Ruri Hoshino
Encyclopedia
Ruri Hoshino is a fictional character
in the anime series Martian Successor Nadesico
. She is also the main character in Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness
, and appears in the manga
based on the original television series. Ruri was created by Keiji Gotoh
for the anime, and adapted by Kia Asamiya
for the manga version. Omi Minami
provides the voice of Ruri in the original Japanese versions of the TV series and film, while Kira Vincent-Davis
portrays her in the dubbed English version.
Ruri is depicted as the youngest member of staff on board the Nadesico, the space battleship that the series revolves around. Despite this, she is often portrayed as being more intelligent than the rest of crew, and seen as something of a "child prodigy
". Ruri is often shown disparaging the inane antics of her older co-workers, usually by use of her catchphrase . According to her backstory, Ruri has a special affinity with computers due to genetic engineering, something that also affects her attitude towards others.
The character of Ruri was unexpectedly a favourite, and became popular among fans as a depiction of the moe ideal. Because of Ruri's quiet, serious character and dead-pan expressions, she is often compared to Rei Ayanami
from Neon Genesis Evangelion
. Hiroki Azuma
believes Ruri to be directly influenced by Rei.
[who could] connect directly with computers". She was brought up in a laboratory-like school and educated in a manner that imparted knowledge without unnecessary information, such as emotion or communication with others. She is thought to be the only survivor from the experiments, but it is later revealed by Akito Tenkawa that another exists. Nergal
was impressed with her abilities, and bought her to run the Nadesicos computer. Aside from her trademark remark about the crew, she is responsible for the pre-episode narration, and co-hosts the Get to Know Nadesico in-series instructional videos produced by Inez Fressange.
Ruri is also the princess of a country called Peaceland, which was originally a theme park and casino and developed into a sovereign country that is neutral in all planetary politics. She was conceived artificially for the King and Queen, but the foetus went astray. When she journeyed to Peaceland to find out about her past, she took Akito with her as her 'knight
', much to Yurika's chagrin. However, after learning of her past and who her parents and 'real parents' were, she had no intention of returning and chose to stay on the Nadesico with her 'complement of fools'.
She is a talented singer, and her best friend is Omoikane, the ship's computer, which she usually consults if she has any questions about life in general. In the episode "Those Unforgettable Days", Akito helped Ruri save Omoikane from being erased by the military, so it's little wonder she likes him.
She has platinum hair (that looks like a Lavender sometimes blue and silver hybrid), amber colored eyes (which prompts one antagonist in The Prince of Darkness to call her "Amber Fairy". Amber eyes indicate that she is someone who can connect to a computer directly by mutation), very pale skin, and appears to be a healthy young girl for her age.
She is an orphan who was 'bought' by the Nergal corporation for the purposes of being the chief science officer for the Nadesico, which was actually to be completed six years after she had been adopted.
After the war, both Yurika and Minato entered into a custody battle over Ruri. When it became clear that the argument would never end, the Prospector decided to end it with a contest. Yurika and Minato would each grab hold of one of Ruri's arms and pull. As they pulled, Ruri cried out in pain, and Minato let her go. Prospector declared Yurika the winner, because she had proven that no matter what happened, she would never let Ruri go. Ruri was adopted by Yurika, and lived together with Yurika's new fiance, Akito, in his restaurant, where the three lived a "happy-comfy-life".
Ruri would later be devastated by the "deaths" of Yurika and Akito, and is taken in by Minato, whom begins to realize her feelings for Akito. Eventually, she leaves to rejoin the military as a means to distract herself from her loss.
In Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness
, Ruri, who is now 3 years older, becomes the captain of the Nadesico-B (and later, Nadesico-C) and is the main character of the movie. She has matured a great deal in the time between the series and the movie. She is also apparently idolized by much of the navy, best illustrated by the reaction of Captain Arragi who is in charge of the escort for the Nadesico crew shuttle when it heads for the moon. Arragi (originally a Mokuren captain in the TV series) says that it is his privilege to escort the denshi no yousei (the electronic spirit/fairy). He records his conversation with Ruri and announces his intention to share it with the crew. Much of the story sees Ruri gathering many of the previous crew, including the trio of pilots led by Ryoko. There are two new additions to the crew, her XO Takasugi Saburota and a young boy named Makibi Hari. Hari is said to be the result of an experiment parallel to the one that produced her. Because of this, where Ruri is deadpan
and maintains firm control of her feelings, Hari is emotional and tends to let his feelings get the better of him. Ruri views him as a sort of younger brother, while he has a (fairly obvious) crush on her. Saburota was a Mokuren commander and XO to Akiyama Genpachiro in the TV series. He serves as Ruri's XO on the Nadesico-B.
