List of Dogs: Bullets & Carnage characters

File:Dogs Protagonists.jpg

The protagonists of the Dogs and Dogs: Bullets & Carnage series as depicted in the anime adaptation. From left to right: Naoto Fuyumine, Badou Nails, Heine Rammsteiner and Mihai Mihaeroff.

The Dogs manga and anime series and the Dogs: Bullets & Carnage manga sequel feature a cast of fictional characters created by Shirow Miwa. The two series are set in a dystopic universe where the countercultural underground is ruled by an organization that performs genetic engineering experiments and acts of extreme violence. Dogs is composed of four loosely connected stories that revolve around one of four antihero characters. The Dogs: Bullets & Carnage sequel focuses in these four characters as they collaborate to find the entrance to the underground.

One of the four protagonists of the sequel Heine Rammsteiner is an emotionally distant gunman who endured genetic experiments during his childhood in the underground. He often works with Badou Nails, a freelance journalist and photographer and information broker. The two are approached by Naoto Fuyumine, a woman trained in swordsmanship. She is looking for another Naoto who carries a katana similar to hers and knows that she must find the entrance to the underground first. Badou enlists the help of Mihai Mihaeroff, a retired assassin, in his search for this information. The four encounter the antagonists of the series who belong to the organization running the underground. Giovanni has endured the same genetic experiments as Heine during his childhood and Richter Berthein attacked Badou and his brother in the past. Both work for Angelika Einstürzen, Heine and Giovanni's "mother" who conducts genetic experiments to create the ultimate human weapon. The four are also attacked by another of Einstürzen's subordinates, Campanella Frühling, who has her own set of motives.

The characters developed by Miwa have been praised for their interesting, contemporary and stylish design. However, they have been criticized for falling into the "_____ with guns" and "tough-guy" clichés.

Creation and conception

The author Shirow Miwa named Heine Rammsteiner and Badou Nails after the bands Rammstein and Nine Inch Nails, stated as two of the author's favorite bands on his personal site.

Protagonists

Heine Rammsteiner

Heine Rammsteiner (ハイネ・ラムシュタイナー Haine Ramushutainā) is a white-haired, red-eyed gunman who has undergone genetic manipulation and implants as a child. He has a collar fused into the back of his neck, called a spine, and is able to quickly recover from any degree of injury due to the Kerberos experiments conducted by Angelika Einstürzen. She is referred to as his "mother" and she considers him to be her favorite of all the test subjects. Heine is usually emotionally distant and has no qualms about killing great numbers of people. He also has another personality which enjoys violence and destruction. He was raised in an underground research facility established to create the ultimate human weapon. Eventually, he killed everyone involved with the Kerberos project in a berserker rage. Because he also killed his younger "sister" Lily, Heine has developed gynophobia, an abnormal fear of women, and will suffer a mental breakdown when in close proximity of a woman. He develops a bond with Nill after discovering she is also a genetic experiment and that he can come into physical contact with her. He carries two guns: a white Mauser C96 pistol connected to his belt by a long chain attached to the base of the grip and a black Luger P08 pistol. He often uses the chain for close range combat, choking or restraining opponents with it. In Dogs, the white gun does not have a chain. He is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai on the drama CD and the anime adaption.

Badou Nails

Badou Nails (バドー・ネイルズ Badō Neiruzu) is a chain smoking, freelance journalist and photographer. Badou has long red hair and wears an eye-patch. Seven years ago, he was attacked by Richter Berthein, losing his right eye. His mood directly corresponds to the availability of cigarettes and the level of nicotine in his blood. He can swing from extreme elation to murderous violence. He had an older brother named Dave (デイヴ Deivu), whom he believes is dead. Dave was a freelance journalist and appears to be the reason Badou began smoking at an early age and became a freelance journalist himself. In Dogs, he uses a pair of Ingram MAC-10 machine pistols. He is voiced by Akira Ishida on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Naoto Fuyumine

Naoto Fuyumine (冬峰・直刀 Fuyumine Naoto) has been trained in swordsmanship after she is orphaned at a young age. Although her parents' murderer failed to kill her, she is left with a large X-shaped scar on her chest and suffers from amnesia. She is taken in, raised and trained by a swordsman, whom she believed murdered her parents. He names her Naoto after someone in his own past, but never reveals his own name to her. After his murder she discovers that her parents were killed by the assassin whom she was named after: the original Naoto. She uncovers the name of her mentor, Fuyumine, and adopts it as her family name and carries the katana he fought with. She then begins a search for the original Naoto. She does not get along well with Heine. She is voiced by Shizuka Itō on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Mihai Mihaeroff

