Bastard!! Destructive God of Darkness (バスタード!! 暗黒の破壊神 Basutādo!! ankoku no hakai shin) is a manga by Kazushi Hagiwara. It first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump, in 1988, and continues to be published irregularly today in Ultra Jump. Currently, it spans 23 volumes.
Kazushi Hagiwara is an enthusiastic fan of heavy metal music and Dungeons & Dragons, using ideas from both of these in the Bastard!! story. Many characters and places in the story, for instance, are named after members of Hagiwara's favorite bands.
The manga is published in English by Viz Communications.
Additionally, a 6-part anime OVA was released in 1992. The OVA was released in the USA/North America by Geneon in 1995.
Manga
In Bastard!!, the Kingdom of Metallicana is attacked by four armies. This prompts Dark Schneider , a wizard, to awaken within the body of 14-year old Rushe.
Bastard!!'s history is about sorcery, revenge, and other power struggles in a Dungeons & Dragons-like world. It is a dystopian world, where people need magic to survive against wild beasts , and evil monsters. There are endless rulers, each one with his own army of knights and mages, who fight for survival against those beasts and the armies of multiple evil sorcerers. This world can be perfectly described by the words from the opening:
"Several hundred year, after the fall of human civilization...
It was a lawless period, a time without order.
Only blood, flesh, bone and iron...
It was also a time of Sorcery...
Having been terrorized by demonic creatures their entire lives, humans beings were miserably inadequate, and forced to subsist in a barren, beastly environment."
OVA
Synopsis
In the anime, the six episodes tell of the awakening of Dark Schneider (also called Darshu) and his subsequent attempts to
destroy his old allies (The Four Lords of Havoc) and take over the world, whilst winning over multiple love interests.
Dark Schneider had been imprisoned a few years earlier, trapped inside the body of Yoko's friend Rushe following a failed attempt to take over the world. In the meantime, his four generals attempted to ressurect the god Ansalasax, who would bring about an apocalypse and create the Sorceror's Kingdom from the ashes of the old world. The story takes place in the future, a post-apocalyptic time following the release of Anslasax at the height of Modern Civilization. Technology is gone and magic has asserted itself as a force in the world. Shortly after the fall of the modern world, demonic creatures began to appear en masse and forced humans to revert to a feudalistic, city-state based society.
Anime
Much like in Basara, another anime, this series was never finished. The creator was arrested during the making of the seventh episode, and the series has not been continued since. The two final episodes (which would bring the total to eight) are expected to never be created and/or released. As a result, the story ends on a cliffhanger, unlike in the manga.
Translation
The version of Bastard!! released in North America differs in a few ways from that released in Japan. The major differences are the changing of place names. The manga and anime both name places, spells (and some people) after various Heavy Metal bands, such as Judas Priest, Whitesnake, and Anthrax, and the spells Megadeth and Helloween. Fearing lawsuits, Pioneer took the Japanese forms of the band names and changed them somewhat when they were put back in English: Megadeth become Megadeath, Helloween became Haro-Wing, Whitesnake became Whiteos-Neiki, and Anthrax became Anslasax. The main city in which the adventure takes place, Meta-Ricana, is actually Metallica. In addition, some of the swearing has been toned down in the dub translation.
Magic
Magic in the series is used by various people, seemingly anyone can invoke it. Magic appears to have been more common formerly, as spells of the "High Ancient[s]" are often spoken of. Magic is invariably called forth by speaking a spell, which may or may not be actual words of an ancient language. Magic may also be embedded in objects, such as the Sword of Efreet, or by calling upon what appear to be deities. Most characters have spells unique to themselves.
Dark Schneider's signature spell is Venom (バノム benomu), which only he knows. It causes the person it is cast upon to liquify. It goes thus, in the English version:
- "Burning in the depths of the pits of darkness,
- "let the fires of hell take you!
- "Let the fires become my sword
- "and strike you down! Venom!"
The most powerful spell in the Bastard!! universe is Halloween (ハーロ・エーン hāro ēn, or, in the English translation, Harowing), which is the "forbidden spell of utter and unknown destruction from the ancient days".
Characters
- Yoko (ティア・ノート・ヨーコ tia nōto yōko) - Yoko is a main character: a mildly lecherous red-head, son of the Great Priest (and a 60% chaste virgin), and friend of Luche. She is the primary love interest of Dark Schneider.
- Dark Schneider (ダーク・シュネイダー dāku shuneidā aka Darshu, D・S) / Rushe (ルーシエ・レンレン rūshie renren aka Lucien, Lushe) - Dark Schneider is the most powerful sorceror in the world, which he almost completely took over before being imprisoned in the body of a little boy by Grand (or Great) Priest Geo. Rushe is soft spoken and had a crush on Yoko, which carried over to Dark Schneider. Rushe and Dark Schneider share the same soul, which means they love what each other loves, but that is where it ends: Dark Schneider can be incredibly evil, heartless and lecherous, whereas Rushe is faithful, quiet and friendly. Dark Schneider is immortal (though whether this is conferred upon Rushe is unclear) -- he can ressurect himself through will-power alone. In the English version, he is also called the Mage of Fire, and, in the Japanese, The Exploder Wizard. Whenever Rushe is kissed by Yoko, Dark Schneider is released, and when Dark Schneider is kissed, Rushe is released, and so on, though Dark Schneider can break the seal himself when extremely angry, and he can control Lushe's body at certain times of night (re-gaining his powers for a while in the process).
