Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry
Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry (Chivalry of a Failed Knight)
Chivalry of a Failed KnightChivalry of a Failed Knight (Japanese: 落第騎士の
The series has been well-received. Since 2015, the light novels is one of the top selling series in Japan with 1.8 million copies sold as of February 2017. English reviewers had mixed to positive reviews for the anime adaptation.
Plot
The story is set in an Alternate Earth world where humans called "Blazers" have supernatural abilities. These Blazers can materialize weapons known as "Device" which are made through a person's soul. At Hagun Academy (破軍学園 Hagun Gakuen), Blazers are selected as representatives for the Seven Star Sword Art Festival, an annual tournament event held by the seven Mage Knight Academies in Japan to determine the strongest Apprentice Knight. Hagun's performance ranking in the festival is falling and academy director Kurono Shinguji is determined to find a solution. Ikki Kurogane is the academy's F-Rank Blazer and is considered "The Worst One" for his low magical abilities, but Stella Vermillion, the princess of the European country Vermillion, is one of the top A-Rank Blazers.On Stella's first day at Hagun, she is arranged to share a room with Ikki as a transfer student of the academy. When Ikki inadvertently discovers Stella half-dressed, he is challenged to duel where the loser has to be obedient to the winner for life. She ends up losing the duel, but they agree to become roommates. The series follows their adventures as they train to qualify as the school's representatives for the festival.
Characters
- Ikki Kurogane (黒鉄 一輝 Kurogane Ikki)
-
Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka[2] (Japanese); Clint Bickham[3] (English)- Ikki is an F-Rank Blazer who is widely known as the Worst One (
落第騎士 Wāsuto Wan). A member of the distinguished Kurogane Family, Ikki was subjected to ill treatment from his own family since childhood; however, his great-grandfather, Ryoma Kurogane, a legendary Blazer and hero, encouraged Ikki to never give up and become strong, after which he continued to work hard on his craft. Due to his family's influence on the school coupled with less-than-average grades (due to his low magical abilities), he was forced to repeat a year; however, when the school administration changed, along with the academic standards, Ikki was able to more fully participate, with the condition that he would be unable to graduate if he failed at the Seven Star tournament or even failed to qualify. He relies on learning his opponents' skills and tactics, a technique called "Blade Steal". His Device is Intetsu and his Noble Art is Ittō Shura (一刀修羅), where he pushes his skills and abilities beyond what the human body would limit. At the start of the series, he is challenged by Stella in a duel where the loser has to obey the winner. Although he wins the duel, his main order is that he and Stella become roommates and get along.LN 1 ch. 1 After defeating his past-year rival, Shizuya Kirihara, Ikki gets a new nickname, Another One (無冠の剣王 Anazāwan). Although he attracts the affections of many girls,LN 1 ch. 2 he and Stella eventually develop a relationship. Despite vicious interference from Kurogane family members, Ikki qualifies as a Hagun Academy representative and he and Stella become engaged.Ch. 31
- Stella Vermillion (ステラ・ヴァーミリオン Sutera Vāmirion)
Voiced by: Shizuka Ishigami (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)- The main heroine of the series, Stella is a red-haired A-Rank Blazer
who is considered to be a once-in-a-decade genius. Her Device is
Laevateinn and her Noble Art is Katharterio Salamandra (
天壌焼き焦がす竜王の焔 Karusaritio Saramandora). The second princess of the Vermillion Kingdom (a small European country), Stella could not control her own powers as a child and was badly burned each time she tried to use them. Through her effort, she eventually mastered her own power and is widely regarded as a genius by those around her. Not wanting to become conceited, Stella then decided to transfer to Japan. At the start of the story, she challenges Ikki to a duel where the loser must obey the winner, but she loses. Although they agree to be roommates, Stella feels it is her noble's obligation to treat him as a master. She is immediately jealous of other girls being affectionate towards Ikki, and over the course of the series, she falls in love with Ikki. They eventually become a couple and get engaged after both she and Ikki qualify for the Seven Star tournament.
- Shizuku Kurogane (黒鉄 珠雫 Kurogane Shizuku)
Voiced by: Nao Tōyama (Japanese); Juliet Simmons(English)- Ikki's younger sister who is extremely obsessed with him. She has white hair, unlike her brother, who has black hair. Nicknamed Lorelei (
深海の魔女 Rōrerai), a B-Rank Blazer who excels in magic control. Her Device is Yoishigure and her Noble Arts include are Shōha Suiren (障波水蓮), Water Prison Orb (水牢弾 Suirōdan), Hisuijin (緋水刃). and Aoiro Rinna (青色輪廻). Shizuku hates her family for their treatment of Ikki and generally dislikes holding the family name. She initially disapproved of Ikki's relationship with Stella, but eventually accepted her and decided to take it upon herself to teach Stella about being a bride of the Kurogane family, though she still made up her own restricting rules. Originally, she was an odds-on favorite to qualify as a Hagun Academy representative to the Seven Star tournament, but is eliminated during the qualifying matches.
