TV-Series
Description
Jae-hee Gang is the name given to the character Ryou Shirogane in the Korean dub of the anime. In the original version, Ryou Shirogane is a fifteen-year-old young man who serves as the brilliant and driven leader of the Mew Project, a scientific initiative designed to protect Earth from alien threats known as Chimera Animas.
He comes from a wealthy family and exhibited extraordinary intelligence from a young age, with an IQ verified to be over 180 by the time he was ten years old. His background is marked by tragedy; when he was ten, a Chimera Anima attack destroyed his parents' mansion, resulting in their deaths. Following this event, he moved to the United States under the care of his family's assistant, Keiichiro Akasaka, before returning to Japan to complete his father's unfinished life's work: the Mew Project.
Ryou's personality is complex. On the surface, he often comes across as headstrong, sarcastic, blunt, and occasionally reclusive. He has a tendency to tease and argue with the main protagonist, Ichigo Momomiya, and maintains a distant attitude towards most people. However, this exterior masks a deeply responsible and kind-hearted individual. He is fiercely dedicated to the safety of the Mew Mews, having sworn to protect them no matter the cost. This gentler side is particularly evident when he offers encouragement to the shy Retasu Midorikawa, helping her build her self-confidence. His ultimate motivation is to fulfill his father's legacy and complete the Mew Project, dedicating himself entirely to that goal.
Ryou's role in the story is that of the creator, financier, and strategic coordinator of the Tokyo Mew Mew team. He and Keiichiro operate from the hidden laboratory beneath the Cafe Mew Mew, where they monitor the girls' fights, provide them with new equipment like the Mew Pendants, and analyze their enemies. A defining aspect of his character is his own participation in the project's experimental phase. To ensure the DNA infusion process was safe for the girls, he tested it on himself. While he lacked the correct genetic markers to become a full Mew Mew, the experiment granted him the ability to transform into a small gray cat named Alto at will. This transformation is strictly limited to ten minutes; if he exceeds this time, he will be permanently stuck in his feline form. As Alto, recognizable by a colored scarf around his neck, he often secretly aids Ichigo, rescuing her and restoring her human form with a kiss.
In terms of key relationships, Ryou shares a deep, lifelong partnership with Keiichiro Akasaka, who acts as his trusted confidant and collaborator. A significant part of his development involves his complicated feelings for Ichigo Momomiya. Although he frequently denies or hides it, he develops romantic feelings for her, which remain ultimately unrequited as her heart belongs to another. Retasu Midorikawa also harbors a quiet affection for him, though this is not something he openly reciprocates. In the sequel series, Tokyo Mew Mew à la Mode, he continues his role as a mentor, recruiting a new Mew Mew named Berry Shirayuki after a chance encounter and providing her with a robotic companion. Beyond his scientific genius, Ryou is notably athletic and agile, capable of great leaps and acrobatic feats, and is bilingual, being fluent in both Japanese and English.
He comes from a wealthy family and exhibited extraordinary intelligence from a young age, with an IQ verified to be over 180 by the time he was ten years old. His background is marked by tragedy; when he was ten, a Chimera Anima attack destroyed his parents' mansion, resulting in their deaths. Following this event, he moved to the United States under the care of his family's assistant, Keiichiro Akasaka, before returning to Japan to complete his father's unfinished life's work: the Mew Project.
Ryou's personality is complex. On the surface, he often comes across as headstrong, sarcastic, blunt, and occasionally reclusive. He has a tendency to tease and argue with the main protagonist, Ichigo Momomiya, and maintains a distant attitude towards most people. However, this exterior masks a deeply responsible and kind-hearted individual. He is fiercely dedicated to the safety of the Mew Mews, having sworn to protect them no matter the cost. This gentler side is particularly evident when he offers encouragement to the shy Retasu Midorikawa, helping her build her self-confidence. His ultimate motivation is to fulfill his father's legacy and complete the Mew Project, dedicating himself entirely to that goal.
Ryou's role in the story is that of the creator, financier, and strategic coordinator of the Tokyo Mew Mew team. He and Keiichiro operate from the hidden laboratory beneath the Cafe Mew Mew, where they monitor the girls' fights, provide them with new equipment like the Mew Pendants, and analyze their enemies. A defining aspect of his character is his own participation in the project's experimental phase. To ensure the DNA infusion process was safe for the girls, he tested it on himself. While he lacked the correct genetic markers to become a full Mew Mew, the experiment granted him the ability to transform into a small gray cat named Alto at will. This transformation is strictly limited to ten minutes; if he exceeds this time, he will be permanently stuck in his feline form. As Alto, recognizable by a colored scarf around his neck, he often secretly aids Ichigo, rescuing her and restoring her human form with a kiss.
In terms of key relationships, Ryou shares a deep, lifelong partnership with Keiichiro Akasaka, who acts as his trusted confidant and collaborator. A significant part of his development involves his complicated feelings for Ichigo Momomiya. Although he frequently denies or hides it, he develops romantic feelings for her, which remain ultimately unrequited as her heart belongs to another. Retasu Midorikawa also harbors a quiet affection for him, though this is not something he openly reciprocates. In the sequel series, Tokyo Mew Mew à la Mode, he continues his role as a mentor, recruiting a new Mew Mew named Berry Shirayuki after a chance encounter and providing her with a robotic companion. Beyond his scientific genius, Ryou is notably athletic and agile, capable of great leaps and acrobatic feats, and is bilingual, being fluent in both Japanese and English.