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%%* HeroesWantRedheads
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Bishonen is a Definition-Only fan-speak term used only for Japanese/East-Asian media. No examples allowed. Per TRS.
Moving In Universe acknowledgements/relevance to Pretty Boy.
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* {{Bishonen}}: Just about every male cast member is one, including the Pope! The manga even {{lampshade}}s it a few times. And Abel appears ''so'' many times with {{Bishie Sparkle}}s...
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* PrettyBoy: Just about every male cast member is one, including the Pope! The manga even {{lampshade}}s it a few times. And Abel appears ''so'' many times with {{Bishie Sparkle}}s...
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* OneCastMemberPerCover: The manga adaptation shows the important characters on each cover. Abel and Ester are the only characters who are featured on more than one cover.
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* TechnicallyLivingVampire: Methuselahs are infected with a symbiotic alien bacterium that feeds on their red blood cells but greatly enhances their physical abilities and regeneration. Instead of being immortal they "only" live about three hundred years or so and they can reproduce naturally.
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* TechnicallyLivingVampire: Methuselahs are infected with a symbiotic alien bacterium that feeds on their red blood cells cells, but greatly enhances their physical abilities and regeneration.regeneration, which they can replenish from humans. Instead of being immortal they "only" live about three hundred years or so and they can reproduce naturally. Despite having supernatural abilities and WeakenedByTheLight, they consider "Vampire" to be a FantasticSlur.
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* TechnicallyLivingVampire: Methuselahs are infected with a symbiotic alien bacterium that feeds on their red blood cells but greatly enhances their physical abilities and regeneration. Instead of being immortal they "only" live about three hundred years or so and they can reproduce naturally.
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Wick cleaning. Absolute Cleavage has been renamed. Nothing here indicates the stomach is shown, so removing. Feel free to readd it with the new name if it turns out to be a correct example.
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* AbsoluteCleavage: Worn by a ''[[NaughtyNuns nun]]'', believe it or not.
** Jane sports this too.
** Jane sports this too.
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Moving to Literature/ as per decision made in this thread
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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trinityblood.png]]
->''"Humans feed on birds and cattle, Vampires on the lifeblood of Humans. Didn't it ever occur to you that there might be something yet higher on the food chain?"''
''Trinity Blood'' is a series of LightNovels written by the late Sunao Yoshida and illustrated by Thores Shibamoto, which was published by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko from 2001 to 2005 for 12 volumes. The series was later adapted into a manga, which was serialized in ''Monthly Asuka'' from 2004 to 2018, and an anime series which aired in 2005. The manga is known for its lush and Baroque artwork by Kiyo Kûjô; and the anime adaptation is similarly lavish in its visuals and animation quality.
The anime continuity opens on a time far into the future, [[AfterTheEnd 900 years after a disaster which nearly destroyed Earth's population.]] The Catholic Church has re-emerged as a major military superpower and is currently waging a Cold War against the Methuselahs, a vampiric race composed of humans which have been infected with an alien bacillus. (Said bacillus prolongs the victims' lives, grants them magical powers and super strength, at the cost of being vulnerable to sunlight -- and leaves them constantly hungry for human blood, hence the reason they're considered such a nuisance.)
It is not uncommon for stark, [[BadassLongcoat be-trenchcoated]] heroes to emerge during times like this. However, the main be-trenchcoated hero of ''this'' story appears anything ''but'' heroic at first glance. In fact, Father Abel Nightroad seems a bit of [[TheDitz a ditz]], although under the right circumstances, [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass his true form will show itself.]] (His true form being that of a ''Crusnik'', a powerful and monstrous being which feeds on vampires the way vampires feed on humans.)
The series isn't just about Father Nightroad kicking vampire ass for the Lord, though. There's also plenty of intrigue going on in both the Vatican and Methuslean camps. And a [[AncientConspiracy shadowy conspiracy]] called the ''Order of Rosenkreuz'', which seeks to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed Again]].
It's probably worth noting that one of the reasons the anime is so light on content is because the [[DiedDuringProduction original author died before the series could be finished.]] And the mangaka aren't really sure how to finish the series well enough so as to honour the author and keep the fandom happy.
----
!!''Trinity Blood'' provides examples of:
* AbsoluteCleavage: Worn by a ''[[NaughtyNuns nun]]'', believe it or not.
** Jane sports this too.
* AccidentalPervert: Abel Nightroad, oftentimes.
* AdaptedOut: Many characters from the novels (such as some members from the Vatican and Rosenkreuz Orden) do not appear in the anime, though some of them make it in the manga.
* AlienSky: The air in the New Human Empire is filled with special paticles that filter out the UV in the sun, thus it causes the whole country to be seemingly bathed in the evening dusk during all daylight.
* AllThereInTheManual: Seriously. The show tells you almost ''nothing'' about the setting and backstory. The manga is more clear and forthcoming about these details. The novels are your best bet if you want to have a clue what's happening, though. There's also the notes left by the original author prior to his death which explains the events [[spoiler:after Esther was crowned Queen of Albion]]. But those events [[spoiler:are ''worse'' than what has already happened]].
* AlternateContinuity: The novels, manga and anime differ greatly from each other.
* AngelFaceDemonFace: Inverted with Abel, whose Crusnik-form appearance is disturbing/demonic, and [[spoiler: [[EvilTwin Cain]] whose transformed appearance is more classically angelic.]]
* AnimeCatholicism: This is actually the page image. The show has a female cardinal, a child pope, impossible robes, vampire hunters, magic users, and most of the cast seems to be under the age of thirty, with about a fifth of them under the age of twenty.
** The Pope is a hereditary title in this world instead of an elective one. The current Pope is still a teenager with a lot of doubts on his shoulders and severe anxiety due to the burden of his job.
%%* AntiGravityClothing
%%* AntiHero:
* AnyoneCanDie: Several characters met their end despite redeeming themselves but the notes left by the late Yoshida revealed that more people are going to die [[spoiler:such as the Pope, Seth, Francesco among others]].
* AreYouSureYouCanDriveThisThing: Sister Esther tries to drive, and almost gives Abel a heart attack. It results in [[spoiler: Radu finding them]].
%%* ArtificialLimbs: [[spoiler:Hugue]] has one due to an attack from a vampire.
* TheAtoner: Abel is trying to atone for all of his sins of [[spoiler:killing millions of people back when he was still Abel Nighlord.]]
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: [[spoiler:Esther]] at the end.
* BadassLongcoat: Most male members of the cast. And with the introduction of Asta, even one of the females.
* BadassPreacher: The Catholics sure can crank 'em out when they have to.
* TheBeautifulElite: Many people higher up from the Vatican to the royals in different countries are all dropdead gorgeos. And quite a few of them are quite talented in different areas to accompany their looks.
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted BIG TIME with Dietrich. He's described as extremely handsome with the face of an angel... and is also a total psychopath with no regard for human life.
** Also [[BigBad Cain Nightroad]] and several good-looking Orden members.
* BigBad: Cain Nightroad, Abel's twin brother and head of the ''Order of Rosenkreuz''.
* BigGood:
** The Pope, who despite still very young, has decided to fight for the world and all people in it.
** [[spoiler:Queen Esther of Albion]], who basically the Pope's counterpart in that country.
* {{BFG}}: Tres sure loves his heavy artillery.
* BigNo: At the climax of episode 22, and to a lesser extent, episode 3.
* {{Bishonen}}: Just about every male cast member is one, including the Pope! The manga even {{lampshade}}s it a few times. And Abel appears ''so'' many times with {{Bishie Sparkle}}s...