- Ninja Master Gara (ガラ gara) - Gara is a master of Ninjitsu, and at least the third (possibly the fourth) General that Dark Schneider took on. He attempted to slay Dark Schneider, who easily defeated him. Dark Schneider was moved by the boy's impetuous and strong-willed attacks, and so offered to take him on as a servant and fighter. Gara agreed. He commands a sword which can draw its life force directly from the swordsman, allowing almost unbeatable magic attacks. Unfortunately, the strongest attack is usually fatal to use. When he learned Dark Schneider had been re-awoken, he kidnapped Yoko; Dark Schneider became enraged by this and tracked down the Ninja Master, at which point they battled -- at the end of the battle Dark Schneider and Gara both lost an arm, and Dark Schneider appeared to be killed. It was at this point that Dark Schneider ressurected himself, and destroyed Gara's base -- but kept everyone alive, and restored Gara's arm. Gara realized the error of his ways and rejoined Dark Schneider (the first Lord to do so).
- Thunder Empress Arshes Nei (アーシェス・ネイ āshesu nei) - A Dark-Elf who was kept as a slave by the Wood Elves, Dark Schneider found her and took rare pity. She became both his daughter and his lover, being apparently similarily immortal (or at least long lived). She was his major confidante and as such is aware of most of the same spells he is. She was cursed with the spell Accused by Abigail, which compelled her to fight against Dark Schneider whilst her army marched on Meta-Rikana. After being killed by her, he again ressurects and drives off the power of the Accused spell. She rejoins him at this point, and they destroy the advancing armies. She was the first Lord of Havoc to join Dark Schneider originally, and the second to rejoin.
- Kal-Su (カル・ス karu su) - Kal-Su was the second general of Dark Schneider -- he commands the Ice-Falchion, and is innately magically powerful. His past is revealed in the manga, but not in the anime -- this was presumably scheduled for episodes five and six. Kal-Su was born in a distant village, his father being an Ice-Dragon in human form. He was feared by the villagers for this, as well as bullied and beaten. At one point, his mother attempted to slay him with the Ice-Falchion, a great sword. Kal-Su slew her and, upon leaving the village, was stopped by a torch-bearing mob. He destroyed the mob with a glance, as well as the entire village, and was left to wander the ruins of the village. Dark Schneider found him, and took him aboard, declaring him a son, but mostly a slave and servant (in the manga, he evidently says You are mine.) He boasts extreme power, and is capable of transforming into an Ice-Dragon at will. He destroys the entire city of Whiteos-Neiki with his spell, Vizkaya, which freezes everyone in the Kingdom into solid ice. He is the last general left standing when the series unexpectedly terminates, and wishes for the apocalypse. It is explained in the manga that he was sexually molested (somehow) by the spirit of Anslasax, and manipulated into hating Dark Schneider, with most of his memories modified.
- Dark Priest Abigail (アビガイル abigairu) - Abigail is a bit of an enigma -- he is the Fourth Lord of Havoc, and quite powerful. He claims to be the Priest of Anslasax, and explains that he has existed since the days of the Old World, and exists to faciliate the ressurection of Anslasax. He curses Arshes with the Accused spell, which forces her to obey him forever, as if she does not, her body will be destroyed, and she will return as an immortal toad. Alone of all of the group he is able to take the "3 keys" which seal the God of Destruction in sleep, and begin the spell to ressurect her. Abigail is destroyed by Dark Schneider in the end, though he almost succeeds in killing Dark Schneider, Yoko, Arshes and Gara.
- Lars/Rarz (ラーズ rāzu) - Lars is a small blue dragon (Dark Schneider calls the type of animal a Psuedo- or Sudo Dragon, apparently known to Dark Schneider: he calls himself Rarz, and says he was the Greatest Enemy Dark Schneider had ever faced. Dark Schneider doesn't dispute this, but does observe he had died and been re-incarnated as a Psuedo Dragon. He shows up as the apparent pet of Gara. In the manga it is revealed that he was known as the 'Dragon Knight', powerful enough to take on whole armies by himself, and vain enough to challenge Dark Schneider to a duel. When he lost, Schneider forcibly reincarnated Rarz into his current form. Rarz is also the brother of Princess Sheila, making him the Prince of Metallicana.
- Bon Jovi/Von Jobina - The unfortunate Captain of the Guard of Meta-Ricana. He is constantly being crushed by enemies, but appears to be quite durable, because he survives being smashed by a Hydra, smashed by a Minotaur with a sledge hammer, crushed by two walls, and blasted through two walls by the Hurricane Sword. He dislikes Dark Schneider, but is very loyal to the princess.
- The Princess Sheila (シーラ 姫 shīra hime) - Princess of Meta-Rikana, she is strong and determined, but only somewhat magically powerful. Sister of Rarz.
- Great Priest Geo - The powerful father of Yoko, he transformed and imprisoned Dark Schneider in the form of Rushe at the end of the Great War which occurred twenty years before the main storyline.
Games
Bastard!! was made into a fighting game for Super Famicom as well as a role-playing game for PlayStation.
Publication
Last updated: 08-02-2005 07:15:40
