The titular group of antiheroes in The Boys is made up of some pretty colorful characters. But perhaps the most fascinating of all is Kimiko. This silent Japanese Supe joined the group after being found locked in a cage and quickly became their secret weapon in the fight against corrupt superheroes.
While the comics on which the show is based provide the backbone of the series, there are a lot of differences between the two versions. This is certainly the case with Kimiko, who is a much different character in the comics, from her origins to her overall personality. Some changes the show made are better, but some aspects from the comics would have been intriguing to see.
Her Name
In many cases of adaptation, the source material often provides a more in-depth look at its characters. The opposite is actually the case with Kimiko as she is explored a lot more in the two seasons of the show than she ever was in the comics.
A good example of this is that she actually has a name in the show whereas in the comics she is simply referred to as the Female. While it might add a bit of mystery to her character, it was wise of the show to only stick with her nameless origin for a few episodes.
Got Powers By Accident
In the show, Kimiko is the only member of the Boys who has superpowers. She is incredibly strong and can even heal herself from severe injuries. Her powers come from the fact that she has Compound V in her system, the result of being experimented on when captured in the United States.
She also has super-strength in the comics, but she got it quite by accident. Her mother worked at a Vought lab and brought her daughter to work when she couldn’t get a babysitter. The Female wandered off one day, ingesting Compound V and then killing a scientist, all as a little baby.
Her Life In Captivity
While the show reveals a whole backstory of Kimiko and her brother being held as prisoners by a terrorist organization, this storyline and the existence of her brother are totally absent from the comics.
However, the Female was a captive for much of her life in the comics. After being exposed to Compound V, she was taken from her mother, whom she never saw again. She was experimented on for years, occasionally escaping and killing her captors.
She Can Speak
In the show, it is believed that Kimiko is unable to speak, as she communicates with her brother using sign language. This leads to a sweet storyline in which she teaches Frenchie the special sign language so they can communicate together.
In the comics, the Female’s silent persona is a bit more confusing. It is suggested that she does not have a tongue and is therefore unable to speak or that she was taken captive at such a young age that no one taught her to speak. But she does indeed speak once in the series, saying “I hate mean people.”
Does Not Like To Be Touched
Kimiko is probably the most intimidating member of the Boys, with even Butcher wary of her at times. Anybody who makes her mad is in for a lot of pain and trouble. In the comics, staying on her good side is even harder.
A running gag in the comics is that the Female does not like to be touched. She unleashes terrifying and gruesome anger on anyone who makes that mistake. But she makes one exception for her best friend, Frenchie.
Her Need To Kill
Though she is silent, it is hinted that the Female lives with some form of PTSD from her traumatic past. As a result, the only way she is able to deal with it is through killing. Even the action she gets as a member of the Boys is not enough, so she works as a contract assassin on the side.
While this bloodlust adds to her intimidating nature, she is also shown to have a softer side. When following one target, Kimiko decides not to kill him when she sees him with her wife and children.
Kills The G-Wiz Group
The show has introduced a large number of interesting Supes, but it has only scratched the surface of all the ones the comics have introduced. One particularly noteworthy group is known as the G-Men, a parody of the X-Men.
The group also features a young frat boy group called G-Wiz, whom Hughie infiltrates as a spy. When Hughie is found out by the heroes, they plan to kill him only for the Female to show up. She then brutally kills the entire group, cementing herself as the deadliest member of the Boys.
Fight With Stormfront
Stormfront was a great addition to the show in season 2 as a truly detestable villain. She also becomes a personal target for Kimiko after Stormfront brutally kills her brother. While there are some similarities in the comics, the Female’s confrontation with Stormfront is rather different.
After learning about the Boys and their plan to take out Supes, Stormfront (who is a man in the comics) lures the Female into a trap. What results is a brutal fight that leaves the Female in the hospital for a while but also leaves Stormfront without one of his eyes.
Relationship With Frenchie
The relationship between Kimiko and Frenchie is a big part of both of their developments in the show. The bond between these two is also very strong in the comics, showing them as closer than any of the other members of the team. But it is also quite different.
In the show, Frenchie seems to see Kimiko as a romantic partner, even trying to kiss her at one point. However, in the comics, it is much more of a family bond with Frenchie almost looking at the Female as his child whom he helps teach.
Her Death
While Butcher is not exactly heroic in the show, he is shown to be much worse in the comics. Though he makes for a strong and courageous leader for most of the series, he turns down a darker path at the end with his plan to kill all Supes.
When the other members of the team learn about Butcher’s plan, they feel he has gone too far. But before they can act, Butcher makes plans to get rid of them. While Frenchie and the Female are at their headquarters, Frenchie finds a bomb. He only has enough time to tell the Female he loves her before it blows and they are both killed.
