Post by noburo on Nov 27, 2012 7:03:31 GMT -6
Identification
Character Name: Minami, Daisuke
Classification: Shinigami
Alias/Titles: N/A
Gender: Male
True Age: 165
Birthday: April 14th
Division: Kyuubantai
Rank: Lieutenant?
Appearance Information
Apparent Age: 22-23
Height: 5”9’-5”10
Weight: 170 lbs.
Eye Color: Purple
Hair Color: Black
Physical Description:
If meeting him for the first time, most would contend that Daisuke appears to be quite the lady killer. His facial features make him seem quite the handsome fellow nice sharp jawline, rounded chin and the like albeit with a noticeable stubble. An oddity, if you could call it that would have to be his exotic purple eyes. These semicircular jewels are his trademark, his most prized possessions. They have this beautiful shimmer about them in the moonlight, often appearing lavender gray in hue. Daisuke keeps his jet black hair slicked back, it oftentimes gathering into thin, manageable strands.
A couple however, which always seem to allude the shinigami tend to sit at the very front of his forehead, tapering off into small bangs. Rounding off his shapely head are well, a pair of two almost elf-like ears. They have an unusual, though not unattractive convex quality which causes them to jut out abruptly towards the back of his skull. His skin is of an olive complexion, though it has a tendency to become noticeably darker in the summer months. It is rich in tonality, appearing very even throughout.
His face remains youthful through and through, a total discrepancy when considering his actual age is close to 200 years old. Geniality is easily apparent on the young man’s face, Daisuke’s lips fixed into a warming, continuous smile. His gaze is even set, usually projecting about 10 feet in front of him at all times, always attentive, always mindful. His facial expressions render the shinigami easily read, they being an excellent conveyor of his overall mood. Funny to note is that when embarrassed, Daisuke’s forehead will shrivel up like a plum, exposing many miniscule veins beneath its bulging surface.
His build is of a moderate temperament, not too large or too small. The shinigami could best be described as sinewy, having a very compact and rigid frame. His strong shoulders echo a sense of haughtiness about him, they being perpetually stuck in the upright position. This was to be expected from a member of the Gotei 13, especially so for such a veteran. His back is marred with numerous small scars, with the exception of one fairy large one running diagonally from his right shoulder blade to about the backside of his left kidney. A large portion of his body mass lies in his tall, muscular legs which to his chagrin are noticeably lighter than his upper body, earning him a fair amount of teasing from his academy buddies.
His usual attire consists of the standard shinigami shihakusho, however Daisuke has modified it somewhat to fit his own personal preferences. The sleeves of the uniform are a tad bit tighter than the norm, as well as being tighter around the waist. He keeps the kosode and shitagi of the shihakusho open a fair amount, so as to expose his burgeoning chest. His tabi instead of the commonplace white are black in color. This could be a nod to his obsessive-compulsivity in regards to keeping his clothes as clean as possible. His waraji are of the commonplace white, although he prefers to wear black jika-tabi whenever possible.
Personal Information
Personality Overview:
Daisuke tends to be quite the eager beaver when it comes to meeting new people and experiencing new things, so much so that he extremely dislikes the thought of being alone. Many suspect that he does this to avoid having to face his many insecurities and fears, formed out of lingering thoughts of inadequacy that to this day still affect him. This also results in his inability to handle criticism well, as it causes him to reflect upon himself. Oftentimes this will contribute heavily to a self-defeating attitude which can manifest itself rather easily if Daisuke isn’t careful. The lieutenant tends to be naïve as to the true nature of evil in the universe, thinking that there is some inherent good in the most depraved of beings, even Hollows. The Minami clan heir holds upmost faith in his superiors, at the same time generously placing a large amount of faith in the abilities of others, a nod to his supposed inadequacy.
Much of what he does is done in such a way so as to garner the appreciation and praise of others; he has that much trouble praising himself. At times this causes him to go above and beyond himself, but it has the tendency to get him in a lot of trouble. You’d think being overly reckless isn’t too big of a deal when you just can’t die by any normal means, but the again his opponents aren’t ones for normal means. This lack of forethought is really what feels his self-defeating attitude in a way, which he again refuses to acknowledge.
