Kosaka Anastasia Ryoko

Kosaka Anastasia Ryoko (小阪・アナスタシア・涼子) was an Instructor at Ludvico Private Girls' Academy. She was one of the primary Instructors for the Garden's first-year Lilies, together with her longtime friend, Izumi Rosa Rina. Unbeknownst to them, the pair secretly worked in service of GEHENA, unwillingly aiding them in conducting experiments with Ludvico's students.

Ryoko was later revealed to foster the consciousness of Professor Amamiya (天宮教授), a radical GEHENA researcher and the father of Amamiya Sophia Seren, who merged his mind with the Instructor's in order to continue his observations of Kishimoto Lucia Raimu, who was a product of his experiments. Ryoko served as the final antagonist of the Ludvico series of stage plays.

Personality

Playful and friendly, Ryoko completely contrasts the personality of her partner, the stern and hard-lined Rina. Because of this, she approaches her students more unceremoniously than other Instructors, and enjoys a much more casual relationship with many of them. Despite her jovial attitude, Ryoko does not refrain from exercising her authority as an Instructor, and while never using harsh or commanding words, she will still scold her students whenever they engage in any activities that pose them danger or go against the Garden's rules. Nevertheless, Ryoko cares greatly for her students, and is willing to put herself in danger in order to ensure their safety.

As an aide of GEHENA, Ryoko, like Rina, appears to be very reluctant to carry out their demands, particularly when doing so involves endangering their students. Unlike Rina, however, Ryoko is much more submissive, and will very rarely attempt to defy them directly, with Instructor Toride Suzanne Reika remarking how they're "very thankful for her loyalty". When Rina suddenly departed from Ludvico, Ryoko lost her position as GEHENA's primary underling to the much more loyal Instructor Reika, prompting her to become more proactive in opposing their plans, going as far as to directly fight the equally loyal and remarkably callous Instructor Makabe Melania Sayoko on multiple occasions.

Ryoko is particularly proud of her large chest, and will accentuate it at every opportunity she gets. On the other hand, she has great trouble looking down because of it, and is particularly bad at going down stairs.

As Professor Amamiya

Ryoko's personality changes drastically once under the control of Professor Amamiya's consciousness. She becomes sadistic and arrogant, continuously reaffirming her most inhumane endeavors as indispensable steps for mankind to prevail against the Huge, while dismissing any and all objection against the cruelty of her methods, mocking the Lilies of the Temple Legion and Legion Ironside for attempting to stop her. Ryoko is shown to become particularly cold-blooded in this state, viciously murdering Instructors Reika and Sayoko for no apparent reason, and similarly murdering Instructor Kaido Beatrice Chiharu, who had been an ally of hers during their investigation of Rina's departure from the Garden.

Despite claiming that his experiments were carried out for "the sake of humanity's future", Amamiya shows a personal hunger for power, as he notably had Ryoko undergo a special Boosting procedure which granted her a near limitless output of Magie after coming to inhabit her body, and displayed a greater desire to take control of Kishimoto Lucia Raimu due to the connection she shared with the Huge resulting from being born as a Boosted Lily. Even after realizing that he'd be unable to retrieve Raimu alive, Amamiya still desperately fought the Lilies of Ironside, as well as a Gigant-class Huge, in order to reach her, as he surmised that merely retrieving a cell sample of the Lily would be enough to enact his future plans.

Due to claiming that his consciousness had been "fused" with Ryoko, the extent to which the Instructor's actions were influenced by Professor Amamiya throughout the series is unknown. It should be noted, however, that Amamiya does appear capable of actively puppeteering Ryoko's regular affable and upbeat personality in order to mask his true self, initially attempting to justify their brutal murder of Reika and Sayoko, and later using her persona to tell Seren of how her father was "such a wonderful man".

History

During her time as an active Lily, Ryoko was a member of the Cheering Squad (応援団), a group of Lilies who cheered on Ludvico's Top Legion, the Temple Legion, whenever they were deployed for battle. Ryoko met and eventually became close friends with renowned Temple Legion member Izumi Rosa Rina, and after graduating from high school, the pair became Instructors together. Soon, they were secretly recruited by GEHENA and tasked with facilitating their experiments with Ludvico's Lilies, and despite their own qualms with the morality of their actions, the pair agreed.

