app - cerealia

[horsepoop]

Character Name: Namazuo Toushirou
Character Age: ~800-1000-ish??
Canon: Touken Ranbu / Game wiki / Character page
Character Image: Here! (And Casual clothes)

Canon Info
What is the character's involvement in the story?: Namazuo is one of the swords belonging to the saniwa! So he's part of the official cast. He's less popular than some of the other swords so at the moment he only has one recollection scene with his brother, Ichigo Hitofuri.
Major relationships to canon characters (officially)?: He's part of the big Toushirou family! Ichigo Hitofuri and Honebami Toushirou are the two he's closest to, but all the "Toushirou" swords are his brothers.
What has been canonly mentioned about the character?: Like all the characters in Touken Ranbu, Namazuo is based off of a real sword. Originally a naginata forged in the Kamakura era, he was later shortened to a wakizashi. Eventually, he came into the possession of the Toyotomi clan, and he spent a short time with Toyotomi Hideyoshi before being passed to his son, Toyotomi Hideyori. Namazuo burned in the Summer Siege of Osaka along with his brother Ichigo Hitofuri, and upon Hideyori's death was taken and reforged by the Tokugawa clan. Because of this, he lost some of his memories. Despite this, Namazuo is a cheerful sword who insists he won't look back on the past, and though he struggles and has regrets, he is still very determined to move forward. More details can be found here and here. His recollection with Ichigo is Part 5, "Swords of Grief".

Headcanon Info
Have you attempted this character before? Where/How long? I've played him in a PSL and on some memes against other Touken Ranbu cast members! He is admittedly quite new, though, as I've only had him for a few months.
A brief idea of your headcanon on this character's personality/history: It's never really specified how much of Namazuo's memory is gone, but it is canon that he remembers being burned. Due to his reaction when he's with Ichigo in Osaka, I think it's likely that he remembers most of his time as Hideyori's sword, and that his memories were very pleasant ones. His desire to change the past veers dangerously towards the temptation of joining their enemies, which displays a love and loyalty towards his former master. But Ichigo is apparently able to talk him out of it, which shows Namazuo's trust towards his older brother.

I headcanon that the lost memories were mostly of his early days, like his time as a naginata and a good chunk of time before he was passed over to the Toyotomi clan. If Hideyori was his first "true" master and his first chance to meet some of his brothers, then it's no surprise that strong feelings would be lingering in his heart. I also headcanon that he still suffers from psychological trauma in regards to fire. Tolerating it is a part of daily life, and for the most part, he can handle it--but if he's caught off-guard, it makes him jumpy and uncomfortable. And, naturally, uncontrolled fires have the worst effect, causing him to freeze up and potentially triggering flashbacks of Osaka, depending on how bad it is.

However, despite all that, Namazuo is still a happy sword. The Osaka recollection is the only time Namazuo openly displays his doubts and pain, and it's only around Ichigo. The rest of the time he speaks cheerfully, playing pranks ("I'll throw horse poop at those I hate!"), working without complaint ("It would be nice if we put more care into the fields~"), and fighting hard ("It's not over yet!"). He truly is determined to look towards the future, and he strives to live happily with the saniwa, his brothers, and the other swords.

How will this character's presence likely impact players from that particular canon?: Namazuo is friendly and tries to stay on good terms with the other swords and the saniwa, so his presence won't cause any unrest! I imagine the others will either be happy to see him or indifferent, haha.
Are you prepared to adjust your character's story in the event potential players from the same canon may find it conflicting to the canon?: Sure! I doubt this will be a problem since it's pretty much all based on the information provided in-game, but I'm always open to discussion and I'm happy to work with my castmates about anything.

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Applicant Info

◎ Name: Pixi
◎ Journal: horsepoop
◎ Contact: pixisticks
◎ Current Character(s): N/A

Character Info

◎ Character's Name: Namazuo Toushirou
◎ Character's Canon: Touken Ranbu
◎ Character's Age: Somewhere between 800 and 1000 years old (game takes place in 2205)
◎ Character's PB: N/A (using official game appearance)
◎ Canon Point: Post world 5!
◎ Background/History: Touken Ranbu Wiki, Namazuo's profile, Information about Namazuo (and a Facebook information post), Toyotomi Hideyori's wiki, Siege of Osaka wiki
◎ Is the character a hacker and/or do they have a sixth-sense? As the spirit of sword, he probably does have some kind of sixth sense! But he's not a hacker, no.

