Rune Soldier

Rune Soldier (魔法戦士リウイ) is a Japanese light novel series by Ryo Mizuno, which features the apprentice wizard Louie as the hero. The series takes place on the continent of Alecrast on the world called Forcelia, and is related to the Sword World RPG. It is a sibling series to Record of Lodoss War (also by Mizuno), taking place on a continent north of Lodoss Island.

An anime television series adaptation animated by J.C.Staff aired on Wowow from April to September 2001. There are also two manga adaptations.

Plot

Set in the kingdom of Orphan, a land of swords and magic ruled by the Hero King, the story follows Louie, a physically strong but unconventional mage who recently graduated from the mage's guild. Despite his magical training, Louie is prone to drinking, chasing women, and getting into fights, instead of behaving like a typical wizard, which leaves him without a purpose in life.

His circumstances change when three adventurers, a priestess named Melissa, a fighter named Genie, and a thief named Mirelle, reluctantly accept him into their party after a divine revelation leads Melissa to believe Louie is her destined hero. Although skeptical of his abilities and behavior, the group sets out together on various quests, exploring ruins, battling monsters, and taking on jobs as adventurers.

Characters

In the anime version, he is the mastermind behind a plot to use Littler to overthrow King Rijal and restore an oligarchy of the nobles of the old Fan Kingdom.

• Louie (リウイ) : A member of the Magician's Guild in Ohfun and the adopted son of Carwes the guild's master. Muscular and a little on the dumb side; Louie is prone to getting drunk in bars, chasing after girls, and brawling when he should be studying his magic. As a result, he tends to use brute force instead of magic, much to the chagrin of his companions (for example, on his first adventure, Louie lost his temper when a troop of goblins clubbed him on the head and then broke his wand when he used it to club them back). Despite his shortcomings as a wizard, Louie possesses a strong sense of justice and is unfailingly loyal to those he considers his friends. Louie's stupidity mostly results as a lack of planning and forethought, he's actually a lot smarter than he usually appears to be, often figuring things out that others overlook. While it isn't mentioned in the anime (other than Louie's strong resemblance to him) it is strongly hinted in the manga that Louie is the illegitimate son of the King.

• Melissa (メリッサ) : Adventurer and priestess to Mylee, god of war. Daughter of an earl in Ramliearth. Naive and idealistic, Melissa's dream is to serve a chosen hero of her patron god which of course causes her great despair when Mylee reveals her destined champion is Louie (in the anime she frequently says "This is against my will" several times an episode). Throughout the course of the series, Melissa gradually begins to realize that perfect heroes don't exist and by the end of the series not only fully accepts Louie as her chosen hero but may also have developed feelings for him as well.

• Genie (ジーニ) : Adventurer and former soldier of Ohfun. She has a rather cool demeanor but Louie's stupid behavior tends to push her to the point of violence. A highly adept warrior, Genie's favorite weapon is a broadsword as big as herself and likewise is strong enough to slug it out on the same level as Louie. As the story progresses, Genie comes to respect Louie as a friend when she finds that he, unlike most men, doesn't look down on her because she is a woman and even teaches him basic sword fighting.

• Merrill (ミレル) : Adventurer, thief and part-time job worker with a fanatical obsession for money. When not adventuring, Merrill is either raising funds for the next adventure through various part-time jobs or looking at any scheme to get rich, including running booths at various events in Ohfun. Like Genie, Merril is driven crazy by Louie's behavior and frequently explodes in violence at him.

• Ila (アイラ) : Member of the Magician's Guild and Louie's friend. Despite many attempts to get Louie on a date, especially considering her rather voluptuous frame, their relationship remains platonic and open much to her dismay. Although highly knowledgeable in magic theory and magical item lore (her chief area of study), Aila herself claims to be inferior to Louie in raw magical prowess. She also tends to go to pieces and pass out whenever trouble surfaces on adventures she tags along with. In the manga, Aila's character is more sultry than in the anime and she especially enjoys getting Louie flustered by flirting with him.

• Celecia : A beautiful elf girl the group met while journeying through a forest.

• Anna
• Gannet
• Joan
• Three young teenage priestesses of Mylee that hold Melissa in esteem. They have a low opinion of Louie and see him as a burden to Melissa during the entirety of the anime series. They don't appear in the manga.

• Dardanel : Littler's aide and regent. An aristocrat from the days of the old Fan Kingdom. It is unknown whether he ranks higher or lower than Prime Minister Rijal. He encourages Littler to become king.

Media

External links

• Official website