This article's content is marked as Mature The page Reinhard van Astrea contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature articles are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older.
If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page.
Sir Reinhard van Astrea (born Reinhard Astrea), also known as the Master Swordsman and the Knight Among Knights, is a supporting character in the 2014 Japanese dark fantasy light novel series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World and its 2014 manga & 2016 anime television series adaptations of the same name, a major character in the 2015 spin-off prequel light novel series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World Ex, and a minor character in the 2019 non-canon comedy crossover anime television series Isekai Quartet.
Reinhard van Astrea was the Master Swordsman, born to the line of the Hero, and the most powerful being in the world. He protected and served the Kingdom of Lugunica from all manner of threats and was the sworn knight of Felt, whom he aspired to place on the throne of the nation. Humble, courageous, kind, and selfless, Reinhard embodied the virtues expected of House Astrea. Privately however, he felt burdened by the expectations thrust upon him and the damage his position caused his relationships.
Reinhard's extraordinarily handsome face exuded a gallant aura.
Reinhard stood at exactly six feet tall, making him several inches taller than Subaru Natsuki. His most striking feature was his flaming red hair that shined as brightly as Felt's crimson eyes. His sparkling blue eyes portrayed a sense of confidence and recklessness. His slender frame featured an array of well-toned muscles, although they were usually hidden by his clothing. The Master Swordsman exuded an aura of gallantry, and, at a first glance, Reinhard gave off an intimidating air that indicated him as someone who was above the norm. His extraordinarily handsome face, which caught the eye of many women, further exemplified his magnificence.
As part of the House of Astrea, Reinhard's hair and eye color were traits passed down from the first Master Swordsman Reid Astrea, and, in Reinhard's case, inherited from his father Heinkel Astrea. However, the visual similarities between Reinhard and his father more-or-less ended there. Instead, many of Reinhard's features were taken from his beautiful mother Louanna. He shared the same jawline, cheek bones, nose, and eye shape as his mother. Felt once commented on the striking visual similarities between Astrea and the bed-bound beauty.
Reinhard's casual attire was nearly as regal as the uniform he wore as a member of the royal guard. It consisted of the well-made black shirt that he also wore as part of his uniform, white trousers with lilac cuffs, black shoes, black gloves, and a double-breasted white long coat with a cutaway front, rolled cuffs, lapels, and lilac lining. The crest of the House of Astrea was pictured on the upper part of Reinhard's left sleeve, and a black belt was fastened tightly around his waist.
Personality[]
At his core, Reinhard was a kind, modest, and selfless man. He did not hesitate to help those in need, regardless of whether their troubles were more important than his own or were not worth his time. Despite being off duty, Reinhard saved Subaru Natsuki's life as soon as he heard a cry for help, showing no unwillingness to do so. Furthermore, upon noticing the young man was a foreigner he offered to help him in anyway he could instead of leaning towards caution like many citizens of Lugunica would at the time. He even enthusiastically promised to deliver a message for the boy despite there being no incentive for him to do so. Reinhard believed that it was his duty as a knight to protect and nurture the public in anyway he could, attributing his selflessness and kindness to this belief. He has been called a "knight among knights."
Despite being the most powerful being in existence, a fact Reinhard was well aware of, Reinhard did not suffer from excessive hubris or even the pride that infected so many of his brothers-in-arms. When saving Subaru, he was quick to nurture any inferiority Subaru might've felt by assuring him that he wouldn't've been able to deal with the thugs if he was alone. As a knight, the Master Swordsman maintained a code of chivalry which included the belief that he shouldn't harm women; nevertheless, he neglected this in life-threatening scenarios as he was willing to fight both the Bowel Hunter and the Sin Archbishop of Wrath. Furthermore he showed willingness to bend his code when the situation required it, choosing to ignore Felt's crimes on Emilia's request when he should've apprehended her.
