TV-Series
Description
Shutarou Mendo is introduced as the heir to the immensely powerful Mendo Zaibatsu, a family conglomerate of astronomical wealth that, according to some accounts, owns a controlling interest in a significant portion of Japan. He first appears as a transfer student to Tomobiki High School, where his arrival is marked by a parade-like atmosphere and grand gestures befitting his status. He is a tall, handsome, and athletic young man who initially captivates his female classmates with his sophisticated charm and talents, excelling particularly in academics like physics.
Beneath this polished and aristocratic exterior, however, lies a personality far more complex and flawed. Mendo possesses a deep-seated and lecherous obsession with women, rivaling that of his primary rival, Ataru Moroboshi. While he presents himself as a gentleman, he is quick to profess his love for any attractive girl, sweeping them off their feet with his charisma, only to treat his male peers with utter disdain and condescension. This duality is a core component of his character; he walks with immense pride and looks down on the antics of other male students, yet he is fundamentally driven by the same base desires. He is notoriously easily insulted, especially by Ataru, and his pride is easily wounded, leading him to react with extreme hostility.
Mendo’s primary motivation throughout the series is his unrequited love for the alien princess, Lum, whom he addresses with the polite honorific "Lum-san." He is determined to win her away from Ataru, viewing his rival as his greatest enemy. This jealousy fuels many of his actions, as he constantly schemes to humiliate Ataru and position himself as the superior suitor. Despite his refined demeanor, this rivalry often exposes his more ruthless side. On several occasions, he has attempted to eliminate Ataru, once ordering his private security team to use lethal force and even trying to personally attack him with a diving bomber during a kidnapping attempt. His motivations are also heavily tied to his wounded pride; Lum is one of the few girls who does not fawn over his wealth and looks, and her continued devotion to the lower-class Ataru is an insult his aristocratic sensibilities cannot bear.
In the chaotic ecosystem of Tomobiki High, Mendo serves as a direct foil to Ataru. They are bitter enemies, constantly bickering and battling, yet they also spend a great deal of time together, often appearing as an inseparable pair of bickering rivals in a dynamic that suggests a grudging, unacknowledged camaraderie. Beyond Ataru, Mendo has several key relationships. He has a squad of loyal but utterly incompetent private security guards known as the Black Glasses Corps or Black Glasses Squad, who are tasked with carrying out his orders, which typically involve subduing Ataru. Shinobu Miyake is immediately smitten with Mendo upon his arrival and breaks off her relationship with Ataru to pursue him. However, Mendo shows her no particular favoritism, treating her politely but as just another admirer, which eventually leads to her moving on. He has a complicated relationship with his younger sister, Ryouko Mendo, who is a sadistic and manipulative troublemaker. He is protective of her yet justifiably wary of her pranks. His family name, which can imply "trouble maker," and his pet octopuses, whose image is the family crest, are recurring comedic elements; he is famously offended by anyone eating takoyaki in his presence.
While Mendo does not undergo a dramatic personality shift, his role in the story reveals more of his hidden vulnerabilities over time. His most defining trait is his severe nyctophobia and claustrophobia, a fear of darkness and confined spaces. When trapped in a small, dark area, he loses all composure and screams his characteristic phrase, "It's dark, it's cramped, I'm scared!" This phobia is often exploited by Ataru, who traps him under a temple bell. However, Mendo’s vanity provides a peculiar countermeasure to his fear: if a woman is present, his pride forces him to remain calm and composed. At one point, he subjected himself to harsh training within a temple bell to overcome this weakness. The phobia remained incurable, but the training transformed his physical strength, giving him the ability to split the bell in half from the inside, a feat he occasionally repeats. This incident illustrates a recurring pattern where his attempts to perfect himself only lead to new, absurd outcomes.
Mendo’s notable abilities are as varied as his character. He is a skilled swordsman and often wields a katana, named Murasame in the anime, in his frequent attempts to slice Ataru in two. He commands the vast resources of the Mendo Zaibatsu, including a private army, jets, and advanced technology. He is also surprisingly resourceful and determined when his pride is on the line, though his plans are almost always foiled by Ataru or his own inept security forces. Despite his claim to be a refined gentleman, his actions consistently prove that he is, in the words of some characters, just as much of an idiot as the rival he despises.
