app [il promenade]
PLAYER
? NAME: Sam
? LJ USERNAME: satrugha
? CONTACT (EMAIL, AIM, MSN, PLURK, ETC.): AIM: satrugha
? CURRENT MUSE LIST: n/a
CHARACTER
? NAME: Kojuro Katakura (western style)
? SERIES: Sengoku Basara (gameverse)
? HISTORY: At what time Kojuro became Masamune's head retainer is unknown (though history tells he was Masamune's caretaker and strategist first). He first appears in Sengoku Basara 2, following Masamune wherever he went. He served as Masamune's strategist. At some point, several of Masamune's retainers are kidnapped by Matsunaga Hisahide. Kojuro and Masamune arrive to rescue the retainers. Hisahide demands Masamune's six swords in return for releasing the retainers. Masamune concedes, despite Kojuro and the other retainers' protests, and hands over the swords. Pity Hisahide had no desire to keep his promise and blows up Masamune, throwing him off the cliff. Kojuro dives after his lord to protect him.
Kojuro rescues Masamune and Kojuro carries Masamune back to Oshu (after a bout with Yukimura) along with some of the Date soldiers. Kojuro vows he'll retrieve the swords and the retainers safely from Hisahide himself. Masamune doesn't want Kojuro to go alone but Kojuro commits a dishonor and turns his sword against his lord, telling Masamune he's too injured to continue and defeats Masamune, going on to retrieve his retainers and his swords.
In the final bout with Hisahide, Masamune arrives to fight alongside Kojuro and the two defeat Hisahide. When returning, Kojuro feels horribly guilty about turning his sword against Masamune and claims it a horrible dishonor, one he must commit seppuku to redeem himself. He tries to do so but Masamune won't let him and essentially wipes the dishonor clean.
Sometime later, the Date siege Osaka and are completely overpowered, leading to their defeat. Kojuro takes this defeat to his own honor, taking it upon himself to ensure Masamune never felt regret again.
After many battles, the Date align with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Eastern Army (history says that Kojuro convinced Masamune the alliance would be beneficial). Masamune eventually squares off with Mitsunari and defeats him but doesn't kill him, saying Mitsunari was just a stepping stone.
For reference, here are cutscenes from the games:
Sengoku Basara 2
Kojuro's Gaiden (english subs) 1/2
Kojuro's Gaiden (english subs) 2/2
Masamune's opening video (no subs, sorry)
Masamune's ending, no subs
Sengoku Basara 3
Masamune's story, opening, no subs (the defeat against Mitsunari)
Masamune's story (1/2) english subs
Masamune's story (2/2) english subs (up to 2:00)
? TIMELINE: End of Masamune's red path (ends at Sekigahara) in Sengoku Basara 3 Samurai Heroes
? PERSONALITY: Kojuro, also known as the Dragon's Right Eye, is Masamune's highly competent right hand man, retainer, strategist, most trusted ally, and almost a polar opposite of his lord. Kojuro is always at Masamune's side and is fiercely loyal. He is sometimes compared to a yakuza due to his fierce loyalty and his values of loyalty and honor above all else.
Kojuro is a serious and relatively calm person. He concerns himself with the well being of the troops as well as Oshu, their home, while Masamune generally does not. Kojuro prefers to think things through, considering all possibilities and consequences, then presenting the information to Masamune. He does his best to keep Masamune thinking logically, though this doesn't always work due to Masamune's rather teenage-like personality. In the end, Kojuro always follows Masamune and is always by his side.
Kojuro, however, does not follow Masamune blindly. Kojuro chides Masamune for not always thinking things through and works his best to keep Masamune's fierce personality and rage in check. After their defeat against Mitsunari Ishida, Kojuro vowed to never allow Masamune to experience regret and even disobeyed Masamune once to stop him from doing something Kojuro knew he would regret. The defeat by Mitsunari holds heavily in Kojuro's heart, blaming himself for the loss.
