TV-Series
Description
Kim Aba is a young pilot from the small South African nation of Lungara. He is the country's third prince, and his decision to fight as a mercenary is influenced by his homeland's royal tradition that a prince must prove his strength on the battlefield. At the time of his first appearance in the original comic, he is only sixteen years old, making him the youngest member of the mercenary unit at Area 88.
Due to his youth and initially unrefined skills, Kim is often treated as the group's youngest member and is underestimated by many of the base's freelance pilots, who mock him and doubt his ability to survive as a mercenary. Despite this, he possesses a spirited and determined personality. He is particularly fond of strawberry jam, a taste that becomes a notable personal quirk. Kim serves as a direct subordinate to the protagonist, Shin Kazama. Shin takes the boy under his wing and puts him through harsh training designed to instill a powerful will to survive above all else. Kim is also a close friend and frequent teammate of the female pilot Kitori Palvanev (or Siren Barnak in the original manga), with whom he shares a bickering but affectionate bond. His relationship with the veteran pilot Nguyen Van Com is more complex; it is initially strained after an incident involving Nguyen shooting an enemy pilot in a parachute, but Nguyen secretly cares for Kim and looks out for him in his own way. When Nguyen later dies, Kim is deeply saddened.
Kim's primary motivation is survival and fulfilling his duties as a prince, seeking to become stronger through the crucible of war. Over time, he evolves from an insecure and unreliable rookie into a pilot whose skills are trusted by the unit's leadership, including the commander Saki Vashtal, who would count him among the most reliable colleagues. By the time Shin is discharged, his abilities are so well-regarded that Shin entrusts him with his own F-20 fighter. Kim is known for piloting a variety of aircraft. He starts on an A-4 and primarily flies the AV-8 Harrier, a vertical take-off and landing jet that proves crucial in missions requiring unconventional tactics. His personal emblem, featured in the 2004 anime, is a red swan with golden wings. He is also capable of piloting helicopters, such as an SH-3 for shuttle duties. Throughout the narrative, despite circumstances that raise concerns for his fate, Kim is one of the few regular members of Area 88 to survive the conflict. He ultimately returns home safely to Lungara, leaving behind the war and Shin, who has lost his memories, with a silent farewell.
Due to his youth and initially unrefined skills, Kim is often treated as the group's youngest member and is underestimated by many of the base's freelance pilots, who mock him and doubt his ability to survive as a mercenary. Despite this, he possesses a spirited and determined personality. He is particularly fond of strawberry jam, a taste that becomes a notable personal quirk. Kim serves as a direct subordinate to the protagonist, Shin Kazama. Shin takes the boy under his wing and puts him through harsh training designed to instill a powerful will to survive above all else. Kim is also a close friend and frequent teammate of the female pilot Kitori Palvanev (or Siren Barnak in the original manga), with whom he shares a bickering but affectionate bond. His relationship with the veteran pilot Nguyen Van Com is more complex; it is initially strained after an incident involving Nguyen shooting an enemy pilot in a parachute, but Nguyen secretly cares for Kim and looks out for him in his own way. When Nguyen later dies, Kim is deeply saddened.
Kim's primary motivation is survival and fulfilling his duties as a prince, seeking to become stronger through the crucible of war. Over time, he evolves from an insecure and unreliable rookie into a pilot whose skills are trusted by the unit's leadership, including the commander Saki Vashtal, who would count him among the most reliable colleagues. By the time Shin is discharged, his abilities are so well-regarded that Shin entrusts him with his own F-20 fighter. Kim is known for piloting a variety of aircraft. He starts on an A-4 and primarily flies the AV-8 Harrier, a vertical take-off and landing jet that proves crucial in missions requiring unconventional tactics. His personal emblem, featured in the 2004 anime, is a red swan with golden wings. He is also capable of piloting helicopters, such as an SH-3 for shuttle duties. Throughout the narrative, despite circumstances that raise concerns for his fate, Kim is one of the few regular members of Area 88 to survive the conflict. He ultimately returns home safely to Lungara, leaving behind the war and Shin, who has lost his memories, with a silent farewell.