Ash Kennedy

"This is Ash. ASO Gundam, ready to launch!"

Ash Kennedy is the main protagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam: Emerald Memories. He is the pilot of the ASO Gundam, and is a hybrid of both, an Innovator and a Newtype.

His appearance in Emerald Memories greatly resembles K' (K Dash) from the King of Fighters series. He is the brother of Elizabeth Kennedy.

Personality and Character
Ash is a loyal, yet brash and arrogant young man. He is loyal to his fellow squadmates, as well as his mentor Amuro Ray. Who reminds Ash of him back when he was Ash's age, they also formed a mentor-protege relationship. His younger sister, Elizabeth helps him calm down, in which he gives credit to her for helping him forget about the times when he was brash.

One example of Ash's arrogant attitude, is when he argues with Louise in Chapter 11. This ended their friendship, leading to Ash's emotions going berserk and punching her in the face. However, the two apologize to each other and became friends again at the end of the Episode.

In the Japanese version of Emerald Memories, he also speaks using English words interspliced with Japanese (or, Engrish). Saying things like What's wrong? or Let's get this show on the road!. Elizabeth calls him nii-san in the Japanese release (Brother, with a touch of respect).

Early Life
Born in January of 2290 A.D., Ash is the first of two children born in Sapphire City, a suburb in Emerald Tower. He became fascinated with Mobile Suits after seeing his father pilot one, knowing that being a mobile suit pilot is a lifelong dream of his. He took some time with his father to talk about Mobile Suits. He is also fascinated with drawing artwork, or modifying them on his own computer. Being praised for his artwork, and for his inspirations in artwork. He is also an honor student, and is deemed a great friend among his fellow classmates.

One of Ash's favorite subjects to learn about in history class is the One Year War, which reveals Ash's interest in producing newly refined versions of Mobile Suits used by the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. Although he favors the former over the latter, he prefers the mobile suits made by the latter. One of the mobile suits from Zeon that interest him, is the Zaku.

Joining the United Nations and meeting Gerald
He joined the United Nations after graduating from High School, serving as a petty officer. He took part in their squad drills, and was forced to do the dirty work for the United Nations. He met Gerald during his time in the United Nations, the two became rivals. Seeing from his whiny behavior, and for being a general annoyance to him.

On the morning of January 8, 2308 A.D., he left the United Nations, and plans to start a counterattack against them. Afterwards, he later came to an agreement with Jack, who happens to be the leader of Task Squad 496, and joined the Squad a day after leaving the United Nations.

Joining Task Squad 496, first day in combat, and saving Elizabeth
After joining Task Squad 496, he then took part of Jack's Forced Evolution project, which was at first new to Ash. Jack explains to Ash that the forced evolution project is a test to see if his abilities will be good enough for combat. Upon taking the test, his results ended up well, and was put to sleep for five days after taking part in the project.

Five days have passed since he took part in the Forced Evolution project, he starts to wake up, but he notices that he is feeling a bit dizzy. Serena, a friend of Jack's came to Ash, and explained his results to him. She later tells him that he became an Innovator/Newtype hybrid during his five day sleep, and his life started to change for the better upon hearing the benefits of being a Innovator/Newtype.

Before going to combat, Ash went to his father's storage room. There, he found a Prototype Assault Mobile Suit known as the MKV-9052 ASO Gundam. He gets the mobile suit out of his father's storage room, and takes it to combat. During his first Gundam battle, he starts to make use of his new-found abilities to see what he is capable of. He was also awarded for saving a young girl's life from falling to her death. The girl was later revealed to be Elizabeth, his sister. The two hug, and were tearfully reunited. Ash later referred his sister to join Task Squad 496, and she gratefully accepts his offer to join.

Befriending Saji and Louise, and training Elizabeth
Ash decided to spend some time with his sister by traveling around Sapphire City some more to see if they can find some friends to make. During their search to make new friends, they encounter Saji Crossroad, and Louise Halevy. Ash and Elizabeth introduced themselves to them.

Upon hearing Elizabeth's story of how Ash saved her life, the two lovers become friends with the Kennedy Siblings. Congratulating Ash on being brave enough to save his own sister from her death. Ash took some time with his sister to talk to her about the Force Evolution test he took after becoming a member of Task Squad 496. She accepts, and goes to train with her as the pilot of the Gundam Mark III. She quickly learned how to operate a Gundam machine properly, and Ash was proud of her for learning how to operate all the controls in Gundam.

"Mother, Father. You trained us well."

-, during his training with his sister.

Combat with Elizabeth, Celestial Being, and his exhaustion
After training with Elizabeth, Ash asks her if she would do the Forced Evolution test before going to combat. He thinks that Elizabeth will be combat-ready after looking at her skills during their training. She accepts and Ash takes her to the testing lab.

Ash watched his sister during the test, he realizes that she was able to finish the test rapidly thanks to their training, Elizabeth passed the test and her results were well. He then takes her to the sleeping chamber for her to get a five-day rest. During her sleep, she began to see things, much like her brother did during his five-day rest. She also saw her memories and the old pendant that their parents gave her.

Five days later, she woke up and she begins to feel dizzy, Ash escorts her to Serena, who explained her results to her. She then tells Elizabeth that she became an Innovator/Newtype hybrid, and explains the benefits of being a hybrid between an Innovator and a Newtype to her. Ash gives her the Peace Gundam as a reward for passing the test.

