Yasunobu Bando

https://m-78.jp/videoworks/ultraman-blazar/https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/6090 is the mechanic and one of the two pilots of the SKaRD's kaiju-type robot artillery Earth Garon.
==Personality==
Yasunobu has a friendly and amiable personality. Although he sometimes speaks his mind candidly, which may make those around him feel awkward, he is not two-faced or fond of making unkind remarks. Instead, he is known for his affable nature. Additionally, he speaks in a charming Kansai dialect.
As a mechanical engineer, Yasunobu is primarily responsible for developing SKaRD's equipment, demonstrating his ability to solve problems swiftly. He always gives interesting names to the machinery he likes and has a unique taste. He affectionately refers to Earth Garon as "Earthy." His other hobbies include enjoying playing cat’s cradle.
However, despite his enthusiasm for his responsibilities, he had a tendency to overexert himself, frequently working for extended periods without taking breaks. This occasionally resulted in extreme fatigue. Nevertheless, he possesses a notably strong physique, and if he were to remove his clothes, well-defined muscles would be revealed.
==History==
===Ultraman Blazar===
Yasunobu Bando was born on April 22, 1998. After enlisting in GGF in April 2021, he previously held the positions of loadmaster and transport plane pilot within the GGF Japan Branch Transport Corps, stationed at the Mizusarazu Base.Uchusen 181. He was transferred early to Earth Garon's development team for his input on weapons development. Shortly after the arrival of the other members, Yasunobu upgraded the SKaRD Mobile Outpost and wrote a manual for the RAR-23 assault rifles from behind the scenes. It was only after the rest of the members were called to Earth Garon's hangar did they meet Yasunobu. Together, the members received their first official order from Chief of Staff Haruno.
When Earth Garon was downed by Taganular and unable to reactivate, Yasunobu instructed member Anri on how to activate the mecha's Tail VLS. After the missiles were launched, Yasunobu remotely guided them to the kaiju's location and assisted Ultraman Blazar.
In the past few months, Leviera has been continuously appearing in major cities across Japan and causing destruction. GGF has been using Novaio's sterilizing agent FK1 to combat it, while Yasunobu has been devoted to developing a new weapon called "Ampule Bullet" to counter Leviera. During the joint battle against Leviera with Teruaki piloting the Earth Garon, they successfully shot the weapon directly into Leviera's body. However, due to Leviera gradually developing resistance to FK1, the weapon quickly became ineffective.
Subsequently, he and Gento were on standby at the MOP during the evening, following Gento's orders for surveillance. To provide support, he later communicated Emi's strategy to the Earth Garon, ultimately succeeding in destroying Leviera.
Due to the practical training of GGF's new electromagnetic cannon system and weapon "Mega Shot," Yasunobu and other members traveled to Akita Prefecture. He along with Teruaki, boarded the Earth Garon to conduct performance evaluation tests for the Mega Shot.
When Dorgo awakened, Under Gento's command, he and Teruaki prepared for the maintenance work of the Earth Garon and went into battle together to assist Ultraman Blazar.
Due to the frequent maintenance work on Earth Garon, Yasunobu not only had to take care of Earth Garon but also assist other team members with various tasks. However, during the maintenance process this time, he noticed that the automatic control system of Earth Garon had been behaving unusually since the last exercise.
After discussing official matters with Gento, due to the factor of prolonged overtime fatigue, he stumbled in a rush due to feeling unwell. This incident made everyone realize the issue of their excessive dependence on Yasunobu. In response, Teruaki brought tomatoes he had grown at home to the CP, and collectively, they decided to send these tomatoes to Yasunobu, who was on leave, as a gesture of consolation. Gento was assigned to deliver the tomatoes to Yasunobu.
Meanwhile, Yasunobu was at a laundromat near the apartment, engaging in a conversation with a dryer he had named . He regarded Cururu as his good friend, using it as an outlet to express his work-related emotions. However, this scene was witnessed by Gento. To escape the awkwardness, Gento had no choice but to hurriedly leave the laundromat.
After Gento left awkwardly, a sudden occurrence took place – an alien entered the laundromat. This individual identified themselves as Alien Cannan Herbie from the planet Cannan. They asserted that they had already investigated all of Yasunobu's information and revealed their species' plan to invade Earth. As an example, they used a Lasers Gun to shine a beam on Cururu, temporarily granting it consciousness. 
Herbie then disclosed to Yasunobu that during a prior battle operation involving Earth Garon, they had already used a Lasers Gun to irradiate it. This particular Lasers Gun was capable of eliciting negative emotions from machinery and generating self-awareness. However, they greatly admired Yasunobu's maintenance and piloting skills. They expressed that Earth Garon required a skilled pilot and proposed cooperation. Nevertheless, Yasunobu promptly rejected their proposal on the spot.
Despite attempting to hinder Herbie, Yasunobu's sidearm had been manipulated by Herbie and was unable to function properly. Yasunobu could only watch helplessly as Herbie used a portal generated by Cururu to return to their own base.
