Zafira | |
---|---|
Zafira in ViVid | |
Character profile | |
Other names | Guard Beast of the Shield Blue Wolf |
Age | uncertain, at least several centuries |
Gender | Male |
Species | Wolkenritter |
Homeworld | Old Belka |
Date of birth | Ancient Belkan Era |
Family | Yagami family |
Background | |
Affiliation | Administrative Bureau (0066) - Riot Force 6 (0075-76) - Battalion 108 (0076)[1] - SDS6 (0081-) |
Occupation | Special Investigator Guard Beast |
Qualification | SP Guard (Master) Area Defender AAA |
Magic | |
Color | Indigo white |
System | Ancient Belka |
Rank | AA (estimated)[2] |
Device | Gauntlet (Reflection) |
Production | |
Japanese name | ザフィーラ (Zafīra) |
First app. | A's manga (prologue) |
Voiced by | Kazuya Ichijou (Japanese) Jonathan Meza (English) |
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Zafira[3] (ザフィーラ Zafīra)[4] is a guard beast introduced in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's, a large blue wolf that can shapeshift into a muscular, dark-skinned man with wolf ears and tail. He is one of the Wolkenritter, a creation of the Book of Darkness.
While he seems similar to the familiars created by Midchildan mages, Zafira insists that he is a "guard beast". Whether that is a semantic difference (similar to the practice of calling Ancient Belkan armed mages as "Knights") or a more fundamental difference is unknown. However, it is clear that Zafira does not have a familiar's contract with any of the other Wolkenritter, and is no more or less dependent on the Book of Darkness (or later their mistress, Hayate Yagami) for his continued existence than they are. It is possible that, as a servant of the Book of Darkness, Zafira is unique as the only guard beast.
In addition to that (or perhaps because of it), he is treated as an equal by the other Wolkenritter despite being the only one who is not a knight, and like them he responds to Hayate alone as his mistress.
Name[]
His name is presumably a reference to the Opel Zafira. It is however mistransliterated as "Zafila" in some media.[5][6][7]
As a Wolkenritter, Zafira is titled as the "Guard Beast of the Shield" (盾の守護獣 Tate no Shugojū).[8] Additionally, he is called by the Will of the Book of Darkness as the "Blue Wolf" (蒼き狼 Aoki Ōkami).[9]
Appearance[]
Like other Wolkenritter, he does not have an official born year or age.[10]
Personality[]
Zafira is typically calm, serious and taciturn, rarely speaking unless he has something important to say. He gets along well with children, although he is initially uncomfortable at the attention people give him when he transforms into a puppy.
In A's[]
Zafira enters the story by intervening in the battle to fight against Alph. He retreats after Nanoha Takamachi destroys Vita's force field .
He later fights Alph two more times, once being interrupted by Shamal using the Book of Darkness to break the Bureau's force field and allow the Wolkenritter to retreat, and once by unknown circumstances, possibly related to one of the masked men stealing Fate's Linker Core.[citation needed]
On Christmas Eve, he is separated from the other Wolkenritter while they visit Hayate in the hospital, and, unable to contact them, hurries to the hospital. He arrives after the Masked Men have absorbed Signum and Shamal's Cores, and while he attacks them, he is defeated and has his own Core absorbed. He is later brought back to life by Hayate, and helps to destroy the corrupted Defense Program by severing its tentacles and immobilizing it.
After the Book of Darkness Incident, Alph teaches him how to assume a puppy form in order to reduce his use of mana, and to seem more natural on Earth. This results in him receiving considerable attention from children, but he ends up using the form on a regular basis afterwards.
Between A's and StrikerS[]
A's manga (ch.6-7), A's Sound Stage 03, A's epilogue, StrikerS manga (ch.1-7) and StrikerS Sound Stage M expand on what happens to the characters between A's and its sequel, StrikerS.
Zafira officially joins (or more appropriately, registers with) the Administrative Bureau in May 0066 alongside other Wolkenritter. He gives Hayate rides while she is practicing to walk as part of her rehabilitation, and does the same for Nanoha when she is recovering from being injured in 0067-68.
In StrikerS[]
Zafira joins Hayate's Riot Force 6 in StrikerS and StrikerS manga, and often helps out on missions. When the Forwards find Vivio, Zafira commonly watches over her.
When Jail Scaglietti's allies attacks the TSAB Public Press Conference, Zafira and Shamal guard the Long Arch and face Otto and Deed. Zafira leaps at Otto, but Deed manages to surprise him, injuring him, and the two are soon defeated. Zafira is severely wounded while protecting Shamal, and is unconscious for several days. He is left in charge of watching over Vice Granscenic, and when Vice gets up and tells him his story, he decides to join the battle despite his injuries, prompting Vice to follow suit.
