OVA
Description
Alone is a central figure in the 18th-century Holy War, a young Italian painter whose gentle nature and artistic talent hide a tragic destiny. He is an orphan who grew up in a small village in Italy alongside two other children who would become the most important people in his life: the future Pegasus Saint, Tenma, and his own younger sister, Sasha, who is destined to be the reincarnation of the Goddess Athena. Before their paths diverge, the three share a close bond and make a promise to one another that Tenma will become a powerful Saint while Alone perfects his art, a promise symbolized by the flower bracelets Sasha gives them.
In his early years, Alone is portrayed as the possessor of the purest soul of his era, a kind and gentle young man who believes in the inherent goodness of all people and disapproves of violence as a solution to conflict. It is precisely this purity of heart that makes him the ideal mortal vessel for the god of the Underworld, Hades, when the time for the sacred war against Athena arrives. Initially, Alone rejects this terrifying fate, but his resistance is systematically dismantled by the machinations of the twin gods Hypnos and Thanatos and their human agent, Pandora. Hypnos, disguised as a priest, subtly guides Alone, while the process is sealed by Pandora's kiss, marking the official awakening of Hades's power within him.
Alone's motivations are rooted in a profound and tragic corruption of his artistic soul. After the initial awakening, he discovers that every living thing he paints inexplicably dies. This horrifying revelation, coupled with the manipulative influence of Hypnos, warps his worldview. He begins to genuinely believe that death is not an end but the ultimate form of salvation, a way to spare all living beings from the endless cycles of pain, war, and suffering that plague the world. This conviction is not merely the will of Hades imposing itself; Alone eventually confesses that he was never truly possessed in the traditional sense. Instead, he has fully embraced this ideology and chooses to wield the god's immense power for his own purpose: to grant "salvation" to all of humanity. His role in the story transforms from a tragic victim to a chillingly determined antagonist. As Hades, he becomes the primary force leading the 108 Specters against Athena's Sanctuary. His ultimate goal is the completion of the Lost Canvas, a vast, cosmic painting of the Earth viewed from space, which he creates in the sky. Once the painting is finished, the entire world will die, achieving his vision of universal salvation.
The key relationships in Alone's life are the driving force of the narrative, particularly his connection with Tenma. Their childhood friendship, built on mutual respect and a shared promise, becomes the central emotional conflict of the war. Even as Hades, Alone retains a special, complex affection for Tenma, whom he praises for his vivid spirit. This lingering bond is a vulnerability that Pandora and the twin gods seek to eliminate by isolating Alone and trying to kill Tenma. His relationship with his sister, Sasha, is equally tragic, transforming from familial love into the antagonistic dynamic between Athena and Hades, with both now standing on opposite sides of an ancient war. Pandora serves as his devoted and fiercely protective guardian, tasked with ensuring Hades's will is done, while Hypnos acts as his primary spiritual manipulator, guiding him down the path of darkness.
Alone undergoes a significant but layered development. While he initially struggles against the god's influence, his shift to embracing death as salvation represents a profound change that he claims as his own. However, this is not the end of his transformation. Throughout the war, traces of his original self persist, most notably when he secretly paints a picture of his childhood with Tenma and Sasha within the Lost Canvas itself. As the climax of the Holy War approaches, he faces Tenma in a final, bloody battle. In this confrontation, Alone regains his former self, overwhelmed with remorse for his actions. He begs his best friend to destroy his body to prevent the coming calamity, but Tenma is unable to do so. This moment of weakness allows the will of the god Hades to fully take over, causing Alone's physical appearance to transform into that of the god's true form. Ultimately, with the combined effort of Tenma, Sasha, and the souls of fallen Saints, Hades is forced to retreat from the earthly plane, and Alone's mortal life comes to an end, finally finding peace.
As the chosen human vessel for the god of the Underworld, Alone wields a vast and terrifying array of abilities. He possesses the full cosmic power of a major god, including command over the 108 Specters and the authority to grant them a portion of his divine power. His primary manifestation of power is through his art. The Lost Canvas itself is a reality-warping creation; once completed, its painting will erase all life on Earth. Furthermore, his power extends to his own immortality and resurrection, making him an incredibly difficult foe to permanently defeat. He is capable of creating powerful dimensional barriers, manipulating the fabric of reality, and attacking the very souls of his enemies. His cosmos allows him to move and fight at speeds massively exceeding the speed of light, and his divine attacks are capable of destroying matter at an atomic level, ignoring conventional durability. In his fully realized form as Hades, his power is so immense that it surpasses even the might of the Gold Saints, forcing the protagonists to attain the divine God Cloth to stand against him.