Beneath this polished and aristocratic exterior, however, lies a personality far more complex and flawed. Mendo possesses a deep-seated and lecherous obsession with women, rivaling that of his primary rival, Ataru Moroboshi. While he presents himself as a gentleman, he is quick to profess his love for any attractive girl, sweeping them off their feet with his charisma, only to treat his male peers with utter disdain and condescension. This duality is a core component of his character; he walks with immense pride and looks down on the antics of other male students, yet he is fundamentally driven by the same base desires. He is notoriously easily insulted, especially by Ataru, and his pride is easily wounded, leading him to react with extreme hostility.
Mendo’s primary motivation throughout the series is his unrequited love for the alien princess, Lum, whom he addresses with the polite honorific "Lum-san." He is determined to win her away from Ataru, viewing his rival as his greatest enemy. This jealousy fuels many of his actions, as he constantly schemes to humiliate Ataru and position himself as the superior suitor. Despite his refined demeanor, this rivalry often exposes his more ruthless side. On several occasions, he has attempted to eliminate Ataru, once ordering his private security team to use lethal force and even trying to personally attack him with a diving bomber during a kidnapping attempt. His motivations are also heavily tied to his wounded pride; Lum is one of the few girls who does not fawn over his wealth and looks, and her continued devotion to the lower-class Ataru is an insult his aristocratic sensibilities cannot bear.
In the chaotic ecosystem of Tomobiki High, Mendo serves as a direct foil to Ataru. They are bitter enemies, constantly bickering and battling, yet they also spend a great deal of time together, often appearing as an inseparable pair of bickering rivals in a dynamic that suggests a grudging, unacknowledged camaraderie. Beyond Ataru, Mendo has several key relationships. He has a squad of loyal but utterly incompetent private security guards known as the Black Glasses Corps or Black Glasses Squad, who are tasked with carrying out his orders, which typically involve subduing Ataru. Shinobu Miyake is immediately smitten with Mendo upon his arrival and breaks off her relationship with Ataru to pursue him. However, Mendo shows her no particular favoritism, treating her politely but as just another admirer, which eventually leads to her moving on. He has a complicated relationship with his younger sister, Ryouko Mendo, who is a sadistic and manipulative troublemaker. He is protective of her yet justifiably wary of her pranks. His family name, which can imply "trouble maker," and his pet octopuses, whose image is the family crest, are recurring comedic elements; he is famously offended by anyone eating takoyaki in his presence.
While Mendo does not undergo a dramatic personality shift, his role in the story reveals more of his hidden vulnerabilities over time. His most defining trait is his severe nyctophobia and claustrophobia, a fear of darkness and confined spaces. When trapped in a small, dark area, he loses all composure and screams his characteristic phrase, "It's dark, it's cramped, I'm scared!" This phobia is often exploited by Ataru, who traps him under a temple bell. However, Mendo’s vanity provides a peculiar countermeasure to his fear: if a woman is present, his pride forces him to remain calm and composed. At one point, he subjected himself to harsh training within a temple bell to overcome this weakness. The phobia remained incurable, but the training transformed his physical strength, giving him the ability to split the bell in half from the inside, a feat he occasionally repeats. This incident illustrates a recurring pattern where his attempts to perfect himself only lead to new, absurd outcomes.
Mendo’s notable abilities are as varied as his character. He is a skilled swordsman and often wields a katana, named Murasame in the anime, in his frequent attempts to slice Ataru in two. He commands the vast resources of the Mendo Zaibatsu, including a private army, jets, and advanced technology. He is also surprisingly resourceful and determined when his pride is on the line, though his plans are almost always foiled by Ataru or his own inept security forces. Despite his claim to be a refined gentleman, his actions consistently prove that he is, in the words of some characters, just as much of an idiot as the rival he despises.