Name: The Gatchaman/Eagle Ken
Cover Occupation: Test pilot. Also works part time delivering airmail to remote locations and doing other odd jobs which require the use of a small plane. Lives in a small shack beside a private airstrip, on a few acres of land willed to him by his father.
The biggest misconception about Ken is that he's an overly noble, anally retentive, naive "boy scout," when nothing could be further from the truth. Ken is the worst hell raiser and rebel on the team, but since he's the leader, he's used to getting his own way and always appearing right. He's constantly butting heads with the team's administrator, Dr. Nambu, to the point where the Doctor actually slapped him across the face during a mission briefing. He runs off by himself during missions, often without warning, causing a lot of anxiety among the others. Sure, he sets a fine example, but the others had best not follow it or suffer the consequences. Ken will not tolerate his kind of behavior from his subordinates.
The blame for Ken's prim and proper image can be placed on his American counterpart Mark, from Battle of the Planets. Mark was noble, self-effacing and wise, constantly spouting out platitudes like, "Two wrongs don't make a right." Add that gentle-looking face and those big, blue eyes, and bang! Instant Eagle Scout.
Ken seems to be completely dense when it comes to finding a girlfriend. Throughout the series, beautiful women have practically thrown themselves at him, only to be ignored. I suspect this is on purpose--Ken has nothing in common with these women, and once past the initial physical attraction, there would be nothing to the relationship but complications he doesn't need. His almost-but-not-quite-relationship with Jun, aka Princess, reinforces his angelic stereotype: he has feelings for her, but due to his dedication to his position and his duty, he chooses to ignore them until the war is over. For this, fans call him anal, and some have even decided he's gay (there's absolutely nothing in the series to support this theory).
Imagine falling in love and demonstrating closeness with a teammate, then watching her die in battle. If you are a human being, that death would incapacitate your judgment--something you cannot afford. And what if the reverse happens: what if you are hurt or killed? Your partner would wind up incapacitated by emotion, enough that she or someone else could be killed. Not a good thing. A friend brought up another thought: the Kagaku Ninjatai are like a substitute family, five orphans raised and trained together for a long period in their lives. What if Ken considers Jun a sister? That would put a damper on one's relationship for sure.
It's also interesting to note that in the first Gatchaman series, neither Ken nor Jun openly admit attraction to one another. Their secret relationship was born in the minds of their fans.