Ben and Co. Novel Characters

Meet Ben and Co. from the Ben and Co. novels. Follow them on their adventures by clicking HERE.

*Benjamin Tao: A young man scarred for life after the brutal murder of his parents in front of him at the age of five. Since then, he has dedicated himself in protecting the only other family he had left, his elder sister, learning both advanced Chinese martial arts and the trade of a stage magician. He even became a professional magician, his identity hidden behind a mask. Outside of protecting his sister and performing on stage as an illusionist, he has little interest in other things. While on stage an outspoken, cheerful young man with an ego, off stage, he is grumpy, quiet, and a loner in most cases, wanting little to do with others unless absolutely necessary, and preferred to be left alone in general. However, as time passes, he will encounter new people, and form new bonds that become just as important as the one he shared with his sister.
Along with his skills in Kung Fu and the tricks of a stage magician, he also possesses incredible brain power which allowed him to graduate from China's most prominent university with many degrees before he reached the age of ten. And thanks to a man named Yang, he has been granted the powers of a Chinese dragon, able to change into one at will as well as being able to conjure flames and control the elements with his mind. All these combined with a stubborn, strong mind makes him someone not to be underestimated.
He is a tall, lanky young man with small eyes, pale skin, and usually dressed in a tie and sweater vest. He normally never smiles, and his favorite word is "half-wit". And he hates cold temperatures lower than normal room temperature. One of the things he despises most of all is being compared as being strikingly similar to his grandfather.
His alter ego on stage is Mystery John.

*Hanako Yamamoto: A young girl who, like Benjamin, also witnessed the murder of a parent. Although she grew up secluded in the mountains, she is able to learn about the outside world through television and the occasional trip into town. She has been trained in martial arts by her adopted father. Originally, after her father's death, she didn't care whether she lived or died. However, as time moved on, like Benjamin, she met more people and formed more bonds. The most significant would be with Benjamin, himself, though their meeting was just pure chance. Another thing the two have in common is that Hanako, too, owes her supernatural powers to Yang. She was genetically altered into an elf in order to be of use to Yang's plots, with Prince's DNA used.
Eventually, she settles in a small town in Japan, working as staff in a traditional Japanese inn, trying to live the life of a normal girl, though fate would derail her from her goals many times.
Hanako is an attractive lady, short, with long hair, rosy cheeks and large eyes. She is brave and willing to fight to protect the people she cares for.

*Tim: Tim, or Agent 2351, is a member of a secret CIA department that focuses on the supernatural forces. Although a teenager like Ben and Hanako, he has had many successful missions in his records. His meeting of Ben, Hanako and the rest are also by a strange twist of fate, and fate will thrust them together time and again. He has no powers to speak of, but has on him, an array of gadgets, training, and knowledge that makes him a formidable person and an excellent hero.
He is African American, lean, and athletic.

*Willow Barker: She is the one directly responsible for bringing everyone together. Someone born with special powers of conjuring fire, manipulating lightning, telepathy, etc., she has been targeted by Paranormal Research Foundation who wish to study her powers, and get their hands on it. There is more to her powers than meets the eye. And at times, it can even surpass Benjamin Tao's if she becomes pushed into a corner.
She is described as a redhead with green eyes and freckles.

*Roger Cliff: He is the younger brother of Benjamin Tao's brother-in-law. He's the same age as the others. Once just a regular guy, he eventually goes on to gain supernatural powers of his own in order to protect the people he cares about. He is probably the most normal in the group and at times, seems to harbor some resentment toward Benjamin because of Benjamin's attitude and his successes as a stage magician, and all around genius. However, the two of them got along well enough, and Roger even learned a thing or two about self-defense from Benjamin. He also has a soft spot for Willow.
He has a pointed nose, blue eyes, and brown hair.

*Mary Tao Cliff: She is Benjamin Tao's older sister by about eleven years, and probably the only one that Benjamin Tao completely trusted or truly cared about prior to meeting the others. This is due to having protected Benjamin during the night of their parents' murder, despite the rift she and the rest of the family were experiencing. She was once a delinquent who frequented the streets, eventually earning the title "Lady City Dragon". Like Benjamin, she knows her way around a fight and won't hesitate to defend herself. She marries Robert Cliff and starts a family with him and their brothers. After moving to the U.S. with her brother to get away from their money-driven family, she finds work as a social worker.

