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List of Cyborg 009 characters
This is a list of fictional characters appearing in the Cyborg 009 manga by Shotaro Ishinomori and its adaptations. Protagonists00 Cyborgs
Cyborg 009, formerly Joe Shimamura, is considered the most advanced of the nine 00-Number Cyborgs, possessing the most refined cyborg body of the team. He possesses superhuman strength, durability, and agility, and has mechanical lungs that allow him to breathe underwater. His most prominent ability is Acceleration Mode, the power to temporarily move at a speed so fast that everything else looks like a statue to him, which is triggered by a switch embedded in one of his molars. Joe is unable to touch any living creatures, such as humans, when he is in this state, as the high speeds would kill or otherwise seriously maim the creature through air friction. Additionally, repeated use of Acceleration Mode in a short period tires him out. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks his latent psychic abilities, granting him teleportation and telepathy. During each of the series, he acts as the field leader and first line attack of the 00 Cyborgs. Joe is originally from Japan, although he is actually half-Japanese whose unknown father was presumably a soldier in the US Army stationed in Japan after World War II. A delinquent youth who was shunned by his peers because he was a hāfu, he escaped from a juvenile detention facility before being captured by Black Ghost. In the 2001 anime, his mother dies on the steps of a Catholic church in Kanazawa soon after giving birth to him. The priest takes him in as an orphan, where he grows up alongside his fellow orphans and friends Mary Onodera, Shin'ichi Ibaraki, and Masaru Oyamada. When he turned 18, his mentor was killed by Black Ghost members after they used a group of children that he raised in the church as guinea pigs for the Cyborg project. Joe was wrongfully blamed, then captured by the priest's killers and made into a cyborg. In the 1960 and 1980 film versions, Joe was a famous racer, nicknamed "Hurricane Joe", who gets into a crash and is recovered by Black Ghost (similar to 004's origin), who then adds several body enhancements during the process of being turned into a cyborg.
Originally from Russia, infant Ivan Whisky, known as Ivan Asimov in the English dub of the 2001 anime, was born with a severe illness which his father Gamo, a famous brain surgeon, tried to cure but went mad in the process. Gamo performed numerous brain enhancement processes on Ivan in his attempt to cure him which granted the young baby a mental capacity far exceeding that of a normal human. However, the implants were inserted against the wishes of Ivan's mother, Erika (whom Gamo killed in the manga). Ivan's enhanced brain gives him several psychic powers, including, telepathy, telekinesis, and extrasensory perception. However, due to the incredible amount of energy the infant expends with every psychic function, it is necessary for him to sleep as long as several days at a time in order to return to functionality. It is implied in some continuities that, because of his cyborg enhancements, Ivan will never physically age and will remain an infant for the rest of his life. Ivan would later fall into the custody of Black Ghost, who dubbed him the first member of the organization's 00-Cyborg program. He was one of the 00 Cyborgs who were cryogenically frozen until more advanced technology and procedures were developed. While still a pacifier-sucking infant, he is talented in scientific analysis and can telepathically converse at an adult level. He acts as the 00 Cyborgs central command and emergency psychokinetic defense.
Unmistakable with his swept-back hair, confident smile and longer-than-real-life nose, Jet has thrusters built into his feet, allowing him to fly at speeds of up to Mach 5. Jet is also equipped with a prototype Acceleration Mode module, though it is not as powerful as the refined model that was installed in 009. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks his latent psychic abilities, allowing him to fly at the speed of light. In the 2001 anime continuity, Jet was originally 001, but was replaced by Ivan. Jet comes from New York City in the United States and was the leader of a street gang on Manhattan's West Side. His character is introduced in both the manga and the anime holding his own in a fight with a rival gang; when the police appeared he was aided by nearby Black Ghost members who offered to take him away from the scene. Rendered unconscious, he was eventually brought to the organization's scientific headquarters to be unwillingly made into a cyborg. He has a brash personality which often conflicts with his peers, but he is a loyal, good-hearted member of the team. He provides air support and rescue.
The only female member of the team, 003 has enhanced vision and hearing, allowing her to see through walls and sense objects an enormous distance away, Through her experiences with the group, she also becomes an excellent pilot, technician, and mechanic. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks her latent psychic abilities and grants her clairvoyance, precognition, and telepathy. Françoise was originally a ballet dancer from France. Her brother Jean (Jean-Paul in the English dub), a member of the French Air Force returning to Paris on a one-week leave, was to meet Françoise at the train station. However, she was kidnapped by Black Ghost operatives, despite repeated attempts by her brother to save her along the way. In the 2001 anime series, Black Ghost offers a fake professional dancing career so they can kidnap her. 003 rarely fights, lacking the same combat ability as most of her companions, and is often seen either directing the battle under Gilmore's guidance or caring for 001. In the 2001 anime, she was one of the 00 Cyborgs who were frozen until more advanced technology and procedures were developed. As such, she is chronologically in her 50s, being 19 when captured. Her jobs include reconnaissance, advance warning, and caring for 001. She and Joe seem to have a romantic relationship.
