The first officer of the Elsior, Lester spends most of his time ensuring that Takuto performs his duties as a commander or searching for him when he embarks on one of his wild adventures with the Angel Troupe. He has known Takuto since their days at the military academy and has been by his side ever since.
Unlike Takuto, whose skirt-chasing and laid-back tendencies are more exaggerated in the manga compared to the games, Lester's personality remains relatively unchanged. However, he sometimes appears more stressed due to Takuto's behavior. In the games, Takuto is somewhat more reasonable.
Lester is considered the second-best among General Luft's students, right after Takuto. He excels at identifying enemy formations and ship classes, as well as managing the ship's daily operations. Paired with Takuto, who has an uncanny ability to predict opponents' moves and exploit weaknesses, they are nearly unbeatable. If Lester has any flaw, it's his somewhat conventional approach to strategy, contrasting with Takuto's unorthodox methods. Takuto appreciates Lester's efforts in running the ship, which allows him to build relationships with the Angels and enhance their battle abilities. Conversely, Lester is the only person on the Elsior who can make Takuto sit down and complete his paperwork.
In the first game, unlike other characters, Lester has complete confidence in Takuto's leadership despite occasionally being irritated by his friend's carefree nature. He spends most of his time on the bridge overseeing things while Takuto befriends the Angels. While others might resent being stuck on the bridge while their superior enjoys time with cute girls, Lester understands that the H.A.L.O. System relies on the pilot's emotions. Therefore, the better the Angels feel about Takuto, the better the system responds, making the Emblem Frames more powerful.
A straight man in the truest sense, Lester handles Takuto's goofy antics calmly and never hesitates to get his friend back on track. Although aware of Takuto's combat skills, it's his behavior outside of battle that concerns Lester. He seems completely oblivious to Almo's crush on him.
Since Moonlit Lovers, however, he is painfully aware that Coco once mentally paired him and Takuto together.
In Galaxy Angel II, he currently commands the Elisior and is accompanied by Almo, Noa, and Chitose. He protects the gate from the EDEN side and still appears unaware of Almo's feelings for him.
Takuto and Lester now enjoy verbal sparring. Upon meeting Kazuya Shiranami, Lester remarks, "He's quite different from someone else I know, eh, Takuto?"
In response, Takuto introduces him with, "This rude man here is Captain Lester Cooldaras."
Lester later tells Kazuya, "It's tough having an unreliable captain, but hang in there."
Retaliating, Takuto quickly tells Almo, "It's tough having an uptight captain, but hang in there."
* Lester's first name comes from an English hard cheese called Leicester, while his last name originates from a French cheese called Coeur d'Arras.
* In one of Kanan's Galaxy Angel manga, Tact invents a story about Lester transforming into a beautiful woman when his eyepiece is removed, shocking Almo. An enraged Lester then beats him up.
* This joke was referenced in the audio drama portion of Chitose Karasuma's CD. She hosts a radio talk show and reads letters from listeners. One letter asks if it's true Lester becomes a beautiful woman when his eyepiece is removed. She comments that she's heard the rumor but believes it isn't true. She does admit she'd love to find out.
* In the Galaxy Angel Perfect Guide, his name is romanized as Rester Cooldaras.