*Robert Cliff: Mary's husband and Roger's older brother. He's a telemarketer. Like Roger, he has a pointed nose and brown hair. He is a bit scrawny and has a pointed chin.

*Watson: Watson is a parrot raised to be as smart as a human. He is only one year older than Benjamin and is his trusted companion, probably one of the few that Benjamin is willing to rely on. This bird plays an important role in many of Benjamin's magic tricks, and could be relied upon when it matters. Although feeling a bit under-appreciated by Benjamin, Watson is nonetheless loyal to the guy and will stick by him.

*Mystery John: He is Benjamin Tao's alter-ego and almost the exact opposite of how Benjamin would act. On stage, he is loud, cheerful, and with an ego that shows. Although just a teenager, he is able to wow the entire world with his impressive illusions and tricks, combined with a sense of humor. He has quite a following. No one knows who's really behind the mask, and Benjamin makes sure that it stays that way, with only a very small number of exceptions.

*Tohru Yamamoto: He is Hanako's father. He is the one who taught her how to fight. There's a lot that Hanako doesn't know about her father, but she was smart enough to know that she would be better off not finding out more than she already did. This man would play a role that would change the course of the fates of his daughter and the people she meets.

*Maeda: He is an old man who was servant of the Yamamoto household. He was also responsible for Hanako's training in absence of her father due to "work", and is responsible for the course her life will take.

* Fern Knight: She is a tough old bird who is Willow's grandmother with a bit of a fierce streak. She cares for her granddaughter, despite the hardships that Willow's powers can bring, and will do what she can to protect her family.

* Agent Moore: He is an FBI agent whose case overlapped with some of the troubles that the main cast faces.

*A: Tim's boss and head of the department in the CIA dedicated to monitoring and keeping under control occurrences related to the supernatural. She is stern and possesses skills that make her a woman not to be made light of, and is not afraid to go back onto the field when the occasion called for it.

The Hunters: An organization dedicated to protecting humanity from the threat of supernatural forces. They are feared by members of the supernatural communities and despised for claiming the lives of several supernatural creatures. They, themselves, resolve to be more of a police force and will take out only the ones that are threats.

*Jane Smith: Jane is a teenager who, when she was young, survived an attack by a gold-scaled creature. She was found by the Hunters, and trained to be one of their agents, granted supernatural abilities like everyone else. She is quick to draw a knife, and is against anything supernatural because of her experiences. She got on the wrong foot with Benjamin, but the two become good comrades in the fights they face.

*John Smith: He is Jane's adopted brother. Like Jane, he was trained by the Hunters and gained supernatural abilities from that training. He and Jane are adopted into a family unit as part of their cover.

*Zachary Smith: Jane and John's "Father" and the commander of their unit.

*Holly Smith: Zachary's wife and his second-in-command.

There is an organization of supernatural beings who are working to reintegrate their kind back into the open world, to establish a means to ensure that they and humankind can live together in harmony, knowing that any other way would mean the mutual destruction of both races, although there are many in the organization who are sore about how their kind are forced to go underground while the humans remain out in the open.

*Leader: Leader of the organization of supernatural beings and Prince's boss. He is considered enigmatic and all-knowing.

*Prince: He's a tall, pale man with an angular face and lean features, pointed ears, long blonde hair, green eyes, and a pointed nose. He has great interest in Benjamin Tao. He has two bodyguards named Thomas and Edward.

The Shirogami Clan: A prominent family in the area Hanako has settled in. They are headed by a matriarch with genuine psychic powers, which she can use to manipulate the future. Because of this, many powerful figures come seeking her advice to further their own wealth. Thus, the Shirogami Clan gains connections and are able to control things from the shadows.

*Daiki Shirogami: The eldest child of the Shirogami family. Like all other members of the clan, he has psychic powers. As a male member of the Shirogami Clan, it is his duty to protect his younger sister, the next Oracle after their grandmother, the matriarch of the clan. Although he is rebellious against the traditions of the clan, earning a sort of rift between him and the rest of the family, he does care for his sister and will fight to protect her and the other people they both care for.

*Tsubaki Shirogami: She is Daiki's younger sister and the next to become the Oracle, a person with the power to calculate how to bring an ideal future. Although only a child of eleven years, after recovering from a mysterious coma, she gains the mannerisms of an adult. Tsubaki is, in fact, the reincarnation of Benjamin Tao's mother, Zhi-Yuan Xian, one of the founders of the PRF before being betrayed by the organization and assassinated.