At some point, Ryoko became the host to the consciousness of Amamiya Sophia Seren's father, the radical GEHENA researcher Professor Amamiya. Having previously carried out Boosting experiments on Kishimoto Lucia Raimu's mother during her pregnancy, Amamiya wished to closely observe the effects it would have on the Lily. And so, arrangements were secretly made, presumably by Amamiya's suggestion, to ensure that Raimu enrolled into Ludvico, while simultaneously, he had Ryoko herself undergo a Boosting procedure, granting her a level of power that surpassed even the most powerful active Lilies in the Garden.

Stage plays

This information is specific to the stage play continuity.

Schwester's Prayer

Main article: Assault Lily: Schwester's Prayer

Ryoko and Rina are appointed to teach the newly enrolled first year Class B, which Raimu and Seren had been assigned to. After briefing the first years on the basics of combat, as well as the Garden's educational policy centering around preparing them to join the Temple Legion, the Instructors then summon the second year Lilies to aid in supervising their training, with Raimu being particularly assigned to Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie, who was the former Schwester of Raimu's sister, the late Kishimoto Maria Mirai.

The two Instructors then report to GEHENA that Seren was currently the strongest Lily among the first years, and that the recently transferred Ichinomiya Michaela Himari was the strongest second year. To their surprise, GEHENA shows an unusual interest in Raimu's condition, cryptically remarking that as she is Mirai's sister, she would undoubtedly "blossom" soon. Their conference is interrupted by the appearance of a Cave, and while Rina leaves to alert the Lilies to deploy for battle, Ryoko sets off to find the first years, offering them a way to "be useful to the second years" by joining her in the Cheering Squad.

Later, Ryoko and Rina hold another conference with GEHENA, confirming that Himari was currently the strongest Lily in the entire Garden. They are ordered to carry out "the same procedure that was done to Mirai". Ryoko attempts to object to their decision, arguing that it's too early to conduct another experiment after Mirai's death, but GEHENA responds that Mirai's case was simply a failure due to the incompatibility of her Rare Skill, Phase Transcendence, with the Boosting procedure. Rina is severely disturbed by GEHENA's callousness, and attempts to voice her discomfort at using her students as fodder for their experiments, but she is immediately reprimanded for her sentimentality. Though still unwilling, the two Instructors agree to continue acting on GEHENA's behalf.

During Ludvico's Easter Festival, Ryoko spreads multiple of her on Easter Eggs, containing invitations to join her Cheering Squad instead of Medalhas. The Eggs are mainly found by the first year Lilies, who are disappointed at being unable to find any of their seniors' eggs. As the festival continues, Ludvico receives a report of a Cave, and Ryoko hurriedly warns Rina that the Huge began converging at Ludvico's cemetery, Maria's Hill, where Raimu was. Recalling GEHENA's unusual interest in Raimu, Rina leaves to assemble the Temple Legion, while Ryoko once again approaches the Class B Lilies as they attempt to leave for battle on their own accord, trying to dissuade them from fighting the Huge by themselves and instead inviting them to join her in the Cheering Squad once again. Joined by Nagase Marta Nonoka, Hanaoka Angela Moe, Hojo Monica Asahi and Hasegawa Gabriella Tsugumi, the Cheering Squad watches on as the Temple Legion successfully takes down a Gigant-class Huge.

In the aftermath of the battle, Ryoko and Rina pray together at Maria's hill, and Rina reveals to Ryoko that she had been the one to send out Mirai to GEHENA, ultimately causing her to be made into a Boosted Lily before her death.

Schwester's Secret

Main article: Assault Lily: Schwester's Secret

During one of their conferences with GEHENA, Rina inquires about Raimu, as much like Mirai, she appears to attract the Huge's presence. After her question is dismissed, Rina attempts to defy GEHENA by telling them she will no longer do her bidding, only to be immediately admonished by the institution's representatives, who deem her apparently held moral superiority as vain and conceited. Distraught, Rina leaves the conference, and as Ryoko begins to leave after her, she is told by GEHENA that they have high expectations for her.

