"Plunderer," a battle fantasy manga that began airing in 2020, features characters with a variety of abilities. A unique feature is that characters' combat abilities are determined by a number called a "Count." We'd like to introduce this system and some of the "Ballot Holders" who possess these abilities!
Ballot? Count? What's that? The "Plunderer" World Setting
Plunderer is set in the country of Alcia, where all citizens are required to count something—for example, the distance they walk or the number of times customers say their food is delicious. These numbers are called "Counts," and the difference in their Counts determines their status. Among these, certain characters possess an item called "Ballot," which allows each character to activate special abilities. It's safe to think of the number of counts as a measure of combat ability.
Count System
Counts fluctuate based on daily behavior. A player with a low count cannot defy a player with a high count, but they can duel with each other by mutual consent, and the winner can steal the loser's count. This is called a Star-Snatching Battle, after the star-shaped mark on the count. If a player refuses to participate in the Star-Snatching Battle, the compulsion based on the high or low count is nullified. The count is engraved somewhere on the body, and while it cannot be stolen like Funai in another work, it is possible to win a duel and steal a star. When the count reaches zero, the individual is dragged into the underworld and thrown into the Teiai underground for a brutal experience.
About Ballot Holders
Ballots are items given only to certain military officers for riot suppression, and they can activate powerful abilities depending on the count. Therefore, any Ballot possessed by anyone other than military personnel is illegal and the individual becomes an "illegal possession (Ballot Holder)" and faces serious charges.
Part 1: Licht Bach
The protagonist and a mysterious sexually harassing demon. His real name is Rihito Sakai. His count, representing the number of times he's been dumped by women, is in the negative four digits, but for some reason, he hasn't been sent to the Abyss. He's actually a hero of the "Disposal War" that broke out 300 years ago, and is nicknamed "Ace of Lightning Strikes." Aces stop aging once certain conditions are met, so like other Aces, he's been alive for 300 years.
Lightning Strike Ability
His overwhelming speed allows him to move at blinding speeds, and he was known as the strongest ace pilot during the Discard War. While his unique ability as an ace pilot allows him to activate his powers without a Ballot, using one unleashes even greater power. However, there is also a side effect of his ace pilot ability: instead of the count skyrocketing, he becomes consumed by destructive impulses, losing his sanity and going berserk. The original count is the number of enemies killed on behalf of others.
Part 2: Jail Mardog
The secondary protagonist of this work, he is the captain of the problematic unit "Gefennings" of the Alcia Kingdom Army, and holds the rank of lieutenant. He has a strict personality and acts according to his own beliefs, but he also has a caring side. He is one of the leading ace pilots and is the adopted son of Aleksandrov Grigorovich, the head of the Alcia Kingdom Army, who dotes on him. He is also handsome and popular with women, but has no tolerance for them. He is also popular with men when he dresses up as a woman.
Ability to Control Iron
Barrot's ability is reminiscent of an alchemist, creating iron and processing it into any shape. However, he likely ignores the conservation of mass. The count is the number of times he holds fast to his beliefs, and if his beliefs waver, the strength of the iron decreases. He usually lies about his count being low, currently at around 12,500, but it seems he still has more hidden.
Part 3: Nana
She's the owner of a traveling bar, with a tanned complexion and a sleek figure. She usually keeps busy with Licht, who's in the negative count, while continuing her journey. However, her true identity is the "Ace of Shigeki," the first to achieve the title of ace pilot. Her name comes from the fact that she was the seventh test subject.
Time Travel Ability
A time travel user who can intervene in the past or future. As a unique ability of the Ace Pilot, she can activate her power without needing a Ballot, but as she is the first test subject, there is a limit to the number of times she can use this ability. She uses this ability to send Jail and the others back in time. It is unknown what happens when the count reaches 0.
Part 4: Sonohara Mizuka
A bespectacled woman who serves in the Special Forces. She is one of the leading ace pilots, earning her the nickname "The 'Pursuit' Ace."
She has a destructive personality and a cruel disposition, ruthlessly killing even civilians and children...or so one might think. However, her true nature is actually gentle and timid, as she was unable to kill a single person despite undergoing surgery to become a leading pilot. It seems that her aggressive personality was brought out by drugs in the Special Forces, and she was used for convenience.
Ability of Pursuit
This ability allows her to fire wide-range, high-density shots with long range, allowing her to pursue fleeing targets and prevent them from escaping. However, since Sonohara's true personality is such that she is unable to kill a single person, she must use drugs to bring out a different personality in order to use this ability, but she overcomes this later. The count is "Obsession."
Part 5: Schmelman Bach
The protagonist's former superior officer, now the leader of a special forces unit, is the interim final boss. Despite his dark past, he dotes on children and lovingly guides the protagonists, but ultimately betrays his classmates. He seems to have a split personality, with kindness hidden by cruelty, and his true motives are unknown.
Ice Attack Ability
At this point, he remains a mysterious character, able to use his abilities without using a ballot. Aces were born through the transplantation of his genes, making him the ancestor of all ace pilots. His raw combat ability is also unmatched among all characters, and his reaction speed is so fast that even mind-reading is impossible. His abilities, other than the fact that they are related to ice, are a mystery. His count is unknown, and it's unclear whether there is a count at all.
Part 6: Sakai Tokikaze
The brother-in-law of the protagonist, Licht Bach, also known as Sakai Rito, is a master of the Iai style of swordsmanship. He has a serious and stoic personality, and is one of the most talented A-Class pilots, but he doesn't seem to get along with Jail, who shares his personality. He was the only ace pilot who opposed the founding of Arsia, and was seemingly killed by the out-of-control Rito, but in fact he survived and has been waiting for his chance in a hellish environment for nearly 300 years.
Shungeki Ability
His sword technique cuts through space at the speed of light. While his time 300 years ago is unknown, his current count is 500,000. In addition to benefiting from the surgeries of the Ace Pilot, he also cares for the children living in the Abyss. However, the harsh environment of the Abyss made it impossible to keep everyone alive, so he would kill adult children with the consent of both parties to reduce the number of mouths to feed. Tokikaze's count is the number of loved ones he has killed.
Part 7: Assistant Erin
She is an assistant to Colonel General Alexandrov and seems like a capable woman. Even after Alexandrov was falsely accused, she remained in the military and handled the advances of Sakai Tokikaze. However, in reality, she betrayed the military for Alexandrov's sake and assisted Sakai Tokikaze.
Monitoring
This ability allows her to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time. In a land without modern conveniences like television, she's practically the only person capable of simultaneously broadcasting from every location. She broadcast Sakai Tokikaze's declaration of war and the parliament's majority vote across the entire land of Alcia. The count is the number of times she wishes to connect with a loved one.
[Plunderer] Ballot Holder Summary
We've introduced the Plunderer Ballot Holders. While details are yet to be revealed, there are quite a few other characters who can use this ability. However, the story quickly dives into the past and the setting is forgotten, so I think you'll enjoy it more if you sort it out in your head. The original manga is also reaching a climax, so I'm looking forward to the anime adaptation. Plunderer will begin airing in winter 2020.
