Kenichi Shikishima
Also known as 敷島 ケン一 (Shikishima Kenichi)
Hello, My Name (in English) is…
As if to describe his status as Tezuka’s top-billed star, Kenichi’s name is made up of the Hiragana characters for Ken (ケン) and Ichi (一), or “one.” So, he literally is “Ken Number 1!”
Distinguishing Features
A prototypical hero who draws a lot of his look from early American animation, you can usually spot by the quiet look of determination in his large black eyes, as well as his “spit-curl and-polish” hair style.
Status: Major Star (★★★★)
Kenichi is the earliest and one of Tezuka’s most frequently cast boy heroes. In fact, he more or less set the standard by which all the others are measured and is often seen as the antithesis of the “morally complex” Rock Holmes. The eternal optimist, he possesses an unshakable faith in the inherent goodness in the world and human nature. As the chief protagonist figure in many of Tezuka’s manga works, Kenichi’s plucky “never say die” attitude has seen him through a multitude of Earth-shattering crisis. When not in a starring role as the boy hero, Kenichi’s nobility, loyalty and friendship usually serve him well as a classmate (usually class president) and/or a friend.
Notable Roles
Although he made his debut as “Pete” in Osamu Tezuka’s first professional long-form story manga New Treasure Island (1947), it is from his appearance as “Kenichi” in Dr. Mars (1947) that he gets his name. However his full name, “Kenichi Shikishima” comes from his role as the scientist in Lost World (1948). While he had a multitude of starring roles early on, including a memorable one in Jungle Emperor (1950-54), in all of them he basically embodies the kind of conscientiousness and purity of “childhood days”.
However, as the days of the Akahon (赤本) or “Red Book” manga – a term derived from the cheap and childish manga that was produced in early post-war Japan, which were usually printed on cheap paper that had a reddish brown colour – came to an end, Tezuka realized he needed to make a change. The “eternal boy scout” motif can only take a story so far, and Tezuka realized that his manga needed to focus on “realities that cannot be communicated through the agency of simple integrity”. Since his characters needed to exist as outsiders from human society to be most effective in delivering on his themes, his story leads (even Astro Boy) came to develop other facets to their personalities than simple, innocent righteousness. But, since this was such a core component of his personality, as Tezuka himself explains, “I was forced to relinquish Kenichi from his role as protagonist because he lacked individuality.”
This realization marked a huge turning point in Kenichi’s career. Although Tezuka’s personal fondness for the character led him to create Chief Detective Kenchi (1954-57) specifically as a vehicle to give Kenichi another starring role – this time with a bit of a harder edge – it was more or less his last. Yet, instead of putting Kenichi through the moral transformation that Rock Holmes was forced to endure, Tezuka chose to let Kenichi maintain his purity and innocence of youth, and continued to cast him in straight supporting roles as “the righteous boy”.
Despite this, Kenichi did have a chance to expand his repertoire cast as the murderer in the Black Jack (1973-83) chapter “Twice Dead” (1974) and as the paralyzed boy in “The Legs of an Ant” (1974).
Manga Appearances
If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!
1946
Romance Island as “Kei-chan”
1947
New Treasure Island as “Pete”
Doctor Bat and Jim as “Jim”
Dr. Mars
Dr. Koronko, The Mystery Man
Golden Bat as “Tommy”
1948
The Mysterious Underground Men as “John”
The Magic House
The Jungle Kingdom as “George”
The World of the Queen from a Thousand Years in the Future
Tuberculosis
Lost World as “Dr. Kenichi Shikishima”
Q-chan’s Arrest Warrant
Tobi’s 20 as “Peter” and “Kid”
King Rocket as “Liu Chan”
Secret Base on the Shari River as “John Hall Kang”
Mars Exploration Corps
1949
Angel Gunfighter as “Jim”
Men with Tails as “Piggy”
Metropolis
A Country Without Air
Tarzan’s Cave as “Prince Hamusara”
1950
The Golden City as “a passenger”
The Wonderful Journey
The Plain of Abusegahara as “in Baek”
Mad Jungle as “Huwei”
Manga University as “Tom”
Ashiato Hot Spring
Jungle Emperor as “Kenichi”
1951
The Road to Utopian Lurue as “Dr. Doshin’s assistant”
Ambassador Atom
Next World
The Moony Men [Manga Shonen] as “Dr. Mangetsu’s son”
1952
Astro Boy (“Gas People”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Frankenstein”) as “Kenichi”
The Fossil Man as “Kenichi”
The Fossil Man Strikes Back as “Kenichi”
1953
Astro Boy (“Red Cat”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Sea Serpent Island”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Flying Skyscraper”) as “Kenichi”
X-Point in the South Pacific as “Eric”
The Monster of the 38th Parallel
Space Rhapsody as “Fukuma”
Light from the Mountain Lodge as “the boy with the strong sense of justice”
1954
Astro Boy (“Mission to Mars”) as “Kenichi”
1955
Astro Boy (“Youth Gas”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Yellow Horse”) as “Kenichi”
Lost World
Chief Detective Kenichi (“The Case of the Gorilla”) as “Chief Detective Kenichi” and “Kenta the Boss”
1956
Astro Boy (“Shootout In The Alps”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Atlas”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Robot Bombs”) as “Kenichi”
1957
Astro Boy (“The Mysterious Ball”) as “Kenichi”
Lion Books (“The Multiple-Eyed Devil”) as “one of the guests at the station”
1958
Astro Boy (“Fortress of the Centaurs”) as “Kenichi”
The Three Who Glimpse the Future as “one of Rock‘s classmates”
Chief Detective Kenichi
1959
Astro Boy (“Secret of the Egyptian Conspirators”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Subterranen Tank”) as “Kenichi”
The Devil Garon
The Doodle Encyclopedia
1961
Astro Boy (“The White-Hot Being”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Plant People”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“The Hot Dog Corps”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“The Third Magician”) as “Kenichi”
1962
Astro Boy (“Robot Land”) as “Kenichi”
1964
Astro Boy (“The Brain Swap”) as “Kenichi”
1965
Astro Boy (“Blue Knight”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Slippery Catfish in Imminent Danger”) as “Kenichi, a Champion of Justice”
Leo the Lion Cub (“The Robbers’ Rehabilitation”) as “Kenichi”
1967
Astro Boy (“Zolomon’s Jewels”) as “Kenichi”
Astro Boy (“Beginning of the Contradiction”) as “Kenichi”
1969
Rubbish Poetry as “a member of the audience”
1970
Gachaboi’s Biography
1974
Black Jack (“Two Shujis“) as “the class president”
Black Jack (“Twice Dead”) as “the murderer”
Black Jack (“The Legs of an Ant”) as “the paralyzed boy”
1975
Black Jack (“You Did It!”) as “one of the classmates”
Black Jack (“Call Sign”) as “Jun”
Black Jack (“Looking Good”) as ” a member of the school festival executive committee”
1976
Black Jack (“Looking Good”) as “the truck driver”
The Three-Eyed One (“Towering Miracle”) as “one of Sharaku‘s classmates”
1978
Black Jack (“Move, Solomon!”) as “one of the classmates”
1980
Astro Boy (“Space Doll”) as “Kenichi”
1981
Rainbow Parakeet (“Tartuffe”) as “Inoue”
1986
Atom Cat (“Atom the Orphan”) as “Kenichi”
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