Hiroki Shimura

Hiroki Shimura^[2] was a Chigusa Corporation employee and the former administrator of the Prosperity Wells colony on Ryushi. He was in the process of handing over command of the colony to his successor Machiko Noguchi when the settlement was subjected to a devastating assault by a group of Yautja and the Xenomorphs they had unleashed on the planet. The incident led to the destruction of the colony and the death of several of its inhabitants.

Shimura was killed by the Bad Blood Tichinde when he and his pack overran the colony complex.^[3]

Biography

Assisting Machiko

With Hiroki scheduled to leave the colony, Hiroki was replaced by the stern and uptight Machiko Noguchi. The workers still reported to Shimura, however, something that frustrated her. Hiroki stayed on Ryushi long enough to help out Machiko, who, in contrast to Hiroki's friendly nature, tended to keep to herself in office. He ultimately convinced Machiko to make a round inspection with him, and in the process, try to make some friends among the ranchers and get herself out there.

Later, Hiroki organized a party for the crew of the Lector to celebrate their first Rhynth extort shipment to Earth. Machiko would use the opportunity to win the favor of some workers by negotiating with Chigusa in granting them their requested bonuses, much to Shimura's applause.

Suspicions within the colony

The next day, following the disappearance of Dr. Kesar Revna, Hiroki woke Noguchi up within her quarters, informing her that he had sent out a crew to Iwa Gorge to look for him, and that she should accompany him when visiting his wife, Miriam, at the colony med center. There, Miriam revealed that Kesar had gone to Iwa Gorge in search of more Alien specimens, following the one that Jame Roth and Ackland had given to him. Machiko deduced that Ackland had lied about finding the specimen in Iwa Gorge in hopes of avoiding quarantine following the shipment.

Machiko and Hiroki confronted Ackland on his callousness. Ackland defended himself by saying he didn't want to delay the operation, but Hiroki suggested any potential problem with Ackland's herd may be the reason the Lector has yet to leave the planet with its first load.

Summoned to the med center, Machiko and Hiroki, along with Ackland and Roth, discover in awe Revna studying a monstrous Alien creature - a Yautja known as Dachande. The Predator had been retrieved by Hiroki's crew following their investigation of Iwa Gorge, and was restrained and unconscious. Suddenly, young colonist Bobby Sheldon, who lived in a desolate ranch, crashed his hoverbike in town, and he was brought to the med center, identifying Dachande as one of the "monsters" that had killed his parents.

Fearing an imminent attack, the colony was placed under lockdown, and Hiroki was put in charge of security.

Last Stand against the Yautja and Death

Suddenly, the colony was plunged into subsequent chaos after it was established that a hive of Xenomorphs had infested the Lector, whilst a pack of Yautja began attacking the colony simultaneously. Hiroki and his men were attacked by the pack, led by the Bad Blood Tichinde, who had previously usurped Dachande's position as Leader and advocated for a revenge campaign against the humans after Kesar Revna had accidentally destroyed their shuttle.

Hiroki led the defence team in a last stand to protect the Eastern Gate. Despite them managing to kill two Predators, Mahnde and Da-ec'te, his team dwindled to only him and another colonist. After a few sparse moments of communication between him and Noguchi, Hiroki told Machiko to "stay safe", before his position was compromised. Out of ammunition for his rifle, he charged Tichinde head on, using his rifle like a club, before being promptly killed by the latter.

Personality & Traits

Hiroki was a gifted leader who got along well with the people of Prosperity Wells, always keeping a clear head. His calm persona avoided many problems between the ranchers and the Chigusa Corporation, and many of the workers looked up to him, something that Machiko was less successful at. He held a mutual friendship with Machiko, the latter deeply appreciating his help, and he was always attempting to slowly pass the transition of power onto her.

Trivia

• In Peter Briggs' unproduced Alien vs. Predator script, titled The Hunt: Alien vs. Predator, the lead character was named Hiroko Noguchi, a virtual amalgam of Hiroki Shimura and Machiko Noguchi from the comic book.

Appearances

• Aliens vs. Predator/novel

Gallery

References