Reno Ichikawa/Plot

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Plot

The Man Who Became a Kaiju Arc

Leno joined the Monster Sweeper Inc. as a part-timer, while he managed to get accepted in the Defense Force. He was told that Kafka Hibino also tried to join the Defense Force, but had given up due to his age and difficulty. Leno couldn't understand it, as he commented he will never give up. Leno and Kafka got assigned to intestine cleaning and Kafka helped him get through the first day. After work, Leno thanked Kafka and told him that Defense Force had raised their age to 33. A Yoju then appeared, but Kafka managed to push Leno away, saving him from being eaten. Kafka told Leno to go ask for help, while he kept the Yoju busy. Leno managed to get back in time and save Kafka from being killed be then both were saved by Mina Ashiro.

In the hospital, Leno told Kafka that he should try for the Defense Force and Kafka agreed. Kafka then made a noise and Leno saw that he had turned into a kaiju. Having no choice, knowing that the Defense Force would kill Kafka, they started running, but Kafka sensed a Yoju appearing and went and defeated it, saving a young child.

Secondary Exam

Three months later, Leno and Kafka had passed the first-stage examination for the Defense Force. Ten days later, they went to the facility for the second stage and on the parking lot met Kikoru Shinomiya, a protegee, and another examinee. Leno explained that the second stage consisted of a fitness test and aptitude test, as the second is a wild card that changes each year, they needed to score points in the fitness test, however, Kafka barely manages to pass it. Leno explained that a lot of elite people had gathered this year, including Kikoru. He told Kafka that the last two years, the aptitude test was kaiju disposal, and that's why he joined the company as a part-timer to prepare himself, but both were shocked to see that the aptitude test was kaiju neutralization.

They were given Defense Force Suit, which had kaiju muscle fibers and could make them stronger. Leno was able to draw out 8% of the power of the suit, with Third Division Vice-Captain Soshiro Hoshina commenting that normal trained soldiers draw out 20%. They headed out on the battlefield, with Kafka realizing they were being observed not only for kaiju killing but for adapting and assisting the situation. Following Kafka, they started assisting others, but soon a Yoju injured Kafka. Leno offered his help and Kafka got on his back as they tried to catch up to Kikoru. However, no one was able to keep up with her and she managed to kill all the Yoju and Honju. After the resurrected Honju attacked Kikoru, Kafka transformed, and after saving Kikoru the two of them and Leno were hospitalized. In the hospital, he and Kafka were visited by Mina Ashiro who thanked them for saving Kikoru's life.

Some days after both he and Kafka received their results of the exams, having passed them and finally becoming Defense Force members. Leno was present during the Presentation of the Enlistment Certificate. At some point he and Kafka met Kikoru in a cafè, explaining Kafka's secret to Kikoru. Then, Kikoru gave them tips on the kaiju she faced at the exam, should they ever encounter him again.

Sagamihara Neutralization Operation at Daybreak Arc

Leno and Iharu engage Kaiju No. 9

Two months later he and the other members had their shooting training. During it, Leno was able to unleash 18% of his suit power, right before being confronted by Iharu Furuhashi. Later, in the bathroom, Iharu and Leno were discussing their muscles and then they listened to everyone's reason to become Force members. During the night a kaiju appeared, starting their first mission. Dispatched in Ikaruga Platoon alongside Iharu, as the mission started, Leno quickly showed off his skills, much to Iharu's surprise and shock. After the Honju's death, a great number of Yoju rushed towards the Defense Force and while Iharu and Leno were facing them they encountered a strange disposal crew member. Upon revealing himself as the kaiju who injured Kikoru, Leno and Iharu engaged in combat with him. Thanks to Kikoru's warning, Leno was able to dodge the kaiju's attacks and save Iharu. As Iharu got injured, Leno, like Kafka did with him, shouted to him to run away and call the cavalry. While running away Iharu felt the remorse of always being protected and not improving like Leno did and, despite his injuries, came back to save Leno's life and fight the kaiju with him. As Leno was able to put the kaiju down, the latter emerged from a barrage of corpses, ready to fight again. Thus, Leno was incapacitated and almost killed by the Humanoid Kaiju before a transformed Kafka arrived to save him and Iharu. As Kafka was carrying Leno away, who was disappointed by his own failed attempt to prevent Kafka from transforming, the Humanoid Kaiju regrew his head. Leno was then put to safety by Kafka and watched him fighting and almost killing the Humanoid Kaiju before the Defense Force arrived.

After waking up in the hospital two weeks later he and Iharu were discharged and celebrated along with the other Corps members their first mission. During the party, he and Soshiro watched as everyone discussed the mission and sought to become stronger. As they were all discussing the mission, he watched as Soshiro announced Kafka's promotion to Corps member of the Third Division of the Defense Force.