Given all this, it can be expected that the young shinigami would very much dislike change. He simply likes things one way, and that’s the end of that. Luckily this hasn’t caused all that many major disturbances, given he’s never been in a position where he’s had to make crucial decisions, until now that is. Regardless of his indecisiveness, the one thing he is usually determined to evade is conflict. Daisuke could easily do without hostility, however when it does arise he is quick to nip it in the bud. He’d rather things be congenial all the time, but accepts the fact that it is bound to happen time and time again. Daisuke is a staunch defender of doing the right thing, even if he must go about doing so using unsavory methods.
Whenever his self-doubt doesn’t get in the way, Daisuke can prove to be quite sharp. He has good attention to detail, which is partly why he took so well to kido training. If anything was keeping him from really mastering the demon arts, it wasn’t his lack of smarts. If he’s only stop deferring to others, he probably could realize his full potential.
A strong sense of loyalty had been beaten into him over a period of many long years in the Academy. Daisuke tends to resent this kind of conditioning, however he sees it as being as a necessary evil in this case. He wouldn’t be able to function optimally if he didn’t have some kind of attachment to something, something to die for. To this end, he takes his duty as a lieutenant very seriously without crossing over the line into anal retentiveness. That’d be no fun after all. Purging hollows and neutralizing other threats echo his epicurean philosophy of self, Daisuke taking no pleasure in the stuff, however warily recognizing their importance.
He is often at odds with those that do for this very reason, he’d rather be out socializing and having a good time then devoting oneself to that sort of barbarism. Fanaticism or zealousness have no place in his mind. The young shinigami does however take a certain sense of satisfaction in helping souls find closure and crossing over into the next life, that being one of the many comforts of his work. Daisuke strongly believes in second chances due to the nature of his, and as such is usually always quick to forgive, within reason of course.
Character Time-line:
The Meager
Small, bony fingers cradled a faintly colored orange orb in their midst. The boy looked towards the fruit suspended in his palm, its succulent juices dripping down his forearm. It writhed violently as he brought it nearer to his jaw, the wrinkles shimmering in the early morning light. Extending it ever so closely to his mouth, Daisuke took a large bite. The translucent liquid seemed to fill its cheeks to the brim until they were finally swallowed down in a large gulp. The young man remembered that day well, it being one of the fondest in his brief existence. Now then it remained a fleeting dream, a sweet and succulent dream.
It all happened so very quickly, the takeover, the restoration, everything. His father’s clan had served under a local daimyo for centuries before the Meji-era, and now they had nothing. Most of the clan killed themselves out of shame, though that would not be the case for Daisuke’s family. His parents saw great things in the mix for their son, and so toiled towards the hopes of sending him overseas for a broad western education. They were relegated to mere citrus traders near the coastal port of Nagasaki, peddling the very fruit Daisuke had once loved. Ever since that day they had lost all but a modicum of flavor, whatever he could taste now just seemed to dissipate into a bitter wad of gray around his gums.
It took four long years for his parents’ dream to be realized, in the process they having become twisted and cynical in their endeavor. The color had long flown from their once sanguine faces, traveling down their hands and feet into pockets of varicose veins. Even as he boarded the ship which would become his saving grace, his parents struggled to let out even a faint whimper. They simply looked onward as he drifted off farther and farther from their field of vision, never to see him again. This had instilled in him a deep seated resentment towards the world as a result; Daisuke poised to take everything the world had owed him.
Unbeknownst to him, Daisuke would die on that boat. The other passengers on the boat surmised it was malaria, probably contracted from a Dutchman or some other foreigner on the boat who had gone undiagnosed. There was little hope for the young man now; given the boat was dead center in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The only thing to be done for him now was to quarantine Daisuke with the rest of the infected passengers, and attempt to make his last days as comfortable as possible.
The last thing he remembered, he was lying lopsided on a dank, soiled bed. The smell of blood and human excrement filled the air, forming a cloud of fog above the victims’ heads. Daisuke attempted to choke out one last feeble breath, before he felt his limbs go numb and the warmth leave his being. Seconds later Daisuke closed his eyes, his body heaped among numerous other piles of deceased flesh.
