Absolute Duo (Japanese: アブソリュート・デュオ Hepburn: Abusoryūto Dyuo) is a Japanese light novel series by Takumi Hiiragiboshi with illustrations by Yū Asaba. Media Factory has published seven volumes since 2012 under their MF Bunko J imprint. It has received two manga adaptations. An anime television series adaptation by 8-Bit started to air from January 4, 2015.
The story begins with Blaze — a weapon that is the manifestation of a human's soul. Tooru Kokonoe happens to be qualified for this, but for some reason his Blaze is not a weapon, but a shield. Moreover, he enrolled in a school that teaches combat skills, and thanks to the school's Duo partner system, he ends up living with a beautiful silver-haired girl.
A boy named Tōru Kokonoe decides that after losing someone precious in a terrifying incident, he wants to become stronger and enrolls in a special school where people manifest their souls as weapons called Blaze. Tor is capable of producing his own Blaze, but for some reason it manifests as a shield instead of a weapon.
Main characters
Tōru Kokonoe (九重 透流 Kokonoe Tōru)
Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Tor Kokonoe is the male protagonist of Absolute Duo. He is born in Fujisawa, Kanagawa. Tōru's motive for joining Kouryou Academy stems from the death of his little sister named Otoha (音羽), and wanting revenge and the chance to get stronger. He is dubbed an Irregular for having a Blaze which is not in the form of an offensive weapon. Despite having a defensive shield as a Blaze, Tōru has learnt to use a powerful punch attack to use in conjunction with his Blaze. His name is written as Tor Kokonoe at the anime's official website and Funimation. As his name Tōru is pronounced in the same way as Thor in Japanese, Julie takes to calling him by the latter name.
Julie Sigtuna (ユリエ・シグトゥーナ Yurie Shigutūna)
Voiced by: Nozomi Yamamoto
One of the main female protagonists, a beautiful girl with silver hair and red eyes, who takes a liking towards Tōru and after some time she becomes his duo. She is from a foreign country named Gimlé in Northern Europe as well as a princess. Her Blaze is a Sword Type, known as Twin Blades. The reason she came to Japan and enrolled to Kouryou Academy is because she wants to get stronger to Avenge her family's death where the scar on her back serves as a reminder of such horrible incident where the killer is the same one whom Toru has encountered a few years back, because of this she seeks out Toru for help and to teach her his Final Move.Julie says "Yes" and "No" in Danish/Swedish/Norwegian: "Ja" (ヤー Yā?) and "Nej" (ナイ Nai?). Her surname "Sigtuna" is also a the name of a Swedish town.
Tomoe Tachibana (橘 巴 Tachibana Tomoe)
Voiced by: Ayaka Suwa
One of the female protagonists and Tor and Julie's classmate. She is a typical Yamato Nadeshiko, who is smart and talented. She cares very much about the people who are close to her especially Miyabi, whom despite of being weak still chooses her to form a duo. She is very much into martial arts and Shogi. She can never tolerate idly work, she always wakes others when they're about to be late. She possesses a dignified atmosphere to think she is very mature. Being a vegetarian she often gives Tooru a plate of vegetables to maintain his stamina and power. Her Blaze is a Kusarigama .
Miyabi Hotaka (穂高 みやび Hotaka Miyabi)
Voiced by: Ayaka Imamura
One of the female protagonists who is a buxom girl , she forms a Duo with Tomoe. She's also in Tōru's class and tends to be shy around others, she lacks stamina that keeps her from doing any physical activity for long periods of time . Her Blaze is a huge and heavy lance.
Lilith Bristol (リーリス・ブリストル Rīrisu Burisutoru)
Voiced by: Haruka Yamazaki
A transfer student from England came from an affluent family. She is a very exceptional student whom at a young age has learned how to shoot and hunt, however, she also selfish and arrogant. She went to Japan in order to form a duo with Tōru after hearing news about his capability, however much to her disappointment Toru declines . Though she is officially enrolled in Kouryou Academy, she never attends class claiming that she had already finished her studies a long time ago which is why she prefers loiter around the school garden sipping tea with her confidant Sarah. As an Exception her Blaze is a rifle where she is a superb marksman.
Other characters
Sakuya Tsukumo (九十九 朔夜 Tsukumo Sakuya)
Voiced by: Yui Horie
The Chairman of Kouyou academy, and is always seen wearing a Gothic Lolita dress. Her way of running the school is so ruthless that she actually encourages battle amongst the students.
Rito Tsukimi (月見 璃兎 Tsukimi Rito)
Voiced by: Yukari Tamura
Tōru's homeroom teacher, who is always energetic and dresses like a maid with bunny ears, which greatly disturbs her entire class. She has two personalities; the first one is always childish and happy person who like calling her students various names, while the second is foul-mouthed, sadistic and ruthless where she doesn't think twice about attacking her student. Her Blaze is a sword.
Imari Nagakura (永倉 伊万里 Nagakura Imari)
Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu
Imari is the first person Tōru talks to after entering the school. However, she is soon expelled from the school after losing against Tōru during the entrance ceremony's combat exam. Her Blaze consists of a single sword, which she wields like a katana.
Tora (トラ Tora, lit."tiger")
Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae
Tōru's childhood friend who is also considered an irregular. His Blaze is a katar. His full name is Aoi Torasaki (虎崎 葵 Torasaki Aoi) (in the manga and the anime).
Tatu (タツ Tatsu, lit."dragon")
Voiced by: Yoshihisa Kawahara
A silent classmate and Tora's roommate, he is the tallest person in class who has a muscular physique. His Blaze is a naginata. His full name is Ryutaro Tatuno (辰乃 龍太朗 Tatsuno Ryūtarō) (in the manga). Rito oftens calls him "Barbarian".
