The following is a list of fictional characters featured in the manga and anime series GetBackers. Protagonists Ban Midou is one of the main protagonists in GetBackers. His name comes from his mother's surname "Midou" and the "Ban" from Japanese word for . The "ban" can mean "barbarian" or "uncouth/vulgar". This is the result of the first meeting between Paul and Ban. When der Kaiser first introduced the infant Ban to Paul, Ban kicked Paul in the face while being held by him, causing Paul to insist that the Ban of Yaban suited the child perfectly. der Kaiser agreed. Known variously as and "The Genius of Battles", he is the "B" in the GetBackers. He is 18 years old in the manga and 21 years old in the anime. He is one quarter German is the grandchild of the "Last Witch of the 20th Century". Ban is a brother-like figure to Himiko Kudo after she came to terms with her brother's death, and later it is revealed in volume 38 of the manga that Ban is actually related to her by blood through the Witch Queen. In the GetBackers duo, he is the one who thinks of the plans for their moves. Initially, Ginji Amano was seen to be a sidekick to him (in fact, when they first formed their partnership, Ban insisted that Ginji was only his sidekick), but as the story progressed, Ginji gradually held his own in their missions, and Ban acknowledged him as an equal. Ban is very intelligent, having studied fighting techniques, science, history, music, art and magic from a very young age as a result of being hunted in Europe by shamans during his childhood. More often surprises everyone with his knowledge and abilities, such as being able to play the violin. He also bears a striking resemblance to his father. In fact, in the arcs where his hair is "down" ("Venus de Milo" and "Kiryuudo" arcs), he looks like der Kaiser during his Getbacker days with Paul. Another trait which both father and son share is that while they may appear cold and ruthless on the surface, they are actually very warm and caring towards their friends. Ban inherited his powers from his grandmother. Ban utilizes two main abilities. His primary technique is the , which allows him to force anyone he makes eye contact with watch a one-minute-long illusion. It should only