Ranko Mannen (万年 嵐子, Man'nen Ranko) is one of the main characters of the Akiba Maid War anime series.
Returning to Akihabara after a long period, the former maid is mature and does not smile easily.
Appearance[]
Ranko has deep dark purple hair in a bob cut and violet color eyes. She wears the Oinky Doink Café Maid outfit with long black stockings and black high-heeled shoes.
Personality[]
Ranko is a serious woman who always holds a neutral, if not, threatening, expression. Her stoic manner isn't quite popular with the customers, but that doesn't stop Ranko from being a professional. Where she lacks in her maid skills, she makes up for her assassin-like gun work. She is a duel pistol user, and her combat power is extremely high, able to take out an entire maid staff by herself.
She always carries a stern, professional demeanor, whether serving patrons at the café or gunning down rival maids. She doesn't get upset when people insult her, but she gets offended they insult the café or her fellow staff.
Underneath her stoicism, it is implied that she seems to suffer from survivor's guilt. Ranko has openly stated that she's distrustful of people, does not care for her life as long as she can serve her café, and had given up at happiness when she signed into the maid life. This comes to a head in Episode 10 after the reveal that Nagi was the one who got her beloved mentor killed, causing Ranko to let out an expression of both rage and betrayal.
Background[]
Despite being introduced as a rookie at the Oinky Doink Café, Ranko's history in the Akiba Maids stretches back several years.
In 1985, she was a maid working at Handmaid's Tea House along with Nagi. In her flashback scene in Episode 5, she is depicted as having a personality that dislikes hurting others and was told by her manager Michiyo that not liking violence was okay too. Michiyo was shot and killed in front of Ranko by a rival maid, sparking a change in her. She wrongfully spent time in prison for the murder of Michiyo because of Nagi.
In Episode 11, Nagi disowns Oinky Doink and sends the rest of Creatureland out to kill them until Ranko and Nagomi convince her think otherwise. However, she was stabbed in the back by a Wuv-Wuv Moonbeam Maid (who took revenge on her for the murder of her friends) and took her last breath in Nagomi's arms.
Relationships[]
Nagi[]
Ranko and Nagi were once formally sworn sisters when they worked at the Teahouse Café fifteen years prior under Michiyo. They were both present when their café manager was gunned down by an rival maid. Nagi blames Ranko's stance on antiviolence for Michiyo's death and threatens her to fight for Creatureland if she still wants a place in Akiba. It is revealed that Nagi is actually the one who set Michiyo up to be killed and that she ordered Suehiro to kill Ranko as Oinky Doink begins to pose more of a threat to Creatureland.
Ranko confronts Nagi face to face, and the latter promises Ranko an executive maid spot if she betrays Oinky Doink, but Ranko declines. Nagi then threatens Nagomi and forces Ranko to choose between her or Nagomi. Ranko is unable to choose to claim both of them are important to her.
Nagomi Wahira[]
Ranko started the same day as Nagomi at Oinky Doink café, and Ranko has watched over Nagomi since. Ranko protects Nagomi from Wuv-Wuv Moonbeam maids in Episode 1, and in Episode 3, Nagomi shows concern over Ranko in the boxing ring, giving her a cute hair tie to hold her hair back. In Episode 5, Nagomi tries to do something special for Ranko's birthday and defends against Kaoruko's insults towards Ranko. While they are tied up, and Ranko confides in Nagomi about her past, the two have a moment together. In Episode 6, Ranko warns Nagomi that a sisterhood bond with Nerula wouldn't mean war between their two rival groups, sharing how a bond she made when she was younger was broken. Ranko holds Nagomi back when Nerula has it out with Manami.
Nagomi is upset by Suehiro's interest in Ranko because she doesn't want him to take her away from the café but puts on a brave face to show her support. Ranko thanks Nagomi for showing her happiness can exist in the maid career.
Ranko and Nagomi generally care about each other and value each other as maids.
Manami Yamagishi[]
Manami meets Ranko at Dorama, the ramen shop below Oinky Doink Café. They have a heart-to-heart about being old-school maids in the new world and drinking beer together. Upon finding out Ranko works at Oinky Doink Café, Manami says it is too bad they are on opposite sides of the war.
Okachimachi[]
Okahimachi is the maid who killed Michiyo and carries guilt for killing someone who meant so much to Ranko. After confessing the truth, she expects Ranko to kill her, but instead, Ranko shoots the Panda's head, saying Michiyo wouldn't want her to get revenge. To make it up to Ranko, she shoots Suehiro, who Nagi sent out to kill her.
Suehiro[]
Suehiro is first shown as a customer of Oinky Doink who liked Ranko. In reality, she was his latest mark, but Suehiro fell in love with Ranko. On their date, he confesses his feelings and kisses Ranko, asking her to run away with him, as it is against Creatureland Group rules to fall in love with a master. It appeared that Ranko was prepared to leave the maid's life behind for him and wait for him at the train station. However, Suehiro never makes it as Okachimachi, killing him for fear that Ranko will be in danger. When shot, Suehiro drops an engagement ring, a sign of the sincerity of his feelings for Ranko. Upon standing up, Ranko returns saddened to the café, knowing Okachimachi finished him.
Zoya[]
Ranko and Zoya's first meeting is rocky, the latter insisting Ranko isn't a maid and insulting her brute actions. When formally introduced as fighting rivals, Zoya says Ranko isn't cute enough to be a maid, while Ranko responds that just wearing the uniform is enough. Upon reaching their final round, Ranko smiles at Zoya, and the two acknowledge each other's cuteness, gaining respect. Afterward, Zoya can live her truth as a cute maid because of Ranko and starts working at Oinky Doink Café, counting on Ranko to teach her everything she should know about being a maid.
Trivia[]
- Her favorite food is ramen.[1]
- Her skill is in baseball, something she picked up on during her time in prison.
- Her voice actress, Rina Satō, also voiced Hayato Kawajiri in JJBA's Diamond is Unbreakable. Ironically, the story arc of Diamond is Unbreakable is also set in 1999, the same year as Akiba Maid War's main story timeline.
- Her name means "thousand-year-old storm child".
- Her name can be misspelled as Arashiko.
- Some fans described her appearance to be resembling Yelan from Genshin Impact, though Ranko's seiyuu actually voices Eula.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Post on Official Site [
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| Main Characters | Nagomi Wahira ♡ Ranko Mannen ♡ Yumechi ♡ Shiipon ♡ Zoya ♡ Yasuko Yaegashi ♡ Okachimachi | |
|---|---|---|
| Antagonists | Nagi ♡ Wuv-Wuv Moonbeam Maid ♡ Dateno Taira ♡ Minori Sano ♡ Kaoruko ♡ Bear Ace Maid ♡ Cat Ace Maid ♡ Cow Ace Maid ♡ Kazue Ugaki ♡ Manami Yamagishi ♡ Miyabi ♡ Kasumi ♡ Elle ♡ Molly | |
| Supporting Characters | Debt Collector ♡ General ♡ Kijima ♡ Nerula ♡ Akai ♡ Aota ♡ Midorikawa ♡ Michiyo ♡ Suehiro ♡ Lady Omoe | |
| Groups | Creatureland Group ♡ Maidalien Group | |
| Locations | Oinky Doink Café ♡ Handmaid's Tea House ♡ Dorama ♡ Wuv-Wuv Moonbeam ♡ Maid Casino ♡ Akiba Fluffy & Sweet Club ♡ Maid Sheep ♡ Dazzlion | |
| Anime | Akiba Maid War ♡ Episodes | |