Lantz

Lantz (Japanese: ランツ Romaji: rantsu) is a character from the Slayers novels.

Lantz is a mercenary swordsman, the same age as Gourry or possibly a little younger. He has red hair and a goatee. He is described as average in appearance, neither exactly handsome nor exactly ugly. Lantz is a proficient swordsman; not quite at Gourry's level, but certainly first-rate. He uses a fighting style that combines swordplay with bare-knuckle brawling; he switches between a two-handed grip and single-handed grip on his sword to strike his enemy with his free hand unexpectedly.

Lantz first appears in The Sorcerer Of Atlas when he encounters Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev in a bar. His attempts to flirt with Lina which results in her striking him and starting a bar brawl. However, Lina and Gourry are shortly thereafter hired as bodyguards by Tarim the Violet; as Lantz is also one of Tarim's bodyguards, they end up as uneasy allies. When Lantz sees the effects of the Raugnut Rushavna curse on Daymia the Blue and learns that there are two mazoku involved, he quits out of fear and plans to flee the city. Before he can leave, however, he is severely wounded by his traitorous ally Rod. Gourry defeats Rod and Lina takes Lantz to the nearest magical healer, saving his life. After recovering, Lantz departs for Sairaag.

Lina and Gourry encounter Lantz again in The Ghost Of Sairaag on their way to Sairaag, his own journey having been held up by unspecified circumstances (Lina suspects it has something to do with a girl). Since he's going to Sairaag anyway, he offers to accompany them and help them ward off the numerous bounty hunters seeking them for the price Copy Rezo put on their heads. Lantz briefly wields the Blessed Blade, during which time he succeeds in destroying the mazoku Vizea. After the defeat of Copy Rezo, Lantz chooses to part ways with Lina and Gourry, saying "No offense, but I don't think I'm going to live long around you people."

Relationships
Lantz develops a deep admiration for Gourry after Gourry proves he is a superior swordsman by bisecting a coin while it is balanced on the edge of Lantz's sword. Lantz purchases the coin for five times its value and keeps it as a lucky charm. From then on, Lantz regards Gourry like a brother. Gourry, in turn, seems to have a jovial relationship with Lantz. In contrast to his usual poor memory for names and faces, he recognizes Lantz right away when they meet for the second time on the way to Sairaag.

Lina initially dislikes Lantz. He makes a bad first impression when he hits on her at a bar, by groping her butt when she is eating, and Lina subsequently takes every available opportunity to express disapproval of him. She dislikes his occasionally crude humor, believes Gourry to be a far superior swordsman, and thinks Lantz cowardly and weak-willed when he runs away from the mazoku in Atlas City. However, she does later gain some respect for him, acknowledging that his swordsmanship, while less impressive than Gourry's, is still admirable. She is also impressed when, overcoming his previous fear of demons, he stands up to and destroys the mazoku Vizea.

In his first appearance, Lantz is working with the swordsman Rod. However, while they are allies, they are clearly not friends. Lantz is submissive towards Rod, frightened by the latter's cold and bloodthirsty personality. Rod is contemptuous of Lantz, clearly doubting the usefulness of his less-skilled partner. Their partnership ends when Rod attempts to kill Lantz and is slain by Gourry.