OVA
Description
The character known as Gentlemen, or Mr. Gentleman, is a central figure in the Read or Die universe, portrayed as the secret power behind the United Kingdom. He is the head of the British Library's Special Operations Division, revered by the organization as the key to restoring the nation's global dominance. Under his command is Joseph Carpenter, who serves as his field commander and carries out his wishes.
In appearance, Gentlemen is typically seen as a frail elderly man, often with a turtle in his lap, a symbol of his obsession with longevity. This aged form is a deliberate choice to preserve his life energy, and it is estimated he could survive another century in this state. However, this limited existence does not satisfy him. His primary motivation is an intense, selfish desire to extend his life indefinitely, having already lived for over 500,000 years. He is described as having a powerful intellect and superior knowledge, but his physical abilities are quite limited.
Throughout the story, Gentlemen acts as a master planner and a dangerous antagonist. He is the mastermind behind the I-Jin project, which involves creating containers or host bodies capable of holding his vast intellect to prevent his physical decay. His plans have included capturing his own descendant, Faust, who possesses an unusually long lifespan, and seeking out the Gutenburg Book to decipher its secrets. Dissatisfied with the slow progress of his agents, he is willing to take drastic action himself, such as briefly assuming a powerful but unsustainable younger form to confront his enemies directly.
His key relationships are defined by his schemes and ancient history. His counterpart and rival is China, the organizer of the antagonist organization Dokusensha. He is the commander of Joseph Carpenter, who, despite his own ambitions, remains loyal to furthering Gentlemen's legacy and the British Empire. He also has a rebellious descendant in the Queen of the United Kingdom, who dislikes his control over humanity and works against him. In the television series, his intellect is shown to be so vast that it leaks into the ether, requiring the British Library to collect this latent knowledge from around the world using satellites. He is also capable of imagining and recreating entire worlds, effectively rewriting history to his design, which he has done multiple times.
Gentlemen's most notable abilities are not physical but intellectual and existential. He possesses a superhuman intellect and knowledge accumulated over half a million years. To preserve his mind, his knowledge was divided into a series of items known collectively as the Gentleman Books, which include The Book of Rising Intellect and The Book of Supporting Bones. His ultimate power is his ability to dream an entire world into being, a god-like feat that allows him to shape reality according to his will.
In appearance, Gentlemen is typically seen as a frail elderly man, often with a turtle in his lap, a symbol of his obsession with longevity. This aged form is a deliberate choice to preserve his life energy, and it is estimated he could survive another century in this state. However, this limited existence does not satisfy him. His primary motivation is an intense, selfish desire to extend his life indefinitely, having already lived for over 500,000 years. He is described as having a powerful intellect and superior knowledge, but his physical abilities are quite limited.
Throughout the story, Gentlemen acts as a master planner and a dangerous antagonist. He is the mastermind behind the I-Jin project, which involves creating containers or host bodies capable of holding his vast intellect to prevent his physical decay. His plans have included capturing his own descendant, Faust, who possesses an unusually long lifespan, and seeking out the Gutenburg Book to decipher its secrets. Dissatisfied with the slow progress of his agents, he is willing to take drastic action himself, such as briefly assuming a powerful but unsustainable younger form to confront his enemies directly.
His key relationships are defined by his schemes and ancient history. His counterpart and rival is China, the organizer of the antagonist organization Dokusensha. He is the commander of Joseph Carpenter, who, despite his own ambitions, remains loyal to furthering Gentlemen's legacy and the British Empire. He also has a rebellious descendant in the Queen of the United Kingdom, who dislikes his control over humanity and works against him. In the television series, his intellect is shown to be so vast that it leaks into the ether, requiring the British Library to collect this latent knowledge from around the world using satellites. He is also capable of imagining and recreating entire worlds, effectively rewriting history to his design, which he has done multiple times.
Gentlemen's most notable abilities are not physical but intellectual and existential. He possesses a superhuman intellect and knowledge accumulated over half a million years. To preserve his mind, his knowledge was divided into a series of items known collectively as the Gentleman Books, which include The Book of Rising Intellect and The Book of Supporting Bones. His ultimate power is his ability to dream an entire world into being, a god-like feat that allows him to shape reality according to his will.