Although hesitant, Reinhard was willing to practice lethal force on his opponents in the event it was absolutely necessary. An example of this was when he killed the Volakian spy Miles for trying to escape Lugunica atop a flying dragon after Reinhard had ordered him to disembark. Despite the role his paternal grandparents played in the Demi-Human War, as well as the general anti-demi-human policy employed by citizens of Lugunica, Reinhard held no discrimination against those of half-beast ancestry.
Powers & Abilities[]
Powers[]
Energy Absorption: All human beings were born with a gate, a metaphysical apparatus within a person's body that autonomously absorbed the ambient magical energy that existed in the atmosphere and stored it in the individual's od (soul). A person could then use their stored magical energy to cast magic, though only if they were trained to do so. Reinhard Astrea was born with a defective gate. Whereas most gates acted like funnels, drawing in mana and expelling it as its owner saw fit, Reinhard's gate was incapable of expelling the magical energy he naturally absorbed. As a result, Astrea was incapable of using magic. Reinhard could draw such a colossal amount of mana from the atmosphere that the space around him became distorted, lowering the surrounding temperature and light level. Any mages within a certain vicinity of him, including spirits, were unable to use magic. He was able to consciously control the level of mana he absorbed, and so when not intent on fighting, or when it was necessary for a nearby mage to use their spells, Astrea kept his absorption rate low.
Life Absorption:
Reinhard putting Felt to sleep by absorbing her life-force.
Astrea was able to absorb magical energy directly from other individuals, either by indiscriminately absorbing all of the mana around him or by specifically targeting a person. Even after having their magical energy supply exhausted, a person could still use magic because their body automatically converted their life-force itself into mana. As a result, by absorbing too much mana from an individual, Reinhard was able to drain their life-force. Doing so typically caused physical weakness in his target, to the point that Reinhard could put someone to sleep or even kill them simply by draining their mana. Because of his fine control, it was unlikely for him to accidentally kill someone.
Energy Projection: If he poured enough magical energy into a weapon, Reinhard could use it to create a massive magical discharge that split the fabric of space and completely obliterated the target of the attack. However, unless it was his divine blade, the weapon Reinhard unleashed the attack with would subsequently disintegrate under the strain it had been placed through. The wave of energy would usually obliterate the surrounding area as well. Elsa Granhiert and Regulus Corneas were both able to survive Reinhard's wave of destructive power. By using the indestructible Dragon Sword to absorb mana, Reinhard could drain an amount of magical energy far surpassing the usual amount that any other weapon could absorb without deteriorating. As such, the blasts of energy projected using the drawn Dragon Sword were capable of incredible feats of destruction to the point that it could vaporise the Beast of the End Puck with a single strike.
Physical Augmentation: Casting magic was not the only application of mana. A popular technique among noteworthy warriors was "Mana Flow," which consisted of an individual enhancing their physical capabilities by channelling their magical energy throughout their body. Though Reinhard van Astrea's defective gate stopped him from outputting magical energy, he was still able to use his mana internally like other warriors. Thanks to the ginormous amount of mana he possessed, the Master Swordsman was able to use Mana Flow to increase his physical properties to an utterly immense level. At his full power, he was likely unmatched in physical terms. However, because Mana Flow was reliant on its user's magical energy, Astrea was unable to utilize his maximum power whenever he was not absorbing mana from the surrounding atmosphere for whatever reason.
Superhuman Reflexes: Reinhard van Astrea had exceptionally honed reflexes, to the point that he could perceive and react to phenomena almost instantaneously. His unparalleled reaction speed could be attributed to a culmination of his Mana Flow usage, his Divine Protections, and his talent and experience as a warrior. The Master Swordsman's reaction speed was so transcendent that he could effortlessly perceive the movements of the quickest fighters of all time, and could even react to attacks launched at the speed of light. Due to his experience, he was also able to react instinctively to attacks that he was unable to perceive otherwise.
Superhuman Strength:
Reinhard using his immense strength to part the flow of the air.
