Here’s a closer look at the playable Nopons in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Manana and Riku

With Xenoblade Chronicles 3 quickly approaching in July, Nintendo is sharing a ton of info rapidly, including the playable Nopons that will appear in your party.

In case you haven’t played a Xenoblade Chronicles game before (which is understandable, as you can jump into any of them), Nopons are the core “cute” race of the series, not unlike a lot of other anime productions. They’re typically goofy, but they also fight, and sometimes serve a larger role in the overarching plot.

As far as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 goes, first up is Manana, who is “always thinking about food.” It’s not just for lore flavor either, as they’ll serve as the cook of the party, and they sport a “cheerful personality.”

マナナは常に食べ物のことを考えているんですも。冒険中、食材になりそうなものを見つけたらマナナに頼めば、おいしく調理してくれますも！マナナはとても明るい性格だから、旅も楽しくなりそうですも！#ゼノブレイド3 pic.twitter.com/sNyPQkKPJM

— ゼノブレイド総合 (@XenobladeJP) May 16, 2022

Then there’s Riku, who is one of the most stoic Nopons we’ve seen to date. They’ll “maintain your weapons” as the smith, and one of his defining traits is his ability to keep his cool. That calm demeanor and that Japanese voice in the video below are a thing of wonder. I’m already counting on adding them to my party ahead of time. I love it when that happens with a JRPG.

リクはどのような状況でも表情を崩すことなく慌てもしない、どこか達観したところがあり、ノアたちへのアドバイスも適格ですも。武器の整備は、リクにおまかせしたいですも！#ゼノブレイド3 pic.twitter.com/6FduNpkYWN

— ゼノブレイド総合 (@XenobladeJP) May 16, 2022

This tweet gives us a better look at the duo in a battle-ready stance, with their weapons out.

「リク＆マナナ」は、2人1組でパーティに参加しますも！搦め手を得意とする、変幻自在のアタッカーで、敵を弱体化しつつ戦況を変える力を持っていますも！協力しながら戦う姿は、さすがノポンのコンビネーションですも！#ゼノブレイド3 pic.twitter.com/DAbhWAjzl6

— ゼノブレイド総合 (@XenobladeJP) May 16, 2022