List of D.N.Angel characters
This is a list of characters in the manga series D.N.Angel by Yukiru Sugisaki and its anime adaptation.
Protagonists
[edit]Daisuke Niwa
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Miyu Irino, Tomoko Kaneda (younger version)
- Drama CD: Sōichirō Hoshi
- English Dub: Kevin Corn
Daisuke Niwa (
Though he regularly argues with his alter-ego Dark, he expresses concern for him when he is in danger or in pain. He misses Dark when they are separated within the series through magic, and their dynamic is that of an older/younger brother.
Dark Mousy
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Ryotaro Okiayu
- Drama CD: Masaya Onosaka
- English Dub: Vic Mignogna
Dark Mousy (ダーク・マウジー, Dāku Maujī), is half of the Koku Yoku, an artwork created by the Hikari family, who has appeared in the first male of the Niwa generation for the last 300 years. Once Dark appears, his host will change into Dark whenever he is around the person he loves or thinks about them a great deal, though in the anime, Dark can choose not to appear at such times. At the start of D.N.Angel, Dark had lain dormant for 40 years as his previous host, Daiki Niwa, only had one female offspring. When Emiko's son, Daisuke, reached 14, he became Dark's new "tamer" or host. Known to the public as "Kaitou Dark", (translated as "Phantom Dark" in the ADV Films dub of the anime) Dark steals the cursed art pieces made by the Hikari family, which the Niwa family then seals away to prevent them from causing any more trouble. He primarily uses With as his wings, as using his own true wings causes Daisuke's body tremendous harm. Though he and Daisuke often argue over missions and Risa and Riku Harada, its apparent that Dark cares for his host, taking care not to harm him by using too much of his magic and protecting him when possible. For fun Dark often teases his host Daisuki. Their relationship is often that of older/younger brothers.
Candid and confident, Dark can also appear to be arrogant and something of a playboy, flirting shamelessly with girls. Dark is a notorious flirt, but there are very few he truly cares about. In the anime, he said that he is willing to kiss anyone since it is like a greeting to him rather than something meaningful. After Dark's reappearance, Daisuke's crush, Risa Harada, falls in love with him and begins to pursue him. He initially flirts with her, seemingly to annoy Daisuke, and goes on several dates with her. In the anime, Dark rejects Risa's feelings after telling her that he was once in love with her grandmother and only humored Risa's attraction because she reminded him of his lost love.
In the manga, Dark later changes and grows affection for Risa.
Antagonists
[edit]Satoshi Hiwatari
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Akira Ishida
- Drama CD: Tomokazu Seki
- English Dub: Greg Ayres
Satoshi Hiwatari (
Satoshi is the last heir of the Hikari family, which created powerful artworks that the Niwa family has been stealing for years via Dark. In the anime version, Kosuke made a play on words with Satoshi's last name being synonymous with light (also pronounced 'hikari'), though the kanji for Satoshi's family name actually means 'ice hunter'.
Although he is just as capable of creating artwork as his ancestors have been, he avoids doing so. This is both to go against his fate and to avoid creating any more dangerous artworks. In the anime, he was shown painting in flashbacks of when he was a child and getting praise from his adopted father before the man became abusive.
After his mother's death, Satoshi was adopted by the Hiwatari family. His adoptive father appears to be aware of the Hikari and in the anime adaptation attempts to use the power of the artworks for his own purposes, eventually getting killed by one of the artworks he tries to harness the power of. Satoshi is shown to have a strong dislike for his adopted father, and refuses to play along when the man tries to pass the two of them off as a close family.
Much as Daisuke houses the soul of Dark Mousy, Satoshi holds that of his opposite, Krad. Unlike Dark, Krad is homicidal and cares nothing for Satoshi, causing Satoshi to regularly fight to keep him inside. It is suggested that Satoshi wears glasses as a way of helping him keep Krad in check, as he notes that he does not actually need them and once they are removed he almost immediately feels Krad trying to emerge.
Although Satoshi is viewed as the main antagonist in the series. He can be considered as a secondary protagonist due to his strong friendship with Daisuke, as well his rebellion toward Krad.
In the manga version, Satoshi and Daisuke are inconvenient but genuine friends who both try to protect each other from their alter egos, and their friendship is tested and strengthened by their mutual afflictions. However, the closer they grow to friendship, the more complicated their rivalries become. Satoshi has an intense dislike for Dark, similar to Dark's dislike of Krad. It is told bluntly by Satoshi to Daisuke that if the curse continues as is, then Satoshi will be killed by Krad.