Recognizing that he had been continuously venting stress, causing Cururu to be filled with negative emotions, Yasunobu felt guilty. He decided to openly apologize to Cururu, expressing that he genuinely considered Cururu a friend but had not realized that this form of expression was burdening Cururu. He hoped Cururu could understand. Ultimately, Cururu, of its own accord, activated the return portal to their base. Before departing, Yasunobu informed Gento, who had rushed to the scene, about the alien invasion and asked him to pay attention to Earth Garon's situation.
As Herbie and their companions initiated the invasion, leading Earth Garon to go on a rampage, Yasunobu hurriedly headed to the base's interior to thwart their plans. While it seemed like he successfully incapacitated an enemy, he was caught off guard due to unforeseen circumstances, leading to a counterattack. Consequently, he witnessed the battle between Earth Garon and Ultraman Blazar firsthand.
To prevent Earth Garon's advance, Yasunobu took the opportunity to escape to the wind turbine area outside the base and called out to Earth Garon. Whether due to a mere malfunction or the effectiveness of his plea, when Earth Garon's artillery mistakenly struck the base, Blazar was unable to rescue the fallen Yasunobu in time. Unexpectedly, this led Earth Garon to break free from its own control, and it promptly arrived to save Yasunobu.
As the situation took a dramatic turn, Herbie urgently activated the base's systems in an attempt to escape. However, it was hit by Blazar's Spiral Burrade, resulting in the destruction of the base and ultimately bringing the situation to a successful resolution. Some time later, Yasunobu and Gento returned to the laundry shop to clean up Cururu. Gento expressed to Yasunobu the hope that he would open up to everyone in the future and consult them about any issues.
Yasunobu mentioned that he had thoughts of getting closer to Earth Garon, but was uncertain whether it was due to his emotions or simply a mechanical glitch. Gento believed that this was a miracle brought about by Yasunobu's "love." Nonetheless, Yasunobu still wished to interact with Earth Garon in a friendly manner, much like how one treats a dryer. Cururu seemed to respond to Yasunobu's words with a slight movement.
As July began, Japan experienced scorching heat and drought conditions, leading SKaRD CP to implement power and water-saving measures. At the same time, Yasunobu was conducting the final adjustments for Earth Garon's new equipment, Mod.2. However, due to the severe damage caused to the Japanese archipelago by the emergence of Nijikagachi, seven tropical cyclones gradually merged into a super typhoon. When Gento proposed using Mod.2 to target Nijikagachi's weak point, Yasunobu opposed the idea because Mod.2 was still incomplete and hadn't undergone sufficient testing. Nevertheless, with no other options available at the time, they were forced to install Mod.2. In the end, Gento and he boarded Earth Garon Mod.2 together and engaged in an intense battle against Nijikagachi.
However, due to severe damage sustained by Earth Garon during the battle with Nijikagachi, it required a significant amount of time for repairs. When Haruno proposed that the repairs must be completed within 24 hours, Yasunobu was quite troubled about how to convey this unreasonable demand to the maintenance chief. Furthermore, during the subsequent battle against Garamon, Yasunobu narrowly avoided being pierced by Garamon's scales at the location of Earth Garon's cockpit, which left him so shocked that he fell into unconsciousness on the spot.
During the confrontation with Gebalga, Yasunobu, along with researchers at the Special Equipment Research Center, utilized armor materials from Garamon to successfully craft the Tilsonite Spear. This weapon was used to destroy Gebalga's EMP emitter organ.
At some point after the conclusion of the Gebalga incident, Emi entrusted Yasunobu with investigating matters related to "space kaiju." Based on rumors he heard from a friend who was an amateur astronomer, Yasunobu pointed out that discussions about whether Bazanga and Gebalga originated from the same celestial body, as they both appeared on the same orbital path, had gained significant attention on social media. However, these posts were promptly deleted from forums, leading these rumors to evolve into urban legends and conspiracy theories. Additionally, with guidance from his friend, Yasunobu discovered that a meteorite shot down by the GGF in 1999 matched the invasion trajectory of Bazanga and Gebalga on its intrusion orbit.
On September 28, 2023, a group of workers conducting an inspection at a construction site in Fujigaki City witnessed unidentified creatures in an underground cave. SKaRD was promptly dispatched to investigate. Yasunobu and Teruaki were selected as the first team of field investigators, tasked with remaining at the site for a thorough examination. However, on the same night, Teruaki unfortunately fainted due to Mogusion's illusions, and Yasunobu witnessed the entire incident.
The following morning, during the shift change, Yasunobu reported this situation to Anri and Gento. However, Mogusion suddenly emerged to the surface and used its illusion powers to manipulate their feelings of fear. Yasunobu also fell under the influence of Mogusion's illusions, causing him to see a giant Alien Cannan. Just as he and Anri were about to be attacked, Gento successfully broke free from the illusions and rescued them, immediately sending them to a medical center for treatment.
