Risa Harada (原田 梨紗, Harada Risa?) is Daisuke Niwa's friend and his initial object of affection. At the start of the series, she rejects his confession of love, feeling that he is too "normal" and only able to see him as her friend. After seeing Daisuke's alter ego Dark, she falls in love with the thief and believes that he is the mysterious person she is destined to be with. Innocent, spoiled, and depicted as "girly-girl", Risa is often seen as the opposite of her twin sister Riku, though both show the same stubbornness and tenacity, particularly when it comes to people they care about. She is initially confused with Riku and Daisuke falling in love, and so she becomes jealous, but realizes that she was more afraid of losing her sister and her friend than wanting Daisuke for herself, and becomes supportive of their relationship.Wanting to be with Dark, Risa begins taking great risks to try to see him during his thieving adventures. Dark initially accepts her affections, then rejects her when he realizes she truly loves him. However, Risa refuses to give him up and after noting that she has "become a lady" he agrees to go on a date with her. During the date, she is kidnapped by Argentine who takes her to his world and demands that she, as Dark's "maiden", help him become more like Dark.
Satoshi Hiwatari is also seen as showing a bit of concern for her in the manga, deliberately transforming into Krad—something he normally fights—to try and save her when he sees her falling from a tower during Argentine's attack.[1]
As the series progresses, Risa's attitude and childish behavior dies down a bit, though she retains her girly nature. She has made several accounts of being more responsible than she was at the beginning of the series. Stated by Riku herself that her sister was just 'too nice', example being when they were children Risa gave up her bunny to Riku who had lost her teddy bear despite loving her bunny a lot. Risa also cares about both Riku and Daisuke, feeling that Daisuke has finally 'got his act together' and sees him in a new light. Risa had made many mature decisions and has shown that, despite her selfishness, she can be just as kind as her twin sister, Riku.
In the anime adaptation, Risa's crush on Dark appears to die down towards the end of the series, because in the anime, Dark had already fallen in love 40 years ago with the Harada grandmother sister, Rika. Not wanting to tarnish those feelings or end up as a replacement, Risa gradually stopped pursuing Dark as a romantic interest. In the manga, however, this plot does not exist. Her feelings for Dark still remain strong, even when Dark told her that he wasn't human. In chapter 67 Dark tell her "I always only with you".
Riku Harada (原田 梨紅, Harada Riku?) is Risa Harada's twin sister, and a friend of Daisuke Niwa. Athletic and intelligent, Riku is depicted as a tomboy, who is more serious, and down-to-earth than her sister. Though more outspoken than Risa, Riku can be shy and Risa notes that her sister doesn't realize just how popular she is. Though the girls are different in personality, Riku is protective of her sister and they share a tight bond. When Risa is kidnapped by the Argentine, Riku falls into a coma. It can be noted that, although Riku is the more responsible twin and is more selfless then her sister, she does make reckless impulses and oftentimes gets herself into trouble, often worrying Risa to no end and being scolded in the end.
Though Riku initially appears to only see Daisuke as a friend, its soon revealed that she harbors romantic feelings for him, though he initially can only see Risa. After her sister rejects him, Riku begins to see him less as clumsy and unreliable, coming to see his strengths and admitting to the feelings she herself had been denying. While trying to sort out her feelings, she remembers that they had met as children when he'd helped her retrieve her precious teddy bear from over a fence one night. Eventually she admits her feelings, but initially is disbelieving when Daisuke tells her he feels the same. Realizing he is speaking the truth, they become a couple.
Riku intensely dislikes Dark, feeling he is nothing but a thief and a playboy, however when Risa is in danger and he promises he will bring her back, she begins to soften her stance towards him. She also sometimes compares him to Daisuke, though she does not yet know that Daisuke is Dark.
In the anime adaptation, Riku is more uncertain of her relationship with Daisuke, temporarily hating that he calls both her and Risa "Harada-san" and acting jealous towards Niwa. She thought Dark stole her first kiss but It was actually Daisuke. When Dark was going to kiss Riku, Dark turned back to Daisuke.
