Player: Ami Age: 28 Personal Journal:uwee_hee_hee Contact Info: Amidonuttyjoy at yahoo, AmiJoyDonut is my AIM, and then there's MechaPony! Other Characters:
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OFFLINE;
Offline Name: Kanji Tatsumi Age: 17 Canon: Persona 4: Golden, True Ending Location: Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Original History:His Wiki Entry! AU History: Similarly to his original history, Kanji was born to a happy, loving mother and father, where he was raised in a creative, mentally-fulfilling environment. For generations, the Tatsumi family has provided high-quality cloth to the locals, and if they don't have it, they can order it in through allied providers for a price that is typically waived for frequent customers.
But here in a world where technology is king and methods of convenience are always being sought, the Tatsumis weren't about to fall behind and have the business wiped out. Kanji's father was the one who designed and launched the Tatsumi Textiles website shortly after Virgin's Kiss in 2007 to jump quickly on the internet train now that it was available to the people again to immense success. Any in Japan could order textiles or even commission creations to be delivered by hand if within the area or through the mail if outside their reach. The family made quite the name for themselves in the prefecture, and though they would never be a household name outside of it - for textiles were a niche market - the family still lived comfortably and happily.
...Until Kanji's father died unexpectedly to heart complications. Things grew dark in the Tatsumi household, but both Kanji and his mother endured the best they could. Without a male role model, Kanji grew rebellious and damaged himself by bottling his grief, turning to fighting in the streets and becoming a pain in the ass for local authorities. He earned a reputation and a name for himself among it all, where the name 'Tatsumi' became synonymous with not only cloth, but of a boy just entering his teens who allegedly formed his own gang as he sought to drive everyone else out. The gang allegations were false, of course, but the problem still remained that he was a hellion. There isn't an officer in the local police department that doesn't know Kanji's name or his steadily-growing criminal record.
But Kanji wasn't without his escapes. Naoki Konishi, his friend since primary school, told him of The World, an MMO where you could be whatever you wanted, battling monsters and earning money, gear and prestige. Though not exactly a video gaming guy, if Naoki was into it, Kanji'd be into it. Besides, there honestly wasn't much to do in this little town unless you liked walks in the woods like he did.
On his first day logged in, Naoki was nowhere to be found. The body of his sister had been found strung up on the telephone poles. The murder was very soon all over the news, shaking up the small community, and Kanji's only friend withdrew from the real world. With no calls answered and no Naoki logging into The World, Kanji was at a loss. He had nobody left when he desperately needed some sort of distraction.
That's when he'd heard of the transfer student from Tokyo, living with his uncle in town while his parents were away. He was friends with a third-year from school, a boy who had unrequited feelings for Saki, a boy who wanted to find her killer and take him in. Kanji was questioned for his aggressive tendencies, but was reluctantly released when the murder couldn't be pinned on him. Because of the police's suspicion, the transfer student and his new friends turned to Kanji. The police have no leads, and the longer the case is open, the higher the chance that the killer could escape and disappear forever. This one group of high school students decided to take matters into their own hands to prevent another death, and Kanji decided to join them. If anything, it'd get the cops off his back. He didn't want a freaking murder pinned on him!
Over the course of a year, they searched for clues and gained new allies along the way, including a young detective called in to solve what was damn near unsolvable, more victims popping up and further panic building within Fuefuki. Through this unusual group, Kanji learned that it was safe to finally begin opening up, and finally stop to grieve for his father after going so long in blind anger and hurt. Previously constantly skipping school, he actually began attending again, boosting some of his academic smarts as well as his street smarts while snooping around town.
Down the line they found a valuable clue, leading to the arrest of one of Fuefuki's 'finest'. The police were stumped because the killer was a member of the force himself, eliminating evidence that would point in his direction. The man was quickly arrested, and now faces trial for his actions. The case was closed.
Now it was time for the transfer student to head home. He was the glue that held the group together, and after a solemn farewell, the rest of the group slowly began to dissolve. While some friendships remained, professional connections were severed, and Kanji trudged back to The World, logging in as often as he could but never leaving the root town. One day, Naoki would log back in and they could play together, or so he hoped. That, or he hoped he'd see one of his old teammates pop onto the network. He was just too damn shy to approach 'em directly and chat.
