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The following is a list of fictional characters featured in the manga and anime series GetBackers.
Protagonists
Ban Midou
Voiced by: Nobutoshi Canna, Naomi Shindou (as child) (Japanese); Rich McDonald (ep 1-5) Jason Liebrecht (ep 6-49) (English)
Ban Midou (美堂蛮, Midō Ban) is one of the main protagonists in GetBackers. His name came from his mother's surname "Midou" and "Ban" from the Japanese word for Savage (野蛮, Yaban). The "ban" can mean "barbarian" or "uncouth/vulgar". This is the result of the first meeting between Paul and Ban. When Der Kaiser first introduced the infant Ban to Paul, Ban kicked Paul in the face while being held by him, causing Paul to insist that the ban in yaban suited the child perfectly.
Known variously as "The Man with the Evil Eye" (邪眼の男, Jagan no otoko) and "The Genius of Battles", he is the "B" in the GetBackers. He is 18 years old in the manga and 21 years old in the anime. He is one quarter German and is the grandchild of the "Last Witch of the 20th Century". Ban is a brother-like figure to Himiko Kudou after she came to terms with her brother's death, and, later revealed in volume 38 of the manga, is actually related to her by blood through the Witch Queen.
In the GetBackers duo, he is the one who thinks of the plans for their moves. Initially, Ginji Amano was seen to be a sidekick to him (in fact, when they first formed their partnership, Ban insisted that Ginji was only his sidekick), but as the story progressed, Ginji gradually held his own in their missions, and Ban acknowledged him as an equal.
Ban is very intelligent, having studied fighting techniques, science, history, music, art and magic from a very young age as a result of being hunted in Europe by shamans during his childhood. He often surprises everyone with his knowledge and abilities, such as being able to play the violin. He also bears a striking resemblance to his father. In fact, in the arcs where his hair is "down" ("Venus de Milo" and "Kiryuudo" arcs), he looks like Der Kaiser during his Getbackers days with Paul. Another trait which both father and son share is that while they may appear cold and ruthless on the surface, they are actually very warm and caring towards their friends.
Ban inherited his powers from his grandmother. Ban utilizes two main abilities. His primary technique is the Evil Eye (邪眼, Jagan), which allows him to force anyone he makes eye contact with watch a one-minute-long illusion. It should only be used three times per day and cannot be used on the same person again for the next 24 hours. Furthermore, while the illusion only lasts for one minute, should Ban will it, the one affected by the Jagan can be placed inside a time-warp zone via the illusion created by the technique, meaning that to them, one minute in real life could last up to several hours in the Jagan's influence. It is rare for Ban to use the Evil Eye to defeat his opponents, preferring to use it to aid in the retrieval process or to give clients happy/nightmarish dreams; however, he has been shown to use it in defeating Takuma Fudou's insight during the blank second.
If the user were to use the Jagan a fourth time within a 24-hour period, they would receive a penalty for using it. After the fourth use the user disappears both from the physical world and from the memories of all who know him. With this in mind, Ban requested one final duel with Akabane. After an intense struggle, the two manage to strike each other, causing Ban to collapse and Akabane to disappear. However, Akabane had not died, as assumed, but instead, implanted a surgical scalpel into Ban's chest as a "final favor", given to Ban for allowing Akabane to see his own limits. Akabane later explained that because having Ban disappear would be a pity, he attempted to fool the "Archive" by faking Ban's death and delaying Ban's disappearance from using his fourth Jagan just long enough for Ginji to reach Babylon City and resolve everything, thus saving Ban from disappearing.
His second ability is the Snakebite. Because he is a direct descendant of the Witch clan, and was born under the star of Asclepius, he possesses incredible superhuman strength, which gives him a gripping force of 200 kilograms in each hand. It is also shown that he is strong enough to break open the doors of an armored steel truck and punch hard enough to create large craters in the ground or break walls, occasionally even collapsing multistory buildings. Ban can augment the strength of his Snakebite by reciting a certain chant in order to draw power from Asclepius, with the resulting force being sufficient to devastate even the most formidable of opponents with just a single blow. The full extent of the Asclepius curse upon Ban is expressed through his entire right arm degenerating into a grotesque state not unlike a demon's limb, granting Ban even greater power but at the risk of losing himself to his savage instincts. Later Ban manages to transcend the Asclepius curse and draw out his full potential on his own, which is reflected by the manifestation of a single angel wing behind his right shoulder.
In the "Get Back the Lost Time" arc, his skills grow by leaps and bounds due to his learning abilities. Against Natsuhiko, he manages to execute a new move, "Snake Kill", using his left hand.
Anime News Network praised the style of the Jagan in the manga to be a "horrifying nightmare". The Tokyo Pop translation of the Ban Midou dialogues has been criticized for making him sound like a gangster.
Ginji Amano
Voiced by: Showtaro Morikubo (as an adult), Ryōko Shiraishi (as a child) (Japanese); J. Shanon Weaver (English))
Ginji Amano (天野銀次, Amano Ginji) is the "G" in the GetBackers. He is 18 years old in the manga. Ginji was formerly the leader of a gang called the VOLTS in Infinity Fortress, the fearsome Lightning Emperor (雷帝, Raitei).
He received the title Lightning Emperor because of his ability to control electricity. This control grants him several unique abilities such as amazing regenerative power and the ability to become a human magnet and battery. Despite Ginji's dark past, his demeanor is one of an unassuming, energetic, and friendly boy with a strong sense of justice. He makes friends easily, often without trying and is trusting and open to an almost naive extent. However, when exposed to remnants of his past, he has a tendency to revert to his darker "Lightning Emperor" persona. For comical purposes, he also turns droopy and super deformed, most likely designed after a Tarepanda. He's frequently beaten up by Ban for doing stupid things. As a child, his guardian was Takeru Teshimine, then ruler of the Limitless Fortress. Ginji founded the "VOLTS", a gang led by The Lightning Emperor, and "The Four Kings of the VOLTS" to protect the Infinity Fortress from the monsters of the Beltline. During the era of the VOLTS, only one man (Midou Ban) is known to have defeated the Lightning Emperor, though not in a fight of physical strength. All Ban did was show him that he was causing pain to many. While they were fighting, Lightning Emperor summoned lightning which resulted in a huge blast. Though Ban escaped from the blast, he was able to see the infinite energy flowing in the Lightning Emperor, which made it impossible to beat him. Then, Ban remembered that the Lightning Emperor only appeared after Ban attacked one of his friends. He then showed him that though the Lightning Emperor said that he would protect everyone, he himself killed many since many were caught up in the blast. After seeing the devastation, he caused, the Lightning Emperor shrieked and expelled all the power within him, turning back into Ginji. Ban noticed that he has changed and did not deliver the killing blow to Ginji as he sat in front of him, his head bowed and crying.
Little is known of his past until the last volume of the manga where it is revealed that his mother, who Teshimine told Ginji was waiting for him in Babylon City, had created the world in which the GetBackers live. Her reason for doing this was that in the real world (Babylon City), Ginji had died as a child. Unbearably sad, she considered cloning him, but realized that it would not be the same child, she created a back-up of the world where he could live and grow.
When transformed into the Lightning Emperor, Ginji glows with a brilliant light and has bolts of electricity flowing around him. Although sharing the same body as that of Ginji, the Lightning Emperor is the polar opposite of the happy-go-lucky Ginji; his features harden, and he becomes merciless towards almost anyone. He first came into being when Ginji was a young boy, as the Beltline monsters invaded the lower levels of the Limitless Fortress. Ginji and a friend were attempting to escape from the hunters when Ginji's friend was struck by an arrow. The whole invasion force was annihilated in an instant. From that point on, whenever Ginji is confronted with a difficult situation, emotionally or physically, the Lightning Emperor appears to make everything that troubles Ginji disappear. However, this ultimately causes more pain for the peaceful Ginji, as death is the last thing he wants.