Kojuro is extremely protective of Masamune and the Date troops. Kojuro lives to keep Masamune, his honor, and his troops well and safe. When several of Masamune's retainers and his six swords were taken, Kojuro completely loses his temper and goes to destroy the culprit, Hisahide, and retrieve Masamune's treasures. In short, dishonor Masamune and Kojuro will destroy you.
While Masamune is his lord, Kojuro and Masamune sometimes come across as siblings. The two are protective of one another and won't allow anything to happen to the other. When Masamune was thrown off a cliff, Kojuro dove after him to save him at any costs. When Kojuro attempted sepuku after defying Masamune's orders and dishonoring him, Masamune stops Kojuro and won't allow him to die. Despite injuries, Masamune also came to Kojuro's rescue when Kojuro went alone to retrieve Masamune's swords and retainers. They watch each others' backs in battle without question and rely on each others' strength. They also train together to improve one another's skills.
Despite is often polite speech, Kojuro also has somewhat of a sharp tongue. He insults the opposition when he believes they are not worthy of Masamune's time, often right in front of the opposition. He disrespects the opposition but holds allies in high regard (Yukimura and Sasuke seem to be the only exception, most likely due to Masamune's rivalry with Yukimura). Kojuro's sense of humor is rather poor but his sarcastic wit makes up for that. He also has a low level of patience for anyone other than Masamune. He sometimes refers to his patience sometimes as threads which snap when he loses patience for someone.
Kojuro's stance is strong and confident yet it doesn't go without humility. He bows with respect towards his lord and follows slightly behind him to the right (though in battle, he may shift to the left side due to being left-handed). While he can kneel and stay still, he has a tendency to shift his weight between his feet while standing.
During down time, when not serving by Masamune's side, Kojuro spends his time helping the people of Oshu. He can be rather personable and respectful. He also keeps a garden somewhere in Oshu and more than likely has a lot of domestic abilities, such as sewing and cooking.
? ABILITIES/POWERS: Kojuro is a highly trained samurai. He carries a traditional daisho pair: a katana and a wakizashi. He normally fights with his katana. Kojuro's swordplay skills are highly polished and sharp, not a bit of wasted energy. He generally fights in close range, though he is capable of sending lightning long distance. He is capable of using lightning in his attacks (both melee and long rangedt), much like his lord. Here's a list of his techniques in game. He is capable of keeping a level head in battle until he's pushed past his breaking point. Then he ruthlessly beats down his opponents with frightening power and accuracy. Several characters say Kojuro is actually stronger and much more skilled than Masamune and could easily overthrow him, but Kojuro has no intention of overthrowing his lord. The second game shows Kojuro sparring with Masamune, teaching him techniques and refining his skill.
Swordplay aside, Kojuro is an extremely brilliant strategist. He is capable of coming up with unusual battle strategy on the fly, right in the middle of battle. He considers many aspects of a situation rather quickly and offers possible solutions to his lord for evaluation. He also has a large network of unnamed sources. He is able to gather information of Yukimura's movement in SB3 while practically glued to Masamune's side.
Kojuro is also an excellent gardener. Rumor has it, he keeps a garden somewhere within Oshu. Undoubtedly he knows how to cook as well.
? TIME OF ARRIVAL: day
? MASK DESIGN: simple blue mask
? PLACE OF SOLACE: Masamune's castle in Oushu. It's where he feels most at home. More than likely his garden is within the castle walls.
SAMPLES
? FIRST PERSON: [written]
Such an unusual world this is, wearing masks by day and speaking no words by night. There appears to be no way in or out, a completely self-contained world. This book provides an unusual yet incredibly practical means of communicating. I could find many uses for it, but that's not my primary concern right now. I seek a man by the name of Date Masamune-sama, also known as the One-eyed Dragon of Oshu. If he is here, I wish to be in contact with him right away. It is highly important I do so.
I also seek whatever knowledge anyone has on this location. The name of this land, why the locals are so insistent we wear masks, the location of this land in relation to Japan. Any other important information would also be greatly appreciated. I have little to offer in return for information save that we may share information in return in the future. Thank you in advance for whatever information you may offer.