Ruri encounters Akito, shocked that he is in fact still alive. Ruri would later meet Akito again at his and Yurika's "graves". However, he rejects Ruri's attempts to talk to him and make him a part of her life again, as he shows her the results of the experiments conducted upon him. It becomes clear to Ruri that the Akito Tenkawa that she once knew is dead. Akito left, giving her his secret ramen recipe, because he can never again cook it for her.
Ruri is instrumental in the final defeat of the Martian Successors, using her meld with Omoikane to seize control of all enemy computer systems. They save Yurika, but Akito disappears, and Ruri promises that she will find him.
Although not a star character in the television series, Ruri is very popular in moe fandom for a number of reasons, including her self-amused deadpan delivery. She is thought to be a major inspiration for later cutesy-looking girl characters (not overly stoic ones such as Rei Ayanami
) who are sarcastic and jaded rather than cutesy-acting.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the anime series Martian Successor Nadesico
Martian Successor Nadesico
, is a science fiction comedy anime TV series, and a later manga series created by Kia Asamiya. The manga, published in English by CPM Manga, is significantly different from the anime....
. She is also the main character in Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness
The Prince of Darkness (Nadesico)
, or Prince of Darkness Nadesico, is a 1998 anime film written and directed by Tatsuo Sato, and it is a sequel to the series Martian Successor Nadesico. The story is a direct sequel to Nadesico: The Blank of Three Years, a video game for the Sega Saturn that takes place immediately after the manga...
, and appears in the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
based on the original television series. Ruri was created by Keiji Gotoh
Keiji Gotoh
is a Japanese anime director, character designer, manga artist, and member of three man production team gímik whose works include Kiddy Grade and Uta Kata.- Television :* Thundercats , In-between animation...
for the anime, and adapted by Kia Asamiya
Kia Asamiya
is the pen-name of Japanese manga artist Michitaka Kikuchi whose work spans multiple genres and appeals to diverse audiences.He is well known for using influences from American comics, television, and films in his work, and describes himself as a big fan of both Batman and Star Wars...
for the manga version. Omi Minami
Omi Minami
is a Japanese voice actor. She is mostly known for her work in anime and video game roles.-Notable anime voice roles:*Tama *Shimajirō Shimano *Euphemia Li Britannia...
provides the voice of Ruri in the original Japanese versions of the TV series and film, while Kira Vincent-Davis
Kira Vincent-Davis
Kira Vincent-Davis is an American voice actress who works for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, and OkraTron 5000...
portrays her in the dubbed English version.
Ruri is depicted as the youngest member of staff on board the Nadesico, the space battleship that the series revolves around. Despite this, she is often portrayed as being more intelligent than the rest of crew, and seen as something of a "child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
". Ruri is often shown disparaging the inane antics of her older co-workers, usually by use of her catchphrase . According to her backstory, Ruri has a special affinity with computers due to genetic engineering, something that also affects her attitude towards others.
The character of Ruri was unexpectedly a favourite, and became popular among fans as a depiction of the moe ideal. Because of Ruri's quiet, serious character and dead-pan expressions, she is often compared to Rei Ayanami
Rei Ayanami
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, a Japanese anime from Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00....
from Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
. Hiroki Azuma
Hiroki Azuma
, born May 9, 1971 in Mitaka, Tokyo is a Japanese cultural critic.-Biography:He received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 1999 and became a professor at the International University of Japan in 2003...
believes Ruri to be directly influenced by Rei.
Development
According to Keiji Gotoh, the movie version of Ruri was the easiest character he ever designed, her concept "popping into his head right away". Dan Kanemitsu, the English translator for Martian Successor Nadesico, notes that Ruri's phrase of "baka bakka" was one of the hardest lines in the show to translate from its original Japanese form.Biography
Twelve-year old Ruri is the product of DNA engineering and nanotechnology designed to create an "operatorNergal
The name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"...
was impressed with her abilities, and bought her to run the Nadesicos computer. Aside from her trademark remark about the crew, she is responsible for the pre-episode narration, and co-hosts the Get to Know Nadesico in-series instructional videos produced by Inez Fressange.
