CANON UPDATE
Gakupo is now 22, so three years added to him, and in that time he has arisen to fame:
The disease that damaged his temporal lobes had spread too quickly for the doctors to stop in time to prevent serious damage, and attacked the part of his brain that stored memories, leaving him with partial amnesia. Things like his views on war or some of his childhood memories were lost or jumbled. He had to re-learn it all, although his father was reluctant to inform his son of his son's desire for pacifism. He left that up to his son to rediscover, and decided to continue with his Kendo practice, eventually leading up to the use of actual swords and introduced the very ancient concept of Bushido. His forefathers practiced it prior to their military careers, and naturally he would follow in their footsteps. He spent the rest of his youth in intense study of Bushido, most of those years with his father as his master, and one year on his own after his father's death. He still attended school as normal, but when he was not dealing with school activities, he was training.
Yet one thing could never be quenched within, and that was his love for music and dance, as well as peace. Outside the seriousness of sword training with his father and his new mentor, it was an outlet that allowed him to unwind. He did share his late father's belief that peace needed to be fought for, but he lost his own belief that one didn't need violence to fight for peace. Of course peaceful means towards peace were still necessary, but not an only solution. He did make it known that he did not want to continue on with a military career, but was willing to be astute when it came to Kendo and Bushido. He had never needed to use the skills he learned to fight, thankfully. Only in mock fights with his mentor.
Later on, an opportunity arose during a school event. A talent scout had a keen eye on the purple haired male during a stellar solo performance. There was the offer of a contract deal to make a few recordings and perform, but he would need a stage name. He chose 'Gakupo'. It will be the name he would answer to, as it is written on his contract.
Gakupo was making small tours in the vicinity of the area closest to his hometown, before branching out to larger venues and larger tours. His traditional songs mixed with modern instruments made him a sensation quite quickly. His fan base was not as large as other top name artists, but he was glad all the same that people enjoyed his music.
Personality:
Gakupo is polite with a light sense of humor, which can be taken the wrong way, depending on the situation or person. When with close friends or relatives he can be seen as having a playful nature. He is still inept when it comes to technology, which makes him embarrassed to admit so. He is proud of his talents, but doesn't like to flaunt them, but if challenged he will prove his skills. Proud, when concerning Gakupo, is just a way of saying he is sure of himself. He is not proud of his computer fail, and knows there are other flaws he needs to work on. Most of the time. Gakupo doesn't like making, or admitting, mistakes, but he will make amends to fix them. However, he isn't going to bend over backwards for someone to accept his apology. Some see such a personality trait as cocky. He sees it as doing what he can to make something right.
Fame did not make Gakupo obnoxious and spoiled as stardom did to most others, but he is a bit vain about his looks. His manager would have his head if she found even a lock of hair out of place or a small wrinkle in his clothing. Even as a celebrity, he is very humble and does not go out of his way to make others jealous, although he could certainly understand such a feeling. But jealousy is an ugly trait in a person that can make them do equally, or more, ugly things. Gakupo has become a bit wiser and more reserved when it comes to life and his emotions. His experiences with going through fame made him realize that the world was not as unselfish as he once believed, and people were capable of many things, including deceit. Tabloids could be thanked for that, and family members trying to cash in on his fame. He used to express himself freely, but he has toned down that side of him during his training. It is easy to tell that he is not like typical males when it comes to how he presents himself. The purple hair doesn't help matters.
He takes the code of the warrior seriously, and is often seen in acts of chivalry, no matter the cause. Help was given when necessary, and often times when a person may not want it. It's the code he was trained by, instilled into his being, and habits were hard to break. Gakupo was innately compassionate as well, so it wasn't as if such a personal code of conduct had to be drilled into his mind. He has a tendency to be selfless, which may or may not be healthy. He usually has good intentions, even though it may be Gakupo butting into someone else's business. Vandalizing property? He'll be there. Stealing from babies and old ladies? He'll be there. Swearing up a storm? Yes, he will be there, too. Those sorts of situations tend to irk him, as they go against what he was taught. But overall, he is generally cool headed and friendly.
