Character Survey of Doom (WIP)

[wavesoakedlegs]

Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Mitsuhide is officially 175cm tall (around 5'7") according to KOEI.

2. How old is he?
27 as per the 'canon' age given to him, he starts at this in all current games with the canon point used for this account.

3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?

4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?

5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?

6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?

7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Mitsuhide has unusually pale skin, a trait noted in the games on a somewhat frequent basis; he would probably get sunburnt easily on bright, warm days. It's mostly clear on his face, but he does have notable dark circles under his eyes (suggesting he does not, perhaps, get enough sleep, which isn't surprising).

His body has many scars all over it, however, as one might expect from a seasoned warrior.

8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Mitsuhide's hair is his most notable feature, subject to many comments in the game! It's poker straight, rather soft and silky, very long (reaching right down to the top of his thighs) and pure black in colour.

9. What color are his eyes?
A dark shade of brown.

10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?

11. What are his chief tension centers?

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?
Almost one hundred percent traditional Japanese. Kosode, yukata, hakama and, on occasion, sleeveless jackets (known properly as kataginu). He also has a long cloak for travelling in, which covers him neck to foot.

Colourwise, Mitsuhide is shown to favour white, black and shades of purple, with the occasional bit of blue. He does not really like to make himself stand out.

13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?

14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?

15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
None of these! He wears the traditional type of Japanese underwear known as fundoshi.



Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?

2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?

3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?

4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
His mother tongue is Japanese, so obviously he speaks that perfectly. As a scholar and also as a man who served a Lord very interested in dealing with non-Japanese traders, it's likely he knows something of the major Chinese languages at the time along with a tiny amount of Portugese.

5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?

6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?

7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?



Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?

2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?

3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
Oh boy, is he ever an idealist. Mitsuhide fights and works with his vision of a peaceful, compassionate land in mind, and tries above all else to do this in the least harmful way he can manage. Sacrificing innocents to reach this end is something he could not and would not ever be able to understand (this is one of the major reasons he comes into conflict with Nobunaga).

One of the key facets of Mitsuhide's personality, and probably the most important one overall, is the fact that he is very much a man of emotion. This affects his thought processes pretty much all the time, whether he realises it or not. Even when he makes a concentrated effort to think things through in a logical manner, you can bet that his feelings regarding something or other related to it are going to affect him in one way or another.

4. What kind of education has the character had?

5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?

6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?

7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?

8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?

9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?

10. Which is his default: fight or flight?

11. Describe the character's sense of humour. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humour? Bathroom humour? Pranks?
Gallows and bathroom humour are definitely on the 'not at all funny' list for Mitsuhide. He doesn't like any kind of 'crude' humour in general and is way too gentle-hearted and sensitive to deal with its darker side.

As a person who loves the written word, he probably enjoys a good pun! He's not beyond the more harmless joke or prank, either, provided they aren't too embarrassing for the 'victim' to deal with. Mitsuhide is very easily embarrassed and likely to grow somewhat angry if he becomes too much so.

12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?

13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
An absolute ton are applicable here; one might say that every battle in his story mode contributes to his characterisation and development.

The two key battles we see in canon that make an impact on Mitsuhide are, of course, the battles of Honnouji and Yamazaki. In the first he rebels against and kills his Lord, Nobunaga, in order to defend the innocents he believes are being harmed by Nobunaga's reign, and also to defend his dearest friend Motochika. In the second he fights and loses to Hideyoshi, losing Motochika in the process as well.

These two events both cause Mitsuhide a great deal of pain, guilt and grief; his self-esteem is almost wiped out, and his emotional nature affected deeply enough to cause him to withdraw from the world. It should be noted, however, that Honnouji also reflects the strength that Mitsuhide possesses, and the courage he had. Gathering these to go against the samurai's code and follow his moral code instead of blindly obeying Nobunaga hurt him deeply, but he did it nonetheless.

Though he comes from before Sekigahara, it should be worth noting that the battle shows what he becomes in time, and thus demonstrates the effects of his past on him long-term. Though he feels unworthy still, and says he has no name, Mitsuhide takes to the battlefield to help Ieyasu carry his burden and see the land united in peace. An encounter with Yoshihiro in this battle has Yoshihiro point out this strength Mitsuhide still possesses, and respects it without even knowing who he is. It's also worth mentioning throughout this battle, and in the ending that follows, that no further mention of Nobunaga is made while Motochika is mentioned often. He is, therefore, fully capable of moving on and learning to believe (even unconsciously) that is worthy of carrying on.

14. What does he fear?

15. What are his hopes or aspirations?

16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?



Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
All headcanon here; there's no canon to draw from, though a few historical ideas have contributed!

Mitsuhide inherited much of his mother's nature, which was nurtured by the close relationship they had as he grew up. She was a kind, gentle yet somewhat reserved woman who doted upon her son and did everything she could to ensure he would become a noble, moral man one day. Sadly she died when he was a teenager, but Mitsuhide has always kept her in his heart and reveres her greatly.

His relationship with his father was nowhere near as strong as the one with his mother. It was not bad, exactly, but remained very formal. The Akechi Lord had loved his wife, but the traits he loved in her were not ones he was really happy to see in his son, and so there was always a certain measure of the distance between them. Mitsuhide's father has also long passed on.

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?

5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?

6. Does he have other close friends?

7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?

8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?

9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?

10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?

11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?

12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?

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?

15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?

16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?

17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?



Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
KOEI messes with years, and even the historical Mitsuhide's birthdate is uncertain, so I can't work out his Chinese zodiac. By the headcanon birthday I gave him (23rd April), his Western zodiac sign is Taurus.

He fits partially; in some ways the sign is perfect for him, but in others? Completely awful. xD 'Inwardly reflective, kind and introverted' is good, but the materialistic and more coarse side of the sign is straight up wrong.

2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?

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?
Mitsuhide is a good man through and through, and an idealist. Everything he does is geared towards his desire to create a 'land of compassion,' one in which everyone can know peace and the innocent be protected, and as canon shows he is prepared to make great personal sacrifices in order to get closer to this goal.

That goodness, and desire to protect, ran alongside the code of the samurai for much of his life. Honour is something he valued, and still does; treachery is to be frowned upon. The fact that he became a traitor and dishonourable in the eyes of most of his countrymen makes it clear, however, that when his personal code and the samurai's code clash? His personal one will win out, eventually.

4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?

5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?



Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?

2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
Mitsuhide was a nobleman, and a samurai, right up until the point he lost the Battle of Yamazaki. After the battle he gave up all of his titles (as well as his own name) and isolated himself in a tiny hut in the middle of nowhere.

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?

4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?

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?

6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?

7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?



Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character?

1. Color? Various shades of purple and blue, plus white.
2. Smell?
3. Time of day? Dusk, dawn, perhaps midnight too (he has frequent lunar imagery associated with him).
4. Season?
5. Book?
6. Music?
7. Place?
8. Element? Under the Japanese elements (Godai), Wind.
9. Plant? Chinese bellflowers.
10. Animal? Cranes, falcons and white birds in general.



END
{{ Get the HTML here so you can do it yourself. }}