Reika Shimohira (下平 玲花, Shimohira Reika) is a popular Japanese idol, famous for her acting, modeling, and singing, as well as an extremely skilled Gantz player and a main character in the series.
Appearance
Excerpt from the Gantz Manual:
- Reika/Born September 23rd, 1985, in Tokyo.
- Bust 86 Waist 59 Hips 86. Blood type O.
- She began her modeling career at age 14. Afterwards, having great success in photo shoots, television dramas, and movies, she had been recognized as a top idol.
Reika is considered by most to be extremely attractive. She has a large bust, wide hips and a narrow waist, and is of average height. She has long dark hair and a pretty face.
Personality
Reika is a kind person, showing compassion for those killed during the Gantz missions, she is best described as Kei Kurono's "sidekick" during the missions, providing support for those trying to stay alive and helping Kurono complete his missions. Unlike most of the other Gantz players, Reika is quick to charge at the aliens if it means helping Kurono.
During the Nurarihyon mission, her morale is shaking, after having just witnessed Kurono's death moments before they were summoned by Gantz. She tells everyone they should just try to survive and leads them away from the battle. Masaru Kato is the only member of the team that wishes to help people, he running off to fight on his own. Nishi also ignores Reika, he hunting on his own, but only for points, not caring about others. The rest of the team follow Reika, as she leads them around, avoiding all conflict through most of the mission, only changing at the end, when Gantz narrowed the area they could move in, to force them to fight the final boss.
Background
Plot
A beautiful, young and popular idol, famous for her acting, modeling, and singing. Like almost everyone else, she is caught in the line of fire during Izumi's killing spree in Shinjuku. She develops a crush on Kurono after seeing him in action during her first night as a participant in the game (the Dinosaur Mission). Gantz used to call her "Kurono's #1 Fan," but now he just calls her "Reika." Surprisingly enough, she proves to be a formidable opponent against the Aliens. She uses her points to resurrect Tae because she wants Kurono to be happy. It is not until Kurono chooses to be free that she confesses to him that she loves him. After Kurono departs from the game, she is appointed the new team leader of Gantz. She receives a phone call from Kurono just before he is attacked by the vampires, but does not arrive in time to save his life; she even tries to hold on to Kurono's body in order to be transferred with him in the hope of reviving him. However, this is stopped by one of the vampires who uses her body to transfer to the Gantz room instead.
During the Nurarihyon mission, some of the team elected Reika as their leader, rather than Kato who was leader in previous games before Kurono, during this mission her leader skills were proved to be not quite as effective as Kato's or Kei's but she managed to survive the mission. Afterwards, Kurono was revived during the scoring by Kato who had gained 100 points in that mission. With Reika's rejoice she soon learns that Kei's feelings for her aren't the same, and even turns down fellow teammate Inaba to confess her love to Kurono, though she is rejected and vows to make Kurono hers.
After she received over 100 points in the Italian mission, she tried to use the points to revive Suzuki. There was an error with Gantz ball, it shutting down, not bringing Suzuki back to life. Everyone left out of the room. Reika went back to get her clothes that she left, and found the man inside the Gantz ball, outside of it. He asked her to repeat the name of the person she wanted revived. She began to say Suzuki's name but then stopped and created a copy of Kurono instead.
She explains to Kurono's copy that she couldn't help the feelings she has for him, and loves him dearly. Seeing that the other Kurono is with Tae, the new Kurono decides to stay with Reika who has quit her job to be with him until the world came to an end.
In chapter 303, Reika is seen with Kurono's copy looking at the red sky. Kurono's copy says he wont give up until the end and Reika says that shes happy as long as shes with him.
The second Kurono along with Reika battle numerous aliens. Together they save many people from the invaders. Reika tries to rescue people while the second Kurono fights off the aliens. While fighting the aliens, dodging their razor discs, he crashes into the ground on his back. The aliens prepare to fire at him when they all suddenly flatten into the ground. Reika comes to help the surprised second Kurono when suddenly unknown Gantzer appear around them. Reika and Kurono's copy are then transferred to another area at nightfall.
She is shown standing next to the Kurono clone before being sent out to attack the invaders. She isn't really shown fighting the attackers much, but when Sakurai is injured from losing his arm, Reika is beside him, watching over him until the transfer. After being called back from the enemy ship, Kurono 2 grabs her hand as they are transferred to a random and remote area.
In chapter 327, she is seen climbing the Gantz building with Kuruno and the others. In chapter 328, she asks Nishi how to turn on the ball, receiving a shocked look from him. In chapter 329, the bomb was removed from her head. She listened to Nishi explain about the people that transported them and asked if the Gantz ball can be used to communicate with the other balls. After learning that it can, she helped deliver the message to other Gantzers, and with her help, they get a response. She is present when an unknown man gets transferred into the room.
The new team, known as the Suicide/Katastrophe Team, go back into the alien mothership to rescue more and more humans. Along the way they fought hordes of aliens after becoming trapped inside the ship when the apartment was ambushed by aliens. They continue to try and protect humans while also fighting for their lives. Along the way, Kurono2 decides to stay back to finish off a boss-like alien on his own. He wanted to prove to them, mostly himself, that he wasn't just some clone Reika brought back. The others leave, Hyouma having to pull Reika along. While running, Reika decides she wants to die by Kuronos' side though Hyouma tried to convince her otherwise but to no avail.
Reika rushes back to help Kurono fight. He dismisses her saying he didn't need her there, and then states he wishes he could've seen Tae one last time. Back during chapter 354 he stated "I'm not just some clone made by Reika." Perhaps some feelings of resentment for what she did still lingered inside him. In chapter 357, Reika died protecting the unconscious Kurono. He cried and apologized for saying mean things to her further admitting that he really did love her, and didn't hate her for anything. He picks up her dead body and walks down the path, the carnage from the events before littering the way.
Gantz manga chapter cover featuring Reika Shimohira
In chapter 370 when Kurono challenges the Second Aliens on whether or not God truly exists they elect to prove that human beings are just things. Four bodies begin to form in reverse starting with the heart and then the musculature. Reika, Suzuki "Old Man" Yoshikazu, Kei Kishimoto (clone) and Sei Sakuraoka are revived for a short time, in which Sei finds out that Kei is now dating Reika, Yoshikazu thanks Kurono for reviving him, and Kishimoto asks Masaru if the place they are currently at is heaven. After that the Second Aliens say that now they will prove that humans are nothing more than "things"and kill them despite the fact that that Kurono and Masaru beg not to. As Reika is broken down into component parts by the second aliens, Kurono is able to tell Reika that he loves her, setting her soul at peace before she dies again. The Second Aliens later state that Reika will be reborn in 2 months as an American girl, and that, at 20, she will give birth to a son who is the reincarnation of Kurono and, 2 years later, a daughter who is the reincarnation of Kishimoto.
Abilities and Skills
She was seen using the x-gun on her first few missions, but used the x-shotgun to snipe at enemies from a rooftop on the Italian mission.
It is Reika that suggests they train together, everyone but Izumi and Nishi doing so.
Trivia
- In the anime, posters of Reika are seen in Kurono's bedroom.
- At the start of the anime series, Kurono picks up a magazine before going to the subway where he dies, looking it over, and there is Reika on the cover. In the original manga, a model named Momo Ayukawa was used (Photographed by Ayato Kajimoto).
- Several Gantz manga chapters have Reika on the cover, she is mostly seen in various revealing clothes often related with the Gantz suits.
- In the Oni mission, several of the aliens recognized her, and stated they were fans.
References