Plunderer

*Plunderer* is set in Alcia, a world ruled by numbers called Counts.

Every person is born with a number somewhere on their body, and that number determines their fate.

When a Count reaches zero, the person is dragged into the Abyss.

This cruel rule shapes society, morality, the military, and the lives of nearly every character.

The story begins with Hina Farrow, a girl traveling in search of the legendary “Ace” mentioned by her mother.

Her journey leads her to the masked swordsman Licht Bach / Rihito Sakai, whose goofy behavior hides a terrifying past.

Beginning of the Journey

In the year 305 of the Alcia calendar, Hina Farrow continues her long journey to find the legendary Ace.

She carries an original Ballot and follows the last words of her mother, who was taken by the Abyss.

Hina soon meets Nana Bassler, the owner of a traveling tavern, and Licht Bach / Rihito Sakai, a strange masked swordsman.

Licht acts like a womanizing fool, but his speed and swordsmanship hint that he is far more than he appears.

After Hina is tricked by a fake Ace and loses her Count in a Star Stake, Licht saves her.

It is then revealed that he is one of the legendary Aces, known as the Ace of Flashing Strikes.

The Military and the Abyss

Licht becomes a wanted man after clashing with the Alcia Royal Army.

He later fights Jail Murdoch, a principled officer who can create iron through his Ballot power.

The conflict deepens when the so-called “Demon of the Abyss” appears.

This mysterious flying machine turns out to be linked to the forbidden truths of the world.

Licht is confronted by Mizuka Sonohara, another Ace and one of his former subordinates.

Her appearance triggers memories of an old war, and Licht’s buried killing instinct begins to surface.

Journey to the Past

After the group interferes with Althing, the mysterious system that enforces Abyss punishments, the military begins to close in.

To protect them, Nana uses her time-travel ability and sends Hina, Jail, and the others into the past.

They arrive in Japan before the Waste War, 300 years before Alcia’s present.

There, they meet the younger Rihito Sakai and his classmates at a special military academy.

The past reveals the origin of the Aces, the creation of Alcia, and the tragedy that shaped Licht into the man he became.

What begins as a fantasy adventure gradually turns into a story about war, survival, guilt, and the burden of impossible choices.

Alcia

Alcia is the main setting of the story.

It is a kingdom where all people live under the rule of Counts.

Citizens are forced to measure something throughout their lives, whether it is distance walked, people helped, enemies defeated, or even rejections from women.

A person’s Count is not just a number; it is their social worth and their life limit.

Count

A Count is a number engraved somewhere on a person’s body.

Each Count rises or falls depending on the personal rule attached to it.

If the Count reaches zero, the person is sent to the Abyss.

This punishment is feared by nearly everyone in Alcia.

Ballot

A Ballot is a special weapon used mainly by military officers.

It grants powers that vary from person to person, and its strength is tied to the user’s Count.

Those who wield Ballots are known as Ballot Holders.

In Alcia, unauthorized possession of a Ballot is illegal.

Star Stake

A Star Stake is a duel in which participants wager their Counts.

The winner takes the loser’s Count, making these battles extremely dangerous.

The Waste War

The Waste War was a catastrophic conflict that occurred 300 years before the main story.

The Aces are said to have ended this war and become legendary heroes.

Aces

The Aces are warriors who survived from the time of the Waste War.

They underwent special surgery to synchronize with Ballots and gained overwhelming power.

When they unleash their full strength, their Counts can rise dramatically.

However, this power can awaken uncontrollable murderous impulses connected to Schmerman’s influence.

Known Aces include Licht Bach / Rihito Sakai, Tokikaze Sakai, Taketora Doan, Mizuka Sonohara, Alexandrov Grigorovich / Alan, Nana Bassler, and Pele Poporo / Gespenst Zerlegen.

Abyss

The Abyss is the place where people are dragged when their Count reaches zero.

It is later revealed to be the devastated Earth left behind after the Waste War.

