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"Such anger... What could have happened to you? Why do you resent the world so much? You have forgotten your losses and your pain, yet you're still... In this sorry state. Just remember that your actions will have consequences in the end." |
Hansel (ヘンゼル, Henzeru) is a male Mage belonging to a Dark Guild named Faux Babylon. Being one of the founding members of said guild, Hansel is considered to be of S-Class-level strength and holds a position roughly equivalent of it. He is a member of the team Twisted Sirens, which is the very backbone of Faux Babylon. Hansel differs from the other members primarily because he ages normally, quite unlike the other core members, but also because of his Magic, Rorschach's Philosophy (ロールシャッハの哲学, Rōrushahha no Tetsugaku), which occasionally cause him to be possessed by the spirit of his deceased sister Gretel (グレーテル, Gurēteru). The unfortunate boy also suffers from amnesia and thus often expresses a great anger towards the injustices of the world.
Appearance[]
A moderately tall young man, it is fairly easy to notice that Hansel is by far the youngest member of the Faux Babylon elite. Yet, much unlike his fellow members, he does not look suspiciously youthful, as he ages like a normal person would. Possessing a lanky, perhaps slight emaciated build, his body reveals a life filled with hardships. Having gained weight after joining Faux Babylon, he does not look nearly as bony as he used to. However, his physique still lacks prominent muscle and as a result, he is far weaker than even the average male. What he lacks in physical strength, however, he makes up for with magical prowess. Having sickly pale skin, it is fairly easy to discern that he rarely leaves his room and spends most of his time spelunking in the shadows in order to spend time with the apparition of Gretel, his long-dead sibling. Ostracized by the sun, he is weakened when not surrounded by shadows, but also controlled by Gretel when in complete darkness. Having spent a majority of his teenage years inside the isolated room of Withered Eden, his eyes have become cloudy and unclear. The piercing green shade his eyes had in the childhood is long gone and all that remains is a pale pistachio-greyish color. Possessing heavy eyelids, Hansel appears to be uninterested in whatever is going on around him constantly. Having red bags underneath his eyes, it is apparent that he seldom sleeps. Claiming that he is incapable of resting because "she (Gretel) always wants to play with me", it is obvious that the restlessness of his sister's spirit bothers him. Often appearing unenthusiastic in demeanor, one could surmise that this is a result of his insomnia. When judging his face, it is easy to deduce that there is something otherworldly to it. Often allowing his mouth to remain agape when focused, the orphaned young man's general appearance has a tendency to strike people as odd; even members of his own guild have not grown accustom to his peculiar body language.
As for his complete body frame, Hansel has rather slender, almost feminine limbs. Often dressing in masculine clothing to empathize his gender, he is almost androgynous enough to be mistaken for a prepubescent girl. Yet, whenever he speaks, his voice betrays his true sex; seeing as it is in the baritone range. When examining his fingers, one can discern that there is a noticeable difference between the left and the right hand. While his right hand seems fairly 'normal', having more masculine fingers and short nails, his left hand is unusually feminine. This hand has long red nails and slender fingers, which gradually become slimmer as they extend away from the hand. Being a few shades paler than his pale skin, one can discern that the hand was not his originally. Transplanted from his sister's carcass when he was a child, Hansel keeps it as a memento of his dead sister and usually strokes it to be reminded of her. For reasons unknown, the hand did not succumb to cellular death and seems functional as well. Because he was fairly young when the hand was transplanted to his body, it is possible to deduce that the hand has mysteriously grown, just like Hansel has. How it does this, remains largely unknown, but it is theorized that one of the underlying causes is the Magic in his possession, Rorschach's Philosophy. His legs are rather slender; possessing virtually no muscle nor any hair. In order to match his left hand, Hansel has groomed the toe nails of his left side and painted them pink with nail polish as well. However, because they are on his feet, this is seldom exposed and can be classified as more of an informed trait. This is done in order to highlight his belief in the left side being the feminine side of a body. Despite this, the right side is almost as feminine as his left; the curse of being effeminate. However, due to the low cut of the shirt he is usually wearing, his sex can easily be determined as male, due to the somewhat masculine structure and lack of breasts.
