Nanashi

Infobox animanga character
name = Nanashi
series = MÄR


caption = Nanashi by Nobuyuki Anzai
first = Manga Chapter 32 "MÄR" Episode 12
voiced by = Masaya Onosaka (Japanese)
Liam O'Brien (English)
age =
born =
relatives =
divider = yes
aux1 = Luberia Team MÄR (2nd War)
aux1 name = Affiliations
aux2 = Chief of Luberia
aux2 name = Rank

Nanashi (ナナシ, "Nanashi", "Nanashi" meaning "nameless") is a character and major protagonist in the manga and anime series "" by Nobuyuki Anzai and the sequel series, "MÄR Omega", by Kōichirō Hoshino. He is a member of Team MÄR and the leader of Luberia, a powerful thieves guild.

Background

Nanashi's background remains largely a mystery. At some point, Galian, the chief of Luberia at the time, found Nanashi, with a large stomach wound, in a field. Galian would bring Nanashi to the Luberia Fortress, and Nanashi joined Luberia. Nanashi revealed he has no knowledge of his past life, or even his name, leading Galian to give him the name "Nanashi", meaning nameless. When a gorilla-like monster attacked Luberia, Nanashi managed to send it flying.

Nanashi and Galian would become best of friends, getting along the best out of all of Luberia's members. Galian, however, in a craving of power, would betray Luberia and Nanashi and joined the Chess Pieces, installing Nanashi as the new leader and wiping him of any memories Nanashi had of Galian.

During his reign as chief of Luberia, Nanashi would meet a young girl named Pirun, who was under the attack of several Chess Pieces. Nanashi saved the girl, but it was already too late for her parents, who died to the Chess Pieces. Pirun would later return the favor by finding Nanashi after he fell off a mountain and alerted other Luberians. Pirun and Nanashi would grow close together, with Pirun affectionately calling Nanashi "Brother". Pirun, along with several other Luberians, would be killed during Peta's Luberian homicide, much to the sorrow of Nanashi. Nanashi then vows to defeat whoever attacked Luberia's fortress, with him not yet knowing who attacked Luberia, despite whatever cost.

Personality

Nanashi, much like Ginta Toramizu, is ever happy and optimistic, and is rarely ever seen without a smile on his face. He believes that things will eventually work out, despite however bad things seem. Nanashi is also very playful, and commonly teases other members of Team MÄR, particularly Alviss for his dark and unhappy views. Nanashi can find fun out of anything if he tries, as seen in the anime fillers.

Despite his happy and go-getter point of view, Nanashi is at times very serious and almost dark. He refuses to forgive anyone who hurts his friends or other Luberian members. In battle, Nanashi is shown as a serious and strong-minded fighter, rarely letting his emotions get in the way of his battle, or rather, at least with male enemies. Nanashi, however, can still find enjoyment out of fighting, as seen with his optimism during his fight with Aqua.

Nanashi is also quite the lady's man. When he first met Snow and Dorothy, he asked the two out on a date at once and called them "hotties". MÄR manga volume 4, chapter 32, page 5] Like Jack, Nanashi commonly flirts with Dorothy, and also follows her around complete with a deadpan look on his face. Nanashi is usually seen flirting around with at least five girls at once, [MÄR manga volume 11, chapter 110, page 9] earning him a large amount of crushes. He has also been known to flirt with female Chess Pieces on two occasions, one with Loco, who's technically older than him, and the other with Aqua. MÄR manga volume 8, chapter 78, page 3] Nanashi is often called a pervert for his flirtings. MÄR manga volume 8, chapter 78, page 3] Luberia itself notes on how Nanashi's flirting grows out of control at times, and also tries its best to make sure he doesn't flirt too much on missions. MÄR manga volume 4, chapter 32, page 5]

Leader of Luberia

Nanashi has a deep loyalty to Luberia. Nanashi strongly believes that Luberia is the strongest force on earth, and comments that it would be much better to have himself fight the Chess Pieces rather than the Cross Guard, a skilled and well-trained army. He feels it is his eternal duty to protect and serve Luberia, and to defeat any of Luberia's enemies at his own hands.

Nanashi, as customary to his role as chief of Luberia, commonly travels all around MÄR-Heaven in search of treasure. It is known that Nanashi has visited Vestry on at least one occasion in an attempt to break into the underground lake and steal the legendary ÄRM inside. He also mentions that at one point he visited Reginlief Castle once and "liberated some treasure". As an owner of the Dimension ÄRM "Andata", Nanashi can revisit any of the places he has been before in an instant.

In his travels Nanashi would learn knowledge from all across MÄR-Heaven, including customs and foods. The anime reveals that Nanashi knows how to make several varieties of foods, including takoyaki.

