Ash

"You've got a strong belief in yourself. Show me you can beat Phantom. I'll hand you the role of saving children's smiles."

―Ash to Ginta Toramizu

Ash
Japanese	アッシュ
Rōmaji	Asshu
Gender	Male
Status	Alive
Team	Chess Pieces
Class	Knight
ÄRMs	Walking Bomb Shadowman Split Parts Psycho Space Eingang Death
Seiyū (Japanese)	Katsuyuki Konishi
Voice Actor (English)	Christopher Smith

Ash (アッシュ, Asshu) is a recurring anti-villain and the 10th strongest Knight of the Chess Pieces.

Personality

Ash's personality is rather unusual in Chess Piece standards. Ash is both playful and fun-loving, despite wearing a mask of a Grim Reaper with its tongue sticking out. Ash prefers to solve matters without fighting, urging the other knights during a meeting not to deal with Rapunzel's insolence. Phantom himself, who is one of the Knights' more sadistic members, states that he could never hate Ash, as he is "just that sorta person". Ash is almost always seen enjoyably playing with children (usually Deff, Go, and Benni) when not fighting a battle. Galian also states that Ash is usually not one to give up in battle.

Ash's original design had little differences from his original one, the most notable being having a regular mask rather than a skull one.

History

Little is known about Ash's background. Ash joined the Chess Pieces in the hopes on using their immense power to conquer the world, ending all other wars countries might bring up, preventing the deaths of the children he loves.

Ash was among the Chess Pieces present at Phantom's revival.

Second Great MÄR-Heaven War

Ash rescued Defu, Ko, and Benni, three children whose village was destroyed by the Chess Pieces. Ash led them to a small cottage where they would be safe from any further Chess Piece attacks.

War Games

Ash was later seen with the entire Knights after the third round of the War Games. During a meeting with the other Knights shortly afterwards, Ash asked everyone not to fight amongst themselves when others were getting angry with Rapunzel.

When Team MÄR returned from Caldea, he is seen playing with Defu, Ko, and Benni. He approaches Team MÄR to request for Ginta Toramizu to fight him and that someone, later revealed to be Galian, wanted to fight Nanashi in the fifth round. Later that night, he tells Candice, who wanted to kill Ginta for harming Phantom in Caldea, that he's the one who will be fighting Ginta. Just before the fifth round, Ash is once again seen playing with children.

Round 5

While observing the match between Emokis and Princess Snow, Hamelin casually watches Candice smack Ash around for sympathizing with the princess.

As Candice limps back to the sidelines commenting that her fighting technique has become pitiful and ask Ash if he thinks Phantom will be mad. Ash reassures her that he wouldn't be and that she needn't worry about it, before turning to Hamelin and Emokis to scold them on their inappropriate treatment of children.

At the start of the battle Ginta readies Babbo but before he can use of of Babbo's forms Ash's torso separates from his legs, freaking out everyone on Team MÄR. The torso half comes flying toward Ginta and Babbo who run in terror from the dismembered torso. Ash separates his right arm from it's shoulder and grabs Ginta's head. It gives him a gentle pet on the head before delivering a powerful punch. Ginta ask what's with Ash and Ash explains that it's the Dimensional ÄRM, Split Parts. It allows the user to divide his body parts and move them about. Ash again rushes at Ginta with his left arm outstretched. Gina summons Hammer Arm and makes multiple attacks at Ash's torso, however his separated body avoids every attack with ease. Having avoided all of Ginta's attacks, Ash reforms his body.

