Kyoko Aoi managed the Aoi Formula and Aoi ZIP Formula teams, steering operations through critical restructuring phases and competitive turbulence. Her leadership was abruptly disrupted in 2020 when Kyoshiro Nagumo assumed presidency of Aoi ZIP Formula, spearheading the deployment of the Al-Zard NP-1—a machine derived from the experimental Ogre AN-21 prototype. This shift triggered driver Naoki Shinjō’s dismissal and the recruitment of Phil Fritz, whose operation of the Al-Zard’s prohibited bio-computer system breached regulations, culminating in the infamous Al-Zard scandal. Investigations forced the team’s temporary suspension and Nagumo’s arrest.

Following the squad’s 2022 reinstatement, Kyoko reclaimed her managerial role under intense pressure from Aoi Motors executives, who demanded championship victory or immediate dissolution. Despite obsolete equipment, she orchestrated Bleed Kaga’s racing comeback. When Kaga allied with Nagumo to pilot the hazardous Ogre AN-21, Kyoko confronted Nagumo about the prototype’s lethal risks, attempting to sabotage it pre-race. Kaga persuaded her to authorize his participation, forcing her to balance safety imperatives against the team’s existential stakes.

After Kaga’s championship triumph and retirement, Kyoko resigned, hinting at a provisional exit while scouting a successor capable of revitalizing the beleaguered team. Her tenure embodied a steadfast commitment to ethical integrity and driver safety, standing in stark contrast to Nagumo’s cutthroat methods. Post-resignation, she remained a shadow influence in motorsports, serving as a living bridge between Aoi ZIP Formula’s tumultuous history and precarious future.