* BishieSparkle:
** Abel, too often to count.
** Shahrazad, completed with a dose of LoveBubbles every time she smiles at Esther's direction.
** In the manga, whenever Ion is in good term with Esther.
* BloodyMurder: One vampire could cause his blood to spontaneously combust with air. Abel could form a scythe out of his.
* BloodStainedGlassWindows: Happens too many times to count. An example would be when Esther discovered the palace's staff inside the room next to hers had been completely slaughtered.
* BodyguardCrush: Tres' incredible ''devotion'' to Caterina Sforza in both the novels and the manga.
* BrokeEpisode: Abel never seems to have money when he needs it.
* BurnTheWitch: Both Terrans and Methuselah hate witches.
* CainAndAbel:
** Guess what Abel's EvilTwin is [[MeaningfulName named]]?
** Lilith is based on Adam's first wife, who turned into a demon.
* CainAndAbelAndSeth: Abel and his EvilTwin Cain also have a sister named Seth (originally the third son of Adam and Eve, here turned into a girl).
* CastFullOfPrettyBoys: Many, ''many'' members of the Vatican are beautiful men. Same with the Empire and Albion.
* TheChessmaster: Dietrich and Isaak.
* TheChewToy: Bizarrely, Abel. He takes a lot of abuse for someone who's capable of badassery.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Pope Alessandro XVIII, King UsefulNotes/LudwigIIOfBavaria (in the novels) and [[spoiler:Empress Seth]]. The former is timid and easily manipulated; the second is the genderconfused 15-years-old wheelchair-bound ruthless king of Germanicus; and the the latter is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld but rules through a proxy due to her youthful appearance.
* ChurchMilitant: ''VERY'' militant. Straight up to [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} 40K levels]].
* ClickHello: Tres, in episode 2. May also count as DramaticGunCock.
* CompressedAdaptation: The anime left out a lot of things related to the setting and backstory and reduced and changed several of the character’s roles.
* CostumePorn: The art of the light novel employs very intricate costume and jewelry designs with gothic elements. The anime simplifies them enough to suitable for animation. And while the manga also tones down the details and some of the blings, all the clothings are still extremely beautiful to look at.
* CrashIntoHello: Abel and Esther. Although Abel thought she was a boy when they met.
* CrapsackWorld: Before the events of Trinity Blood, the humans and the Methuselahs (who were orignally humans and colonizers of Mars but got infected with the bacillus) wage war against each other which almost destroy the entire human race and the planet. During the events of the series, humans and Methuselahs still hold antagonistic feelings against each other. According to the original author's notes, [[spoiler: [[FromBadToWorse it got worse]]]].
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Abel and Cain. This is most aparent in both the light novel and the manga where both men tend to act like idiotic, childish kluzts, only to show later that both are extremely dangerous individuals. Cain even more so due to his unpredictability and sadist.
* CursedWithAwesome: ... which is what infection of the Bacillus would be if it didn't require the constant craving for human blood. Given the wondrous powers it bestows, one wonders why all or part of humanity doesn't allow itself to be infected and then just survive on a diet of synthetic blood. {{Lampshaded}} during the fairy synthetic vampires arc: it said that the successful conversion rate is extremely low (at least in the light novels).
%%* CuteBruiser: Kaya
* DeadlyRinger: The anime adaptation has a pipe organ and series of bells as the controls of a sonic-based earthquake device.
* DecapitationPresentation: Abel still has nightmares about Cain doing this to him with [[spoiler:Lilith's severed head]].
* DeceptivelyHumanRobots: Tres and the other Killing Dolls
* DecoyLeader: [[spoiler:The vampire empress.]]
* DemotedtoExtra: The anime reduced some of the characters' roles. For example, Mary Spencer has a very prominent role in the manga and novels where [[spoiler:she is the illegitimate daughter of the Crown Prince of Albion (making her Ester's half-sister) and a possible successor to the throne. The anime never mentions this.]]
* TheDitz: Abel, who tends to act like a kid. He loves sweets, often scream when face with sudden danger, and overall acting so very carefree and teasing most of the time.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer whose 'agenda' and 'goals' are described as ''mysterious'' and is compared with Karla of ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar'' in interviews.
* TheEmpire: The vampires' form of government.
* EyesAlwaysShut: Brother Matthew
* {{Expy}}: Abel's particular brand of ditziness, along with being one of the strongest characters in the setting when he pulls a LetsGetDangerous, right down to the very name of the manga, may bring to mind one [[Manga/TriGun Vash the Stampede]].
* FlashStep : In the manga, many methuselahs (MauveShirt and above) can do this. [[spoiler: Brother Petro Orcini is also able to do this because he used a drug in ''FULL-BODY METAL ARMOR.'']]
* FloweryElizabethanEnglish: In the English version of the manga released by Tokyopop, the Empress speaks like this... but only with other noble Methuselahs.
* FoodChainOfEvil: Many vampires are shocked and horrified to learn that they are the natural prey for the even more badass Crusniks.
* FreudianExcuse: A lot of characters. Notably [[MarionetteMaster Dietrich]]. He had a very [[DarkAndTroubledPast disturbing past]] in which he basically [[spoiler: was hated and mistreated since he was born. His father saw an inclination for evil in him and tried to [[OffingTheOffspring murder him when he was six years old]]]] which didn't work, so [[spoiler: Dietrich snapped and [[SelfMadeOrphan killed his entire family in a fit of paranoia]]]]. Alone and orphaned, little Dietrich had no moral compass to draw about from and became a twisted MadScientist miniature. Until [[spoiler: [[BigBad Cain]] and [[TheDragon Isaak]] just happened to walk by his town when he was seven and picked him up to groom him with their standards to be a high ranked terrorist at ten years old]]. Basically, in the [[AllThereInTheManual Canon Notes]], he is [[WhatisThisThingYouCallLove unable to comprehend love]] because he never experienced it, but he is drawn to people who are naturally loving (like Esther and Abel). He's also described as [[PureIsNotGood pure evil, but innocent]] and honestly believes the Orden [[WellIntentionedExtremist can make the world better]]. To the point that when [[spoiler: he realizes what are Cain's [[OmnicidalManiac real plans]], he pulls a HeelFaceTurn thanks to Caterina's persuasion]].
* GayRomanticPhase: Shahrazad and Esther are a rare inversion, because Esther had 'romantic friendship/partnerships' with a lot of men (Dietrich, Abel, Ion) before 'graduating' from them and establishing one with a true sense of lasting commitment with a girl. [[spoiler:Too bad Shahrazad dies minutes after Esther realizes this.]]
%%* {{Gonk}}: Brother Phillipo
* GoodWingsEvilWings: Inverted. [[TheHero Abel]]'s are a scary black and red, while [[BigBad Cain]]'s are white-feathered.
* GratuitousForeignLanguage:
** Hungarian words and names occasionally crop up untranslated, especially in the manga continuity. Justified, though, since Esther is a naturalized citizen raised in Istvan, a Hungarian border city which a handful of story arcs center around, and, presumably, picked up Hungarian as her first language.
* GratuitousGerman: Scanlations of the manga tend to have Deitrich throw in a word or two, and even complete phrases, of German into his dialogue for no reason in later chapters. In the novel, Isaak also speaks German quite often, he may not actually be German, but apparently sees fit to use whatever languages his fake names align with.
* GratuitousLatin: Aside from the assumption that most characters affiliated with the Vatican probably speak Latin via TranslationConvention, there's also Contra Mundi, whose name and motto are often dropped entirely in untranslated Latin.
