While playing Secret of Mana, you should make sure you get as much help as possible from the people around you. Some characters you will come across many times and you'll need their help often in exchange for some GP. Other characters you may only need to talk to once to gain important information about what to do next in the game.

The three players in the game supposedly do have names apart from the ones you'll give them when you meet them. I've seen their "real" names all over the internet although I'm not sure where they originate from.
Image	Name	Hometown	Infomation
	Guy / Randi	Potos Village	You begin playing as Randi, who is an orphan that lives with the town elder. While playing with two of the local children in a forbidden area of Potos, the Randi falls off from a log bridge into a shallow stream. As he wanders around he finds a sword. Soon after, he hears a voice telling him to take the sword. Briefly, the boy sees a spirit (who turns out to be the boy's father). With this sword, the boy has unknowingly started on his destined road to be the Mana Hero.
	Girl / Purim	Kingdom of Pandora	The girl is the princess of Pandora. Her father wants her to marry against her will. Her main reasons for joining Randi on his journey are to escape her father as well as find her boyfriend, Dyluck, who has been kidnapped. She is bossy but she is your source for defensive magic. She can even cast spells onto your weapons, giving you the power of a certain elemental.
	Sprite / Popoie	Dwarf Village	You meet up with this smart mouth sprite in Gaia's Naval. Lost when young, the sprite wants to get back to his home in the Upper Land. He decides to go with you, reluctantly at first, until you get him home. The Sprite will turn out to be your main source for attack magic

The characters below feature often throughout the game and offer their own services which will help you throughout the game, you'll get to know these guys well and appreciate their appearances later on in the game.
Image	Name	Hometown	Infomation
	Cannon Men	Various Places	These guys are usually located near villages. For a small fee, they'll blast you to distant lands with a cannon. If any of your three allies are ghosts than you'll not be allowed to use the cannon.
	Neko	Various Places	Neko is a travelling merchant. His prices are often expensive and when you come across him, these prices are double the current cost of things. Neko can also give you the option to save your game or stay at an inn for a price. His shop is situated west of Potos.
	Shop Keeper	Various Places	Shop Keepers run shops where you can buy items and weapons. They also run Inns where you can sleep to replenish yourself or save your game.
	Watts	Various Places	You encounter Watts throughout the game, and when you do you can upgrade your Weapons by giving him an orb and some money. Orbs become more expensive to forge as your weapons are upgraded.

The Resistance are a group of civilians who's main aim is to help battle the Empire and to stop it from controlling Mana. You get a lot of help from this lot, especially Krissie. They're base is in Northtown, a building which is disguised as a cafe.
Image	Name	Hometown	Infomation
	Krissie	Northtown	She's only 18 years old but she's a strong character and leader of the rebellion against the Emporer. Her team will prove to be a strong source of help for you and on occasions will heal you.
	Resistance Member	Northtown	This guy helps Krissie along the way, its worth talking to Krissie's followers, they'll tell you a lot of information that helps you fully understand the plot and the situation between The Resistance and The Empire.
	Resistance Member	Northtown	Krissie's other fellow member in The Resistance is this girl, is also another strong addition. Remember that during certain parts of the game, its worth noting that Krissie and her allies can heal you.

The Republic are the army who vow to destroy the Empire. However, without the Mana Sword their efforts are of little help. The only character who has the ability to help you in The Republic is Jema.
Image	Name	Hometown	Infomation
	Dyluck	Kingdom of Pandora	Dyluck is kidnapped by Thanathos when he is leading a mission against Elinee the witch. Purim is in love with Dyluck and desperately tries to free him from Thanathos.
	Jema	Wanderer	Jema is a well experienced knight from Tasnica. He fought alongside the warrior Serin, and his role here is to guide Randi in his quest and give him advice whenever possible.
	Republican Soldier	Wanderer	These soldiers are seen with Dyluck when he attempts to infultrate Elinee's Castle but fails. They also go silent in Pandora, in fact, they're not much help considering they're soldiers.
	Meria	Royal Sandship	This man is the general commanding the sandship. He is a strong man, but is weak with his grandson.
	Morie	Royal Sandship	He is the grandson of the leader commanding the Royal Sandship. He saves you after you are stranded in the desert.