As the Temple Legion is dispatched following the appearance of another Cave, Ryoko approaches Tsugumi, Haneda Catalina Mei and Saeki Julia Karen as the three Lilies once again try to leave for battle by themselves. She attempts to invite them to join her in the Cheering Squad, reminding them of the danger they face by entering the battlefield on their own, however, Karen disagrees with her, arguing that it is their duty as Lilies to not turn away from facing the Huge, begging the Instructor to allow them to leave. After Ryoko insists on bringing them along to the Cheering Squad, the three Lilies decide to leave without the Instructor's approval, much to her dismay.

Ryoko and Rina learn that the Temple Legion encountered Mirai still alive in their previous mission, and so, they confront GEHENA on the issue, wondering why Mirai refused to return to Ludvico for all this time. Though GEHENA confirms that they knew of Mirai's survival, they refuse to provide any further clarification to the Instructors, only adding to Rina's discontentment.

Later, Rina tells Ryoko of Mirai's past in Ludvico, remarking that due to her excellence in the Duelist style, she would often fight without the aid of a Legion, despite her unusual tendency to attract the Huge's presence. Because of this, her powers continued to increase while her control over them would not, and as such, she was offered a way to gain control of her powers by GEHENA. But while on her way to their facility, she was suddenly ambushed by a Cave which was not reported by Ludvico, leaving her in the brink of death, and ultimately allowing GEHENA to perform their experiments on her. Rina worries that the same may eventually happen to Raimu, and affirms to Ryoko her resolve to keep the Lily safe.

The Garden is alerted to another Cave, and as the Temple Legion is assembled to neutralize it, Ryoko takes off to find the first years yet again. To her surprise, both Karen and Mei enthusiastically join her in the Cheering Squad, as they wished to support Tsugumi after she was chosen to join the Temple Legion. And so, the Cheering Squad watches over the Temple Legion as they once again encounter and fight against a berserker Mirai, with Raimu ultimately being the one to kill her.

Following the battle, Ryoko finds Rina praying alone at Maria's Hill, who was completely heartbroken at Mirai's suffering at GEHENA's hands. Ryoko advises Rina to not blame herself for the Lily's fate, and Rina, pointing out how both Raimu and Mirai appear to attract the Huge's presence even without being Boosted Lilies, declares her determination to uncover the true nature of the two sisters, hoping to protect Raimu from GEHENA's schemes.

White Resistance ~The Promise's Path~

Main article: Assault Lily: White Resistance ~The Promise's Path~

After Rina suddenly disappears from Ludvico, Ryoko enlists the help of newly admitted Instructor Kaido Beatrice Chiharu to investigate the circumstances of her departure. Chiharu eventually succeeds in retrieving Rina's journal from the Instructor's possessions, where she documented her discovery that Mirai's own father, Professor Kishimoto, was seemingly the one who carried out the Boosting experiments on her.

Ryoko is later informed by Instructor Toride Suzanne Reika that she would be assuming both Ryoko and Rina's position as GEHENA's agent within the Garden moving forward. Reika then reminds Ryoko of Ludvico's importance to GEHENA's plans, pointing out that their use of their students is a necessary price to pay for the greater good of the Garden's Lilies as a whole. Sensing Ryoko's aversion to her statement, Reika warns the Instructor against following in the same path as Rina.

Ryoko and Chiharu talk over their findings, with the latter reporting having found no information on Rina's whereabouts within Ludvico's databases, while the journal they've found appears to suddenly stop halfway through. Chiharu expresses her worry over Rina's current predicament, and despite being uneasy herself, Ryoko urges her fellow Instructor not to worry, assuring her that Rina will eventually return. Later, Ryoko is shown leaving with a mysterious briefcase, while making a call to an unknown figure.

After Chiharu finds what is secretly a continuation of Rina's journal, she immediately delivers it to Ryoko, who upon reading it, urges Chiharu to return it to where she found it as soon as possible, remarking that the Garden will surely attempt to retaliate against Rina should they learn of its content. Ryoko then reports the matter to Reika, who in turn tells Ryoko that it was a "long settled matter", and that they should dispose of Rina's belongings, as she will surely no longer be returning to Ludvico. Finally, Reika shows her appreciation for Ryoko's loyalty to them.

As Chiharu arrives at Rina's room in order to return the journal's fragment, she is met by Instructor Makabe Melania Sayoko, who invites her to speak in private on her findings pertaining to Rina's whereabouts. Shortly after this, Chiharu was attacked by Ryoko, under Professor Amamiya's influence, leaving her on the brink of death. Chiharu is found by Mei and Sano Matilda Kokoro just before succumbing to her wounds, and Ryoko, back to her normal self, arrives at the scene. Noticing that the wounds on Chiharu's body were caused by a CHARM, she urges the two Lilies to leave the place as the Cave alarm goes off, insisting that they don't mention anything of what they've witnessed to anyone.