Hansel in his formal attire.
When it comes to his clothing and style of hair, the former usually depends on the occasion, while the latter remains a constant variable. Rarely ever styling his hair, Hansel usually allows it to remain in ever unruly. Poking in many random directions, his poofed hair is a result of lacking care. Usually just allowing his hair to remain the way it is when he wakes up, he neglects his physical appearance when he is alone with his sister. Since Hansel does not have a mirror inside his room, he hardly ever gets to see himself. However, as his room is subjected to constant darkness, there is no reason for him to possess a mirror either. Seldom cutting his hair because of his seclusion, it has gained considerable length; easily flowing down his neck and almost reaches his shoulder blades. Colored pure-diamond blonde, did not always have this shade. Asa result of his isolation, his hair has become paler. What concerns his clothing; they are not particularly refined when in his chambers. Donning a military green robe with a hood; making it vaguely reminiscent of a hoodie. Underneath the thick jacket, Hansel wears a tight-fitting white t-shirt with a romplex red symbol emblazoned on the middle. His lower body is covered by a pair of dark grey skinny jeans. Without any scratches, it is obvious that these trousers are treated carefully. For footwear, Hansel wears a strange pair of sneakers with two zippers running down the front in parallel; light beige in terms of color. This attire is most frequently used during casual occasions, such as hanging out with his sister or with the other members. When attending a more formal occasion, such as meetings with the rest of the Twisted Sirens, he wears a black tuxedo with a black tie.
When he swaps places with his sister, Hansel reverts back into a form quite similar to the one his sister wears in her child form. Having shorter and less messy hair, he still has a rather prominent ahoge (アホ毛, lit. idiot hair) on top of his head; a mere remnant of his original self. In addition, his eyes go from deep grayish green to scarlet, like his sister. Wearing a black vest over a white blouse, his outfit even possesses a red tie to mirror his sister's attire completely. But instead of wearing a skirt, he wears a pair of blackish grey suit trousers to also mirror the traditional gender roles. And instead of wearing a red ribbon in his hair, Hansel dons a red eye patch; rendering him even more childish-looking than his sister is in her base form. Also stretching out his arms in the same manner as Gretel, he often runs around in the same manner as her.
Personality[]
Mentally unstable due to neglect and heavy psychological trauma, Hansel has become a rather wrathful young man.
As a result of being abandoned at an early age, Hansel has become a confused young man. Incapable of understanding basic emotion since he mostly raised himself, he lacks empathy for others and has developed sociopathic tendencies as a result. Not forgiving his parents for abandoning him, he resents and distrusts all adults as a result. Incapable of understanding "regular" emotions, such as empathy, pity and compassion, Hansel regards people who feel are capable of feeling these sensations as inferior to him. Because he is unable to understand other people, Hansel often resorts to violent actions to express his displeasure. Even so, his temper is quite silent; he never tends to raise his voice or express anger in a conventional manner. A quiet fury, he ravages any obstacle with a completely tranquil expression. With the exception of his eyes, of course. Wide-eyed with madness, they occasionally reveal his psychological instability, but usually, they reveal the dull and aloof persona which is present whenever he is not experiencing rage. However, because he has a tendency to be angry more often than not as a result of his inability to understand other humans, Hansel is often regarded as unpleasant by others, seeing as he has a tendency to express his frustration with them through physical and verbal abuse. Even though he is growing older, he still identifies as a child; a result of his distrust of adults. Mistreated by the few adults that he does remember, his apparent hatred for those he considers to be grown-ups is somewhat justified. Being forced to spend his time with not exactly sanctimonious individuals, Hansel has become even easier to anger than he was prior to being confined to Withered Eden. Hormones may be one of the reasons why he has become aggressive, but it is likely not the primary cause. Seeing as he was not socialized properly, Hansel is more like an overgrown child; almost more than his sister.
