TV-Series
Description
Joe Shimamura, known as Cyborg 009, is a biracial individual of Japanese and unspecified foreign descent who faced childhood discrimination due to his mixed heritage. Orphaned as an infant, he was raised in Japan by a Catholic priest. This priest, later revealed as part of Black Ghost's child trafficking operations, was murdered by the organization. Joe discovered the crime scene, leading to his wrongful arrest for the murder. He escaped custody during a transport accident, only to be captured by Black Ghost agents. They subjected him to extensive cybernetic modifications, designating him as the ninth prototype in their "00" cyborg line, created to serve as living weapons for promoting global conflict.
His cybernetic body incorporates and enhances abilities from other 00 Cyborg prototypes. Key capabilities include an upgraded Acceleration Mode, activated via a switch in his back molar, enabling movement at speeds up to Mach 5. This renders surrounding objects and people nearly motionless from his perspective. A significant limitation prevents physical contact with unprotected individuals during acceleration, as the extreme speed causes severe injury or death. Later enhancements, particularly in the "Conclusion: GOD'S WAR" OVA, significantly increased this speed beyond light and allowed molecular acceleration on contact, causing explosions. He also inherited Geronimo Junior's (005) iron-like, bulletproof skin and Pyunma's (008) capability for underwater breathing. He is equipped with a multi-functional sidearm featuring six firing modes.
After escaping Black Ghost with Dr. Gilmore's help, Joe struggled with fragmented memories and doubts about his purpose. He gradually embraced his role within the 00 Cyborg team, forging strong familial bonds with his fellow cyborgs. His personality is characterized by deep compassion, idealism, and a strong aversion to killing. He firmly believes in redemption for adversaries, often attempting to appeal to their humanity, though these efforts frequently fail due to Black Ghost's control mechanisms. A pronounced self-sacrificial tendency manifests, rooted in childhood trauma and survivor's guilt, leading him to shoulder others' burdens alone, sometimes causing friction with teammates concerned for his safety. His relationship with Francoise Arnoul (003) involves mutual attraction across many adaptations, though its development varies significantly; some continuities imply a deeper connection while others, like the 2001 series, suggest external factors prevented its full realization.
His character development explores the psychological toll of his existence. The 2001 anime series emphasized survivor's guilt and a "hero complex," sometimes causing him to prioritize abstract ideals over teammates' emotional needs, as seen when he focused on relieving a princess's suffering while neglecting Great Britain's (007) grief. Over time, he matured into a decisive leader, though his core idealism and commitment to protecting innocent life remained constant. Later continuities, such as "009 Re:Cyborg," depicted him living under false memories and an augmented reality construct, believing himself a normal high school student with a girlfriend named Tomoe. Reactivating his true memories forced him to confront his nature and purpose anew. In "Cyborg 009: Call of Justice," he and the team lived incognito until threats from the superhuman "Blessed" organization forced them out of retirement, facing public suspicion and accusations of terrorism. The "Conclusion: GOD'S WAR" OVA concluded his arc with a sacrificial death during a battle against gods, followed by spiritual rebirth alongside his teammates in a "World of Light" as fully human entities.
His cybernetic body incorporates and enhances abilities from other 00 Cyborg prototypes. Key capabilities include an upgraded Acceleration Mode, activated via a switch in his back molar, enabling movement at speeds up to Mach 5. This renders surrounding objects and people nearly motionless from his perspective. A significant limitation prevents physical contact with unprotected individuals during acceleration, as the extreme speed causes severe injury or death. Later enhancements, particularly in the "Conclusion: GOD'S WAR" OVA, significantly increased this speed beyond light and allowed molecular acceleration on contact, causing explosions. He also inherited Geronimo Junior's (005) iron-like, bulletproof skin and Pyunma's (008) capability for underwater breathing. He is equipped with a multi-functional sidearm featuring six firing modes.
After escaping Black Ghost with Dr. Gilmore's help, Joe struggled with fragmented memories and doubts about his purpose. He gradually embraced his role within the 00 Cyborg team, forging strong familial bonds with his fellow cyborgs. His personality is characterized by deep compassion, idealism, and a strong aversion to killing. He firmly believes in redemption for adversaries, often attempting to appeal to their humanity, though these efforts frequently fail due to Black Ghost's control mechanisms. A pronounced self-sacrificial tendency manifests, rooted in childhood trauma and survivor's guilt, leading him to shoulder others' burdens alone, sometimes causing friction with teammates concerned for his safety. His relationship with Francoise Arnoul (003) involves mutual attraction across many adaptations, though its development varies significantly; some continuities imply a deeper connection while others, like the 2001 series, suggest external factors prevented its full realization.
His character development explores the psychological toll of his existence. The 2001 anime series emphasized survivor's guilt and a "hero complex," sometimes causing him to prioritize abstract ideals over teammates' emotional needs, as seen when he focused on relieving a princess's suffering while neglecting Great Britain's (007) grief. Over time, he matured into a decisive leader, though his core idealism and commitment to protecting innocent life remained constant. Later continuities, such as "009 Re:Cyborg," depicted him living under false memories and an augmented reality construct, believing himself a normal high school student with a girlfriend named Tomoe. Reactivating his true memories forced him to confront his nature and purpose anew. In "Cyborg 009: Call of Justice," he and the team lived incognito until threats from the superhuman "Blessed" organization forced them out of retirement, facing public suspicion and accusations of terrorism. The "Conclusion: GOD'S WAR" OVA concluded his arc with a sacrificial death during a battle against gods, followed by spiritual rebirth alongside his teammates in a "World of Light" as fully human entities.