 She has no "powers". She can't
fight worth a lick. But Mia Koji, half-Japanese,
half-French, is not just an ordinary young woman, who is
caught up in the extraordinary battle between Good and
Evil, because knowledge is her strength. The story of the mystical armors begins not with Ryo, and not even the Ancient (Kaosu). It begins with the young "wizard's apprentice" and her trusty computer. In the stead of her grandfather/mentor, Mia ventures forth with the "keys of wisdom" to the armors, without which our five heroes would've never understood how to unlock and unite as one to defeat the Evil Dynasty. Without the hidden message of the poem, they still would've been trapped in their respective prisons that Talpa (Arago) had banished them to, waiting for the Dark Warlords to finish them off, one by one. Mia is the one that knows the answer to the Riddle of the Sphinx. Even though she has no mystical armor of her own, Mia have proven to be just as brave and committed in the fight against the dark forces of evil as any of the Warriors. When Talpa vanquished our boys to the far reaches of the earth, Mia could've thrown her hands up in the air and said right then and there, "game over, I tried my best" and returned home defeated. Instead, she figures out where Ryo was sent and travels to a volcano (!), with little Yulie (Jun) in tow. Incidents like this are constantly repeated, including the use of the Ancient's staff of light to free the Troopers in one episode and the whereabouts and retrieval of the Jewel of Life. And whenever the Warriors begin to act separately, Mia's the one who reminds them that they have to act as one heart. Even the Ancient commends her bravery for uniting our heroes. Although she's only a few years older than the Warriors are, I also view Mia as the "wiser older woman" figure, and not just because of her patience with Yuli. Because of her knowledge, common sense and bravery, she becomes the unofficial "advisor" to the Troopers and is affectionately referred to as "big sister" and "beloved sister" in the OAVs. Let's face it: she has to single-handedly deal with 5 different, hot-blooded, raging, testosterone-riddled personalities under one roof, that gobbles up her food and have fights and tantrums in her home. Plus, one humungous white tiger. So in spite of all the near-death dangers and the loss of her beloved grandfather/mentor, she's shown time and time again, throughout the series and the OAVs, her knowledge and dedication to the cause without hesitation. That makes Mia a pillar of strength that the Warriors constantly rely upon. |