Ash and Elizabeth go to Combat, he installed the Psycommu System, a device that is able to directly interpret the user's thoughts by picking up their brainwaves to go with her new-found abilities. Elizabeth then goes to combat alongside of her brother, they learn that the ASO and the Peace Gundams can use the Trans-Am System, an inherent feature of both the GN Drive and GN Drive Tau that temporarily increases their GN Particle output beyond normal parameters for greatly enhanced combat performance. Elizabeth completes her first day in combat, and Ash praises her combat skills.

Elizabeth repairs and cleans the Peace Gundam after combat, knowing that repairs are the best thing to do after a day in combat. Ash meets a member of the Gundam Meisters branch of Celestial Being, Setsuna F. Seiei. The reason of why Setsuna came to Task Squad 496 was because he wanted to form a pact with the Gundam Meisters and the Sapphire City Council, the latter which is also part of Celestial Being. Task Squad 496 became part of Celestial Being the following day. Ash practices with Elizabeth again, but he starts to feel exhausted.

Louise finds Ash lying in bed, exhausted after five days in combat. He tells Louise that he hardly ever got some sleep after he left home, and when he has the time, he can't. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees the battles he fought in, she asks him if he wants Elizabeth to come cheer him up, he said yes and Louise goes to get Elizabeth. He starts to feel a bit happy after his sister encourage him to be himself, but later, he leaves the dining room of the Galacticus Strata because he wasn't in the mood. Jack questioned what he's been doing, and Ash starts to smartmouth him, Jack slaps him twice and Ash refuses to pilot the ASO ever again. He argues with Louise, with the latter taunting the former, which later led to a fight. Ash won the fight after punching Louise twice in the face, causing her to cry; Elizabeth questions him why he'd do such a thing and pleads him to sortie. Ash acknowledges and prepares to fly out in the ASO Gundam, Elizabeth starts to smile again and happily tells him "Thank you for respecting what I want you to do, big brother, and please apologize to Louise." Ash goes on the ASO Gundam, he tells Serena that he wants to try something new with the ASO, he wants to expand the abilities of the ASO's Psycommu system. He gets aid from both Guntank and Guncannon to back him up. Everyone in Task Squad 496 comments on his skills in combat: "I must say, while Ash may be in a lousy mood, it still hasn't made him forget how to fight."

- Jack, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"Great job, big brother. You've gotten stronger now!"

- Elizabeth, commenting on her brother's combat skills

"It's Ash to the rescue!"

- Serena, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"You can do this, Ash. Believe in yourself."

- Jane, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"Good luck Ash, kick their ass!"

- Shane, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"Yes, the ASO is here. It's Ash!"

- Sean, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"Ash, I regret what I did to you. Show Josh what you're made of!"

- Louise, commenting on Ash's combat skills

"Great job Ash! Show Josh who's boss and kick his ass!"

- Saji, commenting on Ash's combat skills

He takes out all of the fighter planes, and proceeds to fight Josh, who was revealed to be the Pilot of the Black Zaku II that destroyed the Sapphire City Mall. Ash's anger has reached above it's maximum level, and uses the ASO's Ragnarök skill, killing him as a result. "I might as well kill you for what you've done to the mall, you nearly killed my little sister. Now, maybe I think you'll blush a pretty pink when I kick your ass!"

- Ash, using the ASO's Ragnarök skill against Josh "Gerald, forgive me..."

- Josh's final words after Ash's Ragnarök skill

Ash apologizes to everyone else for his exhaustion and refusal to go to combat the first time, promising to everyone that even if he is exhausted, he should just follow their orders and not rebel to them. Elizabeth, Saji and Louise are proud of him for making such a wise decision. He goes to Louise and they both apologize, the two also promise that they will never fight again.

Elizabeth Kennedy
Ash's beloved little sister, he treats her with all the respect he can give her. Ash comes to Elizabeth to cheer him up whenever he feels bad for any of the bad things he does. The two used to throw fits at each other, but nonetheless, the siblings get along well.

Louise Halevy
One of Ash's friends. They start off their friendship well, but after an argument between the two, they stopped being friends. This caused Ash's emotions to go berserk, abusively punching her in the face two times. She later cried after he punched her the second time, causing a fracture to her jaw. In the end of Chapter 11, Louise tells Ash that she is sorry for causing him to go berserk and for abusively calling him names, and mentions that she didn't mean to hurt his feelings. Ash accepts and later told Louise that he is sorry for punching her, and that he didn't mean to do such a thing to her, the two promise that they will never fight again. He uses his newtype powers to heal the wounds and bruises that he caused to Louise, and the two became friends again. He later decides to share the ASO Gundam with Louise to show how much he cares for her, although he cares about her, Elizabeth, and Saji at the same time.

Saji Crossroad
One of Ash's friends. Unlike Louise, whose friendship with him varies between episodes 6 through 11. Ash's firendship with Saji remained the same throughout the series. Ash tells Saji to share the Peace Gundam with Elizabeth, seeing that Louise is sharing the ASO Gundam with him, Saji cares about Ash and Elizabeth the same way that he cares about Louise.

Trivia

 * Ash, Amuro, and Ribbons share the same Japanese voice actor, although he is credited as Noboru Sōgetsu.
 * Coincidentally, Ash and Ribbons share the same English voice actor as well. Although the two characters are somewhat related in a way, as the relationship between Ash and Ribbons is unknown at the moment.
 * Series Writer Mikel LaRosa based the character off of himself.