Gino, 17 years old, is the Knight of Three in the Knights of Rounds, a position he achieved through his incredible piloting skills.
Character Outline
Gino comes from a very rich upbringing, and as such doesn't quite understand how the real world works. However, his cheerfulness and friendly demeanor earn him many friends. Gino is good friends with Suzaku Kururugi, but the friendship seems slightly one-sided. He pilots the transforming Knightmare Frame Tristan and is an accomplished Knightmare pilot.
According to the Knights of Rounds-themed light novels, Gino fell in love with his family's Eleven maid when he was 14, not caring about racial or societal differences. When his parents learned of the relationship, his father beat the girl and threw her out into the streets. Both parents admonished Gino to act in a fashion more befitting his noble status. Two years later, Gino ran away from home and joined the military. The novels also state that he was named a Knight of Rounds a mere five months before Suzaku, making him the second newest member.
Character history
Gino first appears in the first episode of the second season with Suzaku and Anya Alstreim. He mounts an attack on the Tokyo Settlement government building shortly after arriving in Area 11 to test their readiness but is stopped by Suzaku. They intervene in the Black Knights's attempted kidnapping of Nunnally Lamperouge, the new Viceroy of Area 11. Gino destroys Shōgo Asahina's Gekka and kills Ryōga Senba. Kallen Stadtfeld defeats both him and Anya in her upgraded Guren Aerial-Type, leading Gino to remark that her skill is on the level of a member of the Knights of Rounds.
Gino finally meets Kallen face-to-face when she accompanies Zero to the pre-wedding party for the Chinese Empress. He claims she's more attractive than her wanted poster suggests and flirts with her from across the room. When the Chinese Federation requests Britannian aid following the kidnapping of the Empress, Gino faces off against Li Xingke, annoyed that Li robbed him of the opportunity to get a rematch against Kallen. He easily holds his own against Li's Shenhu, even slicing off one of the wings when Li is distracted by the Empress. He retreats with the rest of the Britannian forces when the Chinese revolt against the Eunuchs. He then enrolls in Ashford Academy with Anya to learn what it's like to live as a regular person.
During Kallen's imprisonment in Tokyo, Gino visits her and asks if she has any intention coming back to Brittannia under the name of Stadtfeld. The attack on the settlement interrupts their conversation, but he gets his answer when she is set free and joins the battle. She confirms for him that she has chosen the name of Kōzuki, and when asked whether them meeting on the battlefied is a reason to be happy or sad, he claims that they should enjoy it. He then asks Suzaku to let him deal with Kallen himself, but Suzaku insists that she would not let him off so easily and stays to fight her. When Schneizel begins his plans to assassinate the Emperor, Gino objects and is held prisoner so he won't interfere. He is later seen with the remaining Knights observing Lelouch's ascension to the throne. After Lelouch becomes Emperor, he joins the assault to remove him from power. Suzaku disables the Tristan without killing Gino, leaving him to wonder what is he fighting for.
After the Black Knights join Schneizel in order to defeat Lelouch, Gino agrees to fight, despite that he would be going against Britannia, telling Kallen that he understands her feelings a little. He engages Suzaku in combat, refusing to accept the new Britannia, but is defeated. He uses his last attack to allow Kallen to take over. After Kallen comes to a stalemate with Suzaku, losing consciousness as the Lancelot explodes, Gino catches her. Gino's only appearances in the epilogue are in a picture where he is posing with Tianzi as well as Ohgi and Villetta's wedding photo.