Shotaro Kaneda

Grew Up… in an orphanage, where he met his earliest and best friend, Tetsuo. In this grim place, Kaneda soon developed a protective streak towards the younger and weaker Tetsuo. 

Living… in a very different Tokyo than the one we know today. An urban wasteland, dystopian Neo-Tokyo in 2019 is wracked by civil unrest. It’s a deteriorating world with little opportunity for a young man, much less a crazy kid like Kaneda.

Profession… high school student and bike gang leader. Naturally, Kaneda puts as much effort into the latter as he does the former. His gang, The Capsules, are in an ongoing turf war with The Clowns, and both sides are prepared to lay it all on the line. Luckily, Kaneda is a natural leader who constantly looks out for the safety and of his friends. He's not afraid to risk his own skin to protect that of his brothers in arms, and he certainly isn’t afraid of any Clown. 

Interests… riding his bike, flirting with girls, and generally having a good time. The Clowns give Kaneda something to fight against, the same way the teachers at school give him something to rebel against. He takes enormous interest in motorbikes, especially his own, a red racing bike – stolen, of course, but no less slick and high-tech for that.

Relationship Status… committed skirt-chaser. Kaneda’s not bad at smooth-talking girls, but sometimes he's a little too transparent: “It’s a girl’s sensitivity that makes me [like her],” he tells one girl he’s trying to put the moves on. The leader of a bike gang and plenty good-looking to boot, it’s not surprising that Kaneda has success with the girls. However, when he becomes enamoured with the mysterious Kei, he may be getting himself into more than he knows.

Challenge… handling his relationship with Tetsuo. Although Kaneda cares for Tetsuo, he can't ignore the recent changes in his friend. After Tetsuo kills another member of their gang, Kaneda must unravel the mystery of Tetsuo's new personality while wrestling with his duties as a friend.

Personality… rebellious and hot-headed, but courageous. His fellow bikers describe Kaneda as being full of himself – and they’re probably right. But while Kaneda is arrogant, he is also protective of those close to him. As he yells at authorities that have gotten hold of Tetsuo: “Tetsuo’s our friend, not yours! If someone’s going to kill him, it should be us!”