Character Profile: Kōki Maeno

Rin Asōgi first met Kōki Maeno when she was on assignment – looking for a lost cat. It seemed that same cat had cause an accident with a heavy truck, but had wandered off. While looking for the cat, Rin found the youth accosted by three goons. After fighting them off, Rin invited Kōki to their office, where they met Mimi and their immortal dog Genta.

While there, Kōki related a startling story: although he knew exactly WHO he was and WHO his family was, somehow those memories seemed alien to him – almost as if they weren't his own! Even though a night of hard drinking didn't clear-up the situation, Rin decided to help the boy out, despite their previous obligation – and another attack from goons.

It was while meeting with Detective Tamotsu Yanagihara that the name 'Aoyama Pharmaceutical' was mentioned, prompting Rin and Kōki to make a covert investigation of the facility in Sayama. But while there, Kōki experienced horrifying flashbacks about being vivisected alive. But while investigating further, the two were captured. Rin was brutally tortured by the project's leader, bacteriologist Sayara Yamanobe, and learned that the original Kōki's body had the greatest potential for cloning – and the current Kōki was the best example. Sayara then killed Rin, not knowing of her immortality – which allowed Rin to find-out the complete horror of the situation when she found failed clones still alive. Of course, when Sayara found-out Rin couldn't be killed, she panicked, only to suffer the mercy of the clones (but was granted immortality by Apos through a Time Fruit). Although Kōki was offered the chance to commit suicide, he decided that the artificial life he was given was HIS to live, and offered to work with Rin and Mimi. He even found the cat they were looking for.

Kōki worked for Rin and Mimi for 21 years, with his first year meeting his wife Yuki, whose brother Shōgo Shimazaki was made into an Angel by Apos. Shimazaki was killed by Rin, with the Time Fruit, now visible, left. She gave that fruit to Kōki, who in turn gave it to Yuki as a remembrance to her brother. Kōki and Yuki had a son, Teruki.

In 2011, while investigating a series of mysterious deaths tied to a deadly virus, Rin and Kōki once again ran afoul with Sayara, her damaged body cybernetically enhanced. Though Rin was alone in the carrier Sayara intended to spread the virus, Kōki traveled to the carrier to save her, but was wounded in the process. However, he brought an insurance policy – Shimazaki's Time Fruit, which he used to become an Angel. Fighting the urge to mate – and eat – Rin, Kōki managed to get her to the helicopter he traveled in, then returned to Sayara. However, before he could devour Sayara, Apos killed him by removing his Time Fruit, but lost it when the boat rocked.

An odd note about Kōki – he and his family was in a direct bloodline with Tajimamori, the former guardian of the world tree Yggdrasil and the father of Apos, which was possibly why Kōki was an ideal subject for cloning in the first place.