In the "Get Back the Lost Time" arc, after the Lightning Emperor was successfully able to defeat the Voodoo King, it is revealed that the Lightning Emperor would never appear again as his reason for existing was over. The Lightning Emperor, who was born from the synchronization of Ginji's rage and Infinity Fortress' power, existed to defeat the person whose purpose was disrupting the plans of the "Archive" (the Voodoo King). His purpose was to protect the world without judgment from Good or Evil.
The source of the Lightning Emperor's power is the limitless energy currents flowing through the Infinity Fortress, and as such, he draws as much power from them as he needs. Sometimes, though, this can put the Infinity Fortress in a bad situation if the Lightning Emperor calls for more power in a single instant than the tower is capable of producing. For this reason, he is dangerous to the "Brain Trust" in Babylon City who possess the "Archive" (the sum total of human knowledge past, present and future) as he could potentially erase the "Archive" if he blacked out the Limitless Fortress. Another reason why Ginji/the Lightning Emperor is so dangerous inside Infinity Fortress is because his existence is "random" in the Babylon City Archives. This means his existence was not foretold and therefore his existence inside Infinity Fortress changes all the prophecies made by the Brain Trust. The reason for this most likely has to do with his mother.
Shinjuku Allies
Hevn
Voiced by: Rio Natsuki (Japanese); Ellie McBride (English)
Hevn is a Negotiator in the ADV dub, Coordinator in the TokyoPop translation (仲介屋, chūkaiya), a person who mediates extremely dangerous jobs between high-paying clients and retrievers such as the GetBackers or Shido Fuyuki. She can also hook up clients with people with similar but different jobs, such as Transporters, Plunderers, guides, and so forth and even has the authority to assemble teams for clients, such as in the I.L. arc, though information exchanged between Negotiators and clients is of the utmost secrecy due to client confidentiality. Even those hired are not allowed to know more than basic information about a case, frustrating people like Ban. Negotiators can also be hired to gather information about a case by themselves, as shown in the Divine Design arc where Hevn was hired to investigate the titular children's card game. Her base of operations where she arranges meetings between clients and employees is the Honky Tonk café. She shares a good relationship with Paul Wan, the owner, though how this came to be is never revealed. She also hangs out there in her free time. She is 21 in the manga as stated in her character profile but seems to be older in the anime. No exact age is given but she used to be a scientist before being forced to change careers.
She's friendly, kind, intelligent, and generous, though can get angry and combative if someone pushes her buttons, such as Ban or Himiko. She displays some knowledge of martial arts in the Sound of Life arc and has an incredibly strong punch, directed solely at Ban when he gropes her, but otherwise is a non-combatant and often ends up kidnapped or otherwise in distress and must be saved by other characters. Sometimes her kindness and generosity becomes naivete and gullibility, such as when she and the team she assembled are on their way into Infinity Fortress and she gets robbed by a man she was going to buy flowers from. She can be very stubborn, insisting on going with the people she hired on their jobs when there is no real reason to do so, though she claims otherwise, which usually results in her getting into trouble and relying on the people she hired to get her out of it. In the manga, she helps Paul boot up the computer in a back room and email MakubeX a virus that ultimately saves Ginji's life, thus being more tech savvy than him despite only being fourteen years younger than him.
She genuinely cares for Ban and Ginji and often worries about their safety while gone on jobs, though she hates being groped without her permission by Ban and will not hesitate to use force to make him stop. She and Ban also often argue over her cut on the jobs she gives them with Hevn thinking she deserves a higher percentage; Himiko once described her as greedy. She's also fond of Shido and Kazuki and often threatens to give jobs the GetBackers won't take to the former, causing Ban to accuse them of having a sex-for-jobs type of relationship though both deny this. In Interlude IV, she helps Shido get gussied up for Madoka's recital and supports their relationship. Her relationship with Himiko is more fraught as Lady Poison often insults her, leading Hevn to insult her back, though Hevn otherwise has no problems with her and often hires her when a Transporter is needed. This aspect is almost completely cut from the anime. She also often hires Akabane despite being as disgusted with his "hobby" as much as the rest of the cast, but recognizes that he's good at his job and gets along fairly well with him. Tensions only arise when his "hobby" is brought up. The Birth 2 arc reveals she knows Fudou and once hired him for a job though this appears to be contradicted by their earlier encounter in the I.L. arc where she doesn't give any indication she knows him at all, simply describing him as "a man". Though Birth 2 takes place chronologically earlier, being a flashback to the GetBackers' early days, it was written several years after the I.L. arc was published.
In the manga, she is a major provider of fanservice, especially early on, wearing revealing clothing, and also a source of comic relief, lightening up arcs when they get too dark. Although still providing fanservice in the anime, it is heavily toned down, with her outfits revealing less than in the manga and the more risque scenes, such as panty shots and imagined sex scenes, being removed completely. She can be a bit of a flirt in the manga when she wants a guy to do something for her and this is retained in one scene in the anime when she's trying to convince Ginji in an early episode.
The final arc in the manga reveals that Hevn and Masaki Kurusu were lovers and apparently have deep romantic feelings for each other despite no prior hint of this relationship. As such, this is not referenced in the anime at all but was likely inspired by Hevn's anime backstory in which she used to be a scientist and fell in love with a fellow scientist.
Paul Wan
Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto (Japanese); Corey Gagne (English)
Paul Wan (王波児, Japanese: Wan Pōru, Chinese Pinyin: Wáng Bōér) is the owner of the Honky Tonk café in Shinjuku where the GetBackers and their allies meet and hang out. Ban and Ginji always have unsettled tabs with him and he sometimes forces them to work off their debt or refuses to give them food. Paul has a large source of connections, including Ginji's adoptive father Takeru Teshimine, and access to hard-to-get information. He is usually seen reading a newspaper with dark sunglasses on, later revealed to be completely opaque, blinding him and forcing him to rely on his sixth sense to do anything; this compensates for his increased age and decreased speed and strength. He acts as a wise sort of father figure to several characters in the series, particularly his teenaged employees and the GetBackers. Early in the manga, he's even shown helping them rent apartments and acting as their guarantor. For the most part he stays in his cafe and doesn't go out on jobs unless he has a reason to leave. Reluctance to leave his shop under Natsumi's care also seems to play a part. The only two instances of him getting involved in the larger plot are in the Sound of Life and Lost Time arcs; his backstory is revealed in the latter and he becomes a plot-important character. The anime also has two filler episodes where he leaves, one a comedic hot springs episode and the second focusing on his anime-exclusive backstory.
Towards the end of the manga, it is revealed that Paul, along with Ban's father, were the first generation GetBackers and they had ascended to the top of Infinity Fortress, even entering Babylon City. However, neither can remember their time there as a result of the stigma, a cross-like symbol in one eye gained at that time that seals their memories of that time. His stigma is hidden by his glasses. Paul controls wind and this ability, along with his great speed, earned him the nickname Gale Emperor (疾風の王) during his GetBackers days. He still has his powers though greatly weakened with age and thus prefers not to fight, letting Ban and Ginji take care of things. It's also hinted this is so they can get stronger; if Paul helped them out, they'd never advance in power enough to challenge, much less survive, the upper levels of Infinity Fortress. He is the one who informs them about the "Lost Time" everyone in Shinjuku, if not the world, suffers from and encourages them to get it back, thus being directly responsible for the setting most of the final arc in motion. In the final arc, he also directly acts as a mentor to the current generation of GetBackers; after Natsumi and Rena convince him they can take care of the shop, he follows Ban and Ginji into Infinity Fortress, saves them from Yuuri and Maiya, and begins training them while also continuing to dispense them his wisdom and coffee. In his fight against Shimon Miroku (the Miroku 7's father), he reverts to his younger self when he was stronger physically. But, alluding to the wise words he has given to others, he realizes that his true strength lies in the wisdom he has acquired as a result of him aging and running his own business. He turns back into his older self with his trademark dark glasses and proceeds to defeat his opponent, though he is severely weakened by this point, having fought countless opponents, and encourages Ban and Ginji to move on while he rests despite the encroachment destroying Lower Town. However, he quickly encounters Akabane and Hevn and continues on with them, eventually reuniting with the GetBackers and their allies and making it all the way to the top of the mid section, the Beltline, to act as a witness to the Ogre Battle, confirming the winner who controls the future. Afterwards, he goes back to run his shop like before.