Ginta, angry that Ash isn't taking the battle seriously, changes Babbo to Bubble Launcher. Ash counters by activating the Nature ÄRM, 3D Shadow, who absorbs the bubble at the same time it attacks Ginta. Ginta recognizes Ash's strength while Ash tells Ginta that he doesn't want to fight Ginta who is about the same age as his kids and that he loves children. A confused Ginta ask them why he would side with the Chess. Ash replies by saying that the Chess are strong and that if he wasn't with them then his children would be in danger. If the Chess rule the world then war will cease and there will be peace. Without war the children of the world wouldn't have to die. Ginta, enraged by Ash's answer, yells that he is wrong and the Chess have been killing children along with adults. Children won't be able to live in peace until the Chess are destroyed. Babbo agrees with Ginta that everything Ash has said is wrong. Ash explains to Ginta that since he is still a child that he doesn't understand. That no one can defeat Phantom and through this very war, peace will be achieved. Through the Chess, MÄR-Heaven will be made peaceful.

Ash activates his Dimension ÄRM, Psycho Space, saying that there are children in the audience and they shouldn't watch the rest of the battle going on from here. A dome begins to appear and surrounds both Ginta and Ash. Ginta begins to feel dizzy and mentions that it feels like his power is being depleted. Babbo agrees and notices it as well. Ash explains that through the power of Psycho Space the magic power of everyone within itis cut in half. Ash's body separates once again with Split Parts and his arm grabs Ginta's shoulder. From that touch a bomb appears above Ginta's shoulder. Ginta comments it looks like Babbo although Babbo is insulted by this comment and calls Ginta an insolent ass. Ash explains that it is a bomb, the Weapon ÄRM, Walking Bomb. He goes on saying that whenever someone takes damage the bomb will go over their head and will continue as the fight goes on, all the while growing larger until it finally goes boom. Ash informs Ginta that it's a "game" which he's never lost. Ginta tells Ash that it sounds like fun and that all Ginta will have to do is keep attacking. He charges at Ash and hits Ash in the face with Hammer Arm. Furthermore, Ash realizes that even though Ginta's magic power is cut in have, he still has great concentration and that this is perhaps why Phantom is so interested in him. Ash and Ginta exchange blows back and forth, Ash comments that the game has been fun but the size of the bomb indicates that it will explode soon.

Ash summons his Guardian ÄRM, Death. A masked guardian with four scythes for arms appears and attacks Ginta by launching it's scythes at Ginta, cutting him. The Walking Bomb appears in front of Ginta as the wick burns out and creates an enormous explosion. Ash simply tells Ginta that it's game over. Even though Ash is Ginta's opponent he still fears about the safety of a child and runs towards the explosion asking if Ginta is OK and making sure he isn't dead. Ginta informs Ash that he's alive in the safety of Cushion Jelly. Ash is glad that Ginta is alive by lectures him that his timing for using it was off and he still got injured but Ginta doesn't want his sympathy. Ash begs Ginta to give up so that he won't be killed while still a child, if Ginta gives up the world can be peaceful under the Chess's rule. Ginta recalls all of his encounters with Phantom: the death, the destruction and the cruelty. Ginta tells Ash that he's wrong, that Phantom doesn't want peace for MÄR-Heaven. He wants nothing but massacre and destruction. Ginta assures Ash that he will defeat Phantom so there is no way he'll lose to Ash. Ash quickly notices that even though Ginta's magic is cut in half his power is gradually increasing. Ginta summons Gargoyle while Ash counters with Death. Ash is disappointed that Ginta still doesn't understand and that he'll have to knock some sense into Ginta. Death once again sends his scythes at Ginta hitting him. Ginta once again informs Ash that he is in the wrong and that the Chess have no desire to see children smile. At the same time Gargoyle charges and fires its beam at Death, rending the guardian in two. The beam goes on and shatters the Psycho Space.

Ash briefly removes his mask, revealing his face.

The team is glad to see Ginta alive and Ash finally sees Ginta's conviction, challenging him to defeat Phantom and entrusting him with the smiles on all the children. Admitting defeat, Babbo remarks to Ash on how weird he is since he can still fight. Ash replies that it doesn't matter so long as children are happy. Ash then removes his mask and reveals his face, sticking his tongue out as he tells Ginta that he's counting on him. Ginta grins, giving a peace gesture, and Ash puts his mask back on in satisfaction and walks back to his teammates. After the exchange Ginta is declared the winner only for a portal to appear, as Galian appears he surprisingly mentions that someone actually made Ash lose his fighting spirit.