While the Temple Legion leaves to neutralize the Cave, Ryoko rescues Nonoka after the Lily finds herself surrounded by multiple Large-class Huge without a CHARM in hands. Noticing Nonoka's particularly loud voice, Ryoko invites her to join the Cheering Squad, and after the Temple Legion fails to perform their Neunwelt Tactic, Ryoko provides Kuroki Francisca Yuria with a second Neunwelt bullet, allowing the newly formed Legion Ironside to perform a Neunwelt of their own in conjunction with the Temple Legion members, ultimately succeeding in destroying the Huge.

After the battle, Ryoko, Mei and Kokoro offer a prayer to Chiharu's soul at Maria's Hill, and Mei apologizes, as she had been the one to direct Chiharu to Rina's room previously, under Instructor Sayoko's orders. While reassuring her that she wasn't at fault, Ryoko once again tells the two Lilies to forget what they've witnessed and carry on with their duties as Lilies until Rina returns.

Reika would later make Chiharu's murder public to all of Ludvico's Lilies and Instructors, proclaiming that Rina had been the culprit. Because of this, Rina was placed on the national most wanted list, and the Garden was left on high alert for her potential reappearance.

White Resistance ~The Blade of Truth~

Main article: Assault Lily: White Resistance ~The Blade of Truth~

As the formation of Legion Ironside contradicts the Garden's policy of having the Temple Legion as its singular active Legion, their leader, Sachie, is subsequently removed from the regular joint training sessions as punishment. After Raimu and Seren, also members of Ironside, protest this decision, Reika also removes them from the training grounds. Seizing the opportunity, Ryoko secretly brings the pair to Sachie, allowing them to use an empty training facility in order to continue training as a Legion.

Some time later, Ryoko rescues Mei, Kokoro and Matsunaga Brigitta Kayo after the trio is attacked by Instructor Sayoko while searching for information on the murder of Seren's mother in the Garden's databases. After forcing Sayoko to leave the scene, Ryoko uses her Rare Skill, Z, to undo Kokoro's wounds, while imploring that the Lilies stop prying into the Garden's secrets. However, Ryoko would later approach the Lilies and offer her help in their investigations, claiming that she wished to prove Rina to be innocent in Chiharu's murder.

Following the appearance of a Cave near Ludvico, Ryoko once again rescues Nonoka after the Lily is surrounded by Huge while not in possession of her CHARM. Predicting the ensuing battle to be her last, Ryoko entrusts Nonoka with continuing the legacy of her Cheering Squad, leaving her with the flag and bandana she would always carry. Later, Ryoko rescues Karen, Asahi, Tachibana Theresia Nagisa and Seto Veronica Ichika from Instructor Sayoko, who had just shot Ichika after she and Nagisa succeeded in taking down Nosaka Jacqueline Kazane, Ichika's former Schwester, who had been resurrected in the same fashion as Mirai was.

Ryoko then joins Rina, who had recently returned to Ludvico, in fighting against Instructors Sayoko and Reika after the pair ambush the Temple Legion and Ironside in order to retrieve Raimu. Together, Ryoko and Rina succeed in gaining the upper hand against Sayoko and Reika, despite the former being a Boosted Lily. However, to Rina's surprise, Ryoko viciously murders the two Instructors in cold blood, and Rina confronts her on it, revealing that she knew Ryoko to have been the one to murder Chiharu. Cornered, Ryoko reveals her true identity as Professor Amamiya, easily overpowering Rina and the Lilies while revealing to them that Raimu was born a Boosted Lily due to the experiments conducted on her mother, that being the reason why Raimu attracts the Huge's presence, but is never attacked by them.

Ryoko attempts to explain her motivations to the Lilies, citing that the Boosting experiments she conducted were a necessary measure in order to return peace to the world, and that Raimu had the potential to bring it all to an end due to the natural connection she possesses with the Huge. Ryoko attempts to convince Seren to stand down, appealing to their bond as father and daughter, but after Seren refuses to comply, Ryoko begins to battle the Lilies, determined to get to Raimu by any means, while also hoping that the trauma of seeing her loved ones die would cause her power to grow even further, as it was the case when witnessing the deaths of her mother and Mirai.