Ruri is also the princess of a country called Peaceland, which was originally a theme park and casino and developed into a sovereign country that is neutral in all planetary politics. She was conceived artificially for the King and Queen, but the foetus went astray. When she journeyed to Peaceland to find out about her past, she took Akito with her as her 'knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
', much to Yurika's chagrin. However, after learning of her past and who her parents and 'real parents' were, she had no intention of returning and chose to stay on the Nadesico with her 'complement of fools'.
She is a talented singer, and her best friend is Omoikane, the ship's computer, which she usually consults if she has any questions about life in general. In the episode "Those Unforgettable Days", Akito helped Ruri save Omoikane from being erased by the military, so it's little wonder she likes him.
She has platinum hair (that looks like a Lavender sometimes blue and silver hybrid), amber colored eyes (which prompts one antagonist in The Prince of Darkness to call her "Amber Fairy". Amber eyes indicate that she is someone who can connect to a computer directly by mutation), very pale skin, and appears to be a healthy young girl for her age.
She is an orphan who was 'bought' by the Nergal corporation for the purposes of being the chief science officer for the Nadesico, which was actually to be completed six years after she had been adopted.
After the war, both Yurika and Minato entered into a custody battle over Ruri. When it became clear that the argument would never end, the Prospector decided to end it with a contest. Yurika and Minato would each grab hold of one of Ruri's arms and pull. As they pulled, Ruri cried out in pain, and Minato let her go. Prospector declared Yurika the winner, because she had proven that no matter what happened, she would never let Ruri go. Ruri was adopted by Yurika, and lived together with Yurika's new fiance, Akito, in his restaurant, where the three lived a "happy-comfy-life".
Ruri would later be devastated by the "deaths" of Yurika and Akito, and is taken in by Minato, whom begins to realize her feelings for Akito. Eventually, she leaves to rejoin the military as a means to distract herself from her loss.
The Prince of Darkness (Nadesico)
, or Prince of Darkness Nadesico, is a 1998 anime film written and directed by Tatsuo Sato, and it is a sequel to the series Martian Successor Nadesico. The story is a direct sequel to Nadesico: The Blank of Three Years, a video game for the Sega Saturn that takes place immediately after the manga...
, Ruri, who is now 3 years older, becomes the captain of the Nadesico-B (and later, Nadesico-C) and is the main character of the movie. She has matured a great deal in the time between the series and the movie. She is also apparently idolized by much of the navy, best illustrated by the reaction of Captain Arragi who is in charge of the escort for the Nadesico crew shuttle when it heads for the moon. Arragi (originally a Mokuren captain in the TV series) says that it is his privilege to escort the denshi no yousei (the electronic spirit/fairy). He records his conversation with Ruri and announces his intention to share it with the crew. Much of the story sees Ruri gathering many of the previous crew, including the trio of pilots led by Ryoko. There are two new additions to the crew, her XO Takasugi Saburota and a young boy named Makibi Hari. Hari is said to be the result of an experiment parallel to the one that produced her. Because of this, where Ruri is deadpan
Deadpan
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
and maintains firm control of her feelings, Hari is emotional and tends to let his feelings get the better of him. Ruri views him as a sort of younger brother, while he has a (fairly obvious) crush on her. Saburota was a Mokuren commander and XO to Akiyama Genpachiro in the TV series. He serves as Ruri's XO on the Nadesico-B.
Ruri encounters Akito, shocked that he is in fact still alive. Ruri would later meet Akito again at his and Yurika's "graves". However, he rejects Ruri's attempts to talk to him and make him a part of her life again, as he shows her the results of the experiments conducted upon him. It becomes clear to Ruri that the Akito Tenkawa that she once knew is dead. Akito left, giving her his secret ramen recipe, because he can never again cook it for her.
Ruri is instrumental in the final defeat of the Martian Successors, using her meld with Omoikane to seize control of all enemy computer systems. They save Yurika, but Akito disappears, and Ruri promises that she will find him.
Although not a star character in the television series, Ruri is very popular in moe fandom for a number of reasons, including her self-amused deadpan delivery. She is thought to be a major inspiration for later cutesy-looking girl characters (not overly stoic ones such as Rei Ayanami
Rei Ayanami
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, a Japanese anime from Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00....
) who are sarcastic and jaded rather than cutesy-acting.