101 Questions You Should Be Able to Answer About Your Character Meme (In-progress)
1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname?
Nara Shikamaru. A couple people shorten it to Shika, but he doesn’t care enough to correct them unless he really dislikes the person (lookin’ at YOU, Oro B|). Temari calls him Lazyass.
2. How old are you? When is your birthday?
Sixteen in canon. He’s had a birthday pass in Facility, though. September 22nd.
3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic?
He was born in Konoha and still lives here. He’s very loyal to his village, but not the point of letting that loyalty blind him. His dedication goes first and foremost to the people in the village, not the village itself.
4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino. Shikaku is a jounin-level shinobi. Shikamaru and his dad are a lot alike, physically and personality-wise. Both are highly intelligent and easily pushed around by strong women, but Shikaku has the benefit of life-experience and has far better control over his emotions. Yoshino is a shinobi of chūnin rank, but she seems to operate mostly as a housewife. She’s strict and overbearing at times, the source of Shikamaru’s cynical view of women, but she cares deeply for the men in her life.
5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
No siblings, and no outstanding extended family have been mentioned.
6. What is your occupation?
He’s a shinobi of Konoha, chūnin rank. He’s qualified to lead his own team, but has mostly been shown working within the administration. He’s helped to organize the chūnin exams and acts as escort to Temari the Sand liason during political visits.
7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?
He’s a little under 5’6” and weighs about 118 lbs.
8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes?
Dark brown/black hair and dark eyes.
9. What is your race?
Uh… human? Whatever the generic race of everyone in Naruto would be considered to be?
10. To which social class do you belong?
Shinobi class? Aside from that, he’s from one of the founding clans of Konoha. Whether or not they’re particularly well off financially (I think they’re pretty comfortable if the shots we’ve seen of his home are any evidence), that’d put him in decent social standing.
11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others?
He doesn’t put much thought into it, but Shikamaru considers himself to be pretty plain-looking. Not that it matters. He blends into a crowd pretty easily and doesn’t have to worry about the fangirls chasing after him, so that’s perfectly alright with him.
As for other people? I guess some do. He’s got more of a boy-next-door thing going than the teen-idol-KYAAAH stuff that people like Neji and Sasuke have to deal with.
12. What is your style of dress?
Unlike most of his graduating class, Shikamaru actually wears the usual shinobi blacks and Konoha flak jacket. It’s practical, convenient, and easy to wear.
13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features?
In canon, his most outstanding physical trait is his ponytail and uneven hairline. He’s got the same sort of selection of minor scars that all shinobi have, but nothing outstanding. Other than that, pierced ears, and slightly droopy eyes, he’s physically pretty easy to forget.
Facility’s done a decent job of marking him up, though, and he’s still growing his hair back out from that cut Hidan gave him a few months ago. He’s got a scar over his heart from where Hidan stabbed him, and his back is covered in pretty severe whip marks courtesy of Madara.
14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
Nothing specific, but being an intellectual first and foremost he’s admittedly not quite as strong as the average shinobi. His strength and stamina could use some work.
15. Are you right- or left-handed?
Right.
16. What does your voice sound like?
Pffff, Like this. Also, check out who likes to sing about kitties. XD
17. What kind of vocabulary do you use?
Depends on who he’s talking to and what he’s talking about. He’s general laid back, speaking in a lazy drawl with common language, but that changes when situations become important/dangerous. While in strategy-mode he tends to be much more forward and commanding, speaking intelligently and precisely so as not to be misunderstood.
18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics.
1) That absurdly high IQ of his. It’s not always apparent, but it’s pretty ridiculous when he lets it show.
2) Naps. NAPS, MAAAAN. He takes them. A lot. They’re the best thing ever. |D
3) That cloud-watching thing. For a genius he sure spends a lot of time staring into space.
19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes?
No perfumes or colognes or anything, and he usually bathes every day. Now and then he gets a little lazy, though. XD
20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)?
Normally he just looks… tired. And maybe mildly irritated. XD
21. Do you use body language? How?
Not much. He’s usually found slouched and with his hands in his pockets, leaning against a wall or laying in the grass. It’s when you see him straighten up and start moving that you know shit’s going down.