Below are the rest of the characters in the game who will help you along the way.
Image	Name	Hometown	Infomation
	Dwarf Elder	Gaia's Navel	This guy will introduce you to Popoie and will also give you the Midge Mallet if you return there later in the game.
	Elder	Potos Village	This is not Randi's father but the elder of Potos village who finds him as a baby and raises him as a son.
	Elliot	Potos Village	Elliot is other of Randi's friends in Potos. Neither Timothy or Elliot feature in the game after the opening scene with the exception of the ending.
	Grandpa Sprite	Sprite Village	Grandfather to Popoie and keeper of the Wind Palace. He'll give you the powers of Sylphid as well as heal you and restore your MP whenever you decide to visit him.
	Jeko	Mandala Mountain	When Randi meets Jeko in the cave of Sage Joch he claims to be Jeko, the servant of Joch. Jeko sends Randi to find the sage who left his cave for "something important". After not being able to find Jeko time and time again, Jeko eventually tells Randi that Joch is home, but first Randi and his friends must complete his test.
	Karon	Sea Of Stars	The ferryman who takes you across the Sea of Stars to reach the Moon Palace.
	King	Gold City	You won't see kings that much, but when you can, you should try talking to them, they are often wise and hold advice that will let you proceed in the game if you're stuck.
	King Amar	Kakkara	The King of Kakkara looks like a shopkeeper, and is hard of hearing. In exchange for a Sea Hare's Tail, he gives you the Moogle Belt.
	King Truffle	Matango	He'll introduce you to Flammie and he'll give you the Flammie Drum. He's not really that important, but I suppose you have give him credit for bringing up Flammie.
	Luka	Water Palace	Luka guards the Water Palace's Mana Seed. She's 200 years old and gains her wisdom from the waters that flow into her palace from around the world.
	Mara	Southtown	Mara is a Tasnican spy. Her husband was discovered with the key to the Golden Tower (aka the Light Palace) and captured. She gives you the code to get into the Southtown sewers. Later, look for her with the key to reach the Golden Tower.
	Moogle	Moogle Village	You can be turned into a Moogly by enemies. Moogles arn't so annoying for just that reason though. They can't even talk back to you. You'll see their village and at some point aquire the Moogle Belt from Kakkara and therefore the power to control being a Moogle or not. Great...
	Pecard	The Lighthouse	Pecard is the caretaker of the lighthouse. He informs you about the sunken continent under the Lost Continent.
	Phanna	Kingdom of Pandora	Phanna is silenced along with all the inhabitants of Pandora when Elinee casts a spell over the town. She is Purim's best friend. When under Thanathos' control, she explains to Purim that Dyluck and herself love each other. However, this is only a tactic that Thanathos uses to distract Purim.
	Rabite Man	Gaia's Navel	Before Randi discovers Popoie, he is treated along with Purim to a exhibition in the Dwarf's Village. Rabite Man is one of the main attractions, however, he is only half of the act. Because there's a Rabite... and a Man...
	Rudolph	Ice Country	Why is Rudloph the red-nose reindeer in this game? Anyway, you'll need to talk to Rudolph (...weird...) to find out about Santa's disappearance.
	Sage Joch	Mandala Mountain	This old man claims to be Sage Joch. When Randi has completed his test he meets Jeko again who tells him that he is ready to fight the Mana Fortress along with his friends. Randi is confused that Joch himself doesn't tell this to him, but Jeko tells him that he himself is Joch and that the old man is just an illusion. No, I don't understand the point of it either...
	Santa	Ice Country	Santa's left home to look for a Mana Seed. He believes that with the power of Mana he can grow a giant Christmas tree. But it doesn't quite work out and underestimating Mana's power, he is turned into Frost Gigas.
	Sergo	Wanderer	When you first meet this guy he'll help you and your allies escape the sandship. You'll bump into him again, but he doesn't do much else.
	Serin	Angel Falls	This is the ghost Randi encounters at Angel Falls. He tells Randi to take the sword. He fought alongside Jema when he was alive and is actually Randi's father.
	Timothy	Potos Village	Timothy is one of Randi's friends in Potos, however, he runs away when Randi falls from the bridge at the beginning of the game.
	Queen	Gold City	Queens arn't important at all in the game, in fact, they're more like any other non-playable town character you'll meet.