Player Name: Jess Personal Journal:raspberrydrink E-mail: understandham@gmail.com AIM/Plurk/Etc.: raspberrydrink @ Plurk Timezone: EST Current Characters in Route: n/a
Character Name: Neku Sakuraba Series: The World ends with You Timeline: Week 1, between Day 2 and 3 Canon Resource Links:Here
Personality: Before the events of the Game, Neku is a classic misanthrope. Not just asocial but actively finding distaste in other people as a whole. Canon hints that this might be because of a traumatic event in his past involving the death of a friend, but it’s never made clear. What IS clear is that he’s a bitter cold person whose mental dialogue is full of meanspirited thoughts about others. And even though he’s usually quiet if left to his own devices, blocking the world out with his headphones, he has no problem speaking his mind. This is most clearly shown with his early interactions with Shiki, his first Partner. Even in their first conversation where she not only tries to make introductions but also tries to give him important Game information (not to mention she just *saved his life*) he eventually starts ignoring her completely and walks away mid conversation. The only person he seems to like and respect isn't really a ‘person’ at all, but a face-less multimedia artist by the name of CAT who is known for a ‘live every day to the fullest’ type of philosophy. It says a lot about Neku though that he mistakes this ideal as doing what you want for yourself and not caring about others at all. A glowing endorsement for his own behavior. He has no issue lashing out at others if his world view is pressed too hard, and most disturbingly, is willing to KILL to save his own hide, though he has to be convinced she is working against him first. During the beginning of the Game, and the point in which he will arrive in Route, he has no memories other then his own name. He has nothing and no one to care about other then himself. And while afterwards he feels bad, and starts to reach out to Shiki, it's a slow process and one he won't get before his pokemon adventure.
In fact, that is the core of Neku: wasted potential. He can be a kind, loving person. But that person isn't who he is YET. With the right people and trials he can bloom into that person. With the WRONG people he can be a literal little monster. The person he becomes in the Game is HIM, and can come out. But this bitter cruel person is also him.
Over the first week of the Game he softens somewhat. Partly through Shiki’s persistence, partly through the missions forcing him to look at people more deeply, he starts to think that MAYBE not all people are jerks (even if most of them are to his mind), even to the point where, when Shiki’s self image falls apart in front of him he moves to help her and comfort her. He’s fumbling and awkward about it, but he *tries*. By the time the Week ends they are very close… enough so that when the Conductor says that Shiki will be his new entry fee to the Game he buys it. He honestly can buy that she’s his Most Important Thing.
The second Week is confusing and frustrating, and honestly what he learned with Shiki is probably the main reason he doesn’t punch his partner with in the first day. But his views on people grow in leaps and bounds. He talks to people, learns from them, then loses them all in a short span. He sees the grief Beat is forced to go through, sees other Players who were kind to him die, and has his own viewpoint reflected back at him through Joshua… who in the end sacrifices himself for him. His world is forced to grow beyond himself, and while it hurts it’s for the better- he can no longer hide away by pretending what happens to others doesn’t impact him.
By Week 3, while he’ll never be the nicest spoken person, Neku has opened up a lot of other people and is able to empathize more with what others are going through. In a way he’s switched roles with Shiki- playing emotional support to Beat as he rushes to save his sister. By the end he’s connected so deeply to his new friends he is able to call on their strength to the win the day- literally. At least until in one final Game he’s tasked with shooting Joshua. And in stark contrast to his attack on Shiki the first Week he simply CAN’T, instead breaking into tears and lowering his weapon before being shot by the other and waking up in the Scramble.
But so far, none of this has happened. But it's there, waiting.
Beside how he deals with others, Neku is a quick thinking and adaptable person. Even though he spends the first Day fumbling about a bit, he catches on to the basics quickly, and figures out most of the puzzles and tricks of the missions himself. Add in how he uses a large array of pins in various combos and you have someone who can adjust to new rules and circumstances and figure out how to survive. He also has the heart of an artist in many ways- while he’s never shown creating directly, canon hints that those in the Game tend to be creative, and are even more so once they leave due to refinement of their Imagination. He’s shown adoring CAT’s work, and in fact one of the few times we see him smiling completely honestly and openly is when he’s admiring one of his idol’s murals. He talks about the art with a critical and analytic eye that shows he’s really thought on it in comparison to other artists’.
In general Neku is a hurt soul. Someone that deals with his own issues by burying them and blocking others out. But deep down he is a good person just waiting for the chance to be free. But those walls are still thick and covered in barbed wire, and unless he can learn to reach past them they will only get thicker and more dangerous.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
+Clever and Adaptable: He handles the weird concept of the Game quickly, and solves many puzzles (with his partners' help, of course) in order to survive. While he might freak out at first, he jumps right in and deals with unexpected things quickly.
