Hikaru ShidouIs the "leader" of the Magic Knights. She lives in Tokyo with her parents and her pet dog named Hikari (light). Being named Hikaru (which means fire) her magical power is fire. Hikaru is sweet and tough when she needs to be. She's a determined fighter with a courage level that won't be broken at any cost. Defeating and killing princess Emeraude leaves her scarred for life, but because of that experience she will face any obstical that is put in front of her. Her love life is very confusing, being that she's tied between two guys: Lantis and Eagle. Hikaru's guardian/ mashin is the monstrous lion, Rayearth.


 
Umi Ryuuzaki is a young girl with the power of the ocean at her side (umi=sea). Umi uses her beauty and courage to defeat her enemies as well as her wit. She does have a problem with controlling her emotions but when she shows her strongest emotions, the people around her like her even more than before. Even though she's the "humorous" and "ditzy" character of the story, when it comes to fighting Umi will never give up. Her inspiration is her parents and her friends. Love is another story in her life. She is also tied between two men; one was inspired by her while the other just loves her as a the person she is: Ascot and Clef. Her manshin (god spirit) is the blue dragon Seresu.

 

 
Fuu Houjo is the smartest out of the magic knights. Because of her sudden shyness, she isn't the boldest character in the group, but when it comes to accomplishing her goals, she is determined to do anything to get there. With her name meaning wind, she uses the power of the sky and air to help her on her quest. Being a witty and intelligent young girl, her beauty and wisdom win the heart of the Prince of Cephiro, Ferio. They're are the only "official" couple in the story, since Umi and Hikaru are stuck in love triangles. Fuu's mashin is the giant eagle of wind, Windam.

 

 
Princess Emeraude is the princess and pillar of Cephiro. Her prayers and wishes are what keep Cephiro a peaceful and loving land. When she is kidnapped, Cephiro turns into a land of turmoil and war because her prayers can't reach the people of land. When her brother, Ferio, was little, she gave him a pair of earrings and told him to give these to his one and only love. She did this because she knew she would never be able to be with her true love: Zagato. The only way for them to be together for eternity is for them both to be killed.

 

 
Dark Priest Zagato is the villain of whom kidnapps Princess Emeraude in the first part of the story. He kidnapps her not to turn Cephiro into a land of madness, but to be with his secret love. He wishes for the magic knights to kill him so he and his love can be together for eternity. Being a high priest of Cephiro, he has emense dark power and not to mention powerful allies.

 

 
Ferio is the Prince of Cephiro and Princess Emeraude's brother. He first appears as a mercenary trying to obtain escudo from the Forest of Silence so he can rescue his sister. At first the magic knights don't know of his true identity and don't know if they can trust him. Ferio sweeps Fuu off her feet by at first offering her one of his earrings and then kissing her hand. He is a handsome young man with lots of physical stregnth who has courage and a strong will to get him through any obsticle.

 

 
Guru Clef is the master sorcerer of Cephiro. With emense magical power, he teaches select people from the land of Cephiro the powers of magic. Being short for his age (745 years old) he is not seen as very powerful at first. But because of his lack of intimidation he can defeat his enemies easily by surprise. Clef is a caring person who only wants what's best for others and his homeland. He easily gets tangled up in Umi's beauty and when Umi apologizes to him for being mean to him when they first met, a bond is created between them both.

 

 
Chief Artisan Presia is the world's best weapon maker in Cephiro. She enjoys torturing people and often has fantasies about it. Her twin sister takes over Presia's position when the real one is killed in the Forrest of Silence by using too much of her energy to make weapons for the magic knights. The first Presia becomes a great friend of the knights and an inspiration to them later on. If if wasn't for her, they wouldn't have gotten the escudo and saved Cephiro.