TV-Series
Description
Ken Washio, designated Gatchaman G-01, is the leader and tactical expert of the Science Ninja Team in the 2017 anime series Infini-T Force. In this continuity, he is a 24-year-old man who has already endured six years of war against the terrorist organization Galactor in his home dimension. This prolonged conflict has left its mark on his appearance, as he is depicted as taller than his classic counterpart, with short grey hair and noticeable stubble on his face, giving him an older, more world-weary impression. Out of his battle uniform, he typically wears a black short-sleeve sweater with a red tie, a blue formal jacket, and white pants. His Bird Style costume, by contrast, is an armored and stylized version of the classic uniform, retaining the eagle-themed helmet and white and blue color scheme but featuring more sophisticated support tools and a technologically advanced design.
The backstory of this version of Ken shares key similarities with his classic incarnation but also has distinct differences. As a child, he believed his father, Kentaro Washio, perished in a plane crash. His mother later died of illness when he was eleven years old, after which he was taken in by Dr. Kozaburo Nambu, who began training him to become Gatchaman at the age of thirteen. To maintain his civilian cover, he worked as an aircraft test pilot and delivery boy, living in his father’s old office on a small airfield. In the Infini-T Force narrative, Ken is transported from his own world to a parallel dimension, specifically modern-day Japan, where he encounters a young girl named Emi Kaido.
Ken possesses a strong and unwavering sense of justice, a defining trait forged from years of fighting evil. He is a skilled and natural leader, known for his tactical acumen and ability to identify villains quickly. However, his personality is not without its rough edges. He can be stubborn, inflexible, and somewhat preachy, with a way of thinking that is considered old-fashioned. This is evident in his early interactions with Emi, whom he displeases by suggesting that a woman should learn how to cook. Despite his role in a high-tech organization, he has difficulty adapting to modern society, struggling with devices like smartphones or induction cooktops. Beneath this gruff exterior, he is an honest and compassionate man who treats others with sincerity, follows through on his decisions, and possesses the conviction to never succumb to evil.
The primary motivation for Ken Washio is to stop the criminal organization Galactor and protect the innocent, a mission that drives his every action. In the context of Infini-T Force, his role expands to that of a guardian and a mentor for Emi Kaido. As the eldest among the assembled heroes from different Tatsunoko universes, he takes it upon himself to protect her and guide her. His journey in the series is also fueled by a search for his scattered teammates, whom he believes may have been transported to other parallel worlds. This search leads him to the Another Gatchaman World, a grim reality where his team was nearly annihilated and his surrogate father, Dr. Nambu, has been corrupted by power.
His key relationships are central to his character development. His bond with his second-in-command, Joe Asakura, is complex and deep-rooted. While they often clash due to their differing personalities and approaches, they share a profound mutual respect forged through years of shared combat. This is put to the ultimate test in the Another Gatchaman World, where Ken is horrified to find a version of Dr. Nambu who has become a tyrant. Ken struggles with the moral dilemma of opposing this Nambu, unable to separate him from the mentor who raised him. Joe, however, insists that the only solution is to kill the corrupted Nambu, a course of action he ultimately takes himself before being killed. This event has a massive impact on Ken. His relationship with Emi is also transformative; her cold and detached demeanor often leads to arguments with the hot-blooded Ken, but they gradually learn to share their true feelings with each other on equal footing.
Ken's character undergoes significant development throughout the Infini-T Force story. Having lost his father in his original timeline—a traumatic event where the man was revealed to be alive as the mysterious Red Impulse only to sacrifice himself immediately after —Ken is forced to confront a similar loss when he faces a corrupted version of his father figure, Dr. Nambu. The decision to remain in the devastated Another Gatchaman World after the conflict is resolved represents a profound shift in his character. He chooses to become the sole protector of that reality, continuing the fight against evil not just for his own sense of justice, but in honor of his fallen comrades, Joe Asakura and the other versions of his team who perished there. This self-imposed exile shows a deep sense of responsibility and a willingness to carry the weight of his duty across dimensions.