Thus began Kanji's triple life: A player in The World trying to figure out how to play a grappler; a street punk that only sought a fight with those who would disturb the peace (and continue to give the police a headache); and the heir to Tatsumi Textiles, secretly flexing his talent for handicrafting to help his mother fill and deliver orders to customers all over the region.
Appearance:As he is in both the games and anime. Personality: Kanji Tatsumi started out life as, as his mother puts it, a 'cute child'. With his artistic and creative mind, he loved to make things through his skills with sewing and kitting, always whipping up cute things like bunnies and bears. Kanji was also a rather quiet, shy child, only showing off his work to his parents and going out to play by himself. Though at the time he thought little of it, he was also a little "different": He was a boy who played "House", a boy who loved to help around the house, assisting with the cooking and cleaning instead of playing rough-and-tumble games like Tag, or getting involved with PE classes. His awkward, "backwards" demeanor prevented him from making any friends, and he began to learn of gender roles, what was "right" for a boy to do, as opposed to what he wanted to do. Despite all that, Kanji tried to reach out anyway: At one point he helped a classmate by fixing her bag. The resulting teasing not only left him feeling more alienated, but ashamed of his talents. Who wanted to play or be friends with a boy who liked girly things?
...Then his father died, depriving him of a male role model. Kanji gained a fear of hospitals from the sudden loss, and the man's last words to him left him feeling insulted: "If you're a man, you have to become strong." The now-constant jeers from his classmates and his father's last words seemed to blur in his mind into one message: Everything about him was wrong. Fed up with being called a 'queer' and many other terrible names, his mind wrapped up in a mix of rage, fear, and grief over the loss of a parent, Kanji decided to shed what he was and rebuild himself in a new image. With his now-bleached, slicked-back hair, skull motif, dark clothing and multiple piercings, he would be the man that everyone seemed to want so damn badly, what he felt his father wanted out of him. Kanji decided to stifle what he considered his weak, "girly" hobbies and began a period of self-destruction: He skipped school, broke laws over his knees, and picked fights wherever he went. He wasn't an entirely uncaring jackass, however: He looks after and cares about his mother, going so far as to ensure she got a good night's sleep by beating the hell out of the biker gang in the area making a ton of noise, a ray of misguided hope that the real Kanji was still in there somewhere. For a time, Kanji felt he'd achieved everything he could possibly want: People feared and respected him, and all it took was completely squashing and denying his real self to do it. He didn't even care. He was drunk off of the power he was getting from his infamy, and would do anything to maintain this image. This unfortunately granted him a considerable paranoia to anyone who would question it to the point of putting himself in danger just to prove his masculinity. Insults are generally met with violence, if not his supremely short temper.
Then came the day he met a detective named Naoto Shirogane. A mysterious, rather attractive boy comes out of nowhere and tells him he's interested in him. Kanji welcomes the attention as the first good thing to happen in his life in years, and he develops a crush. Kanji begins to question his sexuality, and whether or not his hobbies were earlier signs of his possibly being gay. It's discovered later that he may in fact be bisexual: Upon learning that Naoto was in fact female, Kanji's awkward, shy body language and crush remain. He doesn't try to make his crush well-known, however, as he is nearly too shy to express himself in this way and holds a fear of rejection, but has had his moments where he at least attempts to clue the detective in.
Kanji's kidnapping and the bathhouse born from his mind reveal his 'Other Self', the parts of him he'd suppressed for all those years. Kanji is a guy who wanted not only to be considered manly, but he also wanted acceptance. He wanted a 'sublime love that surpasses the sexes', one where someone would love and accept him for not only his tougher side, but his softer, more sensitive side as well. It's when he's forced to face these feelings head on - in front of complete strangers, no less - and his subsequent brush with death that he finally comes to accept these feelings. Otherwise, he may have continued his downward spiral, slowly destroying himself.
