MIU404 Characterization: Ibuki Ai
source: official memorial book
A member of Mobile Investigation Unit 4 , Criminal Investigation Division in Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. A wild idiot who is excellent in physical strength and reflexes. He’s sensitive to smell, but it’s still questionable whether it is actually odor itself he smells, or about atmosphere. After so many frequent posts he had been transferred and assigned to, he spent most of his police duty in Okutama Police Box. It was his first time assigned in MIU with zero experiences and he started to feel it was his calling and without Shima, he’ll be in full of troubles since he acts without thinking.
Born in Ibaraki, May 20th 1984
March 2003, graduated from Ibaraki Prefectural High School
April 2003, enrolled in Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Academy
2004, assigned to Community Police Affairs Division in Nakano-Shin City Police Station, Waseda Street Police Box
2007, assigned to Organized Crime Control Division, Ikebukuro-Kita Police Station
2008, assigned to Criminal Investigation Division, Azabu-Chuo Police Station
2009, assigned to Criminal Investigation Division, Kamata-Higashi Police Station
2010, assigned to Community Public Affairs, Akiruno Police Station, at Itsukaichi Police Box
2019, assigned to Criminal Investigation Division, Mobile Investigation Unit 4, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
Trivia (from drama project proposal):
Dog’s image: Dobermann (mad dog)
He’s bad at reasoning, and can’t really understand Shima’s logic, but he listens to someone he acknowledges. Or rather gets emotionally attached to.
He relies to his instinct and reflexes, and judges people based on his smell sense. Due to his borderline personality, sometimes he makes mistakes. Throughout the series, Ibuki experiences human’s complex and many overwhelming emotions.
Justice in Ibuki’s opinion: “Someone who should be protected obviously= A reason police exists”
Ibuki’s essential fashion style is putting on jackets to make it not too obvious when he uses MIU’s equipment.
“Because his number of poses is increasing in the second half, after drastic change between white clothes after black clothes in episode 1, check-pattern and one piece of parka clothes in between of them are inserted to give similar impression of his fashion style. Because there are changes of outer wear with new one, Ibuki wears pants frequently which have been prepared previously since the start of series to make the changes can be followed by audiences. Those ideas come from Ayano Go himself.”
“Ayano-san himself had prepared rock-style T-shirt and sunglasses while asking whether they fit to Ibuki’s outfits or not. He took thought of outfits by stating something like ”These Ibuki’s dialogues match with this kind of clothes.”
Because pants were originally assumed for filming around February-March and some outfits which raise a nap on the back side, he still had to wear them to fit the scene although they knew it will be hot. In the outside appearance, you may not pretty get it, but actually Ayano-san was fighting hard against hotness.