"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight" is a media mix by Kasuga Mikage, known for "The Ambition of Oda Nobuna," and was adapted into an anime in October 2018. While the series features many captivating heroines, here we'll introduce the fairy king, Astaroth, who is like a partner to the protagonist, Montmorency.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight] Work Introduction
What kind of work is "Ulysses"?
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
"Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight" is a work created with the concept of what would happen if people with supernatural powers and fairies existed in late medieval Europe—the era in which Joan of Arc was active?
Strong Fantasy Elements
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight features numerous fantasy elements, such as the Philosopher's Stone, alchemy, and fairies, and delightfully depicts the decadent worldview of late medieval Europe.
Historical figures transformed into beautiful girls
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
One of the charms of this work is that characters from Joan of Arc's time, such as Richemont and Philippe, are transformed into beautiful girls, making it an enjoyable multimedia work.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight] Who is Astaroth, the King of Fairies?
Astaroth is a "feathered" fairy and the king of the fairies.
The Strikingly Beautiful Fairy Astaroth
She has long black hair and brown eyes, making her a beautiful, unpretentious girl, but her somewhat revealing outfit makes her a heart-stoppingly cute character.
Astaroth's Haughty Personality
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Astaroth has a very haughty personality, and due to his high position as the King of the Fairies, he often makes statements and is depicted as viewing humans as inferior.
Astaroth has a rather arrogant attitude, but the protagonist, Montmorency, is a broad-minded person with no particular preferences, so I think the contrast is interesting and they make good partners.
Astaroth's Sudden Appearance
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Astaroth's appearance was sudden, first appearing before Montmorency in his despair after his beloved childhood friend, Richemont, was abducted by the English army.
Astaroth, who is well versed in the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and possesses the knowledge to cultivate alchemy, made the desperate Montmorency his servant (or is Astaroth being kept as a pet?) in order to give him strength.
Astaroth, the Fairy King Respected by the Fairy Tribe
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Kasuga Mikage/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Astaroth's claim to be the fairy king is no exaggeration. It's said that even among the fairy tribe, "fey" fairies are special, so Astaroth is respected by the fairy tribe.
It may be obvious, but she has zero combat ability.
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
As you can see, Astaroth is so small that she's practically useless in combat.
While he is adept at supporting Montmorency and Jeanne in situations where his wits are tightly pressed, he is powerless once captured by the enemy, so he would be in danger if he wasn't by their side.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight] Astaroth in the original work
Is Astaroth jealous of Jeanne in the original work?
In order for Jeanne to unleash her powers as "Ulysses," Montmorency must constantly "bése" (kiss) with her. While Astaroth appears to watch this with amazement in the anime, in the original manga he seems far more jealous of their relationship.
In the original work, he was seen scolding the Fore tribe.
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight © Kasuga Mikage / Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
In the anime, Astaroth often seems like a constant nag, but in the original work, when Astaroth is fleeing the Burgundian army in the forest, he scolds the Foret fairies and gets them to help him defeat the Burgundian army.
This scene was completely cut from the anime, which may be a shame, as Astaroth appears to be a nagging, unlovable fairy.
In the original work, Astaroth has a strong feud with La Tremouille
Although not mentioned in the anime, the original work depicts Astaroth's past feud with La Tremouille, Montmorency's cousin. It's emphasized that La Tremouille, a fairy taxidermy enthusiast, had feelings close to love for the rare, winged Astaroth.
This scene was completely cut from the anime, making it seem as though Astaroth and La Tremoille had never met, which may have been disappointing for some fans of the original manga.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight] What is Astaroth's true identity?
Is she actually a stunning beauty?
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemy Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
In the first volume of the original manga, Montmorency sees a beautiful girl inside the Philosopher's Stone who closely resembles Astaroth's appearance. Could this really be Astaroth?
This may not be the case, but I have a feeling that Astaroth will eventually somehow grow to human size and become the beautiful girl Montmorency saw.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight] Astaroth's voice actor is Hisako Tojo
The voice actor who played Chiaki Hagino in "Hinako Note"
Tojo has been getting more leading roles since the late 2010s, so she's sure to be an even more promising voice actress in the future.
[Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight] Astaroth Summary
Source: Ulysses: Joan of Arc and the Alchemist Knight © Mikage Kasuga/Shueisha, Ulysses Partners
Astaroth's exploits and background aren't fully explored in the anime, but she plays a much more prominent role in the original manga, so if you're interested, I recommend checking out the original.
Astaroth is a good partner to Montmorency and never stops nagging him, but this aspect is depicted in more detail in the original work, so if you're a fan of Astaroth, be sure to read the original work as well.
