OVA
Description
Dark Schneider is the central figure of Bastard!!, an extraordinarily powerful wizard whose history stretches back over four centuries to the final days of the Old World. He was originally created by the Ten Wise Men of Europa to pilot the Dragon Knight, a colossal mecha designed to combat the demon god Anthrasax. In the aftermath of that ancient cataclysm, Schneider spent the next four hundred years cheating death, consolidating his power, amassing a large harem, and pursuing his goal of world domination. Fifteen years before the main storyline, he led a massive army known as the Dark Rebel Army, but was ultimately defeated by a prince named Lars Ul Metallicana. Facing death, he used his magic to reincarnate himself into the body of a newborn child, Lucien Renlen, only to have his spirit sealed away by a high priest, allowing the boy to grow up as a completely different person.
The character’s personality is defined by monumental arrogance and a hedonistic, womanizing nature. He is ruthlessly confident in his own abilities, constantly boasting about his status as the most powerful wizard and his handsome appearance, and he often dismisses opponents based on their looks. Schneider has a violent and borderline psychotic attitude in battle, yet he also exhibits a softer side, particularly towards Tia Noto Yoko, a young priestess who serves as his primary love interest. This inner conflict is a direct result of his fusion with the gentle-natured Lucien Renlen, whose compassionate influence subtly tempers Schneider’s more destructive impulses. His motivations are a complex mixture of his original ambition for world conquest and a more personal drive to protect those he has come to care for, even if he is reluctant to admit it.
In the story, Dark Schneider is summoned by a kiss from a virgin to defend the kingdom of Metallicana, becoming a wildly unpredictable and powerful, yet deeply reluctant, ally. His role is that of a chaotic force of nature rather than a conventional hero, one who frequently causes collateral damage and pursues his own desires while simultaneously confronting terrible threats. He is a pivotal figure to whom many former enemies, including his own former generals known as the Riders of Havoc, eventually become allies. Key relationships define much of his actions. His dynamic with Tia Noto Yoko is central, as she is the only person who can truly control him or influence his decisions, and his feelings for her often put him at odds with his own ego. He shares a long and complicated history with his powerful subordinates, including his adopted daughter and former lover Arshes Nei, and maintains an adversarial yet respectful rivalry with the ninja master Gara.
Throughout the narrative, Dark Schneider undergoes significant development. Initially a purely cruel and self-serving warlord, the long years spent as the kind-hearted Lucien Renlen cause him to evolve, granting him a greater capacity for compassion and loyalty to his companions. This internal shift becomes more pronounced as he gradually gains the ability to manifest without requiring a kiss from Yoko, indicating a deepening fusion of his two halves. His development is also marked by immense physical and spiritual trials. After losing a battle against the demon god Anthrasax, he is cast into Hell, where he confronts the fallen angel Satan and learns that his true identity is a fragment of the archangel Lucifer, destined to lead a war against Heaven. This revelation does not sway him from his independent path, and he eventually returns to Earth to fight alongside angels against a demonic devil.
Dark Schneider’s notable abilities are vast and place him among the most powerful beings in his universe. He is a master of elemental magic, particularly fire and lightning, and his most infamous spells include Venom, which summons destructive enzymes from hell, Exodus, a fire attack reaching millions of degrees, and Halloween, a blast that opens the gates of hell. His defensive power is anchored by Dispel Bound, countless regenerative forcefields that can protect him from nearly any form of attack, including reality warping. His ultimate defense and regeneration come from possessing Eternal Atoms, which exist simultaneously on the physical, spiritual, and astral planes; as long as one of these atoms remains, he can regenerate completely, meaning he can only be defeated by an attack that destroys his body, soul, and mind all at once. He can further augment his power to galactic or even universal levels by activating the Judas Priest transformation or by fusing with the legendary mecha, the Dragon Knight Lucifer.
The character’s personality is defined by monumental arrogance and a hedonistic, womanizing nature. He is ruthlessly confident in his own abilities, constantly boasting about his status as the most powerful wizard and his handsome appearance, and he often dismisses opponents based on their looks. Schneider has a violent and borderline psychotic attitude in battle, yet he also exhibits a softer side, particularly towards Tia Noto Yoko, a young priestess who serves as his primary love interest. This inner conflict is a direct result of his fusion with the gentle-natured Lucien Renlen, whose compassionate influence subtly tempers Schneider’s more destructive impulses. His motivations are a complex mixture of his original ambition for world conquest and a more personal drive to protect those he has come to care for, even if he is reluctant to admit it.
In the story, Dark Schneider is summoned by a kiss from a virgin to defend the kingdom of Metallicana, becoming a wildly unpredictable and powerful, yet deeply reluctant, ally. His role is that of a chaotic force of nature rather than a conventional hero, one who frequently causes collateral damage and pursues his own desires while simultaneously confronting terrible threats. He is a pivotal figure to whom many former enemies, including his own former generals known as the Riders of Havoc, eventually become allies. Key relationships define much of his actions. His dynamic with Tia Noto Yoko is central, as she is the only person who can truly control him or influence his decisions, and his feelings for her often put him at odds with his own ego. He shares a long and complicated history with his powerful subordinates, including his adopted daughter and former lover Arshes Nei, and maintains an adversarial yet respectful rivalry with the ninja master Gara.
Throughout the narrative, Dark Schneider undergoes significant development. Initially a purely cruel and self-serving warlord, the long years spent as the kind-hearted Lucien Renlen cause him to evolve, granting him a greater capacity for compassion and loyalty to his companions. This internal shift becomes more pronounced as he gradually gains the ability to manifest without requiring a kiss from Yoko, indicating a deepening fusion of his two halves. His development is also marked by immense physical and spiritual trials. After losing a battle against the demon god Anthrasax, he is cast into Hell, where he confronts the fallen angel Satan and learns that his true identity is a fragment of the archangel Lucifer, destined to lead a war against Heaven. This revelation does not sway him from his independent path, and he eventually returns to Earth to fight alongside angels against a demonic devil.
Dark Schneider’s notable abilities are vast and place him among the most powerful beings in his universe. He is a master of elemental magic, particularly fire and lightning, and his most infamous spells include Venom, which summons destructive enzymes from hell, Exodus, a fire attack reaching millions of degrees, and Halloween, a blast that opens the gates of hell. His defensive power is anchored by Dispel Bound, countless regenerative forcefields that can protect him from nearly any form of attack, including reality warping. His ultimate defense and regeneration come from possessing Eternal Atoms, which exist simultaneously on the physical, spiritual, and astral planes; as long as one of these atoms remains, he can regenerate completely, meaning he can only be defeated by an attack that destroys his body, soul, and mind all at once. He can further augment his power to galactic or even universal levels by activating the Judas Priest transformation or by fusing with the legendary mecha, the Dragon Knight Lucifer.