Flashbacks show Paul is the one who named Ban. After being shown the newborn by Der Kaiser, Paul was throwing out name suggestions while holding the baby when he was suddenly fiercely kicked by the still unnamed child who did not care for any of said suggestions. In anger, he declared that the baby should be named Ban (蛮) from the Japanese word for savage (野蛮, yaban). His friend was unimpressed, saying that as he expected, Paul had no naming sense (echoing their first encounter when Paul was throwing out suggestions for what to call their recovery service), but agreed to name his child Ban regardless for lack of other options. Der Kaiser had previously stated the child had also kicked him while suggesting names. It is also revealed that Paul is Ban's godfather but it does not appear that Ban is aware of this. Paul prefers to address Der Kaiser as "partner".
In the anime, Paul's background is revealed in episode 42 and is quite different from the manga as his manga backstory had yet to be revealed. Here, he was once part of a trio of thieves. Despite his wisdom concerning fighting and everyday matters, Paul is not tech savvy in the manga, which blatantly contrasts with the anime where he was the information-and-computer guy among his thieving friends and still retains these skills in the present though he does not showcase them often. His anime version remains a non-combatant. The manga, both in-universe and out, repeatedly describes him as an old man despite the age given in his profile being only 35 and in the final arc often complains about back pain. No exact age is given in the anime, but can be assumed to be either the same or thereabouts. In the manga, he is something of a dirty old man, admitting he wishes he could squeeze Hevn's boobs and generally do the perverted stuff Ban pulls on women, to Natsumi's confusion, among other statements. This aspect is completely absent in the anime.
The manga eventually confirms that he is Chinese though does not explain where he was born or his Western given name and his past before he met Der Kaiser as a teen in Shinjuku is a mystery. Early on in the manga, he states he has been living in Shinjuku for twenty years and so is not a native of the city, though still cares about it deeply. Later he states the Honky Tonk is the only place he can come back to, so it is implied he is an orphan or runaway or something similar. When he first meets Der Kaiser, he insults him as "rich boy", which is not disputed by Der Kaiser himself, so Paul presumably comes from a lower class background.
Natsumi Mizuki
Voiced by: Otoha (Japanese); Kelly Dealyn (English)
(水木夏み, Mizuki Natsumi) A 16-year-old high school student, Natsumi was Ban and Ginji's client at the beginning of the anime who then came to work at the Honky Tonk as a part-time waitress. In the anime, she has amazing ping-pong skills and even once takes on a job meant for the GetBackers while they are busy with another case (despite her lack of skill at anything besides table tennis, shogi, and cooking. Notable here is that she chose to wear an outfit consisting of Ban's shirt and glasses, and Ginji's pants and gloves for the case). As the GetBackers' closest friend, Natsumi is very devoted to Ban and Ginji, often worrying about their welfare and staying up late at the Honky Tonk to welcome them back from a mission (this is also seen in the MV of the first ending theme in the anime, although the duo were just away to get groceries on a rainy day. Also, the song is sung by Otoha, Natsumi's voice actor).
In the manga, Natsumi's history and character is markedly different from the anime's. Aside from hints that she and Ginji share an almost flirtatious friendship, her past is introduced in "Birth Arc 2: Get Back the Genius Dog" of vol. 27, as one of the GetBackers' first clients. The daughter of an eminent virus researcher, Natsumi hires them to rescue her "genius" Miniature Dachshund Lucky from performing tricks at a TV station. But Lucky, has more sinister powers and mysteries under his fur and it's up to the GetBackers to get to the bottom of what turns out to be a conspiracy involving superhuman mutants, mad scientists, and Hevn - who also makes her first appearance in the series in this arc (chronologically speaking). Also, she has occasionally displayed maturity beyond her age (probably an influence from Paul). As their "master" battles in Infinity Fortress, Rena worried about his safety. Natsumi, however, was convinced that Paul would be alright and told her colleague not to worry.
In the drama CDs, all her speaking parts have been removed and Otoha does not reprise her role.
Himiko Kudou
Voiced by: Natsuko Kuwatani (Japanese); Deanna Shoemaker (English)
Himiko Kudou (工藤卑弥呼, Kudō Himiko) is a professional Transporter with the moniker "Lady Poison" who first appears in the Givers and Takers arc in the manga (adapted as episodes 3-5 in the anime) working opposite the GetBackers on a job. She is also known as "the Witch of the seven Poison Perfumes" and used to work with Ban as a Plunderer in the pre-GetBackers days along with her older brother, Yamato. However, a misunderstanding took place upon witnessing the aftermath of Yamato's murder by Ban. Since then, she has had a vendetta against him, vowing to kill him some day. In the manga, it is not clear in the series if Ban did explain himself to Himiko. Though they did work together during some missions while in the anime, it is explicitly said that "Ban made no excuse and offered no explanation for the incident."
When Yamato was 28 years old, he was alone with Ban in their house so that they might face his "Voodoo Child mirror" (Himiko was sent out to buy a cake.) As a Voodoo Child, if one of two-halves dies, both perish. Ban realizes this too late when his "Snake Bite" killed Yamato's other half. When Himiko came back with the cake, she saw Ban's hand covered with Yamato's blood. Since that day, she has held a grudge against Ban. Occasionally an enemy, but more frequently an ally, Himiko has mixed feelings for Ban, whom she sees is a good person, but cannot reconcile this with her brother's killer. On Ban's part, he treats Himiko more like a little sister.
With her brother, Yamato, they developed around 200 poison concoctions, but only carry seven with them at any one time. Some of the commonly used scents are Flame Perfume, Devolution Perfume, Puppet Perfume, Tracking Perfume, Sleep Perfume, Acceleration Perfume, and Antidote Perfume.
It is revealed that these perfumes are 'catalysts' to evoke certain spells and magic related to the perfume. Ban once said, thinking that the perfumes are the true essence of the technique, that the Kudou siblings must carry many perfumes to their jobs, but Himiko retaliated, "How can perfumes only do anything in our 'magic shows'?" Yamato explained that a man can only perform seven different spells at a given time to avoid being overloaded, hence only seven vials of perfumes are brought for each mission. It was the first clue to Yamato and Himiko's past: Ban's grandmother and Maria Noches always warned him against 'catalysts', and how they were also used by 'our greatest enemy, the Shamans'.
In later chapters, it is revealed that she is Ban's sister by consanguinity through the Witch Queen. In the final chapter, she is shown with her trademark short hair, together with the other Transporters, as they set out for their next job, which is linked to Ban's mother.
Kazuki Fuuchouin
Voiced by: Soichiro Hoshi (Japanese); Matt Hislope (English)
Kazuki Fuuchouin (風鳥院花月, Fūchōin Kazuki) is a major supporting character and ally of the GetBackers. Formerly one of the Four Kings of the Volts, known as Kazuki of the Threads, Kazuki is the last master of the Fuuchouin Thread Arts, a fighting style which utilizes koto strings controlled by vibrations in his fingertips. The strings are very sharp and can tear up solid earth, bones, skin, muscles, and sometimes steel based on the vibrations of the finger. The strings also have other uses, such as listening in on distant conversations. The strings are stored in two bells tied to the front right strand of his hair to ease manipulation.
It is later revealed that the enemy clan, the Kokuchouin, destroyed Kazuki's clan. Kazuki is usually an ally of the GetBackers, due to his friendship with Ginji. He and Ban tolerate each other, but they are not close. Kazuki is also the most notably feminine character among the males. He also has strong ties to one of their former enemies, namely Juubei, because they had been friends in the past. In the end of the manga reveals that the GB world is an AI simulation with Infinity Tower as its conduit, explaining the superpowers the characters have.