Due to Mana Flow, the Master Swordsman possessed an immense level of physical strength that belied his size. He was capable of effortlessly destroying flesh, bone, and even sturdier materials like rock and steel with his bare hands, and could create tremors and shockwaves with the simplest of movements. Astrea's strength was so devastating that he could launch his opponents tremendous distances, even if they weighed hundreds of kilograms. It was possible for him to use his bare arms and legs in place of a sword and still cleave almost anyone or anything with a single attack. Reinhard was also able to leap enormous distances. On one occasion, he managed to return to Lugunica from the moon in just a few short minutes by making a single jump.
Self-Power Bestowal: A "Divine Protection" was a type of blessing, theorized to be bestowed by the will of the world itself, that a person was born with. Ordinarily, Divine Protections were exceedingly rare and people would only have a maximum of one of them. Reinhard Astrea was an exceptional exception however, as he was born with a unique ability to gain Divine Protections by simply wanting them. He could obtain copies of blessings that already existed, and seemingly had no limit to the number of Divine Protections he could possess. As a result of his unique ability, Reinhard was considered to be the most powerful entity in history. Even as a child, his mere existence changed the political climate of Lugunica and the other great nations. Reinhard was capable of destroying the entire world with ease if he wanted.
Auto-Evasion: Reinhard had a number of Divine Protections that allowed him to supernaturally evade and/or reflexively predict his opponent's attacks.
Reinhard instinctively deflecting the Bowel Hunter's fast-paced attacks.
The first-sight blessing ensured that Reinhard instinctively knew how to avoid and/or defend from any attacks he hadn't previously encountered, including ambushes. The twice-seen blessing allowed Reinhard to avoid or otherwise counter an attack he'd witnessed before as long as he was physically capable of doing so. Additionally, another blessing caused all projectiles directed at Reinhard to teeter of course, meaning he couldn't be hit by ranged attacks. Grouped together, the three blessings essentially meant that almost all attacks automatically failed to strike the Master Swordsman unless he desired them to. Lastly, another Divine Protection prevented Astrea from ever being struck by lightning.
Energy Resistance: Several Divine Protections provide Reinhard with various resistances and immunities to different forms of magic. Curses and weakening magic had no effect on the Master Swordsman, although neither did any form of strengthening magic, as eighty-percent of all strengthening magic cast on Reinhard was automatically bestowed on an ally of his. Eighty-percent of magical attacks derived from the six magical elements were either dispersed or neutralized in some form. Crusch Karsten's Divine Protection, that allowed her to read the emotions of others to a certain extent, apparently had no affect on Reinhard.
Intuitive Aptitude: Several Divine Protections allowed Reinhard to innately understand the complexity and exactness of certain things. He automatically gained mastery of any weapon he held and naturally understood the purpose and applications of any item he held, regardless of how obscure they were. He could ride any animal as a mount with masterful skill, regardless of its size or shape. Furthermore, other Protections allowed him to never get sugar and salt mixed up and always know what clothes would suit an individual regardless of the occasion. Anything he cooked, regardless of his methods, would automatically come out delicious. Lastly, one of his Divine Protections allowed him to completely understand the Protections of others just by looking at them.
Mind Manipulation: Reinhard van Astrea had two Divine Protections related to interaction with the minds of other people. One of his Protections allowed him to telepathically share his internal thoughts with others over long distances, who in turn could share their thoughts with him. Another blessing, which he received at age four, allowed him to control or otherwise influence the minds of others. The latter Divine Protection was a rare blessing and was considered incredibly dangerous.
Self-Resurrection: In the highly unlikely event that Astrea was killed or suffered an otherwise unnatural death, he owned a Divine Protection called the blessing of the phoenix which would resurrect him shortly after his death with all of his wounds completely recovered. The blessing of the phoenix could only be used once, though after it activated following Reinhard's death at the hands of Regulus Corneas he simply wished for a replacement blessing which worked identically to the original.
