| Overview |
- "Hey, Fret? This is gonna sound weird, but... At first I thought it was my imagination... but everyone in Shibuya has literally been walking right through us. It's like we're ghosts or something."
Rindo Kanade (奏 竜胆 Kanade Rindō) is a Player, the leader of the Wicked Twisters and the main protagonist and playable character of NEO: The World Ends with You. While walking around Shibuya, Rindo gradually entered into the Reapers' Game, along with his friend and classmate Tosai "Fret" Furesawa, without even realizing it.
Appearance[]
Rindo is a teenage boy with sideswept blond hair with a prominent curl on top, pale brown eyes, and pale skin.
His orange pull-over hoodie is Jupiter of the Monkey brand, similar to Neku Sakuraba. His knee-length, half-sleeved jacket is black with white accents. There are seven major patterns on his jacket; there are vertical and horizontal stripes on each side of the top part, checks and zebra on the middle part, and leopard and vertical stripes on the bottom part (the vertical stripes are more spaced on the bottom compared to the top). The final seventh pattern is the plaid trimmings on the inside section and his cuffs. He wears light blue ripped jeans rolled up to the mid-calf and white sneakers. He wears white stud earrings.
Rindo also notably wears a black cloth facemask which he claims is for fashion. From an out-of-universe perspective, it also denotes the fact that he doesn't say the words that are hidden inside him. The mask is a parallel to the previous protagonist (Neku) wearing a symbolic item on their head to represent an aspect of their personality as a sense of distancing from other people.[2] Specifically, Rindo prefers communicating through texting instead of speaking to other human beings face-to-face.[3]
Personality[]
Rindo is a heavy social media user, and searching for info on his phone is second nature to him. He is an avid player of a creature collecting video game known as FantasyGO or "FanGO" for short. He is also a fan of the online influencer An0ther because of his poetry which has heavily impacted his life. His favorite An0ther quote is, "Don't miss your chance to make a new friend." Rindo may also be somewhat interested in fashion, especially the Jupiter of the Monkey brand; he wears earrings, shredded jeans and he mentions he wears his mask for fashion reasons. As Fret is also fashion-focused, this would be a common ground for the two boys in their friendship.
He is a bit passive by nature, he mostly goes along with what others suggest before making an effort to decide on his own. He prefers to go with the flow, and although he doesn't go out of his way to interact with others, he won't turn them away if they come to him first. He has a cautious personality and tends to survey situations before acting, but won't hesitate to get involved if necessary. Unfortunately, this can leave him to hesitate on important matters; Fret begins to feel that all Rindo does is "bitch about this and that", yet when the team has to make important decisions, Rindo acts like a bystander and has nothing to say. Rindo has an indecisive nature and Sanae Hanekoma comments Rindo's Soul is "stagnant" as a result of his "his fear of taking responsibility", but also notes Rindo is able to maintain abnormally high levels of Imagination. His mellow subdued nature contrasts Neku's in the first game, and while he is concerned about getting back to life, he does not seem too upset about being dead as much as a typical human being would. Rindo may not believe in supernatural phenomenon, as he believes for quite a while that the Reapers' Game is merely an advanced augmented-reality game using new technology.
"Will you shut up already? We've got enough to deal with without you hassling us at every turn!"
When very agitated, Rindo is shown to have a backbone; for example, after being fed up with Shoka's teasing, Rindo tells her to shut up and get lost, shocking her and causing her to become dejected before wandering away. He sometimes gets fed up with Fret's antics, even showing some passive-aggressive behavior at times, though he also clearly cares about his friends and will protect them as best he can. His agitation may be something which he develops during the course of the Reapers' Game, rather than an aspect of his personality from the beginning. He is quite deadpan, though not unkind, and typically remembers at least basic manners.
"Who is this friend and why haven't I met them?"
As mentioned in his Social Network profile, Rindo keeps his real-life friends like Fret at arm's length, but lets his guard down around his online gaming friend Swallow. Rindo can also be seen confiding with Swallow instead of his teammates numerous times, such as when he needs the answer for a puzzle, he asks Swallow instead of Fret and Nagi. Although Rindo and Fret are friends who spend time together outside of school and Fret considers them close enough to spend the rest of his money on two copies of the Reaper Pin for each of them, Fret knows nothing of Swallow’s existence until eating with Rindo in the Prologue, though Rindo’s casual mention of Swallow being someone he met through FanGo implies that this was not something he was deliberately keeping secret from Fret. Fret also only has passing knowledge of FanGo, showing that these two things, while important to Rindo, aren’t things he’s comfortable sharing with Fret, emphasizing his tendency toward being a private person. Rindo also sometimes makes dismissive, perhaps judgemental, comments when it comes to Fret and An0ther, telling Fret that someone like him just would not be able to understand An0ther's poetry.