Shido Fuyuki
Voiced by: Takanori Hoshino (Japanese); Omar Gallaga (English)
Shido Fuyuki (冬木士度, Fuyuki Shido), first introduced as the Beastmaster, has the ability to control animals, although it should be better stated that he asks them for favors, as he views animals as his friends. Previously one of the VOLTS' Four Kings, after they disbanded, Shido left Infinity Fortress to make a living outside, like Ginji Amano, whom Shido respects as a friend. After reconciling with Ginji (whom he felt had betrayed VOLTS by leaving) during the "Get Back the Sound of Life!" arc, Shido took a cue from the GetBackers and started his own retrieval service — occasionally aided by Emishi. He is generally very independent and cold to others. Even though his powers allow him to control animals, he considers them friends and tries to protect them as they do him. He eventually ends up living with Madoka Otowa and he has an ongoing rivalry with Ban Midou.
In VOLTS, Shido was paired with Masaki Kurusu to protect the East Gates of the Infinity Fortress. Because of this, he knows a lot about Masaki and his followers, although it is doubtful that he knows about Masaki's true identity as a vassal for the Voodoo King. In the "Get Back the Lost Time" arc, he remarks that Masaki has changed a lot from what he used to be, 'a man who will protect the weak'.
Both in the manga and anime, his relationship with Madoka has progressed to a stage whereby he would do almost anything to protect her. As a sign of how well a companion Madoka is, Shido even noted that she could talk to animals, a trait not many ordinary humans could achieve. In the manga finale, he was seen carrying Madoka's shopping bag, possibly a homage to the ending of the anime series, where he does the same thing.
As the last survivor of the Fuyuki Clan, his Chimera form is one of the three "keys" to opening the sealed gates of Babylon City, which Ban's grandmother sealed long ago. Even without activating its powers, he was seen to be able to subdue Kazuki Fuuchouin, even as he went berserk as the Cruel Prince. His Shikizoku power is "Awakening": Using this skill, he can release the potential powers which are hidden within that person. He used this to restore Ginji's powers (and turn him into the Lightning Emperor) in the Eternal Bond arc.
Kuroudo Akabane
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita (Japanese); Shannon McCormick (English)
Kuroudo Akabane (赤羽蔵人, Akabane Kurōdo) is a Transporter with the moniker "Dr. Jackal" and has frequently been the Getbackers' and their allies' enemy. He wears a 3-piece suit and an overcoat with a tie and a hat that usually covers most of his face, as he generally speaks with his head inclined. His weapons of choice are 108 razor-sharp surgical scalpels concealed inside his body, which come out and attack at his will. Akabane's other greatest asset is his incredible speed, which is matched by Ban's only: he can dispatch opponents with great ease and this feat remains unchallenged even when his opponents are monsters from the Beltline.
Unlike the other transporters in GetBackers, Akabane seeks entertainment, rather than money. He chooses jobs exclusively for his own amusement and as to test his own ability; the limits of which he himself has never known. Kyoji Kagami refers to Akabane as "Babylon City's Kuroudo Akabane", so it is safe to assume he was, at one point, a resident of the upper towers. It is later revealed that he used to be a surgeon on the battlefield. When he failed to save Semimaru Kanade's son despite his best efforts, Akabane decided that his destiny is to kill people rather than to save them. According to Dr. Amano (Ginji's mother), this wish was the cause of Akabane's ascension to a Transcendental being with power nearly unparalleled in GB's world.
While the manga presents Akabane's sword and scalpels as being ordinary-looking physical weapons, the anime opts instead to illustrate them as glowing constructs that seem to be made of energy. His scalpels commonly glow white, but turn red when he uses his Bloody Rain, Cross, Hurricane, or Stream. His Bloody Sword is always red, manifesting in his hand as a sword of energy.
Akabane's English voice actor, Shannon McCormick, has revealed in the commentary of episode 5 that the fight between Akabane and Ginji was jokingly referred to as the "Battle of the Shannons" since both voice actors have that name.
Shinjuku Residents
Ryudo Hishiki
Ryuudou Hishiki (菱木竜童, Hishiki Ryūdō) is a Protector and former professional wrestler who earned the nickname "Undead" because of his ability to survive almost any attack thrown at him. As such, the GetBackers try to avoid fighting him at all costs after their first encounter, but keep running into him because of their jobs. He is most often pitted against Ginji. He is more of a recurring character in the manga, showing up on several different cases but appears less often in the anime because most of the arcs in which he appears were not adapted. He is also reduced to a mostly non-speaking role in the anime, just making sounds, but can speak normally in the manga.
Yamato Kudou
Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara (Japanese); Clayton Kjos (English)
Yamato Kudou (工藤邪馬人, Kudō Yamato) is Himiko's deceased older adoptive brother who took her in when she was younger, though how old she was is never explained in the manga. They are both Voodoo Children; the anime changed this to Last Children. At the beginning of the Voodoo Child arc, Ban states Yamato was her only family and nothing contradicts this. A filler episode in the anime focusing on Himiko portrays a teenaged Yamato saving her as a baby from nameless and featureless men who were planning on sacrificing her, afterwards taking her in and raising her as his younger sister. Yamato made Ban promise to take care of Himiko if anything should ever happen to him. Soon after, his Voodoo/Last Child curse was activated and he begged Ban to kill him, which Ban did but has not forgiven himself for as he had come to care for Yamato despite only living with him a short amount of time, six months in the manga. In the anime, Yamato explicitly states he hadn't been successful in finding a way to break his curse. Also in the anime, Ban inherited his lighter after he died and in both media, Ban only appears to have started smoking after his death. When he was alive, he worked as a Plunderer with Himiko and later Ban. Yamato mostly only appears in flashbacks due to his deceased status, but twice briefly comes back to life in the manga, once as a ghost in the Divine Design arc, summoned by a card from the titular game that Maria gave Himiko, and later in the Lost Time arc to break Himiko out of her trance by telling her Kagami wasn't the man she loved and to go back to the man she did love; Kagami notes the world has begun to break down so badly the dead were coming back to life and dispatches him. He possessed much more knowledge of the Voodoo Children and the accompanying curse than Himiko does, but wanted to hide as much about it from her as possible, despite his doing so likely leading Himiko straight into the Brain Trust and Kagami's clutches.
Madoka Otowa
(音羽マドカ Otowa Madoka; Voiced by: Yuki Matsuoka): A child prodigy and extremely talented violinist. Although she is blind, she has amazing hearing abilities. She hired the GetBackers for a job once to get back her stolen Stradivarius violin. She has a guide dog named Mozart who also protects her when she's in danger. Eventually, she becomes Shido's girlfriend. She was once kidnapped by Shido's enemies the Kiriudo, another ancient clan of Japanese aboriginals who commune with insects, who wanted to use her to exchange for the Chimera.
Miroku siblings
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese); Michael Mergen (English) (Natsuhiko) Voiced by: Akiko Kimura (Japanese); Michael Mergen (English) (Yukihiko)
The Miroku 7 are a sibling team of seven martial artists, skilled in the use of different weapons and styles, although most of them use either swords or knives. They debut in the "Venus de Milo" arc protecting the arms of the statue for their client Hera, along with Akabane. Natsuhiko reveals early on that he (and his siblings except Yukihiko) is an old friend of Ban's who also wishes to kill him, like Himiko, though the reason for this is not revealed until later in the arc (Ban killed their older sister Eris). The group is led by the oldest, Natsuhiko (夏彦), but their most powerful member is Yukihiko (雪彦), the youngest. The other siblings are Hikage (緋影), Ukyou (右狂), Tsubaki (椿), Tokisada (時貞), and the only sister, Kirara (奇羅々). They all share the same body, but said body will physically change depending on who is active at the time, i.e. Kirara is physically female while all of her brothers are physically male. They often take turns manifesting to fight opponents, especially if one sibling has an advantage in certain situations the others do not, though they can rapidly switch with each other even in non-combat situations. The anime cut down the number of siblings to only two, Natsuhiko and Yukihiko, possibly due to time constraints and no reason for why Natsuhiko wants to kill Ban is revealed.
