OVA
Description
Leon McNichol is an officer of the Advanced Police, commonly known as the AD Police, in the cyberpunk setting of Mega-Tokyo. His background begins with his early career in the regular police force, from which he later transfers to the specialized AD Police unit tasked with handling crimes involving boomers, the synthetic cyborgs produced by the megacorporation Genom. Driven by a strong sense of justice, he joined law enforcement directly out of high school, motivated by a desire to protect the citizens of the city.

Personality-wise, Leon is a dedicated but often frustrated cop. He has a tendency to act impulsively and rush into situations without fully thinking them through, a trait that sometimes puts him and others at risk. He can be hot-headed, and his dedication to his duty occasionally clashes with his personal feelings. Despite his brash exterior, he genuinely cares about the people he serves and is known among the public for his heroic actions during boomer incidents.

His motivations are rooted in a belief that the AD Police should be the primary protectors of order. This leads him to initially resent the Knight Sabers, a vigilante group of mercenaries who operate outside the law. He sees their interference as an affront to police authority, though he is privately forced to acknowledge that the AD Police are often outmatched by Genom’s advanced technology. Over the course of the story, his perspective shifts from viewing the Knight Sabers as criminals to recognizing them as necessary allies against common threats.

Leon’s role in the narrative is that of a law enforcement counterpart to the Knight Sabers. He frequently investigates boomer-related incidents and ends up crossing paths with the group, especially with Priscilla Asagiri, the lead singer of a rock band and the primary combatant of the Knight Sabers. He develops a persistent romantic interest in Priss, though she often rebuffs his advances. This one-sided dynamic forms a recurring side story within the larger conflict.

Key relationships include his partnership with fellow AD Police officer Daley Wong, who often serves as the calm, level-headed foil to Leon’s impulsiveness. Daley also provides emotional support and helps Leon navigate the bureaucratic challenges of the force. Leon also works alongside Nene Romanova, a skilled hacker who is secretly a Knight Saber herself, though Leon remains unaware of her double identity for most of the series. In the prequel series AD Police Files, which is set several years before the main events, Leon is partnered with Gina Malso and is shown as a younger, more inexperienced officer still learning the harsh realities of policing a city filled with boomers.

As the series progresses, Leon undergoes meaningful development. He begins to question the AD Police’s ability to remain independent from Genom’s corporate influence. His initial distrust of the Knight Sabers gives way to a grudging respect, and he ultimately comes to see them as a necessary force for justice. This evolution mirrors his growing disillusionment with the system he serves and his willingness to bend the rules when the situation demands it.

Among his notable abilities, Leon is one of the AD Police’s top powered armor pilots. He is highly skilled in operating the K-11 and K-12S powered suits, which grant him enhanced strength, durability, and combat capabilities against boomers. He is also a competent marksman and a resourceful field operative. His combat skills, combined with his determination, make him a formidable opponent, even if his recklessness can be a liability.

Leon McNichol stands as a dedicated, occasionally impulsive, but ultimately principled officer whose journey reflects the tension between institutional authority and vigilante justice in a world where technology often outpaces the law.