Shinei Nouzen possesses striking features that set him apart, with bloodred eyes resembling Pyrope gemstones and jet-black hair akin to Onyx. His pale complexion and slender physique reflect the noble lineage of the Giadian Empire. His handsome appearance often draws attention, including admiration from some of his female comrades.

One of Shin’s most distinctive traits is the sky-blue scarf he always wears, which serves to conceal the jagged scar on his neck. This scarf is a deeply personal item gifted to him by the captain of his first squadron. Before receiving the scarf, Shin used bandages to cover the scar.

As the leader of the Spearhead Squadron, Shin initially donned a desert camouflage uniform scavenged from an abandoned Republic military depot, emphasizing his resourcefulness in dire conditions. Following his transition to the Federacy of Giad, Shin adopted the steel-colored panzer jacket dress uniform, which has a more formal and militaristic design. Despite its stricter regulations, Shin manages to retain a part of his individuality by continuing to wear his iconic scarf with his combat flight suit, which allows more personal modifications.

These physical and stylistic elements reinforce Shin’s identity as both a skilled warrior and a symbol of resilience.

However, her personality takes a dramatic turn when she’s intoxicated. In her drunken state, Kobayashi becomes rowdy and assertive, often letting her fascination with maids take center stage. During these moments, she isn’t shy about subjecting Tohru to her impulsive whims, much to the dragon’s amusement or confusion.

Shinei Nouzen is a deeply kind and compassionate individual, despite enduring immense suffering and betrayal throughout his life. He carries a heavy sense of responsibility for those around him, particularly for the deaths of his comrades. Shin believes it is his duty to shoulder their burdens and ensure they pass peacefully into the afterlife. This stems from his belief that he is at fault for unresolved matters, such as with his late brother, for which he feels the need to apologize.

For much of his life, Shin experienced isolation, being the sole survivor of countless battles until he met Raiden Shuga. Even after finding a companion who could survive alongside him, Shin continued to perceive it as his duty to silently carry the dog tags of the fallen, taking them to their final destination. Though he eventually let go of this burden at the border between San Magnolia and Giad, Shin used the memory of his fallen comrades as a justification to keep returning to the battlefield.

Shin’s ability to hear the voices of the Legion places immense mental strain on him. While he has grown accustomed to the constant cries of the dead, this ability contributes to his stoic and reserved nature. The overwhelming weight of his responsibilities and his unique power often isolates him emotionally. However, Shin reveals a gentle and caring side, particularly when interacting with Fido, his loyal robot companion.

His kindness frequently takes the form of extreme selflessness. This is evident when he chose to face the Shepherd alone to put his brother’s soul to rest, as well as when he took control of the Spearhead Squadron’s last Juggernaut to hold off the Legion, allowing his comrades to escape. Despite his bravery, Shin harbored a distinct lack of self-worth. He likened himself to the Legion, calling himself a “ghost,” aimless and wandering without a purpose. This mindset often led him to recklessly throw himself into dangerous situations, surviving only through a combination of skill and luck.

After completing his mission of putting his brother to rest, Shin struggled to find a new purpose, entering a state of emotional detachment and suicidal tendencies. He believed he had no right to desire happiness or a future for himself. Even after reuniting with Lena, Shin initially couldn’t fathom the idea of being selfish or wanting something for himself. When asked about his own wishes, he could think only of taking Lena to the sea—a simple, almost unremarkable request.

Over time, Shin came to understand his feelings for Lena. His confession to her during their stay in the Alliance of Wald marked a turning point in his character. Free of the pride and guilt that bound him to the Eighty-Sixth Sector, Shin began to genuinely look forward to the future. His newfound attachment to both the world and humanity allowed him to live for himself and those he cared about, embracing a life that included hope and love.

Shinei Nouzen, also known as the Reaper of the Eastern Front, holds a reputation that is both revered and feared among the Eighty-Six. This moniker symbolizes both the inevitability of death for those around him and his unwavering dedication to honoring the fallen. Soldiers assigned to Shin’s squadron often viewed their assignment as a death sentence, either dreading their fate or accepting that their deaths would be remembered by Shin, who bore the weight of their memory. The only known long-term survivor alongside Shin was Raiden Shuga, known as Wehrwolf, who stood by him through countless battles.

Shin’s reputation extends beyond admiration to something akin to myth, as he is frequently likened to a plague bringer or a prophet of death. His notoriety spread through the imonies of former squadmates and mechanics like Rito Oriya, who recounted tales of his extraordinary skill and eerie ability to hear the voices of the dead. Within the Republic military, stories of Shin breaking his Handlers’ spirits—sometimes driving them to the brink of suicide—further cemented his fearsome legend.

Upon transitioning to the Federacy military, Shin quickly garnered a similar reputation. His cold demeanor, the headless skeleton insignia he used as his mark, and his exceptional combat prowess instilled fear and respect among his peers. His rapid rise through the ranks earned him the envy of junior officers, who resented his seemingly effortless ascent. Shin’s Pyrope and Onyx heritage initially led some to mistake him for nobility, which provoked challenges and skirmishes with his fellow officers. These encounters invariably ended in Shin’s favor, further solidifying his status as an unmatched warrior and a force to be reckoned with.

Shinei Nouzen was born on May 19th, RY 351 / SY 2132, in the First Sector of the Republic. Before the war with the Giadian Empire, Shin enjoyed a sheltered life, surrounded by the kindness and affection of his family. Even as a child, Shin displayed signs of his extrasensory ability, often hearing “voices that spoke without words” from his family. During this time, he frequently played with Henrietta von Penrose, the daughter of his father’s colleague, whom Shin affectionately referred to as Rita.

