Zodion Application
✖ PLAYER:
Name & LJ: Rift & shadowrift
Birthdate & Age: December 6th, 1986 & 24
Characters played in Zodion: Lelouch vi Britannia, Shirou Emiya
✖ CHARACTER:
Name: Minato Arisato
Canon: Shin Megami Tensei
PB/Image: Here.
Info links: Here.
Canon Point: Post The Journey
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Birthdate/Sign: March 5th/Pisces
Tattoo: Left Shoulder Blade
Suitability:
While Minato will technically be 18 when entering the game based upon when I've set his canon point and birth date, I'll do this section anyway since he's 17 through most of the canon (and my setting of his birthday was somewhat arbitrary and based on sign more than anything else, so I'd rather it not seem as if I've dodged this). During the events of the game itself, Minato often displays maturity beyond his years and goes through a great deal (including giving up his own life to basically prevent the end of the world). While never explicitly stated in canon, it's heavily implied that he culminates some of his Social Links with sex, so being placed in sexual situations would hardly be undue hardship he's unable to cope with. He's able to fend for himself, and has already gone through an extremely traumatic event in the past - the death of his parents in a car crash several years ago. Since then, he's more or less been on his own and had to take care of himself, which has lead to him being more than capable of handling himself in the situation Zodion would place him into.
Power:
Minato has the power to summon a persona, which is a reflection of his inner self. The power can be used by firing an Evoker at one's head (though the method differs in various games even in the same continuity, this is nonetheless the method used in Persona 3). Through the growth and development of one's Persona, a person's own strength changes to reflect that. Minato posses a rare ability known as Wild Card, which allows him to change his Persona at will - most are resigned to only a single persona. The power of Wild Card symbolizes the infinite possibilities available to the one who wields it.
The persona available to him in Zodion will be Messiah, usually considered to be his canonical endgame persona. Persona 3's Messiah reflects no actual figure, but is instead more of an embodiment of the concept common to numerous religions of a destined savior. The skill Messiah will retain is God Hand, which much like its name suggests is a very powerful punch.
Personality:
As Minato is a silent protagonist largely shaped in the game by the actions of the player, I'll be taking his personality from the most part from the manga while supplementing that to what extent I can with events and choices you're given in the game to establish and develop his personality.
At the beginning of his canon, Minato is something of a drifter, moving from place to place and rarely forming lasting attachments to others. When he first arrives at Tatsumi Port Island, he does so during the Dark Hour. He walks from the station to his assigned dorm without even realizing anything is unusual, despite all the inhabitants of the city being transmogrified into coffins. He's described by Pharos as someone who shuts himself off from the rest of the world, constantly wearing headphones and listening to music to "plug his ears and cover his eyes". Due to the traumatic loss of his parents when he was 7 years old, he's developed into a rather distant, and in some ways peculiar, young man.
He's described at one point by Junpei as "different", though despite being unusual he's nonetheless seen as "special". While a rather quite young and soft spoken teenager, he is able to bond and relate with the other people around him in surprisingly effective fashion. He does his best to support all the people around him in his various social links, ranging from being comforting when necessary to firm and strict if the situation calls for it. This is perhaps due to his ability to feel a great deal of empathy for others, relating their own experiences to his own or understanding their motivations better than others most. He adapts readily, though at all times is skilled at keeping a calm and level head. Even in extremely high pressure situations, such as the full moon event on board the monorail, he doesn't freeze up and give in to fear when others might and instead take actions... His intuition and instincts are also displayed to be quite impressive, such as during that very same incident where he fearlessly simply chooses to pull a lever to stop the runaway monorail. He relies on nothing more than a gut feeling, but acts all the same instead of hesitating. In that circumstance, doing anything was simply better than inaction, a fact that he's able to quickly surmise and act upon. This is likely due to what he's gone through in the past; after an event that took away those he cared about most in the world, he's grown more fearless as a result of having less to lose. Yet at the same time, through the development of his relationships with others and the strengthening of his social links, he comes into possession of a different kind of power entirely. His sense of detachment lessens over the course of the year as the people around him become truly important to him; people he'd be willing to give his own life for.