◎ Personality:

"My name is Namazuo Toushirou. I was Toushirou's shortsword, along with originally being a halberd.
I was burned so some of my memories are gone, but, well, I'll manage somehow!"

Right from his introduction, Namazuo comes off as a bright, friendly sword. His manner of speaking is polite without being distantly formal, and he enters the world with a positive, forward-facing attitude. And for the most part, this is how he behaves with everyone. He is open, energetic, and encouraging, insisting that “it will all work out” and that there's no need to dwell on past hardships or mistakes.

Namazuo may be an old sword, but you wouldn't know it from his behavior. That does not mean he's not a hard worker, quite the contrary! Unlike some swords, he's more than happy to take care of the fields, go out on expeditions, or do anything else the saniwa asks of him. But he likes to make his work fun, and on top of that, he's a bit of a prankster. When he gets sent to take care of the horses, for instance, Namazuo happily claims he'll “throw horse poop at those he hates”. Considering he doesn't actually hate anyone, this is a joke—but he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty or antagonize the other swords for a bit of fun.

Namazuo is a part of the large Toushirou family, and as such, his brothers are incredibly important to him. As a wakizashi, he's right in the middle, giving him license to be both an older brother and a younger one. But he does not have a shared history with all of his siblings—not that he loves them any less for it, but his biases are clear. He is especially close to his older brother Ichigo Hitofuri, the tachi that burned with him in Osaka, and Honebami Toushirou, his younger brother who survived Osaka unscathed, only to burn terribly in Edo later on. The three of them were forged by the same swordsmith, but they met for the first time under the ownership of the Toyotomi clan (primarily Toyotomi Hideyori). Due to his amnesia, Namazuo has lost the memories of the early days of his existence, but he has never forgotten their time together with his most beloved master.

As a sword who strives to maintain a positive outlook, it's difficult for Namazuo to let others see him in genuine distress. Only around Ichigo does he allow himself to acknowledge his pain and worry, and even then, he would rather keep it to himself. He works even harder to keep up his carefree persona around Honebami, just like an overprotective human brother would. They've built deep bonds upon the foundations of the traumatic experiences they've shared, and as a result, Namazuo is extremely loyal to them—perhaps even more loyal than he is to the saniwa.

Not to say that Namazuo is traitorous, by any means. He goes to battle with all of the energy he expends in day-to-day life, and he fights just as hard as any of the other swords. He utilizes his superior eyesight and fast reflexes to blaze through his enemies, and he consistently refuses to give up, insisting “it's not over yet!” even when he's heavily damaged. But underneath that spirited demeanor, hidden behind his bright smile, doubts and regret continue to plague his heart.

"If only we could do things over...!"

Namazuo's easygoing cheer is not an act; his determination to face the future and move forward are genuine, and his heart is in the right place. But being determined is only the first step--trying does not necessarily mean succeeding. And that is exactly the case with Namazuo.
Since some of his memories are lost forever, Namazuo treasures the ones he does have, specifically the joyful times he spent with the Toyotomi clan and his brothers. In the present day, their job is to go back in time and prevent history from changing, but ensuring your own family's tragedy is a lot to ask of anyone. And that's exactly what happens when Namazuo and Ichigo are sent back to Osaka, to make sure nothing prevents the Tokugawa forces from burning their home to ashes. It is here that Namazuo's doubts finally rise to the surface—doubts he has surely been harboring since the day of his manifestation, despite how hard he works to move on. Ichigo gently reprimands him for his outburst, urging him to have faith in their current master, but Namazuo's lack of response is telling; as desperately as he wants to believe in the future, he can't quite convince himself that the past doesn't matter.

To make matters worse, Namazuo still suffers from a lingering fear of fire. Unlike Honebami, who lost all of his memories when he was burned, the Summer Siege of Osaka has been seared into Namazuo's mind. Without a corporeal form, he was unable to save anyone he cared about, forced to watch them burn while his own blade was helplessly consumed by the flames. The damage was severe enough to require a reforging, which would've meant more fire, and the same is true for the saniwa's summoning. Part of moving forward is fighting his fears, and Namazuo often pushes himself just a little too far for the sake of progress. But fire still makes him uneasy, and given the opportunity to avoid it, he will. Considering his history, it's understandable. But it is also another driving force behind his doubts, and one of the reasons he devotes himself to his family instead—those who have shared his experiences, and understand him better than the saniwa ever could.

