TV-Series
Description
The character known as Frank is a central and tragic figure whose existence bridges the divide between humanity and the mysterious aliens known as the Progressive Aliens. Frank was originally a human being named Dr. Yuri Leonov, a respected astronaut and scientist who became the first human to venture into outer space on a fateful mission. During this mission, his spacecraft encountered a gravitational anomaly, leading to a catastrophic accident that left him adrift and dying. In his final moments, the lonely astronaut’s intense longing to return to Earth and be reunited with his wife transformed him. His soul fragmented, and he was reborn not as a man but as one of the very aliens that would later threaten the planet.
This new form, designated as EX-1 but nicknamed Frank by the scientist Dr. Noguchi in a nod to Frankenstein’s monster, is a deformed and asymmetrical Progressive Alien. Unlike the more common and symmetrical alien types, Frank's most prominent physical feature is his grotesquely enlarged left arm, which grants him the unique and formidable power of alchemy. This ability allows him to alter the atomic composition of any matter he touches, a power he uses both defensively and offensively. When not in combat, his body secretes a regenerative liquid metal that can cover and heal his wounds, helping to maintain his otherwise fragile existence. He is later equipped by the military organization FUNERAL with a sonic drill weapon shaped like a staff, which is named Excalibur.
In terms of personality and consciousness, Frank is a complex being. For much of the series, his original human identity as Yuri Leonov is buried and suppressed, leaving him as a creature of instinct and confusion. He is largely silent and communicates only with Harriet "Hattie" Bartholomew, a young girl who is the sole person able to understand him. Hattie’s gentle and accepting nature forms a unique bond with Frank, and he becomes deeply loyal to her, following her commands when he would ignore all others. His existence within FUNERAL is that of a reluctant weapon. He is feared and treated as a tool by most personnel, but he dutifully battles other Progressive Aliens, serving as the organization’s most powerful asset against the very beings he is kin to.
Frank’s primary role in the story is as a being of mystery and a formidable weapon against the alien threat, but he is also the object of intense hatred for the protagonist, Ryu Soma. Ryu, formerly a scientist named Takuto Kaneshiro, witnessed the explosion that brought Frank to life and believes the monster killed his fiancée, Miki. This sets up a central conflict where Ryu joins FUNERAL specifically to destroy Frank, only to find the lines between enemy, ally, and victim becoming increasingly blurred.
The character undergoes a profound and heartbreaking development as his hidden past is revealed. The truth emerges that the countless Progressive Aliens appearing on Earth are not mere invaders but are fragmented pieces of Yuri Leonov’s soul, all desperately trying to return to his hometown, which has become a pilgrimage point. Their attacks are not acts of malice but a tragic, mindless drive to go home. The aliens that FUNERAL has been fighting are, in a sense, Yuri himself. When Frank finally recovers his memories and identity as Yuri Leonov, he is faced with an unbearable tragedy: he learns that his wife was killed during an alien attack—an attack carried out by his own fragmented souls trying to return to her. Consumed by grief and despair, his heart is broken. However, he is ultimately roused by the desperate efforts of Hattie and his other comrades to confront the final, planet-sized alien that threatens to destroy Earth. Accepting his identity and his fate, Frank performs his final, heroic act. He merges with all the remaining Progressive Aliens to form a colossal being, flies into space at light speed, and sacrifices himself by ramming into the planetary alien, destroying it in a massive explosion. His death brings an end to the war and finally reunites his soul with the home he longed for.
This new form, designated as EX-1 but nicknamed Frank by the scientist Dr. Noguchi in a nod to Frankenstein’s monster, is a deformed and asymmetrical Progressive Alien. Unlike the more common and symmetrical alien types, Frank's most prominent physical feature is his grotesquely enlarged left arm, which grants him the unique and formidable power of alchemy. This ability allows him to alter the atomic composition of any matter he touches, a power he uses both defensively and offensively. When not in combat, his body secretes a regenerative liquid metal that can cover and heal his wounds, helping to maintain his otherwise fragile existence. He is later equipped by the military organization FUNERAL with a sonic drill weapon shaped like a staff, which is named Excalibur.
In terms of personality and consciousness, Frank is a complex being. For much of the series, his original human identity as Yuri Leonov is buried and suppressed, leaving him as a creature of instinct and confusion. He is largely silent and communicates only with Harriet "Hattie" Bartholomew, a young girl who is the sole person able to understand him. Hattie’s gentle and accepting nature forms a unique bond with Frank, and he becomes deeply loyal to her, following her commands when he would ignore all others. His existence within FUNERAL is that of a reluctant weapon. He is feared and treated as a tool by most personnel, but he dutifully battles other Progressive Aliens, serving as the organization’s most powerful asset against the very beings he is kin to.
Frank’s primary role in the story is as a being of mystery and a formidable weapon against the alien threat, but he is also the object of intense hatred for the protagonist, Ryu Soma. Ryu, formerly a scientist named Takuto Kaneshiro, witnessed the explosion that brought Frank to life and believes the monster killed his fiancée, Miki. This sets up a central conflict where Ryu joins FUNERAL specifically to destroy Frank, only to find the lines between enemy, ally, and victim becoming increasingly blurred.
The character undergoes a profound and heartbreaking development as his hidden past is revealed. The truth emerges that the countless Progressive Aliens appearing on Earth are not mere invaders but are fragmented pieces of Yuri Leonov’s soul, all desperately trying to return to his hometown, which has become a pilgrimage point. Their attacks are not acts of malice but a tragic, mindless drive to go home. The aliens that FUNERAL has been fighting are, in a sense, Yuri himself. When Frank finally recovers his memories and identity as Yuri Leonov, he is faced with an unbearable tragedy: he learns that his wife was killed during an alien attack—an attack carried out by his own fragmented souls trying to return to her. Consumed by grief and despair, his heart is broken. However, he is ultimately roused by the desperate efforts of Hattie and his other comrades to confront the final, planet-sized alien that threatens to destroy Earth. Accepting his identity and his fate, Frank performs his final, heroic act. He merges with all the remaining Progressive Aliens to form a colossal being, flies into space at light speed, and sacrifices himself by ramming into the planetary alien, destroying it in a massive explosion. His death brings an end to the war and finally reunites his soul with the home he longed for.