22. Do you have a commonly used saying?
“Troublesome.”
CHILDHOOD
23. What is your earliest memory?
A blue sky.
24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it?
He went through normal academy training like every other shinobi of Konoha. Did a really good job of slacking off the entire time, too. The whole thing was too troublesome for him and, even though he could’ve easily been at the top of his class, he graduated with only slightly better grades than Naruto.
25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill?
From his formal education, mission experience, and natural ability.
26. How would you describe your childhood in general?
Pretty typical for a shinobi. Laid back and relatively pressure-free until his true talents were discovered.
27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A bump on a log. His official life plan (formulated at age twelve) was to scrape by as a shinobi until he was old enough to retire, at which point his children (a boy and a girl) would take care of him until he died in his sleep before his wife.
LOL SHIKA. LOL.
28. When and with whom was your first kiss?
My headcanon says Ino, and she kissed him. And then promptly slapped him and ran away. XD
29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
No, and uh… still working out my headcanon there, but for Facility purposes we can say Kouichi. Either way, Shikamaru doesn’t see losing your virginity as a very big deal.
30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you?
DEER JESUS Nope.
INFLUENCES
31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
Losing Asuma. That was a major turning point for him.
32. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Bringing down Hidan and avenging Asuma.
33. What is your greatest regret?
ASUMA. Jeez, focused, isn’t he?
34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you?
FRIGGIN’ LOSING ASUMA Dude, every time a girl takes a hit for him during a fight, whatever mancred he has left dies a little.
35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they?
He used to be really set of keeping information from the “future” secret, but most attempts at that have pretty much collapsed by now.
36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
It’s a matter of opinion, but probably when he murdered Hidan during a gold collar week. It wasn’t about saving or avenging anyone that time. That was cold-blooded vengeance against a (then) helpless foe.
37. When was the time you were the most frightened?
Actual fear instead of panicked guilt and anger? Probably during Hinamizawa week when he thought he was going to lose his arm to the rot.
38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where?
He’s been to some of the other countries on missions before.
Beliefs
39. What is your alignment?
Neutral Good.
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
He wishes he could be an optimist, but he relies too much on realism and logic for that.
41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why?
The existence of gods is proven in his canon, but he doesn't really follow a specific deity. More than anything, he believes in the "Will of Fire". That is to say, he believes in the strength of people, of his people specifically.
42. Do you believe in an afterlife?
Yes, but he's never actually put too much thought into it. That's far beyond his 200 steps ahead and not something worth worrying about. Once you're dead, whatever happens will happen.
43. What is your greatest fear?
Losing the people he loves and being unable to do anything about it.
44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why?
The easiest way to make him angry is to mess with the people he cares about and then he'll blow you up and drop you in a hole. Loss makes him sad, but that's often followed by guilt more than anything else. Happiness is a day spent lounging on a hill somewhere with friends. And maybe a game of shogi. Shikamaru's a simple guy in spite of everything going on in that head of his.
45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil?
Neither. People do what they do because of how they were raised and what they’ve experienced.
46. What are your views on politics? Religion? Sex?
Politics are annoying and troublesome, but something he has to deal with in order to accomplish his goals. He doesn't bother much with religion and doesn't really care what others do with it so long as they're not using it as an excuse to hurt others. He likes sex as much as the next hormonal teen-aged boy, but it's not something to lose your mind over. Enjoy it when you can get it, but don't be stupid about it or let it control you.
47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing?
Gambling is pointless, lying sometimes necessary, and theft should probably only happen when missions require it. Killing... is a weird topic, being a shinobi. He knows it's not a good thing and he'd prefer not to if it isn't necessary, but he's mostly desensitized to it. If it's for the greater good? He'll do it without any second thoughts.
48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs?
A lot of things aren't worth getting too riled up over, but the really important things? He'll defend them with his life.
49. How much do you value money?
Money is only as important as people make it, and Shikamaru's not particularly concerned.
50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
Harming or killing innocents. Especially children.
51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good?
Absolutely. Even in his cowardly days.
52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
No. Some people will mesh better than others and bonds can strengthen to that sort of level in time, but you don’t need fate backing you up to be happy.
