Mizuki Koishikawa is one of the main characters of Ultraman Max. She is a member of DASH and an excellent pilot.
Personality[]
As the team's ace pilot, Mizuki initially exhibits a lively and proud personality, completing tasks with a professional fighting stance and not hesitating to risk her life. She also isn't afraid to deal with monsters and aliens and has elite skills in both medical care and cooking. She also seems to have a mischievous side and a love for rock music.
In private, she also exhibits a more delicate and brilliant personality to her team members, especially in front of Kaito. Throughout the series, she often ponders the reasons for the occurrence of monster disasters and her dream that one day all beings in the universe will understand each other. However, she sometimes has negative thoughts, revealing a side of insecurity, confusion, and melancholy.
History[]
Pre-Ultraman Max[]
Mizuki as a young child
As a child, Mizuki had a yearning for the stars in the universe and had a brief interaction with Kazuya Narimiya, a descendant of the Alien Satun. Before parting their separate ways, Narimiya gave her a children's picture book, "Constellation Thief." So she has treasured this book since she was a child.
With a desire to venture into distant territories and continuously pursue her dream, Mizuki chose to join UDF after she became an adult. She received training and became a pilot, and later became a member of DASH. The Taken Max Spark
Ultraman Max[]
While fighting a monster, Grangon, Mizuki spotted Kaito near it and told them to hold their fire until he left. After seemingly destroying it, Mizuki met Kaito and told him he shouldn't have been near Grangon, but Kaito told her he was protecting a boy and all that he wanted to do was to protect people and be better than DASH, and left.
Although discontent with Kaito's behavior, Mizuki unexpectedly crashed during a battle after being attacked by Grangon and was saved by Kaito in a moment of emergency. After being rescued by other members, they witnessed Ultraman Max's arrival on Earth and the defeat of Lagoras and Grangon.
Soon after this event, Mizuki was surprised by Kaito joining DASH, but in private, she congratulated Kaito on joining the team.Ultraman Max Arrives!
As interaction with Kaito increased, Mizuki often went out on dates with Kaito
After Kaito joined DASH, Mizuki became interested in him. Under the arrangement of Captain Hijikata, the two often participated in ground operations as partners to investigate potential monsters, aliens, or mysterious areas. As the series progresses, whenever Mizuki encounters trouble, Kaito puts himself in danger to save her. In her heart, Mizuki gradually confirms that Kaito is indeed Max's true identity. Although she maintains a friendly relationship with Kaito, she trusts Max more in later missions and serves as his support.
During an investigation into the disappearance of Keplus, Mizuki was led to an observatory where she was greeted by Narimiya. Narimiya told Mizuki that she was the only one who could see the observatory, leading him to conclude that Mizuki was a descendant of Alien Satun. Despite Mizuki's insistence that she was human, this realization left her confused and lost.
Conversation between Mizuki and Narimiya
When Mizuki meets Narimiya again, Narimiya tells Mizuki she can leave the Earth with her and opens a door in the sky, telling Mizuki that they should depart. However, influenced by her past with the team and Kaito, Mizuki states that no matter who she is, she still considers herself human.
Mizuki tried to convince Narimiya that the light of the Earth is a valuable light that shines alongside the starlight. Even Max believed in and chose to protect the Earth. Narimiya realized that even in the future, descendants of Alien Satun may still follow Keplus back to their side. He told Mizuki they would see each other again one day, and they said goodbye. Constellation Thief
With the data calculated by Elly, Mizuki learned that her estimated injury rate in the past year and the probability of death in the next few years is 48%. This sudden realization filled her with fear and anxiety. In addition to worrying about her future, she was more concerned about the fate of the Earth and humanity, ultimately, the road to destruction.
When she and Kaito boarded the DASH Bird 3 to investigate the underground civilization Delos, they unexpectedly arrived in the underground world. Due to the unexpected crash of the DASH Bird 3 in the crisis, she was once critically injured and close to death. Prelude to Ground Annihilation
Kaito shows the Max Spark in front of Mizuki
Fortunately, Mizuki miraculously regained consciousness through Kaito's persistent rescue efforts. She then witnessed Kaito transforming into Max and was successfully sent to the surface.
In the showdown, even though she was weak and in the hospital, she prayed for the success of DASH's mission. After the mission, she was reunited with the returning Kaito and said goodbye to Max, who was leaving Earth.
Shortly, she marries Kaito. In 2076, she and Kaito see their grandchild on a journey to explore the universe, hoping the grandchild will meet Max. Hold On To! Future
Merchandise[]
- Ultraman Max Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm (2020)
- Release Date(s): February 2021 (Premium Bandai)
- Price: 550 yen for each piece
- Materials: Acrylic, metal (chain)
- Released as part of the Max-themed Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm series to commemorate the show's 15th anniversary, Mizuki (drawn in an Anime-fied style) is one of the items to be produced as a hanging acrylic keychain.
- Mizuki (and the rest of the characters) was available later on the Premium Bandai site in February 2021.
Gallery[]
Ultraman Max[]
Miscellaneous[]
Trivia[]
- Mizuki was meant to be named Akane. Later, it was changed to the current name to avoid having the same name as Akane Yashiro, the heroine of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
- According to a joint interview with Hitomi Hasebe and Sota Aoyama in 2021, Hasebe shared her experience during the audition process. At the time of auditioning for the lead female role, Hasebe had conjunctivitis the day before, which prevented her from wearing contact lenses. As a result, she stood out among the other actresses by wearing glasses, which made her worry that she would be quickly eliminated. However, after her chemistry test with Aoyama, the reviewers unanimously agreed that they had a good balance, leading to Hasebe being chosen to play Mizuki.[1]
- In a 2022 interview, Hasebe mentioned that during the auditions, the candidates were grouped for evaluation. Each group consisted of five actresses, and they had to perform in front of about thirty people.[2]
- Ultraman Max was Hasebe's first television drama, and receiving new scripts during filming made her anxious, as she had to juggle multiple aspects of the role. This was especially challenging when dealing with different styles, such as comedy and serious drama. She often faced strict guidance from the director due to frequent retakes, which sometimes left her feeling anxious and lacking in confidence.[2]
- Takeshi Yagi told Hasebe early on that a major theme of Ultraman Max was the relationship between Mizuki and Kaito. This made Hasebe curious about how their connection would develop as the story progressed. Initially, she did not expect that Mizuki and Kaito would end up together.[2]
References[]
- ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 23: Ultraman Max, pg 16
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/news/entertainment/2022/09/06/117234/