Crusch Karsten

Duchess Crusch Karsten, also known as the Valkyrie of the Karsten Lands, is a major character in the 2014 Japanese dark fantasy light novel series and its 2014 manga & 2016 anime television series adaptations of the same name, and a major character in the 2015 spin-off prequel light novel series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World Ex.
Crusch Karsten was the daughter of the nobleman Meckart Karsten and his late wife Helena. Growing up among the nobles of Lugunica, Crusch's first friend was Prince Fourier Lugunica, the fourth son of the King of Lugunica. As a young girl she also rescued a boy named Felix Argyle from his abusive parents, and found a constant companion and attendant in him. When Crusch was a young adult, tragedy struck as the entire Lugunican Royal Family contracted a mysterious illness and passed away. Fourier was among those to die, and his death left both Crusch and Felix utterly heartbroken.
With the death of the Royal Family, a prophecy emerged that five women would be chosen as potential candidates to become the next monarch of Lugunica. Karsten was among the prophesized Royal Candidates, and vowed to forge a nation her beloved Prince Fourier would've liked to see. With Felix as her knight, Crusch began amassing supporters to her cause for her inevitable bid for power. She was even able to enlist the servitude of Wilhelm van Astrea, the fabled Sword Devil, under the condition that Crusch help him hunt and defeat the fearsome White Whale.
Shortly after the formal beginning of the three-year long Royal Selection, Karsten allied with a member of her political rival Emilia's faction. Subaru Natsuki, the servant of Emilia in question, offered to help Karsten in her endeavour to destroy the White Whale if she offered him military support in ridding Emilia's territory of Witch Cultists. With valuable information provided by Natsuki, Karsten led an expedition that was able to kill the ancient White Whale.
With the Whale vanquished, Karsten accompanied the wounded soldiers back to Lugunica's capital while Natsuki led the remaining warriors to combat the Witch Cult. However, on route back to the capital, the convoy was attacked by two of the Witch Cult's leaders the Sin Archbishops Lye Batenkaitos and Regulus Corneas. Batenkaitos, who was a Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, used his Authority of Gluttony to devour Crusch's memories, rendering her an amnesiac with no memories of her past.
Despite the setback, the amnesiac Crusch resolved to still participate in the Royal Selection, even though she couldn't remember Fourier and the promise she'd made in his memory.
Crusch Karsten is voiced by in the Japanese version of the anime and by in the English version. Harlacher's other heroic roles include Kurapika in Hunter x Hunter, Shinobu Kocho in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Violet Evergarden in Violet Evergarden, Jeanne d'Arc in Fate/Apocrypha, Ann Takamaki in Persona 5, Elizabeth Liones in The Seven Deadly Sins, Sukuyo Mankanshoku in Kill la Kill, Kaede Akamatsu in the Danganronpa games, Asseylum Vers Allusia in Aldnoah.Zero, Ayesha Altugle in Atelier Ayesha, Komasan in Yo-kai Watch, Mimori Tōgō in Yuki Yuna is a Hero, Kozue Tanabe in Squid Girl, Bubbleisha in Shopkins, Videl in the Bang Zoom! dub of Dragon Ball Super, and Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Geddon.
==Appearance==
As a child, Crusch Karsten maintained a posture that reflected both refinement and beauty. Her pale white skin and almond-shaped amber eyes helped exemplify her charming looks. Crusch's long verdant green hair was tied up in a ponytail with a light-pink bow. She wore an elegant grass-green dress of fine make that complimented her appearance perfectly and a necklace of pearls. Shortly after meeting Fourier, Crusch stopped tying her hair back and began wearing more refined masculine clothing.
When in battle, Crusch ties her hair into a pony tail for ease of movement. She has been described as incredibly beautiful by multiple people. Karsten tends to dress like a man, although when she wears a dress she is described as giving off an entirely different impression.
In most formal matters Crusch wears a blue military uniform with a matching overcoat. The suit has golden epaulets and a red flower adorned on her chest. While in battle she wears a set of steel armor with a long red cape. Currently Crusch is infected by Capella's Authority, covering her body with black veins.
==Personality==
While normally calm and serious, Crusch is honest, sincere, right, being a type of person who is destined to stand above others, though she has talent and has worked hard to reach where she is now. She is already the head of her family, finishing her work better than her father. She prefers to act herself and has the pride of a warrior. Crusch is also gentle, often believing the false knowledge jokingly told to her by Ferris, and sometimes displays an air-headed side. Like her mother Helena Karsten, she is shown to be ruthless and reckless.
Crusch is also dense toward any feelings of love above kindness, often not understanding why certain people behave a certain way, such as when she sometimes didn't understand Fourier's behavior. However, this only applies to feelings of love directed towards herself, as she has been shown to comment on the feelings of others.
Due to the heavy responsibilities placed on her shoulders, Crusch neglected many personal indulgences such as falling in love. During the subjugation of the White Whale, Karsten felt her heart flare at the sight of Subaru Natsuki's courageous actions. She went as far as to convey this information to the man himself, only to reassure him that her heart was aligned with her goals alone, leaving no room for any feelings of romantic love.