Another instance of Rindo's private nature is also shown when Rindo keeps his Replay ability a secret through most of Week 1. By Day 6, they have already been fighting strange creatures with supernatural powers, and they also have team members who can supernaturally jog memories and dive into people's minds, so it is unlikely Fret would have completely disbelieved him or thought he was crazy. However, it is possible Rindo’s confusion and lack of understanding in what has been happening regarding Replay prompts him to keep them to himself rather than sharing with Fret. Despite this, Rindo can still be seeing lying to Fret during Replay sessions in order to achieve the right outcome. Rindo does not truly share his abilities with his team until Minamimoto directly confronts him about it. Rindo's time in the Reapers' Game forces him to interact with those in proximity to him. Rindo learns to cherish his friends more and the boys become closer in the end despite their arguments.
Rindo in a world where his friends don't exist.
Rindo is described by the creators as being a naturally quiet and introverted character, but due to the situations in the game, Rindo talks more in NEO than he is used to, and Fret's presence draws Rindo out of his shell. He also seems slightly apprehensive about crowds, and often remarks how busy Shibuya is. Rindo's shyness can still be seen in the game, especially during group conversations. When involved, Rindo is almost always serious, never cracking jokes, and almost entirely keeps conversations mission-oriented instead of asking personal questions about the new party members and their lives in order to get to know them better (although it is understandable that the missions take priority). Even while discussing Shoka's background on a particular day, this is also to get her motivated so they can proceed with the Reapers' Game. Rindo does not really treasure the friends and connections he has in his life, and it is only near the finale while living in world where none of them exist, that he finally wishes he cherished his friends more.
Shoka: "Gotta say, Rindo, you sure have changed. Yeah, you're finally making your own decisions."
By the end of the game, Rindo has matured considerably in different ways. He has become less of a dependent bystander, more willing to take matters into his own hands instead of waiting and hoping that someone else will, becoming a leader instead of an order follower. He has become braver and more able to make tough decisions, even despite the fear of making wrong ones. He has learned to become more cautious about charismatic popular Internet personalities online, learning they often put on personas to entice their followers, and have the potential to be deceitful and manipulative liars, such as An0ther. Rindo acknowledges that if it was not for his time in the Reapers' Game, he would have probably been another An0ther follower for the rest of his life, and that the harsh truth was ultimately worth it. He has also learned to cherish the people around him more, realizing that they make his life feel special.
Story[]
Background[]
When Rindo was around 12 years old, he became friends with Swallow online. Rindo loved receiving advice from Swallow and they would play FanGO.
Rindo and Fret attended the same high school, and established a friendship prior to their first in-game meeting in Shibuya.
He seems to have a decent relationship with his parents and mentions them a few times during the first few days of the Reapers' Game, like when he tried to text them so they wouldn't worry after he failed to return home, and he recalls that he was supposed to buy something for his mother when Fret first uses his Remind ability.
Rindo became a fan of the mysterious blogger known as An0ther who would post inspirational poetry. Rindo felt that An0ther's influence shaped his life in a positive fashion, so much so that Rindo wonders how different he would be without An0ther.
NEO: The World Ends with You[]
Prologue[]
After texting Fret and making plans to meet up at 104, Rindo makes his way over and is gifted a Reaper Pin by his friend. After dropping it, he receives it back from a passerby, and remarks that it doesn't really seem special. The duo grab lunch together, where Rindo is contacted by his FanGO friend, Swallow, who is also in Shibuya, and points Rindo in the direction of an in-app monster he wanted to catch. Rindo and Fret proceed to try and go catch the monster and potentially meet up with Swallow, but the plan is quickly derailed when they inadvertently enter the Reapers' Game.
Rindo finds himself in the Reapers' Game.
Initially thinking the colorful explosions and fighting must be some sort of movie set, the two realize that the danger might be more real than they thought. Rindo is suddenly struck with a vision of Shibuya in ruins, though he snaps back to the present moment. He and Fret attempt to run away, and Rindo feels a sense of déjà vu. As they flee, Fret appears to be crushed by a truck thrown by a stray Noise, leading Rindo to scream in shock and horror as he is suddenly transported to a green, void-like space. After this, time rewinds, and Rindo is once again standing with Fret in front of the fight. This time, he guides Fret in the opposite direction of the truck and is able to prevent him from getting crushed. After this, they enter the Reapers' Game more directly.
