| “ | Who says you can't be cute and kick ass at the same time? ....I do it everyday | ” |
–Kenji, Restore Me | ||
Kenji Kishimoto is a soldier and friend of Adam Kent. He is working undercover with the Resistance. He has the power to turn invisible.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Kenji never talked much about his life before his acquaintance with Castle. He lived with his loving mother and father, who were Japanese immigrants that only spoke broken English. The family faced racism on a normal basis, and his father bought a gun for protection. When Kenji was seven years old, he witnessed someone use his dad's gun to kill his parents in a race-related murder. He was placed in an orphanage until he ran away. Kenji lived on the streets until Castle found him when he was eight years old.
He mentioned how he first discovered his ability to disappear and struggled to reappear for the next few days. When he was found by Castle, he was in a very poor state with only a shopping cart in his possession. He was in the area of the current-day Omega Point, and Castle had taken pity on him so he took in Kenji and they have stayed together ever since, forming a strong bond. Kenji is the second-in-command of Omega Point.
Shatter Me[]
Kenji is introduced as being Adam's friend. As Adam and Juliette Ferrars were in Juliette's room, Kenji had asked to see Juliette, but Adam had gotten extremely offended and slammed the door in his face, exclaiming how Juliette was not something to just show off. Kenji treated her like this much throughout the rest of the book, as well as commenting on how attractive she was to provoke Adam.
When Adam and Juliette escaped from Aaron Warner's mansion, Kenji later caught up with them at Adam's house. Adam grew very suspicious that Warner sent him because no one knew where Adam lived and Kenji's story seemed very ridiculous. Kenji claimed that he had woken up in a shack after a man carried him there when he blacked out from bullet wounds. But despite the fact, he allowed Kenji to come with them in search of a safer place to hideout.
Adam showed more trust in Kenji, despite it being very reluctant, by putting James Kent into his hands when Warner and his men showed up at Adam's door because of the radiation Kenji accidentally brought back on his way to Adam's. Against Adam's warnings, Kenji had drugged James in order to keep him calm. Adam grew furious with Kenji when he realized this, and Kenji claimed it was for the best.
Kenji leads the four to Omega Point, a sanctuary for those with special abilities. He revealed that he could turn invisible and this was how he knew where Adam lived; he followed Adam home, tracking the path.
Unravel Me[]
TBA
Ignite Me[]
TBA
Restore Me[]
TBA
Shadow Me[]
Kenji wakes up the day after Juliette and the group learns she has a long-lost sister named Emmaline Sommers. They also learned that Warner tortured Emmaline. Warner and Juliette broke up. Juliette ran off screaming and Warner had a panic attack. Warner’s ex-girlfriend, Lena Mishkin, arrived and slapped him. Juliette got drunk and shaved her head.
Defy Me[]
Kenji and Nazeera almost hook up, they stop after kissing a little bit because Ian Sanchez accidentally interupted them by knocking on Kenji's bedroom door. Ian later states that Kenji and Nazeera were hooking up in front of everyone.
Imagine Me[]
TBA
Believe Me[]
TBA
Characteristics[]
Personality[]
Kenji is a very straightforward person. He tends to make everything a bit like a joke but becomes serious when necessary. He is very strong and charismatic. He can be very egotistical, but in a way that adds humor to a situation. He is the comedian of the group since he has the capability to add a hint of humor and sarcasm in his sentences. He is also able to care for others' well being as well as his own. He is absolutely loved by the citizens of Omega Point and is greatly cared for by Castle. Juliette describes Kenji as “obnoxious” and “foul-mouthed.”[2]
Kenji has his share of emotional turmoil but feels like can't ever show it because everyone expects him to be "the funny guy." He describes himself as someone "forced to wear a happy face even when he's having a shitty day."[3] Underneath that fake happiness, he is angry, exhausted, overworked, and stressed out. He is incredibly lonely but not alone. He tries to make a conscious effort to choose to be happy every day. He thinks otherwise "his own pain would've killed him a long time ago."[3] Kenji often wishes he didn't care so deeply as he does. When he was a child Castle told him he was "unusually compassionate." He always notices how others are feelings and feels a constant need to follow up. He used to cry easily. He would bring home stray animals when he was twelve, until Castle made him stop because they didn't have the resources to keep them all. Kenji cried for a week. He even cares about Warner; despite the fact he thinks Warner's an asshole. Kenji notes that no one ever asks him about his day, bothers to peer beneath the surface of his smile, or follow up with him.
Appearance[]
Kenji is 5'10" and weighs 175 pounds. He has tanned skin and heavy, sharp black brows. He has black eyes and hair. Juliette thinks he has a spectacular face. He looks sleek, strong, and a bit dangerous. He has calloused palms from training.
Special Abilities[]
Invisibility: Kenji has the ability to become invisible, or blend with his surroundings. When he uses his ability, his body is still physically there, but others cannot see him. He is able to project this ability and make others invisible when touching them. Later in the series, he learns to project his invisibility to make others invisible without the need of having direct contact. Kenji uses his ability for stealth and espionage. His girlfriend Nazeera has the same power.
Relationships[]
Juliette Ferrars[]
Juliette and Kenji are best friends; almost like siblings. They are there for each other during difficult times, and comfort each other when they're hurt. They have been through a lot together. Juliette is Kenji's closest friend. Numerous times, Kenji has helped Juliette through her "boy problems," and supported her when she was weak or just in need of a friend to talk to. In exchange, she listens to him and helps him just like he does her. He has also said that Juliette is one of the few people who actually care to listen to his problems without any judgement. Kenji has expressed to her how difficult it is to joke around and lighten the mood even when he himself feels down. Kenji feels like he can't talk to anyone else the way he does with Juliette. She understands him. While Kenji may give her a bad time for being emotional all the time, he loves how empathetic she is. He loves how she’s all heart.
