Character Survey
More Information Than You Will Ever Need To Know!
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? 5' at 90 lbs, the average size for a lean 12-year-old boy.
This, however, is subject to change. He's capable of reaching 12'-15' at 800+ lbs, and with this monstrous size comes monstrous deformation -- most notably a mountainous sloping of his upper back, protruding jaws and massive teeth fixed in a skull-like rictus.
2. How old is he? Not very. He looks about 12 or 13. Technically, he was created ten years ago by a pubescent girl, but between then and his current timeline, he remained in a "dormant" state for the better part of a decade.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? Fairly well? Kind of nonchalant: weight shifted onto one foot when standing, bat on his shoulder and a hand in his pocket. His head is often tilted at a downward angle, shading his eyes under his cap. It makes him look mysterious, quietly menacing and somewhat shy. Rarely does he slouch, except in Mayfield schools, where he's slouched over his desk half-asleep much of the time.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? As a human he's semi-athletic. He doesn't actively work out but he gets plenty of exercise swinging his bat around and occasionally running for his life from things. He could do with getting more sleep on a regular basis.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? Quiet and controlled. You're not likely to ever catch him flailing. On skates he can move quickly and fluidly with very little effort.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? Slugger doesn't really look in mirrors all that often. He knows he isn't particularly attractive but this doesn't concern him.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? Mixed. Hair is dark but skin is fair. Smooth, no scars.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. Thick. Brown. Sort of bushy/curly. If he were to remove his cap, it would probably look like an afro. Think Chiba, but probably a little flatter on top due to it being smashed into a cap most of the time.
9. What color are his eyes? At a distance they look brown. Up close they're hazel with flecks of madness yellow/gold.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Teeth and lips that appear to have outgrown the rest of his face. The TEETH, in particular -- though perfectly white and straight, they're a bit too long/big/sharp.
11. What are his chief tension centers? His hands: if there's nothing in his hands to squeeze when he's tense, he'll clench his fists. His jaw: prone to clenching, tooth grinding.
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? Whatever is considered casual for modern pre-teen males. Kind of sporty. Preferably long sleeves or hoodie. Socks are a must. He is always wearing his inline skates (when he has them), except when invited into someone's home as a guest, and he always wears a baseball cap festooned with buttons.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? He's much more comfortable in his own clothes than in Mayfield's.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? Same.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? I won't give away every secret. ;)
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? Moderately deep, adult-like. Without seeing him, he could easily pass for seventeen.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? Slugger is very soft-spoken but not in a timid way. His voice takes on a mischievous lilt when he's feeling playful, otherwise it verges on monotone.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? Aside from being a very soft speaker, he's a very terse speaker. He may speak choppily or use single-word responses. English is not his first language and the occasional mispronunciation does occur (though sometimes it's done on purpose).
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? English and Japanese. His minimalistic way of speaking emerges in both.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Rarely. If he's speaking with someone who uses Japanese terms, he's more likely to use them himself.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? Almost every word is carefully considered before it leaves his mouth.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He can be awkwardly inarticulate at times, especially when he's forced to discuss something that requires him to connect with and/or express (often uncomfortable) emotions.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? He's definitely clever and creative but there is plenty he still doesn't know about the world, its people, and how they work.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He does both, but considerably more of the latter now that he's in Mayfield.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? Intuitive; especially when it comes to picking up on other people's negativity.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Nothing formal. Possibly whatever his creator bestowed him with, though he probably manages to pick up some random things now and then that no ordinary junior-high school student should know.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? Learning about Mayfield (specifically, how to escape it) is an endeavor shared by pretty much everyone. He's also curious about other monsters and nonhuman entities like himself living in the town. Of course, there are admittedly interesting humans residing there as well.
