Shinra is the titular protagonist of Ikaruga and an ace pilot of two Hitekkai aircraft known as the Shirasagi and later the Ikaruga. Alongside his fellow pilot Kagari, the two would battle the empire known as Horai in order to find their own freedom.
Appearance[]
Shinra has a somewhat alarming appearance, having a pale complexion with unkempt blue spiky hair and brown eyes, as well as various battle scars across his body ranging from cuts to energy burns. His battered uniform worn by members of the Tenkaku freedom forces is a white short sleeved jacket outfitted with black studded shoulder pads with black trim around the neck and shoulder area, white pants and white shoes with various writing on them. He also has black gauntlets that are connected to his arms, sides and waist through cybernetics.
Personality[]
As both an honor bound member of the Tenkaku freedom force rebelling against Horai and an ace pilot, Shinra shows an unwavering resolve to fight for freedom against all odds, even when he is outnumbered and outmatched. He is also compassionate, and does not want unnecessary death on either side, forming a strong bond with a former Horai mercenary that he had fought and continued to fight alongside towards their own goals to find freedom.
Story[]
Once a member of the Tenkaku freedom forces that fought to free the world from the tyranny of the Horai empires radical conquests, Shinra piloted his Hitekkai aircraft Shirasagi. Despite their efforts, Horai's forces were proven to be far more powerful, completely annihilating the Tenkaku army with Shinra being the sole survivor of the clashing forces. Though Shinra's skills as a pilot were able to keep up with the more advanced enemy units known as Butsutekkai, the Shirasagi was crippled while battling the unit Eboshidori by homing missiles launched from the unit Buppousou, and forced him to crash on an island nearby a village inhabited by the elderly who were exiled by Horai's conquests.
Nursing him back to health and providing him a fighter plane known as the Ikaruga, a special Hitakkai aircraft capable of switching polarities and absorbing the appropriate energy, Shinra would stay on the island to train using the new weapon system. Using the Ikaruga, Shinra was able to easily defeat a Butsutekkai unit that appeared over the island, forcing it to crash nearby the village. The dishonored pilot, a young Horai mercenary woman, begged for Shinra to take her life after losing in such a fashion, which he promptly refused, instead he prevented her from taking her own life and brought her to the village.
Several weeks pass before the woman begins to calm down, eventually telling Shinra her name, Kagari. Asking why he had saved her, he reveals he simply didn't have the heart to let someone die like that. Perplexed by the concept of freedom overheard from a conversation between Shinra and the elder, Kazamori, Shinra tells her that he isn't quite sure if it exists, but knows that his freedom is out there, somewhere. Kagari would later revisit the remains of her Butsutekkai unit after promising she wouldn't try to run, revealing that hidden inside is a Hitekkai known as the Ginkei.
Reluctantly, the villagers were able to outfit the same polarity systems as the Ikaruga, wanting to see the same freedom as Shinra while also training with the abnormal weapons system. Finally, the day came for the two to leave the island and defeat the Horai's source of power known as the Stone-Like, as well as their commanders, the "Divine One's", using the transportation device known as the Sword of Acala to launch the Ikaruga and Ginkei into a Horai fleet, battling their way through the forests and ruins while making short work of Horai's troops. The two would later battle the Butsuttekai unit Eboshidori piloted by Horai general Asami Kagehisa, destroying the units sword and shield before destroying the unit itself, pushing onwards towards a town and later beneath it.
In the depths of the underground facility, Shinra is finally able to overcome the unit that crippled the Shirasagi, the Butsutekkai unit Buppousou. Using their weapons systems to absorb the enemies polarities and forcing open the hatchets beneath the unit while opening fire on its exposed parts. Making their way out of the underground facility, the two enter a large factory before being attacked by the gigantic Butsutekkai unit Uzura, forcing Shinra and Kagari to maneuver its attacks while stuck inside of its spinning axis. Despite its attempts to overwhelm the Ikaruga and Ginkei, the Uzura was blown out of the sky and sent barreling into the mountains below.
The two ships converged on the Horai empire, making their way towards the satellite station and battling the Butsutekkai unit Misago, destroying its core and forcing the station crash into the mining site below. Defeating the Tageri and Ubusunagami oukinokai in battle, the two find the Stone-Like object that was uncovered by the leader of the Horai, Tenro Horai, that gave the Horai their unimaginable powers. Withholding fire to charge their weapons, the onboard AI releases the restraint device, warning that it may possibly destroy their ships, asking if it was helpful after earning its gratitude. With one last flurry of shots, both ships are destroyed after taking the Stone-Like object with them.