TV-Series
Description
Harry MacDowel, also known by his nickname Bloody Harry, is a central figure in the Gungrave story and serves as its primary antagonist. His life is defined by a profound and tragic friendship with Brandon Heat, a bond that ultimately transforms into bitter enmity before a final, poignant reconciliation.
Born into poverty, Harry and Brandon met as orphans in an abusive home, where they became inseparable best friends. Together, they formed a street gang with other orphans to survive. Their lives changed dramatically after a violent confrontation with a local crime lord led to the deaths of their friends, pushing Harry and Brandon to seek power and belonging within the criminal organization known as Millennion. It was Harry's ambition and charisma that led them to join, impressed by the authority wielded by a Millennion enforcer.
Harry's personality is a complex mix of charisma, intelligence, and deep-seated flaws. From childhood, his defining desire was for absolute freedom, which he interpreted as the power to take and give as he pleased. He is extremely ambitious, clever, and persuasive, but also impatient, ruthless, and prone to taking shortcuts to get ahead. This ruthlessness is evident even in his fighting style, as he is known to shoot a target multiple times long after it has fallen. However, Harry is not without softer qualities. He famously deflected the gratitude of Maria, the woman who would become Brandon's love, onto his friend, and he consistently supported their relationship. He also retains a hidden soft spot for his past, regularly visiting his old orphanage to bring toys for the children, who welcome him warmly despite his fearsome reputation.
Harry's primary motivation is his unyielding ambition to rise to the top of Millennion and secure the power he believes is necessary to protect his freedom. He is impatient with any obstacle or constraint on his path to leadership. When Big Daddy, the head of Millennion, passed him over as successor, Harry's ambition curdled into deadly resentment. He meticulously plotted to eliminate his rivals and the organization's beloved leader. In a pivotal moment, he revealed his plan to Brandon on an elevator, offering Maria as a reward. When Brandon refused and pulled his gun but could not fire, Harry shot his best friend dead without hesitation.
In the story, Harry MacDowel is the driving force behind the plot's central conflict. After betraying and murdering Brandon, he ascends to become the boss of Millennion, ruling for over a decade through ruthless and unethical tactics. His role shifts from Brandon's charismatic partner to the powerful antagonist who must face the consequences of his past when Brandon is resurrected as the silent, undead assassin known as Beyond the Grave. As the leader of Millennion, Harry consolidates power by mass-producing Orgmen, which are programmable super-soldiers, and using them for assassinations and global conflict, making his organization a dominant and cruel force in world affairs.
Harry's relationships are the emotional core of the narrative, most importantly his friendship with Brandon Heat. This bond is a thread of genuine affection and dependency that runs through years of violence and betrayal. Even after murdering him, Harry is haunted by guilt, breaking down in tears when reminded of his actions. He avoids calling the resurrected Brandon by his name for years, referring to him only as Beyond the Grave. Conversely, he is married to Sherry Walken, the daughter of his trusted advisor, Bear Walken, and his political power is held in check by the "Big Four" executives, including Bear, Bob Poundmax, Balladbird Lee, and the ruthless assassin Bunji Kugashira.
Harry undergoes significant development throughout the story. He begins as a streetwise youth with lofty dreams of freedom, transforms into a cold-blooded killer and Machiavellian crime lord, and finally arrives at a state of remorseful ruin. His ambition leads him to sacrifice every meaningful relationship for power. Yet, in his final confrontation with the resurrected Brandon, he abandons his empire and breaks down, apologizing for his betrayal upon hearing that Brandon could never bring himself to kill him. In this moment, the ruthless "Bloody Harry" is stripped away, leaving only the grieving friend who lost his way.
In terms of notable abilities, Harry is not presented as a physical powerhouse like Brandon. His strengths are his intellect, his charismatic leadership, and his strategic cunning. He is a skilled planner and manipulator, capable of running a global criminal empire and managing deadly subordinates. When it comes to combat, Harry is proficient with a handgun, typically a Heckler & Koch P7M13 9mm, but his skill is overshadowed by his ruthlessness. He prefers to let others do his fighting for him, using his wits and the Orgmen under his command to eliminate threats rather than engaging directly.