While at times appearing to be detached and uncaring, it's clear that he does care a great deal for those around him. Despite his initial hesitation to join SEES to battle Shadows, the factor that ultimately pushes him to join is the realization that one of his classmates and potential allies, Yukari, would have an easier time if he became a member of the group. Time and time again through the various trials he faces, he always chooses to help others however he can. This is best exemplified in his final sacrifice; when the world stands on the brink of destruction as Nyx descends to end the human race, he chooses to sacrifice himself by becoming a Seal to forever lock Nyx away and thus saves humanity. Despite the seemingly hopeless nature of the situation, he chooses to face Nyx on his own; an act that paves the way to give birth to that miracle. This is furthered by his own strong sense of responsibility. At numerous times throughout the story he's reminded of the contract he accepts at the beginning of the story; in it he merely agrees to take responsibility for whatever consequences his actions bring about.
Yet despite these positive qualities, at most times he seems somewhat adrift. It's difficult for others to get a grasp on him and what he's thinking, as he rarely speaks and when he does he doesn't tend to say very much. He's far from the most expressive of people, sometimes frustrating others by this lack of apparent emotion. He often comes across as tired and lackadaisical, often getting caught up in other people's problems and paces. He does so happily though, fine with getting involved and doing whatever other people want of him. The feeling of being relied upon is perhaps new to him, yet at the same time fulfilling. He enjoys being of help to other people in order to feel needed; like he's found a place in the world for himself. But while he often simply goes with the flow of things and does whatever people ask him to, he nonetheless can be very strong willed and stubborn when certain things matter to him. During the full moon event at the love hotel on Shirakawa Boulevard, he's able to shake himself free of the illusion cast upon him through sheer strength of will alone, even as outside forces try to influence him to give up the fight and simply give in to the situation.
While often time taking a supportive role to those around him, he's also very much a natural leader. He's chosen to be leader of the group early on mostly due to convenience more than anything else, but his skill is recognized as time goes on and he maintains the role. While the plans and operations are usually made by others, he is placed in charge of actually carrying them out. He has a sense of decisiveness that others lack; he's comfortably making difficult decisions. No other time is this more apparent than on December 31st, when he's faced with perhaps the most difficult decision he is faced with: whether to kill Ryoji to delay the Fall and erase their own memories of it so they can live on in blissful ignorance, or whether to spare him and face Nyx and the Fall head on. The decision is ultimately left to him by all the others, who defer to his judgement. Despite Ryoji urging him to end his life so that he can live comfortably for what time he has left, Minato chooses the more difficult path and spares him. He decides to face the future, whatever it may bring, rather than continuing to plug his ears and close his eyes. In a way, the emergence of Death is in part his responsibility both for bearing Death in himself for so long as well as defeating the various Shadows. Rather than taking the easy way out, he chooses to take responsibility for his actions, as he agreed to in the contract, and face Nyx despite being told numerous times that such a battle would be hopeless.
✖ SAMPLES:
"Zodion" First-Person Network Entry:
[ As the screen turns on, a blue haired young man's face appears staring at his device with a vacant expression. It seems clear that he's just arrived and knows little of the situation he finds himself, but he doesn't seem overly perturbed. After a strange few seconds of silence, he raises a hand and waves a bit awkwardly. ]
Hey. [ Have to start things off with a greeting, right? ] This letter is a joke, right...? [ He holds it up, glancing at it curiously again, before tucking it away in a pocket. As much as he doesn't want to believe it, it's the only clue he has. ]
I don't know where this is, but I'm not supposed to be here. [ Where is he supposed to be? It's all a bit of a blur, but the last thing he remembered was going to sleep. He wasn't supposed to wake up here. ] I have to do something really important... so I shouldn't be here. I need to return to where I belong.
[ That much he was sure of. So what else was there to say? ] Thanks for picking me and bringing me here, but I can't help you out. You got the wrong guy. [ He lets out a slight sigh of annoyance... or is he just stifling a yawn? It's kind of hard to tell, but looks more like the latter. ]
Where is this anyway? [ It finally occurs to him to ask, as he glances around his surroundings a bit curiously. ] It looks nice. [ Though at the same time... it feels strangely desolate as well. Though he refrains from pointing that out. ] It would probably make for a good tourist spot. Maybe I'll come back when I'm on vacation.
"Zodionlogs" Third-Person Prose Entry:
As Minato opened his eyes, he felt more rested than he had in a long, long time. He simply stared upward at the sky, perhaps a bit surprised at the mere sight of it. He lay there in place for a long while, perhaps not wanting to get up... before finally willing himself to rise to his feet. He dusted himself off a bit as he rose, glancing around curiously to take in the sights around him.
