Ringo Akagi

""If you could know everything and do everything, life would be hellishly boring. It's all about discovering things on your own.""

Ringo Akagi (赤城林檎), real name Marceline F. Mercury and also known as Zwei, is a character introduced in XBlaze Code: Embryo. Ringo is Touya Kagari's senior at Maha Raja. In truth, she is actually one of the Ten Sages who left Ishana to travel the world learning about curry.

Ringo, as Zwei, was revealed for BlazBlue Alternative: Dark War on February 10th, 2021.

Appearance
A tall and curvy woman with long pink and red hair, light blue eyes, and fair skin. This hair is usually wrapped into a messy bun with two golden ropes while Ringo is working at Maha Raja, but she lets it down when assuming her identity as Zwei, also letting both ropes dangle freely. Ringo is usually seen in a white shirt with most of its tops buttons undone, revealing her cleavage. Over her chest are black cloths that also wrap around her thighs and arms. Ringo also wears a short light blue skirt and bangles of a similar color. Her main look is completed with black and pink platform shoes. When at Maha Raja, Ringo wears a black apron over her main attire.

When at the swimming pool, Ringo wore a tight black two-piece bikini. The top piece had three blue triangles and the bottom piece had one. She also wore a pair of matching black bands and a black choker. She had a small white jacket on top.

Personality
Ringo is eccentric and completely obsessed with curry. After trying it just once she left Ishana and dedicated her life to learning about curry. She will ramble on about curry to her junior Touya. Additionally, she has developed a strange opinion on "curry mannerisms," judging a man's enjoyment and etiquette based simply on the state he left his plate in. Ringo also likes to tease Touya about the girls in his life. However, Ringo has a hidden serious side. She believes that life is all about learning things for oneself and hates things like TOi that take the work out of it.

Powers & Techniques
As one of the Ten Sages, Ringo is an incredibly powerful mage, said to be one of the greatest to have ever lived. She seems to specialize in Fire magic. One of her spells, , creates a blue flame strong enough to instantly cremate Drei's body. She also knows some healing magic, but admits it is not her forte.

In BBDW, Ringo is able to fully demonstrate her mastery over offensive magic. Her preference is in fire and lightning spells, using both to great effect in order to incinerate her foes. However, Ringo is not just a ranged fighter, and is capable of fighting up close; her "Burn all to Cinders, Calamity Entombed in Indigo Binds" (燃え盛る藍銅の獄葬災禍 Moesakaru Aidō no Hitoyasou Saika) Distortion Drive involves her downing an opponent with lightning before delivering repeated stomping kicks so powerful that the earth behind her opponent is visibly raised several feet.

XBlaze Code: Embryo Character Report

 * Ringo Akagi

''Touya's co-worker and the source of esoteric trivia regarding all things curry. Drives Touya insane with her less-than-admirable work ethic. Actually the legendary Zwei of the Ten Sages and thought to be one of the most gifted mages of all-time, she disappeared without a trace six years ago. She also served as mentor to both Drei and Kuon's mother. Her real name is Marceline F. Mercury.''

XBlaze Lost: Memories TIPS Entry

 * Zwei

''Considered to be one of the greatest of the Ten Sages, she abandoned her responsibilities without any warning and seemingly disappeared. Her current whereabouts are unknown. Once served as mentor to both Drei and Kuon's mother. It turns out she was masquerading as the curry-obsessed waitress known as Ringo Akagi.''

BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Official Site Profile
''A colleague of Touya's from his part-time job. She always makes Touya listen to her comment on the preparations of esoteric curry. Drives Touya insane with her less-than-admirable work ethic.''

Trivia

 * In the BlazBlue 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Ringo placed 58th out of the 84 candidates. She scored one place above Ripper and one place below Saya. She had 47 votes.
 * It is never outright stated that Ringo is related to Nine the Phantom and Celica A. Mercury. However, given Ringo's similar appearance to Nine, that they share the same last name, are from Ishana, and the ability to use sorcery is genetic, they are likely related.
 * In Lost: Memories, Ringo wears a brown paper bag over her head with one hole open for her eye. This is a reference to Faust from Guilty Gear, another one of ASW's properties and the spiritual predecessor to BlazBlue.
 * Ringo shares her voice actress, Chie Matsuura, with Mother.
 * As Zwei, her movelist in BBDW has a naming motif based around the Azure. Most of her moves and traits reference it in some way, and use the kanji found in either the Azure Grimoire (蒼) or the Blue Grimoire (碧).