Week One[]
On Day 1, they encounter Shoka Sakurane, who sets up the RNS or "Reaper Networking Service" for them, and Susukichi, who explains scanning and fighting Noise. He solves Day 1's puzzle with Fret, but on their way to defeat the target at Shibuya Hikarie, they get into an overwhelming Noise fight. Sho Minamimoto rescues them and berates them for their weakness. While Fret idolizes him and thinks of him as a new teammate, Rindo is apprehensive about Minamimoto's help. They defeat the boss, but their team isn't mentioned in the results. After Minamimoto, Shoka, and Fret leave, he texts Swallow and hopes to meet up again before going home.
On Day 2, Rindo wakes up in the Scramble Crossing, shocked he can't go home. He and Fret meet Tanzo Kubo, who taunts them and explains if they win at the end of the week they'll be granted a wish. Rindo meets Kaie Ono, who teaches him about the workings of the Underground. Rindo, Fret, and Minamimoto find the graffiti across Shibuya, Fret awakening his Remind power when he makes Rindo remember something his mother wanted him to buy. While on their way back to 104 Building to finish the mission, a broadcast from Shiba Miyakaze reveals Fret renamed their team from "Rindo's Group" to the "Wicked Twisters", which Rindo finds cringey but ultimately doesn't seem to mind that much. He summons the boss by beating his chest and roaring in front of 104. He, Fret, and Minamimoto defeat it, but they don't pick up the reward pin, which is picked up by Kanon Tachibana, claiming all of the points for the Variabeauties. Rindo tries to ask for it back, but a flustered Fret lets her have it. Shoka scolds Rindo and Fret for their laid-back underachieving and tells them they should try to get a Player that just entered the Game to join their team.
Rindo using time travel.
On Day 3, Rindo and Fret recruit Nagi Usui, although he is concerned about her performance on the team. On this day, Rindo becomes aware of his Replay ability to travel back in time.
On Day 4, the Wicked Twisters fall victim to Susukichi's trickery and waste the day not earning points.
On Day 5, the Wicked Twisters solve the mission and overtake the Deep Rivers Society, fighting Fuya Kawahara.
On Day 6, the Wicked Twisters participate in their first Scramble Slam, causing them to go from last place to second place, behind the Ruinbringers.
On Day 7, the Wicked Twisters are safe from this week's erasure, although they decide to take on the Ruinbringers with the Deep Rivers Society in order to try to escape by getting into first place. They follow Susukichi around the city, only to find Fuya has lost to him. The Twisters take on Susukichi with the aid of a mysterious figure who leaves after. Although the Wicked Twisters had no control over this, Shiba declares this week's Game void and forces them to play again. Minamimoto also leaves, causing Rindo to become fearful that they will lose next week without his support.
Week Two[]
Rindo finds Tsugumi Matsunae oddly familiar.
On Day 1, Rindo, Fret and Nagi find themselves on Takeshita Street. They solve a series of riddles to escape and then fight a tough target noise. After defeating it, they briefly meet Tsugumi Matsunae from the Ruinbringers, who claims to have erased the target noise single-handedly first and claimed the pin for doing so. Rindo believes that he has seen her before somewhere.
On Day 2, they receive a mission to defeat Neku Sakuraba. They spend time searching areas of the city for Neku, interacting with members of other teams who are also searching for him, they return to the Scramble Crossing where Neku has been defeated by Tsugumi. Kubo encourages her to erase him, claiming that as he is neither a Player nor a Reaper he can be treated as Noise. Rindo is forced to use his Replay ability multiple times to search the city and locate Neku before Tsugumi does. After finally finding the correct location, the Twisters are forced into a fight with Tsugumi's animated stuffed animal Mr. Mew. The masked interloper then reveals that he is not Neku, but Daisukenojo "Beat" Bito. This means that the mission for the day, which was to defeat Neku, is now void. Kubo invites Beat to join the Game as a Player, and Fret invites Beat to join their team.
On Day 3, the group participates in another Scramble Slam. After the results are announced, Kanon Tachibana meets the Twisters and suggests that they work together with the Variabeauties to defeat the Ruinbringers on the final day of the game, and she will allow the Twisters to take first place and then battle the Purehearts the week after that. Rindo is unsure if he should accept her offer.
On Day 4, the group investigates urban legends around the city.