*Hideo Tsuyoyama: He is Tsubaki's childhood friend, and the son of a martial arts dojo. He is a brave boy and very intelligent, though can be reckless at times. He is, in fact, the reincarnation of Benjamin Tao's father, An-Cheng, one of the founders of the PRF before being betrayed by the organization and assassinated.

*Sakumoto: Although head of Japan's branch of Hunters, he is a loyal member of the Shirogami Clan, working directly beneath the matriarch. He is a heavy-set man who looks neither old nor young.

PRF (Paranormal Research Foundation): An organization that researches paranormal abilities, using illegal methods to get what they want. They kidnapped many children with ESP to carry out their research. Willow would become their primary target, when they find that her power goes beyond all other children. And it is this organization that brings many of the main cast together. The organization was founded by Benjamin Tao's parents with the purpose of bringing peaceful coexistence between humanity and the supernatural. However, the top members betrayed Benjamin's parents and had them murdered.

*Heinrich: He is in charge of the facility holding children with special abilities prisoner where they are tested and experimented on. He is a merciless man with a bit of a sadistic streak against anyone who opposes or offends him. This man is also the one who killed Hanako's father.

*Yang: He is Heinrich's superior and takes part in the PRF's research on psychic powers. He was also the one who had Benjamin and the rest imprisoned in the facility that kept the psychic children captive. Although a member of the PRF, his true loyalties lied with Benjamin Tao's parents, and he plots his revenge. Benjamin and Hanako's powers are a result of this pursuit of revenge. Benjamin Tao remains distrustful of Yang, despite being relatives, for good reasons, and generally dislikes him above most of their family, second only to Benjamin's dislike of his grandfather for unclear reasons.

*Clear: A woman loyal to Yang and is pregnant with his child.

*Bishop: Loyal to Yang. He's a large man who looked like he had a military background.

*Data: Loyal to Yang. He also worked for Benjamin's grandfather.

*Cloak: Loyal to Yang.

*Ice: Loyal to Yang.

*Dynastes: He is responsible for Project Necromancy. Originally Oliver Greenbower, child of Alexander and Beatrice Greenbower who died in a car accident. He was a genius who graduated from Oxford at age ten and specialized in genetics. He discovered a way to bring the dead back to life as his slaves and planned to use them as weapons. Because of their similarities, he takes a particular interest in Benjamin Tao as a foe. Years ago, he disappeared as Oliver Greenbower and later resurfaced as Dynastes, a member of the PRF.

Phoenix: An organization formed by surviving members of the PRF. The board members are a corrupt group who were once counted on by Benjamin Tao's deceased parents to carry on the noble mission of bringing about peaceful coexistence between humans and supernatural beings.

*Rebecca Nordoff: A board member of Phoenix. She once held a close relationship with Benjamin Tao's mother. She also served as Benjamin's mentor in the world of economics and business. An intelligent woman, she is probably one of the few people in the world who could match Benjamin's wits.

*Lynda Taylor: A psychic woman with telepathic powers who works under Rebecca Nordoff. She can also move things with her mind, create fire, and manipulate electricity among others. Her cover in Japan is that of a high school teacher in Japan teaching English. She usually carries a dampener, a device that cancels out psychic power, and can use it as a weapon in battle.

*Oliver: A bearded man. Worked in a project called Red Moon with a man named Tyler. A board member of Phoenix.

*Bisset: A protege of someone named Bernard. A board member of Phoenix.

*Abel: A board member of Phoenix.

* Theodore: A board member of Phoenix.

Empire Enterprises: A global corporation headed by Benjamin Tao's grandfather with claim in many fields.

*Emily E-Bao Long: A girl around Benjamin's age. She is actually Benjamin Tao's cousin. Like Ben, she is a child genius, but where Benjamin is more of a polymath with focus on psychology, Emily has amazing talent in technology. It is thanks to her that the technology in Emprie Enterprises' grasp is decades ahead of the rest of the world. Emily is not her real name. It is an alias she had made when she fled to the United States away from a scandal caused by members of her immediate family. It is then, she has an unexpected reunion with her cousins. Her involvement with Benjamin in the past had a huge influence in how Benjamin is today, especially due to an incident concerning her father and Benjamin Tao's sister.