Daisuke Niwa
Daisuke Niwa (丹羽 大助, Niwa Daisuke?) is the series protagonist who, after turning 14 and confessing his love to, and being rejected by, his crush Risa Harada, discovers that an entity called Dark lives within him. Afterwards he transforms into Dark whenever he experiences feelings of love or intimacy with the girl he loves, but Dark can choose not to come out if he so wants. Initially this is Risa Harada, but after she rejects him, Daisuke finds himself falling in love with her twin sister, Riku Harada, who does return his feelings after realizing how kind-hearted and gentle he was. Perceptive, athletic, and artistic, Daisuke is also skilled in dodging traps, picking locks, and other thieving-type activities, due to the daily life-threatening trials his family has him undergo when he gets up in the morning and returns from school in the afternoons.
Though he regularly argues with his alter-ego Dark, he expresses concern for him when he is in danger or in pain. He misses Dark when they are separated within the series through magic, and their dynamic is that of an older/younger brother.
Dark Mousy
Dark Mousy (ダーク・マウジー, Dāku Maujī?), is half of the Koku Yoku, an artwork created by the Hikari family, who has appeared in the first male of the Niwa generation for the last 400 years. Once Dark appears, his host will change into Dark whenever he is around the person he loves or thinks about them a great deal, though in the Anime, Dark can choose not to appear at such times. At the start of D.N.Angel, Dark had lain dormant for 40 years as his previous host, Daiki Niwa only had one female offspring. When her son, Daisuke, reached 14, he became Dark's new "tamer" or host. Known to the public as "Kaitou Dark", (translated as "Phantom Dark" in the ADV Films dub of the anime) Dark steals the cursed art pieces made by the Hikari family, which the Niwa family then seals away to prevent them from causing any more trouble. He primarily uses Wiz (or With as said in the anime) as his wings, as using his own true wings causes Daisuke's body tremendous harm. Though he and Daisuke often argue over missions and Risa and Riku Harada, its apparent that Dark cares for his host, taking care not to harm him by using too much of his magic and protecting him when possible. Their relationship is often that of older/younger brothers.
Candid, confident,and very sexy, Dark can also appear to be arrogant and something of a playboy, flirting shamelessly with girls. Dark is a notorious flirt, but there are very few he truly cares about. In the anime, he said that he is willing to kiss anyone since it is like a greeting to him rather than something meaningful. After Dark's reappearance, Daisuke's crush, Risa Harada, falls in love with him and begins to pursue him. He initially flirts with her, seemingly to annoy Daisuke, and goes on several dates with her. However, as the series progresses, Dark seems to develop feelings for Risa, particularly after she sincerely answers when he asks what she would do if he were a monster. She replies that she would still love him, and Daisuke says that he feels Dark's feelings for her, that maybe he's falling in love with her. When she is taken by Argentine, Dark is furious and vows to show no mercy.
In the anime adaptation, Dark rejects Risa's feelings after telling her that he was once in love with her grandmother and only humored Risa's attraction because she reminded him of his lost love. Risa eventually realizes that she was insensitive to his feelings and was quite a burden on him. Finally coping with the fact that he loved and still was in love with her grandmother Risa tells Dark that she's glad he was in love with her grandmother, after him having just saved her sister Riku and Dark tells her she has finally become a fine lady as he flies to battle Krad for the last time. That was the last time they ever saw each other.
