age 17- Formerly introduced in character in episode two, Ryuho is the second protagonist of the series. An exceptionally gifted Alter User, and the strongest in the entire HOLY organization, he comes from a very affluent background; the polar opposite of his rival Kazuma. While Kazuma represents chaos, Ryuho would represent order. However, both he and Kazuma are more alike than either one cares to admit; with Ryuho possessing equally strong convictions and drive, partially the reason why the both of them locked horns so violently in only their first meeting. An incredibly powerful rivalry, which drives both of them nearly to the point of insanity in defeating the other, it stems back to their upbringings, and thus, entirely different, rigid worldviews; Kazuma being left on his own to fend for himself, with Ryuho having the calm order of his life so callously swept out from under him in a very traumatizing childhood event. This scarring tragedy is particularly why Ryuho forms such strong convictions into adulthood. During his calm childhood years, he had latent Alter abilities that were unable to manifest until a strange Crystallized Alter entity from the "Other Side" (which Ryuho is led to believe was a Native Alter, hence his joining in HOLY to eradicate them), leveled his home and killed his mother and treasured doberman pincher. This event is what gave birth to his Alter, a humanoid-like doll he named after his late dog, Zetsuei. Later on in the series, Kazuma gives Ryuho the title of "Master of Zetsuei".

Before being shaped into a bitter man by HOLY, Ryuho was a rather sweet child, not at all spoiled by his rich upbringing. He didn't like fighting and actually cursed the fact that he was an Alter User. When he was ten years old, he met his best childhood friend, Mimori Kiryu, the daughter of the most powerful family on the Mainland, who was invited to a party that Ryuho's Father, Ryu Tairen, was hosting. The two of them connected immediately, with Mimori enamored by not only the Lost Ground, but the fact that Ryuho was an Alter User as well. During this night, Ryuho was startled and created a fragment of his Zetsuei Alter out of a pillar. Mimori was drawn to the crystal, asking if she could keep it, and it soon became her own private keepsake of him, which she keeps long into adulthood and wears as a necklace. Their friendship continued for around half a year, but soon Mimori had to return to the Mainland, and not long after, Ryuho's mother Keika and his dog Zetsuei were both killed by the Crystallized Form of the "Other Side", and from that moment on, Ryuho changed into an empty, entirely callous man, driven with everything inside him to purge the Lost Ground of chaos and Native Alters, haunted by this event for the remainder of the series.

As the series begins, Ryuho is the HOLY Member initially dispatched to capture Kazuma. At this time, he swiftly defeats Kazuma with little effort, but the outcome, coupled with Ryuho's smug attitude, ignites a fire within Kazuma and it's not long before he escapes and becomes Ryuho's most sought after capture. As Kazuma repeatedly crushes every attempt by HOLY, Ryuho eventually grows so demented that he steps in personally to cease his actions. Though not their first one-on-one battle, it is the first in which Ryuho goes entirely all out, summoning not only the full power form of his Alter Zetsuei, but a near homicidal rage for killing Kazuma once and for all. He eventually becomes so clouded that he even refuses the advice, or aid, from fellow HOLY members. This epic battle eventually sends the Lost Ground into its second uprising, with Ryuho temporarily losing his memory in the process.

His convictions remain as strong as ever, but without any of the hatred that had so fueled him early on. Without knowledge that he is even an Alter User himself, he reappears and actually saves a village of Inners from the corrupt Native Alter Dread Red, without even summoning his Alter. Scherice and Urizane, both two of his closest allies in HOLY arrive to take him back, but he does not recognize them and swiftly refuses, choosing instead to protect the village. After a devious ploy by other HOLY officers, and former allies, Unkei and Kigetsuki, Ryuho's memory is restored after defeating them. Sickened however by HOLY's methods in coaxing him, which included kidnapping his newfound friend Kanami (ironically, Kazuma's closest ally whom he doesn't recognize), and even altering his own memories, he remains true to his convictions and admits that now he is finally able to see clearly. While not attacking either Urizane or Scherice, he makes it clear that he has no intention of returning to HOLY. Urizane respects his decision, but warns that they might be enemies the next they meet. Scherice, smitten with Ryuho, however, decides to stay wherever he is and disbands from HOLY as well. Later, after another attack by Kigetsuki, and the reappearance of both Kazuma and Mimori, Ryuho and Kazuma join forces to defeat him. However, it was a ploy crafted by new HOLY mastermind, an Alter User from the Mainland, Kyoji Mujo, who uses the HOLY EYE satellite to contact the both of them, and reveals that Ryuho's father, Tairen, is dead. Mujo claims that Tairen killed himself to protect Ryuho, although it is likely that Mujo actually killed him himself.