On Day 5, the group solves some riddles around the city and Rindo agrees to team up with Kanon.
Rindo disheartened by his role model's plagiarism and lack of creativity.
On Day 6, Rindo has a vision of Motoi Anazawa lying dead. After a Scramble Slam, Rindo discovers that Motoi plagiarized his work as An0ther, upsetting Rindo.
On Day 7, everyone decides to team up against the Ruinbringers, although the plan goes awry when Susukichi recovers early. Rindo recruits a demoted Shoka to join the Wicked Twisters. Motoi is erased, disturbing Rindo, and the group learns the Ruinbringers are Reapers. Shiba forces everyone to play another game.
Week Three[]
On Day 1, Shiba announces that he is moving the game into "Sudden Death" and that the only objective will be to defeat him in order to save Shibuya. There is also a new threat of Plague Noise upon the city which the team learns how to defeat using blacklights.
On Day 2, Rindo has a vision of Nagi and Shoka screaming as if in danger. The team learns Ayano is possessed by Noise. Shoka is unable to save Ayano, so Rindo has to use his Replay to motivate Shoka that defeating Ayano is their only option.
On Day 3, the day begins with Rindo apparently being attacked by Fret as Kanon lies on the ground nearby, and immediately triggering a Replay even though he now has no memory of what happened to him. Rindo spends the day recovering his memories, although Kanon is unable to be saved.
On Day 4, Rindo is surprised to receive a message from Uzuki Yashiro asking if they have seen Koki Kariya. They locate him and rescue him from a Plague Noise.
On Day 5, the group is forced to defeat Noise taken the form of the recently deceased.
On Day 6, the group is challenged by Susukichi to find him in exchange for Shiba's location.
On Day 7, the group proceeds to defeat Shiba and are successful. However, after the erasure of Shiba, Kubo emerges and heralds the emergence of the Soul Pulvis from Rindo's Player Pin. He reveals that he is an Angel and the Executor, and that he engineered the creation of the Soul Pulvis as a backup plan should Shiba fail to destroy Shibuya. Without much option, Rindo Replays.
Shoka says goodbye to Rindo before she dies.
In the second iteration of these events, Soul Pulvis is released again. Before Shoka is erased, she reveals that she was Rindo's online friend Swallow, and that she didn't respond to him after joining the Wicked Twisters as her account had been suspended after leaving the Reapers. Kubo destroys Rindo's pin so that he cannot rewind time any longer (even though doing so would only make the Soul Pulvis stronger). At this point, though, an Angel named Hazuki Mikagi decides to "exorcise" Kubo, erasing him so fully that he ceases to exist even if time is rewound and is even wiped from everyone's memories.
Rindo realizes how dear his friends are.
In a new timeline, Rindo discovers he exists in a world where all his friends do not exist and no one except himself remembers them. Rindo wait at the Statue of Hachiko feeling confused when Haz appears, asking Rindo for a tour of Shibuya. After Rindo leads him around, Haz reveals himself to be an Angel from the Higher Plane, and offers him one last chance to fix the future.
In the third iteration, Rindo plans more strategically, recruiting everyone he can including Rhyme and Shiki. This leads up to a fight with Phoenix Cantus. After its defeat, the group finds themselves freed from the Game by Shiba. Shoka reveals that she is going to be erased, as is fate for all those who are demoted from being Reapers according to the Shinjuku Reapers' rules, however Shibuya's Composer, Joshua decides to allow her to return to the RG, but decides to hide her from Rindo. Weeks later, the two finally meet up again by chance, Shoka angry that Rindo ignored her FanGO friend request she sent with her new account days before, complaining she's back at level 1. After Rindo accepts her friend request, she comments that she and Rindo are officially friends.
Another Day[]
Abilities[]
Rindo decides to change his fate.
Like most players, he can generally only use one psych at a time, but is not limited by pin type. He is capable of reading other's thoughts, like all other players.
Replay[]
Rindo's unique psychic power is Replay, an ability that allows him to travel back in time on a given day and change his actions for a better outcome. This ability keeps his memories intact, though the very first time he used this ability, he had a strong sense of déjà vu due to not being aware he had this ability at the time. Rindo first awakens to Replay after witnessing Fret being crushed to death by a truck. He becomes aware of Replay on Week 1, Day 3 when he activates it for the second time after he is attacked by Nagi in his mind.