Once out of the bathhouse, Kanji decides it's time to try and make good on the acceptance of his other self by trying to turn over a new leaf. With the help of his new friends, Kanji starts delving back into his hobbies again. He not only begins to feel like himself again, but experiences a brand new thing as well: Gratitude. He was finally being accepted, adored for his skill, and that was all he ever wanted.
This doesn't mean his tougher side is neglected, however: With his newfound power of Persona, Kanji becomes a strong, yet dependable comrade in battle. By solving the mystery, Kanji feels he can not only finally do his part to make up for his mistakes, but rethink what his father's last words might have meant: That being strong didn't mean to be tough and abrasive, letting people think what they wanted of you. It meant to stand up for yourself, and no matter what your preferences or hobbies, you act like an adult, set your foot down and get people to get you. Kanji chose then to live and try to uphold this interpretation. Whether it's a long, uphill battle or not, he'll remain firm in his belief and do his best to be a man his father would be proud of.
As for how he's doing now, he's mostly taken steps forward. The keyword, however, is mostly: Kanji still doesn't appreciate being teased (who does?), and to this day bears his moments of acting prickly out of prior instinct, quick to shut someone up even in the face of some friendly teasing or sing-song nudging when it comes to how he feels about others. To be angry rather than honest and open is unfortunately easier when stressed. Fortunately, his close friends know the real him, the changes he's trying to make, knowing he's still deflecting and isn't openly malicious, and they tend to roll their eyes or grin through the fact that they got to him. If you ask his friends, some of the reasons for said teasing is evident: Rather than absolutely squash down and hide his true feelings, they've started to bubble up whether Kanji likes them to or not. He's never been a guy who can be subtle (or sub-buttle) in the slightest, and now it's more out in the open than ever. He'll still blush and stammer in front of a certain detective friend and still be unable to tell her how he feels, and more and more he blurts out his interest or appreciation for something cute in his sights be it a costume choice ("Senpai, I'm a cute reindeer!") or something pertaining to what was once a super-secret hobby. When he's shown in the past that, with enough provocation, his hot-blooded recklessness kicks in and he performs in a way he was reluctant to before, his friends - particularly Rise - always feel the need to keep poking the Emperor with a stick. But despite all of this, it appears he doesn't let the teasing get to him for too long, especially when it comes from someone he trusts, and that's a huge and important step for him. Despite threats to rearrange Yosuke's face, for instance, he never made good on that. Kanji is capable of letting things go now, rather than fight them tooth and nail despite the occasional prickly reaction.
Another step forward is that Kanji has grown more in touch with his sensitive, protective soul and more importantly is rather open about it. Though his language is still pretty crude and needs some major work, he'll tell someone to sit their ass down and get some rest when he feels they truly need it, or he tries to offer a shoulder pat and wordless comfort without question. Though it's extremely evident that he does care about his mother deep down, he's finally come out in the open with it, pulling more of his weight around the house and even making gifts for her through use of talents with an eager, albeit bashful, resolve not even his mother had seen before. To even reveal he's offering handicraft classes points to Kanji's philosophy of 'go hard or go home', taking leaps and bounds forward rather than baby steps. He even speaks complete sentences to Naoto at this point, but whether he'll be more open about his feelings is still up in the air.
Because he's more open to his sensitive side and has a goal for himself in mind, he's far more relaxed overall. He loves hanging out with his friends, even in afternoons when he doesn't contribute much to the conversation at all. He even takes up a little studying at school when the protagonist puts him up to it, even though he's more street-smart than book-smart. He laughs more, actually smiles (sometimes), and every day he feels less like some zoo animal with millions of eyes on him waiting for him to screw up and more like a human being that matters to people.
In the here and now, Kanji Tatsumi is finally happy. Relieved. More importantly, loved for who he is, and not hated for what he pretends to be or what he presumes others want him to be. But if there's another new step he can take in the future, he'll find out what it is and do his best to have no fear in taking it. Other: Because of the differences between AU and Canon, Kanji's personality is still a little on the harsher side. He's not TOTALLY open on his hobbies, and he's a little gruffer than normal. With time and friends, he'll ease his way toward the way he is in canon.