Shortly after receiving the satellite transmission, Kazuma and Ryuho storm Mujo's alter-enhanced HOLY HQ, intending to defeat him once and for all and begrudgingly join forces. There, Ryuho fights four crucial battles. The first is against Martin Zigmarl, his former commanding officer of HOLY. During this fight, Zigmarl reveals to Ryuho that the Crystal was not a Native Alter, but a sentient being created purely from Alter energy, and he essentially lied to him about the details to keep him motivated. It is here that Ryuho finally unlocks the true power of the "Other Side" by morphing Zetsuei into an Alter armor, which he uses to defeat and kill Zigmarl; though Zigmarl stated that was his plan from the start; to hone Ryuho's full ability to defeat Mujo. The second battle is against the Crystal embodiment where Ryuho actually is impaled and killed. However, due to Scherice sacrificing herself by using her unstable, healing Alter power, he is revived. As both Kazuma and Ryuho storm into the heart of Mujo's stronghold, Mujo summons the Crystal embodiment to handle Ryuho, while he personally takes care of Kazuma. During this battle, Zetsuei's second form proves no match against the Crystal until Ryuho summons the power of his third form once more and finally defeats it, sending it back to the dimension from whence it came. In the final battle in Mujo's stronghold, Ryuho and Kazuma tag-team in their final Alter forms to defeat the corrupt Alter User once and for all. Following Mujo's defeat, Ryuho and Kazuma join forces for several months to destroy the massive military invasion coming from the Mainland. During this time, they come to respect one another, but still can't call themselves friends. Just as they are about to part ways and handle the invasion separately, Kazuma realizes that finally they are free to fight one another without distraction. Ryuho is rather amused by the proposal and the two battle to decide who was really the strongest after all. After the earth shaking battle, it seems that both combatants were rendered unconscious, but slowly a hand raises itself over the battle field, signaling itself as the winner. There is much debate as to who the victor really was, as, just before the first goes up, it forms Ryuho's straightened edge pose before slowly, one finger at a time, clenching into a fist (Kazuma's typical process of fist-clenching). During an interview with the director, however, he reported that he wanted the viewers to decide who they wanted to be the victor.

Ryuho's name was incorrectly listed as Ryuho Tairen. Tairen was his father's given name, with Ryu 劉 being the family name; making his correct name Ryuho Ryu.

In the manga, Ryuho's personality and Alter abilities coincide with his anime persona, though in this version, he is noticeably being used as a pawn for HOLY much more, with his mother actually faking her death in order to sell him, at a young age no less, to the organization solely for papers out of the Lost Ground. At the end of the manga, Ryuho and Mimori acknowledge their mutual love for each other despite having to part due to conflicting decisions of future paths to take. In the end, he leaves with Scherice who decides to continue to support Ryuho as he follows his path. In the anime, even though Mimori is the only one left alive because Scherice sacrifices her life to save Ryuho, he dismisses her advances for two reasons: He cannot afford to put her in anymore danger and he can't forget Sherice's sacrifice for him so easily. In the end, Mimori respects the decision, but chooses to stay in the Lost Ground, despite Ryuho's stern suggestion to the contrary.

Zetsuei

Ryuho's alter is named Zetsuei, after his deceased childhood doberman, which he used as material to first form it. At stage one, Zetsuei assumes a humanoid form with permanently crossed-arms and two long purple ribbons that can stretch to any length desired and cut like blades. Zetsuei also has a mind of its own, and can react at super speed without Ryuho's guidance. It is very powerful, the most powerful Alter in HOLY (barring Emergy's unstable Super Pinch), and, at first is far stronger than Kazuma's Shell Bullet. At stage 2, Zetsuei's form changes to a serpentine form, with greatly increased speed and power. This stage also has two rocket arms, and two regular arms. The "rocket arms" are called "Vigorous Right Fist Fukuryuu" and "Vigorous Left Fist Garyuu". The third attack's (which is a more powerful version of stage one's ribbons) name is only mentioned and used once in the last episode, called "My Tender Fist, Raitsujin." A fourth attack, possibly the same as Raitsujin, is used in Episode 13. It is known as "The Tender Fist, Resshin." In the third and final stage, Zetsuei becomes a harmonic Alter, just like Kazuma's Shell Bullet, meaning it forms on Ryuho's body. In this form, Ryuho and Zetsuei's speed are nearly invisible. The weapons for this stage are Ryuho's fists, which are given incredible cutting power, strong enough to easily cut multiple air jets, and even battleships at longer distances, in half. Also, Ryuho's "shoulder spikes" can be removed to form a purple, diamond-shaped sword, resembling Mimori's keepsake necklace, that is powerful enough to cut the fabric of space and contend with Kazuma's Proud Fist attack. After using Zetsuei at stage three, Ryuho begins to show signs of Alter scarring the same as Kazuma, with two scars appearing more prominently across his face the more he uses the ability. Though, under extreme cases of duress, such as episode 13, Alter scarring can also be seen on Ryuho's forehead, similar to Kazuma's gloved right hand, which is, presumably, what lead to his amnesia in the second half of the series.