During the final battle, Zafira and Shamal manage to locate and capture Otto.[11]
After the series, Zafira assists Battalion 108 and Ginga Nakajima on investigations. In his spare time on days off, he teaches local children martial arts.[1]
In ViVid[]
In ViVid, Zafira runs the "Yagami Dojo" near the Yagami's house in southern Mid-Childa (opened during post-StrikerS), to teach the neighborhood children the "Yagami-style" Strike Arts. A few of his apprentices are going to participate in the 0079 DSAA Intermiddle Championship, including Miura Rinaldi, who is also the strongest one and likely the closest one to the Yagamis.
In Force[]
Zafira only appears briefly in Force (ch.4) along with Shamal.
Alternate continuities[]
Portable[]
Zafira appears as a playable character in both Battle of Aces and Gears of Destiny.
Movie[]
Zafira appears in The MOVIE 2nd A's, Reflection and Detonation.
There is no significant change related to Zafira between A's and The MOVIE 2nd A's.
In Reflection (summer of 0067), Zafira keeps short furs at his neck.
When Kyrie Florian's group attacks Allston Sea theme park for the Examia crystal, Zafira and Shamal provide back supports for their allies. He wears two Caledfwlch-made Gauntlets as Device-like equipment during the battles.
Brave Duel[]
Zafila Yagami (in the puppy form of the primary continuity) is a pet dog of Yagamido and the Yagami family. His humanoid form only appears in the Brave Duel game.
Powers[]
In his humanoid form (人間形態 ningen keitai, lit. human form), Zafira fights with great cross-range skills (as a Striker Artist after StrikerS). Of course, he is also dangerous with the fangs and claws of his wolf form (狼形態 ōkami keitai).
Knight Clothing[]
Zafira's Knight Clothing, designed for him by Hayate like other Wolkenritter's, includes heavy metal gauntlets and boots, to add weight to his blows and aid with safely parrying attacks. These are the only parts of his Knight Clothing worn in his wolf form. Whether or not they are enough to provide his wolf form the same protection that his full attire affords his humanoid form is unknown.
In the movie continuity, Zafira's Knight Clothing in The MOVIE 2nd A's is basically the same as that in A's. By the time of Reflection, his Knight Clothing has modified slightly in design. Particularly, the gauntlets are removed as he has the Caledfwlch-made Gauntlets as new combat equipment.
Spells[]
Spell | System | Category | Type | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dimensional Transfer | Midchilda Ancient Belka | Support | Transport | |
Extermination Fang | Ancient Belka | Support | Decline | |
Panzerschild | Ancient Belka | Defense | Shield | |
Steel Yoke | Ancient Belka | Capture | Cage | AA |
In A's (ep.4), he also uses an unnamed barrier spell, which is visually and perhaps functionally similar to Wheel Protection.
In the games[]
Spells in The Battle of Aces | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Cross Range | Long Range | Long Range (Charged) | ||
▢ | Attack/Basic | [unnamed] | Guard Fist[12] | |
△ | Block/Counter | Fang-Wolf Kick | Raging Steel Fang[13] ↑ Stance of Iron Wall[14] ↓ (JIT:) Raging Steel Assault Fang[15] | --- |
◯ | Catch/Attack | Round Hard Fang | Running Fang-Beast[16] | |
L | FDB | Steel Yoke | --- | |
R | Guard | Panzerschild | --- |
Spells in The Gears of Destiny | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Cross Range | Long Range | Long Range (Charged) | ||
▢ | Attack/Basic | [unnamed] | Guard Fist[12] | |
△ | Block/Counter | Fang-Wolf Kick | Raging Steel Fang[13] ↑ Stance of Iron Wall[14] ↓ (JIT:) Raging Steel Assault Fang[15] | --- |
◯ | Catch/Attack | Round Hard Fang | Running Fang-Beast[16] | |
△△ | EX Attack | [unnamed] | --- | |
L | FDB | Steel Yoke | --- | |
R | Guard | Panzerschild | --- |
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ a b Investigation support invited by Ginga Nakajima in StrikerS Sound Stage M3, presumably in 0076.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, official webpage.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Portable: The Battle of Aces, opening theme.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Portable: The Gears of Destiny Official Strategy Guide Book.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's, BD Booklet.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, official character page and BD Booklet.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 2nd A's, official character page and DVD/BD Booklet.
- ^ In The Battle of Aces, it is mistitled as the "Knight of the Shield".
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Sound Stage 02.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, TSAB ID card.
- ^ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, episode 23.
- ^ a b Guard Fist (守護の拳 Shugo no Kobushi, lit. Fist of Guard).
- ^ a b Raging Steel Fang (烈鋼牙 Rekkō Ga, lit. Rage Steel Fang).
- ^ a b Stance of Iron Wall (鉄壁の構え Teppeki no Kamae, lit. Stance/Posture of Iron Wall).
- ^ a b Raging Steel Assault Fang (烈鋼襲牙 Rekkō Shū-Ga, lit. Rage Steel Assault Fang).
- ^ a b Running Fang-Beast (牙獣走破 Ga-Jū Sōha, lit. Fang Beast Running).