TV-Series
Description
Herman Melville is a member of the North American gifted organization known as the Guild, introduced during the conflict in Yokohama. He is an elderly man with a tall and somewhat sturdy build, standing 182 cm tall. His age is 68. Melville has distinctive white hair, slicked back, and a full, well-maintained beard and mustache. His eyes are gray, and he is rarely seen without a wooden pipe. He typically wears a cream-colored shirt with a matching puff tie that features a whale design, a brown vest with black accents, and black pants and shoes.
In terms of personality, Herman Melville is portrayed as a reserved, quiet, and generally calm individual. Despite his gentle and peaceful nature, he was a competent leader and commanded respect during his time as the head of the Guild, two generations before the rise of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. He is a man who values equality and diversity while deeply disliking discrimination and classism. His primary motivation stems from a profound sense of loyalty and nostalgia. Unlike other members who seek power or the "Book," Melville is reluctant to participate in active warfare. His strongest attachment is to his ability, Moby Dick, which he regards not as a tool or weapon but as an old and beautiful friend. He deeply mourns the loss of its natural state after the Guild mechanized the living whale into an air fortress.
Melville's role in the story is that of a senior figure who provides insight into the Guild's past while acting as a passive observer during the Yokohama conflict. He first appears alongside other Guild members when they interrupt a fight, and later accompanies Fitzgerald to capture Atsushi Nakajima, summoning the Moby Dick to escape. During the Guild's final emergency plan to crash the Moby Dick into Yokohama, Melville remains aboard the deserted vessel. When Atsushi encounters him, he reveals the location of the control terminal and expresses his resignation, choosing to go down with the ship out of respect for his old friend. After Fitzgerald is defeated and the crash is averted, Melville is approached by Ango Sakaguchi of the Special Ability Division for interrogation.
Melville's key relationships are defined by his long history with the Guild. He was the leader of the organization long before Fitzgerald took command, indicating a deep-seated connection to its original principles. He interacts briefly with Atsushi and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, informing them that an outside force has seized control of the Moby Dick, making their efforts to stop it futile. His most significant post-conflict relationship is with Ango Sakaguchi. Though initially hesitant, Melville agrees to cooperate with the authorities, accepting arrest under the condition that innocent Guild members will not be detained, and willingly provides information about the organization.
Melville does not experience a drastic change in morality but rather a reinforcement of his existing code. Initially loyal to the Guild, he is willing to die with Moby Dick as an act of atonement for the destruction it would cause. After the plan fails and Fitzgerald disappears, his development shifts toward pragmatism and a different kind of honor. He chooses not to flee but to accept responsibility, trading his freedom for the safety of his former comrades. This act solidifies his nature as a man who values life and fairness over blind loyalty to a lost cause.
Melville's notable ability is named Moby Dick, a reference to the famous novel by the real-world author he is named after. This ability manifests as a massive, living white whale that naturally possesses the ability to fly through the sky. Before the events of the series, the Guild captured this whale and modified over seventy percent of its body, transforming it into a giant, mechanized flying fortress that serves as their mobile headquarters. Because of these extensive modifications, Melville no longer has full control over the whale, and it is instead operated via a control terminal. Beyond the primary giant whale, Melville's ability also allows him to create smaller, volant white whales. An example of this is seen after his capture when he subconsciously leaves a small, white whale construct on a bench where he was sitting. It is also implied that if the Moby Dick is destroyed, a new white whale will eventually be born in its place.
In terms of personality, Herman Melville is portrayed as a reserved, quiet, and generally calm individual. Despite his gentle and peaceful nature, he was a competent leader and commanded respect during his time as the head of the Guild, two generations before the rise of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. He is a man who values equality and diversity while deeply disliking discrimination and classism. His primary motivation stems from a profound sense of loyalty and nostalgia. Unlike other members who seek power or the "Book," Melville is reluctant to participate in active warfare. His strongest attachment is to his ability, Moby Dick, which he regards not as a tool or weapon but as an old and beautiful friend. He deeply mourns the loss of its natural state after the Guild mechanized the living whale into an air fortress.
Melville's role in the story is that of a senior figure who provides insight into the Guild's past while acting as a passive observer during the Yokohama conflict. He first appears alongside other Guild members when they interrupt a fight, and later accompanies Fitzgerald to capture Atsushi Nakajima, summoning the Moby Dick to escape. During the Guild's final emergency plan to crash the Moby Dick into Yokohama, Melville remains aboard the deserted vessel. When Atsushi encounters him, he reveals the location of the control terminal and expresses his resignation, choosing to go down with the ship out of respect for his old friend. After Fitzgerald is defeated and the crash is averted, Melville is approached by Ango Sakaguchi of the Special Ability Division for interrogation.
Melville's key relationships are defined by his long history with the Guild. He was the leader of the organization long before Fitzgerald took command, indicating a deep-seated connection to its original principles. He interacts briefly with Atsushi and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, informing them that an outside force has seized control of the Moby Dick, making their efforts to stop it futile. His most significant post-conflict relationship is with Ango Sakaguchi. Though initially hesitant, Melville agrees to cooperate with the authorities, accepting arrest under the condition that innocent Guild members will not be detained, and willingly provides information about the organization.
Melville does not experience a drastic change in morality but rather a reinforcement of his existing code. Initially loyal to the Guild, he is willing to die with Moby Dick as an act of atonement for the destruction it would cause. After the plan fails and Fitzgerald disappears, his development shifts toward pragmatism and a different kind of honor. He chooses not to flee but to accept responsibility, trading his freedom for the safety of his former comrades. This act solidifies his nature as a man who values life and fairness over blind loyalty to a lost cause.
Melville's notable ability is named Moby Dick, a reference to the famous novel by the real-world author he is named after. This ability manifests as a massive, living white whale that naturally possesses the ability to fly through the sky. Before the events of the series, the Guild captured this whale and modified over seventy percent of its body, transforming it into a giant, mechanized flying fortress that serves as their mobile headquarters. Because of these extensive modifications, Melville no longer has full control over the whale, and it is instead operated via a control terminal. Beyond the primary giant whale, Melville's ability also allows him to create smaller, volant white whales. An example of this is seen after his capture when he subconsciously leaves a small, white whale construct on a bench where he was sitting. It is also implied that if the Moby Dick is destroyed, a new white whale will eventually be born in its place.