- Nagi Arisuin (有栖院凪 Arisuin Nagi)
- Voiced by: Shintarō Asanuma (Japanese); Chris Patton (English)
- Nagi is a first year student, and the roommate of Shizuku. He describes himself as "a maiden trapped in the body of a man", being very knowledgeable of make-up and fashion. He has very effeminate features, having soft eyes, girlish lips and dark hair. He has the nickname of Black Sonia, being a D-Rank knight, that can control shadows. His Device is a dagger called Darkness Hermit and his Noble Arts are Shadow Bind (影縫い), Shadow Walk (日陰道] and Shadow Spot. Nagi is a very nice person, though he does sometimes tease others. He is a good friend of Shizuku, who opens up to him. He is later revealed to be an assassin of the terrorist organization Rebellion and a member of the Akatsuki, who infiltrated Hagun Academy. He had a dark past, being an orphan who lost his friend Yuuri, and was taken into Rebellion by Wallenstein. In Chapter 36, he attacked Newspaper Club member Kagamin and stole her research when she started to uncover evidence of the existence of Akatsuki. However, he turned against Rebellion, due to his friendship with Shizuku.
- Ayase Ayatsuji (綾辻 絢瀬 Ayatsuji Ayase)
- Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi[2] (Japanese); Chelsea Ryan McCurdy[4] (English)
- A third-year student of Hagun Academy and the daughter of a famous swordsman named Kaito Ayatsuji. Ayase approaches Ikki and asks for his guidance to improve her swordsmanship.[5] Two years prior to the current story, her father fought against Kuraudo, a Blazer from Tonrou Academy, with their dojo on the line and ended up in a coma with the dojo being taken over by Kuraudo. After this event, Ayase constantly challenged Kuraudo, but to no avail. She hoped to enter the Seven Star Sword Art Festival to have a chance to get the dojo back to the point where she was willing to use any means possible, even cheating, to win. In her qualifying match against Ikki, who had been teaching her swordsmanship and by that time considered her a friend, she secretly rigged the arena to ensure her victory, but Ikki, who suspected her intentions, not only refused to expose her cheating but also defeated her.Ch. 17 Later, he defeated Kuraudo at the dojo to regain its ownership for Ayase.Ch. 19 Ayase confessed her cheating to the school authorities, earning her a suspension and elimination from Seven Star Sword Art Festival contention, and her father emerged from his coma.Ch. 20
- Toka Todo (東堂刀華 Tōdō Tōka)
- Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto[2] (Japanese); Stephanie Wittels[4] (English)
- Tohka is a third year student, the president of the Hagun student council, and the strongest student of the school, being one of the 4 strongest student knights in Japan. She has long light brown hair and wears glasses. She has the nickname Raikiri, and is a B-rank knight with the ability to manipulate lightning.[5] Her Device is a katana named Narukami and her Noble Arts are Raikiri (雷切), Reverse Sight (閃理眼), Shippu Jinrai (疾風迅雷) and Takemikazuchi. She is a nice person, caring a lot about others. She was raised in an orphanage, due to her parents having died to an illness. She is famed for her Noble Art Raikiri, which is a slash powered by lightning, that is believed to be invincible.
- Itsuki Kurogane (黒鉄 巌 Kurogane Itsuki)
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- Voiced by: Shō Hayami (Japanese); David Matranga[4] (English)
- The chief of the International Mage Knight Federation - Japan branch. Ikki and Shizuku's father. Cares more for the prestige of the Kurogane family than for his children's actual welfare and well-being.[5]
- Shizuya Kirihara (桐原 静矢 Kirihara Shizuya)
- Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[2] (Japanese); Blake Shepard[4] (English)
- Kirihara is a second-years student. His nickname is the Hunter, and is a popular C-Rank knight. His Device is a bow called Oborotsuki, and his Noble Arts are Area Invisibility (狩人の森) and Million Rain (驟雨烈光閃). He is an arrogant person, who bullied Ikki during his first year. He was defeated and humiliated by Ikki.
- Kuraudo Kurashiki (倉敷 蔵人 Kurashiki Kuraudo)
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- Voiced by: Yoshimasa Hosoya[2] (Japanese); Andrew Love[4] (English)
- The ace of Tonrō Academy. A C-Rank Blazer nicknamed the Sword Eater (
剣士殺し Sōdo Ītā) due to having defeated many swordsmen. He was in the top 8 at the previous years Seven Star Battle Festival. When Ikki defeats him, he returns the dojo ownership to Ayase's family.