Born into poverty, Harry and Brandon met as orphans in an abusive home, where they became inseparable best friends. Together, they formed a street gang with other orphans to survive. Their lives changed dramatically after a violent confrontation with a local crime lord led to the deaths of their friends, pushing Harry and Brandon to seek power and belonging within the criminal organization known as Millennion. It was Harry's ambition and charisma that led them to join, impressed by the authority wielded by a Millennion enforcer.
Harry's personality is a complex mix of charisma, intelligence, and deep-seated flaws. From childhood, his defining desire was for absolute freedom, which he interpreted as the power to take and give as he pleased. He is extremely ambitious, clever, and persuasive, but also impatient, ruthless, and prone to taking shortcuts to get ahead. This ruthlessness is evident even in his fighting style, as he is known to shoot a target multiple times long after it has fallen. However, Harry is not without softer qualities. He famously deflected the gratitude of Maria, the woman who would become Brandon's love, onto his friend, and he consistently supported their relationship. He also retains a hidden soft spot for his past, regularly visiting his old orphanage to bring toys for the children, who welcome him warmly despite his fearsome reputation.
Harry's primary motivation is his unyielding ambition to rise to the top of Millennion and secure the power he believes is necessary to protect his freedom. He is impatient with any obstacle or constraint on his path to leadership. When Big Daddy, the head of Millennion, passed him over as successor, Harry's ambition curdled into deadly resentment. He meticulously plotted to eliminate his rivals and the organization's beloved leader. In a pivotal moment, he revealed his plan to Brandon on an elevator, offering Maria as a reward. When Brandon refused and pulled his gun but could not fire, Harry shot his best friend dead without hesitation.
In the story, Harry MacDowel is the driving force behind the plot's central conflict. After betraying and murdering Brandon, he ascends to become the boss of Millennion, ruling for over a decade through ruthless and unethical tactics. His role shifts from Brandon's charismatic partner to the powerful antagonist who must face the consequences of his past when Brandon is resurrected as the silent, undead assassin known as Beyond the Grave. As the leader of Millennion, Harry consolidates power by mass-producing Orgmen, which are programmable super-soldiers, and using them for assassinations and global conflict, making his organization a dominant and cruel force in world affairs.
Harry's relationships are the emotional core of the narrative, most importantly his friendship with Brandon Heat. This bond is a thread of genuine affection and dependency that runs through years of violence and betrayal. Even after murdering him, Harry is haunted by guilt, breaking down in tears when reminded of his actions. He avoids calling the resurrected Brandon by his name for years, referring to him only as Beyond the Grave. Conversely, he is married to Sherry Walken, the daughter of his trusted advisor, Bear Walken, and his political power is held in check by the "Big Four" executives, including Bear, Bob Poundmax, Balladbird Lee, and the ruthless assassin Bunji Kugashira.
Harry undergoes significant development throughout the story. He begins as a streetwise youth with lofty dreams of freedom, transforms into a cold-blooded killer and Machiavellian crime lord, and finally arrives at a state of remorseful ruin. His ambition leads him to sacrifice every meaningful relationship for power. Yet, in his final confrontation with the resurrected Brandon, he abandons his empire and breaks down, apologizing for his betrayal upon hearing that Brandon could never bring himself to kill him. In this moment, the ruthless "Bloody Harry" is stripped away, leaving only the grieving friend who lost his way.
In terms of notable abilities, Harry is not presented as a physical powerhouse like Brandon. His strengths are his intellect, his charismatic leadership, and his strategic cunning. He is a skilled planner and manipulator, capable of running a global criminal empire and managing deadly subordinates. When it comes to combat, Harry is proficient with a handgun, typically a Heckler & Koch P7M13 9mm, but his skill is overshadowed by his ruthlessness. He prefers to let others do his fighting for him, using his wits and the Orgmen under his command to eliminate threats rather than engaging directly.