+ Well read/informed: He knows Pi to several places and the periodic symbol for Gold off the top of his head. He knows lots of random information and logically seems to be interested in learning and retaining information.
+ Psych Genius/Natural combat skills: Unlike other Players he can use any Pin with no issues, and swap them out easily. His ability to adapt to the battle field and manage his own skills AND his Partners' is very developed for a kid that's never been in a real fight before. His natural Imagination/Spiritual Power is very high.
+Good with people/Understanding: This might seems insane considering his personality section, but once his walls are brought down Neku is actually naturally good with people. He reads them well, and while blunt can be great at comforting them. Eventually.
- Antisocial/misanthropic: Neku hates people. He hates being around them, working with them, even hearing them AROUND him. To the point he will drown them out with music. He will not do well with a team (at first) and this will definitely get in they way of his relationships with his pokemon. Overtime (and some stubborn cr) he will grow past this, but it'll take effort.
- Tactless/rude: In hand with the above, Neku doesn't care at all about how others feel about what he says and does, and will say any mean thought he has in his head if pressed to communicate.
-Self centered: His Entry Fee for the first Game was his memories- the most important thing to him was *himself*. His attempt to kill Shiki just underlines this, even though he hesitates and is tricked, he still tries it.
-Amnesia: As stated above- Neku has no memories other then his name. Or more specifically he has no memories that are focused on HIMSELF. He can still read and feed himself and talk, but any details about his personal life are gone. He doesn't recall family, friends, dreams or drives. He has nothing to fight for or care about other then himself. This can be a dangerous stock for a very scary stew in the wrong environment.
Note: With scanning/mind reading being such a big game mechanic in TWEWY I would like Neku to be able to read the minds of pokemon
Pokémon Information Affiliation: Rocket Starter: Meowth. With Serviper as his second Password: Swedish Fish
Samples
First Person Sample: [Neku turns on the Gear and places it off to the side, not looking at it as he talks. It's on the Rocket network, thankfully, as he's in uniform. He doesn't look happy about it though, and the hat does little to hide all his hair.
He's... doing dishes. Yeah apparently even the Grunt work 'missions' require the outfit.]
Alright, seriously, how is *housework* a mission?
[He might be slamming things around in the water a little out of spite. And he doesn't seem concerned that his new Bosses can easily see this. Screw those guys]
Not that I want to work in the Game Corner. But if I have to be here I could at least be doing something... criminal?
[NOT THAT HE WANTS THAT EITHER, EXACTLY but it seems idiotic to be in a Gang not be... ganging. The fact that this group seems the most likely to have a way out of here is the only pro he's seen so far]
There. All done.
[He places the last plate aside, the noise waking up his Meowth napping near by. The cat looks up and... sees the shiny metal cookware. Oh... oh yes. It wanders over and starts batting at it]
Don't even think about it.
[GRAB THE CAT... who yowls and claws him. Neku yelps and stumbles and knocks his Gear right into the water. The warbly view show shim looking in, looking like he hates his life, before it blinks out]
Third Person Sample: Waking up somewhere new? Neku was almost used to that. Or at least it was all he could remember to BE used to. This wasn't the Scramble though, and Neku quickly learned that this was a completely different *world* from Shibuya.
He knew he should find it strange, and of course he did. But it was just as 'normal' as anything else really. And after his personal orientation he figured even if these guys were obviously thugs they had the best chance of having a way for him to get back to the Game. Back to LIFE. But... here everyone could see and talk to him, so wasn't he already alive? It was confusing as all hell.
Even more confusing was the 'pokemon'. The first ball he opened had a giant snake like a can of fake nuts. Pouring out and out and out the creature had decided it (he?) loved him and wanted to hug him with allll it's coils. That one had gone right back in the ball. The second was a cat-like thing and was much easier to deal with.
Which was what he was doing that night instead of sleeping, sitting at the desk and flicking his now-inactive pins to it and watching the cat swat them back happily. It was fascinated by the shiny bits of metal and plastic, and occasionally he had to grab it before it ran off with one. "Damnit, what am I supposed to DO?" He grumbled, flopping over the desk with a grunt. The Meowth 'mewth?'d at him, picking up the pin and trotting over to drop it on his head. With a sigh he reached up to scratch the pokemon right behind the coin charm- a spot it really seemed to like.
"Look... I'm not interested in being in a gang."
The cat murr'd, swatting him slightly in the head, a vague sense of disapproval in it's tone.
"I *know* where else would I even go? I don't know this place, like, at all. And at least here I have a roof. Food."
The cat mew'd in agreement. Good trainer. The team will provide!
"...I don't even know if I wanna go home. At least here I'm... *here*. It all feels like a dream..." He groaned, sitting up.
"I'm talking to a *cat*, I really need sleep." Maybe he'd end up waking in the Scramble again after all.. and he wasn't sure which outcome would be the real nightmare.
