La Personnalité: Characters

Noalle, Rei Balzac, Count Kurlando

A French phantom thief, he can be quite an infuriating person. Eccentric, expressive, and fiery, he often dresses pompously with a cape, cane, and top hat. He is often seen smoking cigars and cigarillos smugly, with a conceited face, and plenty of jewellery in his neck and fingers. He grew up around Tangiers, Morocco, just a few hops from the infamous Casablanca. Growing up, he shared a close relationship with Azura, but most of his past remains a mystery due to the fact that he wishes to keep his identity secret.

Before realizing the story, I perceived him to be Sherlock Holmes. He possesses the same immodest, showy sensibility as the great detective. Of course, he's not Holmes, but still just as awesome. He is my second favourite character, since I mostly adore dark haired, main characters. He specially reminds me of Rauresu, mostly when he looks down at people arrogantly, such as he does to Florian at times. He can be infuriating and fastidious!

Yet, he's also sweet, kind, and values his friendship so much that he is willing to rescue him no matter what it costs his life; usually a few bullets. Like Rauresu and King Ludwig, he is playful with his feelings and with those of others; he smiles when he delivers the coldest of speeches, and can be quite sardonic. He certainly loves to treat others as inferiors in a condescending manner, as if they were children when compared to him. However, Noalle is not totally like these two. He displays a certain wacky side. He sticks out his tongue when he is embarrassed or is being childish, and is often goofy. Maybe it springs from the fact this name is that of a girl? I certainly adore the fact that he's got the name of the great French author Balzac. He is as devoted, loving, sensual, and enamoured as Rauresu is with his Hilda and Ludwig is with his Hornig.

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Florian

Beautiful, melancholic, and nostalgic, Florian is Noalle's closest companion. He accompanies Noalle in his work, probably supplies the man with those Cuban cigars, and is his loving friend. He is brave enough to face men with guns as well as not die from fright at being suspended from the top of the Eiffel Tower. However, he is torn often, such as when, drugged, he is forced to sleep and kiss another man. Florian is melancholic, sad, troubled, confused, quiet, distracted by emotions, and beautiful. Being beautiful is certainly a curse, however, to Florian. He is the object of much abuse from the part of the enemies of Noalle. In volume two alone, he is captured, tied to a chair; his fingers are sliced; he is shot, dropped from the Eiffel tower, drugged, and raped.

Because he holds in his emotions, even when he is burning to express his pain or disappointment, he reminds me of Richard Hornig from Ludwig II. He is the one person whom Noalle trusts, defends, cares for, and depends on much like King Ludwig II trusts Hornig. Like Hornig, Florian follows his companion faithfully and lovingly even into eccentricities and embarrassment, and obviously danger. As with most fair hair lovers in Higuri's manga, he cries often, which is a quality I find attractive in the drawings. I adore the way his eyes slant sadly, just like Teteiyusu's eyes.

In the manga, my favourite character is Florian. This is a little different than my usual attractions, since I usually fall for the main character -- who usually could pass as some remote, lost twin to Rauresu -- but, it's not incongruent. When the British Victorian writer Oscar Wilde wrote about beauty being so enchanting, he was writing my book, and he could've been describing Florian.

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Raira

Colour skinned, Raira is Noalle's follower and admirer, living with him since she was a child. She aids him by arranging his study, listening to his problems, and picking up after him. She openly displays her Arabic culture in her dress, represented by her exotic jewellery, hat, pants and shirt. Raira is very kind and sweet, even to Florian, whom she knows is favoured by Noalle. She laughs and blushes like a kid at times, which makes her a nice female character to my eyes, since she is not overly sensuous or bossy. However, Raira is sad and unsatisfied since she is in love with Noalle, a fact that makes her feel incomplete since he never looks at anyone with love except at Florian. Still, she is glad to remain his closest servant and a companion in his escapades.

In a way, she reminds me of Iria from Seimaden because she is spunky and wilful like her, with similar eyes and mannerisms. I cannot help but think about the many ignorant people that have said Japanese manga and anime doesn't feature coloured people. What manga and anime have these people been watching? Between Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Anthy), Turn A Gundam (Roland), and Gorgeous Carat there are plenty of dark skinned, wonderful characters. Us at Team Bonet are happy.

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Solomon Sheuger

Good natured, he is a private detective. Solomon is very patient with the often childish, demanding Noalle, and possesses a good humour to laugh away danger. Like Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, Solomon is in constant search of Noalle's secret identity, studying him closely, and on his trail, undercover. He is originally hired by the Tassele family in order to find Noelle, and is my best friend's favourite character. He reminds me of Shinpu (The Priest) in Zeus, because of his goofy glasses that mark him a chiflado, a term Team Bonet coined for bespectacled men who tend to be rather clumsy but deadlier that they first appear to be. However, this character is not silly, and is very attracted, almost obsessed with Noalle, whom he even calls his "cat."