But as a result of his childishness, Hansel is rather giddy as well. Often cheered up by the presence of his sister, whom he shares an equally childish personally with, he often plays around with her in order to subdue his anger management issues. Because Gretel's body lacks a sensation of pain, her brother is free to assault her as much as he wants to. As he has grown accustom to Gretel constantly reforming from his violent treatment, he consistently fails at comprehending the frailty of bodies. Because of this, he is more confused than anything when a human body cannot withstand an attack and suffers damage. When playing around, he tends to get disappointed when his "toys" break, but when battling in a fit of emotion, he is too busy terminating the opposing force to even notice that he is steadily chipping away their bodies. However, since he usually takes his rage out on his sister, his anger is often subdued when facing unfortunate travelers which have stumbled into his room. A curious young man with a surprisingly gentle personality when calmed down by his sister, he is often inquisitive, if not a bit inappropriate when engaging others in social interactions. Because he does not remember the mutual principle of pain, he often assumes that others do not feel pain to the same degree he does. Again a result of social neglect and improper socialization, he believes himself to be a unique and invincible individual. Although he has experienced hardships in life, he has repressed these memories in favor of ignorant bliss. Because few have fought back when they engaged him in combat, he is not accustom to feeling pain. Lacking experience and knowledge as a result of the fault upbringing he and his sister was subjected to, he is rather ignorant to common knowledge, Hansel is illiterate and incapable of even basic mathematics.
However, one of his most prominent traits, is his condition as an amnesiac. Just after turning nine years old, Hansel and his sister were involved in an incident with some Dark Mages commanded by Sūmi Masēn, which resulted in Gretel's death and Hansel contracting amnesia. Still unbeknownst to the Wicked Hermit's involvement, everything prior to the incident has been forgotten by Hansel. Not knowing the circumstances of his sister's untimely demise, the boy remains blissfully oblivious to the aforementioned female's involvement in his life prior to the two of them being recruited into Faux Babylon. It is not unjustified to say that his amnesia is the source of his rage, as it frustrates him to the point of resorting to violence every time he thinks of it. Therefore, he attempts to distract himself from these thoughts as frequently as he can and whenever they are brought him, Hansel will usually react aggressively. Either resorting to verbal- og physical abuse, it is generally a bad idea to remind him of his own faulty memory, despite the fact that in his blind rage, he is also easier to distract. Rarely focused on a single thing, he tends to flutter between various things that happen in his proximity, simply because the uneventful atmosphere of his room rarely offer any interesting phenomena. As a result, he also tends to be rather awkward and comical around others, because he does not usually comprehend why people do what they do and because he is immensely fascinated by what they do. Also easily impressed with the work of others, he reacts in almost a childish manner whenever he sees something which catches his eye. Often replying with phrases such as "I see..." (成程, Naruhodo), "That's right" (そうです, Sōdesu) and "Is that so~" (そーなのかー, Sōnanokā) when others explain things to him, he often stands still for some seconds before smiling and blatantly stating "I do not understand" (わからない, Wakaranai), much to the frustration of his conversation partners. The exception to this is Gretel, who just calls her brother stupid in turn, since she apparently possesses memories he lacks. However, he does not seem to envy her in any manner, most likely since she is already dead.
History[]
Synopsis[]
Powers & Abilities[]
Rorschach's Philosophy (ロールシャッハの哲学, Rōrushahha no Tetsugaku): The primary Magic utilized by Hansel and his sister Gretel. Granted to them through the Ritual of Ecstasy, it is as eerie as most of the other Magic handed out through said ritual. The most noticeable effect of this Magic, is that it recycles the soul of a deceased person that was close to the receiver. In Hansel's case, his then recently deceased sister was brought back from the dead and merged with his shadow; becoming a symbiotic being relying on the persistence of darkness to exist. When granted this Magic, the user will gain the ability to cause shadows to enter the world as physical matter able to interact with other objects. Once they enter the material world, these shadows will have a a blob-like appearance; not completely black in color, but often either purplish or reddish in hue. When hurled at high speeds, they have a tendency to explode like paint balls hitting a solid surface. The shadows which explode often end up being shaped into eerie patterns with no definite interpretation. If struck by the hurled orbs, the target will notice the viscosity of the shadow. Often trapped by these shadows, the target will be incapable of moving properly when stuck to the ground or a wall. Because of their viscous nature, it seems like the dark material created by Rorschach's Philosophy has a hard time dealing damage to opposing Mages. In fact, it would seem like the only valid option of the user is to suffocate the intended target by trapping the individual under a massive amount of shadowy goo. However, as it allows oxygen to pass through, this is not even an option. However, even though the shadows turn into a blobby mass when pulled away from the people which cast the shadows, Hansel can command the shadows to turn into pointy objects, such as swords and lances, suffocatingly heavy statues, boxes and even something as intricate as nets. According to Hansel, "[...] the crazier the caster, the more powerful spells it will generate.", implying that the caster's sanity, alongside his or hers creativity, will influence the ability this Magic has to inflict damage.
