Bladedance of Elementalers

Plot

The story takes place in a world where spirits exist and only pure maidens have the privilege of contracting with the spirits. These maidens hail from noble families and gather at the Areishia Spirit Academy, a specialized school where they are trained to become elementalists.

However, a male teenager named Kamito Kazehaya changes everything. After receiving an invitation from the Academy's director, Greyworth Ciel Mais to come to Areisha Spirit Academy, he loses his way in the spirit forest and stumbles upon a girl named Claire Rouge purifying herself in a lake. She is, understandably, upset and embarrassed and attacks him. He is able to avoid the worst of her wrath and finds out that she intends to contract with a sealed sword spirit. He accompanies her so that she can guide him out of the forest once she has accomplished her goal. Claire attempts to contract with the sealed sword spirit but fails causing it to go berserk. In order to save her life and much to Claire's chagrin, Kamito forms a contract with the sword spirit himself, turning him into the only male elementalist in the world (he also becomes the second male elementalist in 1000 years). Disregarding the fact that he saved her life, she accuses him of stealing her spirit and insists that he atone for it by becoming her contracted spirit.

Characters

Team Scarlet

Kamito Kazehaya (カゼハヤ・カミト, Kazehaya Kamito)

Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa

The world's only known male elementalist. He forms an incomplete contract with the sealed sword spirit, Est, while responding to a summon from the director of Areishia Spirit Academy.

Before being summoned to the Academy he was raised as an elite assassin by the Institutional School where he was conditioned to become an emotionless shell in order to make him a more controllable (and disposable) tool. However, his life changed after meeting the spirit, Restia. She taught him about the world outside of the school, and, in the process, rekindled his emotions. The Institutional School was attacked and destroyed by a rampant fire spirit which allowed him to escape, along with the sealed artifact, a special ring that belonged to the first "Demon King", imprisoning Restia. An encounter with Greyworth, further changed his life.

Three years before, Kamito participated in the Blade Dance in drag under the name Ren Ashbell (レン・アッシュベル, Ren Asshuberu) and won the title of the Strongest Blade Dancer. He had long hair at the time, and an outfit (for girls) from what is believed to be his homeland as his disguise. Since Ren Ashbell is such a prominent role model to many of the maidens at the Academy, Kamito tries to avoid using his better-known techniques to avoid revealing that everyone's favorite idol is really a boy, usually unsuccessfully. His attempts at subterfuge are aided by the fact that, as Ren, he wielded Restia (a black sword) with his left hand (now covered with a glove), and he now wields Est (a white sword) with his right hand.

Kamito's life at the Academy is rather taxing because of The girls' feelings for him, coupled with wildly exaggerated rumors and misconceptions about him. The result of these hijinks is that Kamito becomes known as the 'Demon King of the Night' (and eventually daylight and noon). The irony of the situation is that if Kamito had actually done even a fraction of the perverted stuff he is rumored to, neither he or the girls he 'soiled' would be pure enough to use their contracted Spirits. Despite this inconsistency, the rumors about him are considered fact by numerous Intelligence agencies including the Duchy of Dracunia who first wanted to castrate him to protect innocent maidens, and then later changed their minds to wanting to seduce him, with the hope that the resulting children would inherit his abilities.

Spirits

Terminus Est (テルミヌス・エスト, Teruminusu Esuto)

Voiced by: Ai Kakuma

Est is Kamito's second contracted spirit. Due to his guilt (for making another spirit contract) and refusal to abandon Restia, the contract was only partially completed so she can only manifest 10% of her power. Therefore, unlike other spirits, she can't return to Astral Zero to recharge and so spends a large amount of time sleeping in sword form to recover her strength. This also means Kamito can't summon her with the Spirit Seal on his hand as summoning only works if the spirit is in Astral Zero. She has long, white hair, blue eyes, and in human form looks to be about 12-13 years old. She is usually stoic (speaking softly in a monotone), but she likes to be praised and having Kamito pat her on the head. Est is especially jealous of Restia. In an effort to "please" Kamito she has read some of Claire's X-rated books and wears unusual costumes from Fianna's collection to bid him good morning. For some reason Est has no problem appearing naked as long as her legs are covered, usually with knee socks.