In the Lost Time arc, it is revealed that Natsuhiko was a childhood playmate of Ban's in Germany and considered him his best friend, but after Ban killed his adopted sister and future fiancee Eris (エリス, erisu), the Miroku 7 became Ban's sworn enemies. It is also revealed the Miroku 7 will merge into one when Natsuhiko reaches adulthood; the sole personality remaining will be Yukihiko. They were supposed to have done this already but the first six deliberately put the unification off until they could avenge Eris. Despite Natsuhiko and the others wanting to know why Ban killed Eris, he refuses to tell them, though it is revealed to the audience Ban killed Eris in self-defense. She made a deal with the shamans to make Ban love her, but was tricked and began turning into a monster to kill Ban; she begged Ban to kill her before she completely changed, which he did. Natsuhiko then discovered Eris' body with a bloody Ban standing nearby.
Maria Noches
Maria Noches (マリーア・ノーチェス, Marīa Nōchesu) is the Witch Queen's (Ban Midou's grandmother) best disciple and studied under her at the same time as Lucifer. Maria is an expert when it comes to magic and the occult and runs a fortune-telling shop in Shinjuku's Fortune Teller Alley. Outwardly, she resembles an attractive, busty lady in her late 20s, but she's really 99 years old and uses magic to appear younger. The Witch Queen entrusted a young Ban to her after his mother rejected him and she has a soft spot for children in general. Maria took him back to Japan with her and took care of him for an unspecified amount of time before Ban ran away from her. She likens Ban to the son she never had and although Ban was rude to her, he still has respect for his former guardian and cares about her. She first appears in the Divine Design arc when Ban approaches her for help fighting Lucifer. She is cheerful most of the time and at times, can act like a childish young lady, and as such, she's quite fond of Ginji Amano, especially when he turns into his chibi form. This clashes with her dark sense of humor and general love for dark and disturbing things, such as the sound of screaming mandrakes. As one of the most powerful members of the witches, she was feared and known by many. Her moniker, the Death Knell, demonstrated her power as the "right arm" of the Witch Queen, nemesis of the shamans, though she never gets to display this power in the present. According to Lucifer, she dances the flamenco passionately. The ending of Divine Design hinted at a mutual attraction between her and Lucifer, though this is never followed up on due to his death in the next chapter.
Her voice actress is Michiko Neya on the drama CD.
Infinity Fortress Residents
MakubeX
Voiced by: Mitsuki Saiga (Japanese); Andrea Skola (ep 1-5), Scott Yi (ep 6), John Minnich (ep 11-49) (English)
間久部X (Makube + Ekkusu) is the main antagonist of the I.L. arc when the GetBackers are hired to retrieve the mysterious "I.L." from him. It is later discovered that I.L. is a computer disc containing important data required for producing an atomic bomb. MakubeX was found in a bag as a child. Only his last name, Makube, is known, due to the fact that it was written on the bag. He later came to be known as MakubeX, the "x" symbolizing the unknown (his given name), and his "name" is always written in romaji. MakubeX is a genius hacker, capable of manipulating computers to do whatever he pleases. He was originally taught by Gen but swiftly surpassed him in skill. He is 14 years old, the youngest of the Four Kings, and among the youngest characters in the whole series.
He was raised by Gen, whom he calls Grandfather, but left home to join the VOLTS. During the VOLTS' rule of Infinity Fortress, he was one of the "Four Kings", alongside Shido Fuyuki, Kazuki Fuuchouin, and Masaki Kurusu. After Ginji left, he, as the only one of the Four Kings remaining, took over, instituting a dictatorial rule; he was known at this period as the "young demon king".
MakubeX's second-in-command is Sakura Kakei. In the "I.L." arc, his four chief subordinates were Juubei Kakei, Haruki Emishi, Takuma Fudou, and Kyoji Kagami; Fudou and Kagami vanished afterwards, but Juubei and Emishi remained with him. In the manga, after the Divine Design arc, Toshiki Uryuu came under him. He is especially close to Sakura, as shown in the Lost Time arc when he was forced to fight her while she was under the influence of the Black Thread. He is also fond of Haruki Emishi and treats him like family.
In the manga, MakubeX discovered at a young age that all actions in Infinity Fortress were controlled by the "god" of Babylon City, the top area of the fortress. Realizing this, he decided to give the "god" an edict: turn back time to the time of the rule of Volts or Infinity Fortress will be destroyed.
It also revealed in the "Lost Time" arc that he has latent special powers. During his losing battle with Sakura, MakubeX was able to manipulate Infinity Fortress' virtual space at will using an "Omega Theorem" without the use of his computer. By then, MakubeX had realized how he was a virtual program, a part of Infinity Fortress itself and knowing this, MakubeX attempted to sacrifice himself to the "Archive" and erase its memory bank and AI from within — much like a computer virus. However, he was stopped by Ban, saying that MakubeX's loss would serve no purpose but to further enrage Ginji into destroying Infinity Fortress and everyone in it.
At the end of the "Lost Time" arc, he gains the ability to leave Infinity Fortress, thus implying that he has become an average teenager, although he seems to have retained all his computing skills. He was last seen bumping into the majority of the cast while shopping with Sakura.
Juubei Kakei
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese); Brent Werzner (English)
Juubei is sometimes called Juubei of the Flying Needles (飛針の十兵衛, Tobari no Jūbei) because he fights using long acupuncture needles. His needles have different powers, some even lethal, and he must control them with precision in order for them to be effective. Juubei is protective of his older sister, Sakura, and will come to her defense if she is threatened. Ever since he was a child, he has protected Kazuki, as he believed his clan was destined to guard his family. When VOLTS disbanded and Kazuki left, Juubei offered his support for MakubeX in pursuit of a new Endless City. When Kazuki goes with the GetBackers to stop them, they faced each other in a battle.
The heir to a clan that has served the Fuuchouins as doctors for several hundred years, he and Kazuki Fuuchouin were childhood friends. In Infinity Fortress, he assumes the second post under Kazuki in the legendary gang. When Kazuki left, Juubei remained and they eventually met in battle during the I.L. Retrieval arc, at which point Juubei lost his eyesight. However, in the aftermath of the battle, they were reconciled and became close again.
He recovers his eyesight in the arc "Get Back the Lost Time". In this arc, he battles with Ginji. The fight reaches a point when Ginji reverts to his old self, the boy Raitei, and proceeds to destroy everything in his path, including Juubei. However, Juubei is saved by Ban and MakubeX, and the former manages to make Ginji return to his former state. Later, he, together with his sister, Sakura Kakei, and his rival-turned-comrade, Toshiki Uryuu (all remnants of Fuuga), present a last stand at the gate to the Beltline, to protect the GetBackers, MakubeX, and Kazuki as they enter the threshold of horrors. After this, Juubei somehow manages to join up with Kazuki as the latter faces off with the Dark Fuuchouin clan. For a while, his heart is ripped out of its body by Yohan. In the end, he is saved by Kazuki, who manages to end the feud between his younger brother, Yohan, and the rest of his clan.
Haruki Emishi
Voiced by: Mitsuaki Madono (Japanese); Judson Jones (English)
Haruki Emishi (笑師春樹, Emishi Haruki) is a former VOLTS member known as the "Fresh Blood Joker" (Senketsu no Joker) because he would always laugh as the blood of his enemies was shed. Also, his skills in combat mean that he is often covered in the blood of his enemies after battles. Emishi's weapon is a long whip woven from the hair of the women of his people, which is also referred to as "Dragon's Hair" because, thanks to the special way the hair is looked after before and after it is woven as well as the special way that it is braided, the whip itself is as strong and pliable as a dragon's whisker. The whip itself consists of a single grip in the middle with two whip lengths protruding from each side, which Emishi handles very well with quick and fluid attacks such as "The Spinning top", "Venom Imitation", "Sandstorm", or "Winds of Destruction". Another technique Emishi has is that his blood, as with all Loulan warriors, is highly combustible when it make contact with oxygen, though, unfortunately for Emishi, it only seems to work when a large, arterial flow of blood is used. He went under the rule of MakubeX after VOLTS broke up as one of the new four kings, chosen for his speed and fighting prowess and fought the retrievers of IL in the Limitless Fortress. He is the only male descendant left from the ancient Western Chinese desert kingdom of Loulan who are able to fight. He is also an admirer and good friend of Shido after the Beastmaster made his way to his village in the Infinity Fortress, delivering food to the starving children, an image radically different from the wandering rumors.
