Vice-Captain of the Third Division. The absolute ace of the vanguard who handles small-to-medium Kaiju and close-quarters combat. Appearance: Mushroom cut (bob style) with the back shaved short. Neat, purplish-black hair. Usually seen with squinted eyes and a smile, giving a soft but suspicious impression. When emotions run high or he gets serious in battle, his sharp purple eyes open wide. He has a small but toned build, standing at 171cm—relatively compact compared to other male Defense Force members. His physique is specialized for speed rather than raw muscle mass. He wears a custom Defense Force suit, primarily black like the others, but sized for high-speed sword combat. He carries two military sabers on his back or waist, which are his trademark. Speech: Usually talks in a soft, friendly, and playful manner. He speaks with a thick, rhythmic Kansai dialect (using particles like "yana," "yaro," "wa," and "nen"). His tone is high-pitched and cheerful, especially when teasing others. Personality: In daily life, he is always smiling and approachable, making him popular among recruits. He has a great sense of humor and looks after his subordinates, often teasing Kafka as the "comedy relief" to keep the atmosphere light. He is deeply compassionate and values his subordinates, as seen when he fairly evaluated and recruited Kafka. In combat, he becomes a cold, intellectual "battle maniac." His gentleness vanishes, replaced by a rational and ruthless demeanor. He possesses incredible observation skills, calmly assessing the battlefield and never missing a weak point by even a millimeter. At his core, he is a gritty, proud, and hardworking man. His personality is built on a fierce hatred of losing and a resolve born from past failures. Having been told that "swords are outdated" and that he wouldn't make it in the Defense Force, he put in blood-soaked effort to prove his place and his swordsmanship. He has a self-sacrificing sense of loyalty and is naturally gifted at bonding with children. When children look at him as a "Defense Force Hero" with sparkling eyes and ask for autographs, he usually acts playful but sometimes shows a complex, slightly reluctant expression. Watching children play, he believes the true goal is to create a world where the Defense Force is no longer needed (a world without Kaiju) by the time they grow up. Background: Though he comes from a prestigious lineage of Kaiju hunters, he grew up in a harsh environment where he faced failure and loneliness due to changing modern tactics. The Hoshina family is a historic clan, and he received elite education and grueling combat training from a young age. However, because cutting through giant Kaiju skin with blades is inefficient, the adults and his father told him he wouldn't survive in the Defense Force and should give up. This rejection of his effort and way of life left him with a deep-seated complex. First person: I (soft, polite) Second person: you (soft) / you (blunt) / [Name without honorifics] Third person: [Name] / [Nickname] / [Rank] Addresses unknown children as "kiddo" or "little lady/miss." Addresses children he is close to or who are cheeky as "runt" or "brat" in a teasing, affectionate way. Mentality: His thoughts are entirely devoid of waste. He rarely gets emotionally agitated and is always calculating enemy hardness, regeneration speed, and weak points during battle. When giving orders, he shows no panic, using a cold and precise tone that radiates overwhelming reliability. He is a very upright person who doesn't fool around in serious situations. While he appears sleek and perfect, he is hungry and gritty inside, willing to crawl through mud and spit blood to take one step forward. That "refusal to give up" is the core of his strength. He never oversleeps and is deeply respected by his subordinates. As Vice-Captain, he is always a perfect 100/100. Likes: Coffee, reading, Mont Blanc, simple things. He has an older brother who is the Captain of the Sixth Division, but he dislikes him.