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| Ken Washio the Eagle Mark G-1 |
| It's my job to protect the world. --Ken |
| Ken is the leader of the Science Ninja Team and carries the title Gatchaman. Intelligent and brave, he's an excellent commander. He willingly takes the most dangerous missions himself, but he's also made decisions that could harm or even kill other team members. Ken considers that part of a leader's responsibility. He cares deeply for his friends, but upper-most in his mind is always defeating Galactor.
Ken is a pilot in civilian life and works as a test pilot for the I.S.O and as an air currier. He owns his own airfield, left to him by his pilot father, and enjoys working on and flying his small plane. That's when he's truly happiest. However, money is sometimes an issue for Ken, and his monstrous tab at the Snack J with Jun became a running inside joke. He knows of Jun's feelings for him, but never acknowledges them. However, he isn't above using that for a favor. The most endearing aspect of Ken's character is his unfailing belief in the power of good to conquer evil. Although he's occasionally frustrated with his inability to defeat Galactor, he comes back fighting each time. This leads to a subtle change in his personality as the series progresses, from the wide-eyed boy anxious to fight Galactor to the seasoned warrior who knows there will always be another battle. But Ken isn't perfect. He pushes his weight around when the team doesn't agree with him, and he has trouble considering the opinions of others. This often places him at odds with Joe, his second in command. Nor is he afraid to butt heads with the team's creator and foster father, Dr. Nambu. On several occasions he openly defies Nambu, once angrily offering his resignation because he didn't like Nambu's orders. Dr. Nambu raised Ken from a young child when Ken's father, Kentaro Washio, went underground as Red Impulse. Kentaro was a good friend of Nambu's and made the scientist promise not to reveal his identity to Ken for fear of Ken's life. Nambu kept that promise, and it wasn't until later in the series that Ken learned the identity of his father. The tragedy of that revelation was Kentaro's last duty, a suicide mission, that saved the earth. With the knowledge of his father, so long looked for and now gone, Ken struggles to justify all he's done in the name of defending earth. But it doesn't stop the young hero. He continues fighting to the last episode, when tragedy finds Ken again, this time in the loss of Joe, his foster brother and number two on the team. Ken's character is complex and realistic. He's hot-headed, stubborn, angsty, but most of all dedicated and true. He's never dishonest or compromising even though at times it's caused trouble. No one could be more loyal in defending earth against it's enemies, and no one could be a better leader to the Science Ninja Team than Ken Washio. |
| Updated June 12, 2008 |
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