Post by japan on May 8, 2013 20:37:40 GMT -5
The Character
Country Name: 日本国/ Nihon-koku / Nihon / Japan
Human Name: Honda, Kiku
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Physical Age: Early to mid-twenties, perhaps 23?
Height: 165 cm / 5’4’’
Weight: 53.1kg / 117lbs
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Medium/Dark Brown
Build: Small, lean frame, muscle being discreetly toned from years of martial arts and swordsmanship.
Personality: Many people often don’t know precisely how to act around Honda, who’s general reserved nature (some might even say aloof) makes him a bit of an enigma to those around him. Though Honda considers himself to a relatively expressive person (according to his standards, anyway), others can (and often do) find it difficult to figure out what he’s thinking. Not surprisingly, this can create a plethora of misunderstandings ranging from the relatively simple to the just plain absurd.
Beyond the mystery aspect, Honda views himself as a rather uncomplicated person. He loves peace and quiet, and enjoys nothing more than a relaxing afternoon in his garden with a cup of tea and his faithful pets. Even rituals outsiders view as complicated, such as the tea ceremony, Honda finds to be calming and relaxing. Since moments of calm and peace appear to be harder and harder to find as the world progresses, any bit of relaxation he can get, for however brief a time, is very much welcomed.
He is as steeped in tradition as his mainland counterparts, and as such prizes values such as honor and loyalty above all else. Honda is perfectly willing to do what is necessary in order to ensure his people’s safety and their future. While his methods may seem extreme (or just plain odd), Honda knows very well what he is doing both on and off the battlefield. Well-trained in a variety of martial arts as well as being a skilled swordsman, Honda is rarely without some means of self-defense. This has fostered a highly guarded attitude in Honda, keeping him on high alert at all times. (Proven by the fact that, even though he is now bound to neutrality, his beloved katana never strays far from his side.)
Relationships are extremely important to Honda, a fervent believer in the old adage, “The journey means more than the destination.” He highly values the thoughts and opinions of others, even to the point where he keeps his own quiet. Honda has a deep loyalty to his friends (and to those he secretly views as family), perfectly willing to put himself in harm’s way to give them a fighting chance. However, seemingly contradictory to such a group-oriented thought process, Honda has little issue going it alone. Certainly he prefers working in teams, but he is confident that his own skill will not fail him should he find himself alone and confronted.
There is a side to Honda few have actually witnessed. A lingering bout of insanity, if you will, from the late 19th century up through the end of World War II. While he personally regrets his actions, he has a hard time coming to terms with and admitting his mistakes. This has made relations between many of his “siblings” tense and awkward at best, vicious and hostile at worst. Though he may privately admit that what he did was wrong, Honda feels there is no need to linger on past mistakes and prefers instead to move forward. (Something learned from America in after the war ended.)
Weapon: First and foremost, his beloved katana. It rarely strays from his side, and has been a loyal ally in battle. Honda is also quite skilled with firearms, though perhaps not as much as America. His impressive speed and stamina allow him to hold his own in unarmed combat as well.
Likes:
Peace and quiet. It’s always a good thing to get away from the fast pace of the modern world. Whether it’s a quiet afternoon at home with a cup of tea and his pets, or a visit to a local temple or shrine, Honda greatly appreciates any peace and quiet he can get.
Community Strength & Loyalty. A reoccurring theme in his culture is the strength of the group as compared to the individual. Honda is willing to give his all for the sake of the group.
Anime/Technology. Honda is a closet/not-so-closet otaku, preferring 2-D women to 3-D. Gaming is a beloved hobby of his, and he often views life as an RPG. He loves technology, and is constantly working to make his electronics as efficient as possible.
Sports (particularly baseball and soccer). Honda enjoys taking in a soccer match or a baseball game as many of his citizens do.
Other cultures. Honda has had a thing for learning as much as he can about other nations for quite some time. He greatly enjoys learning about everything from their histories and cultures to their economies and governments.
Animals. Honda has a soft spot for anything soft and fluffy, loving cats almost as much as Greece does. He currently owns a small dog by the name of Pochi and a cat by the name of Tama. (Honda was even in possession of a rabbit and a guinea pig at one point.)
Odd numbers. Call it silly superstition, but Honda has a strong preference for things in odd-number groupings—particularly in groups of 3, 5, or 7. Those numbers are considered lucky.
Dislikes:
Disrespect. Coming from a culture where respect is key, Honda detests even the idea of disrespecting anyone, especially a superior. In Kiku’s mind, even when one is disobeying a direct order, one must never come off as disrespectful.
North Korea.
Russia. …come to think of it, Japan has issues with almost all of his neighbors.
Being touched. While Honda’s personal space bubble is definitely smaller (and infinitely more flexiable) than those of Western nations, he does not like being touched without his permission. Even between friends, Honda tries to avoid physical contact whenever possible.
The numbers 4 and 9. 4 (shi) and 9 (ku) are considered unlucky numbers because their pronunciations sound eerily close to the Japanese words for “death” and “suffering”, respectively.
Strengths:
Group orientation.
Resourcefulness.
Strong work ethic.
Loyalty.
Determination.
Isolation.
Intelligence.
Adaptability.
Weaknesses:
Isolation.
Physically weak.
Slight mental instability (remnants from World War II insanity)
Slight (perceived) naivety when it comes to worldly affairs.
Slight sadistic streak (remnants from World War II insanity)
Love of cute and fluffy animals.
Sample Post:
Taken from an alternate history World War II RP where the Axis prevails. This particular piece is set during the Battle of Peleliu.
There was nothing quite like American ingenuity…or lack thereof. Japan smirked as the American troops continued to try to make their way through the island interior. They kept on even though they were obviously in a horrible situation: in a valley between two ridges full of Japanese soldiers. The island power couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit impressed at the Americans. Even when it was obvious that there was no way they could possibly come through without massive casualties (his troops were well-practiced in firing discipline), they kept on.
Dark eyes surveyed the on-going battle. The fighting had been going on non-stop since early the previous morning and showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. Not that Japan minded; his troops were dealing their foes massive casualties. They had even begun to pick of stretcher bearers just to bring in more Marines ripe for the slaughter.
A cruel smirk spread across the dark-haired nation’s face as one of his men landed a heavy blow, wiping out possibly half a dozen Americans. He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, congratulating him. The man offered a polite acceptance of the praise, his concentration hardly affected. Within seconds he was firing again, picking off more and more of the advancing Marines.
Something suddenly caught Japan’s eyes. Immediately returning his full attention to the chaos below, Japan searched the throngs for the face he was certain he had recognized.
There—!
America, as proud and arrogant as ever, was among his soldiers. The western power was busy fighting his way through onslaught after onslaught. With every Japanese that fell at the American nation’s hands, Japan felt himself growing angrier and angrier. Something had to be done about his fellow nation.
Did you read the rules?:
★Eyebrows
★Maple
★Knife
★Tomatoes
★Rose
★Freedom
The Player
Name: Nina
Timezone: GMT – Central (U.S.A)