%%* GunsAkimbo: Tres
* GunKata: Father Tres, in episode 2.
* TheGunslinger: Quite a few characters, but mainly Tres, to the point that Gunslinger is actually his callsign.
%%* HandsomeLech: Antonio, Leon in the manga
%%* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Dietrich]]
%%* HermeticMagic
%%* HeroesWantRedheads
* HeroicVow: Abel to Lilith, Esther to [[spoiler: Shahrazad]]).
%%* HighPressureBlood
%%* TheHighQueen: Many of them.
* HunterOfHisOwnKind: The Crusniks are vampires that hunt other vampires.
%%* ImplacableMan: Tres, again.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Tres has literally inhuman accuracy thanks to being a robot.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Crusnik 02 wields [[SinisterScythe a huge, wicked, multi-bladed scythe.]] Made out of his own blood.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: [[spoiler:Caterina Sforza]] in the novels and the manga.
* JeanneDArchetype: Esther Blanchett starts like this in the novels.
%%* KnightofCerebus: Cain Nightroad
%%* KnightTemplar
%%* LadyOfWar: Astharoshe, Sister Paula, Monica Argento, Shahrazad al-Rahman, Mary Spencer
* LargeHam: Brother Petro, who seemingly can't go five minutes without making a grand proclamation of justice.
%%* LittleMissBadass: Seth, Kaya
%%* LostTechnology
* LoveHurts: When it doesn't [[LoveMakesYouEvil make you evil]] or [[AllLoveIsUnrequited is unrequited]], [[OfficialCouple happy protagonists and villains]] in this series have to deal with the demise of their spouse/lover: Like William and his fiancé, Helga and her husband, Monica and her husband, Leon and his wife, Gyula and his wife Maria, Abel and his beloved Lilith.
* LoveMakesYouEvil
** Caterina Sforza in the novels and the manga. When Abel shows too much concern for Esther to her liking. She [[spoiler: subtly moves to arrange Esther's [[MurderTheHypotenuse accidental death]] ''twice.'' Later on, in Stories Untold, she realizes the grave consequences of her actions and uses this hatred and jaded love to win herself a place in the Orden, in order to destroy them from within]].
** Could also apply to [[spoiler:Gyula and his wife.]]
* MachineMonotone: Tres and Brother Bartholomew are robots without much variation in their tone of voice.
%%* ManipulativeBastard: Dietrich and Cain.
* MeaningfulName: {{Shout Out}}s to historical and religious figures abound in this series.
** Abel, Cain, and Seth Nightroad: Obvious reference to the three sons of Adam and Eve.
** Lilith Sahl: Reference to Lilith, Adam's first wife in some interpretations of Genesis.
** Esther Blanchett: Reference to the biblical queen Esther. Also [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Dietrich as being homophonous to Greek "Aster," or "star." [[spoiler:Revealed to be Esther White in the manga, the White Rebellion.]]
*** [[spoiler:Edward White is not her biological father, but a knight faithful to the Crown Princess who saved Princess Esther and was framed by the real conspirators of the crime.]] Also Blanchett/Blanchette is a French heroine of a novel with the same name. [[spoiler: Also also, "Blanchett" approximately translates from French as "Little White," and Albion, one of the traditional, poetic names of Britain is etymologically related to Latin "albus," or "white."]]
** Radu Barvon [[spoiler:Named after Vlad "The Impaler" Tepes' traitorous brother, he was the puppet ruler of Wallachia whenever the Ottoman Empire occupied it.]]
** Hercules Tres Iqus: Number ''3'' out of ''10'' (Iquis is Latin for "X", or in numeral form, "10") Killing Dolls created by ''Geppetto'' Garibaldi.
** Augusta Vradica: Augustus Caesar meets Vlad Dracula
** Astharoshe/"Asta": Reference to Ashtoreth/Astarte, a Canaanite goddess mentioned in the Old Testament, and namesake of Astaroth, a high-ranking demon in Medieval demonology
** Suleyman: Reference to Suleiman the Magnificent aka Suleyman I, the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
** All codenames (Except maybe Dandelion?)
*** Nope, even Dandelion. He's a dandy, and his name is Leon. That's it.
*** In fact, Dandelion translated to Spanish is "Diente de León", that can be literally translated to "lion's tooth".
** All members of the Vatican are connected to Renaissance's important politicians or members of the Church: Borgia, Sforza, Medici, D'Este, Orsini.
** Archbishop D'Annunzio shares a surname with an Italian soldier poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, a precursor of fascism.
** The nicknames "Calamity Jane" and "Bloody Mary".
** Vaclav Havel is named after Czech president, while Ludwig II of Bavaria is named after a famous Bavarian king.
** Dietrich von Lohengrin bears the name of the hero of one of [[Theatre/{{Lohengrin}} Wagner's operas]].
** The von Neumann brothers from RKO are named after the biblical Magi: Kaspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
** Melchior, a dollmaker, himself uses codename Pygmalion, while his favorite doll is named [[Theatre/{{TheRingOfTheNibelung}} Sieglinde]].
** Susanne von Skorzeny shares her surname with Otto Skorzenny, a famous member of Waffen-SS, while her nickname "Red Baron" is a reference to a AcePilot Manfred von Richtofen. However, her overall character might be a ShoutOut to a female AcePilot, Hanna Reitsch.
** Isaac's numerous aliases reference famous magicians/alchemists.
** Helga von Vogelweide shares her surname with a medieval German poet.
** Baybars/Baibars is a reference to another famous sultan known as Abu al-Futuh.
** [[Literature/ArabianNights Scheherazade/Shahrazad]]
%%* MoreDakka
* MsFanservice: Noelle Bor, Monica Argento, and Jane Judith Jocelyn.
* MinoredInAsskicking: Professor Wordsworth
* NoEnding: At least by the original author. His friend, Kentaro Yasui, author of the Ragnarok novels, was asked to continue the series.
* NoisyGuns: Played utterly straight. Any time a gun is even ''pointed'' at something, it makes random clicky sounds.
%%* NunsAreMikos
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Abel, although Cain pulls this act more convincingly; also Seth.
* OjouRinglets: Cardinal Caterina sports a magnificent pair. So do Helga von Vogelweide of the Rosencreutz Orden and Jane from Albion.
* OminousLatinChanting: Whenever you hear it, you know someone is about to get their ass handed to them.
* OnlyMostlyDead: Abel, after his unsuccessful bid to defeat Cain.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Crusniks are vampires that feed on other vampires.
* OverlaidSocieties: There's a society that straddles this and TheMasquerade: it turns out that what seems to be a society of {{muggle}}s on the surface is actually knowingly preserving TheMasquerade, and there is a second city just below the ground. [[spoiler: The city above ground is Londinium, Albion; the city below is home to {{Friendly Neighborhood Vampire}}s essentially being used as forced labor in return for protection.]]
%%* PersonOfMassDestruction: The Crusniks.
* PlanetTerra: Methuselahs refer to humans as Terrans. Because, [[AllThereInTheManual as the original novels reveal]], [[spoiler:the first Methuselahs were created on Mars.]]
** Possibly also because the Methuselah are simply humans with nanites (or artificial bacteria, whichever) in them giving them special powers and a thirst for blood. So, the Methuselah may consider themselves to still be human (hence not liking being called vampires) and use "Terran" to distinguish the type of human.
