Synopsis

Azalie, Orphen's best friend who had helped him get through the prestigious magic school, Tower of Fang, has some connection with the beastly dragon, the Bloody August. In order to uphold the magic school's reputation, it must destroy the dragon - but Orphen isn't about to let that happen so easily, for this beastly dragon is Azalie; she had been transformed, due to tampering with something that she shouldn't have been tampering with. People who Orphen thought were his friends suddenly seem as though they are enemies, in the race to get to Azalie first. Orphen leaves the school, furious with the fact that they want to destroy his best friend. He sets out on a journey to find and save her with his apprentice, Majic, and a woman who holds one of the key items in her house, Cleo.

Manga

The first volume of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen was released in 2005 by ADV Manga. It tells us about Azalie, Orphen's love-interest, and best friend from six years ago, much sooner than the anime does. In the first manga we are told almost exactly what the eighth episode (titled "Azalie") of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen tells us about her. The story in the manga follows the anime but more the Novels almost exactly, except for information coming up earlier, or later.

The Sorcerous Stabber Orphen manga was created by Yoshinobu Akita and Yuuya Kusaka. The manga is split into two separate series: Majutsushi Orphen Haguretabi, which is six volumes long so far, and the two volume side story known as Majutsushi Orphen MAX. The first volume of the manga series was released in 2005 by ADV Manga.

There is also a special manga that was released called "Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Special Parody," or "Majutsushi O-fuen Haguretabi Spesharu Paarodi." It is a collection of doujinshi of Orphen put into one volume of Orphen.

Anime

• Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: The Sorcerous Stabber Orphen anime series was produced by TBS/Bandai and first released in Japan in 1999, then in North America on DVD by ADV Films in 2001. It features a combination of a fantasy setting, action and gag comedy. It is 24 episodes in length.

• Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge: The second anime series was released on DVD in North America in December of 2003 by ADV Films. It is 23 episodes in length.

Novels

The series Orphen came about when Yoshinobu Akita created a series of novels called "Majutsushi Orphen Haguretabi." It consists of 20 novels, and was the basis for the first anime and manga series.

After he finished the first 20 novels, Yoshinobu Akita created a more light-hearted comedy version that still kept the action of the original Orphen series. This series was called "Majutsushi Orphen Mubouhen," spanning only 13 volumes.

Orphen/Krylancelo

Voiced by: Shoutarou Morikubo (Japanese), David Matranga (English)

Orphen is the main male lead. He comes off as a "badass" kind of guy, one who seems to not really care for emotions, and just wants to get whatever job he has done and over with. He plays the part rather well, until the subject of Azalie is brought up. He will do anything - anything - for Azalie, as when they were younger, she had tutored him and gave him the confidence to get as far as he did in the Tower of Fangs. He and Azalie were brought to the school because it was believed that they possessed a strong amount of magical power within them. This proved correct; Orphen was a magic-prodigy. Orphen keeps his feelings and the story about Azalie to himself at first, but opens up later in the series. In the Tower of Fangs, he was called Krylancelo.

Cleao Everlasting

Voiced by: Mayumi Iizuka (Japanese), Shelley Calene-Black (English)

She is the main female lead. Her father had inherited the Sword of Balthanders, and Orphen needed the sword. She accompanies him on his journey, allowing him to take the sword (as it was just an ornament to her, knowing nothing of its power), claiming that she is only coming to "make sure he doesn't harm her investment." She and Orphen fight quite a bit - mainly silly, funny fights. As the series goes on, her feelings for him grow, and she shows it, too. When they met up with Stephanie, Orphen's old partner, Cleao got very jealous. She also got rather angry whenever Orphen would talk about Azalie (this is when they knew nothing beyond 'Azalie is someone who Orphen wants to help').

Majic Lin

Voiced by: Omi Minami (Japanese), Spike Spencer (English)

Majic is Orphen's apprentice, and the second-male lead. He is a friend of Cleao's, but not a close one. He deals with the torment from both Cleao and Orphen on their journey together to save Azalie. His father is paying Orphen to teach him, which, at first, seems to be a waste of money. When Orphen repairs a glass that fell with his magic, before the father's eyes, the father's opinion about his money being thrown out the window disappears. Majic is a good student, and Orphen seems to have a lot of faith in him. This gives him courage, which makes his power stronger. Majic looks up to Orphen, and refers to him as "master" upon Orphen's request. All sorcerers call their "teachers" who are teaching them sorcery and are also sorcerers themselves, "master."

