Roberto De Niro

Roberto is cynical, pragmatic and difficult to impress. Years of reporting have made him skeptical of idealistic explanations, and he regularly tries to temper Meryl's enthusiasm with the realities of surviving No Man's Land.

He drinks heavily and often appears detached, but that demeanor masks genuine professional competence. Roberto pays close attention to information others dismiss and possesses a network of knowledge accumulated through years of reporting.

His relationship with Meryl gradually reveals a protective side. He may complain about her inexperience, but he takes his responsibility as her senior seriously.

Roberto is an ordinary human without supernatural abilities, but he is an experienced survivor and investigator. His familiarity with No Man's Land helps him recognize organizations, dangerous individuals and suspicious circumstances.

He carries a derringer pistol for self-defense and can function under fire, although he is not a combatant comparable to Vash or Wolfwood.

His strongest asset is experience. Roberto knows how to gather information, read dangerous situations and decide when a reporter should observe rather than intervene.

Roberto accompanies Meryl when the Bernardelli News Agency sends them in search of Vash the Stampede. He initially treats the Humanoid Typhoon as a story to investigate rather than accepting either Vash's reputation or Meryl's assumptions at face value.

As the journey continues, Roberto becomes increasingly aware of the forces surrounding Vash. His experience allows him to recognize that Nicholas D. Wolfwood and other apparent travelers carry histories they are not openly discussing.

During the destruction of July, Roberto is mortally wounded while protecting Meryl. Before dying, he gives her his derringer, which becomes the weapon associated with her older incarnations. His death marks a major step in Meryl's transition from inexperienced rookie to veteran reporter.

Meryl Stryfe is Roberto's junior colleague and trainee. He challenges her idealism while teaching her how to work and survive as a reporter in No Man's Land.

Vash the Stampede becomes the subject of Roberto and Meryl's investigation. Roberto gradually recognizes that Vash's reputation does not explain the full reality surrounding him.

Nicholas D. Wolfwood attracts Roberto's suspicion. His experience helps him recognize that Wolfwood is more than the undertaker he presents himself as.

Roberto dies protecting Meryl during the July incident and leaves his derringer with her, making his influence part of the reporter she becomes afterward.