Taxi! Follow that bandwagon!
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
He has muscles since he's an athlete and all. He's relatively tall, but not massive.
2. How old is he?
17 at the start, assumed 18 by the end of the series. He doesn't give out information on himself because he blackmails so many people he wouldn't feel safe doing it.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
He stands up straight a lot, but also pulls pretty eratic poses when shooting at people. Or throwing grenades. He's the fucking commander from hell, man, and he carries himself as such!
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's 100% in shape - he has never missed a day of practice, has no conditions or disabilities.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
He moves smoothly when he wants to - but all over the place while screaming when he wants to, as well.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
Unf. He looks like a devil, or a demon. He perceives himself as threatening because that's how he wants to look.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
He has clear light skin!
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
His hair is spiked and awesome and yellow. Or black, back in his youthful days. It was bleached to give him a punk like appearance.
9. What color are his eyes?
His eyes are green in both the anime and the manga. They also flash red when he's just-as-planning someone given that he is absolutely batshit.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Oh God yes. Jaggy teeth, demonic eyes, pointy elf ears, sharp nails, piercings... that's everything.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
His hands - whether it's firing a gun, throwing a ball, tossing a grenade or playing cards.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Full of suits and black clothes. He also sports a white parka in volume 19 and he looks fabulously Hiruma like while doing it. They he wears a maid costume, an old lady inn hostess costume, a news reporter costume and a shop assistant costume - but he gets them from the places he is sneaking into.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
they fit really well and he always seems comfortable in them - but hell, he's ALWAYS comfortable. It takes a hell of a lot before Hiruma doesn't feel comfortable.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
He dresses in football gear when he's 'on the job' since the only other job he has he starts and quits in one day flat.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Hiruma is totally a boxers kind of guy. He wouldn't go commando because he needs to change frequently and briefs are just so uncool.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Demonic and devil like - with a demonic laugh.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? Does Hiruma talk easily? The guy absolutely loves to talk. He starts talking to the God damn audience during a game without batting an eyelid.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Any fucking verbal tics? He also loves to add “Death” “Hell” and “Doom” into the names of his training programmes.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Japanese, at least.
He also blackmails people and speaks to Americans who don't speak Japanese.
He can swear just as much in English, by the way.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
When he meets Apollo he swaps to English because Apollo can't speak Japanese. Of course they do just devolve into swearing at each other, but at least he swapped languages to do so.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
While he does think about his words Hiruma will just rant on and on and on if the situation calls for it. He's a great impromptu speaker.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
He can be eloquent when he's talking seriously to someone - but if he gets mad he will just start swearing and demanding that people drop dead.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Hiruma is pretty much a genius in both book smarts and street smarts. He knows a lot of stuff but he mainly puts his smarts into practise by blackmailing and manipulating people - he can also count cards extremely well.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
He will deliberate before he carries out a plan, but if something fucks up he will think on his feet and he usually does quite well.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
He would use a mix of every kind of thought process, to be honest. He likes to stay unpredictable with his thoughts, it means no other player can read him.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
A normal education at an average school - despite his initial plans taking him in another direction alltogether.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
Football, gambling, blackmail, firearms, Spartan training and manipulation.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
While he likes to keep things about himself to himself he loves to get involved with people and social affairs.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Oh boy. Hiruma has a hellish temper with a lot of mood swings. Sometimes he'll be happy, but then he'll find out the store only had sugary gum, which he hates, so he'd throw a can of juice at you in rage, take the can of juice off of you and then calm down instantly.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
He would investigate a new persons talents, plays, personality, everything he could find out about them he would while giving them as little information as possible. Earlier he might have tried to force people to join his football club.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
Act every time. If he is taken by surprise he will react as best as he can, sometimes coming up with new plays on the fly to match his opponents. Something I'm sure he took from Rui after their game.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight every time. Unless the chance of winning was 0% - at which point he would walk away.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
He appreciates pranks and gallows humour - and also the fine fine art of trolling the shit out of stoic people.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
He hasn't been diagnosed with any mental disorders.
Wow.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
Heavy spoilers - feel free to highlight this to get inside Hiruma's head.
Back when he was trying to get into high school he got into a prestigious school with an amazing football team - the best in Kanto - the Shinryuji Nagas. Since his friend, the original founder of the Devil Bats, could not get into the school and was forced out, Hiruma tried to convince the person who forced him out to change his mind. It didn't work and so Hiruma decided to make his own football team at another school.
And when Musashi left the team Hiruma took it really really badly. He kicked everything he could and screamed as loud as he could. This also took most of his enjoyment out of the game - and when Musashi finally came back Hiruma knew how long it had been right down to the second. After that he started enjoying football even more than he had been doing.