Items[]
Threads[]
There are eleven Threads that give bonuses when worn exclusively by Rindo.
| Icon | # | Name | Threads Slot | HP Bonus | ATK Bonus | DEF Bonus | Style | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
88 | Cobalt Bishamon | Topwear | 40 | 0 | 78 | 50 | Rindo: DEF Boost II |
 |
93 | Flowing Indigo | Full Body | 135 | 0 | 135 | 50 | Rindo: ATK Boost II |
 |
94 | Flowing Silver | Full Body | 175 | 0 | 175 | 145 | Rindo: HP Boost IV |
 |
124 | Tradizione | Topwear | 65 | 0 | 135 | 114 | Rindo: DEF Boost III |
 |
162 | Skanda Sweatpants | Bottomwear | 38 | 0 | 53 | 137 | Rindo: Steely Resolve II |
 |
192 | Sling Bag | Accessory | 66 | 0 | 0 | 170 | Rindo: Jackpot |
 |
198 | Striped T-Shirt | Topwear | 22 | 0 | 63 | 95 | Rindo: HP Boost III |
 |
199 | Tailored Jacket | Topwear | 35 | 0 | 80 | 135 | Rindo: ATK Boost III |
 |
228 | High-top Sneakers | Footwear | 0 | 6 | 10 | 65 | Rindo: HP Boost II |
 |
238 | Buckle Sleeve Shirt | Topwear | 9 | 0 | 19 | 20 | Rindo: ATK Boost |
 |
243 | Frayed Cargo Pants | Bottomwear | 13 | 0 | 15 | 35 | Rindo: DEF Boost |
Food[]
Relationships[]
Wicked Twisters[]
- Main article: Wicked Twisters
Fret[]
- Main article: Tosai "Fret" Furesawa
Rindo and Fret having an argument.
He and Fret are friends and classmates; they mostly spend their time outside of school roaming Shibuya together. Fret nicknames him "Rindude", makes Rindo talk verbally, and elected Rindo as leader of their team, the Wicked Twisters, due to his easy-going attitude. He is far more outgoing than Rindo, and seems to draw him out of his shell a bit. Rindo sometimes seems a bit annoyed at times by Fret's boisterous personality, and his attempts to get him involved in various antics. Regardless, Rindo obviously cares a lot about Fret, and works together with him to survive the Reapers' Game together.
Nagi Usui[]
- Main article: Nagi Usui
Nagi and Rindo initially get off to a poor start, with her even calling him a "degenerate ape", as she dives into his mind after failing to obtain an ES pin of her own and confuses his thoughts to be directed at her. However, Nagi's attitude changes once Rindo goes back in time to give her an ES Pin. She then holds him in high regard, calling him "Lord Rindo". Despite Rindo's concerns about her being a loose cannon, Nagi proves useful, erasing Rindo's doubts.
Sho Minamimoto[]
- Main article: Sho Minamimoto
Rindo respects and appreciates Minamimoto for the help he gives to the Wicked Twisters, calling him Mr. Minami. He can get confused by Minamimoto's math metaphors, often having to look them up on his phone and translate it for Fret. However, he doesn't entirely trust Minamimoto, thinking him to be a loose cannon that's only around to cause trouble, and has a feeling that he has ulterior motives for helping the Wicked Twisters.
Daisukenojo "Beat" Bito[]
- Main article: Daisukenojo "Beat" Bito
Neku Sakuraba[]
- Main article: Neku Sakuraba
Rival Teams[]
Ruinbringers[]
- Main article: Ruinbringers
Susukichi[]
- Main article: Kaichi "Susukichi" Susuki
Tsugumi Matsunae[]
- Main article: Tsugumi Matsunae
Deep Rivers Society[]
- Main article: Deep Rivers Society
Fuya Kawahara[]
- Main article: Fuya Kawahara
Variabeauties[]
- Main article: Variabeauties
Kanon Tachibana[]
- Main article: Kanon Tachibana
Rindo is unsure of what to think of Kanon for much of the Reapers' Game, and is unsure if he can trust her when she proposes they cooperate to bring down the Ruinbringers. However, he eventually gives it.
Purehearts[]
- Main article: Purehearts
Motoi Anazawa[]
- Main article: Motoi Anazawa
Rindo giving Motoi another chance to prove himself.