...this definitely wasn't anywhere he'd seen on Tatsumi Port Island. He let out another loud yawn as he stretched his arms a bit, immediately feeling a pang of hunger. It didn't look like there was anywhere nearby he could get a bite to eat though, sadly. Well, that probably wasn't the most important thing to do right now anyway... probably.
It looked like he was in some sort of temple, but he had no idea how he had arrived there. The last thing he remembered was closing his eyes on the roof of the school, one sunny in April... how he could have gotten here from there was beyond him. Unless... this was some sort of after life? No, that didn't make sense either. Well, whatever. There was no point in standing around wondering about it. Whatever was going on, he'd figure it out and deal with it as he always had... he and his friends anyway. Though at that thought, he paused and frowned slightly. What had become of his friends? Where they here too? No... he didn't see them anywhere. He'd been with Aigis as he fell asleep, but she wasn't here either.
So it was just him. He was alone. The thought was a bit disheartening, but it didn't dissuade him from what he felt he had to do. He'd been alone before... it wasn't anything foreign to him. He'd moved from place to place often enough, maybe this was just another move...
The only difference was this time he had no idea where he'd ended up. Glancing around again, this time he caught sight of the altar in the distance. That was as good a place to start as any... so he began to make his way towards it, hoping it might give him something. Anything.
Instead he was simply started as he felt a sudden sting on his back, his hand immediately moving to reach for it to feel what had happened. Had he been bitten? Had something attacked him? He wasn't sure, though the water arising up all around him definitely wasn't normal either. He braced himself for the worst, locking his knees as he took up a defensive stance in the middle of the mirror that had formed around him. His hand still covered the mark on his back... though as he moved it away cautiously his eyes widened as he caught sight of the newly formed tattoo gracing his left shoulder blade. ♓? He couldn't recognize the symbol or what it might mean, though he had the vague feeling he might have seen it before somewhere.
But why would he be marked? As he considered that, the mirror slowly began to dissipate once more, allowing him and unobstructed path to his original goal. Whatever the tattoo meant, for now he needed to reach that altar... and the box atop it. He'd figure out where to go from there...
Name & LJ: Rift & shadowrift
Birthdate & Age: December 6th, 1986 & 24
Characters played in Zodion: Lelouch vi Britannia, Shirou Emiya
✖ CHARACTER:
Name: Minato Arisato
Canon: Shin Megami Tensei
PB/Image: Here.
Info links: Here.
Canon Point: Post The Journey
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Birthdate/Sign: March 5th/Pisces
Tattoo: Left Shoulder Blade
Suitability:
While Minato will technically be 18 when entering the game based upon when I've set his canon point and birth date, I'll do this section anyway since he's 17 through most of the canon (and my setting of his birthday was somewhat arbitrary and based on sign more than anything else, so I'd rather it not seem as if I've dodged this). During the events of the game itself, Minato often displays maturity beyond his years and goes through a great deal (including giving up his own life to basically prevent the end of the world). While never explicitly stated in canon, it's heavily implied that he culminates some of his Social Links with sex, so being placed in sexual situations would hardly be undue hardship he's unable to cope with. He's able to fend for himself, and has already gone through an extremely traumatic event in the past - the death of his parents in a car crash several years ago. Since then, he's more or less been on his own and had to take care of himself, which has lead to him being more than capable of handling himself in the situation Zodion would place him into.
Power:
Minato has the power to summon a persona, which is a reflection of his inner self. The power can be used by firing an Evoker at one's head (though the method differs in various games even in the same continuity, this is nonetheless the method used in Persona 3). Through the growth and development of one's Persona, a person's own strength changes to reflect that. Minato posses a rare ability known as Wild Card, which allows him to change his Persona at will - most are resigned to only a single persona. The power of Wild Card symbolizes the infinite possibilities available to the one who wields it.
The persona available to him in Zodion will be Messiah, usually considered to be his canonical endgame persona. Persona 3's Messiah reflects no actual figure, but is instead more of an embodiment of the concept common to numerous religions of a destined savior. The skill Messiah will retain is God Hand, which much like its name suggests is a very powerful punch.
Personality:
As Minato is a silent protagonist largely shaped in the game by the actions of the player, I'll be taking his personality from the most part from the manga while supplementing that to what extent I can with events and choices you're given in the game to establish and develop his personality.