Aaron Warner[]
Although they never got along in the first three books, Kenji being more of an annoying fly than a human being to Warner, they befriend each other in Restore Me when Warner is under the influence of his pills. They spend two hours talking about Juliette to Warner's own feelings with Kenji providing him advice on what to do. Warner can't stand Kenji's constant pity and sympathy. Before then, they seemed to have a dislike for each other, despite Juliette's effort to make them, hang out. In Defy Me, he gives advice about Warner wanting to propose to Juliette, but Warner ignores him. Kenji always has something witty ready to say to Warner to lighten any mood.
Adam Kent[]
Kenji and Adam are friends and fellow soldiers. They have been friends for a long time. Kenji feels like he understands Adam. He says he fights for him even though he is often angry and explosive because it must have been hard to watch your kid brother live all alone on a compound for tortured, abandoned children. Kenji knows Adam’s soul was slowly being killed watching James cry and scream in the night because his nightmares kept getting worse and he couldn’t stop it or make things better. Adam likes Kenji, even if they don't always get along. Their friendship deteriorates when Kenji repeatedly defends Juliette against Adam's jealousy. Kenji even punches Adam. He also holds Adam back from trying to fight Warner. After the events of Imagine Me, and Adam does some healing, their friendship recovers.
James Kent[]
Kenji cares a lot about James. He feels connected to him. Kenji isn’t sure he has the right for feel proprietary about James, but he is incredibly proud of him. James looks up to Kenji. Kenji tells James that he has as much right to know what's happening as everyone else. Kenji never gets mad when he asks questions. He never ignores James and is never mean to him.
Castle[]
Castle and Kenji have a father-son relationship. Castle raised Kenji ever since he found him as an eight-year-old. They care greatly about each other and have been through thick and thin. Juliette says that Kenji would probably choose Castle over her if the situation ever presented itself. After Kenji learns that Castle knew the truth about Juliette’s history and that he’d sent Kenji on an undercover mission to collect her, Kenji feels a bit strange about their relationship. It’s not enough for Kenji to lose faith in Castle entirely because they have been through too much for Kenji to doubt his love, but it was still a lot of big secrets for Castle to keep from him. Castle’s “greatest wish for Kenji is for him to see himself the way Castle does. Castle thinks Kenji is a brilliant, handsome, compassionate young man who would do anything for the people he loves.”
Nazeera Ibrahim[]
The two first meet in Restore Me and it's clear that Nazeera wants nothing to do with him at first and is visibly annoyed with him. She acts as if she is always angry at Kenji and not interested in him. Nazeera later explains that when she met Kenji she thought he was playing mind games with her, as that was what she had come to expect from boys her age. She offers to "start over" with him and reintroduces herself. As the series goes on, she befriends him. In Defy Me, they share a moment and later on and Ian states that Nazeera and Kenji were hooking up. Kenji denys it and in response Ian says, " All right. . . Makes sense. I mean she's not even that pretty," to which Kenji is quick to defend her, stating that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen in his life. Castle informs Kenji that his feelings for Nazeera are obvious to everyone from anywhere. Nazeera confesses her feelings for Kenji in Reveal Me and says that he might be the best person she's ever met. When asked by Kenji why she hurt him, she stated she didn't mean to and that it was actually her way of showing she cares. During the battle with Anderson in Imagine Me, Nazeera is shown to be by Kenji's side and they hold hands briefly. When Nazeera was shot, Kenji states that it was the hardest thing that had happened to him and afterwards he visits her in the Medical Tent everyday. Nazeera states that she's coming along with Warner and Kenji to Oceania. Kenji is so relieved and happy when she returns that he gives her a hug and she reciprocates. When Nazeera considers and says she's going into the Reestablishment Building, Kenji says she shouldn't due to coming back from being shot, she states it was a fluke and promises Kenji she'll be okay and is about four months from being madly in love with him before flying away. In Believe Me, they are officially together when Warner describes Kenji puts his arm around her waist and she gives him a brief kiss on his jaw.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Kenji had received 17 demerits after enlisting to be a soldier at the Reestablishment due to wandering around the base after curfew, quarreling with other soldiers, asking for larger portions at meals, and failing to uphold standards of hygiene.[4]
- His identification number is 45B-67999.[4]
- Kenji dislikes being called "Moto."
- One of Kenji's favorite movies is Disney 'Tangled' when Warner says, "Isn't that just a cartoon about a princess with long hair inspired by the german fairytale Rapunzel." Kenji fervently defends it with saying, "it's about fighting for freedom and true love."
- Kenji is afraid of scorpions.
- He likes to blow off steam in the gym.
- He used to swear profusely as a teenager, which really upset Castle.
References[]
- ↑ Kenji's fact sheet - Bonus content in Destroy Me.
- ↑ Unravel Me: Chapter 2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Shadow Me: Chapter 1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Destroy Me: Bonus material
| Shatter Me series | |
| Books | Shatter Me • Unravel Me • Ignite Me • Restore Me • Defy Me • Imagine Me |
| Novellas | Destroy Me • Fracture Me • Shadow Me • Reveal Me • Believe Me |
| Spin-off | Watch Me |
| Main Characters | Juliette Ferrars • Aaron Warner • Adam Kent • Kenji Kishimoto • James Kent • Rosabelle Wolff |
| Supporting Characters | Paris Anderson • Nazeera Ibrahim • Emmaline Sommers • Castle • Delalieu Warner • Brendan • Winston • Sara • Sonya • Lily • Ian Sanchez • Alia • Clara Wolff • Lieutenant Soledad |