Absolution
He woke up, his reflection peering up at him through a pool of black and red on the floor. Whatever he was was covered in the stuff, Daisuke taking extreme pleasure in the devilish act. Looking at it then, he saw a hulking humanoid like figure with grotesque wings where his shoulder blades should be. His face was covered in what appeared to be vitreous fluid, it forming a tight mask around his visage. His hands had grown to gargantuan sizes, with razor sharp claws for fingernails. Time had seemingly stopped moving for Daisuke as he continued to shovel large piles of decayed flesh into his wanton mouth, saliva pouring out by the bucket load.
He noticed the liquid corrosively eat away at the hardwood which comprised the floor of the ship, seemingly dripping down into all subsequent floors, until he finally stopped paying it any mind and resumed what was now his civic duty. He had this insatiable hunger about him which only seemed to grow with every consecutive meal. Time lost all meaning to the demon as Daisuke began wildly rampaging throughout the numerous cabins of the passenger ship, unleashing his despair and rage upon the helpless.
This continued for a period of about couple days, until the ship was inevitably devoid of all life. It was as if he developed wings for that very reason, using his now fully developed organs to cross over the remainder of the ocean in search of more food. He ended up somewhere in South Africa, however he would get no further. It was there that he would be slaughtered mercilessly by a gaggle of men dressed in black. Daisuke desperately tried to fight back, but the men shot some kind of magic at him, pinning him to the ground effortless. The green light erupted in a plume of smoke so quickly he was unable to react. Then they swarmed around him like locusts, but not before stabbing him between the eyes. He fell in one quick motion, his body dissipating into thin air before the men’s very eyes. That would be the last of him.
New-Born
Daisuke was born into a well to do family on Mt. Koifushi in the Hokutan district. The purple eyed soul was sure they meant well, but they were a little too overbearing for his tastes. They were much more focused on appearance than he ever wanted to be, creating an outright clash between them. Rebellion grew in his heart over time, Daisuke growing to become quite the deviant. This of course reflected poorly on his stuffy relatives, who wasted no time in shipping him off to the Academy as soon as they possibly could. It was here that he was to be broken, physically and mentally. It was only then that cohesion could ever find its place.
He remembered hating the Academy at first, it feeling more like a grueling chore than anything else. Daisuke quickly made many friends, using his classmates shared hardships to get a few good words in. Soon though the exams got easier, and his body began to respond to the intense physical regimen his class was subjected to day in and day out. The fledging shinigami found that he had a penchant for kido. His muscular legs did him well to, being able to beat the majority of his class in timed footraces. His zanjutsu and hakuda needed major improvements though. He fared no better than a fish out of water with a sword in hand, and he lacked the finesse needed to be able brawler. All considered, he graduated near the top of his class and was to be to one of the Gotei 13 squads, after a long period of 43 years.
The Minami clan, being as wealthy and well-connected as they were, pulled some strings so as to ensure his placement in the Kido Corps, where they felt his talents would be best utilized. Sure enough his performance lived up to their hefty expectations, quickly gaining a seat in the division after a few key transfers elsewhere. Doubts began to grow in his mind however, Daisuke beginning to feel inadequate. He’d rather give up his prized seat in the Kido Corps then live with this shame. To this end, the purple eyed shinigami requested a transfer to the Kyuubantai against his families’ many pleas. Of course this was to be expected, he was to take a position of standing for no good reason.
Moving On Up
Daisuke quickly readjusted to inner workings of the Kyuubantai having made many favorable impressions upon his new squad mates. Through his own merit this time, Daisuke rose as high up the ladder as fifth seat. After a scandalous affair involving the third and fourth seats, they being rumored to have killed several souls deep in the Rukongai, Daisuke received a hefty promotion. A few short years later, he was promoted to lieutenant after the untimely death of the incumbent. This would bring with it a mixture of emotions, Daisuke feeling elation, shame, worry, and the like. He began to feel a large amount of performance anxiety in the beginning, but like all things, it too would fade.
Zanpakuto Information
Zanpakuto Name: 哲人:Tetsujin
Ability Type: Kido
Release Phrase: Shine your light upon this world!
