TV-Series
Description
Postino is a recurring supporting character in the anime and manga Jing: King of Bandits. He is a mysterious mail carrier whose delivery route appears to cover the entire world, and his name comes from the Italian word for postman. He travels by motorcycle and is able to reach places that do not appear on any map, even delivering letters to villages that officially do not exist. His most distinctive trait is his timing: in the anime, he appears, seemingly on cue, at some point in each episode just as Jing is in need of help. He rides up, hands over a clue or a piece of plot information, and then leaves, not appearing again for the rest of the story. This recurring function makes him a deliberate parody of the deus ex machina plot device and a good example of the series' surreal and sometimes illogical world.
In terms of personality, Postino is calm, courteous, and efficient, with an air of quiet mystery. He does not linger or explain himself at length; he delivers his information and moves on. He treats his work as a serious duty and seems genuinely willing to assist Jing and his companion Kir. He is also unshakable in the face of Jing's ambitions. Jing envies his ability to know and reach any place and has promised that one day he will steal the map of the world that Postino keeps in his head. Postino does not seem worried by this, responding that the world is always changing and that his mental map is redrawn every day.
His background is only lightly sketched. In the original manga, Postino appears only once, in the story known as Amarcord, which deals with Jing's past, with a few additional appearances in the later series Twilight Tales. The anime elevates him to a regular presence, appearing in each episode. The Amarcord story reveals a meaningful link to Jing's childhood: Postino was acquainted with Jing's mother, and it was he who delivered to the young Jing a specially designed weapon intended for when the boy began his life as the King of Bandits. That weapon was destroyed before it could ever be used, when Jing had to protect Kir during an attack. This history suggests that his interest in Jing is not accidental and that he has long served as a courier for the family.
His motivations are never deeply explained. He is driven primarily by his identity as a postman, delivering letters and information across the world as a matter of duty. In Jing's case, he appears to take an active, benevolent interest, perhaps because of his connection to Jing's family. Within the story, his role is that of an informant and occasional guide: his appearances deliver essential clues, warnings, or exposition that push the plot forward. He is one of the few threads connecting the otherwise self-contained adventures, and his presence reinforces the dreamlike logic of the setting.
Postino goes through little personal change over the course of the series; he remains an enigmatic constant. His most significant development is the revelation of his ties to Jing's childhood and to Jing's mother, which gives his recurring appearances a deeper meaning. His notable abilities include worldwide travel on his motorcycle, access to locations that do not exist on any map, a mental map of the entire world that updates constantly, and an uncanny sense for appearing at exactly the moment he is needed.
In terms of personality, Postino is calm, courteous, and efficient, with an air of quiet mystery. He does not linger or explain himself at length; he delivers his information and moves on. He treats his work as a serious duty and seems genuinely willing to assist Jing and his companion Kir. He is also unshakable in the face of Jing's ambitions. Jing envies his ability to know and reach any place and has promised that one day he will steal the map of the world that Postino keeps in his head. Postino does not seem worried by this, responding that the world is always changing and that his mental map is redrawn every day.
His background is only lightly sketched. In the original manga, Postino appears only once, in the story known as Amarcord, which deals with Jing's past, with a few additional appearances in the later series Twilight Tales. The anime elevates him to a regular presence, appearing in each episode. The Amarcord story reveals a meaningful link to Jing's childhood: Postino was acquainted with Jing's mother, and it was he who delivered to the young Jing a specially designed weapon intended for when the boy began his life as the King of Bandits. That weapon was destroyed before it could ever be used, when Jing had to protect Kir during an attack. This history suggests that his interest in Jing is not accidental and that he has long served as a courier for the family.
His motivations are never deeply explained. He is driven primarily by his identity as a postman, delivering letters and information across the world as a matter of duty. In Jing's case, he appears to take an active, benevolent interest, perhaps because of his connection to Jing's family. Within the story, his role is that of an informant and occasional guide: his appearances deliver essential clues, warnings, or exposition that push the plot forward. He is one of the few threads connecting the otherwise self-contained adventures, and his presence reinforces the dreamlike logic of the setting.
Postino goes through little personal change over the course of the series; he remains an enigmatic constant. His most significant development is the revelation of his ties to Jing's childhood and to Jing's mother, which gives his recurring appearances a deeper meaning. His notable abilities include worldwide travel on his motorcycle, access to locations that do not exist on any map, a mental map of the entire world that updates constantly, and an uncanny sense for appearing at exactly the moment he is needed.