Canon AU | Kanji Tatsumi | Persona 4 Golden | Not reserved
Age: 28
Personal Journal:
Contact Info: Amidonuttyjoy at yahoo, AmiJoyDonut is my AIM, and then there's
Other Characters:
OFFLINE;
Age: 17
Canon: Persona 4: Golden, True Ending
Location: Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Original History: His Wiki Entry!
AU History: Similarly to his original history, Kanji was born to a happy, loving mother and father, where he was raised in a creative, mentally-fulfilling environment. For generations, the Tatsumi family has provided high-quality cloth to the locals, and if they don't have it, they can order it in through allied providers for a price that is typically waived for frequent customers.
But here in a world where technology is king and methods of convenience are always being sought, the Tatsumis weren't about to fall behind and have the business wiped out. Kanji's father was the one who designed and launched the Tatsumi Textiles website shortly after Virgin's Kiss in 2007 to jump quickly on the internet train now that it was available to the people again to immense success. Any in Japan could order textiles or even commission creations to be delivered by hand if within the area or through the mail if outside their reach. The family made quite the name for themselves in the prefecture, and though they would never be a household name outside of it - for textiles were a niche market - the family still lived comfortably and happily.
...Until Kanji's father died unexpectedly to heart complications. Things grew dark in the Tatsumi household, but both Kanji and his mother endured the best they could. Without a male role model, Kanji grew rebellious and damaged himself by bottling his grief, turning to fighting in the streets and becoming a pain in the ass for local authorities. He earned a reputation and a name for himself among it all, where the name 'Tatsumi' became synonymous with not only cloth, but of a boy just entering his teens who allegedly formed his own gang as he sought to drive everyone else out. The gang allegations were false, of course, but the problem still remained that he was a hellion. There isn't an officer in the local police department that doesn't know Kanji's name or his steadily-growing criminal record.
But Kanji wasn't without his escapes. Naoki Konishi, his friend since primary school, told him of The World, an MMO where you could be whatever you wanted, battling monsters and earning money, gear and prestige. Though not exactly a video gaming guy, if Naoki was into it, Kanji'd be into it. Besides, there honestly wasn't much to do in this little town unless you liked walks in the woods like he did.
On his first day logged in, Naoki was nowhere to be found. The body of his sister had been found strung up on the telephone poles. The murder was very soon all over the news, shaking up the small community, and Kanji's only friend withdrew from the real world. With no calls answered and no Naoki logging into The World, Kanji was at a loss. He had nobody left when he desperately needed some sort of distraction.
That's when he'd heard of the transfer student from Tokyo, living with his uncle in town while his parents were away. He was friends with a third-year from school, a boy who had unrequited feelings for Saki, a boy who wanted to find her killer and take him in. Kanji was questioned for his aggressive tendencies, but was reluctantly released when the murder couldn't be pinned on him. Because of the police's suspicion, the transfer student and his new friends turned to Kanji. The police have no leads, and the longer the case is open, the higher the chance that the killer could escape and disappear forever. This one group of high school students decided to take matters into their own hands to prevent another death, and Kanji decided to join them. If anything, it'd get the cops off his back. He didn't want a freaking murder pinned on him!
Over the course of a year, they searched for clues and gained new allies along the way, including a young detective called in to solve what was damn near unsolvable, more victims popping up and further panic building within Fuefuki. Through this unusual group, Kanji learned that it was safe to finally begin opening up, and finally stop to grieve for his father after going so long in blind anger and hurt. Previously constantly skipping school, he actually began attending again, boosting some of his academic smarts as well as his street smarts while snooping around town.
Down the line they found a valuable clue, leading to the arrest of one of Fuefuki's 'finest'. The police were stumped because the killer was a member of the force himself, eliminating evidence that would point in his direction. The man was quickly arrested, and now faces trial for his actions. The case was closed.
Now it was time for the transfer student to head home. He was the glue that held the group together, and after a solemn farewell, the rest of the group slowly began to dissolve. While some friendships remained, professional connections were severed, and Kanji trudged back to The World, logging in as often as he could but never leaving the root town. One day, Naoki would log back in and they could play together, or so he hoped. That, or he hoped he'd see one of his old teammates pop onto the network. He was just too damn shy to approach 'em directly and chat.