Luberia has several headquarters around all of MÄR-Heaven. All of these headquarters are linked to the main fortress, a wooden fort built inside a colossus, located in the Hild Continent. The Luberia Fortress is mainly dominated by a large pub in the center, which serves as a gathering place between members and as one of the few places a Luberian can relax. The only other headquarters known in the series is a small base of operations on the northern coast of the Hild Continent, located in a desert region. All of Luberia's bases are connected through an extraordinary communication system. Snow, the princess of Lestava, comments that Luberia's communication system is second-to-none. [MÄR manga volume 4, chapter 32, page 6]

After the timeskip between "Marchen Awakens Romance" and "MÄR Omage", the Luberian Fortress was abandoned, apparently due to attacks from the fake ÄRM users, with Nanashi being the only Luberian remaining.

Plot

Marchen Awakens Romance

Nanashi is first introduced attacking Team MÄR, believing them to be Chess Pieces, though he later realizes his mistake. Nanashi is quick to befriend Team MÄR, and also reveals to them the state of the world. Nanashi also leads them to a large graveyard in the Luberia Fortress, the graves of which commemorate those massacred by Peta. Nanashi then decides to join Team MÄR, and takes them to Vestry, where two Chess Pieces are causing another massacre. In Vestry, Nanashi learns from Orco, a Chess Piece he defeats, that it was Peta who massacred his comrades. Nanashi then joins the War Games solely for the purpose of defeating Peta and avenging Luberia. Nanashi eventually makes his way to the final round of the War Games, and fights against Peta. Nanashi barely survives the battle, winning only through the use of a Holy ÄRM given to him by Alviss.

While in the War Games, Nanashi fights Loco during the second round, though loses because he is unwilling to harm her. He later fights against Aqua during the fourth round. Seeing how Rapunzel, a Knight also in the fourth round, kills her comrades who come out with a loss, Nanashi chooses to end the battle with a draw in an attempt to save Aqua's life. Although Aqua did win, she is killed by Girom, and Aqua's final words are an apology to Nanashi. After the fourth round is over, Nanashi sinks Aqua's body in the water as a funeral, telling her to "rest in peace".

Shortly before the fifth round, Nanashi is told by Ash, another of the Knights, that someone specifically requests to fight Nanashi in the fifth round. Nanashi does as such, and the requested fighter turns out to be none other than Galian, Nanashi's former friend. Although Nanashi at first remains clueless over how the two are connected, Nanashi eventually remembers their history together in Luberia (although he remembers no further back than that). Nanashi continues to fight, getting blinded by his emotions, though the words of Ginta Toramizu help Nanashi remember his true goal in the war Games, avenging Luberia. The two, in a final effort to attack, then unleash their Guardians, with Nanashi's ending victorious and seriously wounding Galian. When Galian questions himself for losing, Nanashi tells Galian he lost because he abandoned his friends, the true source of power. Galian then goes on to admit he had a slight jealousy of Nanashi from the start. Nanashi ends the fight by promising to Galian he will remain worthy of the name, life, and rank Galain gave him.

In the anime, while Training in Gaira's Training Gate, he, alongside Team MÄR, ended up in Tokyo, where he was found as a bike gang leader with the ÄRM Pierce in his left ear to make him forget his past. He kidnapped Koyuki with Ginta and Jack on their tail. After a fight with a rival gang, Pierce was removed from him and Nanashi regrouped with Ginta and Jack. He also fought Dorothy, who was hypnotized by the same ÄRM, though the fight ended as a draw. Nanashi, alongside Team MÄR, were captured by the Ghost Chess, but escaped. Nanashi is later killed by King, alongside Snow, and revived upon King's death. Following Ginta's return to the other world, Nanashi leads Luberia with Galian.

MÄR Omega

Nanashi makes a reappearance in the sequel series MÄR Omega. Kai, Elisa, Inga, and Dorothy, in a quest to restore Babbo's memory of his past life as Cladia's elder, head to the Luberia Fortress and find Nanashi. They meet no other Luberians, with them apparently having run off due to attacks from the fake ÄRM users. Nanashi joins the group and protects them while they search for Babbo's memory.

ÄRM

Nanashi, as typical of Luberia chiefs, uses Lightning-based ÄRM. Nanashi's also very powerful, and his power level is comparable to that of a Knight within the Chess Pieces. His ÄRMs are:

* Griffin Lance: A ring Weapon ÄRM, a lance with griffin-headed tip.
* Thousand Needles: A necklace Weapon ÄRM which shoots giant spikes from underground for the purpose of defense.
* Electric Eye: A ring Nature ÄRM which produces bolts of lightning that Nanashi fires at his enemies. Everytime Nanashi uses this ÄRM he sees a shadowy outline of a person, later revealed to be Galian.
* Aegis: An aspis etched with the carving of a white maiden, this Holy ÄRM has the ability to effectively guard its user from physical assaults, and refuel him with magic power.
* Andata: Dimension ÄRM, transports Nanashi and all he wishes to any place that he has already been to, stored in its memory.
* Crystal Balls: Dimension ÄRM. This ÄRM can show in real time events occurring in any place Nanashi wishes.
* Gymnote: A ring ÄRM which calls forth an eyeless gymnotid Guardian with thunder-generating power.

Additionally, Nanashi also knows how to control his magical power and make it seem significantly shorter to lower the guard of his enemies.He additionally has massive strength, being able to cause grave damage with one punch to a bishop who was using a nature ÄRM to make his body as hard as stone.

References