Ichikuko

Ichikuko
GENERAL
Hypnosis Mic
Character	Ichiro Yamada
Character	Kuko Harai
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Former Best Friends/Former Partners
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Slash
Also Known As	Ichikuu, Kukoichi
Tropes	Opposites Attract

2

“Gh…H-He…He was…m-my best friend…My best friend…”

— Ichiro crying after he parts ways with Kuko

Ichikuko is the slash ship between Ichiro Yamada and Kuko Harai from the Hypnosis Mic fandom.

Canon

Ichiro and Kuko were best friends who used to be teammates part of the Naughty Busters. According to Ichiro, they started off as enemies but later became best friends. They worked together under the Stairway to Heaven and later joined Mad Comic Dialogue made up by Samatoki and Sasara. Kuko enjoyed teasing Ichiro, as the two were opposite in demeanor and attitude. Ichiro was more stern and quiet while Kuko was lively and manic, though they formed a close and unlikely friendship. Ichiro and Kuko had amazing teamwork as they took over various grounds and turfs, hanging out together and babysitting a child of Ichiro’s friend and working together happily.

However, their friendship came to an end after Kuko and Sasara were mindhacked by the true Hypnosis Mic, and Ichiro was deeply disheartened by the loss of his best friend and would result in remembering the moment for years.

Even in their quarrels, Ichiro doesn’t bat an eye towards Kuko’s insults and even brushes off his comment about his mom, even saying he himself isn’t sure why he can’t get mad at Kuko. This persists after their break-up years later when Ichiro suddenly backs off and apologies for accidentally hitting Kuko in the face despite being in an angered state.

First Meeting

Ichiro initially met Kuko after he was tasked to stop him and his newfound gang. Their first interaction was sour, as Kuko was unpleasantly impressed by Ichiro’s adept fighting skills. Eventually, Kuko accepted throughout their first fight that Ichiro was more talented than him. However, despite their well-established antagonism, Kuko yelled at his gang to stop as they swung a rod at Ichiro, breaking his wrist. Kuko even slaps the offender, angered after hearing Ichiro’s cry of pain and frustrated that his teammates wouldn’t listen to him.

The next day, Kuko runs into Ichiro and declares he’s there for payback. Ichiro expects a fight, but Kuko ends up bowing and apologize that his allies got involved in their fight. Ichiro is incredulous but Kuko quickly adds he’s here to properly settle their previous battle, but Ichiro doesn’t believe him.

However, Ichiro is shocked when Kuko takes the rod he’s holding and breaks his own wrist to get even with Ichiro. Kuko yells in pain and Ichiro jumps to stop him, profoundly shocked by Kuko’s strange sense of equality. He calls him a dumbass, before they engage in a new fight.

After their battle, Kuko reluctantly calls Ichiro a cool guy, and reaffirms his statement after Ichiro explains he’s doing dirty work to help his younger brothers. However, Kuko unexpectedly reaches his hand to Ichiro and asks him to team up. Ichiro is skeptical but Kuko is determined, so he accepts with a slight smile.

TDD

In the TDD manga, Ichiro and Kuko’s friendship is a main plot point.

Ichiro and Kuko celebrate

In Chapter 4, Kuko swings his arm over Ichiro’s shoulder and takes out bottles for celebration after they conquered Mad Comic Dialogue’s territory. Ichiro is seen with a slight smile as Kuko laughs about how great it is, before they relax in the alleyway and discuss the turf they took. Ichiro turns serious and explains Mozuku may be tricking them. To this, Kuko responds by slapping Ichiro’s head playfully laughing, making Ichiro annoyed and say it hurts. Kuko calls their boss a corrupt monk, eliciting a scolding from Ichiro. After they get a message from Mozuku, Kuko gets up and urges Ichiro to follow him to their next mission.

During the fight with the Tobari Brothers, Kuko protects Ichiro from behind and throws off an attack. Kuko and Ichiro are unaffected by the Tobari Brothers’ rap, and they instead laugh and finish them off together. After throwing them down, Ichiro gives a cold speech while Kuko leans on his shoulder and gives the middle finger to the criminals. Afterwards, they’re approached by Samatoki and Sasara who challenge them to a fight.