%%* PluckyGirl: Esther Blanchett
* PowerLimiter
** Abel has imposed one on himself. His EvilTwin hasn't, and the results show ''why'' Abel has done so.
** Seth and Lilith limited it too. Since releasing 100% power [[spoiler: would mean the Nanomachines taking possession of the host which is what happened to poor Cain.]] Sadly, the Anime forgets this fact and the other little detail that Lilith had no nanomachines in her bloodstream otherwise she wouldn't be dead, [[spoiler:or that Abel got his head blown off to be in stasis]] during Throne of the Roses.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Whenever you hear Abel's voice change uttering the words, "Crusnik 02. Nanomachine output 40%. Activate," you know someone is about to get wrecked in a horrific manner.
* PrehensileHair: Vanessa. Holy fricking crap, ''Vanessa''.
* ProHumanTranshuman: A few vampires and Crusniks.
* PuttingOnTheReich: The RKO's uniforms are modeled after the Nazi's Waffen-SS. ''Probably'' to invoke RedRightHand.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld
** The Crusnik and Methuselah.
** Special mention must go to [[spoiler: Seth and Mirka]], who are ancient but look about the same age as Ion. What's really striking is that [[spoiler: Mirka]] is Ion's ''grandma''!
* TheReveal: Big time in episode 19, in which [[spoiler:Seth]] is revealed to be [[spoiler:The Empress]], while [[spoiler: The Empress]] is revealed to actually be [[spoiler: Mirka Fortuna, Duchess of Moldova]]. In all fairness, there was a bit of a ChekhovsGun that should have at least clarified who [[spoiler:Seth]] really was: [[spoiler:at the end of episode 11, you see the bottom portion of her head, revealing her childlike face and giveaway hairstyle (not to mention her voice when she speaks).]]
* RequisiteRoyalRegalia [[spoiler:The crown Esther is, well, crowned with, and she also had an [[PrettyInMink ermine cape]] in the manga]]
%%* RoaringRampageOfRevenge
* SayMyName: Esther and Ion, stuck in a cell together. You wouldn't think they'd have to cry out the names, what with being in the same cell, but they do.
%%* SceneryPorn
%%* SchizoTech
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: In the episode ''Overcount I. The Belfry of Downfall'' Cardinal Caterina Sforza breaks Vatican protocol in seeking to stop a weapon that could destroy all of Rome. As a result she placed under house arrest and is hinted that that she might have been executed. However, she is cleared when the weapon is used.
* SexyPriest: The AX agents seem to be ranked according to how attractive they are. [[{{Bishounen}} Abel]] of course is first. Tres may be an exception, as he was [[DeceptivelyHumanRobots designed that way]].
* ShipTease:
** It is implied that Esther has feelings for Abel, though the latter sort of treats like a younger sister.
** The manga and the novels hint that Catarina also has feelings for Abel. It's most evident in when she's in bed due to her disease, she started crying that she won't be able to live longer so she can be with Abel and is jealous with Esther's relationship with him.
* ShoutOut: Episode 2 of the anime has Tres throw it out to [[Film/{{Equilibrium}} John Preston]] by pulling a similar "bust into badguy hideout, kill the lights, and blow everyone away while standing in the same spot" entry.
** Isaac's kobold summons in the manga look suspiciously like [[Anime/{{NeonGenesisEvangelion}} mass produced Evas]].
** In the same chapter he stops bullets in mid-air [[Film/{{TheMatrix}} with his hand]].
** All manga chapters (save for two, one of which refers to a video game and Reborn on Mars, which is the title of one of the light novels) are titled after films. At least several chapters set in Albion are titled after Shakespeare's (adapted) plays and Franchise/JamesBond movies.
** Some of the characters' clothes, particularly in Methuselah Empire, look very similar to those in ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories''. Interestingly, both Thores Shibamoto (novels' illustrator) and Kiyo Kûjô did some artwork for ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories''.
* SlidingScaleOfVampireFriendliness: On the friendlier side. Only cruel or debauched vampires go on blood-guzzling sprees. Most live on cloned blood.
* SnowMeansLove: The ending credits show a snowy romance between Abel Nightroad and Esther Blanchett. [[spoiler:That never happens in the actual show, though.]]
* TheSpock: Tres is very stoic and analytical.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Most female vampires. Sister Monica and Sister Paula also, despite being [[NaughtyNuns nuns]].
* SweetPollyOliver: Esther Blanchett, in Star of Sorrow. Also Vanessa Walsh.
* SweetTooth: Abel would like thirteen sugars in his tea, please.
* SuccessionCrisis: In the manga and novels. After Brigitte II died, the Kingdom of Albion is in peril since her heir, Crown Prince of Albion, is dead, leaving no children. Until it’s revealed that he has two daughters from two different mothers: Mary Spencer [[spoiler:and Esther]]. Mary is aware of her heritage who thinks she’s more suitable for the crown despite her reputation as "Bloody Mary". [[spoiler:Esther has no idea about this until she learned about it and is afraid that she’s not suitable for the crown regardless for being known as a “saint”]].
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial
** Oh, Brother Petro. "I'm merely been assigned to be His Holiness's escort! It's not as if I'm on another mission and have been sworn to absolute secrecy or anything! Because I am definitely not! Don't get the wrong idea!"
** Also the Duke of Tigris: "W-Whatever do you mean? Why would I ever blow up Your Majesty?"
* TarotMotifs: an entire tarot deck released with the DVD box sets.
* TechnicalPacifist: Abel in the anime. He's rather less disturbed by killing in the novels and manga.
** Novel, manga, or anime, Abel wouldn't intentionally kill anyone except for Cain, and perhaps Isaak (after the RAM series). In RAM II, He couldn't let himself kill one mass murderer to prevent the destruction of Rome. This is because he made a promise to his dead lover Lilith.
* TinMan: Tres has his moments
* TokenMiniMoe: Seth and Mirka Fortuna (only in the novels and manga)
* {{Tsundere}}
** Astharoshe "Asta" Asran, and using that nickname without permission is an easy way to trigger the tsuntsun side. Ion Fortuna. Esther Blanchett to a degree is a tsundere type B, usually she's polite and kind, but she has her triggers specially around Abel in the novels.
** Vanessa Walsh as well.
* UnknownRival: Brother Petro and Tres, who really couldn't care less.
%%* UnorthodoxReload: Tres
* UnrequitedLove
** Sister Noelle, for Abel.
** And Caterina Sforza for Abel (maybe Tres for Caterina).
** Ion Fortuna and the Pope, for Esther Blanchett.
* VampireMonarch: Empress Augusta Vradica the First is the leader of the Methuselah vampires of "The New Human Empire". [[spoiler:In reality, she is the childlike Seth Nightroad, a Crusnik Vampire]] and is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.
* WingedHumanoid: The Crusnik when they're at 80% and over.
* WalkingTheEarth: Abel and Ion at the end of the anime.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The humans and Methuselahs hate each other. Several humans such as the AX Agency and Esther [[spoiler:(who became the Queen of Albion)]] want to make peace with the Methuselahs in fighting against Cain. It have gotten worse in the Stories Untold after Cain have caused the relationship between human world and the Empire to worsen, [[spoiler:attempting to assassinate Esther which lead to the death of Pope Alessandro. As a result, the fragile peace between both sides is destroyed resulting to another war]].
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Some members of the Orden, particularly Balathasar, are like this. Esther could have been one in the beginning, specially in the novels. Also Suleyman.
%%** Vanessa Walsh.
* WholeCostumeReference [[spoiler:When Esther is crowned, she wears a PimpedOutDress just like one [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor Elizabeth I of England]] wore, but it wasn't her coronation dress]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Cain, who apparently went crazy after fusing with the Crusnik nanomachines at 100%, thus demonstrating why Abel's voluntary PowerLimiter is a ''very'' good idea.