The system of sending people to the Abyss is tied to population control and the maintenance of Alcia’s ruling order.

Althing

Althing is a mysterious mechanism that enforces decisions through majority rule.

It appears as countless hands pulling people underground during an Abyss sentence.

Original Ballots function as voting rights for Althing.

When a majority is reached, Althing can force reality to obey the decision.

Licht Bach / Rihito Sakai

Licht Bach / Rihito Sakai is the protagonist of *Plunderer*.

He is voiced by Yoshiki Nakajima in the anime.

At first, Licht appears to be a ridiculous masked swordsman with white hair, red eyes, and a habit of chasing women.

His visible Count records the number of times women have rejected him, and it has fallen far into the negative.

Behind that comic surface, Licht is the legendary Ace of Flashing Strikes.

He can move faster than sound and leap to heights far beyond normal human limits.

His true Ballot Count represents the number of enemies he killed in place of his comrades.

This grim truth reflects the guilt that defines much of his character.

Before the Waste War, he was a black-haired Japanese boy named Rihito Sakai.

He entered military school not to become a soldier, but to bring back Tokikaze Sakai.

Licht later became Schmerman Bach’s adopted son and took the name Licht Bach.

His past as a street child, soldier, killer, and survivor makes him one of the story’s most tragic figures.

Hina Farrow

Hina Farrow is the main heroine.

She is voiced by Rina Honizumi in the anime.

Hina is a gentle but determined girl with blue hair that fades into pink at the ends.

Her Count is based on the distance she has walked.

She travels alone for years while carrying an original Ballot.

Because of that long journey, she is tougher than she looks and can handle wild animals with surprising ease.

Hina is the daughter of Tokikaze Sakai and Tsukina Farrow.

Her name comes from Tokikaze’s beloved blade.

Her relationship with Licht is central to the story.

Although Licht tries to push her away because of his guilt over Tokikaze, Hina continues to choose him with remarkable sincerity.

Nana Bassler

Nana Bassler is the owner of a traveling tavern.

She is voiced by Shizuka Itou in the anime.

Her Count records the number of customers who say her food is delicious.

Her calm, teasing personality hides a huge secret.

Nana is actually the first Ace, known as the Ace of Knowing Strikes.

She possesses the rare ability to send people through time, though her power has a limited number of uses.

In the past, she was known as Test Subject No. 7, or simply Nana.

She adored Rihito and affectionately called him “big brother.”

Jail Murdoch

Jail Murdoch is a lieutenant in the Alcia Royal Army.

He is voiced by Yuuichirou Umehara in the anime.

Jail’s Count is based on the number of times he upholds his convictions.

He is stern, honest, and almost painfully serious.

He can create iron objects with his Ballot, from walls and chains to tools and playground equipment.

The strength of his iron depends heavily on the firmness of his beliefs.

Jail deliberately hides the true strength of his Ballot to avoid promotion.

He wants to stay close enough to the field to punish wrongdoing with his own hands.

Despite his intimidating presence, he has a hilarious weakness.

He is so innocent around women that seeing nudity can make him collapse from a nosebleed.

Lynn May

Lynn May is a sergeant major in the Alcia Royal Army.

She is voiced by Ari Ozawa in the anime.

Her Count is based on the number of people she has helped.

She wants promotion partly because it would allow her to wear a longer skirt.

Lynn is not very skilled with a sword, but her kicks are powerful enough to break trees.

She is kind-hearted, brave, and openly develops feelings for Licht.

Pele Poporo / Gespenst Zerlegen

Pele Poporo / Gespenst Zerlegen is a sergeant in the Alcia Royal Army.

He is voiced by Aoi Ichikawa in the anime.

He often speaks casually and seems like a relaxed subordinate.

However, he knows far more about guns, medicine, and pre-Waste War technology than an ordinary soldier should.

He is later revealed as the Ace of Heart Strikes.

His Count is tied to the number of times he doubts others.