Antagonist
Krad
Krad (クラッド Kuraddo) is an entity similar to Dark, living inside his "tamer" Satoshi Hiwatari. He is Dark's opposite in many ways, including having blond hair, wearing white attire, and always speaking very politely using an extremely formal speech pattern. Krad is Dark's, and by extension, Daisuke's worst enemy, repeatedly attempting to kill them both. Though Krad refers to Hiwatari as Master Satoshi and as "his everything", he shows little regard for Hiwatari's wishes nor well-being. He ignores Hiwatari's repeated attempts to get him to leave Daisuke alone and regularly uses his magic without limit, causing Hiwatari to collapse in agony. Like Daisuke, Hiwatari has little control over his transformation though he can force Krad to go back inside his body at times.Satoshi Hiwatari
Satoshi Hiwatari (日渡 怜 Hiwatari Satoshi) or Satoshi Hikari (氷狩 怜 Hikari Satoshi) is the police commander in charge of capturing Dark. Extremely intelligent, Satoshi graduated from high school at the age of eight, and obtained a college degree at the age of 13. He enrolled in Daisuke's middle school in order to be closer to Daisuke, whom he knew was Dark's alter ego. Calm and composed, he often pays little mind to those around him and rarely shows his emotions causing others to find him distant and cold. Daisuke seems unaffected by his distant nature, and insists on becoming his friend. Reluctant at first, Satoshi comes to accept Daisuke's friendship, though later withdraws from school to try to distance himself from Daisuke again out of fear. He eventually returns to offer to aid rescuing Risa from Argentine. Satoshi is the last heir of the Hikari family, which created powerful artworks that the Niwa family has been stealing for years via Dark. In the anime version, Kosuke made a play on words with Satoshi's last name being synonymous with light (also pronounced 'hikari'), though the kanji for Satoshi's family name actually means 'ice hunter'.
Although he is just as capable of creating artwork as his ancestors have been, he avoids doing so. This is both to go against his fate and to avoid creating any more dangerous artworks. In the anime, he was shown painting in flashbacks of when he was a child and getting praise from his adopted father before the man became abusive.
After his mother's death, Satoshi was adopted by the Hiwatari family. His adoptive father appears to be aware of the Hikari and in the anime adaptation attempts to use the power of the artworks for his own purposes, eventually getting killed by one of the artworks he tries to harness the power of. Satoshi is shown to have a strong dislike for his stepfather, and refuses to play along when the man tries to pass the two of them off as a close family.
Much as Daisuke houses the soul of Dark Mousy, Satoshi holds that of his opposite, Krad. Unlike Dark, Krad is homicidal and cares nothing for Satoshi, causing Satoshi to regularly fight to keep him inside. It is suggested that Satoshi wears glasses as a way of helping him keep Krad in check, as he notes that he does not actually need them and once they are removed he almost immediately feels Krad trying to emerge.
He may have romantic feelings for Daisuke, though only hinted at. When this is brought up, he doesn't openly confess to anything, though he never denies the accusations either. If anything, he encourages the idea, which has led to the source of much confusion regarding his motives. It has even been stated outright by Dark that Daisuke is the one who causes Satoshi to turn into Krad. In any case, he at least wants to be close to Daisuke despite the danger of Krad to both of them. Krad has also hinted at Satoshi possibly wanting more than a friendship from Daisuke at least once in the anime, and more than twice in the manga. In the 13th volume of the manga, Satoshi admits to himself that Daisuke is the only person who truly makes him happy.
Several times in both manga and anime, it is made apparent just how little Krad cares for Satoshi. Where as Daisuke is spared the pain of enduring the magic used by Dark via With, and Dark trying to keep the magic use to a minimum, Krad often uses the max amount of power he can summon, and when he takes over his white wings rip from Satoshi's back causing him great pain, and leaving two narrow injures on his back where the wings once were.
OTHER CHARACTERS..
Wizu (ウィズ Wizu) is the family pet of the Niwa family and Dark Mousy's familiar. Wiz can sense when Dark is calling him, no matter how much distance is between them and is capable of transforming into both Daisuke and Dark. In the anime, he can't speak very well, often just saying Daisuke's name (which sounds very close to Daisuki, the Japanese word to "like a lot" or "love", where in the English dub he says "I like you"), however, in the manga, he can speak reasonably well. Wiz is afraid of water as he cannot swim, and is easily scared by horror films and haunted houses.
