The Wonder of Anime Presents: For the Lovers is a love themed collection on The Wonder of Anime, including guest essays. This essay is by Tyanna Watts.
It was a late Saturday morning in the summer of 2008. The house was quiet as all the adults decided to give me a rare bit of peace and leave me to my devices, reminding me that the door should always remain locked and that anyone who mattered would have a key. I situated myself in front of the TV on the floor with my assortment of preheated snacks and juice pouches, clicking through On Demand DVR channels, before landing on channel 995. I scrolled through various selections provided by Anime Network, finally landing on the thing I had waited an entire week to see. I hit play on my show, and my senses were greeted with a symphony of syncopated drums, chimes, a jazzy bass guitar, and visuals that were a feast for the eyes. It was then, as Kasumi’s vocals sang in the background and the opening song of her anime drew to a close, that her figure became clear. It was then that I found myself in love with her, the 59th Savaar of Karuda, the main protagonist of an anime that is near and dear to my heart, Shadow Skill, Elle Ragu.
I have a deep love for nostalgic shows, mostly because of my access to the Bright House On-Demand channel Anime Network, now modern-day HiDive, kind of sort of. Unlike the modern landscape of mostly accessible anime, where you can find anime on almost every streaming platform, in the early 2000s, coming across anime felt like a novelty. Which is saying something, because for me, anime wasn’t a foreign concept. I had seen Naruto with my dad, watched Pokémon and Digimon with the rest of my peers, and was introduced to Toonami by my uncles. I knew anime well. And yet, Shadow Skill —it hit differently. It didn’t feel like the shows I had seen; it felt mature, deep, and most importantly, it was led by the protagonist, Elle Ragu.
My love for Elle Ragu runs deep. From poorly written fanfic that’ll never see the light of day, to self-insert OCs I’d create in my mind that would fight alongside the fearsome 59th Savaar, Elle Ragu took up an unnatural amount of time, living in my head rent-free. Although it’s canon that she most likely wouldn’t be able to afford it anyway. Without spoiling the show too much because, of course, I want you to watch my life-long hyperfixation show, Shadow Skill, is an anime set in a world where magic and human spirit are one and the same. Most of the series centers on Karuda, a city known for its powerful warriors, including the Savvar, the most powerful fighting being in the world. Shadow Skill follows the rise of the newest Savaar, the first woman to ever receive the title, Elle Ragu. Her name is kind of lame to be honest, but can’t nobody beat her ass, so we just have to deal with the ridiculous pasta sauce surname. Much like the anime itself, Elle felt different to me from the other female protagonists I had seen at the time. Most of the female protagonists I encountered were strong, feminine magical girls, who, don’t get me wrong, especially now, I adore. However, while I love and have always loved the pretty transformations, dreamy aesthetics, and the romantic side plots, Elle spoke to something in that I hadn’t realized I needed acknowledgment.
Elle Ragu is a character who is brash and loud, very irresponsible, and constantly makes mistakes. She’s a slacker — overzealous and brazen, and she owns it. She claims her flaws as hers, though they don’t limit or overshadow her strengths such as her physical prowess and her skills developed through consistent training and hardship. Her raw power and unapologetic nature truly spoke to my emo, misunderstood pre-teen brain that desired to be respected and understood similarly. Elle Ragu is mostly portrayed as an overall idiot, but an incredibly competent fighter; however, that takes away from her nuance. Elle Ragu isn’t stupid; she’s full-hardy, hardheaded, and knew where she faltered, but that never deterred her from protecting her loved ones, being open to emotional conversations, standing up for those who couldn’t, and fighting with honor. Yes, I watched her dash across the screen. I was mesmerized by her and the world she lived in. I also watched her cry. I watched her mourn her family members, and I watched her curse her weakness. The Elle Ragu, who was the strongest fighter amongst many, I watched her be vulnerable and cry when her body failed her, and all she had to offer was her spirit and her heart.
“I am invincible. My Shadow Skills, perfectly honed. The power of my blow has no equal.”
I wanted to be her so bad, and I am not embarrassed about it. Especially now, as an adult. I’ve rewatched Shadow Skill many times in my life, and the older I get, the more I feel I connect to her. Where the 11-year-old in me attached to her cool factor, I find that her financial debt, binge drinking, and fight against tyrannical fascism really resonate with me at this time in my life. Well, that and the other aspects of character that a younger me just couldn’t pick up on. Her fear of not measuring up to expectations, her grief in losing loved ones, and her struggles to effectively communicate with the people she cares for the most. Most of all, I connect with Elle’s words. “I am invincible. My Shadow Skills, perfectly honed. The power of my blow has no equal.” This was Elle’s battle cry, called out before dispatching the finishing blow on her opponets and it left me awestruck. She was unmatched, practically unbeatable, and I thought — I think she is so cool. It’s this that I carry now more than ever. Despite her flaws and humanity, she knows that she’s powerful and can’t no body run her fade. Elle Ragu is undoubtedly powerful, but she is equally complex, and growing up with her as a character to relate to has been incredibly special.
Elle Ragu and the Shadow Skill series have been a source of peace for me, just like it was when I was 11. Even 2 decades later, I find myself thinking of her when I need something that feels safe and nostalgic, which lately has been every other day. Elle has helped to define so many amazing traits in me, and while I used to even feel weird about how much I’ve attached myself to the character, I’m happy I’ve kept her so close to my heart. Elle is a core memory; precious and sweet, and I can’t deny how much she’s impacted and inspired me to be a more powerful woman in my own life, to embrace my own flaws, and to be brave enough to stand against the odds. I hope everyone can find themselves an Elle Ragu, a character you love so much and feel so strongly about that they carry you through life.
Tyanna Watts, or Ty, Blaque N’ Kulture is a content creator, creative director, and life long nerd who loves all things animation, comics, manga, and fandom. Over the near 8 years she’s been a digital creator, she’s covered conventions, hosted photoshoots, curated podcasts, edited comics, and a ton of other interesting creative endeavors, all with the intention of going wherever her creativity leads her, as well as sharing the stories and uplifting the voices of black and marginalized folks, especially in the indie space.
When Ty isn’t online, she’s going on adventures with her freinds, cooking yummy meals, going to ren faires, listening to music (especially DJ sets), crafting, or annoying the people in her life with her newest hyperfixation.
