TV-Series
Description
The character in the series Ulysses 31 who corresponds to Eumaeus from Homer's epic is actually known as Numinor, particularly in the English version. His Japanese name, Yumaiosu, is a direct katakana rendering of the English pronunciation of Eumaeus, the faithful swineherd of Odysseus in the original Greek poem. This naming establishes his role as a loyal companion to the hero Ulysses, drawing a parallel to the character from classical literature.
Numinor is a teenager from the planet Zotra, distinguished by his blue skin, which is a common trait of his people. He is the older brother of Yumi, a young girl with potent telepathic abilities who also travels on the Odyssey. At the beginning of the series, Numinor is among the group of enslaved children that Ulysses rescues from the giant Cyclops, an act that incurs the wrath of the gods and sets the entire voyage in motion.
His most defining characteristic is his tragic state for the majority of the adventure. As part of the curse placed upon Ulysses by Zeus, the entire crew of the Odyssey is frozen in suspended animation until the Kingdom of Hades is found. Consequently, Numinor spends almost all of the series in a death-like sleep, a silent, static figure on the ship. This condition deprives him of agency and makes his presence felt more through his absence than his actions. On the rare occasions he is temporarily revived, his core personality is shown to be sweet, gentle, courageous, trustworthy, and deeply loyal. These brief awakenings occur in specific episodes, such as when the ship encounters a moon from his home planet of Zotra, during a bizarre mutiny where the frozen crew become possessed, and when a powerful magician temporarily breaks the gods' spell.
His primary motivation, shared by his sister Yumi, is simply to be free of the curse and to have his life restored. His role in the story is therefore largely symbolic, representing one of the primary goals of Ulysses's quest: to free his innocent companions. He is a constant reminder of the stakes of the mission. His key relationship is with his sister, Yumi, whose deep love for him and desire to see him revived often drives her actions and vulnerabilities throughout the series. His development is minimal due to his frozen state, with his arc being resolved only in the final episode, The Kingdom of Hades, when the curse is finally lifted and he is permanently revived along with the rest of the crew. In terms of abilities, beyond being a Zotrian with blue skin, no specific powers or combat skills are demonstrated for him, as he is incapacitated for nearly the entire series. His most notable attribute is his striking beauty, which is remarked upon as being considerable, much like his sister's.
Numinor is a teenager from the planet Zotra, distinguished by his blue skin, which is a common trait of his people. He is the older brother of Yumi, a young girl with potent telepathic abilities who also travels on the Odyssey. At the beginning of the series, Numinor is among the group of enslaved children that Ulysses rescues from the giant Cyclops, an act that incurs the wrath of the gods and sets the entire voyage in motion.
His most defining characteristic is his tragic state for the majority of the adventure. As part of the curse placed upon Ulysses by Zeus, the entire crew of the Odyssey is frozen in suspended animation until the Kingdom of Hades is found. Consequently, Numinor spends almost all of the series in a death-like sleep, a silent, static figure on the ship. This condition deprives him of agency and makes his presence felt more through his absence than his actions. On the rare occasions he is temporarily revived, his core personality is shown to be sweet, gentle, courageous, trustworthy, and deeply loyal. These brief awakenings occur in specific episodes, such as when the ship encounters a moon from his home planet of Zotra, during a bizarre mutiny where the frozen crew become possessed, and when a powerful magician temporarily breaks the gods' spell.
His primary motivation, shared by his sister Yumi, is simply to be free of the curse and to have his life restored. His role in the story is therefore largely symbolic, representing one of the primary goals of Ulysses's quest: to free his innocent companions. He is a constant reminder of the stakes of the mission. His key relationship is with his sister, Yumi, whose deep love for him and desire to see him revived often drives her actions and vulnerabilities throughout the series. His development is minimal due to his frozen state, with his arc being resolved only in the final episode, The Kingdom of Hades, when the curse is finally lifted and he is permanently revived along with the rest of the crew. In terms of abilities, beyond being a Zotrian with blue skin, no specific powers or combat skills are demonstrated for him, as he is incapacitated for nearly the entire series. His most notable attribute is his striking beauty, which is remarked upon as being considerable, much like his sister's.