Kenichi Shikishima

> It's OK, take your time. I'm sure it will all come to you after a while. Your name, your home, your mother and father.
>
> Kenichi, to Tima.

## Appearances

### Portrayed by

Brianne SiddallKei Kobayashi

**Kenichi Shikishima** is the secondary protagonist of the 2001 anime film *Metropolis.* He is the nephew of Private Investigator Shunsaku Ban.

Whereas Tima is the main focus of the story and catalyst behind most of the events, and Shunsaku serves as the main fighting force against Rock Holmes and Duke Red, Kenichi serves as the "narrator" and audience viewpoint of it, as most of the events are out of his control. He serves as a "fish out of water" character who has no connections to the city of Metropolis.

## Appearance

Kenichi has green hair, and brown eyes. He usually wears a thick, detective styled jacket, similar to his uncle, but with a yellow scarf and red undershirt.

## Biography

Kenichi Shikishima came with his detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, from Japan to the city of Metropolis. He works as an assistant to his uncle in their detective work. Shunsaku was searching for the organ smuggler, Dr. Laughton who was wanted for human rights violations. Shortly after arriving at the city, they witness the opening ceremony of The Ziggurat, a massive skyscraper constructed by Duke Red of the Marduk Party. Kenichi asks his uncle what a "Ziggurat" is, but he doesn't know either.

Their conversation, and the ceremony as a whole is quickly cut short by a rouge robot outside of his zone, who is evading the pursuit of Marduks. The robot is shot and killed by Rock Holmes, Duke Red's adopted son and Marduk head of security, in front of the whole crowd. After the ill fated ceremony, Kenichi and Shunsaku head to the Metropolis Police Department and speak with Superintendent Notarlin, who gives them a robotic detective, nicknamed "Pero" to aid them in their investigation.

Pero tells them that they won't find their criminal in the higher levels of the city, and need to go to the lower underground levels if they hope to catch him. They are interrupted by the Marduks once more, who shoot and kill another rouge robot. Kenichi and Shunsaku make their way to the underground, and following a group of robotic firefighters currently on an emergency call. The are led to a large burning factory where a group of human workers claimed they saw a Marduk light the building on fire, and call for a revolution against Duke Red and his Marduks.

Kenichi and Pero try to diffuse the situation but the workers attack Pero and almost start a fight, before Shunsaku intervenes and calms the situation. Shunsaku asks one of the workers, Atlas, if he seen Laughton, and shows him a picture. Atlas confirms that Laughton worked in that building, so Kenichi and Shunsaku set off inside. Shunsaku tells Kenichi to take the back entrance instead, while he gets the front. Kenichi tries to find a way in, but instead comes across what he believes to be a lost young girl amongst the burning wreckage. Kenichi offers her his jacket, and tries to lead her out of the ruins, but the entire area destabilizes and the two of them are plunged deeper into the city.

Kenichi is awoken by Fifi, a garbage disposal robot working in the sewage treatment plant. Kenichi tires to ask the girl her name, but she just repeats what he says to him. Thinking she has amnesia, Kenichi reassures her it will all come back to her soon. Kenichi, the girl, and Fifi then try to get help from someone, but are fired upon by Rock, the Marduk from the ceremony before, who has tracked the two of them down. They escape by hiding inside Fifi and another garbage disposal robot, and take an elevator back to the higher levels of the city.

Kenichi thanks Fifi for helping him, but has little time to celebrate when Rock returns, quickly drawing his gun and shooting at Kenichi and the girl. Kenichi, grabs her hand and manages to move her out of the way, narrowly saving her. The two of them then run from Rock and his pursuing Marduks. Kenichi unknowingly passes by his uncle Shunsaku, who is looking for him with Pero. Shunsaku is tackled by a vendor on the street before he can reach him because he has not paid for food.

Kenichi and the girl steal a vehicle and ride through the city, whilst being shot at by Rock. They then crash and fall into a large dumpster collection room. Rock and the Marduks try searching the whole area but are unable to find them, as Kenichi and the girl are hiding under the rubble in a sewer drain. The girl picks up a radio and accidentally activates it. They are almost caught by the Marduks, but Atlas, the worker from earlier, manages to narrowly get them out and save them.

Atlas has to call off his planned uprising against Duke Red due to Kenichi and the girl causing the Marduks to be on high alert, he then brings the two of them into the rebel's hideout. One rebel angrily questions why Rock is after them, and Kenichi claims that he and his uncle are "private journalists", almost accidentally revealing the real reason he is in Metropolis. Another rebel grows suspicious and threatens to kill both Kenichi and the girl, but Atlas angrily shuts this idea down. Atlas happily accepts Kenichi's "offer" as a journalist for his revolution. Later on, Kenichi and Atlas have a conversation about Duke Red and the Ziggurat. Kenichi asks Atlas the meaning of a "Ziggurat" and Atlas reveals the true nature of Duke Red. Atlas explains the Tower of Babel story, and how God struck down the tower and the people for their hubris, comparing it to Duke Red and his Ziggurat, but, instead of it being God striking down, this time "It'll be us." Afterwards, Kenichi and the girl share a heartfelt moment. Kenichi sees her spelling his name out, and congratulates her on her improvement. She then reveals her name, "Tima." Kenichi is overjoyed to see she's finally remembering and promises her she will soon remember everything.

