OVA
Description
Mr. Gentleman is a pivotal figure in the Read or Die universe, serving as the ancient and enigmatic head of the British Library's Special Operations Division. He is regarded as the true source of power behind the United Kingdom's continued global dominance, and the British Library reveres him as the key to maintaining that influence. His background is extraordinary: he is the first human male, having lived for over 500,000 years, and his counterpart is the matriarch of the rival organization Dokusensha. To preserve his life energy, he typically appears in the form of an old man, which could allow him to live for perhaps another century, but he is deeply unsatisfied with this limitation and obsessively seeks to extend his existence further. This drive leads him to pursue various schemes, including capturing his direct descendant Faust, who possesses a much longer lifespan, and later searching for the Gutenberg Book to unlock its secrets.
In terms of personality, Mr. Gentleman is calm, collected, and operates with a quiet authority. He is meticulous and disciplined, valuing order and protocol. His physical abilities are limited, but his intellect and knowledge far surpass those of an average person, making him a strategic and calculating leader. He is often seen with a turtle on his lap, a symbol of longevity that reflects his own preoccupation with living forever. Despite his composed exterior, he grows dissatisfied with the slow progress of his agents and is willing to take extreme measures, including abandoning his elderly form for a younger one that he can sustain for only about a week, in order to directly confront his enemies.
His motivations revolve around securing his own immortality and preserving the power of the British Library. He is not content with his already ancient existence and is driven by a restless desire to live indefinitely. This personal goal intertwines with his role as the mastermind behind the Library's operations, as he seeks to unlock the secrets of longevity through historical artifacts and figures. In the story, he serves as a commanding presence who authorizes missions and directs agents such as Joseph Carpenter. His role evolves from a behind-the-scenes leader to a more direct participant when he decides to personally invade the headquarters of Dokusensha to face his counterpart.
Key relationships include his direct subordinate Joseph Carpenter, who carries out his orders and later takes control of the organization after Mr. Gentlemen's death. His relationship with Faust, a descendant and powerful paper master, is that of a captor and researcher, as he attempts to study Faust's extended life. His counterpart within Dokusensha is a figure of comparable age and power, representing the opposing force in the conflict between the two organizations.
Development occurs as he moves from a passive, energy-conserving elderly form to a more active younger form when he becomes impatient with the pace of his plans. This transformation marks a significant shift from relying on agents to taking matters into his own hands. In the television series, it is revealed after his death that his intellect was so vast that he was capable of imagining an entire world by himself, and given the appropriate technology, he could recreate the world as he saw fit.
His notable abilities stem primarily from his immense intellect, strategic acumen, and vast knowledge accumulated over half a million years. He is capable of complex long-term planning and outmaneuvering opponents through sheer cunning. The ability to change his physical form between an elderly guise that conserves life energy and a younger, more vigorous version is a unique power tied to his longevity. His knowledge and personality are also transferred into books as a contingency, demonstrating his ability to preserve his essence beyond his physical form.
In terms of personality, Mr. Gentleman is calm, collected, and operates with a quiet authority. He is meticulous and disciplined, valuing order and protocol. His physical abilities are limited, but his intellect and knowledge far surpass those of an average person, making him a strategic and calculating leader. He is often seen with a turtle on his lap, a symbol of longevity that reflects his own preoccupation with living forever. Despite his composed exterior, he grows dissatisfied with the slow progress of his agents and is willing to take extreme measures, including abandoning his elderly form for a younger one that he can sustain for only about a week, in order to directly confront his enemies.
His motivations revolve around securing his own immortality and preserving the power of the British Library. He is not content with his already ancient existence and is driven by a restless desire to live indefinitely. This personal goal intertwines with his role as the mastermind behind the Library's operations, as he seeks to unlock the secrets of longevity through historical artifacts and figures. In the story, he serves as a commanding presence who authorizes missions and directs agents such as Joseph Carpenter. His role evolves from a behind-the-scenes leader to a more direct participant when he decides to personally invade the headquarters of Dokusensha to face his counterpart.
Key relationships include his direct subordinate Joseph Carpenter, who carries out his orders and later takes control of the organization after Mr. Gentlemen's death. His relationship with Faust, a descendant and powerful paper master, is that of a captor and researcher, as he attempts to study Faust's extended life. His counterpart within Dokusensha is a figure of comparable age and power, representing the opposing force in the conflict between the two organizations.
Development occurs as he moves from a passive, energy-conserving elderly form to a more active younger form when he becomes impatient with the pace of his plans. This transformation marks a significant shift from relying on agents to taking matters into his own hands. In the television series, it is revealed after his death that his intellect was so vast that he was capable of imagining an entire world by himself, and given the appropriate technology, he could recreate the world as he saw fit.
His notable abilities stem primarily from his immense intellect, strategic acumen, and vast knowledge accumulated over half a million years. He is capable of complex long-term planning and outmaneuvering opponents through sheer cunning. The ability to change his physical form between an elderly guise that conserves life energy and a younger, more vigorous version is a unique power tied to his longevity. His knowledge and personality are also transferred into books as a contingency, demonstrating his ability to preserve his essence beyond his physical form.