

Afterwards, Keith continued to practice many other forms of martial arts until he turned 18 and enrolled in the United States Marine Corps, spending several years as a reconnaissance specialist. Born in Hong Kong to a Japanese father and a Chinese mother, his father trained him in kung fu until Keith's parents died tragically in an accident when he was 12. The comic book version of Keith depicts him as 26 and a very asocial character in the beginning. In the 2011 Devil's Due comics, the Keith character is referred to as Keith Akira Kogane. The character receives a lot of character growth as the seasons progress. In Voltron: Legendary Defender, Keith is not initially the leader of the Voltron Force. When it turns out Shiro is a clone under Haggar's control, Keith returns as the Black Paladin.


Later in the series, Keith joins the Blade of Mamora to better understand his Galran half and so Shiro can return as the Black Paladin and leader of Voltron. He has Galran ancestry through his mother, a member of the rebel faction called Blade of Marmora. When Shiro disappears at the end of Season 2, Keith reluctantly takes over as paladin of the Black Lion and leader of Voltron. After finding Shiro on Earth along with Lance, Hunk, and Pidge, he joins Voltron as the Paladin of the Red Lion to fight against the Galra Empire. Main article: Voltron: Legendary DefenderĪt the start of Voltron: Legendary Defender, Keith was a dropout from the Galaxy Garrison, despite being considered the most talented pilot of his generation.