There are a few unchanged personality traits:
He is still approachable and friendly. His love for dance, music, promoting positivity and peace/pacifism through such means will hold a large place in his heart. He continues to believe that peace can be achieved through them, and will support those who have similar ideals. Friendship will, of course, be just as important for him. He does give in to his urge to sing or dance at times when he feels restless. He may still open his mouth only to put his foot in it some
Gakupo will strictly uphold the Seven Virtues of Bushido.
No. 1
GI: this virtue is the ability to make a decision, respecting all equally.
No.2
YU: This Virtue is the ability to handle any situation.
No. 3
JIN: This Virtue is to prevent arrogance with in one's self.
No. 4
REI: This virtue is to have respect for all.
No. 5
MAKOTO: This virtue is the ability to do things to the best of our ability.
No. 6
MEIYO: This virtue is sought after, but only follows correct behaviour.
No. 7
CHUNGI: This virtue is the foundation of all the virtues, without dedication and loyalty to the task at hand, the desired outcome cannot be achieved.
He still abhors eggplants because his body reacts to it still. His fans love making fanart of him with the vegetable, but doesn't have the heart to tell them to stop.
New Skills:
He has mastered the sword, Miburi, passed down in his family from generation to generation. It produced a sound similar to the Glass Harp. When slashed at a precise angle it can create a ripple in the air, along with a ear piercing shrill, which his sensitive ears have become immune to. The shrill is known to throw his enemies off balance and allow for further attacks.
Gakupo will sometimes use his fan for fighting, not wanting to use his blade unless necessary. Using a fan, along with his hand-to-hand fighting, is how he would fight without a sword. Hand to hand combat is his weak area, but he was also trained to handle situations where he wouldn't always have a sword.
His agility, reflexes, and defensive skills are far better when compared to before. His Kendo practice made use of weights worn on his body, techniques to help improve reaction time and maneuverability, as well as applying these skills to the virtues of Bushido during the intensive training.
He can hold his liquor a bit better, but after five glasses of alcohol, he's pretty much wasted.
IC survey [re-done according to the canon update]
What do you prefer to be known as? Gakupo.
How old are you? I'm afraid I'm unable to disclose that.
Do you have any history in combat? I've only had sword training, but no actual combat experience.
If so, have you ever killed? I hope I do not have to.
i) How do you feel when you get involved in some project that calls for immediate and rapid activity? I'm quite sure I can handle it.
ii) Do you organize and initiate leisure activities? Of course! We all need to unwind, and the best way is in large groups.
iii) What role do you take when working in a group? Whatever role is given to me is fine, although I wouldn't mind taking the lead.
iv) How talkative are you around other people? Communication is key to most things in life, so perhaps I can be quite talkative.
v) What three things would you want to have with you on a desert island? State your reasoning. My notebook so I can write down lyrics, my shamisen to break the silence once in a while, and my father's sword. It's been entrusted to me, so I have to take care of it.
vi) Is it important to be liked by a wide range of people? It is just as important as not making many enemies.
vii) When the odds are against you, it is worth taking a chance? It really depends on the situation.
viii) Do you consider yourself to be an impulsive person? Sure. At times you just need to be that way to keep life interesting.
ix) Would you agree that planning things ahead takes the fun out of life? That isn't always true. Orchestras, plays, anything grand scale take hours of planning, and the end result is breathtaking.
x) Do you like surprises? Good ones, yes!
xi) Do you sometimes wonder if there is something wrong with you? Everyone has their own opinions, which is fine. I'm definitely not average!
xii) Do you consider yourself to be smarter than your superiors, and disagree with their decisions? No. We need our superiors to guide us, but they also need us to remain superiors. But if there was a disagreement, I would definitely speak up about it.
xiii) Lastly, how do you feel about cabbages? They aren't my favorite food...but tolerable.