As the shadows always will be reminiscent of a certain phenomenon in the mind of the caster when it is sprawled out on a surface, these shapes are key to the potential of the shadows. Since the design of the transformed blob will be dependent on the individual interpretation, different casters will have the ability to shape the same pattern into completely different designs. As such, Rorschach's Philosophy is a very diverse Magic with a range of effects comparable to advanced Molding Magic. But as Hansel deduced, the eyes of a regular person would not be able to put the raw offensive potential into proper usage. Eyes viewing the monotonous and regular are not particularly useful when forced to utilize the subconscious pressure this Magic requires. An example includes a shadow blot, which regular person only see two people facing each other. If this would shape properly, then it would merely create two normal-sized human shadows with the ability to attack like a regular person. Where a person with properly developed empathy would produce this more or less useless attack, an apathetic sociopath with improper imagination would be able to see something completely different, such as a giant butterfly with blade wings. Because these shadow blots are dependent on the subconscious first impression of the appearance, it will not help to be able to discern a different shape when further examining the dark impressions. If one initially sees a giant frog, but then later decide that what is really is supposed to be is a three-eyed mosquito, the impression will be a frog when it assumes a three dimensional shape. Interestingly enough, the interpretation of the shadow does not have to be literal. If the subconscious associates the pattern with a symbol which represents a certain phenomenon, said phenomenon will be the effect of the shadow instead of creating a useless symbol which does nothing. Such a symbol includes a shape which is associated an eye in a triangle, thus representing the Eye of Providence. The eye is associated with light and the manifested shadow would therefore be able to fire a beam of concentrated energy towards the intended target.
But one of the most unique aspects of this Magic, is the manner which the user manipulates the shadows. Essentially, the caster is forced to cooperate with the spirit that resides inside the shadow. As the being is capable of manifesting itself without becoming blobs, the spirit is rather useful in combat, as it can change its appearance and function depending on what the caster wants the spirit to do. It should also be noted that while the caster is more than capable of envisioning shapes, which said caster then is able to shape and command through the assistance of little more than the mind, it is the spirit who gathers the shadows from near and far in order to turn them into blobs. Because the spirit can stretch its shadow indefinitely, all that is needed is contact with another shadow in order to absorb it. Thus, it is advantageous for both the caster and the spirit to fight in spaces covered in shadows, although areas covered in light allow the shadows to stretch more; making the gathering of shadows easier. While the spirit has the capacity to exist in the light, it inherently prefers to stick to the shadows where it can appear and reappear at whim wherever it wants to. When the shadows have served their purpose, either defensive, offensive or supplementary, they return to their original position and are unable to be reused immediately afterwards. The object which loses its shadow will not suffer any noticeable negative consequences, with the exception of a sole cosmetic one, of course. Despite the apparent advantages, however, there are several glaring flaws with this particular Magic. The most noticeable is its level of difficulty to master. Taking years and years to properly master usage of these spells of this Magic to a full extent, not even Hansel has fully realized the lethality of Rorschach's Philosophy. In his defense, he is still rather young and taking his age into consideration, he is a more than capable caster of this Magic. The second noteworthy downside of Rorschach's Philosophy, is its apparent inability to control the beings created by the shadows. While their commands are indeed issued by none other than the caster, once given a command, regardless of the intricacy of said command, they will be unable to receive another command to change their behavior. If instructed to kill everything in the vicinity, the shadow will not stop until everything is dead, including the caster, or until dispelled.