Rindo revered An0ther and was thrilled to discover Motoi's identity. Because of this, Rindo trusts Motoi quite a lot, but his confidence is shattered on Week 2, Day 6 when he discovers Motoi lied to him to gain an advantage for the Purehearts. Although angered, Rindo understands that Motoi's life was on the line and that Motoi's actions were rooted in fear instead of malice. Motoi gives Rindo an apology the following day. Although Rindo can't bring himself to fully forgive him, as it turns out Motoi lied again, Rindo still asks for Motoi's help in bringing down the Ruinbringers. Rindo is still shocked and disheartened by Motoi's death as it turns out that Motoi finally kept his honest word this time. Even though Rindo still has mixed and complicated feelings about Motoi after, he is able to get better closure with him before his death. Rindo views the whole situation with pity, but tries to use Motoi's death as motivation for him to win the Reapers' Game.
Reapers[]
Shinjuku Reapers[]
- Main article: Shinjuku Reapers
Shiba Miyakaze[]
- Main article: Shiba Miyakaze
Tanzo Kubo[]
- Main article: Tanzo Kubo
Ayano Kamachi[]
- Main article: Ayano Kamachi
Kaie Ono[]
- Main article: Kaie Ono
Rindo likes Kaie's friendly demeanor compared to the other Reapers, with Kaie offering helpful adivce.
Hishima Sakazuki[]
- Main article: Hishima Sakazuki
Shoka Sakurane[]
- Main article: Shoka Sakurane
Shoka deciding to take Rindo's offer.
Rindo concerned about Shoka after she is smacked by Soul Pulvis.
Rindo finds Shoka grating because of her condescending attitude for nearly an entire two weeks, although he puts up with her negativity. However, at one point, Rindo gets fed up and tells Shoka to get lost, shocking her.
When Shoka is demoted as a Reaper and faces off against Noise as a Player, Rindo is able sympathize with her, asking her if she has anywhere to go. He then asks her to join the Wicked Twisters, saying they need all the help they can get to survive. Shoka is bewildered by the offer, but agrees. From this point on, Shoka and Rindo begin confiding in each other as their friendship builds, much like Rindo and Swallow, especially on the day when they need to save Ayano.
It is possible that Rindo has a crush on Shoka, based on his questioning her about the relationship between her and Kaie Ono and proceeding to blush afterwards. Rindo blushes frequently around Shoka after that point, especially after he finds out that she's Swallow. Other characters teased them a few times about their possible romantic feelings for each other too, like how Motoi accused Shoka of having a crush on Rindo when Motoi found out Shoka was secretly helping Rindo, or when Fret called the two of them "lovebirds" when they were in a long conversation with each other at one point and not focused on the mission.
Shibuya Reapers[]
- Main article: Shibuya Reapers
Koki Kariya[]
- Main article: Koki Kariya
Uzuki Yashiro[]
- Main article: Uzuki Yashiro
Coco Atarashi[]
- Main article: Coco Atarashi
Others[]
Hazuki Mikagi[]
Rindo agrees to be Haz's tour guide.
- Main article: Hazuki Mikagi
Rindo meets Haz during an emotionally tough period in his life. Haz asks Rindo various introspective questions. Haz refers to Rindo as a "friend". The somewhat overly assertive way he makes Rindo show him around and answer his complex questions, despite them being complete strangers to each other, both confuses and annoys Rindo to an extent, and he quickly notices there is something off about Haz. Haz's questioning eventually helps Rindo to make the complex decision to determine his friends' and Shibuya's fate, and Rindo is grateful for Haz giving him the opportunity.
Etymology[]
Kanade (奏), from the verb "kanaderu", literally means "to play an instrument". The name also parallels the previous protagonist Neku's whose name involved "sound, manipulation". Rindo's "instrument" may be interpreted to be his phone. His name also fits with other characters themed after ideas of sound, such as Beat and Rhyme.
Rindo (竜胆) is the name of the gentian flower, sharing the plant and flower motif with many characters in the series. The kanji literally means dragon and courage. The "dragon" part is presumably why Swallow calls him "Rindragon". His name may also be a reference to the final bosses of both games, with Rindo being the "dragon" to defeat the Phoenix Cantus, and dragons and phoenixes are seen as a pair in feng shui. The dragon and phoenix are depicted as being male and female respectively. Shoka may be interpreted as the phoenix, whose online handle also happens to be Swallow, a bird. The courage can be a reference to the courage Rindo gains throughout the game.
Quotes[]
- "We'll change our fate!" (Using Replay)
- "Ah, let's eat." (placing order)
- "Aw man, I can't get enough!" (eating loved food)
- "Pretty tasty." (eating liked food)
- "This is... fine." (eating hated food)
- "...wtf?" (in a text message to Fret regarding his "wunafo" joke)
- "STFU" (in a text message to Fret)
- "I don't know what's going on... or what any of this means... JUST MAKE IT STOOOOOP!"
