Katsumi Kajio is a character in Ultraman Gaia. He is the leader of Team Lightning.
Personality
Kajio has high pride and absolute confidence in the handling, but he had a fairly high elitism first time around. Kajio never amused when Gamu joins XIG due to him being a student. Kaijo surprisingly terrible at socializing.
Due to this, he always went away from everyone, though there was little able to converse with others on a mission other than the initial. He develops a relationship with Atsuko's sister, Ritsuko.
History
Ultraman Gaia
In the past, Kajio was a top pilot in the Defense Force and was recruited by XIG to join the team as the captain of Team Lightning.
At first, he had a high opinion of himself and was not pleased with newcomers like Gamu joining XIG. He often rebuked him like a child, which reflected his past as a military man. With the belief of protecting civilians, he hoped to keep civilians like Gamu as far away from the dangerous battlefield as possible. However, he did not listen to his advice during battles and acted on his own beliefs.A Hero Appears
During one of their strategies to counter the Mezard, he expressed dissatisfaction with the use of a Pilot-Wave radiation device developed by Gamu and the students of Jonan University to take down enemy facilities that were developed by civilians. However, with the assistance of Gamu and his team, he eventually piloted an XIG Fighter to carry out the attack operation as planned.Gamu of the Sky
However, over time, he gradually began to trust Gamu and started providing advice to protect him. When Gamu was suspended from duty, he was ordered to serve as Gamu's protector and partner in action, tasked with pursuing the fugitive Hiroya Fujimiya.Gamu Expelled!
At the beginning, he was not skilled at using the Jecter Gun for shooting and would sometimes use XIG fighter jets to attack ground targets. As the series progressed, his shooting skills improved significantly.
Privately, he is not good at socializing and tends to keep a certain distance from others, rarely engaging in conversations with others outside of missions. However, on one of Gamu's commissions, he was tasked with visiting Atsuko's house, who had a secret crush on him, and consequently met her sister Ritsuko. When they learned that Atsuko had fallen into a trap set by the phantom of Psychic Mezard II at an amusement park, they collaborated to rescue her. They eventually succeeded in convincing Atsuko that the existence of Lilia was just an illusion.Lilia's Maze
When Gokigumon Beast destroyed the city and kidnapped Ritsuko as its prey, he was hesitant but, with the agreement of Ritsuko, used a flamethrower to attack it and, with the help of Ultraman Gaia, managed to save Ritsuko before the building collapsed.The Demon's Cocoon
As his relationship with Ritsuko developed, during a date, he promised to "definitely come back" and finally confirmed his relationship with Ritsuko with a kiss.The Attack of the Forest
After learning that Gamu was Ultraman Gaia, he was quite shocked and became a pilot of XIG Fighter GT to assist Gamu in the fight against Zebubu. The Revenge of the Death God
In the final battle, he led Team Lightning to perform Gaia missions with other teams. Earth is Ultraman's Star
Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again
He boarded the XIG Fighter GT with the members of Team Lightning, and was ordered to participate in the combat mission to attack Baiakuhe.Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again
Merchandise
- XIG Fighter SS (Popynica Plus Series, 2000)
- Release Date: August 2000
- Price: 1,540 yen
- JAN/ISBN: 4902425761411
- Materials: PVC, ABS
- Accessories: Katsumi Kajio figurine, XIG Emblem Badge
- The Popynica Plus Series XIG Fighter SS comes with an XIG Fighter pilot figurine representing Kaijo himself.
Gallery
Ultraman Gaia
Ultraman Gaia: Gaia Again
Miscellaneous
Trivia
- According to an interview with Masami Nakagami, who played Kajio, Kajio was initially not intended to be portrayed by Nakagami. Instead, the role was supposed to be played by another actor. However, that actor fell ill unexpectedly, creating a vacancy. As a result, Nakagami was invited to take on the role and made the decision to join on the same day he met with director Hirochika Muraishi and others.[1]
- At the beginning of the series, Kajio and Gamu's hairstyles were similar, which could easily confuse viewers when they wore helmets. This led Nakagami to decide to change his hairstyle midway through, growing it out a bit to create a clearer distinction.[2]
- Given that Gamu and Fujimiya's roles as Ultraman protagonists were unmatched, Nakagami decided that when playing Kajio, he would at least show some pride in his role as Top Gun. After the series aired, Kajio received positive feedback from adult fans, which Nakagami greatly appreciated.
- During behind-the-scenes activities, due to Kajio's role as a major supporting character in the series, Nakagami frequently joked about "waiting for Kajio to transform into Ultraman." He even joked with the staff, asking, "When will Kajio transform?[3]
- Regarding Kajio's feelings for Ritsuko, director Masaki Harada explained:[4]
- Harada believed that after episode 19, the emotional connection between Kajio and Atsuko seemed somewhat forced. Instead, the dynamic between Kajio and Ritsuko, who were closer in age, felt more convincing. Harada even asked Masami Nakagami, who played Kajio, to imagine how it would feel if he were to personally kill a woman he loved.
- Harada emphasized that Kajio was characterized as someone who could completely suppress his emotions. A leader like Kajio, who guides his subordinates in carrying out missions, cannot afford to show inner turmoil. If he hesitated, his subordinates would no longer be able to follow him. Therefore, once Kajio enters this "work mode," he no longer concerns himself with the emotions of those around him. Harada also noted that a character who is swayed by the presence of loved ones is not fit to be a fighter pilot.
- During the filming of episode 30, Harada specifically reminded Nakagami: "When firing your weapon, don’t hesitate—complete the mission as decisively as possible."
References
- ↑ Earth Is Ultraman's Planet: Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, Gaia, pg 319
- ↑ Earth Is Ultraman's Planet: Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, Gaia, pg 318
- ↑ https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0140208
- ↑ Earth Is Ultraman's Planet: Ultraman Tiga, Dyna, Gaia, pg 280-281