Pele has feelings for Lynn May.

His light attitude often hides careful observation and deeper loyalties.

Mizuka Sonohara

Mizuka Sonohara is one of the Aces and a member of the special military organization.

She is voiced by Aoi Yuuki in the anime.

She is known as the Ace of Pursuing Strikes.

Her Count is connected to obsession, and her Ballot is mounted as an artificial arm.

As a child, Mizuka was bullied and deeply attached herself to Rihito, who protected her.

Her desire to stay by his side led her toward becoming a soldier.

She was originally a timid girl who could not kill.

After being drugged and controlled, she became overwhelmed by Schmerman’s killing impulse.

Alexandrov Grigorovich / Alan

Alexandrov Grigorovich / Alan is the supreme commander of the Alcia Royal Army.

He is voiced by Hiroki Touchi in the anime.

He is also the Ace of Explosive Strikes.

His face bears a large scar from protecting a student from a rocket launcher.

Alan is both sharp-minded and surprisingly playful.

He enjoys gravure magazines and treats Jail, his adopted son, with rough affection.

Three hundred years earlier, he was a captain and instructor at the 13th Special Military School.

He had once been a Russian officer with a wife and two children, but his family life ended in tragedy.

Later, he passes the Ballot of the Ace of Explosive Strikes to Jail.

This inheritance becomes an important symbol of trust between them.

Tokikaze Sakai

Tokikaze Sakai is Rihito’s adoptive brother and Hina’s father.

He is voiced by Kaito Ishikawa in the anime.

He is the Ace of Instant Strikes.

In the past, he was a student in Class 1-A at the military academy.

Tokikaze wanted to become a soldier for a simple and heartbreaking reason.

He wanted to feed the elderly woman who had cared for him.

He later stole an original Ballot and fled.

His fate becomes one of the deepest wounds in Licht’s life.

Schmerman Bach

Schmerman Bach is a marshal and former head of the special operations organization.

He is voiced by Toshihiko Seki in the anime.

Three hundred years earlier, he was a major and the headmaster of the 13th Special Military School.

He was admired by students and initially appeared to oppose turning them into experimental subjects.

Schmerman valued Rihito highly and gave him the idea of a “military that does not kill.”

At the same time, his influence became tied to the violent impulses that later haunt the Aces.

He is an extraordinary fighter even without relying on a Ballot.

His calm, teacher-like manner makes his darker role even more unsettling.

Firenda

Firenda is a teacher at the 13th Special Military School.

She is voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi in the anime.

She appears gentle and soft-spoken, but her thinking is dangerously cold.

She is willing to use students as experimental subjects and plays a major role in the creation of the Aces.

Firenda

Firenda appears as a member of the special forces and a subordinate of Schmerman.

He is voiced by Kouji Yusa in the anime.

He works behind the scenes to recover Licht and provoke his rampage.

He also has the ability to disguise his face.

Davi

Davi is a soldier who falsely claims to be an Ace.

He is voiced by Kazuyuki Okitsu in the anime.

He tricks Hina and steals her Count through a Star Stake.

Licht defeats him after intervening.

Davi also appears in the events of 300 years earlier.

His past connection to Schmerman hints that his role is more complicated than it first seems.

Pelmo

Pelmo is a young girl who dreams of flying.

She is voiced by Aya Endou in the anime.

Her Count is based on the number of dreams she has fulfilled.

Because her attempts to fly repeatedly fail, her Count falls dangerously low.

With Licht’s help, she builds a better aircraft.

However, flying is forbidden in Alcia, and the dream that gives her hope also brings her close to the Abyss.

Taketora Doan

Taketora Doan is one of the Aces and a former student of the 13th Special Military School.

He is voiced by Satoshi Hino in the anime.

In the past, he was rough, aggressive, and often clashed with Rihito and Tokikaze.

Even so, he showed flashes of care, such as when he protected Mizuka.

In the present, he is known as the Ace of Heavy Strikes.

