Kikunosuke Abashiri (Angels)

Kikunosuke Abashiri (悪馬尻菊ノ助 Abashiri Kikunosuke) is one of the main protagonists of Mazinger Angels Z. She is the daughter of Daemon Abashiri (which also makes her the sister to Naojiro and Goemon Abashiri) and the pilot of the Iron Z.

Production Background
Kikunosuke originally appeared as one of the main characters of Go Nagai's Abashiri Ikka.

Background
Kikunosuke was personally educated by her father until high school, the same one Naojiro attended. As a gift for living on her own, she is given a wakizashi blade and a motorcycle that were both constructed by a friend of Daemon's, Juzo Kabuto. She witnessed several of the exploits of the Mazinger Angels at certain points prior to transferring schools.

Appearance
Kikunosuke originally wore an outfit similar to her original counterpart, a boy's high school uniform that would occasionally become undone revealing a bandage top underneath. Later she is given a pilot suit by the Mazinger Angels that is virtually identical to Koji Kabuto's pilot suit in Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger.

Personality
Kikunosuke is a tomboy with a rebellious attitude, wearing a boys uniform instead of Paradise Academy's standard girls uniform. She is also very tough and confident, never backing down from a fight no matter what the odds. However, she is not above using dirty tricks to get her way, as shown when she used her bikini top to slow down Maria Fleed when they had a competition in the school swimming pool.

Kikunosuke has a great respect for the Mazinger Angels shown when she saw them a number of times. Despite her respect for them, she does not wish to become an Angel herself, even when formally invited by them after seeing her skill in piloting the Iron Z (to which she declined by flipping them off). However, Kikunosuke will accept help from the Angels and/or help them when the situation calls for it.

Kikunosuke's relationship with Maria is rather complicated. When they first met, Kikunosuke stood up to some bullies thinking a girl like Maria wouldn't handle it. But Maria took down the bullies herself while reprimanding Kikunosuke, sparking a rivalry between them. The rivalry only intensified when Kikunosuke found out that Maria is one of the Angels and Kikunosuke rudely declined to join them. However, when Maria was captured Kikunosuke rushed to her aid. From this, despite their rivalry Maria and Kikunosuke became friends of sorts, with Maria giving some of her blood to help Kikunosuke recover after she lost a lot of blood and entrusting the Gattaiger to her. Kikunosuke is also popular with the rest of the girls in her class, for her attitude and skills.

Abilities
Kikunosuke is a skilled fighter, able to handle some bullies in her school with little effort. She is also skilled in swordsmanship with her wakizashi blade made of Super Alloy Z. The blade itself is strong enough to damage even a Saucer Beast and break a space titanium sword. Her skills as a pilot are no joke either, able to ride her Pilder motorcycle with great effort and pilot the Iron Z without much trouble. When Kikunosuke was given a blood transfusion from Maria, she gained the ability to read the birthmark on Maria which had the instructions and the whereabouts of the Gattaiger.

History
On Kikunosuke's first day of high school, she meets Maria which turned into a rivalry after a quarrel. Later she becomes involved in the attacks by the Vegan Empire, using her skills to fight them off. At one time, after damaging a Saucer Beast, Kikunosuke's motorcycle lead her to an underground base where she encountered a giant robot and its creator Juzo Kabuto. Juzo explained that he created Kikunosuke's motorcycle and that it was the control unit to pilot the robot known as the Iron Z. The professor then passed out from exhaustion after pulling an all-nighter. With this new robot, Kikunosuke went to fight and effectively destroy the fleet of attacking Saucer Beasts.

The Mazinger Angels noticed this and invited her to join their organization but Kikunosuke rudely declined as she does not like to take orders. The Angels were not the only ones to notice her however, the Vegan Empire saw Kikunosuke and the Iron Z as a threat and made attempts to assassinate her. When Maria was quarantined by the Empire after she and Sayaka Yumi were investigating off-limit parts of the school, Kikunosuke was called in to help. Finding Maria, Kikunosuke fought the student body president who was revealed to be a spy for the Empire. Kikunosuke was at a disadvantage, but managed to turn the tables by using a swift strike that destroyed the spy's sword. However, Kikunosuke was badly wounded in the clash.

At the Angel's base, Kikunosuke is given a blood transfusion from Maria to stabilize her. She is then given equipment to help the in fight against the Empire. At a cave, Kikunosuke reads Maria's birthmark and uncovers the Gattaiger and uses it to battle the attacking Vegan forces. With this new weapon, they are victorious. Soon the battle is taken to space where Sayaka, Maria, and Kikunosuke battle the Empire at their moon base. By Maria's request, Kikunosuke sacrifices the Gattaiger to destroy the army. With the fight over, the group goes back to Earth.