Superhuman Speed: Thanks to a particular Divine Protection, Reinhard was capable of moving and registering objects moving at speeds that far exceeded the capabilities of any ordinary person or animal. His speed was such that he could easily register and avoid the movements of opponents such as Elsa Granhiert and Cecils Segmund, the latter of which could move at speeds akin to a bolt of lightning (one third of the speed of light). An additional bonus of the Protection ensured that any mount Reinhard happened to ride was automatically capable of moving at the same speed as he could until he dismounted.
Superhuman Stealth: All of Reinhard's movements, due to a Protection he received at birth, were completely silent. The ability was passive, meaning Reinhard didn't have to think about acting stealthily to do so. Individuals with an enhanced sense of hearing could not detect Reinhard's approach, even if he wasn't trying to go unnoticed. Felix Argyle, a demi-human with enhanced hearing, noted that Astrea was the only person who had ever successfully snuck up on him.
Weather Empowerment: Reinhard had several Divine Protections that bequeathed him with additional power depending on the weather and the time of day. To be more specific, Reinhard's power increased under the effects of clear skies, rainy skies, morning skies, and night skies.
Equipment[]
Dragon Sword Reid: The Dragon Sword Reid was created eons ago by an anonymous blacksmith who used the finest steel and the finest techniques to forge the blade. Upon its creation, the Sword was blessed by the Sword God himself, meaning it could only be wielded by those fine warriors the deity deemed worthy. Of all the renowned, blessed, and enchanted blades that exited in the world, the Dragon Sword Reid was considered the greatest. The Dragon Sword receive its name from its first known wielder—the first Master Swordsman Reid Astrea, who, during his life, used the enchanted blade to butcher thousands of dragons. The legendary blade was widely-acclaimed for its incredible sharpness and indestructability. After Reid's passing, the blade was inherited by each generation's Master Swordsman, until it came into Reinhard's possession. Due to the Sword God's blessing, Reinhard could only draw it against a truly worthy opponent. Thus far, Astrea has only been able to draw the blade against three individuals: the Blue Lightning of Volakia Cecils Segmund, the previous Master Swordsman Theresia van Astrea, and an undisclosed individual. Additionally, in a possible alternate reality, the Master Swordsman was able to draw the blade against the Beast of the End Puck. Although he couldn't wield the blade most of the time, Reinhard could use its sheath which was indestructible like the blade itself. Additionally, the Dragon Sword was a piece included in the Ten Swords of Power, a set of ten incredibly powerful blades considered to be the finest in existence. The twin swords Murasame and Masayume wielded by Cecils Segmund and the Bright Sword Volakia wielded by Emperor Vincent Volakia and Priscilla Barielle were also counted among the Swords of Power.
That's enough! Looks like I cut it pretty close, but I'm glad I made it in time. Now... what do you say? Shall we put an end to this?
„
~ Reinhard entering the loothouse.
“
Subaru: Reinhard? But... how? Reinhard: Hello there Subaru, seems we meet again. Sorry I'm late.
„
~ Reinhard greeting Subaru in the loothouse.
“
The Bowel Hunter: Aren't you going to use that sword at your hip? Love the chance to experience its legendary sharpness first-hand. Reinhard: This sword can only be drawn at times when its truly needed. The fact that it hasn't left its sheath as of yet means that this is not one of those times.
„
~ Reinhard explaining his legendary sword to the Bowel Hunter.
“
The Bowel Hunter: What are you going to show me? Reinhard: The Swordplay of the Astrea Family. Elsa: You're facing the Bowel Hunter, Miss Elsa Granhiert. Reinhard: Master Swordsman's line, I'm Reinhard van Astrea.
„
~ Reinhard and Elsa honourably introducing themselves before the former's final attack.
“
Subaru: Hunting monsters is your speciality, my ass! Look at this place, you're a monster yourself, ya freak! Reinhard: Even I'm a bit hurt by a cruel comment like that, Subaru.
