Max Lobo, born Max Glenreed, is a freelance journalist and a former soldier and police officer. He served in the United States Army alongside Griffin Callenreese, the older brother of Ash Lynx, during a war that is depicted as the Vietnam War in the original manga and the Iraq War in the anime adaptation. On the battlefield, Max witnessed Griffin suffer a complete mental breakdown after being exposed to the mysterious drug known as Banana Fish, a traumatic event that left Griffin in a vegetative state and forever altered the course of Max’s life. Haunted by guilt and a sense of responsibility, Max left military service and later worked for the NYPD before becoming a reporter. His personal investigation into the Banana Fish drug, which he had secretly researched for years, brought him into contact with Ash Lynx. The two met in prison and formed an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth behind Banana Fish and the criminal conspiracy surrounding it. Max’s motivations are deeply rooted in his desire to atone for his perceived failure to protect Griffin and to stop the drug from causing further harm. Throughout the story, Max serves as a major supporting character and a key ally to Ash, often acting as a father figure and providing practical support, information, and a moral compass. He is pragmatic, determined, and resourceful, with combat skills from his military and police experience, as well as sharp investigative instincts from his journalism work. His relationship with Ash evolves from mutual distrust to a genuine bond of trust and respect, and Max becomes one of the few people Ash relies on. Max also develops a close friendship with Eiji Okumura, sharing a protective concern for Ash. Over the course of the series, Max confronts his past failures, grows into a more openly caring figure, and plays a crucial role in dismantling the Banana Fish operation.