First Appears:
Episode 12: Diablo
Stats:Legato has blue hair, gold eyes, and incredible powers of mind control. He wears a long white coat, with spikes on one shoulder and a human skull on the other. Anime Legato is always snacking on sweets, while manga Legato doesnt seem to be picky about what he eats. He lives only to please his master,
Million Knives, and to cause suffering to
Vash. Legato seems to be almost totally brainwashed by Knives, and he is devoted to his master with a single-minded fanaticism that goes beyond mere loyalty. Legato has embraced Knives hatred of the human race to the point where he is convinced of his own worthlessness for being a human. Legato lives for human suffering, and raises the death toll everywhere he goes. He kills on a whim, all the better if there is torment involved.
The relationship between Legato and Vash is strange. Legato has no real grudge against Vash, he only wants him dead because Knives does. I think that one of the reasons Legato does hate him is out of jealousy. Legato admires Vash for being so much like Knives, which Legato can aspire to but never become. Legato can only be human, held in contempt by both Knives and himself. And although Knives hates Vash, he loves him as well. Legato does not understand why Vash willingly throws away all that Knives is offering and, probably because of Knives influence, he doesnt understand Vashs reverence for human life.
The biggest difference between anime Legato and manga Legato is what happens to him after the Fifth Moon incident. In the manga, after this event occurs, Knives is reborn from a Plant. For some reason (I cant read Japanese so I dont know) he attacks Legato (or maybe he does it out of simple anger) and rips off his arms and legs -- it looks as if he bends him in half. From then on, Legato travels around in a box shaped like a coffin (Ive been told that Japanese fans call it a
kanoke, which means coffin). His coffin bearer, who carries him around, is a very tall, androgynous figure in a mask.
The other major difference revolves around Legatos left hand. In the anime, he is constantly looking at it, touching it, and even licking it. I have heard that in later episodes it kind of hints at the reason behind this, but the manga specifies that when Knives shot Vashs left arm off, he then gave it to Legato. This raises the interesting question of what Legato did with his own left hand. I wouldnt doubt that he cut it off to have Vashs arm put in its place.
Quotes:I found you Vash the Stampede.
-His first line to Vash. Episode 12.
Ive come here to warn you. Im afraid your life is going to end. Today. -Episode 12.
Your reaction was better than I hoped. Youre fun. -His best line. Episode 12.
But to think I could kill every man, woman, and child here in the blink of an eye if I wanted to the power of death is intoxicating. -He just keeps getting cooler! Episode 12
And dont worry, no one else needs to get hurt. So do you want to draw? -Okay, -this- is his best line. Episode 12.
