OVA
Description
Millard Johnson is a colonel in the U.N. Spacy and serves as the commander of the New Edwards Test Base on the planet Eden. He holds the position of chief of Project Super Nova, the competition between two aerospace manufacturers to develop the next-generation main variable fighter for the U.N. Spacy. Before his assignment to Eden, Millard Johnson served as a pilot in the Skull Squadron, where he was a subordinate of Hikaru Ichijyo after the First Space War. He is 52 years old during the events of the story and lost his left foot in a test flight accident, requiring him to use a prosthetic leg.
Millard Johnson carries himself with a strict and formal demeanor, but he possesses a broad-minded, pragmatic attitude that reflects his long experience as both a pilot and a commander. He is professional and dedicated to the Super Nova program, yet he holds a deep-seated skepticism toward the U.N. Spacy's parallel plan to replace all manned fighter pilots with the unmanned Ghost X-9 UCAV. He believes that war requires human responsibility and that removing human pilots from the equation risks making conflict too easy and detached from its real consequences, potentially leading to greater chaos. This conviction is his primary motivation: he hopes the achievements of the two test pilots, Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman, will be so impressive that they will change the military's policy in favor of keeping manned fighters.
In the story, Millard Johnson acts as the overseer and mediator of the Super Nova project. His most frequent struggle is trying to control the bitter, long-standing feud between Isamu and Guld, who are both test pilots for the rival prototypes YF-19 and YF-21. He often attempts to counsel Isamu, but the young pilot typically finds his words of wisdom infuriating rather than helpful. Despite these tensions, Johnson demonstrates a willingness to bend regulations when he believes it serves a greater purpose. In the Movie Edition, after Isamu steals the YF-19 to interfere with the Ghost X-9's introduction and Guld pursues him in the YF-21, Millard Johnson reveals that he himself used to steal planes when he was younger and decides to cover for both men, just as his own superior officers once covered for him. This act shows his loyalty to his pilots and his willingness to take personal risks for what he sees as the right outcome.
His key relationships are professional but carry a sense of mentorship and shared history. He is a former subordinate of Hikaru Ichijyo, which places him within a lineage of famous pilots. With Isamu, he tries to offer guidance, even when it is not welcomed. With Guld, he acts as a commanding officer overseeing the project. His relationship with the artificial intelligence Sharon Apple is one of oversight and concern, as he becomes aware of the potential danger she poses.
Millard Johnson does not undergo a dramatic personal transformation in the story, but his role evolves from a strict administrator into a more active protector of the pilots under his command. His notable abilities are not in combat, as he no longer flies, but in command, strategy, and a deep understanding of military politics and pilot psychology. His experience as a former pilot allows him to relate to the reckless behavior of his charges and to make calculated decisions about when to enforce rules and when to look the other way. His defining trait is his conviction that the human element must remain central to warfare, and he acts on this belief even at the risk of his own career.
Millard Johnson carries himself with a strict and formal demeanor, but he possesses a broad-minded, pragmatic attitude that reflects his long experience as both a pilot and a commander. He is professional and dedicated to the Super Nova program, yet he holds a deep-seated skepticism toward the U.N. Spacy's parallel plan to replace all manned fighter pilots with the unmanned Ghost X-9 UCAV. He believes that war requires human responsibility and that removing human pilots from the equation risks making conflict too easy and detached from its real consequences, potentially leading to greater chaos. This conviction is his primary motivation: he hopes the achievements of the two test pilots, Isamu Alva Dyson and Guld Goa Bowman, will be so impressive that they will change the military's policy in favor of keeping manned fighters.
In the story, Millard Johnson acts as the overseer and mediator of the Super Nova project. His most frequent struggle is trying to control the bitter, long-standing feud between Isamu and Guld, who are both test pilots for the rival prototypes YF-19 and YF-21. He often attempts to counsel Isamu, but the young pilot typically finds his words of wisdom infuriating rather than helpful. Despite these tensions, Johnson demonstrates a willingness to bend regulations when he believes it serves a greater purpose. In the Movie Edition, after Isamu steals the YF-19 to interfere with the Ghost X-9's introduction and Guld pursues him in the YF-21, Millard Johnson reveals that he himself used to steal planes when he was younger and decides to cover for both men, just as his own superior officers once covered for him. This act shows his loyalty to his pilots and his willingness to take personal risks for what he sees as the right outcome.
His key relationships are professional but carry a sense of mentorship and shared history. He is a former subordinate of Hikaru Ichijyo, which places him within a lineage of famous pilots. With Isamu, he tries to offer guidance, even when it is not welcomed. With Guld, he acts as a commanding officer overseeing the project. His relationship with the artificial intelligence Sharon Apple is one of oversight and concern, as he becomes aware of the potential danger she poses.
Millard Johnson does not undergo a dramatic personal transformation in the story, but his role evolves from a strict administrator into a more active protector of the pilots under his command. His notable abilities are not in combat, as he no longer flies, but in command, strategy, and a deep understanding of military politics and pilot psychology. His experience as a former pilot allows him to relate to the reckless behavior of his charges and to make calculated decisions about when to enforce rules and when to look the other way. His defining trait is his conviction that the human element must remain central to warfare, and he acts on this belief even at the risk of his own career.