In the past, she was contracted to Areishia Idriss, the Sacred Queen who defeated the Demon King, but her unique ability which destroys curses unfortunately builds up her own curse until it activates turning her wielder into Spirit Crystal. This is because she is not a true Holy Sword but rather a Demonic Sword. After years of daily fighting, her curse finally took its toll and, to her horror, Est witnessed Areishia turn into crystal right in front of her. Afterwards that she sealed herself in the Demon King's armory and refused to make a contract with anyone to prevent the same thing from happening again. After her memory was restored, not wanting to curse Kamito too, she sealed herself away again but he refused saying that he would accept her curse and destiny even if it would one day lead to his own destruction.

Restia Ashdoll (レスティア・アッシュドール, Resutia Asshudōru)

Voiced by: Yōko Hikasa

Kamito's first contracted spirit. She was sealed in the ring of Sulaimon and taught Kamito everything including about the world beyond the Institutional School, and giving him emotions as well as forming a Spirit Contract with him without permission. After the Institutional School was destroyed Kamito took the ring and searched for a way to release her, eventually leading him to Greyworth who took an interest in him and helped him to release her from the ring. Afterwards she and Kamito took part in the Bladedance becoming the Strongest Bladedancer and making a forbidden wish which corrupted her and made her disappear. It's later revealed that she was one of the 72 pillars of the first Demon King and that her job is to find, select, and raise a potential candidate as the next Demon King if she feels that person is worthy of inheriting the title. Kamito is the first potential candidate she has come into contact with who was not overwhelmed by the Demon King's power within them. Her personality is that of a mischievous, caring young woman fond of pranks but can be deadly serious when the situation calls for it. Like Est she cares very deeply for Kamito and is jealous that Est is also Kamito's contracted spirit. Restia's contract circle isn't described but is located on Kamito's left hand which he usually covers with a leather glove. As no two Spirit Contract symbols are alike this could expose his identity as Ren Ashbell whose Spirit Contract symbol is as well known as Ashbell is.

Ordesian Empire

Greyworth Ciel Mais (グレイワース・シェルマイス, Gureiwāsu Sherumaisu)

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara

Greyworth is the principal and director of the Areishia Spirit Academy and a former member of the Ordesia Empire's Numbers, an organization of elites. She is also known as the "Dusk Witch". She has the appearance of a beautiful woman in her early twenties with ash-blonde hair and gray eyes. She won the Blade Dance 24 years prior to the beginning of the story with her demon spirit, Void. She wished for immortality and youth. She met Kamito soon after he escaped the destruction of the Instructional School when he was contracted to kill her. She took him in and trained him in the sword techniques that allowed him to win the Blade Dance the following year. In the present, she summons Kamito to Areishia Spirit Academy where she enrolls him as a transfer and forces him to participate in the current Blade Dance.

Freya Grandol (フレイヤ・グランドル, Fureiya Gurandoru)

Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu

Freya is a teacher at Areishia Spirit Academy. She is Raven Class's homeroom lecturer and a shadow spirit elementalist. She is also the manager of the academy's Astral Gate. She appears to be in her mid-twenties and has long black hair. She uses her ability to travel between shadows to gather information for Greyworth. As a member of the Spirit Research Agency Freya has traveled and performed field work across the continent.

Instructional School

The Instructional School was a secret academy run by powerful but unknown people from the Empire for the express purpose of training children to become emotionless assassins. The children raised at the Instructional School were usually orphans, abandoned for various reasons or kidnapped. The school was destroyed by an extremely powerful fire spirit and those children who were not killed or did not escape on their own were taken into the care of the Ordesian Empire.

Muir Alenstarl (ミュア・アレンスタール, Myua Arensutāru)

Muir was the second most powerful assassin at the Instructional School after Kamito. She was born in a small village on the border of the Empire. Even though she was not of noble blood, she was found to possess the ability to contract with spirits and for this she was treasured. On her fourth birthday she was presented to the village's guardian spirit in hopes that she would form a contract with it and so allow the village to prosper. Unknown to the villagers, Muir's ability could only cause spirits she encountered to go berserk. As a result, the guardian spirit ran amok and destroyed the village and itself in the process. Vilified, Muir was abandoned and picked up by the Instructional School, where she was taught nothing but slaughter techniques, given the Cursed Armament Seal called "Jester's Vice", which allowed her some measure of control over the spirits she encountered, and became known as a Monster. She has a child-like personality and likes to do things as the whim takes her without regards for anyone else. Since she was born with a power which the world rejects, she has chosen to reject the world in turn and is merciless against those who oppose her will, with the exception of Kamito, whom she refers to as Onii-sama. In fact, one might call Muir obsessed with Kamito who tried to befriend her when she arrived at the Instructional School, but when she refused friendship offered to think of her as a younger sister.