Mihai Mihaeroff (ミハイ・ミハエロフ Mihai Mihaerofu) is a retired assassin and is considerably older than the rest of the cast. Despite this, he retains a muscular build in addition to scruffy facial hair. Due to his years as an assassin, he remains calm under pressure. Mihai has a long-standing friendship with Kiri, the owner of a local restaurant and former prostitute. Ten years prior to the start of Dogs, he was a hired assassin for a gang boss and became mentor to the boss' son Ian. During this time, Mihai was romantically involved with the prostitute Milena, but the relationship ended when Ian grew into his teens and murdered her. In Dogs, Mihai confronts Ian and after failing to protect him during an assassination attempt, admits he is afraid of losing Ian. He is voiced by Akio Ōtsuka on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Antagonists

File:DogsBulletsAndCarnageAntagonists.jpg

Three of the antagonists as they appear in the Dogs manga. From left to right, Richter Berthein, Campanella Frühling and Giovanni.

The antagonists belong to an organization that runs underground. Angelika Einstürzen runs genetic experiments and aims to create the ultimate human weapon. She is referred to as "mother" by all of her subjects, who consider each other "siblings". Giovanni was one of her many subjects. Unlike Heine, he did not turn against her and works alongisde her army. Giovanni's "sisters", the twins Luki and Noki, also work alongside Einstürzen, but they are shown to fear her. The twins have been seen traveling with Campanella Frühling on occasion. Frühling controls her own small army of genetic experiments. She and her army travel on large trains armed with a hidden cannon. Richter Berthein, who has since defected from the organization, was a squad leader in an army similar to Frühling's. The soldiers dress in black uniforms and wear a mask similar to a gas mask.

Giovanni Rammsteiner

Giovanni Rammsteiner (ジョヴァンニ・ラムシュタイナー Jovaani Ramushutainā), Heine's younger "brother", was also subjected to the Kerberos experiments, although the results began to take effect later. He shares Heine's spine collar and extraordinary healing abilities. Giovanni can be identified by his bug-eyed sunglasses and mop-top haircut. Although his "mother" Einstürzen genetically altered him, he works alongside her army. Giovanni likes to taunt Heine, especially concerning Lily's death, hoping to induce a berserker rage. He has vivid and traumatic memories of the experiments he endured. He first appears in Dogs. He is voiced by Shigeru Nakahara on the drama CD and in the anime adaption. He also wields dual Walther P38 pistols..

Luki and Noki

Luki (ルキ Ruki) and Noki (ノキ Noki) are a pair of small twin sisters. They wear matching pink and black hats and dresses that sport rabbit ears and tails and have striped leggings and very large sleeves. They also have heterochromia in their eyes in the reverse form of each other. They treat life and killing as games, even treating a hunt for the bounty on a former mob boss' head as a game of tag. Luki, dressed mostly in black, has a large knife and throws smaller knives. Noki, dressed mostly in pink, has a machine gun. They are very agile and acrobatic and have immense strength and regenerative ability. They refer to Heine and Giovanni as older "brothers" and are afraid of their "mother" Einstürzen.

Campanella Frühling

Campanella Frühling (カンパネルラ・フリューリング Kanpanerura Furyūringu, German spring) is a woman who works for Einstürzen and controls her small army consisting entirely of genetic experiments. She has her own set of motives, including revenge. She wears a pin striped suit. She and her army carry katana whose hilts are similar to the one Naoto carries.

Angelika Einstürzen

Angelika Einstürzen (アインシュテルツェン Anjerika Ainshuterutsen) conducted experiments on Heine, Giovanni, Lily and many other children. She is referred to as "mother" by the subjects, including Luki and Noki, although Heine is her favorite. She refers to herself as the subjects' physician. She conducts these experiments to create the ultimate human weapon and enjoys the slaughter the children create.

Richter Berthein

Richter H. Berthein (リヒター＝H＝ベルトハイン Rihitā H Berutohai), also known as Herbst (ヘルプスト Herupusut, German autumn), was a soldier for Einstelzen's army. When Badou and his brother were investigating the underground seven years ago, he led the group sent to kill them. He was the one who attacked Badou, causing him to lose an eye. Since then, Berthein has left the underground and studied to become the conductor of an orchestra. Because he has a sense of fulfillment he did not have before, he does not want to return to the underground. Although he states he is much kinder and gentler than he used to be, he has no qualms about hypnotizing the orchestra members into attacking Badou.