„
~ Subaru berated Reinhard for his reckless use of power.
“
Subaru: Oh, yeah, and Reinhard... I haven't thanked you yet. You saved my ass! You saved it back in the alley, too. Guess you just have a way of knowing when I could really use some help. Reinhard: If I had the ability to do that, I'd certainly be proud. This friend of your's... I found her running around the streets quite frightened and desperate, and she asked for my help so I came here.
„
~ Reinhard informed Subaru about Felt's involvement in the rescue.
“
Sorry, Miss Emilia, but I'm afraid that I can't keep my promise to you at this time. I'll be taking this girl with me for further questioning.
„
~ Reinhard apologised for going back on his word.
List of Appearances[]
Light Novel
Ex Volume 5: The Tale of the Scarlet Princess[]
Vermillion Swordwolf (Indirectly mentioned only)
Ex Volume 1: The Dream of the Lion King[]
Chapter 4: Felix Argyle's Curse
Ex Volume 4: The Great Journeys[]
Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − Diplomacy by Bloodshed
Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − The Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Lightning
Volume 1[]
Chapter 4: Fourth Time's the Charm (First appearance)
Chapter 3: The Meaning of Courage (Mentioned only)
Volume 4[]
Chapter 2: Blessings, Reunions, and Promises (Mentioned only)
Chapter 3: On the Very Worst of Terms
Chapter 4: The Candidates for the Throne and Their Knights
Chapter 5: Subaru Natsuki, the Self-Proclaimed Knight
Volume 5[]
Chapter 1: A Decaying Mind (Appears in flashback(s))
Chapter 3: A Disease Called Despair (Mentioned only)
Volume 6[]
Chapter 2: A Pig's Greed (Mentioned only)
Chapter 3: The Maw of the White Whale (Mentioned only)
Chapter 4: Won't Let Me Say the Words (Mentioned only)
Volume 7[]
Chapter 1: The Dealt Card (Mentioned only)
Chapter 2: Eve of the Decisive Battle (Mentioned only)
Chapter 6: The Road to the Mathers Domain (Mentioned only)
Volume 12[]
Chapter 5: Ending List (Appears in vision(s))
Volume 15[]
Chapter 4: Next Time, I'm Sure We'll Have Tea (Voice only in vision(s))
Volume 20[]
Prologue: Moonlight Capriccio (Mentioned only)
Chapter 1: A Hideous Banquet (Mentioned only)
Chapter 3: A Warrior's Acclaim (Mentioned only)
Chapter 4: The Love Song of the Sword Devil—Fragment
Chapter 5: Theresia van Astrea
Chapter 6: The Results of the Battle for Pristella (Mentioned only)
Chapter 7: Ripples on the Surface
Volume 21[]
Prologue: On the Road (Mentioned only)
Chapter 1: A Reason to Bring You (Mentioned only)
Chapter 2: Overcome Sand Time! (Mentioned only)
Volume 22[]
Chapter 1: The Great Pleiades Library (Mentioned only)
Chapter 2: A White Sky Asterism (Mentioned only)
Chapter 4: Stick Swinger (Mentioned only)
Chapter 6: Recommendations for Living Together in a Tower (Mentioned only)
Volume 24[]
Chapter 3: —Stand Up (Mentioned only)
Volume 25[]
Chapter 2: Subaru Natsuki (Mentioned only)
Chapter 6: Good Loser (Mentioned only)
Anime Adaptation
Episode 2: Reunion with the Witch (First appearance)
Episode 3: Starting Life from Zero in Another World
Episode EX: Memory Snow
Episode 12: Return to the Capital
Episode 13: Self-Proclaimed Knight Subaru Natsuki
Episode 14: The Sickness Called Despair
Episode 16: The Greed of a Pig (Mentioned only)
Episode 37: The Witches' Tea Party (Appears in vision(s))
Episode 46: Reunion of Roars (Mentioned only)
Episode 48: Love Me Down to My Blood and Guts (Voice only in vision(s))
Episode 51: Theatrical Malice
Episode 52: A Showdown of Fire and Ice
Episode 54: Operation: Take Back the Government Office
Episode 55: A Dark Torrent
Episode 57: The Newest of Heroes and the Most Ancient of Heroes
Episode 58: The One I'll Love Someday
Manga Adaptation