At the beginning of his canon, Minato is something of a drifter, moving from place to place and rarely forming lasting attachments to others. When he first arrives at Tatsumi Port Island, he does so during the Dark Hour. He walks from the station to his assigned dorm without even realizing anything is unusual, despite all the inhabitants of the city being transmogrified into coffins. He's described by Pharos as someone who shuts himself off from the rest of the world, constantly wearing headphones and listening to music to "plug his ears and cover his eyes". Due to the traumatic loss of his parents when he was 7 years old, he's developed into a rather distant, and in some ways peculiar, young man.
He's described at one point by Junpei as "different", though despite being unusual he's nonetheless seen as "special". While a rather quite young and soft spoken teenager, he is able to bond and relate with the other people around him in surprisingly effective fashion. He does his best to support all the people around him in his various social links, ranging from being comforting when necessary to firm and strict if the situation calls for it. This is perhaps due to his ability to feel a great deal of empathy for others, relating their own experiences to his own or understanding their motivations better than others most. He adapts readily, though at all times is skilled at keeping a calm and level head. Even in extremely high pressure situations, such as the full moon event on board the monorail, he doesn't freeze up and give in to fear when others might and instead take actions... His intuition and instincts are also displayed to be quite impressive, such as during that very same incident where he fearlessly simply chooses to pull a lever to stop the runaway monorail. He relies on nothing more than a gut feeling, but acts all the same instead of hesitating. In that circumstance, doing anything was simply better than inaction, a fact that he's able to quickly surmise and act upon. This is likely due to what he's gone through in the past; after an event that took away those he cared about most in the world, he's grown more fearless as a result of having less to lose. Yet at the same time, through the development of his relationships with others and the strengthening of his social links, he comes into possession of a different kind of power entirely. His sense of detachment lessens over the course of the year as the people around him become truly important to him; people he'd be willing to give his own life for.
While at times appearing to be detached and uncaring, it's clear that he does care a great deal for those around him. Despite his initial hesitation to join SEES to battle Shadows, the factor that ultimately pushes him to join is the realization that one of his classmates and potential allies, Yukari, would have an easier time if he became a member of the group. Time and time again through the various trials he faces, he always chooses to help others however he can. This is best exemplified in his final sacrifice; when the world stands on the brink of destruction as Nyx descends to end the human race, he chooses to sacrifice himself by becoming a Seal to forever lock Nyx away and thus saves humanity. Despite the seemingly hopeless nature of the situation, he chooses to face Nyx on his own; an act that paves the way to give birth to that miracle. This is furthered by his own strong sense of responsibility. At numerous times throughout the story he's reminded of the contract he accepts at the beginning of the story; in it he merely agrees to take responsibility for whatever consequences his actions bring about.
Yet despite these positive qualities, at most times he seems somewhat adrift. It's difficult for others to get a grasp on him and what he's thinking, as he rarely speaks and when he does he doesn't tend to say very much. He's far from the most expressive of people, sometimes frustrating others by this lack of apparent emotion. He often comes across as tired and lackadaisical, often getting caught up in other people's problems and paces. He does so happily though, fine with getting involved and doing whatever other people want of him. The feeling of being relied upon is perhaps new to him, yet at the same time fulfilling. He enjoys being of help to other people in order to feel needed; like he's found a place in the world for himself. But while he often simply goes with the flow of things and does whatever people ask him to, he nonetheless can be very strong willed and stubborn when certain things matter to him. During the full moon event at the love hotel on Shirakawa Boulevard, he's able to shake himself free of the illusion cast upon him through sheer strength of will alone, even as outside forces try to influence him to give up the fight and simply give in to the situation.
While often time taking a supportive role to those around him, he's also very much a natural leader. He's chosen to be leader of the group early on mostly due to convenience more than anything else, but his skill is recognized as time goes on and he maintains the role. While the plans and operations are usually made by others, he is placed in charge of actually carrying them out. He has a sense of decisiveness that others lack; he's comfortably making difficult decisions. No other time is this more apparent than on December 31st, when he's faced with perhaps the most difficult decision he is faced with: whether to kill Ryoji to delay the Fall and erase their own memories of it so they can live on in blissful ignorance, or whether to spare him and face Nyx and the Fall head on. The decision is ultimately left to him by all the others, who defer to his judgement. Despite Ryoji urging him to end his life so that he can live comfortably for what time he has left, Minato chooses the more difficult path and spares him. He decides to face the future, whatever it may bring, rather than continuing to plug his ears and close his eyes. In a way, the emergence of Death is in part his responsibility both for bearing Death in himself for so long as well as defeating the various Shadows. Rather than taking the easy way out, he chooses to take responsibility for his actions, as he agreed to in the contract, and face Nyx despite being told numerous times that such a battle would be hopeless.