Aftermath

Returning to Lestava Castle after the fifth round, the Knights are called into Phantom's room for a meeting. Candice apologizes to Phantom for failing to win her match. Phantom kindly reassures her not to worry as he wasn't upset about it. Candice's expression changes to adoration as Ash raises his hand and speaks up, reminding that he also lost his match due to forfeit and offered himself to be punished. Phantom happily assures Ash that he wasn't mad with him either, as it was just part of who Ash was as a person. Phantom then specified that the only Knight who needed to be punished was Rapunzel, for her senseless murder spree of Chess teammates during the fourth round. Phantom offered her a chance to save herself by dueling against a Rook named Ian.

Ash and his fellow Knights go outside to the surface below where the castle floated to observe the duel between Rapunzel and Ian. Ian effortlessly brushes off Rapunzel's attacks and immediately kills her with one attack. Phantom promotes Ian to the Knight class, taking Rapunzel's position, and hands him the Knight pierce. Ian turns to the other Knights and announces his intentions as a new Knight to kill whichever one of them hurt his beloved.

Just before the final battle, Ash and Garon converse with Rolan over his upcoming rematch with Alviss, where Rolan reveals he feels quite a connection to Alviss. Ash, Defu, Ko, and Benni together watch Ginta's battle with Phantom, and leave once Phantom is defeated.

After the War Games

Ash is later, along with most of the other Chess Pieces, sent to a meeting with Diana, where she, following her revealing her plan to conquer both worlds, has King kill all of them there, though Ash escapes by splitting to avoid King's attacks. Ash promptly leaves the Chess Pieces and, meets with Lestavan refugees, directing them to safety amidst the chaos of straggling Chess Pieces. While doing so, Ash meets Ian and Gido, who are also Chess Piece deserters, and reveals to them King and Queen's plan to conquer both worlds. He takes them in under his care as they help the refugees rebuild Edel Mine, a Lestavan settlement that Ash used to govern.

Ash then travels throughout MÄR-Heaven closing the various portals that the King and Queen create. While doing so Ash reunites with Ginta, Alviss, Jack, and Dorothy, with the rest of Team MÄR having been killed by King. Ash asks Ginta for help in closing the portals, and the two together close a very large portal. Once this is done, King appears and attacks the two, though Ash traps King in his Psycho Space to save Ginta. Inside, Ash and King summon their Guardians, and the short battle ends in Ash's death.

After the defeat of the King of the Chess, Ash is revived, and, along with Ian and Gido, among the handful of former Chess Pieces who see Ginta and Danna off in their return to Earth. He is seen again with his village children visiting Ian and Gido in their house in Edel Mine, who have presumably finally accepted by the villagers.

ÄRMs

Ash is primarily a Dimension ÄRM user. Among his ÄRM are:

• Walking Bomb: A Weapon ÄRM that creates a bomb which enlarges itself each and every time a participant of the fight gets wounded, igniting once it reaches a sufficient mass.
• 3D Shadow: A Nature ÄRM which grants life to Ash's shadow, making it possible for him to attack his enemy from a distance or defend himself using the shadow to absorb hits meant for him.
• Death: A Guardian ÄRM which conjures a goalie-masked creature that can launch it's blade-like arms to attack his enemies from a far.
• Split Parts: A Dimension ÄRM that allows the user to divide his body into different pieces and manipulate them to attack from any direction.
• Psycho Space: A Dimension ÄRM which creates a different dimension that cuts the opponent's magical abilities in half.
• Eingang (anime): A Dimension ÄRM which emits a beam Ash uses to fill the gap connecting Earth and MÄR-Heaven.