Nonetheless, Namazuo is on good terms with the saniwa, and he harbors no ill feelings towards his new master. On the contrary, he's extremely grateful—not only is he delighted to be reunited with his brothers and welcomed into an even larger family, he also fully embraces the experience of physicality. He's the type to face new experiences head-on, even to the point of being reckless. Namazuo does not believe that they are “just” swords, and from singing in the baths to constantly trying new snacks, he embraces his “humanity” to the fullest. With the saniwa, his friends and his family around to support him, it's easy to believe that everything will work out somehow.


◎ Powers/Abilities: Namazuo is a sword tsukumogami, and thus naturally excels in swordsmanship! As a wakizashi, he's not particularly strong, but he's very fast and he has extremely keen eyesight, which helps him both when scouting and in battle. He is also very skilled in night battles. Aside from that, his physical body is able to withstand a lot more damage than a human's. However, damage to his blade reflects on his body, and a broken sword would mean death for him.
◎ Weapons & Other Special Inventory: Just his sword and a change of clothes!

CEREALIA-Specific

◎ Element: Water! Although he has a strong historical connection to fire, Namazuo himself is much more of a water type. Sensitive and prone to strong emotions with a tendency to keep his own problems to himself, he can be as calm as a still lake or as passionate as an ocean storm.

◎ Sense: Touch! Namazuo is a sword, and thus meant to be wielded. Not only that, but he's an extremely tactile spirit, saying things like “It's fine if I touch you back, right?” and “Hey, tickling each other like this... don't you think it's kinda silly?” to the saniwa.

◎ Seven Character Traits: + (optimistic, caring, hard worker) | - (hypocritical, doubtful, childish) | + \ - emotional

Samples

◎ First-Person Sample: Sword dancing meme ; fieldwork with Kashuu

◎ Third-Person Sample: It's hot.

Why is it so hot? It may be his first winter in a corporeal body, but Namazuo knows how weather works. Sweat should not be beading on his forehead in February, he's certain of that. He likes winter for that very reason--the cold air is crisp, fresh, rejuvenating. Not stifling.

It's dark, too, much darker than his apartment usually is. Cerealia's artificial brightness is something he still hasn't grown used to, but now, he almost misses it. Right now, there are no small, blinking lights, no soft whirring of this or that machine. Just pure, silent shadow. It makes his skin prickle in a way he wishes, desperately, he didn't recognize.

(It's fear.)

Namazuo can't stand it for long. He gets out of bed and pads his way over to the door, glad he'd had the foresight to memorize the layout of his new home. It's even hotter over here--he reaches out, and immediately yanks his hand back with a stifled cry. Why? Why is it hot to the touch? What's going on?

His vessel materializes in his right hand, and he doesn't spare a second to wonder at the impossible. It's getting hotter by the second, and there's nothing for it, he can't stay here another minute. His real body is safe in its scabbard, so he pushes the door open with it, and--

Fire.

He'd known, he'd known the minute he opened his eyes, but that doesn't make it any less horrific. Sound floods back into his ears with the vicious roaring of the flames, just as the unnatural brightness stings his eyes and pungent smoke forces its way up his nose. It's an assault on every last one of his senses, and he needs to get out, but he can't, he can't, he's trapped--

Why is no one screaming? Why won't his voice come out? Why, now that he finally, finally has the means to save his master, why, why, why can't he move?

Master? Master--

"MASTER!"

His sweat is cold, this time. It takes Namazuo a second to realize he's sitting up in bed, and his keen eyes are quick to take in the assorted lights of his room, all where they should be. His heart races, and he's panting, cleansing his lungs from smoke that was never really there.

Another one, then.

Corporeal bodies need rest. It's just one of many things he's had to adjust to, and most nights, it's perfectly fine. But sometimes...

Well. There's no need to worry anyone, right? He'll get a glass of water, take a cold shower in the morning, and everything will be fine. It always is.

When he slips out to the kitchen, all is calm and quiet. The technological clicks and hums that had once seemed so loud are a reassuring constant now. By the time he sneaks back to his room and curls up in his desk chair, his pulse is back to normal.

"I won't look back on the past," he whispers, listening to the clink of ice against the glass. "I won't look back. I won't."

He won't be sleeping again tonight.

◎ Is your character retaining any previous game memories? Nope!