Ken Kitano

A high-school delinquent and the primary protagonist, who left Japan in pursuit of Yumin Yoshizawa. His strength and sense of justice earns him the loyalty of the people around him, which is what helps him achieve his goals throughout the plot.

Appearance[]

Ken is an above average Japanese man; he is taller than most, but he can still be towered by several others in the story. He has a very muscular body he takes care of, stretching and jogging every morning before starting his day. Taking pride in his physique and calloused knuckles from fighting.

As a civilian, Kitano looks like a punk or a man with no stature. In this demeanor, his hair is let down and looks shaggy, which makes people mistake him as homeless or weak. He is usually wearing sweatpants and a tank top when his hair is down.

As the Boss, he switches to a more professional poise instantly by gelling his hair back, which grants him an intimidating appearance. He wears a black Armani suit with Imperial shoes. Enemies compare his very footsteps to thunder.

Personality[]

In the beginning of the story, it is made clear that he only lives in pursuit of one person, Yumin Yoshizawa. He is a very impulsive person when he chases after Yumin. He tries to be the person who can look into her eyes and hide nothing, and yet Ken has to lie to her about his job and occupation. He leads a double life and is essentially two different people, but his personality doesn't differ. He expresses his frustrations as Boss to Yumin under the guise of it being about the Video Game job. Despite this, Ken is a down to earth humble guy who does not care much for worldly possessions, only asking for a normal salary as the Boss.

Ken can be described as an unstoppable force once he has a purpose to his battles. He will defy any force that goes against his purpose. When he was shown kindness by the ramen vendor, he repaid the man's kindness by protecting him and everyone there from gang members. Swearing to them that he will protect the place forever. Ken is very righteous and despises those who pick on the weak, protecting the weak using the strength he gained through constant training.

Ken has a unique ability to get stronger as he fights. Even after getting severely beaten earlier fights, he will return stronger then he was prior to the beginning of the fight. As if his strength is liked directly to his will power, which many has described as “monstrous."

He is a kindhearted person and selfless where has a goal. Although he respects those above him, he does not fear them and will speak out against them if they are deemed wrong by his eyes. Settling his disputes and disagreements with his fists.

He lives by his own believes and will help anybody who asks him. He forces nobody to follow him in his goals, however people follow him by their own will.

Deep down Ken is a simple man with simple ambitions. He can be summarized in four simple sentences which are Benito's four reasons for following him:

"Proof 1: Kitano Ken, The training freak.

Proof 2: Kitano Ken, A man who can admit it when he is wrong.

Proof 3: Kitano Ken, The Boss.

Proof 4: Kitano Ken, Yumin's Slave."

Even though he and the other members of Sun-Ken Rock called him Boss, he never really saw himself being the Boss. He lets his teammates have different ambitions as him, but they all choose to follow him despite their differences.

History[]

Ken Kitano was born in Kobe, Japan.

Plot[]

He meets Yumin and asks her out, only to be rejected as she is going to Korea to become a cop. In pursuit of her, a year after she left, he drops out of school to follow in her footsteps to become a cop. However, Ken is unsuccessful as he comes to Korea and turns into a jobless shut in, at which point, now 2 years later, runs into Yumin. Telling her an ongoing lie about how he works for a Korean Video Game Company, to which she is pleased with hearing.

He then spends the last of this money in a Pojangmacha, to which the Elderly Owner supplies Ken with a free meal, stating: "When we see a stranger in the dumps...It's heart-breaking." At that same moment, the Pojangmacha is ruined by three gangsters who came to collect protection money from the Owner, who has not a single cent. As they are about to harvest the Owner's Kidney for money, they are attacked by Ken. The beaten gangsters threaten Ken by stating that the as soon as he leaves, shit will start for the owner, to which Ken states:

"NO PROBLEM! COME TRY YOUR BEST! WHETHER IT'S A FEW THOUSAND OR TENS OF THOUSANDS I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!!! THERE STILL WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM! BECAUSE I'LL KEEP PROTECTING THIS PLACE! I'LL PROTECT THIS PLACE FOREVER!"

Leaving the gangsters in awe, while also gaining the attention of Pick Axe, Marin and Tae-Soo.

Tae-Soo meets with Ken at a hotel, treating him to a meal, offering Ken a position in joining his gang. Ken rejects the offer by saying "Gangs Evil Organizations, right?", to which Tae-Soo denies and states that Gangs and Countries are the same thing. Though this still didn't peak Ken's interest and then they both decided to settle it with their fists. Tae-Soo landed a quick first blow followed by a flurry of punches, while also berating Ken and stating that he understands Ken, to which Ken blocks a direct kick and counters while stating "I JUST WANT TO PROTECT SOMEONE!", however Tae-Soo surrenders and Ken punches the Wall Next to Tae-Soo. Tae-Soo then removes the previous offer and instead states that Ken should be the boss of the organization, surprising both Marin and Pick Axe.

The Imperial Casino Arc

Rome Arc

After the Casino, the SKR Team go to Rome for mafia buisness.

The Idols Arc

Real Estate Arc

White Dragon Clan Arc

Strength and Abilities[]

Ken's strength is referenced as being a monstrous force. At the beginning of the series, he easily defeated several thugs while intoxicated.

His strength hits new levels whenever he comes across a powerful opponent. Despite his exhaustion, he was able to beat the casino lieutenants despite taking serious damage and having taken on dozens of weaker mobsters.

He can casually carry two 20 Kg (~45 pounds) lead infused baseball bats in each hand during his assault on the white dragons. Swinging it around and killing dozens of Yakuza members with ease.

Ken is not only a physical powerhouse, but he is also quick and agile. He is able to block bullets by using lead infused bats at point blank range.

Ken surpassed Kim Ban Phuong, a monstrous mercenary that was able to kill Yakuza as skilled as the White dragon clan almost instantaneously. Meaning he could move and/or react to attacks at speeds faster than a trained human eye can track. (Although this feat may have been for story telling purposes and not a specific speed foot.)

Ken is also insanely durable, having been pushed off cliffs and jumping from several stories on several occasions and rarely receiving damage. Even being pushed from the top floor of a sky scrapper didn't kill him despite being fatigued from fighting Rain. Who was considered the Strongest Man in the world (Or at least in Asia at that time).

At the end of the series, he was still very powerful. Able to take out tough hit man with one punch. His speed being described as if he was “teleporting” due to moving so fast.

Ken’s arguably most powerful ability is his aura of authority. While not given a name in the manga, Ken exudes a powerful aura that seems to attract respect and/or fear against almost anyone he comes across. Turning former foes into allies, and even scaring individuals that could take advantage of him being unaware to refuse to attack him, as seen in the last chapters.

His endurance and high pain tolerance easily surpass normal humans, as he was able to fight with broken ribs, arms, legs, and still fight with the same if not greater ferocity, then earlier in a fight

Trivia[]

In his first few panels of the manga he is seen smoking, which contradicts his current lifestyle of taking care of his body. This could be seen as him not having any direction and has yet to establish his motto, or simply to make him look tough.
In Level. 58.1, Ken takes the idol group to the cinema. Trigun is seen being the movie featured and one of the girls' states that Ken has the same hair style as Vash.
Volume 10 of SKR and Trigun: Badlands Rumble was released in 2010.