Sealed Description: In its sealed state, Tetsujin looks nothing more than a normal tachi, albeit with a few rather ornate touches. The tsuka is of a dark purple color, with diamonds encrusted along the lozenge patterned grip. The tsuba is shaped in the form of a saltire, or “X” shaped cross. The sword is about four feet in length, with numerous runes having been etched on the blade. The saya is composed of some sort of aromatic wood, most likely rosewood, give its strong scent. The outward appearance of the blade is quite ironic given its other form’s ghastly properties. Tetsujin is 38 inches long
Inner World:
Tetsujin’s inner world echoes its outer appearance in its sealed state, taking on the form of a large Shinto temple in a grove densely populated by large trees. Numerous streams run throughout the grove, illuminated by the rays of the morning sun. Just outside the temple lies an abundance of cherry blossoms, whose petals often fall and are scattered perpetually by strong gusts of wind. The inner world of his zanpakuto, mirrors Daisuke’s emotional state at the time, however their outward manifestation upon the landscape is left entirely up to his subconscious mind.
Zanpakuto Spirit:
Tetsujin takes on the form of a gentle looking man resembling a ronin with long flowing blue hair reaching down to his back. It’s almost silk like in texture, flowing wildly as does the wind. He wears white robes tied with a faded blue obi sash. On his waist sit a daisho pair, the tachi on his left hip, and the wakizashi on his right. His irises take on a ghastly appearance, lacking any pupils His irises however, are of a milky white, almost silvery color. Tetsujin’s cheeks are flushed with color, often appearing inebriated though that is left up to Daisuke’s imagination. His voice is light in tonality, reflecting his very nature.
The relationship Tetsujin has with his master is interesting to say the least. Tetsujin exists as Daisuke’s eternal conscience, often offering much needed guidance or reaffirmation. They speak very frequently, their discussions being wide ranging in scope; however the two seem to prefer their conversations to be of the more carefree, nonsense sort. One thing if any Tetsujin takes offense to is Daisuke’s almost total disinterest in the way of the sword. He feels as if he’s going to waste away if not handled properly. His protests however usually have a more subtle, teasing context to them.
Shikai Description:
After stating the release phrase, Daisuke will then proceed to hold his zanpakuto above his head, it then rays of blue blue light begin to glow faintly around the outside edge of the blade, forming a static cloud. Once the sparks dissipate, Tetsujin takes the appearance of an unorthodox prism shaped blade composed of an almost translucent like silver. The blade is very thin, however nicely distributed throughout. Because of this it is also seemingly much lighter than it had been previously. The blade’s orthodox shape serves as a proxy for its mirror-like properties. Tetsujin retains much of the length it possessed in its sealed state, sans a couple of inches. A blue horsehair tassel is tied to the end of the hilt, connecting to a good length of chain. This allows Tetsujin to be swung around, making the bladed mirror to be easier to bring to bear if necessary. The guard also grows to wrap around Daisuke’s hand in a slight basket like shape, allowing for much more adequate control. In spite of this however, Daisuke continues to struggle handling Tetsujin to utilize its primary function.
Functionality:
The functionality of Daisuke’s zanpakuto is near endless when it comes to the art of zanjutsu, it being of a good length and temperament. The blade is sharp to the touch, however due to its convex shape it fails as a stabbing instrument; though due to its wide surface area remains an effective slashing tool. Its width also serves to increase the functioning area of the mirrored sides, the source of the zanpakuto’s abilities. The guard also allows for the blade to be spun at high speeds around its axis. The blade could also function as an impromptu flail given the chained extension at the base of the sword. Forgoing the mirror’s special properties, it can also serve to blind an unaware opponent by refracting light into an opponent’s eyes.
Abilities:
Name: Reflection
Class: Primarily defensive
Range: Dependant on the kido
Description: Given the intrinsic nature of his zanpakuto, this one’s all too obvious. If coming in contact with any form of projectile like Kido, Daisuke can choose to reflect the spell off of the mirrored edge of his zanpakuto by paying a cost equal to half the original kido. This is not without flaw however, as the angle from which the kido can be re-launched is susceptible to chance if not properly controlled, as one would expect.