Tima and Kenichi then bid farewell to Atlas and his men, as they march out to commence their revolt against Duke Red. Atlas tells Kenichi to "Let the world know how angry we are." Tima and Kenichi hide during the revolt and ensuing battle Atlas' men fight against the Marduks. The revolution fails however, and leaves large section of the area in shambles. The two of them make their way out into the streets where they see the destroyed body of Pero, who was killed by Atlas. Kenichi questions the actions of the rebels. Asking himself if they can really call this a revolution. Kenichi and Tima then move out to the top layer of Metropolis, where he finally reunites with Shunsaku, and introduces Tima to his uncle. The reunion is short lived however, as a dying Atlas approaches Kenichi.

Atlas succumbs from his injuries and dies in front of Kenichi. As this is happening, Kenichi is once again reunited with someone, though this time it's Rock. Finally catching up to them, Rock points his gun at Kenichi, and orders him to "Hand over the girl, and I'll let you get out alive." Shunsaku protests against Rock and tells him "not to make promises you won't keep." Kenichi then watches in horror as his uncle is shot and falls to the ground. Overcome with rage, he attacks Rock, tackling him and biting him on the arm. Rock drops his weapon and the two struggle on the ground. However Kenichi is easily bested by the physically stronger Marduk. He tells Tima to pick up Rock's gun and fight back. He is then kneed in the stomach and knocked out by Rock.

Duke Red arrives on the scene and disowns Rock for attempting to kill Tima, kicking him out of the Marduks. Shunsaku survives Rock's gunshot, but is heavily injured. He realizes the truth about Tima, and tries to confront Duke Red, but is knocked unconscious from his shot wound. The Marduks then take the unconscious Kenichi with them, but Tima protests and asks what will happen to Kenichi. Duke Red assures her she will see him again, and takes her to the Ziggurat.

Kenichi too is taken to the Ziggurat, getting beaten, abused and interrogated by the Marduks. He remains trapped for a very long time as the events in Metropolis unravel. After Tima and Shunsaku are brought to the top of the Ziggurat, Kenichi's unconscious body is brought out into the throne room as a mockery towards Shunsaku. Tima tries to wake Kenichi up, and demands that Duke Red make him back to the way he way he was before. Duke Red asks her why she wastes her time on someone "So insignificant" when she has the power of the world at her hands. Before she can sit on the throne however, Rock enters the room disguised as a maid. He reveals himself and shoots Tima in the chest, prompting the Marduks to shoot him back. The sound of the gun fight awakens Kenichi.

After feeling her gunshot would, Tima finally realizes she is indeed a robot, and she beings crying. Upon seeing this, an enraged Kenichi screams at Duke Red and his Marduks for what they have done. Tima tries to reach Kenichi but is overtaken by emotion and her internal functions. She sits on the throne and activates the superweapons, beginning a genocidal attack against humanity as revenge for the treatment of robots, to which she estimates only a 30% survival rate for humanity. All Robots throughout Metropolis are brought under her command and begin attacking everyone.

As everyone else runs away, Kenichi tries to reach Tima and pull her out of the throne. As the superweapon charges, mechanisms come down and begin surrounding her, cables being grafted into her back. Rock reawakens as his father is surrounded by robots. He refuses to allow his father to die at the hand of machines, and overloads the Ziggurat's weapon, which releases an explosion that kills himself, his father, and all surrounding robots. The overload causes Ziggurat to begin falling apart and collapsing.

Kenichi finally manages to pull Tima out of the throne, but her mind has been transformed by a combination of insanity and the workings of the Ziggurat. She begins attacking him, to which Kenichi flees outside. She corners him and strangles him, but her internal mechanisms overload and shutdown, causing her and Kenichi to fall to the metal beams below. Tima hangs unconscious, still grafted to the beams above. Kenichi reaches her and begins pulling her up as the cables slowly tear apart under tension. Kenichi manages to grab her hand just as the cable breaks. He tells her to grab on, as she begins to reactivate. She thinks back to the time Kenichi taught her how to speak, and asks him, "Who am I?" before falling to her death as the rest of the Ziggurat is destroyed. Leaving Kenichi devastated.

In the aftermath of the events. Kenichi searches the ruins of the Ziggurat, hoping to find Tima. There, he is reunited with Fifi, who ended up surviving. With the help of a couple other robots, they collect and bring together parts of Tima and bring her to Kenichi. Shocked by the truth that Tima is dead, yet at the same time deeply moved by the robots care for Tima, and desire to help him, Kenichi cries.

Later, Shunsaku, who escaped, calls out to Kenichi. Kenichi tells his Uncle he'd like to stay in Metropolis for a while. Shunsaku flies back home as Kenichi stays behind in Metropolis. Kenichi later opens a workshop named after Tima, called "Kenichi and Tima's robot repair" It is hinted at that she might've been successfully rebuilt, though it is left up to interpretation.

## Gallery

Kenichi teaches Tima how to write.Kenichi and Tima run from Rock.Kenichi and Tima about to crash into the dumpster.Kenichi introduces Tima to his Uncle.Kenichi finds Pero's corpse, and dusts off his hat.Kenichi horrified by what Duke Red has done to Tima.Kenichi at the Ziggurat ceremony.Kenichi is attacked by the now corrupted Tima."Tima and Kenichi's workshop