53. Are you superstitious?
It's not superstition when it’s true. The shinobi world is a very spiritual place.
54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others?
Depends on those opinions. He might think your beliefs are stupid, but everyone has the right to their own so long as they don’t infringe on anyone else’s.
55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings?
He’ll be pretty straight up about the little things (to the point of rudeness sometimes), but the big stuff? Not very. He pretends not to care about a lot of things, but in reality he cares about far too much. And worries. A lot.
56. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
All kunoichi are troublesome until proven otherwise. Not less capable than him (heaven knows that’s not the case), just troublesome. -_-;
Dealing With Others
57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
Shikamaru holds a lot more people close than you'd think from his attitude. His family and his team and other friends, but Chouji tops the list. There's a select group of shinobi in Facility that have reached the same level, but Chouji's been his best friend and a constant presence for ten years. Losing him would be a worse blow than losing Asuma, and we all know Shika didn't take that one very well.
58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why?
Asuma, for being the first person to really see past his lazy attitude and push him to achieve his potential (even if it is troublesome). Hidan gets the title for most despised for killing Asuma... though in Facility Madara has pretty much joined Hidan at the top of the Shika-hate ladder.
59. Do you have a significant other? Who?
Akimichi Chouji.
60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend?
He's got a good amount of friends, though he's not particularly close with a lot of them. Chouji will always take the 'best friend' slot, though.
61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex?
He's generally neutral upon first meeting anyone unless something dumb/threatening enough to change his mind leaves your mouth, and even then it'll be his opinion of you that changes, not his opinion of your race/class/whatever.
62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?
For race and class, see above. As for sex... all females are automatically troublesome until proven otherwise. Shika can never seem to get along with them properly.
63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
Shikamaru doesn't think in those terms. He loves a lot of people (not that he'll come out and say it plainly), would die for a lot of people, but he doesnt count himself as having ever been "in love" in the traditional sense.
64. What do you look for in a potential lover?
Someone he doesn't have to think about. No complications, no drama. Someone he can just be with.
65. How close are you to your family?
He's as close to his parents as any teen-aged boy, but he doesn't have very much contact with his extended family.
66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children?
Somewhere inside he still wants that life plan he had at twelve, but he's come to terms with the fact that life can't always work out like you plan. Sometimes that's even for the better.
67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
Arguing is troublesome if it's not necessary, but he can't help but get in a jab now and then when dealing with certain people. All in good fun, of course.
68. Are you a listener or a talker?
He'd prefer peace and quiet, but it depends on the situation. He's got no problem with speaking up when he has to.
69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others?
Paranoid shinobi is paranoid. Trust comes easy in everyday situations, but the only people he truly trusts when the chips are down are his fellow shinobi. And not even all of them. He used to communicate much more openly with other groups within the Facility, but so much time here's closed him off significantly.
70. Do you hold grudges?
Only for the really big stuff. Like, say... murdering his sensei or teammates. That's a no-no, but little things aren't worth the energy they take to gripe over.
71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
Depends on the situation. Everyone's going out for a night on the town and can't decide where to go? Leave Shika out of your bickering. Planning on a dangerous mission across enemy lines for reasons highly classified? Shika probably started that discussion.
72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people?
See above. In most situations he'd prefer to linger in the back, but he'll jump right into things if it's called for.
73. How well do you express yourself?
If we're talking strategy, there's nothing he's better at. He'll lay down a complicated plan easy as anything so that even Naruto can understand, but try to get him talking about anything involving emotions and he's at a loss.
74. How quickly do you judge others?
He's pretty neutral towards everyone until they give him a reason to be otherwise, most most people get a pretty fair chance unless you show up with pre-established affiliations with anyone he already doesn't trust. Then you can consider yourself judged until you prove yourself properly. Itachi did it, so almost anyone can.
75. Do you care what others think of you?
No particularly, no. He is what he is, and if you've got a problem with it then stop being so troublesome and come out with it.
76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy?
Anyone who would or has harmed the people he cares for. In Facility that's any member of the Akatsuki (minus Itachi), with special emphasis on Hidan and Madara.