- Apparition: Hexenjäger (亡霊：ヘクセンイエーガー, Bōrei: Hekusen'iēgā):
- Apparition: Hungrig Salamander (亡霊：ホニグリグ・サラマンダー, Bōrei: Honigrigu Saramandā):
- Apparition: Stalking (亡霊：ストーキング, Bōrei: Sutōkingu):
- Bait and Switch (おとり販売, Otori hanbai):
Other Being[]
Gretel manifests through the shadows, as a result of Rorschach's Philosophy.
As a result of his Magic, Hansel has brought the spirit of his deceased sister into his shadow. Now an ethereal being, Gretel (グレーテル, Gurēteru) is neither alive nor dead. Because she possesses Hansel's shadow, it takes on the appearance of her shadow; the shadow of a child. Because of this, he seldom leaves his room, as exposing his shadow would also mean exposing Gretel's existence. As Gretel can travel between shadows, she thrives where there are multiple shadows, but dislikes sunny places. Capable of manifesting herself through the shadow, she can interact with the physical world as she sees fit as well. Because she takes on the appearance she used to have when she was killed, Gretel is a child instead of a teen, in contrast with Hansel. As such, her demeanor is quite similar to a child as well; having a slightly sadistic personality, yet also embodying an innocence only found in children. Not aware of the fact that she has been dead for many years, she often ponders why the world around her changes, yet she remains ever unchanged.
Physically speaking, she possesses a striking resemblance of Hansel, she is basically a female version of him as a child. While Hansel now is an emaciated young man, Gretel takes on the appearance of a healthy girl, possibly nine years of age. Unlike Hansel, her hair is not of a platinum shade, but is instead golden blonde. Possessing a much flatter quality than her brother's unruly, wild hair, it is trimmed short into a bob; barely reaching her shoulders. Bangs cut into an M-shape, three fringes with one indent between each, most of her forehead is covered by hair. Also unlike her brother, her eyes are dyed completely scarlet as a result of Rorschach's Philosohpy. Possessing wide, childlike eyes which reflect her constant curiosity, they contrast quite a lot with Hansel's dull eyes, which lack any sort of enthusiasm. Having a more lively complexion than her brother, it is difficult to believe that she is the deceased one. In fact, one could say that it is more likely that Hansel is the deceased sibling, while Gretel is the living one. As Wilma Vermillion pointed out: "[...]it seems like the boy is alive in body and dead in spirit, while the girl is dead in body and alive in spirit." Often smiling at others, one can observe her incomplete rows of teeth. Having an enlarged canine, which is visible whenever she opens her mouth, some consider her childish appearance to be cute. However, as she can alter her form by fusing with other shadows, her protruding fangs can go from adorable to terrifying in the blink of an eye.
When it comes to her body, it too takes on the appearance of a typical nine year old's. Not yet having started puberty, her body is still in the rather androgynous face in which all children go through. In order to empathize her femininity, Gretel dons clothing that is usually reserved for females. When it comes to her upper clothing, the undermost layer consists of a large white blouse with puffed sleeves ending on her wrists. As it is a bit too big for her, it does not enclose her wrists properly and instead hangs a bit. Over the blouse, Gretel wears a black vest with two buttons on the middle. Additionally, there are two decorative silver buttons attached to the right side of the vest, approximately 25 cm apart. These two buttons are connected by a silver chain. Brittle in nature, the chain is only decorative. The collar of the blouse is neatly placed over the vest edge. Occasionally, due to her rough playing, the collar will be popped up. Around her neck, she wears a red bow tie. Similarly, she has attached a red bow to the left side of her head; furthering her girlish appeal. When it comes to her lower body, it is covered by a long black skirt, which it is of the same shade of black as the vest. Her feet are always clad in a pair of white knee socks and red Oxford shoes. Because of her apparent childish nature, Gretel enjoys to run around with her arms outstretched. It should be noted that because of the Magic's nature, Gretel can literally assume whichever form she wants. However, because of her child-like intellect, she seldom does so. When commanded to take on other forms by her brother, she is more than compliant.
