OVA
Description
Koichi Yamano, identified with varying family names like Furumi and Kamiya across adaptations, is a Japanese junior high school student. His ordinary existence shatters upon discovering he is both the reincarnation and distant descendant of Babel, an alien entity. Babel crash-landed on Earth in Mesopotamia roughly 5,000 years ago. There, he manipulated Babylonian king Nimrod into constructing the Tower of Babel as a signal to his homeworld. Technological incompatibility destroyed the tower, leading Babel to integrate with humanity and establish a bloodline inheriting his latent psychic powers. The Tower of Babel's computer later designates Koichi as the worthy successor, "Babel II," rejecting another descendant, the power-hungry Yomi, for insufficient worthiness or moral failings.
This designation grants Koichi access to advanced alien technology within the tower and Babel's extraterrestrial physiology. These endow him with extensive psychic and physical capabilities: superhuman strength capable of destroying buildings, enhanced agility enabling leaps across buildings, accelerated regeneration healing fatal wounds instantly, telepathy for communication and mind control, telekinesis for object manipulation, energy projection manifesting as destructive beams or shockwaves, and limited shapeshifting for disguise. His abilities expand in later stories: the 2001 *Beyond Infinity* series adds levitation, teleportation, clairvoyance, force fields, and a "Babel Incarnation Mode" where Babel's spirit temporarily possesses him. The sequel manga *Babel II: The Returner* introduces time manipulation and mental dimensional travel, though these require technological augmentation from the tower. Prolonged power usage risks overexertion, causing rapid aging and physical deterioration.
Koichi commands three extraterrestrial protectors created by Babel: Rodem, a shapeshifting entity usually appearing as a black panther or human female; Ropross, a pterodactyl-like robot with supersonic flight and sonic attacks; and Poseidon, a humanoid aquatic robot equipped with torpedoes and lasers. They respond telepathically to his summons and aid in combat against Yomi. An alternate continuity, *Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still*, depicts Koichi as "Big Fire," leading an organization with renamed, upgraded protectors—Achilles (Rodem), Garuda (Ropross), and Neptune (Poseidon).
His primary adversary is Yomi, another Babel descendant seeking global domination through a network of scientists, psychics, and cyborg agents embedded in governments. Yomi initially resents Koichi for being chosen as Babel II, his own earlier rejection by the tower erased from his memory. Their conflict involves psychic battles, technological warfare, and strategic confrontations. Koichi displays tactical ingenuity but occasional overconfidence, such as failing to secure Yomi's permanent defeat after victories. A moral complexity arises when Koichi intentionally floods Yomi's base, endangering subordinates to exploit Yomi's reluctant loyalty to his men—a tactic contributing to Yomi's demise.
In the sequel manga *His Name Is 101*, the CIA captures Koichi, designating him "Subject 101" and exploiting his blood's regenerative properties. Learning his blood creates artificial supersoldiers, he escapes to eliminate these derivatives globally, operating without his confined servants. Decades later in *Babel II: The Returner*, exhibiting slowed aging and enhanced abilities like pyrokinesis and heat resistance, he confronts the United States military and a resurrected Yomi. Across these narratives, Koichi transitions from a reluctant student to a determined guardian, maintaining alliances with authorities like Japan's National Security Bureau while prioritizing Earth's protection through morally ambiguous decisions.
This designation grants Koichi access to advanced alien technology within the tower and Babel's extraterrestrial physiology. These endow him with extensive psychic and physical capabilities: superhuman strength capable of destroying buildings, enhanced agility enabling leaps across buildings, accelerated regeneration healing fatal wounds instantly, telepathy for communication and mind control, telekinesis for object manipulation, energy projection manifesting as destructive beams or shockwaves, and limited shapeshifting for disguise. His abilities expand in later stories: the 2001 *Beyond Infinity* series adds levitation, teleportation, clairvoyance, force fields, and a "Babel Incarnation Mode" where Babel's spirit temporarily possesses him. The sequel manga *Babel II: The Returner* introduces time manipulation and mental dimensional travel, though these require technological augmentation from the tower. Prolonged power usage risks overexertion, causing rapid aging and physical deterioration.
Koichi commands three extraterrestrial protectors created by Babel: Rodem, a shapeshifting entity usually appearing as a black panther or human female; Ropross, a pterodactyl-like robot with supersonic flight and sonic attacks; and Poseidon, a humanoid aquatic robot equipped with torpedoes and lasers. They respond telepathically to his summons and aid in combat against Yomi. An alternate continuity, *Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still*, depicts Koichi as "Big Fire," leading an organization with renamed, upgraded protectors—Achilles (Rodem), Garuda (Ropross), and Neptune (Poseidon).
His primary adversary is Yomi, another Babel descendant seeking global domination through a network of scientists, psychics, and cyborg agents embedded in governments. Yomi initially resents Koichi for being chosen as Babel II, his own earlier rejection by the tower erased from his memory. Their conflict involves psychic battles, technological warfare, and strategic confrontations. Koichi displays tactical ingenuity but occasional overconfidence, such as failing to secure Yomi's permanent defeat after victories. A moral complexity arises when Koichi intentionally floods Yomi's base, endangering subordinates to exploit Yomi's reluctant loyalty to his men—a tactic contributing to Yomi's demise.
In the sequel manga *His Name Is 101*, the CIA captures Koichi, designating him "Subject 101" and exploiting his blood's regenerative properties. Learning his blood creates artificial supersoldiers, he escapes to eliminate these derivatives globally, operating without his confined servants. Decades later in *Babel II: The Returner*, exhibiting slowed aging and enhanced abilities like pyrokinesis and heat resistance, he confronts the United States military and a resurrected Yomi. Across these narratives, Koichi transitions from a reluctant student to a determined guardian, maintaining alliances with authorities like Japan's National Security Bureau while prioritizing Earth's protection through morally ambiguous decisions.