Thus began Kanji's triple life: A player in The World trying to figure out how to play a grappler; a street punk that only sought a fight with those who would disturb the peace (and continue to give the police a headache); and the heir to Tatsumi Textiles, secretly flexing his talent for handicrafting to help his mother fill and deliver orders to customers all over the region.
Appearance: As he is in both the games and anime.
Personality:
Kanji Tatsumi started out life as, as his mother puts it, a 'cute child'. With his artistic and creative mind, he loved to make things through his skills with sewing and kitting, always whipping up cute things like bunnies and bears. Kanji was also a rather quiet, shy child, only showing off his work to his parents and going out to play by himself. Though at the time he thought little of it, he was also a little "different": He was a boy who played "House", a boy who loved to help around the house, assisting with the cooking and cleaning instead of playing rough-and-tumble games like Tag, or getting involved with PE classes. His awkward, "backwards" demeanor prevented him from making any friends, and he began to learn of gender roles, what was "right" for a boy to do, as opposed to what he wanted to do. Despite all that, Kanji tried to reach out anyway: At one point he helped a classmate by fixing her bag. The resulting teasing not only left him feeling more alienated, but ashamed of his talents. Who wanted to play or be friends with a boy who liked girly things?
...Then his father died, depriving him of a male role model. Kanji gained a fear of hospitals from the sudden loss, and the man's last words to him left him feeling insulted: "If you're a man, you have to become strong." The now-constant jeers from his classmates and his father's last words seemed to blur in his mind into one message: Everything about him was wrong. Fed up with being called a 'queer' and many other terrible names, his mind wrapped up in a mix of rage, fear, and grief over the loss of a parent, Kanji decided to shed what he was and rebuild himself in a new image. With his now-bleached, slicked-back hair, skull motif, dark clothing and multiple piercings, he would be the man that everyone seemed to want so damn badly, what he felt his father wanted out of him. Kanji decided to stifle what he considered his weak, "girly" hobbies and began a period of self-destruction: He skipped school, broke laws over his knees, and picked fights wherever he went. He wasn't an entirely uncaring jackass, however: He looks after and cares about his mother, going so far as to ensure she got a good night's sleep by beating the hell out of the biker gang in the area making a ton of noise, a ray of misguided hope that the real Kanji was still in there somewhere. For a time, Kanji felt he'd achieved everything he could possibly want: People feared and respected him, and all it took was completely squashing and denying his real self to do it. He didn't even care. He was drunk off of the power he was getting from his infamy, and would do anything to maintain this image. This unfortunately granted him a considerable paranoia to anyone who would question it to the point of putting himself in danger just to prove his masculinity. Insults are generally met with violence, if not his supremely short temper.
Then came the day he met a detective named Naoto Shirogane. A mysterious, rather attractive boy comes out of nowhere and tells him he's interested in him. Kanji welcomes the attention as the first good thing to happen in his life in years, and he develops a crush. Kanji begins to question his sexuality, and whether or not his hobbies were earlier signs of his possibly being gay. It's discovered later that he may in fact be bisexual: Upon learning that Naoto was in fact female, Kanji's awkward, shy body language and crush remain. He doesn't try to make his crush well-known, however, as he is nearly too shy to express himself in this way and holds a fear of rejection, but has had his moments where he at least attempts to clue the detective in.
Kanji's kidnapping and the bathhouse born from his mind reveal his 'Other Self', the parts of him he'd suppressed for all those years. Kanji is a guy who wanted not only to be considered manly, but he also wanted acceptance. He wanted a 'sublime love that surpasses the sexes', one where someone would love and accept him for not only his tougher side, but his softer, more sensitive side as well. It's when he's forced to face these feelings head on - in front of complete strangers, no less - and his subsequent brush with death that he finally comes to accept these feelings. Otherwise, he may have continued his downward spiral, slowly destroying himself.
