Chrono Cross cast revealed

[10.04.99] » Five new party members and three new villains appear for the first time, plus a few new plot details. (Possible minor spoilers present.)

   Square Japan recently released a massive update to its list of Chrono Cross characters, adding a total of five new playable characters and three villains to the rosters. In addition to Serge, Kid, and Glen, the new list of allies includes:

• Korcha, a small-but-powerful young martial artist. Clad in a black vest and red shorts, he carries no weapon and likely fights with his fists.
• Slash, an androgynous, but apparently male, warrior. He looks somewhat like Xenogears' Id, as he has long red hair and pale skin. Slash's clothes all adopt a pattern of alternating black and red. (Note that this Slash is in no related to Ozzie's henchman Slash in Chrono Trigger, who was named Soy in the original Japanese version.)
• Pierre, a narcissistic medieval knight -- no relation to the Pierre of Chrono Trigger that defended Crono in court. Chrono Cross's Pierre wears gold armor and a huge blue hat with several flowers stuck in its brim. (Think Vincent de Boule from Suikoden, except with an actual weapon.)
• Miki, the obligatory scantily-clad female magician. Her flashy pink clothing, garish jewelry, and face painting give her an appearance akin to that of a circus performer.
• Tumalu, the equally obligatory cute animal sidekick. Best described as a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit, the adorable little Tumalu carries a bell about its neck. Its fur is white, though a tuft of pink hair tops its head.

   Three new villains were revealed as well:

• Tukuvomi, a mischievous jester in red and blue clothing. He or she (Tukuvomi's gender is indistinct) appears in a number of CG scenes, as well as in battle.
• Gyadarun, a blue-skinned ninja in black and red clothing. His hair is shaped in a long yellow cone that trails behind his masked head.
• Lutrianna, a blue-haired female scientist. She wears a white lab coat and wears a monocle over her left eye.

   Tukuvomi, Gyadarun, and Lutrianna join the existing cast of villains: evil leader Jyakotu, sorceress Rideru, Karsh the monk, Zoah the executioner, Marcella the demonic girl, and last but certainly not least, Serge's feline rival Yamaneko. For more on these older characters, check back to the GIA's first look.

   Finally, some minor plot revelations were divulged. In Chrono Trigger, Crono and his party sought out and repaired the Masamune sword in order to battle Magus. In Chrono Cross, the Masamune again plays a pivotal role, and it seems that Serge's team will even get a chance to wield the weapon.

   While the addition of Tukuvomi, Gyadarun, and Lutrianna apparently completes the list of villains, as many as seven additional party members could be waiting to be revealed. With Chrono Cross due out in Japan in just a month and a half, expect the rest of the list to be uncovered soon.