In the anime, it has been stated by Dark that Daisuke is the one who causes Satoshi to turn into Krad. Satoshi wants to be close to Daisuke despite the danger of Krad to both of them.
Several times in both manga and anime, it is made apparent just how little Krad cares for Satoshi. Whereas Daisuke is spared the pain of enduring the magic used by Dark via With, and Dark trying to keep the magic use to a minimum, Krad often uses the max amount of power he can summon, and when he takes over his white wings rip from Satoshi's back causing him great pain, and leaving two narrow injures on his back where the wings once were.
Krad
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Takeshi Kusao
- Drama CD: Taiki Matsuno
- English Dub: Illich Guardiola
Krad (クラッド, Kuraddo) is an entity similar to Dark, living inside his "tamer" Satoshi Hiwatari. He is Dark's opposite in many ways, including his name ('Dark' spelled backwards), having blond hair, wearing white attire, and always speaking very politely using an extremely formal speech pattern. Krad is Dark's and, by extension, Daisuke's worst enemy, repeatedly attempting to kill them both. Though Krad refers to Hiwatari as Master Satoshi and as "his everything", he shows little regard for Hiwatari's wishes and well-being. He ignores Hiwatari's repeated attempts to get him to leave Daisuke alone and regularly uses his magic without limit, causing Hiwatari to collapse in agony. Like Daisuke, Hiwatari has little control over his transformation though he can force Krad to go back inside his body at times.
Supporting characters
[edit]Risa Harada
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Masumi Asano
- Drama CD: Sakura Tange
- English Dub: Luci Christian
Risa Harada (
Wanting to be with Dark, Risa begins taking great risks to try to see him during his thieving adventures. Dark initially accepts her affections, then rejects her when he realizes she truly loves him. However, Risa refuses to give him up and after noting that she has "become a lady" he agrees to go on a date with her. During the date, she is kidnapped by Argentine who takes her to his world and demands that she, as Dark's "maiden", help him become more like Dark.
Satoshi Hiwatari is also seen as showing a bit of concern for her in the manga, deliberately transforming into Krad—something he normally fights—to try and save her when he sees her falling from a tower during Argentine's attack.[1]
As the series progresses, Risa's attitude and childish behavior dies down a bit, though she retains her girly nature. She has made several accounts of being more responsible than she was at the beginning of the series. Stated by Riku herself that her sister was just 'too nice', example being when they were children Risa gave up her bunny to Riku who had lost her teddy bear despite loving her bunny a lot. Risa also cares about both Riku and Daisuke, feeling that Daisuke has finally 'got his act together' and sees him in a new light. Risa has made many mature decisions and has shown that, despite her selfishness, she can be just as kind as her twin sister, Riku.
In the anime adaptation, Risa's crush on Dark appears to die down towards the end of the series, because in the anime, Dark had already fallen in love 40 years ago with the twins' grandmother, Rika. Instead, she finds an interest in Satoshi at the end. Not wanting to tarnish those feelings or end up as a replacement, Risa gradually stopped pursuing Dark as a romantic interest. In the manga, however, this plot does not exist. Her feelings for Dark still remain strong, even when Dark told her that he wasn't human.
Riku Harada
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Sara Nakayama
- Drama CD: Yuka Imai
- English Dub: Hilary Haag
Riku Harada (
Though Riku initially appears to only see Daisuke as a friend, its soon revealed that she harbors romantic feelings for him, though he initially can only see Risa. After her sister rejects him, Riku begins to see him less as clumsy and unreliable, coming to see his strengths and admitting to the feelings she herself had been denying. While trying to sort out her feelings, she remembers that they had met as children when he'd helped her retrieve her precious teddy bear from over a fence one night. Eventually she admits her feelings, but initially is disbelieving when Daisuke tells her he feels the same. Realizing he is speaking the truth, they become a couple.
Riku intensely dislikes Dark, feeling he is nothing but a thief and a playboy, however when Risa is in danger and he promises he will bring her back, she begins to soften her stance towards him. She also sometimes compares him to Daisuke, though she does not yet know that Daisuke is Dark.
In the anime adaptation, Riku is more uncertain of her relationship with Daisuke, temporarily hating that he calls both her and Risa "Harada-san". She thought Dark stole her first kiss but it was actually Daisuke. When Dark was going to kiss Riku, Dark turned back to Daisuke. At the end of the anime, Riku is the only person not in the Niwa or Hikari/Hiwatari family to know that Daisuke is Dark.
