Naoshi was born on September 23, 1921 in Edano Village (which is now the Kakuda City) within Miyagi Prefecture, he is the second son of a senior police officer. He's very obedient when he was a kid and he respected his older brother which is an honor student. Outside, he also had a fun childhood, he fights bullies who dare to bully his older brother, and one time he struggled and killed a vicious dog in their neighborhood with a knife. When he was on his fourth-year on junior high school, his family suffered on a financial crisis, they decided that his older brother will go to College while he enters the military.
He enrolled in a Japanese Naval Academy on December of 1938, he graduated on February 1943. His instructor Iwashita Kunio seen potential on him. Eventually he does excellent performances during flight simulations and actual combat practices, because of his success he was nicknamed "The Destroyer" by his fellow trainees. Upon his graduation from flight school he was assigned to the airfield at Oita in southern Japan.
On April of 1943, he was assigned in the 343rd Air Group to operate within Palau Islands. He intercepted several Allied heavy bombers approaching the island. On July 10, 1944, he was promoted as the commander of the Air Group, his group was eventually disbanded because of heavy loses, he was reassigned to Squadron 306 of 201st Air Group. During an operation in Yap Islands, his group were ordered to intercept an incoming group of B-24 Liberators, their group managed to shoot down 60 bombers in just a month, he was awarded with a citation because of his success.
In the Philippines. On October 21, 1944, Admiral Onishi assembled a special attack group from the 201st air group, this was the first kamikaze group. Naoshi volunteered to take command to the kamikaze group but the position was taken by Lt. Seki Yukio. He participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf which he provide cover for the special attack group during the fight. He's very committed to give his life in the battlefield, he keeps volunteering to become a kamikaze pilot but they refused, eventually he finally gave up at take a flight to Cebu, but when they wanted a kamikaze pilot from his group, he was angered and refused. During one of his fight, his plane was shot down by a P-38 Lightning and force to emergency land on Lubang Island near Mindoro, he earned respect and admiration from the indigenous people and declare him as "Prince Kanno" and ruled the natives in the island until he was discovered during a relief mission to Lubang Island.
Back to Japan, the 343rd Air Group was reactivated in participation for the defense of the homeland against Allied invasions. He was given command to the 301st Squadron and was stationed at Kyushu. His group is now equipped with the N1K2-J Shiden-Kai fighters. He chooses a customized model as his personal mount to attract enemy aircraft during operations. On March 19, 1945, his group were to intercept incoming F4U Corsairs that were deployed to destroy aircraft for kamikaze. During the battle, he manage to shot down several aircraft but his plane was shot, he manage get off his plane and parachute down. He falls in a farm at Matsuyama, he suffered burns from his hands and face. The locals thought of him as an enemy and attacked him, after confusion in Matsuyama, he borrowed a bicycle and pedal his way to the nearest airfield.
His last duty was on August 1, 1945 where they are commanded to intercept another incoming group of B-24 bombers again near Yakushima, he sortied at Omura base, Kyushu. He chooses a 343-A-01 model as his mount instead of a 343-A-15 model. While on their mission, his group was ambushed by an incoming group of P-51 Mustangs which are escorting the bombers, he lured the enemy aircraft to save his group. The rest of the air group managed to return but Kanno did not come back. He was assumed MIA, and eventually declared as KIA on August 10, 1945.
The whereabouts of his body remained unknown. On September 20, 1945 he was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain. He was accounted for shooting 30 aircraft during operations from Palau to the Philippines. His air group also won additional 18 battles and he shot down 2 more B-24s upon his disappearance.