Name: Acquiescence
Class: Utility
Range: Close
Description: By shining its characteristic light upon a foe, Daisuke can mark one foe at a time with his reiatsu, allowing him to see them, where ever they may be for the duration of Acquiescence’s effect. This effect can only be sustained for a maximum of five minutes, or less depending on the strength of his opponent’s reiatsu.
Combat Information
Reiryoku Level: 12
Character Dynamic:
His fighting style at its core relies on the utility of the demon arts to be truly effective. The purple eyed shinigami has little ability when it comes to much else, except for rudimentary hakuda techniques he picked up during his tenure as a seated officer, which were nothing more than a necessity. Still, he would refrain from their usage in even the most careful and controlled situations. They just weren’t his forte. Going back to kido though, the young shinigami wouldn’t say he favors either path over the other, even though he uses bakudo more often given its sheer versatility. In contrast to his more fun loving personality, Daisuke can prove to be rather ruthless in battle, viewing this as a matter of necessity. Battles are not to be drawn out; they are to ended as quickly as possible so as to limit the possibility of life-threatening injury.
There is nothing honorable about war in the slightest, given the victor is judged not to be who is right, but rather, who is left. To this end, Daisuke will resort to any and all forms of trickery or cunning in battle as he sees fit to use. Cowardice to him has no meaning on the battlefield. When the fight no longer fares the better, Daisuke knows better than to prolong a losing battle. To this end, he has developed a well-muscled lower body, hohou being one of his strongest assets in battle. Reiatsu control also stands as another of his biggest strengths, this being obvious given his ability to use a multitude of various ranking kido.
Much of the young shinigami’s time when not spent doing numerous speed drills, is spent in the library studying other various forms of kido. His arsenal could always use another improvement, no matter how large or small. However, Daisuke does see learning multiple low leveled kido as being more efficient than a single high leveled spell, it being seemingly more beneficial in building an adequate toolbox, so to speak. Recently also, the lieutenant has begun to perform jinzen much more frequently in an attempt to strengthen the body between body and soul.
Reiryoku/Reiatsu Abilities:
Name: Shunpo (Flash Step)
Class: Utility
Range: Personal
Description: The shinigami’s signature movement technique, using extreme speed and acceleration to overcome the eye’s capacity to trace movement. This ability can be used to travel quickly from one place to another, or in combat by a skilled practitioner to get a jump on the enemy. Using this skill repeatedly over the course of a battle is ill-advised, as it does not take long for the opponent’s eyes to adjust to the high-speed movement.
Name: Konso (Soul Burial)
Class: Utility
Range: Touch
Description: Shinigami use this skill to transport Plus spirits, forcefully or otherwise, to Soul Society. This is a derivative of the zanpakuto’s natural ability to purify hollows by splitting their masks.
Known Kido:
[li] 4. Byakurai (Pale Lightning): By using this spell, the user may shoot a weak bolt of lightning out of his/her index finger.
[/li][li] 11. Tsuzuri Raiden (Bound Lightning): This offensive kido can give an electrical charge to the first thing the caster touches. The current will travel through the object, and cause to damage to anything touching the object.
[/li][li] 33. Sokatsui (Pale Fire Crash): The caster shoots a gigantic wave of reiatsu out of his/her middle & index finger. This blue wave will rush out forward, consuming everything in its path.
Bakudo -
[/li][li] 4. Hainawa (Crawling Rope): This spell causes a yellow rope to shot out at a target. The rope cackles similar to lightning. The rope will lance out, & wrap around it's target. Regardless if it is a living creature or not.
[/li][li] 30. Shitotsu Sansen (Beak-Piercing Triple Beam): Upon casting this spell the caster creates a cackling ball of yellow reiatsu in their palm. The caster must use this energy to create an inverted triangle. Once created, the triangle will shoot out three beak like beams of light from it's points. The beams will pierce through the targets flesh and pin them to the nearest surface. However these beams cause no damage the the target's body.
[/li][li] 62. Hyapporankan (Hundred Step Fence): Upon casting this kido, the caster creates a rod of blue energy. By throwing the rod it will multiply, becoming hundreds of identical rods. The rods will slam into anything in their path. Although they deal little to no damage, they are extremely effective at pinning a target or even multiple targets.
[/li][/ul]
Significant Inventory: N/A