Emiko Niwa
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Sakiko Tamagawa, Taeko Kawata (younger version)
- Drama CD: Yūko Nagashima
- English Dub: Kelly Manison
Emiko Niwa (
Emiko can be hyperactive, and Daisuke notes that sometimes she does not act her age. At time, she seems inconsiderate and unconcerned about Daisuke's situation, but she makes it clear that she does love him and will always watch over him. In addition to training Daisuke, she is in charge of sending out the notices for Dark's upcoming thefts. Emiko also possesses some skills in disguises.(For example: In the manga, she covered up for Daisuke's disappearance on his date with Riku by going as a shop clerk and giving Daisuke a mirror for Riku, which, in actuality, is a Hikari artwork.)
In the anime adaptation, her hyperactivity and lack of maturity are increased. She also makes costumes for Daisuke and Dark to wear while out thieving.
Kosuke Niwa
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Masaki Terasoma
- Drama CD: Toshihiko Seki
- English Dub: Andy McAvin
Kosuke Niwa (
In the anime adaptation, he gives Daisuke a ring called the Rutile of Grief, allowing Kosuke to share Daisuke's pain during a lengthy battle with Krad.
Daiki Niwa
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Takeshi Aono, Hirokazu Hiramatsu (younger version)
- Drama CD: Eiji Maruyama, Mugihito (younger version)
- English Dub: John Swasey
Daiki Niwa (
Wiz
[edit]Character Voice:
- Drama CD: Megumi Toyoguchi
- English Dub: Mariela Ortiz
With (ウィズ, Wizu) is the family pet of the Niwa family and Dark Mousy's familiar. With can sense when Dark is calling him, no matter how much distance is between them and is capable of transforming into both Daisuke and Dark. In the anime, he can't speak very well, often just saying Daisuke's name (which sounds very close to Daisuki, the Japanese word to "like a lot" or "love", where in the English dub he says "I like you"), however, in the manga, he can speak reasonably well. With is afraid of water as he cannot swim, and is easily scared by horror films and haunted houses.
Towa
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Rie Tanaka
- English Dub: Monica Rial
Towa (
In the anime adaptation, she usually only changes to bird form when weak or flustered.
Chief Superintendent Hiwatari
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Rikiya Koyama
- English Dub: John Gremillion
Chief Superintendent Hiwatari (
Argentine
[edit]Argentine (アージェンタイン, Ājentain) is a mysterious boy who seems to have something against Dark, and kidnapped Risa during her date with the phantom thief. According to Kosuke, Argentine was a piece of art created and destroyed by the Hikari family long ago. He has stated that he wants to become Kokuyoku, in other words, the mix of Dark and Krad, and that he needs Risa's help to do this. During the twelfth book, he reveals that he is trying to recreate "Qualia," another piece of living artwork originally made to always be by his side. He is ultimately destroyed after a fight between Dark and Argentine, and Argentine appears to turn to stone. In the December 2008 chapter he returns to be found in Daisuke's basement and is recruited by Emiko to be the family butler, much to Towa's displeasure. He also shows an alternate form as a small gecko-like lizard.
Keiji Saga
[edit]Character Voice:
- Drama CD: Kenichi Suzumura
Keiji Saga (
Mio Hio
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Taeko Kawata
- English Dub: Jessica Boone
Mio Hio (
Takeshi Saehara
[edit]Character Voice:
- Anime: Minoru Shiraishi, Yumiko Kobayashi (younger version)
- Drama CD: Wataru Takagi
- English Dub: Kira Vincent-Davis
Takeshi Saehara (
In the anime adaptation Takeshi is shown to also bribe female students with pictures of Dark to get them to perform his work for him. In the anime, he falls in love with the character Mio Hio, a living voodoo doll, who did not return his affections.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Chapter 57
- ^ "A New Rival". D.N.Angel. Episode 14.
- ^ a b "A Summer Without Dark". D.N.Angel. Episode 17.
- ^ "A Couple Under The Shooting Stars". D.N.Angel. Episode 18.
- ^ "An Icy Voice Calling". D.N.Angel. Episode 21.
- ^ "The Black Wings". D.N.Angel. Episode 25.
- ^ "Eternal Dark". D.N.Angel. Episode 26.