In battle, Ken Washio is a formidable and agile fighter. His combat style, known as Science Ninja Technique, focuses on speed and aerial maneuvers. His signature weapon is the Birdrang, an eagle-shaped boomerang with razor-sharp edges, a rocket engine for propulsion, and retractable blades and a chain for various attack configurations. He also employs feather shuriken as secondary projectile weapons. As the team's leader and an ace pilot, he commands the team's mecha, including the God Phoenix, a supersonic vessel equipped with powerful weaponry. His Bird Style suit enhances his natural abilities, granting him heightened agility, endurance, speed, and a degree of costume invulnerability, and allows him to perform techniques like the Tornado Fighter, a powerful spinning attack.
The backstory of this version of Ken shares key similarities with his classic incarnation but also has distinct differences. As a child, he believed his father, Kentaro Washio, perished in a plane crash. His mother later died of illness when he was eleven years old, after which he was taken in by Dr. Kozaburo Nambu, who began training him to become Gatchaman at the age of thirteen. To maintain his civilian cover, he worked as an aircraft test pilot and delivery boy, living in his father’s old office on a small airfield. In the Infini-T Force narrative, Ken is transported from his own world to a parallel dimension, specifically modern-day Japan, where he encounters a young girl named Emi Kaido.
Ken possesses a strong and unwavering sense of justice, a defining trait forged from years of fighting evil. He is a skilled and natural leader, known for his tactical acumen and ability to identify villains quickly. However, his personality is not without its rough edges. He can be stubborn, inflexible, and somewhat preachy, with a way of thinking that is considered old-fashioned. This is evident in his early interactions with Emi, whom he displeases by suggesting that a woman should learn how to cook. Despite his role in a high-tech organization, he has difficulty adapting to modern society, struggling with devices like smartphones or induction cooktops. Beneath this gruff exterior, he is an honest and compassionate man who treats others with sincerity, follows through on his decisions, and possesses the conviction to never succumb to evil.
The primary motivation for Ken Washio is to stop the criminal organization Galactor and protect the innocent, a mission that drives his every action. In the context of Infini-T Force, his role expands to that of a guardian and a mentor for Emi Kaido. As the eldest among the assembled heroes from different Tatsunoko universes, he takes it upon himself to protect her and guide her. His journey in the series is also fueled by a search for his scattered teammates, whom he believes may have been transported to other parallel worlds. This search leads him to the Another Gatchaman World, a grim reality where his team was nearly annihilated and his surrogate father, Dr. Nambu, has been corrupted by power.
His key relationships are central to his character development. His bond with his second-in-command, Joe Asakura, is complex and deep-rooted. While they often clash due to their differing personalities and approaches, they share a profound mutual respect forged through years of shared combat. This is put to the ultimate test in the Another Gatchaman World, where Ken is horrified to find a version of Dr. Nambu who has become a tyrant. Ken struggles with the moral dilemma of opposing this Nambu, unable to separate him from the mentor who raised him. Joe, however, insists that the only solution is to kill the corrupted Nambu, a course of action he ultimately takes himself before being killed. This event has a massive impact on Ken. His relationship with Emi is also transformative; her cold and detached demeanor often leads to arguments with the hot-blooded Ken, but they gradually learn to share their true feelings with each other on equal footing.
Ken's character undergoes significant development throughout the Infini-T Force story. Having lost his father in his original timeline—a traumatic event where the man was revealed to be alive as the mysterious Red Impulse only to sacrifice himself immediately after —Ken is forced to confront a similar loss when he faces a corrupted version of his father figure, Dr. Nambu. The decision to remain in the devastated Another Gatchaman World after the conflict is resolved represents a profound shift in his character. He chooses to become the sole protector of that reality, continuing the fight against evil not just for his own sense of justice, but in honor of his fallen comrades, Joe Asakura and the other versions of his team who perished there. This self-imposed exile shows a deep sense of responsibility and a willingness to carry the weight of his duty across dimensions.
In battle, Ken Washio is a formidable and agile fighter. His combat style, known as Science Ninja Technique, focuses on speed and aerial maneuvers. His signature weapon is the Birdrang, an eagle-shaped boomerang with razor-sharp edges, a rocket engine for propulsion, and retractable blades and a chain for various attack configurations. He also employs feather shuriken as secondary projectile weapons. As the team's leader and an ace pilot, he commands the team's mecha, including the God Phoenix, a supersonic vessel equipped with powerful weaponry. His Bird Style suit enhances his natural abilities, granting him heightened agility, endurance, speed, and a degree of costume invulnerability, and allows him to perform techniques like the Tornado Fighter, a powerful spinning attack.