Internment and Family Tragedy
When the war began, the Republic enacted discriminatory policies against the Eighty-Six, forcing Shin’s family to relocate to an internment camp. His father, believing in the Republic’s false promises of citizenship in exchange for military service, was the first to enlist. However, the Republic broke its promise, later informing Shin’s mother that military service granted rights to only one family member.

Determined to protect her sons, Shin’s mother also enlisted, leaving an eight-year-old Shin and his eighteen-year-old brother Shourei Nouzen (Rei) in the care of an Adularia priest, a friend of the family who had resisted the Republic’s policies and stayed in the village-turned-internment-camp’s church. Tragically, Rei soon received notice of their mother’s death on the battlefield, alongside a conscription notice for himself, further proving the Republic’s deceit.

A Brother’s Betrayal
Shin, unable to comprehend death, repeatedly asked Rei why their mother would not return. In his grief and frustration, Rei snapped, choking Shin in a violent outburst. The attack brought Shin to the brink of death before the priest intervened and resuscitated him. This traumatic event left Shin with a jagged scar around his neck, a constant reminder of his brother’s hatred and the moment that fractured their relationship. Additionally, the near-death experience broadened Shin’s telepathic ability, allowing him to hear the voices of the Legion and the collective consciousness of humanity’s post-mortem thoughts.

Rei, filled with guilt and unable to face Shin, avoided him entirely after the incident. When Rei was conscripted, he refused to say goodbye or even look at his younger brother as he left, leaving Shin behind with the priest.

Life in the Internment Camp
Life in the internment camp was brutal. Beyond the inhumane conditions, Shin also faced discrimination from fellow Eighty-Six due to his noble Giadian heritage. The priest, a former soldier in the Republic’s army, took it upon himself to teach Shin how to fight, preparing him for the harsh world outside the camp.

Enlistment
Four years later, Shin heard his brother’s voice among the laments of the Legion, realizing that Rei had died and been assimilated into the enemy’s forces. Haunted by this revelation, Shin enlisted in the military and became a Processor, driven by a mission to confront his brother one last time. This marked the beginning of Shin’s journey as a soldier, a leader, and the Reaper of the Eastern Front.

Telepathy
Shin possesses a unique genetic ability stemming from his Pyrope heritage and specifically the Maika Clan. This extrasensory talent enables telepathic communication with family members by perceiving their thoughts. The ability is linked to the Night Head, a part of the brain also used as the basis for the Para-RAID’s communication system.

Initially, Shin’s ability was limited to his immediate family, both Pyrope and non-Pyrope relatives, such as his father. However, following a near-death experience caused by his brother Rei, Shin’s consciousness briefly entered the abyss of death, granting him the ability to hear the voices of the dead. Upon his resuscitation, Shin retained the power to hear the lingering voices of souls tied to the physical world. This ability extends to detecting Legion units, as their processing systems are based on human neural networks.

Legion Voices:  Shin hears Legion units derived from dying Eighty-Six’s neural systems as distinct, haunting voices. In contrast, original Legion units are perceived as an electrical haze.

Para-RAID Transmission: Shin can transmit these voices through the Para-RAID, unintentionally traumatizing some Handlers. At maximum synchronization, he once drove an abusive Handler to suicide. To avoid this, Shin typically lowers the synchronization rate when linking with Processors.

Leviathans: Shin can also hear certain Leviathans, though it is unclear if this ability is exclusive to him or inherent to the Maika Clan.

Intelligence
Shin’s habit of reading extensively has provided him with a broad knowledge base, including obscure topics like salic law. Despite the lack of formal military education, Shin demonstrates:

Tactical Prowess: He effectively analyzes Legion deployment patterns and formulates interception strategies for his squadron, compensating for the absence of Handlers in the Eighty-Sixth Sector.

Keen Observation: Shin deduced Frederica’s identity as a former Giadian empress based on her behavior, speech, and treatment

Combat Skills
Feldreß (Mechanized Armor) Piloting
From his earliest missions, Shin demonstrated combat instincts well beyond expectation. Even as a novice, he displayed:

Exceptional battlefield awareness, capable of predicting enemy movements, including reload patterns.

A mastery of maneuvers and judgment, refined through countless battles.

As a veteran Processor, Shin’s combat skills are unmatched:

He often uses his telepathic ability to coordinate precise strikes.

HisUndertaker Feldreßis customized for his melee-oriented combat style, equipped with high-frequency blades instead of standard machine guns. This setup allows him to execute impossible attacks, like engaging three Löwe units simultaneously. However, it renders him less effective against long-range opponents if his ammunition depletes.

Shin quickly adapted to controlling Chaika units, as seen during the Revich siege.

Weakness Against Human Opponents: Shin is less adept at fighting humans, as seen during his training simulations with Olivia Aegis in the Alliance of Wald, due to being unable to hear their movements telepathically.

Hand-to-Hand Combat

Shin is highly skilled in physical combat. He once overpowered Raiden Shuga, a much larger and physically stronger individual, in a fistfight.

He claimed the ability to disarm and kill three armed soldiers before they could disengage their safety locks.

His reputation for strength deterred bullies during his early years as a Processor.

Legacy as a Nouzen Warrior

Shin’s combat prowess is linked to his noble Nouzen heritage. The Nouzen Clan, part of the Onyx bloodline, served as the Imperial Guard of Giad and are renowned for their combat capabilities.

Frederica considers Shin among the strongest warriors in his clan’s history, surpassing even elite members of the Imperial Guard.

Shin’s exceptional combat skill, telepathic ability, and sharp intelligence have solidified his reputation as one of the most formidable warriors in the Eighty-Six universe.