GENJI ODASHU
Real Name: Genji Odashu
Identity/Class: Normal human
Occupation: Test pilot, pilot of Combatra
Group Membership: The Followers of the Light, fellow Shogun Warrior pilots, Avengers
Affiliations: Richard Carson, Ilongo Savage, (fellow pilots) Kosei Ono (lawyer), Fantastic Four, the Followers of the Light
Enemies: Maur-Konn and his drones, Followers of the Dark, Samurai Destroyer, Cerberus, Dr. Demonicus, the Hand of Five, Mech-Monster, Rokk-Korr
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Sanctuary of Light (near Mount Fujimoto, Japan); Tokyo, Japan; Los Angeles, USA
First Appearance: Shogun Warriors#1 (February, 1979)
Powers/Abilities: Genji was an excellent test pilot before being picked to pilot Combatra. She was easily capable of handling jets of many different types.
History:
(Shogun Warriors#1 (fb)) – Genji was in the middle of delivering a shipment of vital equipment in an experimental jet to Manila Airport when she was teleported by the Followers of the Light to their sanctuary. She was angered by the abduction, but listened to Dr. Tambura’s explanation.
(Shogun Warriors#1) – Along with Ilongo Savage and Richard Carson, Genji was given a crash course in piloting Raydeen. Encountering the monster Rokk-Korr was the team’s trial by fire, a trial that ended in the pilots being forced to retreat. Back at the Sanctuary of Light, apologies were made until Dr. Tambura unveiled the other two robots, Combata and Dangard Ace.
(Shogun Warriors#2) – After witnessing a demonstration of Combatra’s abilities, Genji and the other pilots were rushed through their training as Rokk-Korr was sighted again. Raydeen and Carson were sent out first, but when the American was overwhelmed by both fighting off the monster and saving a train from a collapsed bridge, Genji and Ilongo arrived on the scene. They had only been there a few minutes before Rokk-Korr split into three equally terrible monsters.
(Shogun Warriors#3) – Genji settled on attacking the earth monster but the fight was too even. Genji was knocked unconscious when she rushed to save the train that had fallen from the track. Catching a falling car filled with explosive material, she muffled it with Combatra. Dragging herself back to awareness, Genji joined the others in forming the Power Triangle Fist, destroying the storm and the monster. Genji celebrated with Richard and Ilongo over the now fertile field.
(Shogun Warriors#4) – Training with the rest of the pilots, Genji learned the inner workings of Combatra. Later that evening, she decided to take the robot out for a night flight. After getting permission, Genji flew near the city, only to be attacked by Maur-Konn’s latest monster. Radioing for help, Genji decided to break Combatra into its individual components in order to better hold off the monster.
(Shogun Warriors#5) – The fight with the Mech-Monster went poorly. Despite holding her own, Genji was unable to make any headway in the fight. When the other Shogun Warriors arrived, Genji reassembled Combatra. Saving a group of people from the monster’s rampage, she briefly reflected on being a hero before leaving to follow a hunch. Tracing the monster’s flight pattern, she discovered a volcano. Taking Delta-V inside, she found the Followers of the Dark’s base. Ambushed in the close quarters, Genji crashed and was taken captive.
(Shogun Warriors#6) – Genji was still unconscious in a prison cell as Maur-Konn piloted Combatra against her fellow pilots. She was freed only when the traitorous Lt. Magar shot her guards and freed her. She awoke to find herself in greater peril, as the magic-obsessed man was planning to sacrifice her to a pool of sentient lava deep within the base. Freeing herself, she fled from the lava and managed to commandeer one of the Follower’s cannons, shooting down Combatra and saving her fellow pilots. She was depressed at her actions, noting that she had ruined her robot. Dr. Tambura arrived on the scene with a spare head for Combatra and happily noted that they had passed the tests and were free to go home.
(Shogun Warriors#7) – Landing her jet, Genji was swamped by reporters. Her lawyer, Kosei Ono, broke through the mob and ushered her into a waiting limo, explaining the charges that had been brought against her. Genji was unaffected by the news as she admired her Shogun pendent.
(Shogun Warriors#8) – Arriving at a hotel, Genji and Kosei were met by a pair of men in black. Arresting Genji on the spot, she shouted reassurance to Kosei as she was hustled into the back of a black car and driven away.
(Shogun Warriors#9) – At a courthouse in downtown Tokyo, Genji was in a hearing. Accused of theft and defection, she refused to answer to the charges, despite Kosei’s pleadings. Just before the judge handed down her sentence, the courthouse was attacked by the Hand of Five.
(Shogun Warriors#10) – Summoning Combatra, Genji took to the sky and fought with the Hand. She was briefly overwhelmed by the monster’s ability to separate sections, but she was able to counter the attack. Saving Kosei from one of the sections, Genji split Combatra into its separate components and launched a full counter attack. When the Hand reformed, she followed suit, all the while the Japanese military stood ready to attack both.
