OOC: Character Survey
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Even for a Japanese man living in the 1860s, Souji is fairly small. While he's not the smallest person in canon, he's still very slight and not particularly tall. Probably about 5'6" at a pure guess. You would not guess he was a swordsman by looking at him, since he really does not look very muscular at all. He's basically got a build you'd expect to see on an adolescent boy.
2. How old is he?
21, at the point I take him from.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
He's got very good posture, especially compared to quite a few other characters in the series. He carries himself well, and keeps proper posture when he's sitting.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He has tuberculous, and while at the point I take him from it mostly manifests itself as an occasional cough, it definitely has an impact on his health. He hasn't got the same stamina he would were he completely well, and later on in the series he's really quite ill. Four years from the point I take him from in canon, it will kill him.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Souji has an easy grace of movement about him most of the time, and when it turns to combat, it's a very deadly grace. He relies on his quickness in a fight because he doesn't have raw power to back him up.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
Souji is a very pretty man. There's really not enough masculinity there to consider him 'handsome,' and his feminine appearance gets commented on in canon. Souji himself doesn't seem to put any thought into his appearance (for example, the suggestion that he'd look less girly if he carried his swords on him off duty is met with his assertion that the swords get in the way when he plays tag, which seems to be more important to him than appearing masculine.)
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
He's got a very fair complexion, which could easily be a side-effect of his TB.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
It's a darkish purple. The front half is cut shorter, a little longer than chin length, while the back is waist-length, worn down and tied at the very bottom when off duty, worn tied into a high ponytail while working. His bangs are cut just above eye level, with the right side being a little uneven and swept off to the side while the left side hangs straight and is cut in a neat straight line.
9. What color are his eyes?
A slightly lighter shade of purple than his hair.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Nothing in particular, aside from his rather feminine appearance. He does blush a lot when something has pleased him.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
I would say around his eyes, if he has any. He's not tense very often, but the few times he is, he gets a kind of pained look to his face.
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?
He wears a very pale kimono (in the anime it's very light blue, and white in the manga) and either geta or sandals. Light colors like this aren't really traditionally male at all (those colors tend to be dark earth tones, with light colors reserved for women's clothing) but it's certainly male clothing. When it's cold, he has a dark colored haori he wears over it. There doesn't seem to be much variety, but given the time period, it's not surprising he doesn't have much of a wardrobe. When training in the dojo, he wears a pretty generic kendogi (white top, dark hakama).
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
Yes on both accounts.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
While he's on duty, he wears the standard Shinsengumi uniform, which consists of a blue and white haori over his kimono, along with black and white vertically striped hakama. There's a thick white cord that crosses in the front and then back over his head which is knotted in the back and ends in two tassels. He also wears a headband with a piece of armor in the center of it. A long and short sword are carried tucked through the obi.
This is also what he wears on patrol for the Watch in Soul Campaign, minus the weapons.
When he's off duty, he won't even carry his swords, wears his hair down, and tends to wear geta over regular sandals.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Historic Japan, so… fundoshi. I'm not sure what he'd choose, given a selection of western undergarments, to be honest.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
He's pretty feminine sounding most of the time (his Japanese VA is, in fact, a woman).
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He's not usually loud, although he can be very teasing and a little immature in tone sometimes. Definitely an easy talker. When he's being serious, there tends to be more gravity to his tone. He loses the teasing and the childishness and sounds a little more like the mature man he actually is.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
Souji more formal Japanese, which is something that's hard to replicate in English, and I can't really grasp well, knowing next-to-no Japanese myself. I usually try to replicate this by having him be very polite in his wording, although not archaic.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Fluent in Japanese only. He doesn't understand Sakamoto's random bad English at all.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
There is one point when he drops his polite Japanese. This is not a good time for anyone involved. Thankfully, I take him from before this point.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
I think he just says whatever he's thinking a lot of the time. His advice isn't always very good. He certainly considers things, but I don't think he necessarily does it before he starts talking. Unless it's one of his trolling attempts, which I'm pretty sure he plots out in advance, at least on some occasions.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
He's pretty eloquent, but not to the point where you'd be blown away by the profoundness of his words. They're just the thoughts and words of a guy who's really pretty damned smart, even if he pretends otherwise much of the time. He does have a way of saying things in just the right way to make a lasting impact on people, though.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Souji is very smart. It's not exactly a matter of book smarts or street smarts, exactly. He's a prodigy when it comes to swordsmanship, but his ability with the sword also seems to extend itself to his insight into other people. He seems silly and childish a lot of the time, but that's just surface appearances. Beneath that, he's always paying attention to what goes on around him.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
Souji simply reacts. This can be a good thing, and makes him an excellent swordsman, but is also deeply detrimental, in that he has a very hard time not simply reacting to situations, especially threatening ones. He's capable of more measured responses when the situations are more intellectual ones, but even when it's an emotional situation, he's sort of a shoot-from-the-hip sort.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
It's hard to say precisely what goes on in Souji's head, as it's glaringly obvious that the way he thinks is not the way most people do. He seems very intuitive--most of his personal interactions with people are directly related to him seeing some issue the person needs resolved, and stepping in as a sort of tool to help them find what they need to find, usually in some sort of emotional situation. And while Souji seems a very whimsical person, he's actually very practical. He's not idealistic himself, but he actively acts in such a way to create an idealistic reality for those around him. In a way, he spends a lot of his time trying to smooth everyone else's paths in life while internally being utterly pragmatic about where his own life is going (although this is not something he lets others see.)