Chapter 1: A Day in the Capital[]
Episode 4: The Bitter Taste of Alcohol (First appearance)
Episode 7: The "Master Swordsman" (First full appearance) (First identified as Reinhard)
Episode 10: The Power of the Master Swordsman (First identified as van Astrea)
Episode 11: Starting Life in Another World
Chapter 2: A Week at the Mansion[]
Episode 0: A So-called Summoning to Another World
Chapter 3: Truth of Zero[]
Episode 1: A Gentle, Early Morning (Mentioned only)
Episode 2: The Orange Girl (Mentioned only)
Episode 3: Shared Homeland (Mentioned only)
Episode 4: The Royal Selection Begins
Episode 5: Statement of Conviction
Episode 6: The Silver-Haired Witch's Request
Episode 7: Subaru Natsuki, the Self-Proclaimed Knight
Episode 8: The Self-Declared Knight and the Knight Proper
Episode 16: Immature Negotiating (Mentioned only)
Episode 21: Entreaty (Appears in flashback(s))
Isekai Quartet
Episode 10: Join In! Rivals (First appearance)
Episode 11: Work Together! Field Day
Episode 12: Band Together! Quartet
Episode 17: Work Hard! Valentine's Day
Episode 20: Challenge! Part Time Job
Episode 21: Investigate! First Errand
Episode 23: It Begins! School Festival
Episode 24: The Show Begins! Showtime
Trivia[]
Reinhard's birthday was on the first of January, which also happens to be New Year's Day.
According to the author, Reinhard van Astrea was the most handsome character in the series.
Reinhard's favorite color was, rather befittingly, red. He liked it because of how it sparkled and stood out.
According to the author, Reinhard was named after Reinhard von Lohengramm from Legend of the Galactic Heroes. The name "Reinhard" itself originated from the Germanic words "ragin" (meaning counsel) and "hart" (meaning strong), the latter of which was a trait keenly shown by the Master Swordsman.
In Greek mythology, Astraea was a goddess representing the concepts of justice, innocence, purity, and precision. The author of the series likely garnered inspiration from Astraea when naming the House of Astrea, as the family exemplified many of the traits exhibited by the goddess. Reinhard in particular personified the traits of justice and purity almost perfectly.
Yuichi Nakamura and Robbie Daymond, Reinhard's Japanese and English voice actors respectively, also share the role of Mumen Rider in One Punch Man. Interestingly, both Reinhard and Mumen Rider are widely acclaimed heroes of the people who have an unwavering sense of personal justice and would readily sacrifice their own needs to protect and nurture others. Furthermore, both characters are arguably the most virtuous characters in their respective franchises.
There are several similarities between Reinhard and Satoru Gojo from the supernatural manga series Jujutsu Kaisen. Both were considered to be the most powerful individuals in their respective franchises, neither were corrupted by their absolute power and had a strong sense of justice, both were born into legendary families well practiced in their respective fields, both had friendly personalities and were easy to get along with, both had hereditary powers, both mentored other characters (Reinhard taught Ton, Chin, and Kan and Satoru was a teacher), both were considered attractive, and both were voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in the Japanese versions of their respective anime adaptations.
In Isekai Quartet, Reinhard's strength is often played for laughs, as is the sheer quantity of Divine Protections he has. Among his gag Divine Protections were a Protection that ensured him victory in any tug-of-war game, a Protection that protected him against Kazuma Satou's Steal ability, and a Protection that allowed him to shove his burdens onto other people.
Heroes
Heroes