He controls gravity, making him a natural counter to Licht’s speed.

His Count records the number of enemies he has forced into submission.

He is obsessed with the meaning of being an Ace and resents later generations inheriting that title.

Robert de Vanvich

Robert de Vanvich is one of the three great generals of the Royal Army.

He is known as the “Wind Emperor.”

His Count is based on pursuing a single purpose.

He also possesses the Ballots of the “Thunder Emperor” and “Water Emperor,” allowing him to use their powers.

Absayet Vremya

Absayet Vremya is a former member of the Royal Army’s four great generals.

She primarily works in training and supports Alexandrov Grigorovich / Alan.

Her Count is extremely high, showing her exceptional standing within the military structure.

She is tied to the later power struggles involving the Royal Army and the Aces.

The *Plunderer* manga was written and illustrated by Suu Minazuki.

It was serialized in *Monthly Shōnen Ace* from the February 2015 issue, released in December 2014, to the June 2022 issue, released in April 2022.

KADOKAWA published the series under the Kadokawa Comics Ace label.

The manga consists of 21 volumes and 82 chapters.

By May 2021, the series had exceeded 1.6 million copies in circulation.

Its mix of comedy, action, mystery, and tragic war drama helped it stand out among fantasy battle manga.

The television anime adaptation of *Plunderer* aired from January 9 to June 25, 2020.

It ran for 24 episodes across two cours.

The anime was produced by GEEKTOYS.

It aired on networks including TOKYO MX, KBS Kyoto, Sun TV, TV Aichi, BS11, and AT-X.

Main Staff

The original creator is Suu Minazuki.

The anime was directed by Hiroyuki Kanbe.

Series composition was handled by Masashi Suzuki.

Character designs were by Yuka Takashina, Yūki Fukuchi, and Hiroki Fukuda.

The music was composed by Junichi Matsumoto.

Sound direction was handled by Yasunori Ebina.

Theme Songs

The first opening theme is “Plunderer” by Miku Itō.

It introduces the series with an energetic fantasy-action tone.

The second opening theme is “Kokō no Hikari Lonely dark” by Miku Itō.

It reflects the darker and more dramatic second half of the anime.

The first ending theme is “Countless days” by Hina, performed by Rina Honizumi.

The second ending theme is “Reason of Life” by Hina, Lynn, and Nana, performed by Rina Honizumi, Ari Ozawa, and Shizuka Itou.

Episode List

The anime consists of 24 episodes.

Episode 1 is “The Legendary Ace.”

Episode 2 is “I Hate You!”

Episode 3 is “Uniforms Are Uniforms.”

Episode 4 is “Ballot Holder.”

Episode 5 is “Don’t Apologize, Apologize.”

Episode 6 is “Hunch.”

Episode 7 is “It Was Delicious.”

Episode 8 is “Demon of the Abyss.”

Episode 9 is “Plunderer.”

Episode 10 is “Serious.”

Episode 11 is “Up My Sleeve.”

Episode 12 is “Entrance Ceremony.”

Episode 13 is “Full Stomach.”

Episode 14 is “7 Minutes 12 Seconds.”

Episode 15 is “An Army That Does Not Kill.”

Episode 16 is “The War of Waste Disposal.”

Episode 17 is “Ace of Flashing Strikes.”

Episode 18 is “The Birth of Alcia.”

Episode 19 is “Cheating.”

Episode 20 is “Rain.”

Episode 21 is “Father.”

Episode 22 is “Promise.”

Episode 23 is “Unforgivable.”

Episode 24 is “My Ace.”

The anime was released on Blu-ray in four volumes.

Each volume collected six episodes.

A web radio program titled Plunderer Radio streamed from January to July 2020.

It was hosted by Yoshiki Nakajima, the voice of Licht, and Rina Honizumi, the voice of Hina.

The manga has an official page on the *Monthly Shōnen Ace* website.

The anime also has an official website and an official social media account.