(Shogun Warriors#11) – Genji readied herself for the battle as the military launched missiles at the monster. Driving the creature away, Genji landed Combatra away from the city. Kosei, who had been a mute witness to the battle, finally figured out the reason for Genji’s departure. She explained her role with the Followers of the Light, but refused to return to the city with Kosei. Figuring her career was sunk, Genji piloted the might robot toward America, leaving Kosei alone in a field.
(Shogun Warriors#12) – Arriving in America, Genji landed about a mile from Richard Carson’s beach house. Sending Combatra back to the Followers, she walked the rest of the way. Arriving, she explained the circumstances of her visit and asked for a place to stay, much to the displeasure of Richard’s girlfriend Deena. Before she could explain, they both received an urgent message from Dr. Tambura, telling them of a giant meteor heading toward Earth. Meeting with Ilongo, the trio encountered the giant rock and easily destroyed it. They then spotted Dr. Demonicus’ giant space station and were promptly attacked. Genji and Richard both took the full brunt of the attack and were sent flying off into the void of space.
(Shogun Warriors#13) – Radioing the Followers of the Light, Genji and Richard listened to their advice. Nearing an asteroid belt, they both fired their robot’s retro rockets, blasting back to Earth. Hurtling through space, they neared Dr. Demonicus’s space station after seeing Ilongo signaling them. Landing, all three of them fought their way through the ship, destroying various monsters as they went. Turning a corner, Genji was shocked to find the Hand of Five, along with the Star Stalker and Cerberus, waiting for her and the others.
(Shogun Warriors#14) – The fight between the Shogun pilots and the monsters went poorly at first. Genji and the others were overwhelmed by the individual monsters, but some tough talk from Dr. Tambura inspired them to change tactics. After defeating all three, Genji left in Delta-V to try and capture Dr. Demonicus while Richard and Ilongo took to the outside. Genji captured the mad doctor, but not before he was able to draw another meteor into the Earth’s orbit. Genji rejoined the others as they pushed the space station into the rock’s path, destroying them both in one hit. All three of them brought the remains and Dr. Demonicus back to Earth and turned them over to S.H.I.E.L.D. before heading home (see comments).
(Shogun Warriors#15) – Genji thought Richard was acting strangely during an exercise, but when she questioned him, she was brushed off. She said nothing, unaware of Richard having been replaced by a surgically altered member of a local Yakuza family. When the deception was finally exposed, she piloted the real Richard in Combatra toward the imposter in Raydeen. Detaching Delta-V, she was mocked for her only glancing blow, but the imposter soon realized that the purpose of such a weak attack was to get Richard close enough to slip inside his robot. When the fighting was over, she helped Richard to a waiting stretcher.
(Shogun Warriors#16) – Flying back to the United States, Genji and the others landed near Richard’s beach house, where they were all promptly greeted by his shotgun-wielding girlfriend, Deena. After explanations were made, a new intrusion disturbed the peace: a group of men in black who promptly subdued them all. Escaping, the pilots fled to the outside. Genji, Deena and Ilongo took cover as Richard braved a gauntlet of the robotic men. Taking care of the attackers, they were in contact with the Followers of the Light when the radio transmission was cut off. Flying back to the Sanctuary, all three pilots were shocked to find it in ruins and the Followers either dead or dying. They had no time to mourn, however, as a giant green monster appeared and took credit for the attack. The fight was going poorly until Genji remembered Dr. Tambura’s dying words. Turning their firepower on the mountain overlooking the Sanctuary, they killed the monster in an avalanche before burying the Followers of the Light near their former home.
(Shogun Warriors#17) – Genji made her decision to relocate to America. Spooked by a stray mouse that had somehow entered the cockpit, Genji flew back to California with Richard. Dinning in a small restaurant, Genji reflected on her choices and where to hide Combatra. Finding an abandoned warehouse, Genji excavated and expanded the basement, making it large enough to house the robot. Later that night, a family of illegal aliens broke into the warehouse, seeking shelter from the rain. The next day, Genji decided to spend time with Richard as he did stunt work for a new film. Unknown to her, Enrique, the son of the family, broke into Combatra and activated it. Genji heard about the robot’s rampage on the news and flew off with Richard to stop the boy. She and Richard finally managed to save both the boy and Combatra before the former accidentally destroyed an airport. Returning the boy to his family, Genji disabled the mechanism that caused Enrique to be transported inside the machine.
(Shogun Warriors#18) – Genji and Richard were busy examining the remains of one of the robotic men in black when Ilongo radioed in for help. Richard took off, leaving Genji alone. Her protests were lost in the sound of Raydeen’s jets. When the robot Megatron was defeated, Genji and the others decided to warn the rest of Earth, starting with the Fantastic Four.