In his early years, Alone is portrayed as the possessor of the purest soul of his era, a kind and gentle young man who believes in the inherent goodness of all people and disapproves of violence as a solution to conflict. It is precisely this purity of heart that makes him the ideal mortal vessel for the god of the Underworld, Hades, when the time for the sacred war against Athena arrives. Initially, Alone rejects this terrifying fate, but his resistance is systematically dismantled by the machinations of the twin gods Hypnos and Thanatos and their human agent, Pandora. Hypnos, disguised as a priest, subtly guides Alone, while the process is sealed by Pandora's kiss, marking the official awakening of Hades's power within him.
Alone's motivations are rooted in a profound and tragic corruption of his artistic soul. After the initial awakening, he discovers that every living thing he paints inexplicably dies. This horrifying revelation, coupled with the manipulative influence of Hypnos, warps his worldview. He begins to genuinely believe that death is not an end but the ultimate form of salvation, a way to spare all living beings from the endless cycles of pain, war, and suffering that plague the world. This conviction is not merely the will of Hades imposing itself; Alone eventually confesses that he was never truly possessed in the traditional sense. Instead, he has fully embraced this ideology and chooses to wield the god's immense power for his own purpose: to grant "salvation" to all of humanity. His role in the story transforms from a tragic victim to a chillingly determined antagonist. As Hades, he becomes the primary force leading the 108 Specters against Athena's Sanctuary. His ultimate goal is the completion of the Lost Canvas, a vast, cosmic painting of the Earth viewed from space, which he creates in the sky. Once the painting is finished, the entire world will die, achieving his vision of universal salvation.
The key relationships in Alone's life are the driving force of the narrative, particularly his connection with Tenma. Their childhood friendship, built on mutual respect and a shared promise, becomes the central emotional conflict of the war. Even as Hades, Alone retains a special, complex affection for Tenma, whom he praises for his vivid spirit. This lingering bond is a vulnerability that Pandora and the twin gods seek to eliminate by isolating Alone and trying to kill Tenma. His relationship with his sister, Sasha, is equally tragic, transforming from familial love into the antagonistic dynamic between Athena and Hades, with both now standing on opposite sides of an ancient war. Pandora serves as his devoted and fiercely protective guardian, tasked with ensuring Hades's will is done, while Hypnos acts as his primary spiritual manipulator, guiding him down the path of darkness.
Alone undergoes a significant but layered development. While he initially struggles against the god's influence, his shift to embracing death as salvation represents a profound change that he claims as his own. However, this is not the end of his transformation. Throughout the war, traces of his original self persist, most notably when he secretly paints a picture of his childhood with Tenma and Sasha within the Lost Canvas itself. As the climax of the Holy War approaches, he faces Tenma in a final, bloody battle. In this confrontation, Alone regains his former self, overwhelmed with remorse for his actions. He begs his best friend to destroy his body to prevent the coming calamity, but Tenma is unable to do so. This moment of weakness allows the will of the god Hades to fully take over, causing Alone's physical appearance to transform into that of the god's true form. Ultimately, with the combined effort of Tenma, Sasha, and the souls of fallen Saints, Hades is forced to retreat from the earthly plane, and Alone's mortal life comes to an end, finally finding peace.
As the chosen human vessel for the god of the Underworld, Alone wields a vast and terrifying array of abilities. He possesses the full cosmic power of a major god, including command over the 108 Specters and the authority to grant them a portion of his divine power. His primary manifestation of power is through his art. The Lost Canvas itself is a reality-warping creation; once completed, its painting will erase all life on Earth. Furthermore, his power extends to his own immortality and resurrection, making him an incredibly difficult foe to permanently defeat. He is capable of creating powerful dimensional barriers, manipulating the fabric of reality, and attacking the very souls of his enemies. His cosmos allows him to move and fight at speeds massively exceeding the speed of light, and his divine attacks are capable of destroying matter at an atomic level, ignoring conventional durability. In his fully realized form as Hades, his power is so immense that it surpasses even the might of the Gold Saints, forcing the protagonists to attain the divine God Cloth to stand against him.