Hikaru Makiba

Hikaru Makiba is the daughter of ranch owner Danbei Makiba and a friend of Duke Fleed (whom she originally knew as Daisuke Umon). Later when Duke reveals his true identity to her, Hikaru joins the fight against the Vegan Empire, piloting the Marine Spazer.

Background
Hikaru met Duke as Daisuke when Dr. Umon came for a visit. As Daisuke started to work with Hikaru and her family, Hikaru overtime started to get a crush on Daisuke.

Appearance
Hikaru has short finely kept brown hair that she brushes every morning, brown eyes with an average height and build for a girl in her late teens. Her clothing during the first half of the series was a light yellow shirt with a sun hat and pink skirt. Starting in episode 38 she started wearing a yellow sweater with a sleeveless blue shirt that had a red accessory at the opening of the chest area and a skirt held up by a belt with pants worn under it, she also started having a slightly different hairstyle. Her pilot suit consists of a white and red skin tight suit with yellow dots on the breasts with a matching helmet.

Personality
While Hikaru is friendly and mild mannered she can also be very bossy, even more so than her father to get work done on the ranch. She is very serious when she needs to be when on the ranch or in battle.

Family
Hikaru acts as the head honcho of her family whenever her father, Danbei is fooling around. She loves her brother Goro Makiba very much. While Hikaru loves her father, she not afraid to get in his face whenever he is slacking off or doing something she doesn't like.

Duke Fleed
First meeting Duke as Daisuke, she becomes one of his closest friends. Hikaru also started growing romantic feelings for him even mentioning Daisuke in her sleep. She also seeks ways to be alone with Duke as shown in episode 14 and she sings about her and Daisuke while she brushes her hair. When she found Duke's true identity, Hikaru decides to assist him in any way she can before eventually joining him in battle.

Koji Kabuto
Hikaru met Koji Kabuto when he arrived at her family's ranch with the TFO and was impressed with what he could do. However, she gets annoyed when Koji starts to flirt with her as she loves Duke and prefers to be friends with Koji.

Maria Fleed
When Duke's sister Maria Fleed joined their team, Hikaru got along with Maria sharing time with her and bringing Maria to her family ranch at times.

Abilities
Hikaru has rode horses for a very long time in her life, and to great lengths as well. She is also a highly accomplished gymnast, winning a competition in high school. Hikaru also has very impressive piloting skills, mastering the Marine Spazer in a short time.

History
Hikaru was present when the Vegan Empire UFOs started to invade. When Daisuke was missing work and making excuses to leave with Koji, she immediately became suspicious. Eventually, Daisuke revealed himself as Duke Fleed, prince of the now ruined Planet Fleed in episode 23, Hikaru was shocked by this but wanted to help Duke. At the start of the series, Hikaru usually ended up being the damsel-in distress until she became fed up with it and when Koji was bedridden, Hikaru used the Double Spazer to help Duke in episode 36. She impressed Duke and Koji with her skills in piloting the Marine Spazer afterwards. Joining Duke and Koji in their adventures, they eventually meet Maria, Duke's long-lost sister who joins them. After the final battle with the Vegan Empire, Hikaru and Koji bid their good-byes to Duke and Maria.

Etymology
'Maki' in Makiba means Shepard, alluding to the fact that Hikaru's family owns a ranch.