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Noelle & Monsieur Tassele
 

Noelle is very mindful of Florian, distressed should he fall into any danger, and often falling into tears. He can be quite sad and clings to Florian often in a brotherly embrace. He is seldom seen without his fluffy, white teddy bear, which he holds close when he sleeps for comfort and is the secret hiding place for certain valuable jewels. He is very kind, and faithful to Noalle and Florian. He is taken in under custody by Florian, who loves him deeply, and is very well cared for by Raira. Noelle is often ignored in the manga, even though he is not insufferable as a character.

His father is Monsieur Tassele, the owner of the Bank Tassele do Paris and a very powerful business man. Don't be fooled by the picture, though, he can be quite goofy. He gives Noelle the teddy bear in order to ensure the safety of the jewels, but soon realizes and regrets that in protecting his fortune he endangered his son, whom he truly loves very much. 

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Louise

The leader of the Paris branch of the terrorist, Mafia group Black Hand, this woman proves to be quite a nemesis to Noalle, with her curly buns on top of her head and her cynical smiles. She is Noelle's stepmother, while the Black Hand constantly persecutes Noalle. Always by her side are her faithful companions, which include a bald man, who call her "older sister." She dresses splendidly and acts like a queen, is cunning with weapons, and spunky. Her mocking attitude contrasts with her cunning. Louise is soon to double cross people, is always on the run from the police, and quick to outwit them. As a thief, she often plans to ruin Noalle's plans, to the extent of even offering her services to Azura, who refuses her. Like him, she mistreats Florian, at a point even slicing his fingers with her hair pin.

However, even if she's cruel, I like Louise. She's not a sexy, annoying character, nor is she stupid or whinny, and is the leader of a great organization, the Black Hand. This organization reminds me of the Serbian terrorist organization by same name. Maybe they share memberships? I really also appreciate Louise's unique character design, the style of her dresses -- like those of the Gibson girls in a way --, and the fact that she's not just a love interest or a wicked sadistic dominatrix. Sadly, she dies at the hand of Azura, who shoots her in the face after placing a cushion over head.

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Azura

A Tuareg, Azura spent six years separated from Noalle, whom he used to take care of when they were younger. His real name is Romuelle Jr., but this is not his only secret. Extremely beautiful, he wears an Arabic turban, many jewels, a bejewelled scimitar, and Moroccan dresses. Due to his closeness to Noalle, he calls him 'Rei.' It's his part in Noalle's childhood what keeps Noalle from suspecting the evil, sadistic, and cruel side of Azura. A thief, he pretends to need Noalle in order to find treasure, but in fact he plans to hurt him deeply. He doesn't attack openly and directly. No, he's a cunning mastermind, so he exploits Florian instead. Knowing in drugs, he forces pills and smoky drugs into the helpless Florian, whom he rapes and abuses constantly. He even causes Noalle and Florian to fight when Florian accuses Azura of his evil.

Indeed, Azura owns two faces. One is the cruel, whipping, drug addicted, sexual molester with the cold eyes, surrounded by adoring, sexy ladies. The other is a young, arrogant lord living in a splendid house in Fez, Morocco surrounded by servants, lovely Islamic decor. He even uses his house and the many pleasures it offers to render Noalle's Western followers into little else than drunken fools. He reminds me of Berk from Seimaden; the same kind of perverted snake. Too bad he wears a shirt supremely similar to one we got at the Morocco pavilion in Orlando. This is why I always imagine him dressed in its shade of blue, which is the common colour of the Tuareg nomads.
 

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Maurice & Manon

Florian's uncle and his girlfriend. Maurice acts very paternally towards Florian, but in reality is using his kindness as a means to discover the whereabouts of a certain jewel, encased in the forehead of a Hindu statue. Maurice plans the murder of Florian's mother and even attempts kidnapping Florian, but both he and Manon die as the result of a cloud of poison that emanates from the statue's forehead once the jewel is removed.
 
 

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Florian's Mother

 

A once powerful and rich lady, Florian's mother is now a somewhat bitter old woman, forced to watch as the possessions in her estate are sold to ward off growing financial problems. Although she is often harsh and stubborn in her aristocratic pride, she truly loves Florian and hopes for a good life for him. Sadly, she is killed in a fire begun by Florian's Uncle Maurice.
 
 

 

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