Neku Sakuraba | The World ends with You | Not Reserved
Name: Jess
Personal Journal:
E-mail: understandham@gmail.com
AIM/Plurk/Etc.: raspberrydrink @ Plurk
Timezone: EST
Current Characters in Route: n/a
Character
Name: Neku Sakuraba
Series: The World ends with You
Timeline: Week 1, between Day 2 and 3
Canon Resource Links: Here
Personality: Before the events of the Game, Neku is a classic misanthrope. Not just asocial but actively finding distaste in other people as a whole. Canon hints that this might be because of a traumatic event in his past involving the death of a friend, but it’s never made clear. What IS clear is that he’s a bitter cold person whose mental dialogue is full of meanspirited thoughts about others. And even though he’s usually quiet if left to his own devices, blocking the world out with his headphones, he has no problem speaking his mind. This is most clearly shown with his early interactions with Shiki, his first Partner. Even in their first conversation where she not only tries to make introductions but also tries to give him important Game information (not to mention she just *saved his life*) he eventually starts ignoring her completely and walks away mid conversation. The only person he seems to like and respect isn't really a ‘person’ at all, but a face-less multimedia artist by the name of CAT who is known for a ‘live every day to the fullest’ type of philosophy. It says a lot about Neku though that he mistakes this ideal as doing what you want for yourself and not caring about others at all. A glowing endorsement for his own behavior. He has no issue lashing out at others if his world view is pressed too hard, and most disturbingly, is willing to KILL to save his own hide, though he has to be convinced she is working against him first. During the beginning of the Game, and the point in which he will arrive in Route, he has no memories other then his own name. He has nothing and no one to care about other then himself. And while afterwards he feels bad, and starts to reach out to Shiki, it's a slow process and one he won't get before his pokemon adventure.
In fact, that is the core of Neku: wasted potential. He can be a kind, loving person. But that person isn't who he is YET. With the right people and trials he can bloom into that person. With the WRONG people he can be a literal little monster. The person he becomes in the Game is HIM, and can come out. But this bitter cruel person is also him.
Over the first week of the Game he softens somewhat. Partly through Shiki’s persistence, partly through the missions forcing him to look at people more deeply, he starts to think that MAYBE not all people are jerks (even if most of them are to his mind), even to the point where, when Shiki’s self image falls apart in front of him he moves to help her and comfort her. He’s fumbling and awkward about it, but he *tries*. By the time the Week ends they are very close… enough so that when the Conductor says that Shiki will be his new entry fee to the Game he buys it. He honestly can buy that she’s his Most Important Thing.
The second Week is confusing and frustrating, and honestly what he learned with Shiki is probably the main reason he doesn’t punch his partner with in the first day. But his views on people grow in leaps and bounds. He talks to people, learns from them, then loses them all in a short span. He sees the grief Beat is forced to go through, sees other Players who were kind to him die, and has his own viewpoint reflected back at him through Joshua… who in the end sacrifices himself for him. His world is forced to grow beyond himself, and while it hurts it’s for the better- he can no longer hide away by pretending what happens to others doesn’t impact him.
By Week 3, while he’ll never be the nicest spoken person, Neku has opened up a lot of other people and is able to empathize more with what others are going through. In a way he’s switched roles with Shiki- playing emotional support to Beat as he rushes to save his sister. By the end he’s connected so deeply to his new friends he is able to call on their strength to the win the day- literally. At least until in one final Game he’s tasked with shooting Joshua. And in stark contrast to his attack on Shiki the first Week he simply CAN’T, instead breaking into tears and lowering his weapon before being shot by the other and waking up in the Scramble.
But so far, none of this has happened. But it's there, waiting.
Beside how he deals with others, Neku is a quick thinking and adaptable person. Even though he spends the first Day fumbling about a bit, he catches on to the basics quickly, and figures out most of the puzzles and tricks of the missions himself. Add in how he uses a large array of pins in various combos and you have someone who can adjust to new rules and circumstances and figure out how to survive. He also has the heart of an artist in many ways- while he’s never shown creating directly, canon hints that those in the Game tend to be creative, and are even more so once they leave due to refinement of their Imagination. He’s shown adoring CAT’s work, and in fact one of the few times we see him smiling completely honestly and openly is when he’s admiring one of his idol’s murals. He talks about the art with a critical and analytic eye that shows he’s really thought on it in comparison to other artists’.
In general Neku is a hurt soul. Someone that deals with his own issues by burying them and blocking others out. But deep down he is a good person just waiting for the chance to be free. But those walls are still thick and covered in barbed wire, and unless he can learn to reach past them they will only get thicker and more dangerous.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
+Clever and Adaptable: He handles the weird concept of the Game quickly, and solves many puzzles (with his partners' help, of course) in order to survive. While he might freak out at first, he jumps right in and deals with unexpected things quickly.
