OOC: Character Survey Meme (99% complete)
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? No canon height given, but almost certainly no taller than 5'6". Let's say 5'5"-5'6". Which would've realistically been pretty tall for someone from the 1800s, but I don't think PMK went with historical accuracy in regards to height or in many other regards, lol. If they had, that would make Tetsu what, three feet tall? :P So I imagine Hijikata's probably about six feet, and Susumu looks to be at least half a foot shorter. He has quite a lean build, but he's not scrawny like Souji.
2. How old is he? No canon age explicitly given, but there are hints. Depending on whether you go with the anime or the manga, he's either the same age as Tetsu or 'almost as young' as him - I stick with the manga, so the latter. And Tetsu's 15 by East Asian age reckoning, i.e. 14 by Western reckoning, so that would most likely make Susumu 15 at the start of the series. Probably still 15 at the point I play him from; certainly no older than 16.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? He'll slouch if he's relaxed (or brooding) and he's not in the company of anyone he needs to look good for. Otherwise, good posture.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? Perfectly healthy, and very physically fit.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? He moves LIKE A NINJA. Stealthy and fluid and graceful and purposeful.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He's not your typical anime/manga prettyboy, but he's certainly not unattractive. And he's quite indifferent about his appearance.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? Clear and pale.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. Black, straight, average thickness. Long in the back, shorter and spiky everywhere else. (It was in fashion in 19th century Japan, okay?) He ties the long part back about 90% of the time.
9. What color are his eyes? Extremely dark brown, almost black.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Very small eyebrows. A faint scar on the back of his left shoulder from a sword wound and, in Edensphere, a scar on his left collarbone from Zombie's shooting rampage.
11. What are his chief tension centers? His hands. He tends to clench them when he's tense. He can fake a calm expression/voice very well, most of the time, but his hands give him away unless he makes a conscious effort to keep them relaxed.
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? Traditional Japanese clothing. Fairly casual, but still tidy-looking - definitely not sloppy. No real colour preferences, but nothing too bright or flashy.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? They do (except for a few too-big mesh tops, lol), and he does.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? Pre-Edensphere, 'on the job' often meant 'disguised'. Which was very different, considering he disguised himself as a woman. Wigs and makeup and whatnot. Or it meant 'sneaking around on rooftops' which involved split-toed boots and a forehead protector and an absurdly long scarf. Oh, and mesh shirts. XD In Edensphere, hairdressing does not require a change of clothes.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Fundoshi.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? Mid-range, smooth... he's voiced by Takahiro Sakurai in Japanese and Chris Patton in English. So... he sounds like them. :P
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? Evenly, and at a moderate volume. It takes a lot to get him to raise his voice. In general he doesn't say much unless spoken to, but when he does he speaks easily enough.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? Kansai dialect of Japanese, rendered in the English dub as a southern accent. It isn't as thick of an accent as most of the people in Kyoto, where PMK takes place, though. He doesn't use many of the stereotypical colloquialisms that Kyoto's population does (like -han in place of -san in Japanese, or like y'all in English XD).
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? Fluent in Japanese. And English in Edensphere, but that goes without saying.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Dialects, absolutely. There's his normal voice, which would be the one most heard in Edensphere. It's used around people he's on casual terms/even standing with. There's his polite voice, where his accent almost vanishes and he gets very... well, polite... which he uses when speaking with superior officers. In Edensphere, Inara would've gotten this one, as would any clients he's not already acquainted with. And then there's the Sen voice, for use while crossdressing. He lays the accent on really thick with this one, and also SOUNDS LIKE A WOMAN.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He's a good impromptu speaker. Sen kind of has to be. XD
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He's generally articulate, unless something manages to get him really angry or upset.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? Very intelligent, both book-smart and street-smart.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He can think on his feet perfectly well when he needs to, but if he has time to deliberate, he prefers to take it.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? Leaning towards logical, although his intuition is generally quite good. Definitely more practical than idealistic.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Quite a good one, for someone from the 1800s, although probably not a formal one. He can read and write well, and is knowledgeable about any subject relevant to his ninja training. Like anatomy, and politics, and toxicology, and strategy, etc.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? He absolutely excels at disguising himself. And he'd like to be better at... everything else. :P
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? He comes across as very even-tempered, aloof, and stoic, mainly because he's good at suppressing his emotions. It takes a lot to get him to drop his guard and show any extremes of feeling... there's often a lot going on beneath the surface, though. He's quite driven and focused beneath the cool exterior, and throws himself into anything he's committed to.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Reasonably cautious. Sometimes mildly suspicious, if he believes he has reason to be.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? React, if only because he's used to receiving orders and following them. If there's no one telling him what to do, though, he'll act on his own when he knows he needs to.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? Fight, to a point - he has no issues with retreating if he's in over his head. His duty as a shinobi was primarily to get information safely back to his master, not to risk said information by getting caught up in unnecessary battles.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? His sense of humour manifests itself very rarely, but when it does it's usually in the form of teasing.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? He could probably be diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. And he doesn't need to deal with it; it's rather beneficial to his line of work. :P
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? The loss of his sister is the big one. And, after the point in canon I play him from, being selected by Matsumoto to receive medical training.