Lily Flame (リリィ・フレイム, Riryi Fureimu)

Lily is an Elfim assassin with jade-green hair, red eyes and pointy ears. She was ranked as the sixth strongest at Instructional School and worked closely with Muir and Kamito, where she was in charge of information gathering. Lily has contracted with Titania, a plant spirit with many different types of poisons and chemicals to wear down its opponents that have been touched by its spines. :Following the destruction of the Instructional School, Lily was found by Rubia Elstein and swore loyalty to her because not only did Rubia value her abilities, but she treated Lily as a person worthy of respect rather than a disposable tool. Two years later, she was reunited with Muir and later became a member of Team Inferno.

Laurenfrost House

Judia Laurenfrost (ユーディア・ローレンフロスト, Yūdia Rōrenfurosuto)

She is the second daughter of Gryus Laurenfrost. Rinslet's younger sister. She took Rinslet's place to do a dance honoring the Water Elemental Lord Iseria Seaward, but made a mistake resulting her being imprisoned in eternal ice for punishment. No Water Spirit users have been able to melt the ice, and no offerings have been enough to pardon Judia. Feeling guilty for letting Judia take her place in the dance, Rinslet wants to win the Blade Dance to wish Judia forgiven and freed.

Turns out Judia didn't make a mistake, but during her dance the Darkness driving the Elemental Lords mad noticed her and used the ritual to send a piece of itself into her to control her. Unable to stop it from corrupting Judia, Iseria froze her to stop keep her from summoning the rest of the Darkness into the human world. However, Kamito is able to use Est to free Judia from the Darkness, but what damage to her body and mind is unknown as she's still out cold at the end of Light Novel 13 and is resting in bed.

Mirelle Laurenfrost (ミレーユ・ローレンフロスト, Mirēyu Rōrenfurosuto)

Rinslet's youngest sister. Looks a lot like a younger Rinslet, but hasn't shown any signs of forming a Spirit Contract yet.

Carol Nastassha (キャロル・ナスターシャ, Kyaroru Nasutāsha)

Voiced by: Manami Tanaka

She is Rinslet Laurenfrost's personal maid. Although Carol is quite useless as a maid, she understands her master very well and she is always there to support Rinslet. Carol often relays her master's true feelings to Kamito when Rinslet is not being honest. She is adept at talking Rinslet into taking care of her and doing things she should be doing for Rinslet. While she hasn't shown any skills expected for a maid, she seems to be accepted as a Laurenfrost maid as their only criterion seems to be that a maid is cute.

Media

Light novels

Bladedance of Elementalers is a light novel series written by Yū Shimizu with illustrations by Hanpen Sakura (volumes 1–14), Yuuji Nimura (14–16) and Kohada Shimesada (17–20). The first volume was published on December 24, 2010, under Media Factory's MF Bunko J, and the last on March 25, 2019. Twenty novels in the series and one extra have been released.

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Hyōju Issei was serialized from June 27, 2012, to January 27, 2017, in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive and compiled in six volumes. The first volume was released on February 23, 2013 and the last on March 23, 2017. In May 2014, Digital Manga licensed the manga for release in North America, and released the first volume on October 27, 2015. They did not release others.

Anime

It was one of five MF Bunko J light novel anime adaptations announced at Media Factory's Summer School Festival event on July 28, 2013. An anime television series adaptation by TNK aired from July 14 to September 29, 2014. The opening theme is "Kyoumei no True Force" (共鳴のTrue Force, Sympathy's True Force) performed by Hitomi Harada and the ending theme song is "Blade Dance" (精霊剣舞祭（ブレイドダンス）, Bureido Dansu) performed by Knee-Socks. Each BD release included a short special episode. Crunchyroll streamed the series, while Sentai Filmworks have licensed the series.