+ Well read/informed: He knows Pi to several places and the periodic symbol for Gold off the top of his head. He knows lots of random information and logically seems to be interested in learning and retaining information.
+ Psych Genius/Natural combat skills: Unlike other Players he can use any Pin with no issues, and swap them out easily. His ability to adapt to the battle field and manage his own skills AND his Partners' is very developed for a kid that's never been in a real fight before. His natural Imagination/Spiritual Power is very high.
+Good with people/Understanding: This might seems insane considering his personality section, but once his walls are brought down Neku is actually naturally good with people. He reads them well, and while blunt can be great at comforting them. Eventually.
- Antisocial/misanthropic: Neku hates people. He hates being around them, working with them, even hearing them AROUND him. To the point he will drown them out with music. He will not do well with a team (at first) and this will definitely get in they way of his relationships with his pokemon. Overtime (and some stubborn cr) he will grow past this, but it'll take effort.
- Tactless/rude: In hand with the above, Neku doesn't care at all about how others feel about what he says and does, and will say any mean thought he has in his head if pressed to communicate.
-Self centered: His Entry Fee for the first Game was his memories- the most important thing to him was *himself*. His attempt to kill Shiki just underlines this, even though he hesitates and is tricked, he still tries it.
-Amnesia: As stated above- Neku has no memories other then his name. Or more specifically he has no memories that are focused on HIMSELF. He can still read and feed himself and talk, but any details about his personal life are gone. He doesn't recall family, friends, dreams or drives. He has nothing to fight for or care about other then himself. This can be a dangerous stock for a very scary stew in the wrong environment.
Note: With scanning/mind reading being such a big game mechanic in TWEWY I would like Neku to be able to read the minds of pokemon
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Rocket
Starter: Meowth. With Serviper as his second
Password: Swedish Fish
Samples
First Person Sample: [Neku turns on the Gear and places it off to the side, not looking at it as he talks. It's on the Rocket network, thankfully, as he's in uniform. He doesn't look happy about it though, and the hat does little to hide all his hair.
He's... doing dishes. Yeah apparently even the Grunt work 'missions' require the outfit.]
Alright, seriously, how is *housework* a mission?
[He might be slamming things around in the water a little out of spite. And he doesn't seem concerned that his new Bosses can easily see this. Screw those guys]
Not that I want to work in the Game Corner. But if I have to be here I could at least be doing something... criminal?
[NOT THAT HE WANTS THAT EITHER, EXACTLY but it seems idiotic to be in a Gang not be... ganging. The fact that this group seems the most likely to have a way out of here is the only pro he's seen so far]
There. All done.
[He places the last plate aside, the noise waking up his Meowth napping near by. The cat looks up and... sees the shiny metal cookware. Oh... oh yes. It wanders over and starts batting at it]
Don't even think about it.
[GRAB THE CAT... who yowls and claws him. Neku yelps and stumbles
and knocks his Gear right into the water. The warbly view show shim looking in, looking like he hates his life, before it blinks out]
Third Person Sample: Waking up somewhere new? Neku was almost used to that. Or at least it was all he could remember to BE used to. This wasn't the Scramble though, and Neku quickly learned that this was a completely different *world* from Shibuya.
He knew he should find it strange, and of course he did. But it was just as 'normal' as anything else really. And after his personal orientation he figured even if these guys were obviously thugs they had the best chance of having a way for him to get back to the Game. Back to LIFE. But... here everyone could see and talk to him, so wasn't he already alive? It was confusing as all hell.
Even more confusing was the 'pokemon'. The first ball he opened had a giant snake like a can of fake nuts. Pouring out and out and out the creature had decided it (he?) loved him and wanted to hug him with allll it's coils. That one had gone right back in the ball. The second was a cat-like thing and was much easier to deal with.
Which was what he was doing that night instead of sleeping, sitting at the desk and flicking his now-inactive pins to it and watching the cat swat them back happily. It was fascinated by the shiny bits of metal and plastic, and occasionally he had to grab it before it ran off with one.
"Damnit, what am I supposed to DO?" He grumbled, flopping over the desk with a grunt. The Meowth 'mewth?'d at him, picking up the pin and trotting over to drop it on his head. With a sigh he reached up to scratch the pokemon right behind the coin charm- a spot it really seemed to like.
"Look... I'm not interested in being in a gang."
The cat murr'd, swatting him slightly in the head, a vague sense of disapproval in it's tone.
"I *know* where else would I even go? I don't know this place, like, at all. And at least here I have a roof. Food."
The cat mew'd in agreement. Good trainer. The team will provide!
"...I don't even know if I wanna go home. At least here I'm... *here*. It all feels like a dream..." He groaned, sitting up.
"I'm talking to a *cat*, I really need sleep." Maybe he'd end up waking in the Scramble again after all.. and he wasn't sure which outcome would be the real nightmare.