- Renren Tomaru (兎丸恋々 Tomaru Renren)
- Voiced by: M·A·O[2] (Japanese); Tiffany Grant[4] (English)
- Renren is a second-year student and the general affairs manager of the student council. She has short hair and is rather short. Nicknamed Runner's High, and is C-Ranked, having the ability to accumulate her own acceleration.She is the third strongest student of Hagun Academy.
- Utakata Misogi (御祓 泡沫 Misogi Utakata)
-
- Voiced by: Megumi Han[2] (Japanese); Kalin Coates[4] (English)
- Utakata is a third-year student and the vice-president of the student council. He is a small boy with white hair. His nickname is Fifty-Fifty, a D-Rank knight. His Noble Art is Black Box, which lets him alter the outcomes of events through probability. He is very playful, and an old friend of Tohka and Kanata.
- The vice president of the Hagun Academy Student Council. He is Tōka and Kanata's childhood friend.
- Kanata Totokubara (貴徳原カナタ Totokubara Kanata)
- Voiced by: Yōko Hikasa[2] (Japanese); Shelley Calene-Black[4] (English)
- Kanata is a third-year student, and the treasurer of the student council, who is considered the second strongest student of Hagun Academy. She has long blonde hair, and wears a long white dress. She is nicknamed Scharlach Frau, and is a B-Ranked Knight, being able to turn her rapier Device into diamonds which she can control. Kanata is also an old friend of Tohka and Utakata.
- ProductionAfter winning an award for his previous light novel series Danzai no Exceed, Riku Misora decided to write a sport-related novel in the vein of Akamitsu Awamura's Mugen no Linkage.
Production
After winning an award for his previous light novel series Danzai no Exceed, Riku Misora decided to write a sport-related novel in the vein of Akamitsu Awamura's Mugen no Linkage.Light Novels
| No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 13, 2013[10] | ISBN 978-4-7973-7468-1 | ||
| 2 | October 15, 2013[11] | ISBN 978-4-7973-7548-0 | ||
| 3 | January 15, 2014[12] | ISBN 978-4-7973-7641-8 | ||
| 4 | April 15, 2014[13] | ISBN 978-4-7973-7720-0 | ||
| 5 | August 12, 2014[14] | ISBN 978-4-7973-7754-5 | ||
| 6 | December 15, 2014[15] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8031-6 | ||
| 7 | May 15, 2015[16] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8352-2 | ||
| 8 | October 15, 2015[17] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8470-3 | ||
| 9 | December 15, 2015[18] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8514-4 | ||
| 10 | April 15, 2016[19] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8731-5 | ||
| 11 | January 14, 2017[20] | ISBN 978-4-7973-8943-2 | ||
| 12 | April 15, 2017[21] | ISBN 978-4-7973-9198-5 | ||
| 13 | October 13, 2017[22] | ISBN 978-4-7973-9317-0 |
Anime
An anime adaptation was announced in March 2015.[23][24] Produced by Silver Link and Nexus, the series ran on AT-X from October 3 to December 19, 2015 in Japan for 12 episodes; the episodes were later released by Media Factory through six DVD and Blu-ray volumes.[25][26][27] Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime in September 2015 for digital and home media release in North America. The series was simulcast only on Hulu though as it aired in Japan.[28][29] It is scheduled to be released on DVD and Blu-ray in North America on June 13, 2017.[30]Reception
The light novels have been well received. According to Japanese light novel news website LN News, the series had 1.2 million copies sold as of February 2017.[31] Oricon ranked Chivalry of a Failed Knight as the 29th and 17th top-selling light novel series in November 2015 and May 2016, respectively.[32][33] In addition, its anime adaptation also appeared on top-selling charts.[34]Anime News Network had six editors review the first episode of the anime adaptation:[35] Lynzee Loveridge compared the series to The Asterisk War and while she considered the Chivalry characters to be more likeable, she was critical of the blended in CG artwork and considered Stella's becoming Ikki's servant to be "cringe-worthy"; Nick Creamer expressed criticism towards the episode and called it a "concentrated capsule of hoary clichés"; Hope Chapman called the episode's plot "soul-suckingly lame" and considered Asterisk as a much nicer series; Rebecca Silverman wrote that the first episode's plot was already done by Asterisk and Lance N' Masques and while she praises Stella for some initial character development, she says this gets lost with her "tsundere ranting"; and Zac Bertschy said that the anime is "a total waste of [the viewer's] time, but it serves a purpose, however unintentional.". The sixth reviewer, Theron Martin, agreed that "formulaic and generic" wouldn't be wrong ways to describe the story and he also praised Stella's underlying motivations. Martin concluded that while the series has potential, it needs to find "fresher angles" to stand out from other similar storylines.[35] Silverman reviewed the anime's future episodes;[36] she called the final episode "a triumphant one in terms of Ikki's battle against his own insecurities, his place at school, and his relationship with Stella", and would later go on to say that she was "pretty happy with this ending and [she] wouldn't be sad if another season materialized somewhere along the way."[37]
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