OVA
Description
Ashura is the protagonist of RG Veda and the sole surviving member of the Ashura clan. Born after the tyrant Taishakuten killed his father and seized the throne of Heaven, Ashura’s mother, Shashi, attempted to kill him to eliminate any threat to her new position with Taishakuten. In response, Ashura’s own latent powers protected him by encasing him in a protective cocoon where he slept undisturbed for three hundred years. He is eventually awakened by Yasha-ō, the king of the Yasha clan.
As a consequence of his father’s defiance of destiny, Ashura was born genderless, a trait that is often a point of discussion among readers and is reflected in the character’s ambiguous portrayal in official art and adaptations.
Upon being freed from his cocoon, Ashura initially appears as an infant but grows rapidly to the apparent age of a young child. In this state, his personality is outgoing, friendly, and innocent. However, as he becomes aware of the cruel destiny that follows him, he is frequently wracked with guilt, particularly as the tyrant Taishakuten has nearly everyone associated with Ashura killed. This suffering leads him to vow to grow strong enough to defeat the emperor himself.
Ashura harbors a hidden secondary nature known as the true Ashura, a merciless and powerful god of war whose sole wish is the total destruction of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. This true persona was suppressed by several powerful seals, one of which involved distributing his immense power among the other Six Stars. The violent side is eventually unleashed, but his deep love for Yasha-ō, who acts as his adoptive father, ultimately triumphs over his lust for destruction.
His primary motivation throughout the story shifts from a simple desire for survival to a personal quest for vengeance against Taishakuten. This is driven by the loss of those who show him kindness and a profound sense of responsibility for the destruction that follows him. At the same time, he struggles to reconcile his innocent, childlike self with his terrifying, foretold destiny as an agent of annihilation.
The central relationship in Ashura’s life is with Yasha-ō, who awakens him from his slumber and becomes his guardian and protector. This bond is the most significant factor in his character development, as Yasha’s care provides him with a sense of being needed, and their love is the key to overcoming his destructive nature. He is also connected to the other members of the Six Stars, the prophesied group destined to overthrow Taishakuten, as they unknowingly carry the seals of his true power. His family relationships are tragic; his father, Ashura-ō, engineered the very conflict that led to the tyranny of Heaven in a desperate attempt to change Ashura’s fate, while his mother, Shashi, abandoned him in favor of power.
Ashura undergoes significant development, starting as a naive child who grows emotionally and physically throughout the journey. He experiences tragedy and loss, which hardens his resolve to fight. The most dramatic change is the awakening of his true self, the god of war, which represents a complete inversion of his personality. The final stage of his development is the choice to reject this inherent destiny of destruction through his connection to Yasha-ō, effectively changing fate itself.
Ashura possesses formidable abilities, most notably the power to control fire, which he can unleash with devastating effect. He is the heir to the Shura-tou, a powerful magical sword whose scabbard is said to be Ashura himself. His ultimate power is the reality-warping capability of the true Ashura, the god of war, which is capable of ending all of existence. This power is initially sealed and distributed among the Six Stars.
As a consequence of his father’s defiance of destiny, Ashura was born genderless, a trait that is often a point of discussion among readers and is reflected in the character’s ambiguous portrayal in official art and adaptations.
Upon being freed from his cocoon, Ashura initially appears as an infant but grows rapidly to the apparent age of a young child. In this state, his personality is outgoing, friendly, and innocent. However, as he becomes aware of the cruel destiny that follows him, he is frequently wracked with guilt, particularly as the tyrant Taishakuten has nearly everyone associated with Ashura killed. This suffering leads him to vow to grow strong enough to defeat the emperor himself.
Ashura harbors a hidden secondary nature known as the true Ashura, a merciless and powerful god of war whose sole wish is the total destruction of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. This true persona was suppressed by several powerful seals, one of which involved distributing his immense power among the other Six Stars. The violent side is eventually unleashed, but his deep love for Yasha-ō, who acts as his adoptive father, ultimately triumphs over his lust for destruction.
His primary motivation throughout the story shifts from a simple desire for survival to a personal quest for vengeance against Taishakuten. This is driven by the loss of those who show him kindness and a profound sense of responsibility for the destruction that follows him. At the same time, he struggles to reconcile his innocent, childlike self with his terrifying, foretold destiny as an agent of annihilation.
The central relationship in Ashura’s life is with Yasha-ō, who awakens him from his slumber and becomes his guardian and protector. This bond is the most significant factor in his character development, as Yasha’s care provides him with a sense of being needed, and their love is the key to overcoming his destructive nature. He is also connected to the other members of the Six Stars, the prophesied group destined to overthrow Taishakuten, as they unknowingly carry the seals of his true power. His family relationships are tragic; his father, Ashura-ō, engineered the very conflict that led to the tyranny of Heaven in a desperate attempt to change Ashura’s fate, while his mother, Shashi, abandoned him in favor of power.
Ashura undergoes significant development, starting as a naive child who grows emotionally and physically throughout the journey. He experiences tragedy and loss, which hardens his resolve to fight. The most dramatic change is the awakening of his true self, the god of war, which represents a complete inversion of his personality. The final stage of his development is the choice to reject this inherent destiny of destruction through his connection to Yasha-ō, effectively changing fate itself.
Ashura possesses formidable abilities, most notably the power to control fire, which he can unleash with devastating effect. He is the heir to the Shura-tou, a powerful magical sword whose scabbard is said to be Ashura himself. His ultimate power is the reality-warping capability of the true Ashura, the god of war, which is capable of ending all of existence. This power is initially sealed and distributed among the Six Stars.