Azalie

Voiced by: Emi Shinohara (Japanese), Christine M. Auten (English)

She's Orphen's best friend - and the Bloody August. She and Orphen were best friends. They came to the Tower of Fang together, believed to be magical-prodigies. She tutored him a lot, and gave him special attention. She was a great sorcerer - one of the greatest. However, she had two sides to her. There was the kind, loving Azalie, and then the, as Orphen says, "scary" Azalie. She seemed to be almost obsessed with her studies; she wanted more power.

Dortin

Voiced by: Hekiru Shiina (Japanese), Hilary Haag (English)

Dortin and Vulkan are often viewed as comic relief throughout the series. They are two trolls who are always low on money, and seem to always find a way to mess up whatever Orphen is trying to accomplish. They work in Cleao's basement, cutting up food and whatnot; she is their employer. As for his character, Dortin is the voice of reason (that is never paid any attention to) on his and Vulkan's quests. He is kind and knowledgable, though something of a nerd. When Vulkan messes up, Dortin always tries to tell Orphen he had no part in Vulkan's schemes, but they both wind up being victim's of Orphen's magical blasts anyway. Dortin is shown to be quite caring and loyal, as he begs Orphen for help saving in saving his brother from mushroom poisoning and, later, in defying Vulkan's "order" to run from danger when a friend needed his help.

Vulkan

Voiced by: Kazue Ikura (Japanese), John Swasey (English)

See Dortin. Vulkan is the one with the plans - the very bad plans, that is. He hates Orphen and his companions, and always finds a way to ruin whatever they had in mind. It is his fault that Orphen often must use his magic on them to make them go away - them, being him and Dortin. Vulkan wants power, and money. Any scheme he has in mind has the end result being one of the two. None of his schemes ever work, however. He bosses Dortin around a lot, but in a very comical way.

Childman

Voiced by: Jouji Nakata (Japanese), Jason Douglas (English)

Orphen, Hartia, and Azalie's Master. He is Orphen's enemy for the better part of the anime; Hartia tries to convince Orphen that Childman isn't his enemy, but in the end, it fails.

Hartia

Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu (Japanese), Randy Sparks (English)

Orphen's childhood friend and fellow sorcerer. They met at the Tower of Fang. He is on Childman's side, instead of Orphen's, however, making it seem as though Hartia is Orphen's enemy. However, Hartia truly cares about Orphen, and has never forgotten their friendship. He is also a fan of the (fictional) manga, Black Tiger, and assumes the guise of it's main character and namesake on occasion. However, the manga is fairly obscure, so Majik mistakenly assumes his name refers to the Penaeus monodon, a type of prawn sometimes called "black tiger", resulting in Hartia's receiving the nickname, "shrimp man," much to his own chagrin.

Leki

Voiced by: Konami Yoshida (Japanese), Suzanne Wilkins (English)

One of the race of Deep Dragon, Leki is a cub who is found and adopted by Cleao, although perhaps it could be said that Leki adopted Cleao, as adult Deep Dragons are more powerful and intelligent by far than humans. Like all Deep Dragons, Leki resembles a wolf rather than a reptilian dragon, and when he uses his innate powers, his eyes will glow a bright green color. As Leki, is still very young, he often exhibits young animal-like tendencies, such as chasing after a butterfly. He protects and defends Cleao whenever he feels the need to, or when Cleao orders him. She's very good to him; in fact, Cleao often treats him better than her two human companions, Orphen and Majic. Leki will not only protect Cleao, but anyone who he sees in danger.

Flameheart

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu

Childman's rival in the Tower of Fang and enemy to Orphen and Azalie. Although he ranks closely to Childman in terms of recognition, it is heavily implied that his mother, one of the Elders, has influenced this. Indeed, he seems to rely on her for everything from emotional consolation to advice in his endeavors. Deprived of her guidance, he becomes quite mentally unstable, as seen at the end of the first season. Childman himself later states that Flameheart actually had very little strength or potential as a sorcerer.