* WomenAreWiser: The female rulers and leaders are generally portrayed as more competent or in a better light. When they commit grave mistakes, they are just flawed and tragic rather than tyrannical or evil. The vast majority of the Saints who guided humanity were women. Most male leaders are either tyrannical, cruel, the incompetent Pope, or the BigBad Cain Nightroad.
* TheWorfEffect: Brother Petros seems to assume this role after his initial battle with Abel.
* WouldHitAGirl: Abel slaps Esther after she defies the direction of her bosses and nearly torpedoes a crucial diplomatic operation.
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: [[spoiler:Seth]] speaks in Old-ish English to Süleyman during his [[spoiler: attempt on her life.]] Only in the Tokyopop translation, though.
* YouAreWorthHell: [[spoiler: Shahrazad]] is this for Esther.
* YuriFan: Abel has a moment of this after Jane comes on to Esther.
----
->''"Humans feed on birds and cattle, Vampires on the lifeblood of Humans. Didn't it ever occur to you that there might be something yet higher on the food chain?"''
''Trinity Blood'' is a series of LightNovels written by the late Sunao Yoshida and illustrated by Thores Shibamoto, which was published by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko from 2001 to 2005 for 12 volumes. The series was later adapted into a manga, which was serialized in ''Monthly Asuka'' from 2004 to 2018, and an anime series which aired in 2005. The manga is known for its lush and Baroque artwork by Kiyo Kûjô; and the anime adaptation is similarly lavish in its visuals and animation quality.
The anime continuity opens on a time far into the future, [[AfterTheEnd 900 years after a disaster which nearly destroyed Earth's population.]] The Catholic Church has re-emerged as a major military superpower and is currently waging a Cold War against the Methuselahs, a vampiric race composed of humans which have been infected with an alien bacillus. (Said bacillus prolongs the victims' lives, grants them magical powers and super strength, at the cost of being vulnerable to sunlight -- and leaves them constantly hungry for human blood, hence the reason they're considered such a nuisance.)
It is not uncommon for stark, [[BadassLongcoat be-trenchcoated]] heroes to emerge during times like this. However, the main be-trenchcoated hero of ''this'' story appears anything ''but'' heroic at first glance. In fact, Father Abel Nightroad seems a bit of [[TheDitz a ditz]], although under the right circumstances, [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass his true form will show itself.]] (His true form being that of a ''Crusnik'', a powerful and monstrous being which feeds on vampires the way vampires feed on humans.)
The series isn't just about Father Nightroad kicking vampire ass for the Lord, though. There's also plenty of intrigue going on in both the Vatican and Methuslean camps. And a [[AncientConspiracy shadowy conspiracy]] called the ''Order of Rosenkreuz'', which seeks to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed Again]].
It's probably worth noting that one of the reasons the anime is so light on content is because the [[DiedDuringProduction original author died before the series could be finished.]] And the mangaka aren't really sure how to finish the series well enough so as to honour the author and keep the fandom happy.
----
!!''Trinity Blood'' provides examples of:
* AbsoluteCleavage: Worn by a ''[[NaughtyNuns nun]]'', believe it or not.
** Jane sports this too.
* AccidentalPervert: Abel Nightroad, oftentimes.
* AdaptedOut: Many characters from the novels (such as some members from the Vatican and Rosenkreuz Orden) do not appear in the anime, though some of them make it in the manga.
* AlienSky: The air in the New Human Empire is filled with special paticles that filter out the UV in the sun, thus it causes the whole country to be seemingly bathed in the evening dusk during all daylight.
* AllThereInTheManual: Seriously. The show tells you almost ''nothing'' about the setting and backstory. The manga is more clear and forthcoming about these details. The novels are your best bet if you want to have a clue what's happening, though. There's also the notes left by the original author prior to his death which explains the events [[spoiler:after Esther was crowned Queen of Albion]]. But those events [[spoiler:are ''worse'' than what has already happened]].
* AlternateContinuity: The novels, manga and anime differ greatly from each other.
* AngelFaceDemonFace: Inverted with Abel, whose Crusnik-form appearance is disturbing/demonic, and [[spoiler: [[EvilTwin Cain]] whose transformed appearance is more classically angelic.]]
* AnimeCatholicism: This is actually the page image. The show has a female cardinal, a child pope, impossible robes, vampire hunters, magic users, and most of the cast seems to be under the age of thirty, with about a fifth of them under the age of twenty.
** The Pope is a hereditary title in this world instead of an elective one. The current Pope is still a teenager with a lot of doubts on his shoulders and severe anxiety due to the burden of his job.
%%* AntiGravityClothing
%%* AntiHero:
* AnyoneCanDie: Several characters met their end despite redeeming themselves but the notes left by the late Yoshida revealed that more people are going to die [[spoiler:such as the Pope, Seth, Francesco among others]].
* AreYouSureYouCanDriveThisThing: Sister Esther tries to drive, and almost gives Abel a heart attack. It results in [[spoiler: Radu finding them]].
%%* ArtificialLimbs: [[spoiler:Hugue]] has one due to an attack from a vampire.
* TheAtoner: Abel is trying to atone for all of his sins of [[spoiler:killing millions of people back when he was still Abel Nighlord.]]
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: [[spoiler:Esther]] at the end.
* BadassLongcoat: Most male members of the cast. And with the introduction of Asta, even one of the females.
* BadassPreacher: The Catholics sure can crank 'em out when they have to.
* TheBeautifulElite: Many people higher up from the Vatican to the royals in different countries are all dropdead gorgeos. And quite a few of them are quite talented in different areas to accompany their looks.
* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted BIG TIME with Dietrich. He's described as extremely handsome with the face of an angel... and is also a total psychopath with no regard for human life.
** Also [[BigBad Cain Nightroad]] and several good-looking Orden members.
* BigBad: Cain Nightroad, Abel's twin brother and head of the ''Order of Rosenkreuz''.
* BigGood:
** The Pope, who despite still very young, has decided to fight for the world and all people in it.
** [[spoiler:Queen Esther of Albion]], who basically the Pope's counterpart in that country.
* {{BFG}}: Tres sure loves his heavy artillery.
* BigNo: At the climax of episode 22, and to a lesser extent, episode 3.
* {{Bishonen}}: Just about every male cast member is one, including the Pope! The manga even {{lampshade}}s it a few times. And Abel appears ''so'' many times with {{Bishie Sparkle}}s...
* BishieSparkle:
** Abel, too often to count.
** Shahrazad, completed with a dose of LoveBubbles every time she smiles at Esther's direction.
** In the manga, whenever Ion is in good term with Esther.
* BloodyMurder: One vampire could cause his blood to spontaneously combust with air. Abel could form a scythe out of his.
* BloodStainedGlassWindows: Happens too many times to count. An example would be when Esther discovered the palace's staff inside the room next to hers had been completely slaughtered.
* BodyguardCrush: Tres' incredible ''devotion'' to Caterina Sforza in both the novels and the manga.
* BrokeEpisode: Abel never seems to have money when he needs it.
* BurnTheWitch: Both Terrans and Methuselah hate witches.
* CainAndAbel:
** Guess what Abel's EvilTwin is [[MeaningfulName named]]?
** Lilith is based on Adam's first wife, who turned into a demon.
* CainAndAbelAndSeth: Abel and his EvilTwin Cain also have a sister named Seth (originally the third son of Adam and Eve, here turned into a girl).