Albert was originally from Germany (specifically, East Berlin). He and his fiancée, Hilda attempted to escape to West Berlin in the guise of circus performers. When Albert forgot to retrieve his forged identification from a guard, he panicked and sped off. The border guards opened fire on the truck, injuring Albert and killing Hilda in the process. Black Ghost agents arrived on the scene and lied to Albert, telling him they would take him to a hospital. 004 often has a gruff exterior which belies his friendly personality and disgust with war, and he is also a skilled combat tactician. He was the last of the 00 Cyborgs who were then frozen until more advanced technology and procedures were made and is chronologically the oldest of the group, being already 30 years old when captured. The severity of his injuries also resulted in him receiving the most extensive and most outwardly apparent cyborg modifications, with it being mentioned in the 2001 series that his only remaining organic parts are his brain and spinal cord. The fingertips on his visibly artificial right hand conceal machine gun barrels, his left hand hides a laser knife, and he has missiles hidden in his knees. In some continuities, it is implied he may also have a nuclear bomb in his abdomen. In the movie 009 Re:Cyborg, he mentions that his weapons are difficult to resupply because they were custom-made for his body. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks 004's latent psychic abilities, granting him the power to guide his machine gun hand's bullets with telekinesis. In the 2001 series, upon waking up as a cyborg, Albert was stricken with despair and developed suicidal tendencies, aggravated by the side effects of his modifications which caused him additional physical pain and strain. This ultimately forced Black Ghost to halt the cyborg program for decades, and put the existing cyborgs in suspended animation until technology developed sufficiently to make future cyborg soldiers more stable. He is most often frontline advance and anti-personnel.
Geronimo Junior, also called "G-Junior" for short, was originally from an undisclosed part of the southwest United States. G-Junior is a Native American who was unable to find work because of widespread racism. He was approached to be a Native American chief in a sideshow, but G-Junior simply punched the sideshow owner in the face, refusing to further the stereotypes about his culture. Black Ghost agents overheard the conversation and offered G-Junior a job far from home. G-Junior accepted, admitting that he really had no home anymore. In the 2001 anime series, he was instead a freelance construction worker bribed into accepting a very promising job offer by disguised Black Ghost agents. 005 was the first created when Black Ghost resumed its cyborg soldier program. His principal job is line defense and artillery, typically using boulders as missiles against aggressors. The largest of the 00 Number Cyborgs, 005 possesses immense strength and armored skin. In contrast to his hulking appearance and power, he is a quiet, reserved man with a deep reverence for nature and life. In some continuities, it is implied that he may have a sort of sixth sense that allows him to sense changes in nature and possibly other people's thoughts that does not originate from his cyborg implants. During Conlcusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks 005's latent psychic power, granting him potent telekinesis.
Chang was originally from China. He was an impoverished Chinese farmer who once owned a pig farm. One day, almost all of his pigs ran away and he was starving and suffering under heavy taxes. Hopeless, Chang decided to end his misery by hanging himself, but was "saved" by a bullet from Black Ghost which cut the noose. Chang fainted and was later delivered to the Black Ghost laboratory. In the 2001 series, he owned a restaurant, thus explaining why he is such a good cook, but accidentally burned it down after doing a fire-breathing trick, which resulted in him losing everything. Black Ghost agents then abducted him after he fainted from the shock. he is a jovial fellow who is well-versed in the ways of cooking; his refined cuisine and happy personality always manage to bring his teammates back to good spirits. After Black Ghost's apparent defeat, Chang opens a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo. He is frequently partnered with 007, with the two constantly bickering. His role, aside from food preparation, is anti-personnel and line advance. Chang's power allows him to breathe huge flames which he uses to create tunnels in the earth and attack enemies with underground explosions. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks 006's latent psychic powers, enhancing his abilities to grant him pyrokinesis.
