Zuuma

Zuuma (Japanese: ズーマ Romaji: zūma) is a highly skilled assassin from the Slayers series, hired to kill Lina Inverse; he is also the alter-ego of Radok Ranzaad, a wealthy merchant. The circumstances surrounding his hire, as well as his reason for becoming an assassin, differ in the novels and anime. His Japanese voice actor is Nobuo Tobita, and his English voice actor is Troy Baker.

Novels
Although he had a successful career as a merchant, Radok became a professional killer on the side. He claimed, "I do not know why [I became an assassin]. I only know that I am a man born to kill. I can live no other way."

Zuuma was first hired to kill Lina by Kanzel, a mazoku serving Chaos Dragon Garv. Garv had learned not long before that his enemy, Hellmaster Fibrizo, was planning something, and that Lina Inverse was crucial to these plans. Garv decided to kill Lina as a precaution. At the time, Kanzel was working in Saillune City, as part of Alfred Saillune's assassination plot against the Crown Prince Philionel El Di Saillune. When Lina arrived in Saillune City and took a job as Philionel's bodyguard, Kanzel hired Zuuma to kill her.

Zuuma's first attempt to kill Lina was thwarted by Gourry Gabriev. According to rumor, this was the first time anyone had survived one of Zuuma's attacks. Zuuma attacked Lina a second time while she and Gourry were rescuing Clawfell from Alfred's men. The resulting fight ended with Zuuma losing both his arms and being forced to retreat.

Even though Kanzel was destroyed not long afterwords, Zuuma was still intent on finishing his job and killing Lina Inverse. To do that, he merged with a badly injured mazoku named Seigram. Seigram had been defeated by Lina and Gourry not long before, and like Zuuma, wanted revenge. The two became a half-demon.

A few months after the events in Saillune, the merged Zuuma-Seigram attacked Lina in the woods. However, the arrival of Xelloss forced Zuuma to retreat, leaving a message: "Come to Vezendi or someone will die." Vezendi was the city where Zuuma's "secret identity," Radok Ranzaad, lived.

Lina and her companions (Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadiss, and Xelloss), unaware of Zuuma's real identity, traveled to Vezendi and learned that Zuuma had also sent a message to Radok Ranzaad: "I shall kill you. If you do not wish to die, hire Lina Inverse." Thus, Radok hired Lina and co. (sans Zelgadiss) as bodyguards.

Zuuma-Seigram attacked Lina repeatedly and unsuccessfully over the course of her employment as a bodyguard, enlisting the help of two lesser mazoku (Dugld and Gduza) and Raltaak. Zuuma-Seigram did not reveal that they had merged until the end, letting Lina and co. believe that the two were attacking them as separate entities at the same time, and that their attacks were unrelated.

Eventually, Zuuma, as Radok, announced that he wanted to go traveling to do business, although Lina suspects he really wants to provoke a final confrontation with Zuuma. While on the road, they were attacked by bandits, and in the confusion, Radok, as Zuuma, pretended to take himself hostage. In the resulting fight, Zuuma revealed to Lina and co. that he had merged with Seigram. Then Abel, Radok's son, revealed that he had known all along that his father was Zuuma. The battle ended with Zuuma-Seigram-Radok being killed by Lina with the Ragna Blade.

Anime
In Slayers REVOLUTION and EVOLUTION-R, Radok's reasons for becoming Zuuma and killing Lina are different. Radok's father had a reputation for being an unscrupulous businessman, and thus made many enemies. One of these enemies hired bandits to kidnap Radok and his wife, Abel's mother (who is not named). In the process, Radok's wife was seriously wounded, and died in their cell while waiting for Radok's father to pay the ransom. These bandits were later killed in a battle in Sairaag (possibly one the battles in involving Lina and co.). It is implied that this, in addition to Radok's natural desire to kill, drove him to become an assassin. Radok/Zuuma may have also held a grudge against Lina for preventing him from taking revenge on the bandits responsible for his wife's death.

Zuuma is hired by Gioconda to kill the Slayers and get the replica of Gorun Nova from Pokota, the prince of Taforashia. In his first attempt, he was sent along with numerous people on a cruise ship to help him with his mission. However, Gourry prevented him from killing Lina. Later, Lina and co. pretended to be captured by Gioconda's men, but were released by her maid Ozel. While they were escaping Zuuma and Gioconda ambushed them in Gioconda's underground arena; Ozel help Zuuma and Gioconda as part of her contract.

Zuuma fought with all his might against Lina and gave her a run for her money. Even though Lina tried to kill Zuuma with the Ragna Blade, Ozel jumped in the way and was hit by the blade, and seemingly died. When Gourry got hold of Pokota's replica of the Sword of Light, however, Zuuma could no longer keep up with his two adversaries and lost both of his arms in this version of the storyline as well. He then retreated, shortly before Duclis activated Gioconda's Zanaffar armor.

Zuuma returned in Slayers EVOLUTION-R as one of the two main villains to confront Lina once again, having merged with two mazoku, Dguld and Gduza, in order to restore his arms (Seigram had died in Slayers NEXT). However, because Xelloss appeared, wanting the Hellmaster's Jar from Zuuma, the assassin retreated and told Lina: "Come to Vezendi or someone will die". Arriving in Vezendi, they were summoned by Radok Ranzaad, who informed them that Zuuma had sent a message saying he would kill Radok and that he should hire Lina Inverse as a bodyguard. Lina and co. agreed to take the job.

Zuuma repeatedly tried to kill Lina and Gourry, and sent Dguld and Gduza to keep Zelgadis and Amelia from interfering. However, these attempts failed.

Like the novels, Radok eventually decided to go on a business trip, provoking a final showdown between and Lina, her friends, Zuuma, and the two mazoku. In the middle of the fight, however, Zuuma destroyed Dguld and Gduza in order to absorb their power. Abel appeared and revealed that Zuuma is Radok, and begged his father to stop. Unlike the novels, Radok/Zuuma murdered his son. Enraged, Lina cast the Ragna Blade and sliced off Zuuma's arms, but failed to kill him. Xellos instead appeared and finished Zuuma off.

Appearances

 * Slayers REVOLUTION (EP07, EP09-EP10)
 * Slayers EVOLUTION-R (EP01, EP05-EP08)
 * Slayers REVOLUTION (manga) and Slayers EVOLUTION-R (manga)
 * Slayers Vol. 4, Slayers Vol. 6