At the Gaean equivalent of 15 Earth Years of age, this young warrior prince ascend to rule over his small kingdon of Fanelia after the death of his father and the mysterious disappearance of his older brother. Van is known as a guy of a few words and speaks up only when nessesary. He also pilots the guymelef "Escaflowne", which only a member of the Fanelian royal family may operate. At the beginning of the series, he literally runs into Hitomi, after being accidentally transported to Earth during his final initiation before claiming the throne. Hitomi was then transported back with him.

One of the twelve "Heavenly Knights" of Asturia, who act as the royal guard for the ruling family, and pilot of the guymelef "Sheheranzade". Although he seems very kind, admirable and debonaire, beneith all that is simmering bitterness and a troubled past with an absent father, deceased mother, and a long-lost sister. He bears a striking resemblance to Amano.

Wizened Emperor of Zaibach, Dornkirk oversees the ravaging of the countries of Gaea in his relentless pursuit of the secrets of the ancients, who possessed the technology that made Guymelefs possible. The ultimate goals of his machinations and the reasons for his obsession are as mysterious as his origins. His age is known to b at least 200 Earth years , and he survives due to an intricate life-support device, which takes up a huge room in Zaibach's floating fortress.

Dornkirk's enigmatic strategist, Folken coordinates and carries out Dornkirk's plans as well as developing new technologies, such as the stealth cloak used by Zaibach's guymelefs. He is also the long-lost brother of Van.