Kio Asuno
Kio Asuno is the protagonist of the third arc of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. He is the thirteen-year-old son of Asemu Asuno and Romary Stone, as well as the grandson of Flit Asuno. Raised peacefully in the Earth city of Olivernotes, he is swept into conflict when his grandfather entrusts him with the Gundam AGE-3.
Overview
Kio Asuno is the protagonist of the third arc of Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. He is the thirteen-year-old son of Asemu Asuno and Romary Stone, as well as the grandson of Flit Asuno. Raised peacefully in the Earth city of Olivernotes, he is swept into conflict when his grandfather entrusts him with the Gundam AGE-3.
Appearance
Kio has short brown hair, blue eyes, a small frame, and an naturally androgynous facial structure that often causes others to mistake him for a girl. When captured by the Vagans, he was made to wear a slave garment shaped like a mini-skirt. Visually, he closely resembles the deceased Romi Ezelcant.
Personality
Polite, honest, and driven by a strong sense of justice, Kio possesses a compassionate nature that impels him to help anyone in distress. Initially believing his grandfather's doctrine that the Vagans were an absolute threat, experiencing their hardship shifts his outlook toward saving lives on both sides. Despite causing friction with his allies, he remains unyielding in his commitment to non-lethal combat.
Abilities
Having trained on a mobile suit simulator provided by his grandfather during childhood, Kio unknowingly developed high-level piloting capabilities. As a talented X-Rounder, he handles the Gundam AGE-3 Normal, Fortress, and Orbital adeptly from his first battle. Operating the Gundam AGE-FX later on, he demonstrates precise marksman skills to neutralize enemy mobile suits without taking pilot lives.
Background
Raised with his father's AGE Device after his father went missing shortly after his birth, Kio became a pilot after an enemy attack on Olivernotes. During the war, he was captured and brought to the Vagan base of Second Moon, where his interactions with locals opened his eyes to their harsh reality. Rescued by his father Asemu Asuno, Kio piloted the Gundam AGE-FX and fought to preserve life until the conflict came to an end.
Relationships
Kio deeply respects his grandfather Flit Asuno, though their views clash over Flit's desire to eradicate the Vagans. Upon reuniting with his father Asemu Asuno, Kio quickly builds mutual trust with him. He shares a strong bond with his childhood friend Wendy Hearts. On Second Moon, he befriends Dean Anon and Lou Anon, while leader Fezarl Ezelcant sees the reflection of his late son in Kio.
Trivia
Thirty-seven years after the final battle at La Grammis, Kio visits his grandfather's memorial statue with his father to share news of Earth's restored peace. In the official side story UNKNOWN SOLDIERS, he is featured at age seventeen, continuing to pilot the Gundam AGE-FX as a civilian collaborator rather than joining the Earth Federation Forces.