Due to the special Boosting procedure she subjected herself to, Ryoko overpowers Legion Ironside with little effort, with her tremendous output of Magie calling the attention of the Gigant-class Huge previously deployed by GEHENA. The Lilies continue to battle Ryoko, and Rina attempts to plead with Amamiya, arguing that her seemingly "infinite" Magie will end up destroying Ryoko's body before long. After learning from Rina that she is capable of forming a sympathetic bond with the Huge, Raimu manages to subconsciously command the Gigant-class to attack Ryoko. The Instructor is in awe of her power, and surmises that once her Rare Skill, Charisma, evolves into Laplace, she should be able to gain full control of the Huge.

As the battle continues, Seren attempts to hold Ryoko in place in order to allow the Gigant-class to hit her, but Ryoko quickly frees herself from the Lily's grasp, and gravely wounds her, leaving Raimu further distressed. Presuming that she'll likely die from her wounds, Seren shoots the Gigant-class Huge in order to provoke it into attacking again, and together with Yuria, they hold Ryoko in place once again as the Gigant-class strikes all three of them at once.

Though left severely injured, Ryoko survives the attack, and resumes fighting the Lilies as GEHENA's helicopters arrive on the scene, taunting them by remarking that the gravity of their wounds will likely mean they will all be subjected to experimentation. Furious at the trail of death and destruction left by Ryoko's experiments, Raimu begins fighting the Instructor directly, determined to kill her in order to "put an end to everything". Raimu is eventually stopped by Sachie, who takes it upon herself to land a fatal blow on Ryoko, which causes Professor Amamiya's consciousness to be expelled from her body. In her final moments, the true Ryoko extends her hand to Rina, before succumbing to her wounds.

Trivia

• Ryoko's confirmation name, "Anastasia", could be in reference to one of several Catholic Saints named Anastasia, with the most notable among them being Saint Anastasia of Sirmium.
  • Interestingly, Anastasia of Sirmium was highly regarded for being a healer and an exorcist, the complete opposite of Ryoko, who was possessed by the consciousness of an immoral scientist.
• Ryoko shows multiple similarities with Nishimura Noemi.
  • Both are former Lilies of Ludvico.
  • Both initially appeared as friendly and well-meaning, before revealing themselves to be self-centered and callous.
  • Both of their plans hinged on securing a Lily who had undergone a special variety of Boosting procedure.
  • Both underwent a mind-transferring procedure of some kind.
  • Both were defeated by the united efforts of the two highest ranking Legions of their respective Garden.
• Ryoko's existence as a character predates her presence in the Assault Lily universe. A character named "Kosaka Ryoko" appears in other plays by Ludvico Private Girls' Academy and Saint Ludovico Academy dating back to 2013. In some of these plays, she is a high school student, not an instructor.
• Ryoko's Cheering Squad serves a metanarrative purpose, as during the battle sequences, they introduce and explain each Lily's Rare Skill to the audience.
• Whenever leading the Cheering Squad, Ryoko wears a bandana with the word "annihilation" (殲滅).
• Ryoko's hobbies include aerobic exercises and jumping rope.
• Ryoko's favorite foods are several varieties of fried chicken, such as standard fried, deep fried and grilled.
• In her promotional picture for the Lily Project version of Schwester's Prayer, Ryoko appears wielding a Dainsleif, despite still using her standard Gungnir in the stage play.

Gallery

Designs

• 
  Ryoko's original design, by Hotaru

Stage

• 
  As portrayed by Endo Mitsuki
• 
  As portrayed by Suzuki Arisa
• 
  As portrayed by Arima Uika

References

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy Legions Temple Legion  ·  Legion Ironside Faculty Izumi Rosa Rina  ·  Kosaka Anastasia Ryoko  ·  Makabe Melania Sayoko  ·  Toride Suzanne Reika  ·  Kaido Beatrice Chiharu

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy Legions Temple Legion  ·  Legion Ironside Faculty Izumi Rosa Rina  ·  Kosaka Anastasia Ryoko  ·  Makabe Melania Sayoko  ·  Toride Suzanne Reika  ·  Kaido Beatrice Chiharu