- "And what if we don't feel like playing? Can we just... not?"
- "I haven't understood a single thing that's happened since you picked up those creepy pins."
- "If we're gonna "play", let's at least come up with a better name."
- "But it's so... (...cringey.)"
- "...You're totally still a fan. Not like he'd care what you think. He doesn't even know you exist. C'mon. Better get back to the Game." (about Fret and Eiji Oji)
- "And on that note, I think we're gonna bounce." (fleeing from Nagi after she shows him her ES pins)
- "Argh! How does she always manage to be so damn annoying?" (about Shoka)
- "Will you shut up already? We've got enough to deal with without you hassling us at every turn!" (to Shoka)
- "Figures. That kinda info's probably above your pay grade." (to Shoka)
- "I KNOW! Now can you give me a friggin' break already!? Just because YOU'D jump off Tokyo Tower if Kanon asked—" (to Fret)
- "Hey, do you... wanna join us? Like, our team." (to Shoka)
- "Well? What're you waiting for!? JUST GO! Not like you were really with us ANYWAY!" (to Shoka)
- "There's nowhere for me to go back to. It's empty."
- "What the hell was I doing before all this? Why can't I remember?!"
- "WE'RE GONNA TAKE BACK THIS CITY!" (killing Phoenix Cantus)
Battle Quotes[]
- "We got this." (entering battle)
- "Don't get careless." (entering battle)
- "Just be careful!" (entering battle)
- "Keep it together.""'
- "Nice work."
- "So far, so good."
- "Let's keep it up!"
- "How's that?'
- "That was perfect."
- "Yes, got it!"
- "Cool off!" (when using Ice affinity pin)
- "Time's on my side." (when using Time affinity pin)
- "Quit it!" (immobilized)
- "Got it!" (Fret: "Nice one, Rindude!")
- "Hey, not bad!" (Fret: "Just doin' my job!")
- "So far, so good!" (Fret: "Let's keep it goin'!")
- (Fret: "Ain't no stoppin' us now!") "We got this!"
- (Fret: "Was that cool or what?!") "Not bad, I'd say."
- (Fret: "Did I do that?!") "You sure did!"
- "Yes, got 'em!" (Nagi: "Masterfully done!")
- "Thanks, Nagi!" (Nagi: "No need to thank me!")
- "Let's keep it up!" (Nagi: "Understood!")
- (Nagi: "Many thanks, Lord Rindo!") "...Nice work."
- (Nagi: "HRAAAAAHH!") "Uh, is she okay?"
- (Nagi: "Splendidly done.") "Thanks Nagi!
- "Thanks for the help!" (Beat: "I gotchu!")
- "I did it!" (Beat: "Hell yeah you did!")
- "Oh yeah!" (Beat: "Lookin' good, brotha!")
- (Beat: "Booyaka!") "...Right!"
- (Beat: "Just follow my lead!") "I'll do what I can!"
- (Beat: "Leave it to me, yo!") "Roger!"
- "Did you see that?" (Shoka: "I did, and?")
- "How's that?" (Shoka: "Better than expected.")
- "That wasn't half-bad." (Shoka: "Did I ask?")
- (Shoka: "Thanks.") "Uh, no big deal."
- (Shoka: "That was easy.") "I'm impressed."
- (Shoka: "Way to be useful for once.") "No sweat."
- "Got 'em!" (Neku: "Well done!")
- "Alright!" (Neku: "Keep it going!")
- "Nailed it!" (Neku: "Nice one, Rindo!")
- (Neku: "Got 'em!") "Great job!"
- (Neku: "Nice teamwork!") "That was perfect!"
- (Neku: "We've got this!") "Yup!"
- "Was that okay?" (Minamimoto: "Could be worse.")
- "We're really in sync!" (Minamimoto: "Perfectly balanced.")
- "Whoa, that worked!" (Minamimoto: "Keep it constant!")
- (Minamimoto: "It's crunch time!") "Right..."
- (Minamimoto: "Such simple equations!") "Uh, sure?"
- (Minamimoto: "Fine, I'll integrate!") "That'd be great!"
- "There's more where that came from." (★-grade victory)
- "Not too shabby." (A-grade victory)
- "Nguh. I feel like we deserve better."
