"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight" is a media mix set in late medieval Europe, featuring characters including the real-life Joan of Arc. Here we introduce Montmorency, the protagonist of "Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight."
What kind of work is "Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight"?
A media mix by Kasuga Mikage, who specializes in historical stories
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a media mix by Kasuga Mikage, who gained popularity with "The Ambition of Oda Nobuna," and is set in late medieval Europe.
The original work depicts complex relationships and backgrounds, but the anime simplifies them for easier viewing.
Historical characters are transformed into beautiful girls
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Kasuga's works are characterized by the transformation of many real-life characters into beautiful girls, and the heavy, dark worldview is lightened by the beautiful girls.
The original work also depicts the historical background in great detail, so it's a work that fans of history and anime are likely to find very appealing.
Fairies and supernatural beings appear
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
The concept of "Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is one of the themes: what if fairies and supernatural beings existed in late medieval Europe? This is a work with a strong fantasy element.
Featuring adorable fairies and powerful psychics, this work is entertaining and even those who aren't well-versed in history will find it interesting.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight] What kind of character is the main character, Montmorency?Montmorency has been interested in alchemy since childhood
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Montmorency comes from a distinguished lineage and attended a knight training school as a child. However, he was always more interested in alchemy than martial arts, and never showed any interest in the latter.
Montmorency believed that he needed to gain the power of immortality in order to defeat the English army, so instead of devoting himself to martial arts, he worked hard to acquire knowledge of alchemy and studied under Nicolas Flamel, who was knowledgeable in alchemy.
His grades at knight training school were the worst in history
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Although Montmorency was of distinguished pedigree, his interest in alchemy prevented him from developing his martial arts talents, resulting in his worst grades at knight training school.
Montmorency's childhood friend, the beautiful Richemont, who had achieved the highest grades at knight training school, was astonished by this, and he became obsessed with the dubious field of alchemy, which Richemont had been worried about since he was a child.
He had many beautiful childhood friends and shared deep bonds with them.
Montmorency and the women shared a deep bond, and although their difficult positions meant they never knew when they might become enemies, they vowed to remain friends forever.
After Richemont was captured by the English, Montmorency decided to become an alchemist.
At that moment, Astaroth, claiming to be the Queen of the Fairies, appeared and encouraged Montmorency to become an alchemist and become "Ulysses," a supernatural being who had absorbed the Philosopher's Stone.
Montmorency had no talent for alchemy
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Astaroth had high hopes for Montmorency's alchemic talent, expecting him to create the "elixir" needed to transform into Ulysses in just three years. However, Montmorency's talent was surprisingly poor, and even after seven years, he was unable to create the elixir.
While immersed in alchemy, Montmorency lost all sense of time, and while it felt like he had been locked away in his workshop for only a few months, in reality seven years had passed.
In the original work, there was a step-sister, Jeanne.
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
While the only Jeanne to appear in the anime is the heroine, Jeanne d'Arc, in the original work, Montmorency's step-sister Jeanne appeared before the heroine Jeanne.
However, his stepsister Jeanne died of starvation at a young age, and Montmorency was deeply hurt that he was unable to make Jeanne happy. Seven years later, he met Jeanne from the village of Domremy, who resembled his stepsister, and became attracted to her.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight] Montmorency and Joan of Arc
Montmorency fails to create an elixir in the ruins
As a last resort, Montmorency attempted to create an elixir in Menhir, a ruin well-suited for alchemy. However, a young girl he met there, Jeanne, took an interest in Montmorency's alchemy and unintentionally interfered with his work, resulting in a major accident.
Montmorency Accidentally Becomes an Elixir Generator
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
When Montmorency failed to create an elixir, he was exposed to a large amount of elixir, and his body became capable of producing elixir itself.
However, the elixir Montmorency produced was incomplete and would evaporate if exposed to air. Therefore, Montmorency's elixir had to be poured onto the target through a bâise (kiss).
A convenient twist: he can't absorb the Philosopher's Stone himself (lol)
Although Montmorency was now able to generate the elixir himself, Astaroth said it was dangerous to allow the power of the Philosopher's Stone to manifest in someone who had absorbed as much elixir as Montmorency. In the end, Montmorency was unable to transform into Ulysses.
Instead, it was Jeanne who became Ulysses. Montmorency gave half of the Philosopher's Stone to Jeanne, who was nearly killed by Burgundian soldiers, and successfully transformed her into Ulysses.
Montmorency and Jeanne's béchaise is so vivid... (lol)
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
As mentioned above, Montmorency's elixir cannot be poured onto a target without béchaise, so when Montmorency transformed Jeanne into Ulysses, he had a very vivid béchaise with her.
Furthermore, while replenishment of the elixir is normally sufficient once every few years, Montmorency's skills were inadequate, so Jeanne ended up having to be béze with Montmorency every time Ulysses' power was used up (lol).
Jeanne became addicted to the elixir (lol).
While this is only briefly touched upon in the anime, in the original manga, not only La Hire's subordinates, but even Richemont and Astaroth were jealous of their relationship, leaving Montmorency feeling suffocated.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight] Montmorency's voice actor is Ryota Osaka
Aisaka is known for his captivating, high-pitched voice, making him a popular male voice actor whose name is often seen.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight] Montmorency Summary
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Montmorency is a descendant of the legendary knight Bertrand du Guesclin. His real name is Gilles de Montmorency-Laval, and he is a man of distinguished pedigree.
The original work, "Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight," has also been well-received, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops in the future.
