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When it comes to joiningthe Anti-Kaiju Defense Forcein the world ofKaiju No. 8, one must possess the combat skills and ability to defend against some of the strongest kaiju threats, while drawing out the power of a combat suit. Hundreds of people aim to join the ranks of the Platoon Leaders and Captains of several divisions every year, with only a select few possessing the traits to be named an Officer. While Kafka Hibino takes up the role of the main protagonist inKaiju No. 8, mangaka Naoya Matsumoto makes a great effort at introducing several characters throughout the story, made simpler by opening up the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force’s divisions and giving each group room to breathe and grow.
One such character is Iharu Furuhashi, a strong-willed and loudmouthed character that wishes only to be recognized for his strength and willpower, while aiming for heights seldom reached. Furuhashi makes his presence felt in Chapter 4 of theKaiju No. 8manga, and Episode 2 of the official anime release. Known as a hot-blooded aspiring Officer, Furuhashi is an immediate stand-out among the group of trainees, due to his desire to out-perform against some of the top candidates who are capable of drawing out more power than him. Not blind to his own shortcomings, Furuhashi harnesses a unique power unlike any other, and his discovery of this ability leads him down a path towards greatness.
Iharu Furuhashi’s Ambitions Are Strong
Why Furuhasi Is Determined To Grow Stronger
At a young age, Furuhashi was one of many examples of an innocent citizen caught up in a kaiju attack, with his life hanging in the balance. Saved byThird Division Captain Mina Ashiro, Furuhashi quickly grew a fascination with joining the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, if anything, to prove his worth to Captain Ashiro and become as strong as she was. Joining the same class as Kafka and Reno Ichikawa, Furuhashi earned his role of Officer after impressing enough with his ability to draw out 14% of the combat suit’s power, while putting on a show during the final test. While his skill level paled in comparison to Kikoru Shinomiya, the top-ranked student, Furuhashi proved enough to warrant his place in the Third Division.
During the very first mission of the new recruits, Furuhashi was placed in a dire situation when he and Ichikawa stumbled upon Kaiju No. 9, who was disguised as aKaiju Cleaning Companyworker. After discovering the same monster that wreaked havoc during their final field test, Furuhashi and Ichikawa were cornered and forced to engage in battle despite a clear imbalance in power. While Furuhashi was sent away to call for help, leaving Ichikawa to defend against Kaiju No. 9 alone, he quickly came back after realizing they were under a force field, and didn’t hesitate to re-engage in the fight and use everything in his power to keep Kaiju No. 9 at bay. While he took a backseat to Ichikawa’s offense, Furuhashi put his brain to good use by coming up with a counterattack.
I’m not going to let it end here! - Iharu Furuhashi
While the fight wasn’t one, and it took Kafka’s Kaiju No. 8 form to turn the tide in their favor, Furuhashi’s resilience and determination to help Ichikawa and keep him alive didn’t go unnoticed. While battling, it was also noted that Furuhashi’s combat power had soared exponentially higher than his original 14% reading, raising some questions from the higher-ranking members ofthe Third Division. It wasn’t unheard of that an Officer could elevate their combat power to greater heights, but Furuhashi was beginning to showcase the combat power of a Vice-Captain, something that came sporadically before dropping back down to his usual reading.
Furuhashi’s Flash Adapter Power Isn’t Something New
The Defense Force Has Experience With Flash Adapter
After being transferred over to the Fourth Division, following the events of Kaiju No. 8 revealing himself to be Kafka, Furuhashi was trained under Captain Jugo Ogata. His combat level at this point had elevated to a base of 24%, but Furuhashi was capable of drawing out more power in increments, which certainly caught the eye of Ogata. After a brief discussion between Furuhashi and the Fourth Division Captain, Ogata revealed to Furuhashi that he possessed the High Unleashed Combat Power skill, or Flash Adapter, as Ogata called it. This unique ability allows the user to raise their combat power to almost twice its limit when the user is in battle, but is an unpredictable skill that one must master in order to take full advantage of it.
Furuhashi is recognized as the third member of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force to be capable of using Flash Adapter, following in the footsteps of Ogata. The explanation behind the ability is that due to Furuhashi’s brain structure and energy levels, he is not able to control his body’s limits and combat power, thus falling into a fluctuation between 24% and 42%. Ogata best describes the skill of Furuhashi as a gift that only certain people have the honor of claiming. Despite his combat power holding a limit of 24%, Furuhashi has the fortitude to force out more power at will and keep it flowing for a certain amount of time, which is perfect for his personality as he charges into the heat of battle.
This is the fighting style I created to rival the genius Hikari Shinomiya - Jugo Ogata
During the fight against Mole Type 67 Honju, Furuhashi and Ichikawa team up once again to strike with force and showcase their new powers. Furuhashi doesn’t possess a Numbers weapon, nor is he regarded as someone with the potential of a Captain, yet he is trusted to join the frontlines and fight some of the strongest monsters the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force is faced with. His punk-rock, rebellious attitude matches perfectly with the Flash Adapter style, as it rebels against the user’s own limitations and projects more power than physically possible. With proper training and mastery of the Flash Adapter style, Furuhashi could reach the level of a Platoon Leader and even a Vice-Captain, drawing out close to 88% of his suit’s combat power.
