Born November 4, 1992, in Japan, Hikaru Ichijyo spent his youth in his father's flying circus, honing exceptional piloting skills that secured him seven amateur flying contest victories by age 16. After his father's death, he maintained a close bond with mentor Roy Focker, who invited him to the SDF-1 Macross launch ceremony on February 7, 2009. An unexpected Zentradi alien attack during the ceremony thrust him into an emergency where he inadvertently piloted a VF-1D Valkyrie. Amidst the chaos, he rescued civilian Lynn Minmay; both became trapped aboard the Macross following its accidental space fold jump near Pluto. Their shared two-week survival ordeal in the ship's depths forged an initial bond. Driven by necessity, he enlisted in the U.N. Spacy. Beginning as a staff sergeant, his combat prowess and leadership during the First Space War propelled a rapid ascent through the ranks—to second lieutenant, then first lieutenant—culminating in command of the Vermilion Team within Skull Squadron. He inherited the VF-1S "Skull One" Valkyrie after Roy Focker's death and was promoted to captain by the war's end. Key missions defined his service: rescuing officer Misa Hayase from a Mars base explosion and participating with her in a pivotal cultural demonstration kiss that confused the Zentradi, ultimately helping end the conflict. His personal life centered on a protracted emotional conflict between his affection for Lynn Minmay and his deepening connection with Misa Hayase. Early interactions with Misa were contentious, marked by tension and him derisively calling her "old woman." Yet shared experiences—joint captivity aboard a Zentradi ship, intimate conversations during downtime, and a Morse code message wishing for her safe return—gradually transformed his feelings. Following Earth's devastation in the war's final battle, he rescued Misa from Alaska Base ruins, affirming his commitment despite global annihilation. Though Minmay briefly rekindled his attention post-war, he ultimately chose Misa, marrying her on October 10, 2012. Their daughter, Miku Ichijyo, was born a year later. In 2012, he and Misa were appointed to command the SDF-2 Megaroad-01 colonization fleet. He led its fighter wing and test-piloted the VF-4 Lightning III variable fighter during a six-month lunar assignment. Minmay joined the expedition as a cultural ambassador. The Megaroad-01 departed Earth to preserve and spread human culture across the galaxy but lost contact in July 2016 near the galactic center. Hikaru, Misa, Miku, and Minmay were declared missing. His legacy endured. A fictionalized version of his wartime experiences featured in a Macross 7 fleet stage play, with singer Basara Nekki portraying him. In Macross Frontier, his original VF-1S Valkyrie was displayed atop Mihoshi Academy, and pilot Alto Saotome's VF-25 Messiah fighter adopted its color scheme as tribute. His influence as a reluctant hero and leader persisted as a recurring reference in subsequent Macross narratives.