Magato Fuyumine

Magato Fuyumine (冬峰・曲刀 Fuyumine Magato) is a psychotic young man who was taken in and trained by the swordsman Fuyumine under circumstances similar to Naoto's. He openly displayed an aggressive attitude toward the man and later kills him. When Naoto learns this, she bests him in a fight. Magato is the one who tells her about the "other Naoto" who carries a katana similar to Fuyumine's. He is later seen working as a hired assassin, although he tends to kill his clients. He is voiced by Takeshi Kusao on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Other characters

Kiri

Kiri (キリ) is the owner of the local restaurant Buon Viaggio. She is a former prostitute and has a long standing friendship with Mihai. She is voiced by Sayaka Ohara on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Ian

Ian (イアン) is a gang boss' son who was trained by Mihai. He killed Milena in a fit of jealousy, believing that she would take Mihai away from him. He is voiced by Kōji Yusa on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Milena Teslawska

Milena Teslawska (ミレーナ Mirēna) is a prostitute who was romantically involved with Mihai ten years ago. She was murdered by Mihai's student Ian. She is voiced by Kaya Matsutani on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Mimi

Mimi (ミミ) is a private detective and information broker. She is a friend and confidant of Badou. She also enjoys calling Mihai "hubby" She is voiced by Ryōko Shiraishi on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Fuyumine

Fuyumine (冬峰) is an older swordsman who takes in Naoto after the murder of her parents. He teaches her swordsmanship and gives her the name Naoto, a name from his past, after she cannot remember her own. He used to belong to a group that abducted children. He is killed by Magato. He is voiced by Koyama Rikiya on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Bishop

Bishop (ビショップ Bishoppu), truly Ernest Rammsteiner (エルンスト・ラムシュタイナー Erunsuto Ramushutainā), is the only priest in an old church and has known Heine for a long time. He claims he is blind and can "see" using his other senses. However, he has a Gothic Lolita fetish and keeps a wide variety of dresses in the fashion. Bishop is also swordsman of remarkable skill and is described by Heine as the church's "fierce guardian". He was the second person to receive the Kerberos' spine and has a collar similar to Heine's on his neck. He is voiced by Toshihiko Seki on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Nill

Nill (ニル Niru) is a fourteen-year-old mute girl who has been genetically modified so a small pair of feathered wings extends from her back. In Dogs, Heine saves from gangsters who intend to sell her into a life of prostitution. She is the only female Heine is comfortable around and even when she is in physical contact with him, Heine does not suffer mental breakdowns. She and Naoto develop a sisterly bond and often spend time together. She is voiced by Mamiko Noto on the drama CD and in the anime adaption.

Lily

Lily (リリィ Ririi) is Heine's younger "sister", whom Heine killed before leaving Einstürzen's underground facility. Lily also endured the genetic experiments conducted by Einstürzen, wore a collar around her neck, and shared Heine's berserker tendencies. She is voiced by Rina Satō on the drama CD.

Liza

Liza (リザ Riza) is an old short woman with cat ears. She often assigns Badou various jobs and seems to be the head of her own gang.

Reception

The characters of Dogs have received praise and criticism from several publications for anime, manga, and other media. Carlo Santos of Anime News Network commented that the loosely connected characters "provide the backdrop for mouth-watering eye candy" and credits Miwa's ability to create a manga storyline around Mihai, "the very opposite of a spunky teenage protagonist". However, he criticized the series for being another "pompous, preening '_____ with guns' series" and believed Miwa is "cycling through all the usual tough-guy tropes" and the characters are riddled with clichés. Santos also commented that even though the characters encounter each other eventually, it is "not the same thing as actually kicking off a storyline together". Ain't It Cool News's Scott Green stated that "the real note of distinction" came from Badou's story and how it did not mention "the tragedy that defines its subject's life". He also thought that "the notion of a group of characters who aren't a team is intriguing".

The visual appearance of the characters have also received notice from reviewers. Leroy Douresseaux of Coolstreak Cartoons commented that the characters dress well and that most of characters "sport top of the line hair styles" Manga Recon's Ken Haley praised the character designs, saying they are interesting and "contemporary with a vague hint of industrial/goth at times" Green believes that Miwa can "draw an effecting figure". Miwa's art has a "specifity" so the difference between how certain characters hold themselves can be seen and a "rightness" that allows movement in the series look "genuine".