14. What does he fear? Failure. Not being good enough. Showing weakness.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? Pre-Edensphere, to serve the Shinsengumi well. In Edensphere, to stay alive long enough to figure out a way to get home safely, and then to do so and get back to serving the Shinsengumi well. XD.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? THAT HE IS SEN. Also, that he isn't nearly as emotionless as he acts.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. Non-existent. The implication seems to be that they're dead, or at least that they've been entirely out of the picture for a long time.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? I could probably write a small essay here, but I'll try to keep it to a paragraph. :P Susumu was raised and trained by his older sister Ayumu, and he always felt that she was by far the better ninja of the two of them, and that he wouldn't ever be good enough. Their relationship was never very sibling-like - there was no affection between them, and she even told him that she didn't think of him as a brother. Long story short, she lied. Susumu didn't realize how much she really cared about him until she took his place on a dangerous mission and died so that he could live, and he then felt like a failure as a brother for letting it happen and for never getting to know her as a sister. At the point I play him from, he's still trying to come to terms with her sacrifice, but sobbing about it and then beating the snot out of the man who ordered her death helped a little bit. XD
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? No other blood relatives.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? None.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Tetsu, although it takes a long time for Susumu to consider him a friend. They first met just after Tetsu became Hijikata's page, when the boy was eavesdropping on a confidential report and Susumu threw several kunai at him. In Edensphere, there really isn't anyone he thinks of as a good friend yet.
6. Does he have other close friends? Acquaintances and allies, but no other close friends.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? Fffft so much trouble. He is prickly. XD
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? Neither are important to him to begin with. It's only after losing the only member of his family that he realizes how important she was. Without any family, I guess it would have to be friends by default.
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? No.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? Crush? You've got to be kidding.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? The phrase 'romantic partner' is missing from his vocabulary, sorry.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? No children, and no desire for any.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? In canon, his rival was Akesato, an enemy kunoichi. In Edensphere, Lin fills that role rather nicely. XD
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? X - just not that interested.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? Indifferent. It's not the least bit important to him. Intimacy of any sort is something he avoids.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? Not very applicable - see above. And bedroom habits, seriously? He's 15, he shouldn't have had time to develop habits yet. :P
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? Let's see... if he was 15 in 1864, that would make him... a monkey? Which... well, parts of it fit, but just as many parts don't. About 50/50.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? He's familiar with the spiritual aspects of his society, but really doesn't give the subject much, if any, thought.
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? A shinobi's code is basically 'obey your master'. Which he does without question or hesitation. Being a member of the Shinsengumi puts him in a bit of an awkward spot though, as the Shinsengumi's laws are based on the samurai code, which can cause a conflict of interests. Hence his having to be told not to commit ritual suicide after botching a mission.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Largely indifferent.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? "Impossible... a foreign ninja?"
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Comfortable. He actually has a decent amount of money at his disposal in Edensphere, since he pays next to nothing for rent at the spa.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? Is ninja a social status? Let's just say working-class. :P
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? Pre-Edensphere, he lived in the Shinsengumi base. He was one of the privileged few to have his own room. In Edensphere, he has a room in the spa that he begrudgingly shares with his dog Taichou. It is always very clean and neatly organized.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Besides the basic necessities? Not much. Um. Books.
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? Simply put, he's a ninja because he comes from a ninja family, and it's what he's been trained all his life to be. He's good at it, although certainly not perfect, and he takes his work seriously; had he been raised differently, though, he probably wouldn't have chosen it. Later on in the manga, well after the point I play him from, he undergoes training to become the Shinsengumi's doctor, and finds much more fulfillment in that job. In Edensphere, hairdressing isn't anything he's passionate about, but he's good at it and content enough with it.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? He reads, and he trains, and in Edensphere he takes the dog for walks but that one's more out of necessity than anything else.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? He has a healthy appetite, although not an excessive one, and he isn't a picky eater at all. He doesn't always eat at regular times; he just eats whenever it's most convenient. If something's really bothering him though, he'll eat less or even skip meals, but alcohol isn't his thing (except for that one time after his sister's death) - he prefers tea. Like most Japanese, he's somewhat lactose intolerant.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Indigo
2. Smell? Rain, uncreatively enough
3. Time of day? Night
4. Season? Late autumn
5. Book?
6. Music?
7. Place? Rooftops
8. Substance? Steel
9. Plant? Red spider lily
10. Animal? Cat
END
{{ The Character Survey Meme. }}