Kuko and Ichiro engaged in a battle with Samatoki and Sasara, leading to the four them exhausting anll their energy but refusing to give up. Mozuku later revealed himself to have double crossed the Naughty Busters, throwing them into the fight with Mad Comic Dialogue to win the war with minimum involvement. When Mozuku's men were ready to get rid of four of them, Kuko and Ichiro joined forces with Samatoki and Sasara, defeating their foes and forming an unstoppable team.

After Ichiro and Kuko cut off all relations with the Stairway to Heaven, they ended up joining Mad Comic Dialogue, and the four would often team up and formed a strong friendship.

However, shortly after, Kuko is brainwashed by one of Ramuda’s clones. As a result, his brain is rewired to loathe Ichiro for a few months. With this he calls Ichiro to meet him, and there he gives a lifeless glare and snarls that Ichiro is late. Ichiro is deeply angered by Kuko’s attitude, gripping Kuko’s collar and scolding him. To this, Kuko slaps Ichiro hand and screams at him, “IT MAKES ME SICK TO LOOK AT YOU!” Ichiro is startled at the outburst, and Kuko adds he can’t stand him any longer. Ichiro, in a stutter, asks Kuko what’s wrong before his hand is slapped away. Kuko screams at him to shut up and punches him square in the face, and Ichiro calls him an asshole before jumping at him. Kuko snarls that he’ll never say the truth after Ichiro begs him to explain what’s wrong.

Ichiro swings his fist at Kuko, declaring he’ll beat the answer out of him, before he then drops himself on Kuko and stares down. He asks once more what happened, rhetorically asking if they’re friends. Kuko falters, and Ichiro adds he wants to know why Kuko can’t stand him any longer. Kuko shakily stares up at Ichiro, starting to say, “I hate your… your…” then begins to slip from the brainwashing. Kuko starts to sweat immensely and tell himself he doesn’t hate Ichiro at all, gripping his head, anguished. Ichiro worries more and Kuko screams, “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHY! DON’T YOU DARE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!”

Kuko raises his fist and prepares to punch Ichiro; he ponders how he could easily fight back, but that he can’t, “not to Kuko.” Ichiro recalls a fond memory of them together, before he gladly accepts the punch from Kuko without a word, knocked to the ground. To this, they part ways.

Ichiro crying over his lost friendship with Kuko

Ichiro returns from the fight and arrives at Samatoki’s office. Immediately, he glumly explains the situation to Samatoki. Ichiro breaks into a state of hopelessness as he explains he started off as enemies with Kuko before they become friends, lamenting how they went through “a ton of awful crap” but that they went through it together. Ichiro leans down and starts to sob, repeating, “He was my best friend… my best friend..” only stopping after Samatoki tells him a man should only cry over a family member’s death.

Present Day

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When meeting Kuko after the 2nd DRB, Ichiro is angered, asking Kuko if he knows what kind of feelings he felt during their fight years ago. Nevertheless, they promptly learn the truth of Kuko being brainwashed by the True Hypnosis Mic, resulting in Kuko holding back his anger knowing his hatred towards Ichiro was unwarranted and something fabricated. Ichiro accidentally punches Kuko in the face and apologizes, but their confrontation ends in a promise of further fighting and battles, though on a lighthearted tone.

Fanon

Ichikuko is often overshadowed by Samaichi, though it’s still amassed quite a fanbase from the very start. Generally, it was shipped for the heart wrenching scenes where Ichiro refused to fight back against Kuko despite all odds and how Ichiro and Kuko fit many tropes such as “Opposites Attract." Overall their friendship and dynamic is not too well-known, though it has a platonic and romantic popularity. Gans enjoyed their heartbreaking farewell and the formerly cold and heartless Ichiro crying over their friendship. Kukoichi is often shipped alongside Sasasama, the other half of Mad Comic Dialogue.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Ichiro/Kuko tag on AO3

Gallery