ISHIRO'SHEA

OFTEN INEBRIATED JAPANESE-IRISH NINJA SIDEKICK

 

Full Name: Ishiro'shea

Planet of Origin: Earth - New Tokyo, Ireland

Occupation: Bounty hunter

Awards/Accomplishments: Salutatorian (College of Cohorts, Consorts, Co-Conspirators, and Other Assorted Sidekick Types)

Weapon of Choice: Katana

They Said It: "..."

 

Ishiro'shea was born outside of New Tokyo, Ireland during the apex of the Gaelic-Nipponese Gang Conflict.  His father being a local Irish spiritual leader and military tactician and his mother the descendent of legendary samurai, Oda Nobunaga, made early childhood quite difficult for their half-breed son during the ongoing period of upheaval.  Ishiro's father was courted by the Irish ruling party of New Tokyo to run their military operations - but he refused as he wanted to remain neutral.  The local Japanese contingent battling the Irish also wanted the symbolic support of Ishiro's mother - a popular figure as she represented a time of Japanese prominence.  She, like her husband, refused to choose sides.  Both camps sent enforcement squads to coerce the couple into pledging their allegiance to their cause, however, when the parties descended upon Ishiro'shea's home - it was burned to the ground.  Ishiro's parents, under the cover of night, fled to the seaside and handed over their nine year old child to a mysterious man in a black mask.  Upon kissing their son goodbye, the couple headed back to the city in turmoil.  Ishiro'shea would never see them again.

 

The mysterious man turned out to be an instructor at the College of Cohorts, Consorts, Co-Conspirators, and Other Assorted Sidekick Types - and an old friend of Ishiro's father.  He became Ishiro's teacher in the art of a unique form of ninjutsu - one where a strict code of ethics, similar to that of the samurai, are observed.  When Ishiro'shea reached the age to enroll in the college, he initiated a vow of silence upon himself - one that would not be lifted until he found his parents or uncovered their fate.  Ishiro'shea, despite refusing to speak, graduated as the Salutatorian and planned to return to New Tokyo - now strictly quarantined due to the elevated state of war - to unearth what happened to his parents over the past thirteen years. 

 

Against the advice of his aging master, Ishiro'shea journeyed to New Tokyo.  He used his ninja abilities to enter the city's gate but was quickly captured by a gang of roving samurai.  Thinking that Ishiro'shea was an Irish spy, they locked him away in isolation for months.  During a deep meditation, the side of Ishiro's cell was ripped open by an explosion.  The speedy martial artist took advantage of the opportunity and scurried out into the unfriendly confines of the city.  

 

It was during this time in the urban battlefield of his former home that Ishiro'shea met a roving bounty hunter named Lafayette "Duke" LaGrange.  The story of why the ninja abandoned his life-long quest to join the Nova Texan in his cosmic exploits is entirely unknown to everyone outside of Ishiro'shea himself...and maybe Duke...but probably not.