Mimori Kiryu

Voiced by: Yuko Nagashima (Japanese), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English)

Age 18- First prominently appearing in episode two, the daughter of one of the most prominent families on the Mainland that funds both HOLD and HOLY, Mimori visits the Lost Ground as a child and becomes enamored by Ryuho and the entire mythology surrounding the chaotic land. As the series starts, as an adult, she decides to finally return to the Lost Ground to not only visit Ryuho after a 7-year absence, but also join the HOLY staff as a scientist to learn more about the Lost Ground than she ever could from the Mainland. Deep down, she always wished to be with Ryuho, but soon becomes aghast upon seeing that he is no longer the sweet little boy she once knew, and is now a dominating, rather violent man when it comes to handling Native Alters, especially Kazuma. Extremely idealistic and opposed to violence in any shape, his change in attitude literally breaks her heart. Despite his constant warnings for her not to interfere with HOLY's missions, and numerous vague threats to leave the Lost Ground, Mimori constantly rushes to the aid of everyone, HOLY and Native Alters alike, at one point even aiding Kazuma and Kimishima directly behind Ryuho's back.

She keeps an Alter pendant of Ryuho's that she obtained from their first childhood meeting and is her most cherished possession. Towards the end of the series, in which Ryuho finally is able to see past his hatred, she realizes that he never really changed at all, much to her joy. At the very end, she plays a pivotal role in crippling Mujo's new base and later lives in an Inner village alongside Kanami and works to reestablish the entire Lost Ground as an orderly, peaceful, and fully independent society. While she meets up with Ryuho one last time, he dismisses her advances, saying that he must walk his own path alone.

In the manga, Mimori's personality is largely the same, though she actually works for LAWLESS, HOLY's nemesis, and first treats Kazuma after his battle with Ryuho.

Scherice Adjani

Voiced by: Masayo Kurata (Japanese), Lara Jill Miller (English)

Age 15 - The first HOLY member seen in the series, she often works alongside Ryuho, if only to provide a mental balance to his excessive disdain for Native Alters, although it quickly becomes apparent that she has a crush on him. Although it is stated that she is an Alter user in the first episode, she does not use her full Alter power until much later, nor is it hardly even explained beyond merely calling it "dangerous". Finally revealed to be called "Eternal Devote", her Alter has the ability to bypass physical barriers; its lowest form is somewhat similar to astral projection, and can deliver a shock wave of pain, or heal a person. After training herself near the end of the series, she finally able to manifest its full form; summoning a gigantic, near angelic Alter, capable of even reviving the dead. However, this can only be used once, as Scherice must sacrifice herself to do so.

Scherice's devotion to Ryuho is explained near the end of the series. Years ago, when she was a Native Alter, she was rescued from certain death (held hostage by other hostile Inners) by Ryuho, an event that left her so moved to still be alive that she eventually joined HOLY alongside the one man who had granted her that second chance. This is recalled after she finds Ryuho laying dead after his battle with the Crystal embodiment in episode 23. Here she finally summons forth her full Alter to revive Ryuho, though she ends up sacrificing herself in the process.

In the manga, Scherice can use her alter to heal and also can fuse herself with other Alter users to boost their powers. When doing so, she can control their bodies if they are unconscious, as seen when Ryuho was brought to the brink of death after protecting her from a blow from one of the Super Holy members. She can leave their bodies on her own will after fusing. She remains alive at the end, still by Ryuho's side.