Gretel in her teenager form.
Despite her eternal youth, Gretel can apparently switch places with Hansel, which is would mean that she ages up to her chronological age. Looking far more mature, it is not far-fetched to state that her appearance the one of a chaste belle. Being more similar to her brother in this form, she now too has platinum-blonde hair. No longer in the possession of the childish and androgynous face, it has now become slender and a bit gaunt. Eyes changing to their original color, they are no longer scarlet, but hazel. Bangs separated from the middle of her forehead, they are carefully brushed aside. Long enough to cover her eyes, they have a tendency to block her sight as she refuses to brush them behind her ears; believing it to be ugly. Having a slim upper lip and a more noticeable lower lip, they seem full and attract attention even without make-up. As her transformation is not permanent, applying make-up would not make sense to her. When examining the rest of her hair, one can notice that she has outgrown the straight hair and now has a more wavy hair, similar to Hansel. However, it is not nearly as unruly nor does it stick out all over the place. Being quite long, the pure-diamond blonde hair reaches the middle of her back; flowing like ocean waves down the path between her shoulder blades. However, some of the hair is placed over her shoulders and this hair barely reaches past her armpits. Her outfit also changes significantly. Instead of being completely black, it ends up becoming a crimson maid uniform with a white apron on the front. Wearing a maid's headband on top of her head, she has replaced the childish bow, which she possesses in her child form, with an object of far more elegance.
In junction with her body, her mindset also changes to become far more mature than it used to be. In fact, the persona of her youth form is even more mature than her brother's. Unlike his improperly socialized behavior, Gretel assumes the identity of a calm, levelheaded and perhaps a bit distant young woman. Often seen lamenting the loss of her innocence, she apparently views the world as an impure place where joy is only an illusion. Rarely ever seen treating others with kindness, the teenager seldom engages others socially. Even avoiding her own child brother, she only perceives him as ignorant, but wants him to cherish his innocence for as long as he can. Apparently remembering everything that happened to the two of them, she seems fairly tormented by the entire ordeal. Aware of her own state as an undead, her detached demeanor seems almost otherworldly to others. Even Sūmi has expressed surprise when it comes to the girl's persona; being more aloof than even the Wicked Fairy of Antimaterialism herself.
Relationships[]
Sūmi Masēn: Despite the fact that she is legally an adult, both in body and mind, it appears as if Hansel minds the company of the Wicked Hermit. Often causing her distress with his stupidity, she is still somewhat baffled by his rather lacking social grace and amnesia. Not knowing that his sister was a casualty in one of her covert operations, Sūmi continues to chat with Hansel without learning the circumstances of his and Gretel's incident. Having a quite dynamic relationship together, they are probably the closest beings that come to friends among Faux Babylon, after Helena Lamford and Flynn Egozu of course. Inviting each other over to drink tea, neither enjoys to leave their separate chambers to visit the other. Sūmi prefers more open areas with heavy sources of light, wheras Hansel prefers dark areas with as scarce lighting as possible. Still, the two of them manage to remain on friendly terms, despite their obvious differences.
Trivia[]
- Hansel's epithet is a homage to one of the author's favorite characters from Tōhō, Alice Margatroid.
- He represents the sin of Rage.
- The twins have two separate themes for their teenager forms and one shared theme for their child forms. Hansel's theme is Mr. Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson, while Gretels' theme is Skyscraper Grief ~ Cosmic Mind (SunPon remix). Their shared theme for the child forms is The Positive and Negative (ZUN-like remix).
Behind the Scenes[]
In a manner similar to the other members of Faux Babylon, Hansel alongside the apparition of his sister Gretel are intended to invoke the image of classic fairy tale characters. In the siblings case, they are obviously referencing the German characters of Hänsel und Gretel by the Brothers Grimm. As were both orphaned in their lives and starved for quite some time, the parallel is fairly obvious in this case. However, they are essentially perversions of said characters too, as Gretel was murdered and Hansel lost his memory in the same incident. Having become malicious creatures bound to the will of Withered Eden, they are far more malicious than the witch in their tale ever was.