Sakura Kakei
Voiced by: Yukiko Iwai (Japanese); Christa Kimlicko-Jones (English)
Sakura Kakei (筧 朔羅, Kakei Sakura) is the older sister of Juubei Kakei and MakubeX's most loyal follower. She remained in the Infinity Fortress after the breakup of VOLTS, where she assisted MakubeX in restoring order and bringing his plan with I.L. to fruition, not knowing his true goal. Sakura fights using a cloth, a technique passed down the Kakei family through the female line. She is mostly seen sitting by MakubeX's side assisting him with his computers on whatever he is working on. The manga hints that she has romantic feelings for him and that he reciprocates, though they are never confirmed as an official couple.
Gensui Radou
Voiced by: Masaharu Satou (Japanese); Greg Grosh (English)
Gensui Radō (螺堂 源水, Radō Gensui) is an old man running a pharmacy out of his apartment in Infinity Fortress with his young androgynous assistant, later revealed to be his (adopted) granddaughter. He is usually just referred to as Gen. The one who found and raised MakubeX and taught him all he knows about computers, Gen possesses an astounding amount of knowledge about the Fortress despite his claims that he's just a pharmacist. Later on, Kazuki reveals he dug up information on him and he's actually the chief architect of the Fortress and its core, Babylon Tower, and a member of the Brain Trust. All this information is in the anime revealed during the I.L. arc. Gen left the Brain Trust of his own accord and now atones for his sins by running his pharmacy. He also feels guilty because of the way MakubeX turned out and so helps the I.L. retrieval team who have come to stop his former ward's reign of terror. Despite MakubeX's cruel taunting, they reconcile (though not in person) after the I.L. is recovered. He reappears at the beginning of the Lost Time arc to explain what's going on to Kazuki and Shido and gives them Ren as a guide, then disappears. He presumably leaves before the Beltline's encroachment destroys Lower Town. He also reappears in the anime's final arc.
Ren Radou
Voiced by: Yumiko Nakanishi (Japanese); Cassie Fitzgerald (English)
Ren Radō (螺堂 レン, Radō Ren) is Gen Radou's granddaughter. She, too, was adopted by Gen much like MakubeX was. Ren does legwork and odd jobs for her grandfather, such as gathering all the pharmaceutical ingredients Gen needs for his medicines and mapping the sections of Infinity Fortress' Lower Town. Ren gains a special affection for Kazuki after he saved her and her grandfather from thugs. She first encounters him unconscious after a fight with Juubei, saving him with one of Gen's homemade medicines. Wanting to follow Kazuki out into the outside world after the I.L. mission, to her horror, Ren discovers she is physically unable to, leading her to question her own existence. In the "Get Back the Lost Time" arc, she guides Shido and Kazuki to the entrance of the Beltline, though not without some difficulty. She later ends up with Emishi and the remaining members of the Shiki clan, though all are apparently killed by the Voodoo King. After Ginji's choice, she is apparently revived along with everyone else, though what she does afterwards is not explored. In the anime, her doubt and desire to see Kazuki leads her to join Masaki's group under the supervision of Uryuu working as their computer person. After the GetBackers and their allies stop Masaki's plans, she apologizes to Kazuki over her actions; he forgives her and reassures her of her existence despite being a construct of the Archive. She then happily returns home to Gen. The fact that she's a girl but looks like a boy is a running gag and is usually contrasted with Kazuki being a boy but looking like a girl.
Sarai Kagenuma
(翳沼沙羅衣 Kagenuma Sarai; Voiced by: Hideyuki Tanaka): In the manga, Sarai is a mysterious character. First appearing in book 34, he presents himself to Teshimine, claiming to know all the truths about the Infinity Fortress. He convinces Takeru that he has come to stop the Voodoo King and together, the two men journey towards Babylon City. Dressed like a monk and accompanied by a creature which looks like a snake with wings, Sarai's skills seem almost certain to revolve around magic.
It is later revealed that he's a living seal, existing to contain the Voodoo King. When Kagami combined the two Himikos, the Voodoo King managed to manifest in place of Sarai. However, with the Voodoo King's defeat, Sarai was freed.
Antagonists
Brain Trust
The Brain Trust is a secret organization responsible for the creation of Infinity Fortress. It was formed by the best scientists, engineers, artists, politicians, patrons, and super-natural beings as an experimental site where any infinite number of ideas that could be conceived could be tested.
In the anime, it is revealed that Gensui Radou had been a member of the Brain Trust before discovering their true intent and leaving in disgust. Likewise, Masaki Kurusu is a Brain Trust operative who had been undercover in Lower Town as a member of the VOLTS to observe their actions.
In the manga, various characters were revealed to be members of the Brain Trust, including Ban's grandmother, who was the head of the department which oversaw matters of the occult.
However, the manga provided a twist: the Brain Trust originates from a separate plane of existence. It is not just Infinity Fortress that is a virtual reality, but all of the world of GetBackers. The world of GetBackers was essentially a "backup copy" that Brain Trust, existing in the "real world", had hoped to create using the Archive as a template of the world. It was through Kagami's scientific theory, known as the "Mirror Effect", that the world of GetBackers were able to take actual form on a separate plane of existence.
Divine Design
Divine Design (神の記述, Kami no Kijitsu) is the card game at the heart of Act VIII of the manga. These characters do not appear in the anime.
Lucifer
Lucifer (ルシファー); Voiced by in drama CD: Unshou Ishizuka): Another of the Witch Queen's best disciples, "Lucifer" is the name he now goes under; one of his aims is to create a "paradise" using the powers of the Divine Design (and the clones of it which he had created). In this "paradise", he then hoped to see his daughter Angela again, who somehow was sacrificed to the Witches in a ritual. He's been working with the Brain Trust and after his defeat by the GB duo, the Professor hired Akabane to kill him.
By nature, he's not an evil person; Maria noted that if he had not worked with the Brain Trust, he could have succeeded the Witch Queen given his powers. His true name is Lukifer Pierre de' Medici.
Sariel
Sariel (サリエル, sarieru); Voiced by in drama CD: Atsushi Kisaichi: Sariel is one of the runaway children who decides to trust in the power of Lucifer and acts somewhat as a leader figure among the "Angels" of Lucifer. As Sariel, the most evil of the Archangels, he is supposedly immune to all illusions, including the Jagan. He is assigned to hinder Ban, but is defeated by the GetBackers, who uses his Jagan effectively during a brief moment when Sariel doubts himself and thinks as a child rather than a wielder of Divine Design. It is revealed that his real name is Kakeru Mikimoto and that his mother committed suicide by hanging herself in their apartment, and he is constantly haunted by the memory of the way her eyes looked at him when she died. He was later adopted by his uncle, whose family loved and welcomed him, and became Kakeru Doumoto (堂本 翔 Dōmoto Kakeru). While he was grateful and excelled in school, Kakeru continued to feel empty, especially when his adopted brother Osamu died in an accident and his grief-stricken aunt lamented as to why Osamu had to be the one who died. Lucifer contacts Kakeru during a high school application interview, where Kakeru says that he wants to enter that high school to become a doctor like his father. By questioning what Kakeru really wants, Lucifer is able to bring him into the world of Divine Design with ease. He eventually redeems himself by helping the GetBackers and returns to his family when he realizes his adopted mother had been lamenting why she herself, rather than Kakeru himself as he believed, had not died in the place of her son. After the events of Divine Design, he studies for college.