Signed,
Katakura Kojuro
? THIRD PERSON:
Kojuro awoke sharply in the morning. Something was wrong. This wasn't where he went to sleep. The sheets were white, the walls yellow.
Kojuro shot up, throwing the sheets aside unceremoniously. Noting his daisho pair set respectfully on the dresser nearby, he grabbed them, replacing them in their spot on his right hip, he crept towards the door, careful to not make a sound and alert whoever had abducted him.
Abducted. Could he really call it that? The abductor was hardly bright if such were the case. He'd left Kojuro with his swords, fully clothed, and unbound. Obviously this abductor didn't know who he was dealing with. The Dragon's Right Eye was a force to be reckoned with.
He pushed the door open slightly, peering around the corner for anyone in sight. Not a soul. No guards. No ninja. Nothing. What he did see, however, took the retainer by surprise. The world outside the door was the one which had haunted his dreams for the last few nights. Each night, he was whisked away to this world, his voice thieved from him. It was always night in this world. No battles filled the air, no sounds of celebration. The Date were a loud, rambunctious bunch. Such silence was unusual, especially after such a large victory with the battles at Sekigara only days ago. It was a great victory for the Date, a victory to redeem the humiliation of defeat, a victory to unite Japan, just as Masamune had always wanted.
This visit, daylight filled the world yet the sounds of victory and celebration were nowhere to be found. He pinched his arm believing he was still asleep but the sensation reaffirmed he was indeed awake. Hand poised over the hilt of his katana, Kojuro rounded the corner cautiously. There were no signs of danger whatsoever. Given no immediate danger, his next task was to find Masamune. His lord could get into a bit of trouble and it was his duty to make sure Masamune recovered from it. He had the strangest feeling his lord was here in this odd land. There was no way Kojuro would leave his lord's back unguarded.
Cautiously, he proceeded to find his lord in this odd dream world.
Extra samples
trial thread with Keiji
main thread in trial post
dear mun entry
? NAME: Sam
? LJ USERNAME: satrugha
? CONTACT (EMAIL, AIM, MSN, PLURK, ETC.): AIM: satrugha
? CURRENT MUSE LIST: n/a
CHARACTER
? NAME: Kojuro Katakura (western style)
? SERIES: Sengoku Basara (gameverse)
? HISTORY: At what time Kojuro became Masamune's head retainer is unknown (though history tells he was Masamune's caretaker and strategist first). He first appears in Sengoku Basara 2, following Masamune wherever he went. He served as Masamune's strategist. At some point, several of Masamune's retainers are kidnapped by Matsunaga Hisahide. Kojuro and Masamune arrive to rescue the retainers. Hisahide demands Masamune's six swords in return for releasing the retainers. Masamune concedes, despite Kojuro and the other retainers' protests, and hands over the swords. Pity Hisahide had no desire to keep his promise and blows up Masamune, throwing him off the cliff. Kojuro dives after his lord to protect him.
Kojuro rescues Masamune and Kojuro carries Masamune back to Oshu (after a bout with Yukimura) along with some of the Date soldiers. Kojuro vows he'll retrieve the swords and the retainers safely from Hisahide himself. Masamune doesn't want Kojuro to go alone but Kojuro commits a dishonor and turns his sword against his lord, telling Masamune he's too injured to continue and defeats Masamune, going on to retrieve his retainers and his swords.
In the final bout with Hisahide, Masamune arrives to fight alongside Kojuro and the two defeat Hisahide. When returning, Kojuro feels horribly guilty about turning his sword against Masamune and claims it a horrible dishonor, one he must commit seppuku to redeem himself. He tries to do so but Masamune won't let him and essentially wipes the dishonor clean.
Sometime later, the Date siege Osaka and are completely overpowered, leading to their defeat. Kojuro takes this defeat to his own honor, taking it upon himself to ensure Masamune never felt regret again.
