TV-Series
Description
In the anime The Asterisk War: The Academy City on the Water, AR-D, often called Ardy, is a notable secondary antagonist. His full designation stands for Absolute Refusal Defended Type, and he is one of the first autonomous puppets with genuine emotions, created by the student puppeteer Ernesta Kühne. He is given a distinctly masculine personality and his appearance resembles that of a combat puppet, though his voice is notably blunt and haughty, setting him apart from a typical machine.
AR-D’s personality is a mixture of arrogance and an almost comical eagerness to please his master. He speaks with grand self-assurance, as seen when he dismisses opponents like Moritz and Gerd as mere stepping stones, even offering to let them attack him without retaliation for a full minute to prove his capabilities. This haughty demeanor is tempered by a dim-witted and earnest side that often irritates his counterpart, RM-C. He is deeply loyal to Ernesta and is adamant about never taking back anything he says, as doing so would dishonor her name. Despite his initial disdain for others, AR-D shows a capacity for respect. After a fierce battle against Saya Sasamiya and Kirin Toudou, he begins to respect his opponents, even choosing to keep a scar on his head from Kirin's blade as a mark of honor.
Within the story, AR-D serves as a formidable obstacle for the main characters during the Phoenix Festa. Alongside RM-C, he is one of Ernesta's primary puppets, designed to demonstrate her genius in creating life-like combat units. His role is to fight on her behalf, showcasing the terrifying potential of autonomous puppets in the Academy City. His motivations are intrinsically linked to his master; he fights to prove his capabilities and, by extension, the worth of Ernesta's creations. He is not driven by personal ambition but by a programmed yet seemingly genuine desire to serve and not bring shame to her.
Key relationships define much of AR-D’s character. His most significant dynamic is with RM-C, another of Ernesta's puppets. While they fight as partners, their personalities clash, as RM-C is often irritated by AR-D’s comical and dim-witted nature. They are, however, able to combine their forms in battle, with RM-C making the final decision to grant him her flight unit and armor, which greatly enhances his strength. His relationship with his opponents also evolves; he transforms from an arrogant combatant to a respectful warrior, acknowledging the strength of those who can challenge him.
AR-D undergoes a subtle but clear development through his combat experiences. Initially, he views others solely as tools to prove his own superiority. However, his battle against Saya and Kirin serves as a turning point. By the end of the fight, he has gained a newfound respect for his enemies, a trait more akin to a warrior's code than a machine's programming. This shift suggests that his emotional capacity allows for growth and change based on his interactions with the world.
In terms of abilities, AR-D is a powerful defensive fighter. His primary skill is the Defense Barrier, a projection of light walls that can block attacks of immense destructive power, such as the Borea Spira and Borea Mordent. It is theorized that this is an application of the same technology used to protect crowds during Festa matches, and others have nicknamed it the Absolute Barrier. He can project this barrier to protect his partner RM-C, though it weakens with distance. When combined with RM-C, he can generate multiple walls simultaneously and even compress them to block powerful weapons like the Ser-Veresta. His most destructive solo technique involves creating a sphere of layered barriers, filling it with energy, and releasing a massive blast. For offense, AR-D wields a giant hammer Lux known as the Wolnir Hammer, which is as tall as he is. The head of this hammer can be launched at opponents as a projectile, a technique he can perform multiple times when combined with RM-C.
AR-D’s personality is a mixture of arrogance and an almost comical eagerness to please his master. He speaks with grand self-assurance, as seen when he dismisses opponents like Moritz and Gerd as mere stepping stones, even offering to let them attack him without retaliation for a full minute to prove his capabilities. This haughty demeanor is tempered by a dim-witted and earnest side that often irritates his counterpart, RM-C. He is deeply loyal to Ernesta and is adamant about never taking back anything he says, as doing so would dishonor her name. Despite his initial disdain for others, AR-D shows a capacity for respect. After a fierce battle against Saya Sasamiya and Kirin Toudou, he begins to respect his opponents, even choosing to keep a scar on his head from Kirin's blade as a mark of honor.
Within the story, AR-D serves as a formidable obstacle for the main characters during the Phoenix Festa. Alongside RM-C, he is one of Ernesta's primary puppets, designed to demonstrate her genius in creating life-like combat units. His role is to fight on her behalf, showcasing the terrifying potential of autonomous puppets in the Academy City. His motivations are intrinsically linked to his master; he fights to prove his capabilities and, by extension, the worth of Ernesta's creations. He is not driven by personal ambition but by a programmed yet seemingly genuine desire to serve and not bring shame to her.
Key relationships define much of AR-D’s character. His most significant dynamic is with RM-C, another of Ernesta's puppets. While they fight as partners, their personalities clash, as RM-C is often irritated by AR-D’s comical and dim-witted nature. They are, however, able to combine their forms in battle, with RM-C making the final decision to grant him her flight unit and armor, which greatly enhances his strength. His relationship with his opponents also evolves; he transforms from an arrogant combatant to a respectful warrior, acknowledging the strength of those who can challenge him.
AR-D undergoes a subtle but clear development through his combat experiences. Initially, he views others solely as tools to prove his own superiority. However, his battle against Saya and Kirin serves as a turning point. By the end of the fight, he has gained a newfound respect for his enemies, a trait more akin to a warrior's code than a machine's programming. This shift suggests that his emotional capacity allows for growth and change based on his interactions with the world.
In terms of abilities, AR-D is a powerful defensive fighter. His primary skill is the Defense Barrier, a projection of light walls that can block attacks of immense destructive power, such as the Borea Spira and Borea Mordent. It is theorized that this is an application of the same technology used to protect crowds during Festa matches, and others have nicknamed it the Absolute Barrier. He can project this barrier to protect his partner RM-C, though it weakens with distance. When combined with RM-C, he can generate multiple walls simultaneously and even compress them to block powerful weapons like the Ser-Veresta. His most destructive solo technique involves creating a sphere of layered barriers, filling it with energy, and releasing a massive blast. For offense, AR-D wields a giant hammer Lux known as the Wolnir Hammer, which is as tall as he is. The head of this hammer can be launched at opponents as a projectile, a technique he can perform multiple times when combined with RM-C.