007 has the ability to reshape his cellular structure at will, allowing him to take the form of any object, creature, or person he wishes when he presses a button in his navel. With his superb acting skills, he can also blend in with the enemy to use sneaky maneuvers and attacks. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 enhances 007's abilities to allow him to possess others and use astral projection. 007's abilities make him a master of infiltration/espionage and by morphing into a dangerous animal or gigantic form he can also be very useful in field combat. "Great Britain," whose real name is unknown, was originally from the United Kingdom. He was once a famous and talented stage actor with a broad knowledge of famous shows but a weakness for alcohol caused his downfall. In the 2001 TV series, Great Britain (simply known by the initials G.B. in the English dub) was in love with an actress named Sophie, who worked with him. Later he became more famous and gradually ignored his past love. One financial problem after another arose, and the once great thespian was reduced over time to a penniless nobody who would do anything for a drink or a smoke. Black Ghost agents, noticing his plight, easily lured Great Britain into their vehicle with an alcoholic beverage. Later when he escapes with the other cyborgs he returns to the United Kingdom and finds out that his ex-girlfriend had a daughter, Rosa. With the possibility that she might be his child, Great Britain tries to talk to her but is rejected and scorned for his past actions with Rosa believing him to have betrayed Sophie, to be redeemed only in the end when he replaces a main actor in a production of The Mists of London, a play 007 once acted in alongside Sophie, and manages to give them both closure. Great Britain is outwardly a lighthearted and amiable man who always tries to defuse tension between his teammates with a joke, but has lingering doubts and regrets about his past, being prone to serious introspection and using lines from theatrical roles to relate to a situation. Giving credence to his personality as a comic relief, there is a running gag where Great Britain often takes the form of a precocious, almost super deformed, spoiled child fearing for his own life. Of his team members, he is closest to 006, with the two frequently seen partnered together and forming a comedic duo. In the 1960s anime versions, he is a child rather than an adult, in an attempt by the producers to appeal to a younger audience. Though Ishinomori initially disapproved of this, he later temporarily mirrored it in the manga version by having Gilmore alter 007's body to make the child form his standard form in a one-shot titled "The Man in the High Castle" (though this change was quickly discarded soon after).
Pyunma, the only member of the team with prior combat training, has mechanical lungs that allow him to survive indefinitely underwater as well as thrusters built into his feet that allow him to swim at great speeds. During Conclusion: GOD'S WAR, 001 unlocks 008's latent psychic abilities and grants him the power of hydrokinesis. Pyunma is also the primary pilot of the Dolphin, the team's flying battleship. Pyunma was originally from an undisclosed part of Africa (eventually revealed to be Kenya in 1992). Originally, Pyunma was to have been made a slave along with the people of his tribe, but he escaped from his chains and ran off. Cornered by the slave drivers, all seemed lost until the slave drivers were shot dead by Black Ghost agents from out of nowhere. Holding Pyunma at gunpoint, they led him to their plane so he could be taken to the cybernetics laboratory. In the 2001 series, Pyunma was a guerilla fighter from the African nation of Muamba who fought against the tyrant ruling his land along with his friends Kabore and Mamado. During one battle, he was caught in the crossfire and was taken by Black Ghost in the chaos. Pyunma is a serious fighter and decision-maker when the situation demands it. His talents include guerrilla-style land maneuvers plus undersea recon and demolition. Near the end of the 2001 series, he is given an unwanted rebuild that leaves him with a silver-scaled fishlike body; he is initially horrified by it, but after a talk with 004 he accepts it and even gives his new parts an effective and ingenious use in a fight. In the original 1960s and 1970's incarnations, Pyuma's body design was inspired in the darky iconography of older American cartoons. This is in contrast to the seriousness of the character's no-nonsense, battle-trained personality. In the 80s movie Chou Ginga Densetsu, Pyunma was redesigned as less caricatured and more naturalistic; this same revamped design was updated for the 2001 series. Humans
The lead scientist in the 00 Cyborg program, Dr. Gilmore was a dutiful worker who hid a deep distrust for Black Ghost's plans. In the 2001 series, he begins doubting Black Ghost once his superiors insist on installing a low quality artificial heart into 005's body simply because it was cheaper, turning a deaf ear to Dr. Gilmore's protests. After that point, he became less involved in the 00 Cyborg program. After the cybernetic enhancements for the first nine 00 Cyborgs were complete, he intentionally let himself be "taken hostage" by the cyborgs. Since then, he has been the team's advisor and father figure, not only helping to formulate the team's plans but also assisting them with the nuances of their newfound mechanical bodies. In the 1979 series it is revealed that he and fellow scientist Reinhardt was captured and forced to work on Operation Superman (possibly the first cyborg project ever) for the Nazi regime during the 1940s. Gilmore, when he learned that he was working on Hitler's secret project, was disgusted by this fact and decided to escape. He was aided by the chaos created by an Allied strike on the laboratory he was working in and managed to escape in the confusion.
