Shion Izumi

Izumi is confident, competitive and emotionally detached. He maintains the appearance of a successful, sociable teenager but has little genuine interest in school, athletics or the admiration he receives from other students. Competition matters only when he believes the opponent can actually challenge him.

His attraction to Gantz is rooted in that hunger for danger. Izumi enjoys fighting opponents capable of killing him and approaches missions with a predatory enthusiasm that sharply distinguishes him from teammates who participate only because they have no choice.

He is also intensely individualistic. Cooperation is usually secondary to proving his own superiority, and Kurono's growing reputation becomes a particular source of frustration because Izumi wants to establish himself as the stronger hunter.

Izumi is an exceptional natural athlete and one of the most skilled fighters associated with the Tokyo team. He combines strength, speed and reflexes with extensive experience using Gantz equipment.

He is particularly dangerous with the Gantz sword, using its extendable blade with enough precision to fight both aliens and human opponents at close range. He is also proficient with firearms, the Gantz suit and the controller's cloaking function.

Izumi's skill predates his introduction to the current team. He had participated in Gantz before the main story, led an earlier Tokyo team and accumulated 100 points, choosing freedom and memory erasure.

Izumi enters Kurono's school as a transfer student and immediately becomes a rival figure. His physical gifts and unusual interest in Kurono foreshadow a connection to the hidden world of Gantz.

Fragments of Izumi's erased memories draw him back toward the game. After Gantz instructs him to create a large group of new participants, he carries out the Shinjuku massacre, killing numerous civilians before being killed himself and returned to the Gantz room.

Once restored to the game, Izumi becomes one of the Tokyo team's strongest hunters but remains difficult to control. His obsession with combat repeatedly clashes with Kurono's increasingly protective leadership, particularly when Gantz orders the team to hunt Tae Kojima.

Kei Kurono becomes Izumi's principal rival. Izumi recognizes Kei Kurono's ability and repeatedly measures his own performance against him, while resenting the influence Kurono develops over the Tokyo team.

Ryouko Shinozaki becomes Izumi's girlfriend despite his initial emotional indifference toward their relationship. When she later places herself in danger to protect him, Izumi responds by protecting her in turn, revealing an attachment he rarely shows toward anyone.

Joichiro Nishi knows Izumi from his earlier participation in Gantz and treats him with considerably more familiarity and respect than most other players.

Tae Kojima becomes an obstacle during the mission in which Gantz identifies her as the team's target, placing Izumi directly against Kurono's attempt to protect her.