4. What kind of education has the character had?
He probably really only has a basic formal education. He took up the sword at the age of nine, and his life has revolved around that from that point forward. That said, you would never think him the uneducated sort, as he has pretty refined manners, especially compared to some of his fellow Shinsengumi members.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
He's a master of the Tennen Rishen Ryu, and that is where his brilliance shows. He's one of the best swordsmen in the Shinsengumi, and was an instructor before the group formed and moved to Kyoto (despite the fact that he was still a teenager, at the time). He has lived and breathed the sword from the age of nine, and it will pretty much dominate the whole of his life.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Both, really. He's very outgoing, but you will not learn much of anything about him unless he wants you to, and most of the time, he doesn't want people to. His feelings are something he keeps for himself, despite his habit of nosing about in other people's affairs.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
If he's off-duty, most of the time he's very cheerful and easy-going, sometimes downright childish. He's more serious when he's working, and if he's actually engaged in a fight, well. He's something of a terror to behold. So while he does not have a temper in the traditional sense, his mood swings can be lightning quick and rather... disturbing when they happen.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Inwardly, he can be a little suspicious. But he usually treats new situations with interest and enthusiasm. Sometimes he can be taken off-guard, but he catches up pretty quickly.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
It depends on the situation, really. He's sort of reactionary, since his job usually depends on discovering some sort of unsavory activity. If it's a non-confrontational situation, he may plan and then act, as when he insinuates himself into other people's affairs in an attempt to help them out.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight, fight, fight. Souji does not know how to flee, which is not as much of an asset as one might think.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Quirky. He likes jokes, and he really likes to prank people either with words or actual physical pranks. He really likes to get reactions out of people he thinks could stand to lighten up a little. (Which makes it unsurprising that his two primary targets are Tatsunosuke and Hijikata.)
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
I don't really know if Souji's brand of crazy is really diagnosable. There's certainly something very wrong with him, though. He's emotionally stunted, and completely incapable of controlling himself in any physical confrontations, even if they are staged ones (ie: practice in the dojo.) He jokes to Tetsu that he's a dangerous guy, and it's true. If something sets him off, he's not even able to recognize someone as a friend. He may be a little sociopathic, although he is capable of feeling regret and guilt, to some extent, and definitely has compassion, if not precisely empathy. What's obvious is that there is the real Okita, and then there's the one he has constructed to interact with the world.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
His training is what has defined him. And there's certainly an event in his childhood that helped shape him to an extent, but he was a little weird even before then. He does what he does because it's what's expected of him, and because being a swordsman is all he knows.
14. What does he fear?
I think the prospect of dying certainly scares him, although it's not something he'd ever express to anyone. And it's not a fear of dying in battle--he's perfectly prepared for that. It's the fear of dying slowly, isolated from people he cares about. Which is what happens, more or less, unfortunately.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
I don't think he has many. He spends most of his time trying to help other people achieve their goals an aspirations, and seems perfectly content where he is.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
He's hiding his illness from everyone. He knows that if they know, he won't be able to help them anymore, and that he will more than likely be sent away. He wants to spare them the pain of his illness, especially Hijikata.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
His father died when he was very young, and he was largely raised by his two sisters, who were quite a bit older than he was. By the time he was nine, he was training in earnest at the Shieikan, which probably ended most of his family's direct intervention into his life.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
He has two older sisters, Mitsu (about ten years older) and Kin (about seven years older) as well as an elder brother who was adopted into the Okita family. He never really mentions his family, so it's hard to say what sort of relationship he really has with them.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
No, not really, on either account.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
Hijikata and Kondou are definitely a sort of family to him. His relations with them are somewhat different from everyone else, especially with Hijikata, who he likes to tease mercilessly, but also allows to see the 'real' side of him more than anyone else. They're technically his superiors in the Shinsengumi, but their interactions are often very casual.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
Saizou (his pet pig) aside, it's definitely Hijikata. Souji met him when they were both back in Edo, and Souji was quite young. Hijikata had a hand in shaping him, something that Hijikata feels guilt over.
6. Does he have other close friends?
He's got a certain bond with Tetsu, but it's basically because Souji sees a lot of Hijikata in Tetsu, which makes him want to help the kid out.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
He makes friends very easily, including with small children. It would be very hard not to get along with Souji, unless you just hated fun.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Friends, probably because they are his family, in essence. He's spent more time with some of these men than he has with his own blood relatives.
