Natsuo Ichinomi

Natsuo Ichinomi
Profile
Japanese Name	夏央
Age	28
Occupation	Clerk in MBI's pharmaceutical department
Gender	Male
Voice Actors
Seiyū	Kousuke Toriumi
English	Anthony Bowling
Image Gallery

Natsuo Ichinomi (なつお いちのみ) is the Ashikabi of all three members of the Third Generation Disciplinary Squad. He works as a clerk in MBI's pharmaceutical department.

Appearance

Natsuo is a normal-sized young gentleman in his late 20s with brown hair and grey eyes. His usual attire consists of an elaborate black suit with a white dress shirt and black tie underneath. His hair is depicted as white in the manga.

Personality

He seems to be very easygoing about the Sekirei Plan and life in general, appearing to judge the fights between Sekirei as nothing more than a means by which to distract himself and have fun. He appears to not care much about his Sekirei's general well-being and carefreely admitted to Minato they often complain about this side of him, which is made clear when he "accidentally" leaks secret information in his conversation with Minato about Sekirei terminations.

Natsuo harbours an intense hatred for the world and human society as in his eyes it took his lover away from him. It is perhaps because of this hatred that he was able to wing Karasuba, as it may have given the two something to find common ground on, given that they share little else in common.

Sekirei

• No. 04 Karasuba (Nicknamed: The Black Sekirei)
• No. 104 Haihane (Nicknamed: The Blue Sekirei)
• No. 105 Benitsubasa (Nicknamed: The Red Sekirei)

History

Not much is known about his history except that he works as a clerk for MBI. In the past, Natsuo was in a relationship with a doctor serving in a war zone. At the time his lover perished, Karasuba approached him. During a conversation, Natsuo stated he was angry at the world that took his lover away. Karasuba related to this through her relationship and unsettled rivalry with Yume and was angry that she sacrificed her life to save Musubi. She later chose Natsuo as her Ashikabi so they can "destroy" the world that they hate.

Synopsis

Natsuo makes his first appearance when he drives Karasuba to Izumo Inn. After Karasuba's visit he also drives her home stating that he know that she is happy just because he would be her Ashikabi. The next appearance of Natsuo is during the escape plan. He is shown in the MBI tower baths discussing the escape attempt of Minato's party with Karasuba. He assumes that something interesting will happen and Karasuba states that Natsuos intuition never were wrong. The next time Natsuo appears is in the third stage, third battle ordered ther by the president to participate. He nearly got buried under all the rubble when Musubi destroyed the junction but got rescued by Haihane.

Shortly after Minato was dropped by accident near Natsuo a conversation between the two started. Minato is surprised recognizing who is in front of him but Natsuo calmly introduces himself as a clerk of MBI's pharmaceutical department and the leader of the Disciplinary Squad. He then tells Minato to be careful cause it would be bad if the Sekirei see an Ashikabi alone. He tells Minato that even so it is strictly forbidden for Sekirei to attack Ashikabi there would be Sekirei in the Disciplinary Squad who don't follow this rule. He then asks why Minato hasn't heard of any Ashikabi dying yet and what would happen if an Ashikabi dies. The answer to this question shocked Minato cause Natsuo informs Minato, that all Sekirei an Ashikabi has winged would get terminated.

He then says that if they wouldn't have a trick as such it would be hard to control the Sekirei. It would be just like Sekirei are, MBI hasn't anything to do with this. During the conversation a Sekirei of him, Haihane, was engaged in battle and got hurt. So he offered her to use the Norito. But because of this Oriha, Haihanes opponent noticed Minato and Natsu and started to attack them. Haihane interfered to rescue Natsuo and got serious attacking Oriha blasting her away. In the last minute a blade from Orihas attack was deflected by Tsukiumi which otherwise would have hit Minato. While Haihane and Tsukiume are fighting Natsuo continues his conversation with Minato like nothing had happened. He is asking Minato why he thinks he is telling him such information and assumes Minato is just thinking he would be careless like his Sekirei do. He then asks Minato why he doesn't kill him cause if he would do so the complete Disciplinary Squad would be annihilated. While Minato wonders why Natsuo would tell him something like that Homura pulls him forcefully away interrupting their conversation.

Natsuo then is seen to watch the fight between his and Minato's Sekirei, noticing that they are at a disadvantage and thus offering them to use the Norito. Before he could kiss his Sekirei a phone call from the MBI president interrupts and they retreat from the battlefield

Natsuo appeared along with Benitsubasa and Haihane to retrieve Uzume's body (a job his superior Sahashi Takami usually is responsible for but due to her commitment to treat Chiho's disease she's unavailable) after she was killed by Sai, one of Higa's Sekireis. He convinced Minato to give Uzume's body to them in which Minato refused to give at first, but after saying that Uzume's body is still alive, Minato gave the body to them and soon went out without any fights ensuing.

Natsuo's next important appearance occurs during the Fourth Stage on Kamikura Island. He appears alongside his Sekirei as Karasuba is challenged by Kaho, the result of him and Oosumi Orihiko being matched up in the proximity of their Jinkis' receptacles. After powering up Karasuba, Natsuo watches as she cuts down an empowered Kaho, albeit after a struggle and great effort. After encountering Minato's team alongside his trio, Natsuo witnesses their battles begin. After the invasion in launched and Sanada is taken as a hostage, Natsuo resolves to take Benitsubasa and Haihane in order to go and help him. He later arrives at the scene of Musubi and Karasuba after leaving Beni and Haihane.

He explains to Karasuba that he now understands his feelings for his Sekirei, and that what he shares with Karasuba is not emptiness, but darkness. He asks Karasuba to activate her Norito with him once more, certain that this time he will be able to fully release her power; but Karasuba refuses, declaring that she does not need anyone's support and that the reason she paired with him in the first place is because she thought he would leave her alone emotionally. She then activates her Sekirei core on her own without performing the Norito and rips away the wings of light that signify her connection to Natsuo. After she is defeated by Musubi, Natsuo approaches Karasuba, and reestablishes their bond, claiming that one needs connections if they want to change the world in a positive manner, and that they had both hurt themselves by wanting to destroy the world and others. He later powers up Beni and Haihane but is incapacitated shortly after.

After the plan is over, Natsuo travels to where his old love died, and searches for answers alongside Beni and Haihane, later conversing with Minato over the phone about Karasuba's refusla to wake. By the epilogue, he is working at MBI, albeit now with Minato, witnessing Takeito's revival, and aids in the battle at Kamikura.

Notes

• Out of his three Sekirei, only Benitsubasa is shown to have genuine romantic feelings for him, although Haihane grows to care for him as well.
• Natsuo has a much darker side that only Karasuba knows. He wishes to destroy the world, which drew the Black Sekirei to him and they partnered as their goals are the same.
• If a Sekirei does draw power from love, that explains why even with Natsuo's Norito power up, the Black Sekirei struggled to beat Kaho: Natsuo has lost the capacity for love and said to the Black Sekirei (about love), "Because...you and I are hollow." Kaho, meanwhile, was full of love from her Ashikabi, as because of him she was able to become strong and self-actualized as a person. Furthermore, love is vital to Sekirei in general, regardless of whether or not they're fighting and using it to power up.
• Natsuo's car resembles a 2005 Ferrari F430 Spider, which as of the manga's onset in 2005 was a brand new luxury car.