Emiko Niwa (丹羽 笑子 Niwa Emiko) is Daisuke's mother. Growing up, she was upset that because she was born a woman, she couldn't be the next Dark. Resolving to be Dark's mother if she couldn't be Dark, she constantly asked potential mates if they would give her a son, resulting in her regularly being rejected, until she met Kosuke. He was the first to ask her why she wanted a child so much. They fell in love and were married, with Kosuke agreeing to take on the Niwa surname to continue it to the next generation. Emiko can be hyperactive, and Daisuke notes that sometimes does not act her age. At time, she seems inconsiderate and unconcerned about Daisuke's situation, but she makes it clear that she does love him and will always watch over him. In addition to training Daisuke, she is in charge of sending out the notices for Dark's upcoming thefts. Emiko also possesses some skills in disguises.(For example: In the manga, she covered up for Daisuke's disappearance on his date with Riku by going as a shop clerk and giving Daisuke a mirror for Riku, which, in actuality, is a Hikari artwork)
In the anime adaptation, her hyperactivity and lack of maturity are increased. She also makes costumes for Daisuke and Dark to wear while out thieving.
Kosuke Niwa (丹羽 小助 Niwa Kosuke) is the father of Daisuke Niwa and husband to Emiko. When he married Emiko, he agreed to take on the Niwa last name, to retain the family surname for future generations. At the start of the series, he has been on a journey for approximately 12 years, researching the phenomenon of Dark and the history of the Hikari and Niwa rivalry. As such, he has learned a lot about magic and the magical artifacts created by the Hikari clan. When Kosuke returns home, he gives Daisuke a ring, which gives Daisuke the ability to forcefully change back from Dark one time, and Satoshi also receives the same ring to allow him one time to control Krad. Kosuke is shy and can be serious in nature, but can be very clumsy and is easily embarrassed by his wife and her antics. When Daisuke is pulled into his painting by the Second Hand of Time, Kosuke is able to explain the true history of the fairy tale, Ice and Snow and assist in rescuing his son. In the anime adaptation, he gives Daisuke a ring called the Rutile of Grief, allowing Kosuke to share Daisuke's pain during a lengthy battle with Krad.
Daiki Niwa (丹羽 大樹 Niwa Daiki?) is Daisuke's grandfather and Emiko's father. Forty years before the start of the series, he was the last Niwa to be possessed by Dark. He aids Emiko in preparing Daisuke for his work as Dark, then after the transition is able to offer him some advice on the dealing with things. When he was possessed by Dark, Daiki took his role of stealing the Hikari creations very seriously, as he knew why the thefts were necessary. He also appears to have had a more even partnership with Dark, regularly working on his own without transforming. During his work, he met a girl named Menou whom he regularly stopped to visit her while working. After her death from illness, her spirit continued waiting for Daiki, mistaking Daisuke for his grandfather due to their strong visual resemblance. It is shown during the 10th vol. that Daiki still retains his old 'talents' like when he was once connected with Dark, able to flawlessly disguise himself as Dark long enough for the original to arrive to take his place on his date with Risa.
Mio Hio (桧尾 みお Hio Mio) is a character that only appears in the anime adaptation of D.N.Angel. A living voodoo doll created by Kei Hiwatari, Mio is given the appearance of a student Daisuke's age and given the false background of a transfer student from America.[2][3] Her body is a temporary form. In order to obtain a real life, Kei tells her that she must sacrifice someone, Daisuke, by getting him to wear half of a pair of a powerful charm that would steal his soul. However, as she got to know Daisuke, she fell in love with him, and decided she didn't want him to die. Having given Riku the charms to get Daisuke to wear them, she raced to get them back but arrived too late. She uses her powers to negate the charms effects, leaving her permanently sealed inside Riku's charm.[3][4] The original doll, now lifeless, is later seen laying in a Kei's trashcan.[5] Bodiless, Mio's spirit later uses the Harada twins as a medium in order to both aid Daisuke and Dark, and to save Hiwatari's father when he tries to activate a living artwork. Though she is able to stop it from being activated, Kei still dies. Having used the last of her power, she asks the twins to thank Daisuke for helping her feel alive, tells Riku to be happy with Daisuke, then fades away
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