Colonel Shikishima, commonly referred to only by his rank, is the imposing and steadfast leader of the Neo-Tokyo military forces. A man of few words and immense physical presence, he stands at an approximate height of 203 centimeters with a bulky, muscular build, a severe crew cut, and a thin mustache that complements his stern visage. While he can be seen in civilian attire during political assemblies, he is almost exclusively clad in a standard military uniform, complete with a sidearm. His most defining physical trait is his sheer, intimidating stature, which he uses as an unspoken tool of command.

Born in the original Tokyo before its destruction, Shikishima’s life was irrevocably shaped by the catastrophe that leveled the city and triggered World War III. His father, a major in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, was killed during the initial psychic explosion caused by the esper known as Akira. This personal tragedy appears to have forged his resolve and drove him to enroll in the National Defense Academy. Through excellent grades and a clear aptitude for command, he graduated and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant, eventually studying abroad at the United States Department of Defense. Upon returning to Japan, he was instrumental in reforming the nation’s special forces and later unified the land, sea, and air defense systems, successfully negotiating Japan’s independence from the American protective umbrella established after the war. However, his growing influence was perceived as a threat by the civilian government, and he was effectively sidelined by being appointed as the commander of the highly secretive Akira Project, a position that seemed a sinecure but ultimately placed him at the center of events.

The Colonel’s personality is a study in pragmatic stoicism. He presents a front of unshakable seriousness, rarely displaying emotions beyond cold anger or grim determination. To the denizens of the sprawling, crime-ridden metropolis, he may appear as a tyrannical figure, yet his actions are driven by a deep, if cynical, sense of duty. He harbors a profound contempt for Neo-Tokyo, deriding it as a garbage heap of hedonistic fools, but he continues to serve and protect it because, as he states, that is what a soldier does. This pragmatism puts him in direct conflict with the city's politicians, whom he views as corrupt and shortsighted. They, in turn, blame him for draining state funds to care for the espers and for the city's squalid condition, forcing him to the brink of open fury in parliamentary sessions.

His worldview is fundamentally at odds with scientific idealism. He dismisses theoretical scientists as romantics, scoffing at Doctor Onishi’s theories that psychic powers represent the next stage of human evolution. While he believes psychic abilities could be harnessed for the greater good, he is deeply skeptical of meddling with nature. He is acutely aware of the government's culpability for the original disaster, referring to the preserved Akira as a Pandora's box that the authorities created and then tried to hide. Consequently, when the biker Tetsuo Shima begins manifesting similar psychic growth patterns, the Colonel does not see a scientific miracle but an imminent threat. He is the first to advocate for eliminating Tetsuo to prevent a second catastrophe, and he is visibly disgusted by Onishi’s fascinated excitement over the destruction Tetsuo causes, at one point violently throwing the scientist across the room.

Despite his harsh exterior, the Colonel shows a remarkable and sincere softness toward the three esper children—Takashi, Masaru, and Kiyoko. Unlike the scientists who study them or the politicians who fear them, the Colonel interacts with the espers in a gentle, almost fatherly manner, and he unfailingly heeds their premonitions and warnings. This paternal care is reciprocated; the espers trust and respect him deeply, ultimately using their powers to teleport him to safety during the final destruction of the city, saving his life.

Within the narrative, the Colonel serves as the primary authority figure attempting to maintain order. He oversees the secret nursery where the espers are kept and manages the cryogenic containment of Akira beneath the Olympic Stadium. Initially, he seeks to control Tetsuo as a test subject, but as Tetsuo’s power spirals out of control, the Colonel’s role shifts to that of a hunter. Frustrated by the government’s indecisiveness and political maneuvering, which he believes will doom the city, he stages a coup d'état to seize control of the military and deal with Tetsuo directly. His key relationships are defined by opposition and reluctant alliance: he clashes constantly with the ambitious Doctor Onishi, he is foiled by the biker Kaneda, and he is ultimately disregarded by the political leadership he is sworn to obey. His development sees him transition from a feared military commander serving a corrupt system to a renegade willing to overthrow that system to fulfill his core duty of protecting the populace. He possesses no psychic powers of his own; his abilities are purely those of a seasoned strategist, a commander of men, and a soldier with the nerve to stand against reality-warping forces using conventional weapons and sheer will.