Straight Cougar

Voiced by: Kyousei Tsukui (Japanese), Crispin Freeman (English)

Age 21 - Also known as Cougar Straight in the manga. He lives his life by his one main philosophy: the faster you do one thing, the more time you have for the next thing. The reasoning for this mentality is revealed later; he was refined by the Mainland, drastically shortening his life, to which he doesn't want to waste a single second of any of his remaining time. His Alter follows his philosophy, called "Radical Good Speed", which can alter any sort of motor vehicle into a pink, Alter-enhanced hot rod of sorts, drastically improving its, and anything else's, speed to, in his own words, "shorten the world". Though, the downside to this is that the vehicle is usually destroyed from the over-excess of speed, something which Cougar thinks nothing of. Ironically, however, despite this obsession with speed, he's usually found carrying around a book that he never seems to have time to finish. His Alter also has the harmonizing ability, similar to Kazuma's, in which he forms a protective shell over both his shins of his legs, making him the fastest character in the series. Though this ability seems to have come from him being privy to the "Other Side", enabling him to also form a full body Alter, similar to both Ryuho and Kazuma's ultimate forms, however, unlike them, just a small glance at the Other Side left Cougar's body and remaining Alter power in debilitating condition. Before joining HOLY, Cougar lived in the wastelands alongside his young apprentice Kazuma, (the two seemed to have a mentor/student relationship) to whom he passed on his "bullet" techniques. Even after joining HOLY, Cougar remains extremely lax about conduct and never thinks twice about breaking the rules, even if it might get him into trouble. HOLY commander Martin Zigmarl has stated on one occasion, however, that it's one of Cougar's most trustworthy traits.

When Mimori Kiryu is transferred to HOLY, Cougar becomes immediately smitten and constantly flirts with her even though he knows that she is in love with Ryuho. This act seems to amuse him more than a serious attempt on his part, though. He claims to have trouble remembering names, constantly teasing Mimori by calling her "Minori", though it is uncertain if this is merely an act for humor, since he seems to be able to control when he does it. (For example, in episode 3, after Ryuho mentions that Kazuma is now the number 1 threat of HOLY, Cougar is immediately able to recall his name).

Towards the end, he buys precious time for Mimori to escape into Kyoji Mujo's stronghold, but soon finds himself highly outclassed in not only power, but also his prized speed, by Mujo. He is apparently fatally injured, but swoops in during the final battle to save Kanami and the Elian clones so both Kazuma and Ryuho can fight unrestrained. During this moment, he says his final goodbyes to Kazuma with "Grant a man his last request" and disappears, leaving Kanami safely outside the headquarters for Mimori and company to find.

The last of his Alter power was stated by Mujo to have been drained, and Cougar embraces his end, living out his last few months in solitude; still reading the same book, and tutoring a new group of young Alter users. During the very last episode, in which the entire Lost Ground looks upon Kazuma and Ryuho's final epic battle, he is seen at peace, telling Ryuho to go back to Mimori if he can. His arm then goes limp and the viewer is left to infer his fate. There is still much debate whether Cougar actually died or not, due to it never being stated outright, but it is heavily implied that he finally succumbed to both his injuries and refinement that many characters previously spoke of, including himself.

In the manga, Cougar was Kazuma's mentor and they both share near-identical attacks, much like in the anime. He is, however, brutally murdered by fellow HOLY officer Urizane in volume 3.

Urizane

Voiced by: Bin Shimada (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)

Age unknown - A highly eccentric lover of watermelons to such a degree that they even take the form of his Alter. Constantly seen with numerous watermelons at any given moment, he will fiercely snap back if anyone so much as tries to touch one of them, even if he previously offered. His Alter power is never named, but he can morph melons into literally anything from explosives, shields, platforms, or even teleportation devices. While initially given the air of a gluttonous cretin, he is, in fact, one of the noblest HOLY members in the series. He plays a pivotal role in the final battle against Kyoji Mujo by disabling his entire system with a tremendous Alter watermelon punch. At the very end, with HOLY disbanded, he joins Elian to cultivate a watermelon farm. During the final episode, they both broadcast Kazuma and Ryuho's battle to the entire Lost Ground.

The biggest departure from the anime, Urizane of the manga is a cold and utterly ruthless villain under HOLY command. He murders Straight Cougar before battling both Kazuma and Ryuho in a duel-sided battle to the death, ending with his defeat, to which he promptly commits suicide thereafter. His Alter is largely the same, though he also has the power to cultivate "Watermelon-men", which he uses to keep Mimori at bay while he battles both Kazuma and Ryuho.

Martin Zigmarl

Voiced by: Yuuji Takada (Japanese), Jamieson Price (English)

Noticeably of much older age than every other Alter User and stated to be the very first one, Martin Zigmarl is the commanding officer of HOLY. An American immigrant to Japan, he was also the very first Alter User to be refined. This left his mysterious Alter power extremely unstable, to which it causes rapid aging in the user with each use. This is presumably why he takes on a much older appearance than any other Alter User, even early on. His Alter is not revealed until the last quarter of the series and is called "Alter Alias". It consists of two parts: An armor that protects the upper section of his body and a stand-alone mecha can move both independently or controlled by Zigmarl, similar in a way to Ryuho's Zetsuei. Using both the armor and mecha, Zigmarl can create nearly unstoppable shock waves of compressed air and takes on new levels of physical strength. Due to continual use of his Alter throughout his final face off with Ryuho, Zigmarl grows more and more elderly, finally dying of premature aging. In the end, he states that he only fought to awaken Ryuho's latent Alter ability in order for him to defeat Kyoji Mujo and essentially, the Mainland.