Gabriel
Gabriel (ガブリエル, gaburieru) Voiced by in drama CD: Yuko Sasamoto): First seen in Volume 1, "Gabriel" was an old customer of the GB duo. In the "Divine Design" arc, he hires the GetBackers to retrieve his missing cards, but reveals himself as a member of Lucifer's angels, and works against the GetBackers. When he fails to eliminate Himiko during Maria Noches' attempt to train the GetBackers and their allies to master Divine Design, Gabriel is assigned to hinder Ginji, but was also defeated by him. Gabriel reveals that his mother is a workaholic and does not seem to understand or care about him and he is always left home alone. Lucifer sought him out after Gabriel was bullied again and again at the prestigious private school his mother insisted, he continue attending, despite the fact he kept getting bullied and was clearly very unhappy. Realizing the power of Divine Design, Gabriel agreed to join Lucifer as the Archangel of Truth and becomes capable of manipulating water. Following his defeat and a subsequent chat of encouragement from Ginji, Gabriel demands that Ginji get back his Guardian Card by sunset, otherwise, as one who has betrayed Lucifer, he will die. He takes refuge in the Honky Tonk along with Rena ("Remiel"). His real name, seen on a note from his mother, is Mamoru Saiki (佐伯 護 Saiki Mamoru).
Rena Sendou/Remiel
(manga only) (仙洞レナ Sendō Rena; Voiced by in drama CD: Chiwa Saito): Rena was first seen in the Divine Design arc as one of Lucifer's chosen children. As Remiel, her power was to trap human souls in dolls. She was defeated by Himiko and subsequently became Natsumi's colleague at the Honky Tonk. Previously depressed due to the loss of her father and her sexual abuses under her teacher, Rena perks up under the advice of Paul and tries to be a good helper at the café, though her coffee-making skills, among others, still leave much to be desired. However, since Paul's departure for Infinity Fortress, both she and Natsumi had proved themselves to be capable of handling the sudden surge in business at the café.
Like Natsumi, all references to Rena were removed in the drama CDs, except for her involvement during the Divine Design arc. She was referred to as Ramiel here.
Kiriudo
The Kiriudo are like the Mariudo except they control insects and can transform into them permanently. They have a genocidal hatred for the Mariudo and have been systemically wiping them out, though they claim the Mariudo started the enmity between them. They do not care for humanity either, though they also seek to control Japan from the shadows. It is later revealed the two groups used to live in harmony with each other in Hell Valley until Kabuto became the Kiriudo leader. The two groups are also related. Currently the Kiriudo are divided into seven clans; each has a chief who answers directly to Kabuto, who rules over all Kiriudo. Each chief has a unique specialty. The Seven Chiefs are considered the group's strongest members.
Jorougumo (女郎蜘蛛, Jorōgumo) is the leader of the Spider clan. Her speciality is "Tactician" and alluding to this, she often works through conceit and disguises. She tricked Ginji twice, disguising herself as a whore and Madoka, respectively. After the GB duo and Himiko raised an uproar in "China Street" (the base of the Spider clan's operations), Jorougumo and her minions retreated to Hell's Valley. There, she suggested that the Kiryuudo 7 be pitted against the GB duo and their allies instead of using the average grunts. However, this scheme backfires when Shido's contacts took down the seven, one after another. After Kabuto's treachery, she lost everyone she cared for (her son Kirihito and lover Onigumo) and surrendered to GB & co. She was later killed, and her soul absorbed by Kabuto. With Kabuto's destruction, she was brought back to life as a normal woman. Voiced by: Mako Hyōdō
Saichou Mumyouin (無明院賽蝶, Mumyōin Saichō) is a monk and leader of the Butterfly clan. He is later revealed to be a traitor and plots the Kiryuudo's fall for the sake of Kabuto's resurrection. His primary powers are illusion, using butterflies through which 'no scent can be smelt, no sound can be heard and nothing can be seen'. He's killed by Ban, who punches him three times (according to Ban, one for killing Genshuu Miyama, one for making Himiko Kudo cry, and one for all the Kiriudo he sent to their deaths), and then proceeds to drive his head into the pavement with a ferocious "Snake Bite". Voiced by: Masaki Terasoma
Other members include: Dokubachi (毒蜂), sole member of the Bee clan and specializes as the "Physician", Juurou Kamata (鎌多十郎, Kamata Jūrō): an assassin and leader of the Mantis clan, Semimaru Kanade (奏蝉丸, Kanade Semimaru): "musician" and the most powerful of the seven who fights by using his cicada warriors through the music he plays on his lute, Suiha Koyanagi (湖柳水爬, Koyanagi Suiha): a "water wizard" who fights using algae, Genshuu Miyama (深山幻舟, Miyama Genshū): "Warrior" and leader of the Beetle clan.
Three Knights/Drei Ritter
The personal bodyguards of Der Kaiser, they consist of the Miroku 7's father, brother, and sister. The younger ones were easily defeated by Paul when he reverted to his Gale Emperor days. But the father, Shimon, was able to easily defeat Paul, even when he was using the powers available in his prime. Realizing that wisdom is more important than strength, Paul returned to his older self and defeated the man.
Voodooists/shamans and allies
Voodoo King
(呪術王 / ブードゥーキング)- A mysterious, shrouded figure to whom Yohan, Masaki, Kagami, and the Cursed Knights have been reporting and taking orders from, the Voodoo King is the head of the Voodooists and, presumably, the cast-out former ruler of Babylon City. The Voodoo King's intention is to collect all three "keys": the GetBackers, Himiko, and Shido (more precisely, the Chimera which he possesses). Once all three are in his possession, the 'keys' will be used to re-open the gates of Babylon City sealed by his nemesis, the Witch Queen.
The Voodoo King is usually seen playing chess and seems to know the Archive's contents enough to challenge its predictions by introducing new pawns into his plans. The Voodoo King is extremely powerful with stigmas in three eyes, one of them in the center of his forehead. He has been shown easily subduing, and later killing, Shido, even when he has awakened as the second key. He just as effortlessly defeats Emishi, Sakura, Uryuu, Teshimine, Amon, and Ryuuhou Agi all at once in a single move when the group attempts to gang up on him, also killing bystanders Ren and Kaoru Haruki.
It is revealed in volume 38 that the Voodoo King is the alter-ego of Sarai Kagenuma. However, when Sarai is present, the Voodoo King does not exist, and the opposite is true as well. After being challenged by the Lightning Emperor, who appeared without Ginji being in great anger or distress, the Voodoo King battles him. However, it is soon revealed that the Lightning Emperor and the Voodoo King are exact opposites of each other with the Lightning Emperor the lord of existence and the Voodoo King the lord of nothingness. The Lightning Emperor exists to defeat the Voodoo King because the Voodoo King seeks to disrupt how the world should be.
Kyoji Kagami
Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese); Joey Hood (English)
Kyoji Kagami (鏡京司, Kagami Kyōji) is known as "The Observer" and is a resident of Babylon City (the topmost level of Infinity Fortress). Though Kagami may seem to be harmless, beneath his polite manners and ready smile, he does not suffer fools gladly.
Kagami was first introduced when he came down to Lower Town to "observe" the retrievers of "IL", first joining MakubeX's side and then later by going his own way. Kagami first appears inside MakubeX's monitor room, asking MakubeX if he thought that the Raitei of old was some kind of god. When Ginji Amano and Kuroudou Akabane of the IL retrievers prematurely arrived in the underground waste districts, both Kagami and Juubei go to encounter and greet them. With Juubei squaring off against Ginji, Kagami is paired off against Akabane.
Kagami is a master of mirrors, and his fighting style revolves around illusions and doubles by using diffuse reflections. His favorite choice of weapons are his mirror fragments, which are ground so finely that they resemble Diamond Dust which Kagami claims are made of demonic shards. When unleashed, these fragments can be inhaled by the opponent or absorbed through the skin if touched recklessly. Then, being diamond sharp, they damage the internal organs of the victim, even shredding them whenever possible. Another weapon in his arsenal is his speed. Very few characters have managed to match him in this department, except Ban, Akabane, and Himiko while under the effects of her Acceleration Scent.
Deeply calculating and cautious, Kagami's penchant for observing and planning also makes him a master strategist. It was later revealed that he is a member of the mysterious Brain Trust. His favorite activity is to observe the actions of his opponents, hence his title The Observer. In the power struggle among the denizens of Babylon City, he appears to defer to the Voodoo King, though the King suspects him of treachery. He's also known as the Lord of the Looking Glass (魔鏡の王) because of his skills with illusions.