✖ SAMPLES:
"Zodion" First-Person Network Entry:
[ As the screen turns on, a blue haired young man's face appears staring at his device with a vacant expression. It seems clear that he's just arrived and knows little of the situation he finds himself, but he doesn't seem overly perturbed. After a strange few seconds of silence, he raises a hand and waves a bit awkwardly. ]
Hey. [ Have to start things off with a greeting, right? ] This letter is a joke, right...? [ He holds it up, glancing at it curiously again, before tucking it away in a pocket. As much as he doesn't want to believe it, it's the only clue he has. ]
I don't know where this is, but I'm not supposed to be here. [ Where is he supposed to be? It's all a bit of a blur, but the last thing he remembered was going to sleep. He wasn't supposed to wake up here. ] I have to do something really important... so I shouldn't be here. I need to return to where I belong.
[ That much he was sure of. So what else was there to say? ] Thanks for picking me and bringing me here, but I can't help you out. You got the wrong guy. [ He lets out a slight sigh of annoyance... or is he just stifling a yawn? It's kind of hard to tell, but looks more like the latter. ]
Where is this anyway? [ It finally occurs to him to ask, as he glances around his surroundings a bit curiously. ] It looks nice. [ Though at the same time... it feels strangely desolate as well. Though he refrains from pointing that out. ] It would probably make for a good tourist spot. Maybe I'll come back when I'm on vacation.
"Zodionlogs" Third-Person Prose Entry:
As Minato opened his eyes, he felt more rested than he had in a long, long time. He simply stared upward at the sky, perhaps a bit surprised at the mere sight of it. He lay there in place for a long while, perhaps not wanting to get up... before finally willing himself to rise to his feet. He dusted himself off a bit as he rose, glancing around curiously to take in the sights around him.
...this definitely wasn't anywhere he'd seen on Tatsumi Port Island. He let out another loud yawn as he stretched his arms a bit, immediately feeling a pang of hunger. It didn't look like there was anywhere nearby he could get a bite to eat though, sadly. Well, that probably wasn't the most important thing to do right now anyway... probably.
It looked like he was in some sort of temple, but he had no idea how he had arrived there. The last thing he remembered was closing his eyes on the roof of the school, one sunny in April... how he could have gotten here from there was beyond him. Unless... this was some sort of after life? No, that didn't make sense either. Well, whatever. There was no point in standing around wondering about it. Whatever was going on, he'd figure it out and deal with it as he always had... he and his friends anyway. Though at that thought, he paused and frowned slightly. What had become of his friends? Where they here too? No... he didn't see them anywhere. He'd been with Aigis as he fell asleep, but she wasn't here either.
So it was just him. He was alone. The thought was a bit disheartening, but it didn't dissuade him from what he felt he had to do. He'd been alone before... it wasn't anything foreign to him. He'd moved from place to place often enough, maybe this was just another move...
The only difference was this time he had no idea where he'd ended up. Glancing around again, this time he caught sight of the altar in the distance. That was as good a place to start as any... so he began to make his way towards it, hoping it might give him something. Anything.
Instead he was simply started as he felt a sudden sting on his back, his hand immediately moving to reach for it to feel what had happened. Had he been bitten? Had something attacked him? He wasn't sure, though the water arising up all around him definitely wasn't normal either. He braced himself for the worst, locking his knees as he took up a defensive stance in the middle of the mirror that had formed around him. His hand still covered the mark on his back... though as he moved it away cautiously his eyes widened as he caught sight of the newly formed tattoo gracing his left shoulder blade. ♓? He couldn't recognize the symbol or what it might mean, though he had the vague feeling he might have seen it before somewhere.
But why would he be marked? As he considered that, the mirror slowly began to dissipate once more, allowing him and unobstructed path to his original goal. Whatever the tattoo meant, for now he needed to reach that altar... and the box atop it. He'd figure out where to go from there...