Unit 2, Ropponmatsu

Intended as a versatile, albeit aesthetically pleasing, instrument for Kabapu, Ropponmatsu (Unit 1) specializes in bomb disposal. Following her failure on the first mission, she receives an additional form (Unit 2), appearing as an energetic young cat-girl. In the original manga, only a single Ropponmatsu unit is active at any given time; this is later explained by the existence of just one central "core" that is transferred between the two bodies. Kabapu confirms that the core holds the soul of the princess from the lost civilization of Solaria, and he commissioned the Ropponmatsu body to contain it as part of his scheme to eradicate all remaining traces of Solarian technology. In contrast, the anime (produced prior to this revelation in the manga) portrays the Ropponmatsus as two distinct entities who often collaborate on significant tasks. Although they are prone to destruction during missions, Shiouji maintains a large stock of spares, which feature prominently in the series' penultimate episode. The significant disparity between the units causes tension between Kabapu and Shiouji: both versions of Ropponmatsu tend to fail in their duties, either due to excessive mass (Unit 1) or insufficient functionality (Unit 2).