Joe is second in command of the Science Ninja team and serves as their expert marksman. He joined the team to exact revenge for the murder of his parents at the hands of Galactor and will stop at nothing to get it. His quick temper and serious personality make him an intimidating character, even among the team. As a result, Ken is the only one willing to cross Joe, and the two are often at odds. It isn't uncommon for them to pummel each other when tempers flair. Joe is a skilled driver and makes a living on the racing circuit. He has no permanent address but lives in a pull behind trailer attached to his car. This transient lifestyle seems to suit Joe, as he spends most of his time alone. He's made a name for himself in the world of racing and is regarded as a minor celebrity. Unlike Ken, Joe doesn't avoid intimate relationships and has pursued the occasional hot blond. However, his preference for strong, dangerous women causes problems. Twice he fell for undercover Galactor agents, and twice they died. Joe in many ways is the opposite of Ken. He feels little obligation to the cause beyond loyalty to the team and his own revenge. But this doesn't make him a bad guy. In fact, Joe has a soft side that he keeps well hidden. His intensity and skill reveal a no-nonsense man, but he has a strong sense of right and wrong, loves animals (even risking his life for them), and has a soft spot for young children and old ladies. But Galactor is never far from his mind and he seeks his revenge unwaveringly. When Joe was a young boy he witnessed a Devil Star assassinate his parents on BC Island. Even then he sought revenge as he took up his dead father's handgun to shoot her. It almost got him killed. Dr. Nambu was nearby and secreted the gravely injured boy from the island and let Galactor believe him dead. The scientist brought Joe back to health and raised him with Ken. The question of why the Asakuras were targeted is answered as the show progresses. Joe, with the help of Ken, remembers that his parents were Galactor agents trying to defect with the help of Nambu. This realization causes Joe shame but also understanding, and he becomes less intense. Ken promises to keep Joe's secret from the others, and it isn't revealed until Joe himself mentions it. The revelation also brings the two foster brothers closer, as Ken himself copes with recent knowledge of his own father and his loss. They both agree that sometimes it's better not to know. Early on Joe suffers a head injury that is to haunt him throughout the series. He increasingly gets headaches, becomes sensitive to bright light, and occasionally falters in a fight from dizziness. He refuses to talk about it to anyone, and he's terrified he'll have to quit the team. He fights the symptoms when they appear but eventually realizes the seriousness of his situation. In secret, he consults with a doctor. Through him, Joe finds out he has only weeks to live and makes a drastic decision. He will go out in a blaze of glory and hopefully take Katse with him. At Cross Karakorum the final showdown takes place. The team desperately searches for the weakening Joe but doesn't find him until it's too late. Joe was able to deal a crippling blow to Galactor, but his own life fades away. In a touching scene, Joe bids goodbye to the only family he ever knew, and they leave him in peace. Working from Joe's efforts the team delivers the fatal blow that defeats Galactor. Joe is the most tragic of the team. He had a tough beginning, dealt with physical injury and emotional pain, and eventually succumbed to the fight against Galactor. The mission took everything from him. But he did it willingly. Joe was a tough competitor, a tenacious fighter, and a fierce opponent. There's nothing else he would have been satisfied doing, and he knew it. Within the Science Ninja Team he served a purpose--fight Galactor. That's what he did best. His team mates respected him, and he did everything in his power to keep them safe. He was sorely missed. |
| Joe Asakura the Condor Jason G-2 |
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| K'so! Stinking Galactors. -- Joe |
| Updated June 13, 2008 |