In the anime, Zigmarl is a very noble man with strong convictions about his cause; hence the formation of HOLY, which was used to provide a safe haven for Alter users, who are constantly discriminated against by normal people, and by the Mainland in particular. He is, however, not above directly using his loyal followers to further his own goals, with the prime example being Ryuho. When Kyoji Mujo takes over HOLY, Zigmarl is usually in disdain whenever facing the man, and repeatedly lies to his face to keep his own agenda going to thwart the Mainland's goals.

In the manga, however, Zigmarl's personality is noticeably just as, if not more so, demented as Kyoji Mujo's. His face is nothing but a front, as in reality is revealed to be a pretty boy at 19 years of age. His Alter is both the "Human Warp", to which, as its name implies, allows him to teleport wherever he so chooses, and that of the powerful "Galan Du", with a noticeable similarity to the Crystallized Alter Embodiment from the Other Side in the anime. He is then killed by said Alter, who takes on the role as the primary villain throughout the final volume.

His last name in romaji has been spelled as anything from Jigmar to Zigmarl, but is revealed in episode 21 to be Sigmar on a login screen.

George Tatsunami

Voiced by: Wataru Takagi (Japanese), Derek Stephen Prince (English)

Possessing the Alter "Big Magnum" - a huge revolver that can decimate whole houses with a single bullet - George Tatsunami is a dangerous lunatic, always exploiting his Alter power to bend people, especially Inners, to his will. His heavy-handed tactics have earned him a bad reputation among Inners of the Lost Ground, to which HOLY commander Martin Zigmarl states is actually beneficial. It is, however, also stated to have caused 30 casualties even before the series began. He first appears in Episode 4 and that remains his only major appearance.

Tatsunami of the manga is identical to the anime; and his role and fate wind up similar too. He is either driven to the point of insanity or suffers so much mental trauma that he loses the ability to summon his Alter.

Asuka Tachibana

Voiced by: Tetsuya Iwanaga (Japanese), Dave Wittenberg (English)

Age 16 - Possessing one of the most versatile Alters in the series, Asuka Tachibana is a member of HOLY and wielder of the 'Eternity Eight'. When not engaged in battle, Tachibana has a refined, somewhat relaxed demeanor, though when conflict arises, he takes great pride in acting professional and battling on behalf of HOLY. Very early in the series, a bitter, but yet unrequited rivalry with Kazuma arises after he is embarrassed by Kazuma's cheap blow during his escape from HOLY headquarters (Episode 3). In episode 5, Tachibana is called in to be the medical unit's (more specifically Mimori's) bodyguard while they traverse the wasteland, with strict orders from Martin Zigmarl to be on the lookout for 'that' guy, Kazuma. Tachibana is eager to prove his mettle, stating he more than welcomes putting that idiot in his place. However, following Kazuma's resurgence, Tachibana confronts of him, only to be made a mockery of again with little effort on Kazuma's behalf. This defeat leaves Tachibana crushed with desolation. Even his one light in life, his girlfriend Cammie, is unable to console him. This is further impeded by his dismissal of HOLY due to his defeat. Unable to face his future as an unemployed Alter User, Tachibana takes matters into his own hands. Still injured, he shows up at the ongoing skirmish between HOLY and an entire group of Native Alters (Kazuma included), and disrupts Ryuho's finishing blow solely to take the credit for killing Kazuma himself, all in hopes of being allowed back into HOLY. Kazuma is just as enraged as Ryuho, countering with his final bullet, which unearths the ground and sends the both of them tumbling beneath the surface. Barely alive, Tachibana and Kazuma begrudgingly join forces with one another to make it out alive, unanimously agreeing to have their battle when they're back on the surface. It is here that Tachibana and Kazuma begin to connect personally. After seeing the true insight into the kind of man Kazuma really is, Tachibana comes to realize that he's actually envious of him, and that his entire life up until now was essentially just a weak delusion. Once escaping, the two decide to finally finish their fight, with Kazuma smashing through Tachibana's Eternity Eight and leaving a fierce blow from Last Bullet attack. Though still alive in the aftermath, and still disbanded from HOLY, Tachibana accepts his new life with the same kind of courage Kazuma has always shown. He slowly rises up and disappears from HOLY and from the series for a good chunk of episodes. He finally reappears midway through the series, living on his own in the wasteland and working as a broker, helping merge the slums and metropolis. He later becomes an invaluable ally to both Mimori at the others until they both relocate Kazuma and Ryuho.