Once out of the bathhouse, Kanji decides it's time to try and make good on the acceptance of his other self by trying to turn over a new leaf. With the help of his new friends, Kanji starts delving back into his hobbies again. He not only begins to feel like himself again, but experiences a brand new thing as well: Gratitude. He was finally being accepted, adored for his skill, and that was all he ever wanted.
This doesn't mean his tougher side is neglected, however: With his newfound power of Persona, Kanji becomes a strong, yet dependable comrade in battle. By solving the mystery, Kanji feels he can not only finally do his part to make up for his mistakes, but rethink what his father's last words might have meant: That being strong didn't mean to be tough and abrasive, letting people think what they wanted of you. It meant to stand up for yourself, and no matter what your preferences or hobbies, you act like an adult, set your foot down and get people to get you. Kanji chose then to live and try to uphold this interpretation. Whether it's a long, uphill battle or not, he'll remain firm in his belief and do his best to be a man his father would be proud of.
As for how he's doing now, he's mostly taken steps forward. The keyword, however, is mostly: Kanji still doesn't appreciate being teased (who does?), and to this day bears his moments of acting prickly out of prior instinct, quick to shut someone up even in the face of some friendly teasing or sing-song nudging when it comes to how he feels about others. To be angry rather than honest and open is unfortunately easier when stressed. Fortunately, his close friends know the real him, the changes he's trying to make, knowing he's still deflecting and isn't openly malicious, and they tend to roll their eyes or grin through the fact that they got to him. If you ask his friends, some of the reasons for said teasing is evident: Rather than absolutely squash down and hide his true feelings, they've started to bubble up whether Kanji likes them to or not. He's never been a guy who can be subtle (or sub-buttle) in the slightest, and now it's more out in the open than ever. He'll still blush and stammer in front of a certain detective friend and still be unable to tell her how he feels, and more and more he blurts out his interest or appreciation for something cute in his sights be it a costume choice ("Senpai, I'm a cute reindeer!") or something pertaining to what was once a super-secret hobby. When he's shown in the past that, with enough provocation, his hot-blooded recklessness kicks in and he performs in a way he was reluctant to before, his friends - particularly Rise - always feel the need to keep poking the Emperor with a stick. But despite all of this, it appears he doesn't let the teasing get to him for too long, especially when it comes from someone he trusts, and that's a huge and important step for him. Despite threats to rearrange Yosuke's face, for instance, he never made good on that. Kanji is capable of letting things go now, rather than fight them tooth and nail despite the occasional prickly reaction.
Another step forward is that Kanji has grown more in touch with his sensitive, protective soul and more importantly is rather open about it. Though his language is still pretty crude and needs some major work, he'll tell someone to sit their ass down and get some rest when he feels they truly need it, or he tries to offer a shoulder pat and wordless comfort without question. Though it's extremely evident that he does care about his mother deep down, he's finally come out in the open with it, pulling more of his weight around the house and even making gifts for her through use of talents with an eager, albeit bashful, resolve not even his mother had seen before. To even reveal he's offering handicraft classes points to Kanji's philosophy of 'go hard or go home', taking leaps and bounds forward rather than baby steps. He even speaks complete sentences to Naoto at this point, but whether he'll be more open about his feelings is still up in the air.
Because he's more open to his sensitive side and has a goal for himself in mind, he's far more relaxed overall. He loves hanging out with his friends, even in afternoons when he doesn't contribute much to the conversation at all. He even takes up a little studying at school when the protagonist puts him up to it, even though he's more street-smart than book-smart. He laughs more, actually smiles (sometimes), and every day he feels less like some zoo animal with millions of eyes on him waiting for him to screw up and more like a human being that matters to people.
In the here and now, Kanji Tatsumi is finally happy. Relieved. More importantly, loved for who he is, and not hated for what he pretends to be or what he presumes others want him to be. But if there's another new step he can take in the future, he'll find out what it is and do his best to have no fear in taking it.
Other: Because of the differences between AU and Canon, Kanji's personality is still a little on the harsher side. He's not TOTALLY open on his hobbies, and he's a little gruffer than normal. With time and friends, he'll ease his way toward the way he is in canon.