* CastFullOfPrettyBoys: Many, ''many'' members of the Vatican are beautiful men. Same with the Empire and Albion.
* TheChessmaster: Dietrich and Isaak.
* TheChewToy: Bizarrely, Abel. He takes a lot of abuse for someone who's capable of badassery.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Pope Alessandro XVIII, King UsefulNotes/LudwigIIOfBavaria (in the novels) and [[spoiler:Empress Seth]]. The former is timid and easily manipulated; the second is the genderconfused 15-years-old wheelchair-bound ruthless king of Germanicus; and the the latter is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld but rules through a proxy due to her youthful appearance.
* ChurchMilitant: ''VERY'' militant. Straight up to [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} 40K levels]].
* ClickHello: Tres, in episode 2. May also count as DramaticGunCock.
* CompressedAdaptation: The anime left out a lot of things related to the setting and backstory and reduced and changed several of the character’s roles.
* CostumePorn: The art of the light novel employs very intricate costume and jewelry designs with gothic elements. The anime simplifies them enough to suitable for animation. And while the manga also tones down the details and some of the blings, all the clothings are still extremely beautiful to look at.
* CrashIntoHello: Abel and Esther. Although Abel thought she was a boy when they met.
* CrapsackWorld: Before the events of Trinity Blood, the humans and the Methuselahs (who were orignally humans and colonizers of Mars but got infected with the bacillus) wage war against each other which almost destroy the entire human race and the planet. During the events of the series, humans and Methuselahs still hold antagonistic feelings against each other. According to the original author's notes, [[spoiler: [[FromBadToWorse it got worse]]]].
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Abel and Cain. This is most aparent in both the light novel and the manga where both men tend to act like idiotic, childish kluzts, only to show later that both are extremely dangerous individuals. Cain even more so due to his unpredictability and sadist.
* CursedWithAwesome: ... which is what infection of the Bacillus would be if it didn't require the constant craving for human blood. Given the wondrous powers it bestows, one wonders why all or part of humanity doesn't allow itself to be infected and then just survive on a diet of synthetic blood. {{Lampshaded}} during the fairy synthetic vampires arc: it said that the successful conversion rate is extremely low (at least in the light novels).
%%* CuteBruiser: Kaya
* DeadlyRinger: The anime adaptation has a pipe organ and series of bells as the controls of a sonic-based earthquake device.
* DecapitationPresentation: Abel still has nightmares about Cain doing this to him with [[spoiler:Lilith's severed head]].
* DeceptivelyHumanRobots: Tres and the other Killing Dolls
* DecoyLeader: [[spoiler:The vampire empress.]]
* DemotedtoExtra: The anime reduced some of the characters' roles. For example, Mary Spencer has a very prominent role in the manga and novels where [[spoiler:she is the illegitimate daughter of the Crown Prince of Albion (making her Ester's half-sister) and a possible successor to the throne. The anime never mentions this.]]
* TheDitz: Abel, who tends to act like a kid. He loves sweets, often scream when face with sudden danger, and overall acting so very carefree and teasing most of the time.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer whose 'agenda' and 'goals' are described as ''mysterious'' and is compared with Karla of ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar'' in interviews.
* TheEmpire: The vampires' form of government.
* EyesAlwaysShut: Brother Matthew
* {{Expy}}: Abel's particular brand of ditziness, along with being one of the strongest characters in the setting when he pulls a LetsGetDangerous, right down to the very name of the manga, may bring to mind one [[Manga/TriGun Vash the Stampede]].
* FlashStep : In the manga, many methuselahs (MauveShirt and above) can do this. [[spoiler: Brother Petro Orcini is also able to do this because he used a drug in ''FULL-BODY METAL ARMOR.'']]
* FloweryElizabethanEnglish: In the English version of the manga released by Tokyopop, the Empress speaks like this... but only with other noble Methuselahs.
* FoodChainOfEvil: Many vampires are shocked and horrified to learn that they are the natural prey for the even more badass Crusniks.
* FreudianExcuse: A lot of characters. Notably [[MarionetteMaster Dietrich]]. He had a very [[DarkAndTroubledPast disturbing past]] in which he basically [[spoiler: was hated and mistreated since he was born. His father saw an inclination for evil in him and tried to [[OffingTheOffspring murder him when he was six years old]]]] which didn't work, so [[spoiler: Dietrich snapped and [[SelfMadeOrphan killed his entire family in a fit of paranoia]]]]. Alone and orphaned, little Dietrich had no moral compass to draw about from and became a twisted MadScientist miniature. Until [[spoiler: [[BigBad Cain]] and [[TheDragon Isaak]] just happened to walk by his town when he was seven and picked him up to groom him with their standards to be a high ranked terrorist at ten years old]]. Basically, in the [[AllThereInTheManual Canon Notes]], he is [[WhatisThisThingYouCallLove unable to comprehend love]] because he never experienced it, but he is drawn to people who are naturally loving (like Esther and Abel). He's also described as [[PureIsNotGood pure evil, but innocent]] and honestly believes the Orden [[WellIntentionedExtremist can make the world better]]. To the point that when [[spoiler: he realizes what are Cain's [[OmnicidalManiac real plans]], he pulls a HeelFaceTurn thanks to Caterina's persuasion]].
* GayRomanticPhase: Shahrazad and Esther are a rare inversion, because Esther had 'romantic friendship/partnerships' with a lot of men (Dietrich, Abel, Ion) before 'graduating' from them and establishing one with a true sense of lasting commitment with a girl. [[spoiler:Too bad Shahrazad dies minutes after Esther realizes this.]]
%%* {{Gonk}}: Brother Phillipo
* GoodWingsEvilWings: Inverted. [[TheHero Abel]]'s are a scary black and red, while [[BigBad Cain]]'s are white-feathered.
* GratuitousForeignLanguage:
** Hungarian words and names occasionally crop up untranslated, especially in the manga continuity. Justified, though, since Esther is a naturalized citizen raised in Istvan, a Hungarian border city which a handful of story arcs center around, and, presumably, picked up Hungarian as her first language.
* GratuitousGerman: Scanlations of the manga tend to have Deitrich throw in a word or two, and even complete phrases, of German into his dialogue for no reason in later chapters. In the novel, Isaak also speaks German quite often, he may not actually be German, but apparently sees fit to use whatever languages his fake names align with.
* GratuitousLatin: Aside from the assumption that most characters affiliated with the Vatican probably speak Latin via TranslationConvention, there's also Contra Mundi, whose name and motto are often dropped entirely in untranslated Latin.
%%* GunsAkimbo: Tres
* GunKata: Father Tres, in episode 2.
* TheGunslinger: Quite a few characters, but mainly Tres, to the point that Gunslinger is actually his callsign.
%%* HandsomeLech: Antonio, Leon in the manga
%%* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Dietrich]]
%%* HermeticMagic
%%* HeroesWantRedheads
* HeroicVow: Abel to Lilith, Esther to [[spoiler: Shahrazad]]).
%%* HighPressureBlood
%%* TheHighQueen: Many of them.
* HunterOfHisOwnKind: The Crusniks are vampires that hunt other vampires.
%%* ImplacableMan: Tres, again.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Tres has literally inhuman accuracy thanks to being a robot.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Crusnik 02 wields [[SinisterScythe a huge, wicked, multi-bladed scythe.]] Made out of his own blood.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: [[spoiler:Caterina Sforza]] in the novels and the manga.
* JeanneDArchetype: Esther Blanchett starts like this in the novels.
