The Shadow Angels (堕天翅族 Datenshi-zoku, lit. "degenerate heaven wing clan"), also known simply as Angels, are the main antagonists of Genesis of Aquarion. Several of the shadow angels shown in the anime series were frozen in the OVA.
Shadow Angels are supernatural beings that are born from the Tree of Life. They take many forms, ranging from human-like to creatures straight out of mythology and beyond. The trait they all have in common is the presence of wings, which may be feathery like a bird's or diaphanous like an insect's. Shadow Angels possess many supernatural powers, such as astral projection, phasing through matter, levitation, and telepathy.
Shadow Angels are psychologically similar to human beings: they feel pain and sorrow, they deeply care about their own, and they will take revenge on those who harm them. Despite this, Shadow Angel are racist toward human beings, and do not consider them to be sapient beings in their own right. In fact, they do not actually understand that humans are capable of thinking and feeling at all, and think nothing of slaughtering them and using them as cattle. The few Angels who have had their preconceptions shattered were horrified by the immorality of their previous actions toward human beings.
Shadow Angels do not need to eat, instead relying on the energy from the Tree of Life. They do not usually speak verbally and prefer to use telepathy, though they do use their mouths to sing. The voice of an Angel can be used as a dangerous weapon by itself.
Shadow Angels exist beyond human concepts of gender. While they may appear masculine or feminine, and even crossbreed with human beings, they are actually hermaphroditic, capable of both impregnating and being impregnated. Their wings can apparently serve as genitalia for this purpose. Despite this, their primary (and possibly only) method of reproducing their own species is through the Tree of Life. With the death of the Tree of Life, the Shadow Angels were practically extinct by the time of Aquarion EVOL.
List[]
- Angel of Massacre Apollonius: He was a Shadow Angel before he fell in love with Celiane. He was murdered by Scorpius, but his soul was grafted into the Aquarion, earning him the title of Solar Wing. In the first episode he was the one who taught Apollo how to merge, and would sometimes help him pilot the Aquarion. The other Shadow Angels call him "The Betrayer."
- Winged Hound Pollon: He was the loyal companion of Apollonius. When Apollonius betrayed the Shadow Angels, Pollon chose to stick by him and because of this, eventually developed a crush on the human princess Celiane.
- Exalted Angel Toma: He was the lover of Apollonius before he fell in love with Celiane and defeated the Shadow Angels. Toma places himself in suspended animation and is awoken 12,000 years later. Even after so long, Toma could never forgive Apollonius for betraying their people, but hidden, even intimate feelings for him linger from within.
- Elder Angel Johannes: He is the eldest and maybe leader of the Shadow Angels, Johannes' face is never revealed. His body is draped in robes and chains and wears a metal mask. While he appears to be missing the bottom half of his body, Johannes constantly suspends himself from the ceiling in the main altar of Atlandia.
- Warrior Angel Moroha: A Shadow Angel warrior "who knows no equal," Moroha is the only Shadow Angel who enjoys fighting. He prides himself as being the strongest warrior alive and enjoys toying with his opponents, gauging their strength. Unlike the other Shadow Angels, Moroha resembles an insect; he has six eyes (the bottom four covered by a thick grey scarf), horns and insect-like wings on his back that don't seem to have feathers.
- Musical Angel Otoha: Toma's faithful servant, she loves him deeply and dispises Apollonius and Celiane, not only because they destroyed Atlandia 12,000 years ago, but also because their love broke Toma's heart. She is the only female angel.
- Child Angel Futaba : The only child angel who survived Atlantis' destruction 12,000 years before. His wings are located at his ankles. He loves to "play" with the "Wingless Ones", or humans, unknowingly causing destruction and harm.
- Archetypical Angel Lensi : He is the architect of the Shadow Angels, he designs and creates the countless number of Cherubim Soldiers DEAVA does battle with. It is said Lensi possesses the fingers of God. He have his wings in the head behind the hears.
- Information Angel Shila : This Shadow Angel has a body double sphinx, one with a blue body, mane blue and red mark on his forehead, and the other a black body, gray face and mane and the red mark on his forehead. He is very wise and often reprimend Futaba, who, however, never listens to his advice and is eventually captured by the New United Nations.
- Berserk Angel Golshi : He has the appearance of a monstrous giant, who never speaks, but is expressed only through animalistic growls and verses. Has wings on his head as if it were a ridge.
Trivia[]
- The Shadow Angels' name is a pun in the original Japanese. Though both words are pronounced as Tenshi, the kanji for "angel" is traditionally written 天使 (lit. "heaven messenger") whereas Aquarion substitutes 天翅 (lit. "heaven wing").