Kikuchi Seiichi

Kikuchi is persistent, skeptical and professionally curious. He continues investigating despite repeatedly encountering evidence that conventional explanations cannot account for what he is seeing.

He is willing to travel internationally, contact questionable sources and enter potentially dangerous situations in pursuit of the story. His skepticism remains useful even after he accepts that Gantz itself is real.

Kikuchi is nevertheless overwhelmed when the investigation moves from secret technology into questions about the nature of reality itself.

Kikuchi is an ordinary human without Gantz equipment or supernatural abilities.

His strengths are investigative. He follows online information, interviews people connected to Gantz, traces corporate links and travels to Germany to investigate the source of the black spheres.

Unlike hunters who understand Gantz through direct experience, Kikuchi assembles his knowledge through journalism and external observation.

Kikuchi approaches Kurono after finding information about him on a Gantz-related website. Kurono has already used the 100-point menu to leave the game and consequently cannot provide the answers Kikuchi expects because his memories have been erased.

Kikuchi's investigation eventually takes him to Germany, where Sebastian guides him toward the manufacturing operation and Heinz Bernstein.

Bernstein reveals that the spheres are manufactured using mysterious numerical information received through his daughter, while Sebastian subsequently demonstrates abilities that make even that explanation appear incomplete. Kikuchi's investigation becomes one of the principal routes through which the origins of Gantz are exposed.

Kei Kurono becomes an early subject of Kikuchi's investigation after the journalist finds his name connected to Gantz online.

Joichiro Nishi's online activity provides an important trail for Kikuchi as he investigates the black spheres and their participants.

Sebastian becomes Kikuchi's German guide and leads him toward information unavailable in Japan. Sebastian later demonstrates seemingly supernatural powers directly in front of Kikuchi.

Heinz Bernstein explains the German manufacturing operation to Kikuchi and gives him crucial information about how the black-sphere technology reached human hands.