After many battles, the Date align with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Eastern Army (history says that Kojuro convinced Masamune the alliance would be beneficial). Masamune eventually squares off with Mitsunari and defeats him but doesn't kill him, saying Mitsunari was just a stepping stone.
For reference, here are cutscenes from the games:
Sengoku Basara 2
Kojuro's Gaiden (english subs) 1/2
Kojuro's Gaiden (english subs) 2/2
Masamune's opening video (no subs, sorry)
Masamune's ending, no subs
Sengoku Basara 3
Masamune's story, opening, no subs (the defeat against Mitsunari)
Masamune's story (1/2) english subs
Masamune's story (2/2) english subs (up to 2:00)
? TIMELINE: End of Masamune's red path (ends at Sekigahara) in Sengoku Basara 3 Samurai Heroes
? PERSONALITY: Kojuro, also known as the Dragon's Right Eye, is Masamune's highly competent right hand man, retainer, strategist, most trusted ally, and almost a polar opposite of his lord. Kojuro is always at Masamune's side and is fiercely loyal. He is sometimes compared to a yakuza due to his fierce loyalty and his values of loyalty and honor above all else.
Kojuro is a serious and relatively calm person. He concerns himself with the well being of the troops as well as Oshu, their home, while Masamune generally does not. Kojuro prefers to think things through, considering all possibilities and consequences, then presenting the information to Masamune. He does his best to keep Masamune thinking logically, though this doesn't always work due to Masamune's rather teenage-like personality. In the end, Kojuro always follows Masamune and is always by his side.
Kojuro, however, does not follow Masamune blindly. Kojuro chides Masamune for not always thinking things through and works his best to keep Masamune's fierce personality and rage in check. After their defeat against Mitsunari Ishida, Kojuro vowed to never allow Masamune to experience regret and even disobeyed Masamune once to stop him from doing something Kojuro knew he would regret. The defeat by Mitsunari holds heavily in Kojuro's heart, blaming himself for the loss.
Kojuro is extremely protective of Masamune and the Date troops. Kojuro lives to keep Masamune, his honor, and his troops well and safe. When several of Masamune's retainers and his six swords were taken, Kojuro completely loses his temper and goes to destroy the culprit, Hisahide, and retrieve Masamune's treasures. In short, dishonor Masamune and Kojuro will destroy you.
While Masamune is his lord, Kojuro and Masamune sometimes come across as siblings. The two are protective of one another and won't allow anything to happen to the other. When Masamune was thrown off a cliff, Kojuro dove after him to save him at any costs. When Kojuro attempted sepuku after defying Masamune's orders and dishonoring him, Masamune stops Kojuro and won't allow him to die. Despite injuries, Masamune also came to Kojuro's rescue when Kojuro went alone to retrieve Masamune's swords and retainers. They watch each others' backs in battle without question and rely on each others' strength. They also train together to improve one another's skills.
Despite is often polite speech, Kojuro also has somewhat of a sharp tongue. He insults the opposition when he believes they are not worthy of Masamune's time, often right in front of the opposition. He disrespects the opposition but holds allies in high regard (Yukimura and Sasuke seem to be the only exception, most likely due to Masamune's rivalry with Yukimura). Kojuro's sense of humor is rather poor but his sarcastic wit makes up for that. He also has a low level of patience for anyone other than Masamune. He sometimes refers to his patience sometimes as threads which snap when he loses patience for someone.
Kojuro's stance is strong and confident yet it doesn't go without humility. He bows with respect towards his lord and follows slightly behind him to the right (though in battle, he may shift to the left side due to being left-handed). While he can kneel and stay still, he has a tendency to shift his weight between his feet while standing.
During down time, when not serving by Masamune's side, Kojuro spends his time helping the people of Oshu. He can be rather personable and respectful. He also keeps a garden somewhere in Oshu and more than likely has a lot of domestic abilities, such as sewing and cooking.