Tachibana's Alter, the Eternity Eight, consists of eight small emerald orbs that act as an extension of his will. He can manifest any number at a time, though the maximum seems to be set at eight. These orbs allow him to control minds (although some alter users can resist this effect by a force of will), form a shield or a sword, heal himself or others (though very mildly), fly at great speeds, or even light darkened areas, etc. After his disappearance from HOLY, he is revealed to have trained and now able to manifest a bow to fire his Eternity Eight as an arrow, aptly named "Eternity Extra Shot".

In the manga, Tachibana retains the same abilities, though he plays a much less significant role in the entire story. As revealed from his battle with Akira Mijyou, he noticeably much more conceited than his anime counterpart.

Elian

Voiced by: Takayuki Inoue (Japanese), Tony Oliver (English)

Elian Zigmarl - The eyes and ears of HOLY, Elian is the cloned son of Martin Zigmarl; though the fact of such remains unknown until much later. Elian's Alter allows him to create and control electronic devices that can allow him to observe anyone or anyplace over large areas and is often referred to as "Absolute Perception". It is heavily implied that this Alter is a product of refinement and not a natural Alter, which could also be said of Elian himself, being a clone. He plays a relatively small role, though his information gathered is incredibly crucial in many key scenes. Toward the end of the series, Kyoji Mujo even uses more twin clones of Zigmarl, who are known as Elian 3 and 4, to control the mass areas of the HOLY HQ after it is reformed.

Elian does not appear in the manga.

Unkei

Voiced by: Kenyu Horiuchi (Japanese), Michael McConnohie (English)

A secret weapon of HOLY commander Martin Zigmarl, fellow member Unkei is a professional script writer with a large pink Afro whose scripts are always on time and delivered exactly to specification. Using his Alter power Mad Sprict (the C and P are intentionally switched to illustrate his warped screenplays and how they affect reality), he envelops his enemies in a storyline so powerful it is almost impossible to separate the illusion of his script from reality. His power is mostly used to brainwash new members of HOLY.

When Kazuma pretends to join HOLY in an attempt to free the Native Alters captured in the uprising, he, along with Mimori and Scherice, becomes a victim of Unkei's Mad Sprict without even realizing. Even Kazuma is almost tempted, but he manages to break free during his sparring match with "Ryuho" upon noticing that Ryuho (not the real one, just an illusion in Unkei's script) acts nothing like the real deal. With his intense rivalry and hatred of the man, Kazuma explodes free, leaving Unkei in denial of such a possibility. Kazuma and Unkei do not battle, however, as Kazuma must rush off to save his Native Alter friends.

Following the epic clash between Ryuho and Kazuma which splits the Lost Ground and leaves both men missing in action, Unkei is re-dispatched, this time under strict orders by Martin Zigmarl to relocate Ryuho and force him to open "The Other Side" by any means necessary, even if it means risking his death. Working alongside fellow HOLY Kigetsuki, the combination of both Alters prove too much for the amnesic Ryuho and he is quick to buy into their schemes. However, thanks to Ryuho's new friend Kanami, who remains unaffected by Unkei's Alter, and, just like Kazuma before him, with his intense rivalry and dislike of the man, he too is soon to break free. This is the last straw for Ryuho; even though he does regain his memories in the process, he snaps back at both Kigetsuki and Unkei, disgusted with their methods and engages them both in battle. With Kigetsuki bailing on Unkei, he is left at Ryuho's mercy and takes the opportunity to beg, but Ryuho is quick in landing a solid blow that finishes him off. Just before Unkei goes tumbling off from a peak to his death, he uses the last of Alter power to absorb himself into one of his screenplays, stating he wants to live. It is unknown if this act killed him or actually did keep him alive in written word. In the end, Zigmarl does not take the loss of Unkei lightly and feels like it's something he's personally responsible for.

Unkei also does not appear in the manga.