Over time, Kagami becomes enamored by Himiko and how well she did when she fought him during the IL recovery arc and eventually comes into possession of her and awaits her seventeenth birthday when she will become a key he can use to re-enter Babylon City. He also intends to marry Himiko, claiming to love her. However, she does not love him back and is heartbroken when Kagami informs her that Ban is really her older brother.
In the "Get Back the Lost Time" arc, he was assigned to kill Hevn, as she tries to reach Babylon City. He was, however, stopped by her escort, Akabane. Later, after the two Himiko's merged, he fought with Ban and lost both the battle and his right arm. After making his escape, he was shocked to realize that the "Archive" had used him to achieve what it considered the best solution. His realization included the true meaning of the letters "G.B.", which are represented by the Greek letters for Gamma (γ) and Beta (β), respectively, indicating the Archive believes either Ginji (Gamma) or Ban (Beta) to be the best choice for the New King of Creation. Fearing that he may have already discovered too many secrets, the Specialist got Akabane to run through Kagami's heart with his Blood Sword. Before dying, Kagami reveals the Specialist's surname: Makube, the same as MakubeX's.
Masaki Kurusu
Voiced by: Hideyuki Hori (Japanese); Robert Kraft (English)
Masaki Kurusu (来栖征, Kurusu Masaki) is the fourth and last member of the VOLTS' Four Kings, introduced much later in the story than the other three, though consistently alluded to before that, though he remained nameless and featureless until he was properly introduced towards the end of the manga's Eternal Bond arc. His techniques allow him to control light, bypassing any physical defense and inflicting internal damage, thus earning him the title "the Controller of Light/Flash Master" (閃光の支配者). He is also able to use light to blind his opponents' senses. In the manga, he's Hevn's former lover and a member of the Brain Trust. He is the one who explains who the Brain Trust are and their Qualia plan for Infinity Fortress to the GetBackers and their allies after he is defeated.
In the anime, he is introduced in the anime-only final arc, returning to kidnap MakubeX on the Brain Trust's orders and revealing that not only is he also a member, but that he had been spying on the VOLTS for them while he was one of the Four Kings; in fact it was his entire reason for joining.
Cursed Knights
The duo of Kaoru Ujiie and Jouya Kanou, they currently serve under their former leader in VOLTS, Masaki Kurusu. The duo have a great fear of the Voodoo King, thus implying that they have doubts about their "new" roles.
Kaoru Ujiie
Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese); Carla Witt (English)
Kaoru Ujiie (氏家薫, Ujiie Kaoru) is a henchman of Masaki and Jouya's partner, Kaoru is a former member of VOLTS. Now, she serves Masaki and the Voodoo King under the moniker "Crimson (of the Cursed Knights) ". She's one of the few characters (along with Kanou and Sarai) who appeared first in the anime, then in the manga (though in the GB universe, their appearances are still roughly in the same "chronological" order). She uses flames as a primary form of attack, a skill which can be further enhanced by her partner. This partnership has existed since the time they were in VOLTS. In the anime version of her character, Kaoru was in love with Ginji and felt betrayed by him after he left Infinity Fortress. Near the end of the 2nd Infinity Fortress Arc, she wanted to be killed by the Thunder Emperor in their fight but Ginji convinces her to forget her obsession and remove the fire curse from Sakura's body.
Jouya Kanou
(叶条夜 Kanō Jōya; Voiced by: Kouki Miyata): Another of Masaki's henchmen, Jouya is Kaoru's partner and another former member of VOLTS. His skills are in the use of giant fans, which meant that, together with Kaoru, their powers are greatly increased. Also a member of the Cursed Knights, his moniker is now "Raven" (漆黒). Both Kaoru and Jouya are convinced that Masaki is doing the right thing, though they still have pangs of guilt when Shido questions them about their loyalties.
In the manga, he and Kaoru tried to stop the GB duo from bringing Hevn over to Masaki. Jouya, in particular, invoked his "Stigma" to increase his powers. However, he was completely outclassed by Ban from the beginning, who never doubted his own abilities.
Dark Fuuchouin
The Dark Fuuchouin are the rival clan who massacred Kazuki's family to gain absolute control of the Fuuchouin String-style school. They wield taboo Black Threads as their weapons and have taken up residence in Limitless Fortress' Upper Levels.
The Dark Fuuchouin is headed by Yohan Kokuchōin (黒鳥院 夜半, Kokuchōin Yohan)'', Kazuki's main rival as heir to the Fuuchouin School. He became its leader after the elimination of the Fuuchouin family and the exile of Kazuki to Lower Town. He is in close association — if not an actual member — with the Voodooists and the Brain Trust, allying himself with Masaki and Kagami in the liege of the mysterious Voodoo King. Also, his fighting abilities are said to be incredible, possibly even higher than that of Ban (But this comment by Kazuki was made before Ban's learning journey.). Later, it became known to Kazuki that Yohan was his younger brother.
Other members of the Dark Fuuchouin include: Yuuri Kokuchouin (黒鳥院 遊利, Kokuchōin Yūri), the berserker brother of Yohan and Maiya who uses giant 'sword hammer' in battle rather than strings; Maiya Kokuchouin (黒鳥院 舞矢, Kokuchōin Maiya), the only sister of Yohan and Yuuri; and Saizou Toufuuin (東風院 祭蔵, Tōfūin Saizou) a character who only appears in the manga, a childhood friend of Kazuki's from the Fuuchouin School before its fall.
Saizou's clan was also killed by the Dark Fuuchouin, thus making his alliances with both Fuuga and the Kokuchouins highly suspect. Later, it's revealed that he was forced to join Yohan as the young scion implanted a "dark cocoon" made of black thread in his heart. After losing to Kazuki and explaining his plight, which includes the revelation that the members of Fuuga are trapped in the cocoon, Saizou tore his heart out, which liberated the captives.
Gangs and Groups
VOLTS
The group led by Ginji when he was called the Lightning Emperor who ruled Infinity Fortress' Lower Town after Takeru Teshimine disappeared. It consists of regular squads of fighters, led by the Four Kings: Kazuki Fuuchouin, Masaki Kurusu, MakubeX, and Shido Fuyuki. After the Lightning Emperor was defeated by Ban, Ginji left Infinity Fortress and VOLTS disbanded.
Fuga
(Known as "Elegance", the English translation, in the anime.) A powerful gang in Lower Town prior to rise of the VOLTS. The group comprised Kazuki Fuuchouin, Toshiki Uryuu, the Kakei siblings (Juubei and Sakura), and Saizou Toufuuin (manga only). It was formed by Saizou and led by Kazuki. Fuga dispersed when Kazuki joined the VOLTS but was reformed in the Voodoo Child arc for the Queen's Cup tournament.
Protectors
Protector (護り屋, mamoriya) in GetBackers are people who are hired to protect their clients' possessions and/or persons.
Transporters
A transporter's (運び屋 hakobiya) job in the GB universe is to ensure that an object or person makes it to its destination unhindered.
Notes
References
- Sanadura, Hiroyuki (trans. Hiroaki Fukuda). Gunparade March Volume 1 (English). ADV Manga. First printing, October 2004. p. 207 (page 1 of "Translator's Notes"). ISBN 1-4139-0035-6. "(Trivia: The ban in the creature's name, which can mean either "barbarian" or "vulgar/uncouth", is the same as that used for one of the lead characters in Getbackers)."
- Cooper, Liann (27 April 2004). "GetBackers G. Novel 1: Vol. 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
- Ayamine, Rando (1999). "20 (Act 4 Part 2)". Getbackers, Volume 3. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-312777-X.
- Ayamine, Rando (2000). "42 (Act 6 Part 6)". Getbackers, Volume 6. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-312849-0.
- "Infiltration, Infinite Castle • IL Retrieval Mission". Getbackers. Episode 11. 14 December 2002.
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