Richie

Richie has been forced into greater independence by the disappearance of the adults around him. He participates in the children's attempt to maintain a community despite their isolation and the hostility they face from Keybas.

Like the other children, he is frightened by the circumstances surrounding their families but continues helping the group survive rather than simply waiting for adults to return.

Richie is an ordinary human child with no supernatural powers or established combat abilities.

His practical strength lies in surviving with the other children outside Keybas. Their refuge operates without normal adult supervision, requiring its inhabitants to cooperate for food, shelter and safety.

Richie appears in "Alternative," when Vash's group reaches the fortified city of Keybas and encounters children living outside its walls. The children explain that adults from their villages mysteriously entered trance-like states and walked away.

The situation worsens when residents of Keybas blame the outsiders and children for trouble surrounding the city. The seemingly coordinated sandworm attacks are ultimately traced to Zazie the Beast, who has been hiding among the children.

Richie's role remains tied to this anime-original episode, and canon provides little biographical information beyond his membership in the children's community.

Vash the Stampede encounters Richie while investigating what happened to the adults around Keybas.

Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson accompany Vash and become involved in protecting the children.

Zazie the Beast is connected to the crisis surrounding Richie's community. Zazie has infiltrated the children while manipulating the sandworms attacking the area.