Emergy Maxfell

Voiced by: Isshin Chiba (Japanese), Richard Cansino (English)

One of the most bizarre characters in the series, Emergy Maxfell, also known as "Maxfell on the Cliff," or "Pinch Maxfell," is one of the most unstable, yet powerful, Alter Users within HOLY. Even with the Alter of "Super Pinch Crusher", a gigantic mecha which has the ability to grow stronger as the situation at hand becomes more deadly, Emergy is rarely used outside of top priority missions. While his Alter is nearly unstoppable, it has one fatal drawback: Emergy must anger his enemies to a point where they have to put him in a "pinch" to even be able to call his Alter's power. Emergy has stated that during a traumatic childhood he was desperate for someone to save him and that his Alter took on the role of his protector, visualizing itself after an old toy he clung to. With his Alter finally active, Emergy then becomes extremely boastful of his invincible hero, similar to that of a small child hiding behind the coattails of their parents. His Alter takes on several forms; the first being a gigantic yellow robot bearing a gigantic "P" (presumably standing for Pinch) atop its head and going by the name "Super Pinch Crusher". In this form, its main weapon, other than its sheer physical power, is its "Powered Rifle". When even greater danger is at hand, Emergy summons forth his "Pinch Bird", a gigantic crimson mecha which combines with Super Pinch Crusher to form "Great Pinch Crusher". Here his massive Alter comes with many abilities, ranging from a rapid volley blast dubbed "Hazard Rapid Fire" or the extremely powerful "Reversing Flash Cut". Emergy also boasts several tricks of his own, including his unused "Pinch Guard".

Even a bother to fellow HOLY members, Emergy is first called in episode 10 to aid in the capture of Kazuma and several other Native Alters. He coaxes Kazuma into getting angry by bluffing that he planted explosives in the toys of numerous Inner children and then takes a tremendous beating before finally awakening his Alter. The battle is an extreme clash between the overly dependent Emergy and the highly independent Kazuma, which the latter even states as such. Though even Kazuma is first taken aback by Great Pinch Crusher, he is quick to bring out his upgraded Shell Bullet, proudly stating that it's what his determination rewarded him with. Even Emergy is frozen by terror by its power as it destroys his almighty Alter quite easily. In tears and mentally shattered that his hero could possibly be defeated, Emergy stumbles backwards to the edge of a cliff as the remnants of Pinch Crusher's sword crashes into the rocks and sends him plummeting to the depths below.

He is not killed, however. In the following episode, he is retrieved by HOLY, though his mind is shattered beyond repair, having regressed to that of a small child, and forever unable to ever summon his Alter again. His very last line is asking Ryuho if he wants to play with him and his toy robot. He makes no further appearances, so his later fate is unrevealed.

Based on his Alter power, Emergy is a fairly obvious parody of early mecha shows, with even his watch and bright red scarf being clichés of that genre. His overall costume is also highly similar to Kamen Rider. He first appears in episode 9.

Emergy does make one appearance as a HOLY officer in the manga, though with little personality and role. He's merely just a HOLY Alter User with a giant robot Alter.

Sou Kigetsuki

Voiced by: Hiro Yuuki (Japanese), Tony Oliver (English)

One of the more arrogant members of HOLY, Kigetsuki is a young man with an extremely misogynistic personality; a trait is shown perfectly with his Alter; the three Tokonatsu Sisters (Shoka, Chuka, and Banka), literally human-seeing puppets that represent Kigetsuki's "perfect women". However, it is soon revealed that each one of them are merely fragments of his natural Alter; a gigantic monster going by the name "Burning Summer", which is able to control lava and heat. Kigetsuki states that he did extensive training at HOLY to make his dream women appear more human, which could also be how he changed the original form of his Alter so much as well.

Playing only a background role for the first half of the series, Kigetsuki's importance skyrockets a quarter through the final half, where he becomes the top member of Kyoji Mujo's "new" HOLY. He is originally called in alongside Unkei to bring the amnesic Ryuho back to HOLY by any means under orders from Martin Zigmarl; however when the mission fails, Kigetsuki is quick in retreating and leaving his teammate Unkei behind. He is later confronted, but reveals that he was loyal to Kyoji Mujo the entire time, not Zigmarl. Mujo disbands the original HOLY and puts Kigetsuki as his top man in the next mission.

Here, with orders to bring out both Kazuma and Ryuho's latent Alter abilities (to open the Other Side for the Mainland), Kigetsuki must hold his own against the might of both Kazuma and Ryuho and even other ex-HOLY members, including Scherice, Cougar, and Tachibana. His Burning Summer Alter is soon defeated, morphing back into the Tokonatsu Sisters. Kigetsuki is outraged, ordering his women that if they really do truly love him, they will stand back up and finish the job. However, Cougar is smug to reveal that even Kigetsuki's own Alter has no true feelings for him. In a rage, Kigetsuki retreats again, vowing to return and that each one of them will pay dearly for his defeat. However, he is last seen either unconscious or dead at Kyoji Mujo's feet, before having his entire body absorbed straight into the giddy Mujo's open mouth.