Calm and perceptive Kozumi is Gilmore's old friend from before he joined Black Ghost, and is also a doctor specialized in biochemistry (it is hinted he may be even on the Nobel Prize level). His mansion in the outskirts of Tokyo became the cyborg's HQ during the first episodes; Kozumi not only helped develop the antidote for a poison that affected the cyborgs, but also aided 004 when he was starting to doubt himself again, and was the first person to notice how Gilmore and the cyborgs were becoming more of a family than merely a group of fighters. He was kidnapped by Black Ghost, and the cyborgs had to rescue him by fighting and defeating 0012 and 0013; after that, he remained a good friend of the team. Voice castsAntagonistsSkull/Black GhostSkull (スカール, Sukāru) - called Black Ghost in certain versions and also known as Skarle or Sekar, is the tyrannical leader of an evil organization called Black Ghost, who manipulate world events from the shadows in order to profit off selling weapons and cyborgs in endless wars. His true identity is not known because he wears a skull-shaped mask and full-body suit that resembles a skeleton. A possible origin for him exists in the 2007 anime adaptation of The Skull Man in which main character Hayato is revived and takes up an appearance almost exactly like that of Skull. Skull was seemingly defeated when the 00 cyborgs entered a Black Ghost base they originally believed was Black Ghost's HQ and set explosives, leaving 009 and Skull to fight one-on-one. It is revealed that Skull is also a cyborg with far greater abilities to the 00 cyborgs, soundly defeating 009 using his superior Acceleration Mode. Only a last-ditch effort managed to save the nine cyborgs as Skull plummeted to his apparent death. Skull later returns, though is not known how Skull survived the explosion. Soon after, it is revealed that he is not the true leader of Black Ghost, but is subordinate to three brains who are the apparent true leaders. Although the brains were destroyed in the end, they claim to be only one "cell" of the Black Ghost organization and that Black Ghost will exist as long there is evil in men's heart. Van VogtAlternately known as Claus van Bogoot in the English dub of the 2001 series, Van Vogt is a top executive of Black Ghost who uses the organization's power to enslave the Pu'Awak people in the underground Yomi Kingdom. He is a powerful cyborg with many advanced abilities, including Acceleration Mode, the ability to absorb and channel energy, extendable limbs, and an invisibility suit. He is a sadistic man who delights in suffering, seeing human lives as disposable assets. He kidnaps and converts 009's childhood friends into cyborg assassins, implanting a bomb in each one that he quickly detonates the moment they hesitate in trying to kill 009. Cyborg Assassins
Humans
Cyborg MenA group of mass-produced cyborg men who help try to spark a war in 008's home country. They wear black suits, which also cover their face with red goggles and an air tube which they appear to need for survival. They usually ride in black tanks. Their leader is Number 1, who is 008's old friend, Mamado. He rides a black saucer with laser shooting tentacles which can detach as robotic snakes. He appears to have lost his good heart after the brainwashing he was put through, so he is defeated by a very reluctant 008 after he fails to convince him. More advanced Cyborg Men are later seen as Van Vogt's footsoldiers. Mythos CyborgsBeings claiming to be Greek gods who have come to Earth to destroy it, so they may end war and create a more peaceful world. In actuality, they are highly advanced cyborgs created by Dr. Gaia who are unaware of their true nature because of extensive memory alteration. Most of them dress in white Greek clothes with capes and live on a far away island just off the coast of Greece.
The Mutant WarriorsIn the 2001 anime, there is an alternate universe where Black Ghost has won the war against the cyborgs, and the world is in perpetual war. Humans have developed psychic powers of a different variety for self-defense, and even then they live in constant fear. A young man named Nichol, his girlfriend Rina, Rina's younger brother Phil and their friends Cain and Mii learn that there was peace, and decide to time-travel to search for help. But during their time-jump, they lose sight of Nicholas and arrive, with their life energy completely drained, to the doorstep of Gamo Whisky, Ivan/001's estranged father. Hiding his connections with Black Ghost, he erases the kids' memories and pits them against the cyborgs to retrieve his child, prove his theories about psychic powers right, and defeat his old rival Gilmore's team. After the Warriors turn against a non-brainwashed Nichol and one of them kills him, they fight the cyborgs. Slowly after each regains their memory, they join the Cyborgs after they rescue 009 and Rina from the future, to fight against Gamo and a treacherous Cain. Gamo is fatally wounded and 001 forgives his father before he dies, since he remembers that Gamo's madness started after he failed to cure Ivan's old birth disease. They each have telepathic abilities, telekinesis, psychic barriers and can teleport at will.
The Yomi KingdomDeep buried in the Earth's grounds, the Yomi kingdom and its inhabitants, the Pu'Awak, have been enslaved by the dinosaur race known as the Zattan, who treat them as slaves and use their natural fertility to keep them as living food supplies. Black Ghost, or more specifically Skull and his underling Van Vogt (renamed Claus Van Bogoot in the Sony Pictures English dub), suddenly appear to trick the Pu'Awaks into following them to fight for freedom, and they choose 5 Pu'Awak noble-born sisters as their subordinates. The girls (Biina, Helen, Daphne, Aphro and Dinah) are soon disenchanted, and decide to join the Cyborgs instead to reach for true freedom.
Others
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