? ABILITIES/POWERS: Kojuro is a highly trained samurai. He carries a traditional daisho pair: a katana and a wakizashi. He normally fights with his katana. Kojuro's swordplay skills are highly polished and sharp, not a bit of wasted energy. He generally fights in close range, though he is capable of sending lightning long distance. He is capable of using lightning in his attacks (both melee and long rangedt), much like his lord. Here's a list of his techniques in game. He is capable of keeping a level head in battle until he's pushed past his breaking point. Then he ruthlessly beats down his opponents with frightening power and accuracy. Several characters say Kojuro is actually stronger and much more skilled than Masamune and could easily overthrow him, but Kojuro has no intention of overthrowing his lord. The second game shows Kojuro sparring with Masamune, teaching him techniques and refining his skill.
Swordplay aside, Kojuro is an extremely brilliant strategist. He is capable of coming up with unusual battle strategy on the fly, right in the middle of battle. He considers many aspects of a situation rather quickly and offers possible solutions to his lord for evaluation. He also has a large network of unnamed sources. He is able to gather information of Yukimura's movement in SB3 while practically glued to Masamune's side.
Kojuro is also an excellent gardener. Rumor has it, he keeps a garden somewhere within Oshu. Undoubtedly he knows how to cook as well.
? TIME OF ARRIVAL: day
? MASK DESIGN: simple blue mask
? PLACE OF SOLACE: Masamune's castle in Oushu. It's where he feels most at home. More than likely his garden is within the castle walls.
SAMPLES
? FIRST PERSON: [written]
Such an unusual world this is, wearing masks by day and speaking no words by night. There appears to be no way in or out, a completely self-contained world. This book provides an unusual yet incredibly practical means of communicating. I could find many uses for it, but that's not my primary concern right now. I seek a man by the name of Date Masamune-sama, also known as the One-eyed Dragon of Oshu. If he is here, I wish to be in contact with him right away. It is highly important I do so.
I also seek whatever knowledge anyone has on this location. The name of this land, why the locals are so insistent we wear masks, the location of this land in relation to Japan. Any other important information would also be greatly appreciated. I have little to offer in return for information save that we may share information in return in the future. Thank you in advance for whatever information you may offer.
Signed,
Katakura Kojuro
? THIRD PERSON:
Kojuro awoke sharply in the morning. Something was wrong. This wasn't where he went to sleep. The sheets were white, the walls yellow.
Kojuro shot up, throwing the sheets aside unceremoniously. Noting his daisho pair set respectfully on the dresser nearby, he grabbed them, replacing them in their spot on his right hip, he crept towards the door, careful to not make a sound and alert whoever had abducted him.
Abducted. Could he really call it that? The abductor was hardly bright if such were the case. He'd left Kojuro with his swords, fully clothed, and unbound. Obviously this abductor didn't know who he was dealing with. The Dragon's Right Eye was a force to be reckoned with.
He pushed the door open slightly, peering around the corner for anyone in sight. Not a soul. No guards. No ninja. Nothing. What he did see, however, took the retainer by surprise. The world outside the door was the one which had haunted his dreams for the last few nights. Each night, he was whisked away to this world, his voice thieved from him. It was always night in this world. No battles filled the air, no sounds of celebration. The Date were a loud, rambunctious bunch. Such silence was unusual, especially after such a large victory with the battles at Sekigara only days ago. It was a great victory for the Date, a victory to redeem the humiliation of defeat, a victory to unite Japan, just as Masamune had always wanted.
This visit, daylight filled the world yet the sounds of victory and celebration were nowhere to be found. He pinched his arm believing he was still asleep but the sensation reaffirmed he was indeed awake. Hand poised over the hilt of his katana, Kojuro rounded the corner cautiously. There were no signs of danger whatsoever. Given no immediate danger, his next task was to find Masamune. His lord could get into a bit of trouble and it was his duty to make sure Masamune recovered from it. He had the strangest feeling his lord was here in this odd land. There was no way Kojuro would leave his lord's back unguarded.
Cautiously, he proceeded to find his lord in this odd dream world.
Extra samples
trial thread with Keiji
main thread in trial post
dear mun entry