Areas of expertise other than swinging a bat? Uh... He retains information pretty well. Fairly intuitive. Very observant.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Extremely introverted.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? Tends to be even-tempered, a little morose, a bit cheeky at times. He also has his moments of childishness and possesses a terrible temper if something should hit the right nerve and frustrate him. When enraged, he may have tantrums which may lead to the destruction of the immediate area. Fortunately, he doesn't stay angry for long and seems to "get over" most things in a short span of time.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Some balance point between cynicism and curiosity.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? Mostly react. He was created to react to the darkness and misery of humankind but there are times when he appears to take on the role of an instigator.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? It all depends on if he deems it necessary to fight an opponent and, if it so, whether he thinks he has a shot at winning the fight. A 'no' to either of these means he'll take evasive action.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? Slugger rarely laughs aloud but he most definitely has a sense of humor (usually at someone else's expense). Unsurprisingly, he's a fan of dark humor and potshots.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? Schizoid? Psychopathic? Schizophrenic? Some horrible mixture of all three?
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? I would say when he officially proved his power by killing Kozuka (his human doppelganger) whereupon he took the boy's physical appearance. Before that, his face was undefined and appeared as little more than a blur in the memories of his victims.
14. What does he fear? THE TRUTH. (See #16)
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? Possibly return back to his home in Tokyo where he'll continue to gain power by feeding off the fear and darkness of others.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? That he is an illusion.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents creator. Dubious. There are times when he appears to protect her, times when he attempts to beat her over the head, and yet other times when he just wants to say "Hi."
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
His Mayfield "family" is the only family Slugger has ever known. His "mother", Susan, is probably as close to him as he would allow any human to get. Slugger likes and gets along well with "great-grandfather", Death. He is least likely to trust his "father", Eddie, and remains a bit more uncompromising toward him.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? His bat?
6. Does he have other close friends? Enma Ai; Pokey Minch (when they aren't fighting); Parsee (friend with "benefits")
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? Who needs friends? Nobody needs friends. Get out. Obviously, friend-making is not something he is equipped to do.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? His bat.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Single and planning to stay that way.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? His bat.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? THE ONLY THING MONSTER CRUSHES IS SKULL.
While it is unlikely he would develop "feelings" of an almost human nature for certain females (that he would ever admit to having), ...it is not impossible.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? Severe depression, paranoia, or a desire to die painfully. Oh wait, he looks for those in everyone he encounters.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Canon enemies: Radar Man. Mayfield enemies and rivals: Tak and Pokey Minch.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? X
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? Unimportant. He finds it sort of disgusting like most other human functions.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? The only rousing bedroom experiences he's had involved splattering brain all over the bedroom floor/walls.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? He doesn't have one but if I had to choose, it would be Aquarius (based on the original release date of Paranoia Agent, which was February 2nd). According to the vast internets, Aquarius dislikes "intimacy, people who show off, being taken for granted, being pinned down"... Close enough.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? No, but he sort of thinks of himself as a god.
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 can be polite. Sometimes.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Depends on how much it affects him personally. If not at all, then mostly indifferent.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? Believes he is superior to humankind despite his dependence on them to exist. He's grown beyond their control and therefore outranks them.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? None (though he might have a meager one should he ever become a paperboy in Mayfield). He either doesn't need it or he has other people taking care of him.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? Loner. He's unwillingly made some attachments in Mayfield that have definitely left an impact on how he views people.
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? A cookie-cutter 50's two-story with his "family". He considers it a place to hide and sleep while he waits for this disease called "humaness" to wear off. In any other context, he has no physical home (unless you count Tsukiko's head.)
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Fuck money, he takes what he wants FREE OF CHARGE. Assuming he can get away with it... Slugger doesn't have much understanding when it comes to using money.
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? Professional skull-splitter. Of course he's good at it. Of course he enjoys it. And no, of course not.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? See above. Also, stalking. And collecting information about Mayfield.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? Eating is something he never used to do (unless it was for fun). He isn't excessively picky but his favorites tend to be of the sweet and sugary sort -- monkey bread, marshmallows, chocolates. He's also fond of eggnog.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Gold | Gold
2. Smell? Metal and smoke on a cold, misty night | FEAR
3. Time of day? Midnight | Midnight
4. Season? Summer | Fall
5. Book? ???? | ????
6. Music? Jack In The Fourth - Pillow | Big Brother - Susumu Hirasawa
7. Place? Empty street in Tokyo at midnight | Same
8. Substance? ???? | your brain matter when it SPRAYS OUT OF YOUR SKULL LIKE CONFETTI
9. Plant? Something hallucinogenic...?
10. Animal? Fox | Lizard (Cats??)
END
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