Because of the time she spent with Fourier, she has strong feelings concerning the Lion King, a title formerly owned by the first king who made the pledge with Volcanica.
Currently Crusch has had her memories eaten, making her become amnesic. Despite this, she shows a strong minded side, vowing to become much more of a person than she previously was. In addition to this, she is infected by Capella's dragon blood.
==Powers & Abilities==
===Powers===
*Extrasensory Perception: A Divine Protection was a type of rare blessing bestowed upon lucky individuals at birth by the will of the world itself. Karsten was one such individual, being blessed with a skill known as the blessing of wind reading. Wind reading allowed her to perceive the flow of the air around her. By perceiving the air, Karsten could detect things around her that would usually be obscured from the naked eye. The air that blew around an individual functioned like a kind of aura for that individual. By observing an individual's aura, Karsten could perceive their emotions and even detect whether or not they were trying to deceive her. As a result, wind reading was highly useful in political scenarios where knowing another party's intentions was of paramount importance.
===Abilities===
*Swordsmanship: From her youth, Crusch Karsten trained in the art of the sword. The many years of painstaking training Crusch subjected herself to transformed her into a might swordsman. Her skill with the blade was considerable, so much so that she bested ten pirates simultaneously with her trusty sword. Karsten's mastery surpassed that of Fourier Lugunica's, which was considered far above the swordsmanship displayed by an average young nobleman. After taking Wilhelm van Astrea under her employ, Crusch began taking lessons from him, presumably improving even further.
==List of Appearances==
Light Novel
===The Dream of the Lion King===
*Chapter 1: A Dream's Beginning
*Chapter 2: Felix Argyle Is a Pretty Boy
*Chapter 3: The Valkyrie of Duke Karsten's Lands
*Chapter 4: Felix Argyle's Curse
*Chapter 5: The Dream of the Lion King
===The Great Journeys===
*Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − Diplomacy by Bloodshed (Mentioned only)
*Record of the Days Before the Royal Selection − The Silver Flower Dance of the Sword Saint and the Lightning (Mentioned only)
===Volume 5===
*Chapter 1: A Decaying Mind
===Volume 6===
*Chapter 1: Immature Negotiations
===Volume 7===
*Chapter 1: The Dealt Card
===Volume 9===
*Interlude: A Brief Moment In A Dragon Carriage (Mentioned only)
*Interlude: Let Us Feast
*Chapter 6: To Each Their Vows
===Volume 10===
*Chapter 1: At the Place of Return
===Volume 15===
*Chapter 4: Next Time, I'm Sure We'll Have Tea (Voice only in vision)
Anime Adaptation
*Episode EX: Memory Snow
*Episode 12: Return to the Capital (First appearance)
*Episode 13: Self-Proclaimed Knight Natsuki Subaru
*Episode 14: The Sickness Called Despair
*Episode 15: The Outside of Madness
*Episode 18: From Zero (Appears in flashback)
*Episode 19: Battle Against the White Whale
*Episode 20: Wilhelm van Astrea
*Episode 21: A Wager That Defies Despair
*Episode 23: Nefarious Sloth (Mentioned only)
*Episode 26: Each One's Promise
*Episode 27: The Next Location
*Episode 28: The Long-Awaited Reunion (Mentioned only)
*Episode 30: A Step Forward (Mentioned only)
*Episode 32: Friend (Appears in flashback)
*Episode 48: Love Me Down to My Blood and Guts (Voice only in vision)
Manga Adaptation
===Chapter 3: Truth of Zero===
*Chapter 3: Shared Homeland (First appearance)
*Chapter 4: The Royal Selection Begins (First identified as Crusch Karsten)
*Chapter 5: Statement of Conviction
*Chapter 6: The Silver-Haired Witch's Request
*Chapter 7: Subaru Natsuki, the Self-Proclaimed Knight
*Chapter 8: The Self-Declared Knight and the Knight Proper
*Chapter 10: A Decaying Mind
*Chapter 11: A Situation in Motion
*Chapter 12: The Illness Called Despair (Appears in flashback)
*Chapter 13: On the Verge of Madness
*Chapter 16: Immature Negotiating
*Chapter 17: Encounter (Appears in flashback)
*Chapter 22: From Zero (Appears in flashback)
*Chapter 23: The Unplayed Card
*Chapter 24: Prelude
*Chapter 25: The Decisive Battle Begins
*Chapter 26: The Battle of the White Whale
*Chapter 27: Menace of the Mist
*Chapter 28: A Gamble to Defy Despair
*Chapter 29: The Truth Behind the Rampage
==Trivia==
*Crusch's birthday is April 4, and she is currently 21 years old.
*Crusch has a fear of heights.
*Her Japanese Voice Actress, Yuka Iguchi is best known for voicing as Index Librorum Prohibitorum from A Certain Magical Index series, Miku Kohinata from Senki Zesshou Symphogear, Hibari from Senran Kagura: Portrait of Girls, Cow Girl from Goblin Slayer, Maria Takayama from Haganai and Mine Kuramae from Fruits Basket (2019 Series).
==External Links==
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