- "Well... At least we survived." (low rank victory)
Trivia[]
- According to Tetsuya Nomura, his face mask was coincidental and has nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic since he designed Rindo before it happened.[4][5]
- This is apparently joked about on Day 5 a bit, when the game throws shade at those who hoarded masks and supplies and tried to sell at a higher prices (price gouging). It mentions the Peroxidolls, an idol group of pop stars focused on being clean who practice social distancing, masking and hand sanitizing. However, they sell hand sanitizer and masks for ridiculous prices. Fret says Rindo would fit in, but Rindo replies his mask is for fashion.
- In an interview with 4Gamer, Nomura said he was very conscious about designing Rindo, and was concerned people would not like Rindo simply because he is not Neku, noting "Neku=TWEWY" took root in people's minds for years. He tried to make Rindo's character appeal to a wide audience without making him too eccentric, pointing out that the people around Rindo are more eccentric.
- The four members of the Wicked Twisters introduced in NEO each have a theme color (seen in the background of their sprites) corresponding to the codenames Neku and his partners were assigned in Another Day; in Rindo's case, he and Neku are both blue.
- According to the director of NEO regarding the cast's food preferences, Rindo prefers lightly seasoned food.
- Despite wearing a Jupiter of the Monkey pullover as part of his everyday attire, Rindo seems to like RyuGu better. Only one JotM item gives him bonuses (the Skanda Sweatpants), in contrast to Neku who has multiple. RyuGu, meanwhile, has three items which offer Rindo bonuses, the most out of all the brands which do so.
- Several aspects of Rindo's character connect him to Joshua, which could be foreshadowing for his role as proxy. Rindo's name has the kanji for dragon, while Joshua's has the phonetic word, "ryu." Furthermore, both are associated with dragons through their favorite brands, Dragon Couture and RyuGu, with the latter being the former's NEO replacement. Both also use blue as their theme color, and both are fans of games (Tin Pin and FanGo) which are incredibly popular during the time of TWEWY and NEO, respectively. Finally, Joshua and Rindo are heavily associated with their phones, Joshua's being his psych in battle, and Rindo often being glued to his.
- Unlike Neku, who removes his trademark item (his headphones) at the end of The World Ends with You, Rindo does not remove his face mask at the end of NEO.
- He does, however, put his phone in his pocket, indicative of how he's grown to talk with people face-to-face rather than always through texting, which was what his mask represented.
- Rindo's English voice actor (Paul Castro Jr) said he is a massive fan of the game and that voicing Rindo was "a dream come true."[6]
- Rindo coincidentally shares a battle quote with the Neku in the original version.
- When defeating a single Noise, Neku would say "Any last words?!" similar to Rindo who says the same when doing so.
References[]
- ↑ NEO: The World Ends with You: Official Guidebook + Setting Documents Collection (新すばらしきこのせかい公式ガイドブック＋設定資料集 Shin Subarashiki Kono Sekai Kōshiki Gaidobukku + Settei Shiryōshū) exclusively released in Japan, July 2021.
- ↑ Sachie Hirano: 主人公のリンドウは，マスクを着けているキャラクターなんですが，自分の内に秘めた言葉を口に出さないというところをマスクで表現しています。前作の主人公ネクが，ヘッドホンを付けて外界との関わりを遮断していたのと同じ感じです (The main character, Rindo, is a character wearing a mask, but the mask expresses the fact that he doesn't say the words that are hidden inside him. It's the same feeling that the main character Neku of the previous work was wearing headphones to cut off the relationship with the outside world.[1]
- ↑ Tetsuya Nomura: はい。リンドウは当初、自分の言葉を直接口に出さず、SNSを通して発するタイプのキャラクターという設定だったので、マスクはその象徴になっています。ただ、実際のゲームではフレットの影響もあって、それほど無口ではないです（笑）。(At first, Rindo was set as a type of character who did not speak his own words directly, but spoke through SNS, so the mask is a symbol of that. However, in the actual game, he's not so quiet due to the influence of Fret.)[2]
- ↑ Tetsuya Nomura: リンドウをデザインしたのはコロナ禍になる前だったので関係はありません。リンドウは前述通りの設定で、マスクはネクのヘッドホンと同じく、他者との距離感の表現でした。まさかマスク姿が当たり前になる世の中がくるとは思いませんでしたね。(I designed Rindo before the corona wreck... the mask was an expression of a sense of distance from others, just like Neku's headphones. I never thought that masks would become a norm in the world.)[3]
- ↑ TWEWY_PR tweet written by Tetsuya Nomura; third sentence translates from Japanese to "I didn't think that masks would become a norm in the world when I designed Rindo."
- ↑ https://twitter.com/PaulCastroJr/status/1380527572111396866