%%* KnightofCerebus: Cain Nightroad
%%* KnightTemplar
%%* LadyOfWar: Astharoshe, Sister Paula, Monica Argento, Shahrazad al-Rahman, Mary Spencer
* LargeHam: Brother Petro, who seemingly can't go five minutes without making a grand proclamation of justice.
%%* LittleMissBadass: Seth, Kaya
%%* LostTechnology
* LoveHurts: When it doesn't [[LoveMakesYouEvil make you evil]] or [[AllLoveIsUnrequited is unrequited]], [[OfficialCouple happy protagonists and villains]] in this series have to deal with the demise of their spouse/lover: Like William and his fiancé, Helga and her husband, Monica and her husband, Leon and his wife, Gyula and his wife Maria, Abel and his beloved Lilith.
* LoveMakesYouEvil
** Caterina Sforza in the novels and the manga. When Abel shows too much concern for Esther to her liking. She [[spoiler: subtly moves to arrange Esther's [[MurderTheHypotenuse accidental death]] ''twice.'' Later on, in Stories Untold, she realizes the grave consequences of her actions and uses this hatred and jaded love to win herself a place in the Orden, in order to destroy them from within]].
** Could also apply to [[spoiler:Gyula and his wife.]]
* MachineMonotone: Tres and Brother Bartholomew are robots without much variation in their tone of voice.
%%* ManipulativeBastard: Dietrich and Cain.
* MeaningfulName: {{Shout Out}}s to historical and religious figures abound in this series.
** Abel, Cain, and Seth Nightroad: Obvious reference to the three sons of Adam and Eve.
** Lilith Sahl: Reference to Lilith, Adam's first wife in some interpretations of Genesis.
** Esther Blanchett: Reference to the biblical queen Esther. Also [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Dietrich as being homophonous to Greek "Aster," or "star." [[spoiler:Revealed to be Esther White in the manga, the White Rebellion.]]
*** [[spoiler:Edward White is not her biological father, but a knight faithful to the Crown Princess who saved Princess Esther and was framed by the real conspirators of the crime.]] Also Blanchett/Blanchette is a French heroine of a novel with the same name. [[spoiler: Also also, "Blanchett" approximately translates from French as "Little White," and Albion, one of the traditional, poetic names of Britain is etymologically related to Latin "albus," or "white."]]
** Radu Barvon [[spoiler:Named after Vlad "The Impaler" Tepes' traitorous brother, he was the puppet ruler of Wallachia whenever the Ottoman Empire occupied it.]]
** Hercules Tres Iqus: Number ''3'' out of ''10'' (Iquis is Latin for "X", or in numeral form, "10") Killing Dolls created by ''Geppetto'' Garibaldi.
** Augusta Vradica: Augustus Caesar meets Vlad Dracula
** Astharoshe/"Asta": Reference to Ashtoreth/Astarte, a Canaanite goddess mentioned in the Old Testament, and namesake of Astaroth, a high-ranking demon in Medieval demonology
** Suleyman: Reference to Suleiman the Magnificent aka Suleyman I, the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
** All codenames (Except maybe Dandelion?)
*** Nope, even Dandelion. He's a dandy, and his name is Leon. That's it.
*** In fact, Dandelion translated to Spanish is "Diente de León", that can be literally translated to "lion's tooth".
** All members of the Vatican are connected to Renaissance's important politicians or members of the Church: Borgia, Sforza, Medici, D'Este, Orsini.
** Archbishop D'Annunzio shares a surname with an Italian soldier poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, a precursor of fascism.
** The nicknames "Calamity Jane" and "Bloody Mary".
** Vaclav Havel is named after Czech president, while Ludwig II of Bavaria is named after a famous Bavarian king.
** Dietrich von Lohengrin bears the name of the hero of one of [[Theatre/{{Lohengrin}} Wagner's operas]].
** The von Neumann brothers from RKO are named after the biblical Magi: Kaspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
** Melchior, a dollmaker, himself uses codename Pygmalion, while his favorite doll is named [[Theatre/{{TheRingOfTheNibelung}} Sieglinde]].
** Susanne von Skorzeny shares her surname with Otto Skorzenny, a famous member of Waffen-SS, while her nickname "Red Baron" is a reference to a AcePilot Manfred von Richtofen. However, her overall character might be a ShoutOut to a female AcePilot, Hanna Reitsch.
** Isaac's numerous aliases reference famous magicians/alchemists.
** Helga von Vogelweide shares her surname with a medieval German poet.
** Baybars/Baibars is a reference to another famous sultan known as Abu al-Futuh.
** [[Literature/ArabianNights Scheherazade/Shahrazad]]
%%* MoreDakka
* MsFanservice: Noelle Bor, Monica Argento, and Jane Judith Jocelyn.
* MinoredInAsskicking: Professor Wordsworth
* NoEnding: At least by the original author. His friend, Kentaro Yasui, author of the Ragnarok novels, was asked to continue the series.
* NoisyGuns: Played utterly straight. Any time a gun is even ''pointed'' at something, it makes random clicky sounds.
%%* NunsAreMikos
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Abel, although Cain pulls this act more convincingly; also Seth.
* OjouRinglets: Cardinal Caterina sports a magnificent pair. So do Helga von Vogelweide of the Rosencreutz Orden and Jane from Albion.
* OminousLatinChanting: Whenever you hear it, you know someone is about to get their ass handed to them.
* OnlyMostlyDead: Abel, after his unsuccessful bid to defeat Cain.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Crusniks are vampires that feed on other vampires.
* OverlaidSocieties: There's a society that straddles this and TheMasquerade: it turns out that what seems to be a society of {{muggle}}s on the surface is actually knowingly preserving TheMasquerade, and there is a second city just below the ground. [[spoiler: The city above ground is Londinium, Albion; the city below is home to {{Friendly Neighborhood Vampire}}s essentially being used as forced labor in return for protection.]]
%%* PersonOfMassDestruction: The Crusniks.
* PlanetTerra: Methuselahs refer to humans as Terrans. Because, [[AllThereInTheManual as the original novels reveal]], [[spoiler:the first Methuselahs were created on Mars.]]
** Possibly also because the Methuselah are simply humans with nanites (or artificial bacteria, whichever) in them giving them special powers and a thirst for blood. So, the Methuselah may consider themselves to still be human (hence not liking being called vampires) and use "Terran" to distinguish the type of human.
%%* PluckyGirl: Esther Blanchett
* PowerLimiter
** Abel has imposed one on himself. His EvilTwin hasn't, and the results show ''why'' Abel has done so.
** Seth and Lilith limited it too. Since releasing 100% power [[spoiler: would mean the Nanomachines taking possession of the host which is what happened to poor Cain.]] Sadly, the Anime forgets this fact and the other little detail that Lilith had no nanomachines in her bloodstream otherwise she wouldn't be dead, [[spoiler:or that Abel got his head blown off to be in stasis]] during Throne of the Roses.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Whenever you hear Abel's voice change uttering the words, "Crusnik 02. Nanomachine output 40%. Activate," you know someone is about to get wrecked in a horrific manner.
* PrehensileHair: Vanessa. Holy fricking crap, ''Vanessa''.
* ProHumanTranshuman: A few vampires and Crusniks.
* PuttingOnTheReich: The RKO's uniforms are modeled after the Nazi's Waffen-SS. ''Probably'' to invoke RedRightHand.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld
** The Crusnik and Methuselah.
** Special mention must go to [[spoiler: Seth and Mirka]], who are ancient but look about the same age as Ion. What's really striking is that [[spoiler: Mirka]] is Ion's ''grandma''!
