Awash application

[asano_san]

Applicant Info

Name: Lorie
Contact: nolno
Current Character(s): n/a
Reserve: here

Character Info

Character's Name: Keigo Asano
Character's Canon: Bleach
Character's Age: 17
Canon Point: End of the series, but before the epilogue
Background/History: Keigo's entry on the Bleach wiki

Strengths:

Persistence - Because he's the kind of guy it's fun to mess with, his closest friends do things like put him in a headlock when his greeting is too enthusiastic and call him Asano-san, even though that's a form of address that implies distance between the two people. Keigo keeps coming back no matter how many times he's beaten down, both physically and emotionally. He also keeps suggesting social activities even when all of his plans seem to fall through. This persistence does have its downsides, such as when it means trying more than once to launch himself into a woman's cleavage or just not letting a subject go, but once Keigo gets an idea in his mind, he's likely to see it through.

Confidence - This may seem at odds with 2/3 of his weaknesses, but his issues don't seem to come from a lack of self-esteem. Keigo thinks he's great. The rest of the world just needs to catch up and give him his due. It can be a driving force behind his persistence. It takes confidence to throw himself at Matsumoto three separate times when he's almost guaranteed to end up in pain because of it. It just makes it all the more crushing when reality doesn't live up to confident expectations.

Coming through when it counts - Although Keigo is painted as the guy who's completely out of his element and quick to cower and run away in his first encounters with the supernatural, he rises to the occasion when it really matters in the Fake Karakura arc. Most of their town is frozen by Aizen, but Keigo wakes up along with a few others. Instead of lying down and crying, he gathers together with the rest of the group to try to figure out what's going on, grabs a sword to defend himself, and even briefly stands up against Aizen.

Weaknesses:

Overreacts, especially in social situations - If someone doesn't say hi to him in the hallway, he isn't the kind of person who will shrug it off with the knowledge that his classmate may have been distracted. No, he is much more likely to assume they're purposely snubbing him, hate him and never want to see him again. When everyone returns from summer vacation during their first year of school, and he has no knowledge of Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Uryuu spending this time undertaking a rescue mission in The Soul Society, Keigo wonders why this odd group is talking to each other. This isn't just a simple matter of internal monologue. Instead, he cries out, trying to get Ichigo's attention, asking what could have happened during the summer, and when he doesn't get a satisfactory answer, says he's overwhelmed with loneliness while tears pour from his eyes.

Need for attention - His tendency to overreact can often be a cry for attention. In his eyes, he's a cool and fun guy everyone should want to be friends with. When there's a commotion in the classroom, why walk calmly to the door and ask in a measured voice what's happening when he can go running and shouting to find out who's having fun without him? Sobbing in the hallway over a real or imagined slight is also a great plan. While he will manage to draw eyes his way, everyone's general annoyance at his yelling and crying ultimately means he doesn't get the kind of attention he really wants.

A bit of a slacker - That previous point about how when he gets an idea, he's going to see it through? He has to put in enough effort to get the idea first. Fitting his role of comic relief, he's never the character talking about studying for tomorrow's test or suggesting they complete their homework together. Keigo just wants to have fun. He looks down on those who actually bother to do well in school and when Ichigo says that he's ranked so highly in their class because he studies at home, Keigo shouts about Ichigo's treachery in doing so when he invited him to hang out many times. He complains about having to run errands for his sister and in later chapters complains about Ichigo focusing on making money after-school when that time could have been spent with him. He's likely not going to be the first one rushing to get something done.

Powers/Abilities: Keigo has a heightened spiritual awareness. In canon, this means he can see Shinigami and Hollows, so probably ghosts in general in a broader setting. He has also proven capable of withstanding strong reiatsu, or spiritual pressure, that would debilitate or even destroy an ordinary human.
Other Noteworthy Traits: His ability to run away is so impressive that in some between-chapter-omake/anime filler episodes, he joins a local superhero team formed by Urahara Kisuke and is given a suit that enhances his leg power and the code name Karakura-Raizer Delicate.
Weapons & Other Special Inventory:
Keigo has no weapons or magical items. There's an in-series precedent for bad things happening when his sister sends him out to buy something for her, so I'd like to have the things on his person represent that: wearing a set of casual clothes, carrying only his wallet and phone, with a plastic bag from the convenience store slung over his arm (with a couple of drinks and bags of candy or chips if that's allowed)

Color: I would like to choose blue, perhaps #AED6F1, to match the color of his tears.

Sample: TDM threads
Top level and thread #1
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[ OPTIONAL ] World Aspect: I would suggest Hollows (wiki link) as a monster-of-the-week option. They're born from souls who don't pass on to the next world after death; their lingering regret and despair eventually turn them into heartless monsters that eat other souls, both living and dead. If you wanted to get more involved, you could do something with the actual mechanic of turning into a Hollow, like characters having to bring peace to a soul before that happens.