OVA
Description
The character known as Dark is the central figure of Bastard!!, primarily appearing under the name Dark Schneider. His history extends back four centuries prior to the main events of the story, to the final days of the Old World. It is suggested that he was created by the Ten Wise Men of Europa to serve as the pilot for a colossal war mecha known as the Dragon Knight, which was built to combat the destructive god Anthrasax. Following the cataclysm that reshaped the world, Dark Schneider spent the ensuing centuries as a wandering wizard, amassing immense power and a desire for world domination. Fifteen years before the start of the narrative, he led a formidable army known as the Dark Rebel Army with his elite generals, the Riders of Havoc. He was eventually defeated by a prince named Lars Ul Metallicana, but used his magical prowess to reincarnate his soul into the body of a newborn child named Lucien Renlen. However, his spirit was subsequently sealed within the boy by a priest, causing Lucien to grow up as a completely separate, gentle personality. When the remnants of the Dark Rebel Army resurface to resurrect Anthrasax, the kingdom of Metallicana is threatened. In desperation, the high priest's daughter, Yoko, is tasked with kissing Lucien, an act that breaks the seal and allows Dark Schneider to manifest once more, becoming a reluctant and volatile ally to the kingdom he once sought to conquer.
Dark Schneider’s personality is overwhelmingly defined by his colossal ego and unshakable belief in his own invincibility, immortality, and exceptional handsomeness. He is notoriously arrogant and lecherous, with an extreme fondness for women that drives him to pursue any attractive female he encounters, often with the long-term goal of amassing a worldwide harem. He frequently denigrates those he considers ugly and delights in proving his superiority in combat. Despite these seemingly shallow traits, he is not entirely without depth. He possesses a violent, nearly psychotic ruthlessness in battle, yet can display a softer side, particularly towards Yoko. This is largely due to the lingering influence of his host, Lucien Renlen, whose innocent love for Yoko tempers Dark's more destructive impulses. He genuinely cares for his companions, even as he refuses to openly admit it, and his motivations are a constant conflict between his original dream of conquering the world and the more compassionate feelings inherited from Lucien.
In the story’s immediate arc, Dark Schneider is an antihero forced into protecting Metallicana from his own former subordinates. As he confronts the resurrected Dark Rebel Army, he methodically reclaims his position as their master, winning back the loyalty of his powerful former generals known as the Riders of Havoc, including Arshes Nei, Gara, and Kall-Su. His key relationships are complex and fraught with tension. With Yoko, he shares a bond of genuine affection that is complicated by his lecherous nature and her role as his moral anchor. With his own former followers, there is a blend of mutual respect, fear, and nostalgia. He treats some, like his former student and subordinate Kall-Su, as rivals, while his relationship with Gara is notably adversarial, marked by constant bickering and conflict.
The character undergoes significant development, particularly after a catastrophic battle with the god Anthrasax. Dark Schneider is defeated and cast into the depths of Hell. There, he encounters the fallen angel Satan, who reveals a staggering truth: Dark Schneider is a reabsorbed fragment of Lucifer, the first fallen angel, and his host Lucien Renlen is Lucifer’s true identity. This divine heritage destines him to lead both demons and mankind in a final war against Heaven. Rejecting this predetermined role, Dark Schneider refuses to align himself with Hell and battles his way through the underworld. He eventually returns to Earth four years later, his body is destroyed in a subsequent battle against the devil Konron, but his head survives, leaving his ultimate fate an ongoing struggle between his own ambitions and his apocalyptic destiny.
As the most powerful wizard in his world, Dark Schneider’s abilities are vast and varied. He is a master of fire magic and is highly proficient with spells involving thunder, lightning, and other forms of black magic, though he has stated a distinct lack of proficiency with ice-based spells. Among his most feared and unique incantations are spells known as Venom, Sodom, and Halloween. As the series progresses, the scale of his power escalates dramatically. He gains the ability to manifest without needing Yoko’s kiss, and his true nature as a fragment of Lucifer grants him access to even greater, god-like levels of strength that allow him to contend with angels, devils, and cosmic entities on a reality-altering scale.
Dark Schneider’s personality is overwhelmingly defined by his colossal ego and unshakable belief in his own invincibility, immortality, and exceptional handsomeness. He is notoriously arrogant and lecherous, with an extreme fondness for women that drives him to pursue any attractive female he encounters, often with the long-term goal of amassing a worldwide harem. He frequently denigrates those he considers ugly and delights in proving his superiority in combat. Despite these seemingly shallow traits, he is not entirely without depth. He possesses a violent, nearly psychotic ruthlessness in battle, yet can display a softer side, particularly towards Yoko. This is largely due to the lingering influence of his host, Lucien Renlen, whose innocent love for Yoko tempers Dark's more destructive impulses. He genuinely cares for his companions, even as he refuses to openly admit it, and his motivations are a constant conflict between his original dream of conquering the world and the more compassionate feelings inherited from Lucien.
In the story’s immediate arc, Dark Schneider is an antihero forced into protecting Metallicana from his own former subordinates. As he confronts the resurrected Dark Rebel Army, he methodically reclaims his position as their master, winning back the loyalty of his powerful former generals known as the Riders of Havoc, including Arshes Nei, Gara, and Kall-Su. His key relationships are complex and fraught with tension. With Yoko, he shares a bond of genuine affection that is complicated by his lecherous nature and her role as his moral anchor. With his own former followers, there is a blend of mutual respect, fear, and nostalgia. He treats some, like his former student and subordinate Kall-Su, as rivals, while his relationship with Gara is notably adversarial, marked by constant bickering and conflict.
The character undergoes significant development, particularly after a catastrophic battle with the god Anthrasax. Dark Schneider is defeated and cast into the depths of Hell. There, he encounters the fallen angel Satan, who reveals a staggering truth: Dark Schneider is a reabsorbed fragment of Lucifer, the first fallen angel, and his host Lucien Renlen is Lucifer’s true identity. This divine heritage destines him to lead both demons and mankind in a final war against Heaven. Rejecting this predetermined role, Dark Schneider refuses to align himself with Hell and battles his way through the underworld. He eventually returns to Earth four years later, his body is destroyed in a subsequent battle against the devil Konron, but his head survives, leaving his ultimate fate an ongoing struggle between his own ambitions and his apocalyptic destiny.
As the most powerful wizard in his world, Dark Schneider’s abilities are vast and varied. He is a master of fire magic and is highly proficient with spells involving thunder, lightning, and other forms of black magic, though he has stated a distinct lack of proficiency with ice-based spells. Among his most feared and unique incantations are spells known as Venom, Sodom, and Halloween. As the series progresses, the scale of his power escalates dramatically. He gains the ability to manifest without needing Yoko’s kiss, and his true nature as a fragment of Lucifer grants him access to even greater, god-like levels of strength that allow him to contend with angels, devils, and cosmic entities on a reality-altering scale.