After receiving the notification from Earth Garon's artificial intelligence system EGOISS, he and other team members successfully used remote communication to encourage Emi, who was driving EarthGaron for the first time, to help her overcome the illusions. After Mogusion was defeated, the team regrouped, and during their harmonious conversation, he felt extremely envious of Emi's ability to have her first conversation with EGOISS.
After a period of time, Earth Garon Mod.3 conducted its fifth flight experiment. In this experiment, Yasunobu was seated in the pilot's seat, while Anri was in the commander's seat handling the controls. However, during the aerial maneuvers at the maximum speed of Mach 9, Yasunobu lost consciousness due to the inability to withstand gravitational acceleration. This led to his prohibition from participating in further tests and actual combat by higher-ups. Despite Gento's insistence that Yasunobu, who excelled in shooting, should have the right to board, the higher-ups ultimately did not accept this proposal. Nevertheless, in order to adapt to high-speed aerial combat and regain his original position, Yasunobu has been diligently training his physical endurance.
At this critical juncture, GGFJ conducted tests of electromagnetic wave weapons against space kaiju in the coastal waters near Honshu, resulting in the emergence of another Deltandal. Due to Yasunobu's prohibition from mobilization, Anri took on the responsibility of operating Asgaron for the sortie. However, Anri sustained injuries during the mission, and SKaRD CP received predictions of Deltandal B heading towards Oshieno Base. In a swift response by Gento, Yasunobu, in his role as the "commander," boarded Earth Garon, joining Anri in a fierce aerial battle against Deltandal B.
Upon learning from the analysis provided by CP, they discovered that Deltandal B was preparing to launch a colossal Moonlight Bullet. In order to prevent ground damage, Yasunobu and Anri collaborated in combat. When Ultraman Blazar pushed Deltandal B into the atmospheric zone, Earth Garon engaged in aerial combat in that orbit. Enduring rapid G-forces, they successfully used a beam to pierce Deltandal B. With Blazar's assistance, they defeated the opponent, and ultimately, they returned safely. 
Upon learning that Varallon had crashed on the moon and started manufacturing and arming a bomb, GGFJ swiftly ordered the upgrade of Earth Garon Mod.4 and requested SKaRD to head to the moon to intercept Varallon. Despite the members being aware that this would be a challenging battle, they resolutely executed the mission. During the subsequent eighteen hours of free time, Yasunobu visited a laundromat to meet Cururu, contemplating and bidding farewell to things that were important to him.
As SKaRD officially commenced the mission, they faced severe retaliation even before landing on the moon. However, under Yu Dobashi's instructions, they were forced to land forcefully. During the battle, Earth Garon unexpectedly caught a bomb on its tail, resulting in a massive explosion that left everyone unconscious.
After waking up, the members brought Blazar back to Earth, but Earth Garon was severely damaged and needed repairs. Upon completion of the repairs, Yasunobu assumed the role of the primary commander and once again piloted Earth Garon. He assisted Blazar in the battle against Varallon. During this time, through conversations with Emi and Dobashi, he gained insights into the truth about V99.
After V99 departed, Varallon was successfully defeated. Yasunobu reunited with other SKaRD members, continuing their mission to protect the Earth.
==Merchandise==
*Ultraman Blazar Deformed Acrylic Stand (2023)
**Release Date(s): October 2023 (Premium Bandai)
**Price: 770 yen for each piece
**Materials: Acrylic
:Released as part of the Blazar-themed Deformed Acrylic Stand series, Yasunobu (illustrated in an anime style) is one of the character display stands for this product.
:Yasunobu (and the rest of the characters) is available as a made-for-order item (where the customers can choose one during purchase) for Premium Bandai in October 2023.
==Gallery==
===Ultraman Blazar===
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===Ultraman Blazar The Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown===
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===SKaRD Break Room===
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===Miscellaneous===
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Yasunobu Bando 2024.png|https://tarzanweb.jp/post-305618
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Cururu and Yasunobu.jpeg|Yasunobu and Cururu
SKaRD Dossier File - YASUNOBU.png|Fan recreation of Yasunobu's file
==Trivia==
*Yasunobu's original character concept depicted him as a person from Hokkaido, and he spoke in standard Japanese. However, during discussions with the production team, they noticed that his dialogue delivery was less than ideal. When they discovered that Hayate Kajihara, the actor portraying Yasunobu, hailed from Hyogo Prefecture, they proposed that he attempt using authentic Hyogo dialect for his lines. He readily made the transition, effectively altering the character's background from Hokkaido to Hyogo and adopting genuine Kansai dialect to convey subtle nuances.https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1696327245&p=2
*According to a statement by Hayate Kajihara, the actor who plays Yasunobu, in an interview, Kajihara initially auditioned for Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga, attempting to play the role of Kengo Manaka. However, he was not ultimately chosen for that role. Nevertheless, the production team was still impressed by him and arranged an opportunity for him to play the role of Yasunobu.https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20231025-2802012/
==References==
Category:Ultraman Blazar
Category:Ultraman Blazar Characters
Category:Allies
Category:Human Characters
Category:Male Characters
Category:SKaRD Members
Category:SKaRD