Ichika is a first year student and class representative, as well as Vice President of the Student Council at IS Academy. His older sister, Chifuyu, is a legendary IS pilot who raised him when the siblings' parents abandoned them at a young age. During the second Mondo Grosso tournament, he was kidnapped by the Phantom Task, which effectively caused Chifuyu to forfeit the match to rescue him, which he regrets as he feels he is a weak brother. As the first male IS pilot, his new reputation has made him somewhat famous as many scientists and engineers would like to study him. He often seems absent minded and oblivious to the feelings of the girls around him and seems to misunderstand their feelings towards him (though he seems to understand Houki's words during the second-to-last episode of the first season when they almost kissed). It is later revealed that Ichika is aware of the girls' feelings for him, but avoids such affections due to being the only male in school, and the fact that if he does choose a girl, the other girls will kill him. Volume 12 now signifies Ichika is an artificial human part of the "Orimura Plan". He is a very kind person and he will go to great lengths to achieve a goal he has set for himself. He pilots the IS, a prototype, one of only two developed 4th generation IS focused on short-range melee attacks. He also possesses Chifuyu's , upgraded from the version used by his sister; and Core Number 001, the very first IS core. Later on, Byakushiki undergoes Second Shift shortly after Houki Shinonono acquires her personal unit, Akatsubaki. In the resulting Second Shift form, named , it is equipped with a multi-function unit (A.I.) , which has: a high-caliber charged particle cannon, an energy claw for close-quarters combat, and an energy shield with the One-Off ability. In its Second Shift, Byakushiki also gains an increase in mobility through the addition of four large wing thrusters, enabling it to execute Double Ignition Boost. In this Second Shift form, it, and Houki's Akatsubaki, are the most advanced IS ever made. Houki is a first-year student at the IS Academy and Ichika's childhood friend, though they have not seen each other for six years. She has a very long ponytail. Her place of residence is home to a kendo dojo, which led to