In addition, Kigetsuki also does not appear prominently in the manga.

The Dars Group

(Pronounced as "darth" or "darths") Nameless, faceless, hive-minded servants of HOLY, these masked soldiers, apart from looking identical, all possess an identical Alter power. At first, this power is the use of large, powerful, disembodied hands, often used to restrain Native Alters, however, later Dars show variations of this power. In reality, the Dars are actually Native Alters who have been captured and refined extensively by The Mainland, because they either possessed "weak" Alters or opposed HOLY. No matter what their abilities were before, they are entirely changed and stripped of all personality and free will, leaving them with no sense of individuality and the perfect, forever loyal minions. While usually always male, at the very end of the series, many different types of Dars are shown; though each 'type' remains uniform with one another.

Although they may be grunts of HOLY, because of their refinement they are exceptionally powerful and know no fatigue, allowing them to continue without tiring. Initially, only the basic Dars with the Arm Alters were shown, but in episode 12, Kazuma is put up against a new type of self-multiplying Dars that continually morph its other bodies into an Alter of mist to avoid any kind of physical damage. However, one of these Dars must always remain solid in order to control the Alter. Kazuma is only able to defeat them with Kimishima's guidance, as he was able to figure out their strategy. Midway through the series, the Native Alters that Kazuma teamed up with early on are revealed to be a multi-limb Alter type of Dars capable of combining with others. At the very end of the series, during the Mainland's military infiltration of the Lost Ground, numerous types of new Dars are seen, though their Alters have very little screen time.

The Dars do make a small appearance in the manga as Martin Zigmarl's ultimate weapon, the "Upgraded Alter User Collective", which he uses to overwhelm Kazuma in the final volume. However, each one of the 1000 users are defeated after only a single blow by Kazuma.

Mainland Alters

Kyouji Mujo

Voiced by: Tetsu Shiratori (Japanese), Michael Lindsay (English)

The primary antagonist of the series, though not introduced until halfway through. This Alter User from the Mainland boasts extreme power over others with his own Alter, merely called "Absorption". This power allows him to absorb the power of other living things and literally imagine a physical kind of Alter in any kind he so chooses. While initially stated to be the Mainland's representative after the Lost Ground chaotic second uprising, Mujo soon defects and becomes an independent and unstoppable renegade thanks to his own greed and endless thirst for the ultimate power, which he speaks of frequently as the "Other Side". In episode 22, Mujo comes in contact with the "Other Side" after coaxing Kazuma and Ryuho to again open the door and manage to absorb the power of the Crystallized Alter Embodiment which had killed Ryuho's mother. This grants him a nearly unstoppable new power that he uses to reform HOLY HQ and that also allows him to summon the Embodiment as a stand-alone Alter. Mujo can even use this ability to enhance his own body, with his favorite method being to use both the Embodiment's powerful black and white arms to himself, calling them "Black Joker" and "White Trick", and usually referring to them as Light and Darkness or Heaven and Hell. In episode 24, while his Alter Embodiment handles Ryuho, Mujo is defeated by Kazuma's ultimate Alter form and is forced to take refuge in "the Other Side". Thinking of themselves victorious, Kazuma and Ryuho reunite, only to be greeted by a monstrous new Kyoji Mujo, gleefully stating he has finally satisfied his unquenchable thirst for power at last. Armed with several new kinds of weapons, including some strange red lasers of some sort, he goes berserk, destroying even his own HQ just to kill both Kazuma and Ryuho. However, his merriment is quick to fade upon finding that his lasers have not even dented Kazuma or Ryuho's new Alter forms. Ryuho states that he's finally put the hatred of his past behind him and now it's Kazuma's turn. With a snicker, Kazuma casually strolls up to Mujo, taking several direct hits from his lasers without even flinching, stating that he cares nothing of the past or future, just about crushing any obstacle that currently stands before him. Mujo is mortified, nearly wailing with terror by that point as Kazuma finally delivers the finishing blow to the top of his head. His body slowly disintegrates before exploding into nothing. In the end, Mujo ends up losing the power he had so craved for his entire life in only a matter of seconds.

Very little of his backstory was ever revealed, but it was stated that he grew up in the wastelands and willingly chose to be refined, due to his disgust of always living in the shadows of more "prosperous" Alter Users, such as Ryuho, and essentially all of HOLY as well; leading to his insatiable greed to possess absolutely everything possible.