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?
Probably not. Of course, given the time-period, it's possible, and some of his interactions with Hijikata suggest a level of intimacy that goes a bit beyond that of a regular male friendship, but Souji is not exactly normal, and there's no definitive proof.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
If anyone, again, it would be Hijikata, but again, no definitive proof of anything.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
Souji's not really the romantic sort. There isn't time for that. Actual romance would also involve a level of emotional commitment I'm not entirely sure he's capable of, and if he was, it probably wouldn't be a normal or healthy thing.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
Nope.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
Other than the rebels he's supposed to be eliminating, no. Everyone loves Souji.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Ug. I dislike the Kinsey scale, so I'm going to skip it. I'd say he's probably largely functionally asexual, simply because I don't see sex as a big part of who he is as a person. That said, male/male relations between samurai are socially permissive for the time period, and he doesn't exactly have dealings with women (he doesn't seem to go along on the trips to the red light district), so if he was engaging in sexual relations, they'd probably be of the homosexual variety. Which still doesn't nail down actual orientation, but there you go.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
I don't think he thinks about it much, and it probably isn't important. I can see him finding the whole thing a little too messy for his tastes, honestly.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Everything about Souji is a weird habit, so it's hard to say. If he's doing anything with Hijikata, he probably loves teasing the man to death first. The messiness, as I said above, would probably be a bit of a turn-off.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? He doesn't have a canonical b-day, and history isn't sure what year he was born, let alone what day.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Neither, really, which is about par for his occupation. While he'd know Buddhism and Shinto, it's not an active part of his daily life, probably only coming up in certain prescribed situations.
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?
Noooot really. He's a good person, so far as his daily conduct goes, and as a samurai, there's the code of bushido to follow, but he does not blink at killing someone if the situation dictates it, and even has a certain nonchalant about it.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Depends. Clearly, he doesn't particularly care for the beliefs of his countrymen who have decided to pursue the anti-shogunate, expulsionist path. Otherwise, he seems to be pretty easygoing about things.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
If he has any, they don't really come into play. There's a general sense that the ronin coming into Kyoto from Choshuu are unrefined rabble, but what his personal views are outside of his professional obligations are hard to say. There is the general mindset that foreigners = bad, of course.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
He's taken care of. Probably better than he would have been back in Edo, as they are receiving pay for their services, along with the occasional bonus. (IIRC, his family lost their government stipend when his father died, or had it greatly reduced by the government, so he would have been trying to make a living as an instructor or something similar).
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
He's from a lower house samurai family, which lived in Edo until his father's death, and then apparently moved back to Hino. Even before his father's death, they wouldn't have been at all wealthy as by the 1840s the whole stipend system samurai relied upon to make a living was seriously breaking down. He ended up at Shieikan because his eldest sister was adopted into the Kondou family (in order to marry her own adopted brother... it's complicated.) He probably had slightly higher social status than some of the other students, but it wouldn't have amounted to much, really. Joining the ronin group that traveled to Kyoto and eventually became the Shinsengumi was a define step up, as it gave everyone in the group a master to serve under. For Souji, this probably didn't mean a whole lot, aside from being given a purpose and a steady paycheck.
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 shares quarters with the rest of the Shinsengumi. Realistically, I'd think he'd be sharing a room with other people (which would then be used as common space during the day) but PMK isn't entirely realistic, so he may have his own space. Either way, it's going to be neat and tidy, without much in the way of personal effects, which is pretty normal for the time period.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Souji has a horrible sweet tooth, so he certainly spends some of his money on that (when he isn't forcing Hijikata to pay for him). He might send a little of it back to his sisters, at least in theory.
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?
He is the Shinsengumi's first unit captain and an assistant to the vice-commander. Which basically consists of him leading his troop of men on patrols in Kyoto, trying to route out any rebel activity by the expulsionist faction. He sometimes sits in on talks with Kondou and Hijikata, but I think that's more them tolerating him hanging around than it is him offering any special advice or insight.
As an expert swordsman, it's an excellent job for him, one he is brutally efficient at. He seems to enjoy the work quite a bit.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
I don't know that he has much in the way of hobbies, per se, unless you count poking into other people's personal affairs a hobby. He spends most of his free time dorking around, playing with the village children, and making sure Hijikata doesn't starve/smoke/sleep himself to death, which is a full-time job in and of itself.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
He doesn't really like the taste of alcohol, so he doesn't drink. He really enjoys his sweets (he'll apparently stand in line to buy out his favorites at some of the shops in Kyoto), and probably has pretty normal eating habits otherwise.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? White
2. Smell? Cherry Blossoms and Sandalwood
3. Time of day? Early Morning
4. Season? Spring
5. Book? A certain haiku collection. >.>
6. Music?
7. Place?
8. Substance? Tea
9. Plant?
10. Animal? Cat
END
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