* TheReveal: Big time in episode 19, in which [[spoiler:Seth]] is revealed to be [[spoiler:The Empress]], while [[spoiler: The Empress]] is revealed to actually be [[spoiler: Mirka Fortuna, Duchess of Moldova]]. In all fairness, there was a bit of a ChekhovsGun that should have at least clarified who [[spoiler:Seth]] really was: [[spoiler:at the end of episode 11, you see the bottom portion of her head, revealing her childlike face and giveaway hairstyle (not to mention her voice when she speaks).]]
* RequisiteRoyalRegalia [[spoiler:The crown Esther is, well, crowned with, and she also had an [[PrettyInMink ermine cape]] in the manga]]
%%* RoaringRampageOfRevenge
* SayMyName: Esther and Ion, stuck in a cell together. You wouldn't think they'd have to cry out the names, what with being in the same cell, but they do.
%%* SceneryPorn
%%* SchizoTech
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: In the episode ''Overcount I. The Belfry of Downfall'' Cardinal Caterina Sforza breaks Vatican protocol in seeking to stop a weapon that could destroy all of Rome. As a result she placed under house arrest and is hinted that that she might have been executed. However, she is cleared when the weapon is used.
* SexyPriest: The AX agents seem to be ranked according to how attractive they are. [[{{Bishounen}} Abel]] of course is first. Tres may be an exception, as he was [[DeceptivelyHumanRobots designed that way]].
* ShipTease:
** It is implied that Esther has feelings for Abel, though the latter sort of treats like a younger sister.
** The manga and the novels hint that Catarina also has feelings for Abel. It's most evident in when she's in bed due to her disease, she started crying that she won't be able to live longer so she can be with Abel and is jealous with Esther's relationship with him.
* ShoutOut: Episode 2 of the anime has Tres throw it out to [[Film/{{Equilibrium}} John Preston]] by pulling a similar "bust into badguy hideout, kill the lights, and blow everyone away while standing in the same spot" entry.
** Isaac's kobold summons in the manga look suspiciously like [[Anime/{{NeonGenesisEvangelion}} mass produced Evas]].
** In the same chapter he stops bullets in mid-air [[Film/{{TheMatrix}} with his hand]].
** All manga chapters (save for two, one of which refers to a video game and Reborn on Mars, which is the title of one of the light novels) are titled after films. At least several chapters set in Albion are titled after Shakespeare's (adapted) plays and Franchise/JamesBond movies.
** Some of the characters' clothes, particularly in Methuselah Empire, look very similar to those in ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories''. Interestingly, both Thores Shibamoto (novels' illustrator) and Kiyo Kûjô did some artwork for ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories''.
* SlidingScaleOfVampireFriendliness: On the friendlier side. Only cruel or debauched vampires go on blood-guzzling sprees. Most live on cloned blood.
* SnowMeansLove: The ending credits show a snowy romance between Abel Nightroad and Esther Blanchett. [[spoiler:That never happens in the actual show, though.]]
* TheSpock: Tres is very stoic and analytical.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Most female vampires. Sister Monica and Sister Paula also, despite being [[NaughtyNuns nuns]].
* SweetPollyOliver: Esther Blanchett, in Star of Sorrow. Also Vanessa Walsh.
* SweetTooth: Abel would like thirteen sugars in his tea, please.
* SuccessionCrisis: In the manga and novels. After Brigitte II died, the Kingdom of Albion is in peril since her heir, Crown Prince of Albion, is dead, leaving no children. Until it’s revealed that he has two daughters from two different mothers: Mary Spencer [[spoiler:and Esther]]. Mary is aware of her heritage who thinks she’s more suitable for the crown despite her reputation as "Bloody Mary". [[spoiler:Esther has no idea about this until she learned about it and is afraid that she’s not suitable for the crown regardless for being known as a “saint”]].
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial
** Oh, Brother Petro. "I'm merely been assigned to be His Holiness's escort! It's not as if I'm on another mission and have been sworn to absolute secrecy or anything! Because I am definitely not! Don't get the wrong idea!"
** Also the Duke of Tigris: "W-Whatever do you mean? Why would I ever blow up Your Majesty?"
* TarotMotifs: an entire tarot deck released with the DVD box sets.
* TechnicalPacifist: Abel in the anime. He's rather less disturbed by killing in the novels and manga.
** Novel, manga, or anime, Abel wouldn't intentionally kill anyone except for Cain, and perhaps Isaak (after the RAM series). In RAM II, He couldn't let himself kill one mass murderer to prevent the destruction of Rome. This is because he made a promise to his dead lover Lilith.
* TinMan: Tres has his moments
* TokenMiniMoe: Seth and Mirka Fortuna (only in the novels and manga)
* {{Tsundere}}
** Astharoshe "Asta" Asran, and using that nickname without permission is an easy way to trigger the tsuntsun side. Ion Fortuna. Esther Blanchett to a degree is a tsundere type B, usually she's polite and kind, but she has her triggers specially around Abel in the novels.
** Vanessa Walsh as well.
* UnknownRival: Brother Petro and Tres, who really couldn't care less.
%%* UnorthodoxReload: Tres
* UnrequitedLove
** Sister Noelle, for Abel.
** And Caterina Sforza for Abel (maybe Tres for Caterina).
** Ion Fortuna and the Pope, for Esther Blanchett.
* VampireMonarch: Empress Augusta Vradica the First is the leader of the Methuselah vampires of "The New Human Empire". [[spoiler:In reality, she is the childlike Seth Nightroad, a Crusnik Vampire]] and is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld.
* WingedHumanoid: The Crusnik when they're at 80% and over.
* WalkingTheEarth: Abel and Ion at the end of the anime.
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The humans and Methuselahs hate each other. Several humans such as the AX Agency and Esther [[spoiler:(who became the Queen of Albion)]] want to make peace with the Methuselahs in fighting against Cain. It have gotten worse in the Stories Untold after Cain have caused the relationship between human world and the Empire to worsen, [[spoiler:attempting to assassinate Esther which lead to the death of Pope Alessandro. As a result, the fragile peace between both sides is destroyed resulting to another war]].
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Some members of the Orden, particularly Balathasar, are like this. Esther could have been one in the beginning, specially in the novels. Also Suleyman.
%%** Vanessa Walsh.
* WholeCostumeReference [[spoiler:When Esther is crowned, she wears a PimpedOutDress just like one [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfTudor Elizabeth I of England]] wore, but it wasn't her coronation dress]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Cain, who apparently went crazy after fusing with the Crusnik nanomachines at 100%, thus demonstrating why Abel's voluntary PowerLimiter is a ''very'' good idea.
* WomenAreWiser: The female rulers and leaders are generally portrayed as more competent or in a better light. When they commit grave mistakes, they are just flawed and tragic rather than tyrannical or evil. The vast majority of the Saints who guided humanity were women. Most male leaders are either tyrannical, cruel, the incompetent Pope, or the BigBad Cain Nightroad.
* TheWorfEffect: Brother Petros seems to assume this role after his initial battle with Abel.
* WouldHitAGirl: Abel slaps Esther after she defies the direction of her bosses and nearly torpedoes a crucial diplomatic operation.
* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: [[spoiler:Seth]] speaks in Old-ish English to Süleyman during his [[spoiler: attempt on her life.]] Only in the Tokyopop translation, though.
* YouAreWorthHell: [[spoiler: Shahrazad]] is this for Esther.
* YuriFan: Abel has a moment of this after Jane comes on to Esther.
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