Days later, Leno and his peers had a private kendo training session, followed by Metro TV journalists. After sparring with Haruichi, with them commedning each other's skills, Kafka was perplexed on how everyone was so skilled in kendo. Leno asked Kafka if he took jude in middle school instead, eventually discovering from Soshiro that jude and kendo were implemented as required subjects after Kafka finished was already out of school. Therefore, Kafka challenged Soshiro to a match, encouraging Leno to do the same. Iharu joined too, and the three of them were easily defeated by the Vice-Captain.

Raid on Tachikawa Base Arc

During the raid, Leno and Iharu helped the Defense Force deal with the Wyvern-type kaiju. As Kikoru arrived wielding a battle axe, Leno witnessed Kikoru's superior fighting prowess before eventually helping her and becoming her support. As they tore through the kaiju, Leno and Kikoru reached Kafka and Akari Minase and, later, Leno almost witnessed Kafka transforming to save Soshiro from the Kaiju No. 10, before Mina's arrival. After Mina, Soshiro, and Kikoru succeeded in taking down the massive kaiju, Leno made fun of Kafka's emotional moment before encouraging him to do their best. When, moments later, a massive yoju-bomb appeared in the sky, Leno witnessed Kafka rushing towards the bomb and turning into Kaiju No. 8. Failing to talk sense with him, Leno watched as Kafka punched the bomb away and was later taken into custody. The day after, when Mina was bringing Kafka to the headquarters of the Defense Force, Leno admitted to Kafka that he had faith he'd come back.

Kaiju No. 8 Captured Arc

After Kafka's capture, Leno, Iharu, Aoi and Haruichi were proposed by Mina to join another division, since Tachikawa Base was mostly destroyed. Leno was the first one to accept, with the sight of growing stronger and wait for Kafka to return.

Later, Leno and Iharu were transferred in the Fourth Division.

Kaiju Weapon Arc

After Isao Shinomiya's death, Leno and Iharu payed homage to him with the rest of the Fourth Division

The Compatible User Arc

Leno with Kaiju No. 6 suit.

During the Anti-No. 9 Eastern Divisional Conference, Vice-Captain Soshiro proposed Leno as a possible candidate to be the compatible user for the dangerous weapon crafted from Kaiju No. 6's corpse. After he was informed by this decision by Captain Jugo Ogata, and being also adviced against it by the latter, Leno decided to try No. 6 suit anyway but the shockwave knocked him out cold for a few. Then, still adamant of trying to use that weapon, he was given by Captain Ogata one month to become the perfect user of Kaiju No. 6's weapon.

A month later Leno wore Numbers Weapon 6 while neutralizing a Mole Type 67 kaiju, effectively managing to handle the suit and defeating all the kaiju, with the rest of the Fourth Division and Iharu checking on him. As he easily moves around the battlefield overpowering the Yoju, Leno then started to drastically augment his released combat power while facing the Honju, as well as lamenting his inability to save Kafka and Iharu in the past due to his own weakness. Pushing his body beyond his limit, Leno's mind spiraled into confusion due to being unable to control his body, under the influence of his Numbers Weapon, and due to his desire of getting stronger to save those close to him. In the climax he freezes an entire area around him, to avoid external help, but he's then joined by Iharu who encourages him to keep fighting. As Leno regains conscience thanks to Iharu's intervention, he is encouraged by the latter to keep fighting and build up a new strategy against the kaiju. He's then brought to a safe position by Iharu, who manages to expose the kaiju's core for Leno to shoot through it. After killing the kaiju, Captain Ogata tells Leno that he had passed the test, following Leno's and Iharu's brief celebration and their retreat to be medically assisted. Leno later phoned Kafka Hibino to check on him and, before getting upset at Kafka refusing his call but answering Iharu's, Leno reprimanded Kafka for not getting in touch with them and expressed the Third Division's concern towards their comrade.

The Last Wave Arc

In the climax of the No. 9-induced series of cataclysms, while No. 9 was about to absorb Captain Ashiro and the Kaiju#Third Wave was destroying Tokyo, Leno appeared and instantly froze the entire herd of rogue kaiju. He approached a confused Kafka and encouraged him to reach Mina while he took care of the Third Wave. As he was talking to Kafka, he esily used his new weapons to instantly frezze the daikaiju who was attacking him. He then revealed to Kafka that he wasn't the only one who returned, as their friends also showed up on the battlefield. Leno then encouraged Kafka to go, reprimanding him for always taking the whole burden for himself. Kafka then remembered his comrades' suggestions of trusting them, and go ready to join forces with them and fight.