He also has his arm broken during the semi finals - and he finally trusts Sena to be the quarterback for the team which is something he would never have done before. This is when Hiruma learned to trust his team mates.
14. What does he fear?
Losing would be his biggest fear for sure.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
Winning the Christmas Bowl is his dream.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
Usually about his Parents. It's not that he wants to hide it, he just can't be bothered explaining it to anyone. He wouldn't want anyone to find out that he had a vulnerable side underneath the crazy, though.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
SPOILERED once more, highlight.
He hates them. He doesn't live with them - he lives in a hotel. His Dad was a shogi player who had an offensive style - which bled into Hiruma's football strategy - and eventually Mr Hiruma senior failed to become anything big. He kept saying “I tried my best, son” and Hiruma grew to hate him for it.
We never see Mrs Hiruma. But in my head canon she's just a normal woman who wished her son wasn't so Hiruma like. She probably sided with Hiruma's dad about the trying your best thing.
Since Hiruma's father shows up in the Christmas Bowl final, and leaves Hiruma a message on his phone saying “I know you hate me” and “I know you won't pick up, but I wanted to wish you luck, Youichi.” my head canon also tells me that his parents probably split up after Hiruma left. I like to imagine that he still sees his Mother from time to time, but he would ignore his father if he met him in the streets.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
Hiruma has no siblings that we know of. If he did he would proabably have an older sibling and a love hate relationship with them, and I can see them not being interested in football at all, but glad their little brother had something he liked doing.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
Nope - we never see much of his other relatives.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
He probably considers the Devil Bats as a sort of fucked up family. At least he does in my glorious headcanon
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
Ryokan Kurita and Gen "Musashi" Takekura
They met in the space of a day - Kurita, while struggling to form his own middle school american football club, found Hiruma's notes on football plays.
Hiruma told him he was just researching them to gamble on teams at an american military base he snuck into frequently thanks to a hole in the fence.
Kurita followed Hiruma and Musashi was there - ready to repair the fence. Kurita begged Musashi not to, but he had to. He fixed the fence and used his kicking leg to kick a new hole in the metal fence, just for Hiruma.
6. Does he have other close friends?
The Devil Bats are his close friends. Probably - he doesn't realise this until later, and he doesn't ever admit that he has realised it.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
He has trouble making friends because of his personality.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Given his parental relationship he would definitely choose friends over family.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
Single
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
In my headcanon he gets together with Mamori at the end of the manga. She's the only person who isn't afraid of confronting him when he comes up with crazy plans, for crying out loud and is the only person who can recognise his vulnerable side. The signs are all there, man!
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
Musashi, probably. Am I right guys? Then Mamori. Headcanon ftw, right?
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
Smarts, probably, maybe an interest in football and the guts to confront his bullshit.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
Nope - but I think he would probably want kids, to make up for his own experience with his father, if that didn't put him off the idea, that is.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
Agon, Clifford, Rui, Kid and almost Takami.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Headcanon rides again! Probably slap bang in the middle.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He doesn't feel about sex. Not yet. He only feels about football!
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turns ons would proably be football and someone who he could annoy or taunt a lot. Turn offs would be the opposite.
Weird habits would probably be shouting YA-HA! At the end. Yeah.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
Hiruma doesn't have a birthday and I haven't made one up in my headcanon o/
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Neither, not important. To quote the man himself
“Devils don't ask Gods for favours!!!”
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
He'll do absolutely anything to win football games - blackmail, hacking websites, stealing plays, you name it. But he will not break the rules of football.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Indifferent but sometimes intolerant of the whole 'tried my best' thing,
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
He doesn't have prejudices, really.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Rich is the most likely scenario. When he was in middle school he had thousands of dollars saved up, while living alone.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
He only ever let Kurita inside his hotel room where he stays, but he never shows it to anyone else. We never see it apart from in one chapter and a single bonus sketch - it's impossibly messy so he probably spends no time there.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Gambling, guns, ammo, stuff to scare people with.
He uses his funds to build underground weapon storage - this is completely canon.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
Gambles and blackmails for a living - he's both good at it and enjoys it.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Football - spends his free time training or reading newspapers.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
He probably eats rare meat and the other essentials for a healthy lifestyle.
Oh and sugar-free gum - he loves him some sugar free fucking gum.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Red
2. Smell? Cut grass
3. Time of day? Afternoon
4. Season? Winter
5. Book? His threat book
6. Music? You're gonna go far kid and other punk and punk-like songs.
7. Place? Anywhere grassy
8. Substance? Sweat - idek.
9. Plant? Weeds - they never give up, they're not too pretty, and most people can never keep them down.
10. Animal? Bat.
END
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