(Shogun Warriors#19) – Genji radioed an apology after the Shogun Warriors accidentally buzzed a group of passing fighter jets. Landing at Ilongo’s institute, plans were made to go to New York. Taking Combatra, the trio landed on the Baxter Building, causing no small amount of excitement. When the giant robot Gigatron arrived and started to rampage throughout New York, the pilots and the Fantastic Four flew off in Combatra to confront it. Splitting the Shogun into its five components so as to cause a distraction, Genji bailed out and snuck inside Gigatron. Disabling it, she slipped out as the robot crashed into the Hudson. She, Ilongo, and Richard stood and watched workers descended upon the wreckage.
(Shogun Warriors#20) – When Gigatron was stolen, Genji and the others piled into Combatra and took off in pursuit. Following the purloined robot to the spaceship Nightwind, Genji flew Combatra inside. Encountering the ship’s defenders, Genji continued to fight while the Fantastic Four slipped out and made their way through the ship. Cornering the Primal One, Genji was about to deliver a fatal blow when she pulled back, saying that despite all the Primal One had done, she still couldn’t bring herself to kill a living being. When the Primal One was exposed as Maur-Konn, Genji and the others stood back as he was arrested for his crimes.
(Shogun Warriors#20/Fantastic Four I#226 - fb) – Arriving back on Earth, Genji and Richard moved their respective robots to a hollowed out silo in the hills near Richard’s home. When the Samurai Destroyer attacked, Genji and Richard rushed to the hills, but only found two ruined robots.
(Fantastic Four I#226) – Genji, Richard, and Illongo arrived at the Baxter Building after the Samurai Destroyer attacked a train. Explaining their story, the pilots and the Fantastic Four flew to Japan to deal with the robot. Quickly encountering the Destroyer and its pilot, Genji and the others were held captive as McLaughlin explained how and why he built the Destroyer. The Fantastic Four then used a changed strategy as the pilots slipped inside the Destroyer cockpit. McLaughlin, in a blind panic, set off the automatic destruction sequence. The Fantastic Four pulled all four of them out before the robot was destroyed. In the aftermath, Genji resigned herself to the fate of a regular test pilot.
(The Avengers I#300/3 - BTS) – After clearing up her legal woes, Genj was hired by the Maria Stark Foundation to work for the Avengers as part of their support staff.
Comments: Created by Doug Moench (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils) and Dan Green (inks).
At the end of #14, Dr. Demonicus was turned in and they head home. In #15, they make it clear they are all staying at the Sanctuary and training (yet there is nothing to suggest this issue is a flashback, and the gangsters make it clear that they have heard of them and that they have been active for a while) and #16 begins with the team returning from the events in #14, with no mention of the assault.
When the Avengers were declared dead after Onslaught and the staffers were dismissed, Genji might have returned to being a pilot, but come to think of it, wouldn’t Genji still be wanted by the Japanese authorities? She did leave in the middle of her trial after all.
Genji Odashu's lawyer, Kosei Ono, is named in homage to Kosei Ono, the original creator of the 1970s Spider-Man and Hulk mangas. He apparently is still translating Marvel comics for Japanese audiences to this day.
--Loki
Profile by David Lawrence.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Genji Odashu has no known connections to:
Kosei was Genji’s lawyer. He had been appointed to represent her by Japan Airlines as she had been charged with theft of the experimental aircraft and equipment she had been piloting. He cared for Genji as both a lawyer and as a friend. He was shocked at her piloting Combatra, but accepted her decision.
--Shogun Warriors#7 (8-11
images:
(without ads)
Shogun Warriors#10, p30, pan3
Shogun Warriors#9, p7, pan2
Shogun Warriors#11, p30, pan3 (Kosei)
Appearances:
Shogun Warriors#1 (February, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#2 (March, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#3 (April, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#4 (May, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe
(pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter (editors)
Shogun Warriors#5 (June, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#6 (July, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#7 (August, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#8 (September, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#9 (October, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Jack Abel (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#10 (November, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Steve Mitchell (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#11 (December, 1979) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Jack Abel (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#12 (January, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Jack Abel (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#13 (February, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#14 (March, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#15 (April, 1980) – Steven Grant (writer),
Mike
Vosburg (pencils), Bruce D. Patterson (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter (editors)
Shogun Warriors#16 (May, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#17 (June, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#18 (July, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer), Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim
Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#19 (August, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb
Trimpe (pencils), Rick Parker (inks), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter
(editors)
Shogun Warriors#20 (September, 1980) – Doug Moench (writer),
Herb Trimpe (pencils), Al Milgrom & Jim Shooter (editors)
Fantastic Four I#226 (January, 1981) – Doug Moench (writer),
Bill
Sienkiewicz (pencils), Pablo Marcus & Bruce D. Patterson
(inks),
Jim Salicrup (editor)
Avengers I#300/3 (February, 1989) – Unknown (script), Kieron
Dwyer (pencils), Joe Rubinstein (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor).
First Posted: 03/27/2009
Last updated: 03/31/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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