NameMatsuzaki Ryotaro, the Black Tiger
松崎良太郎
Covered by the Forest, Stout and Healthy SonAge17
TotemTiger
AppearanceRyotaro is a robust, strongly-built young man, with muscles earned from years of street fights and manual labor. He's quite tall for his age, standing a head above most of his peers, and is still growing. Given his size, his hard-cut features, and his sharp gaze, he can easily pass for a man six or seven years older than he actually is. Ryotaro's dark hair is usually worn around the sides, with a surprising amount of hair hidden on top under his cap. He almost never wears a shirt, giving his skin a rich tan, and exposing at all times what appears to be a scar left by some sort of claws beast that runs down his chest. His left arm is tattooed down its length in the traditional style of the Yakuza, but he has no other tattoos. Ryotaro's general attire comprises of dark, loose trousers, a pair of geta sandals, various accessories such as belts, bracelets and earrings, the coat of an Imperial Military officer worn about his shoulders like a cape, and his signature cap, pilfered from the same officer, with various modifications to make it more suitable for a delinquent such as himself. Ryotaro carries himself with overwhelming confidence, bordering on arrogance, and has a constant air of swaggering masculinity. He is fully aware of how large he is and how intimidating his features are, and frequently sneers menacingly or looms over people to use his appearance to his advantage.
PersonalityAn utterly free spirit, Ryotaro hates to be tied down by anything; be it the law, people, or even his past. He bucks and rebels against establishments and those that represent them as a matter of course, and takes no small amount of pleasure in breaking the rules and generally causing mayhem. He believes that all people should aspire to follow their own path as he does, and respects those with strong individuality and assertiveness. He holds his personal honor highly, taking great offense to those that would challenge his strength or bravery, and similarly holding cowards and weaklings in contempt. Ryotaro's will is that of red-hot iron, and once he has set his mind on a goal or challenge, it's almost impossible for him to give it up. His strong personality makes him a rather magnetic person, and Ryotaro greatly enjoys surrounding himself with people he considers similar to himself, or at least aspire to live as freely as him. To the surprise of many, a character as surly-looking as Ryotaro is quite friendly, and is very talkative and witty in the right company.
HistoryRyotaro was born in a town not far from the foothills of the great mountain range that runs through northern Tsukishima. Yanagimachi, as it was known, was something of a backwater farming town, though it was also an important trade center for the local prefecture. Too large and modern to be considered a village, too small and rustic to be considered a city. Such was the stagnant charm of Yanagimachi. Positioned only a few hours' walk from a military encampment, the steady stream of bored and restless soldiers ensured that Yanagimachi had a prosperous pleasure district. Ryotaro was born the bastard of one of the senior prostitutes of the town's premier brothel, who inherited the establishment after the owner fell ill and left her in charge of its management.
Not only a whoreson, but raised in a brothel as well, Ryotaro was never much for high society. As a child he was rambunctious and mischievous, his mother often too busy to keep a close watch on him. As he grew older, the childish pranks became more aggressive ventures such as pickpocketing and street fights. Ryotaro understood what he was and his place in society more and more with each day, and it filled him with an anger and a sadness that he could not adequately express. Violence became his outlet; starting fights, destroying property, as well as hanging around gangsters and other such lowlives. By the time he was fourteen, he was such a menace of Yanagimachi that his mother cast him out of their home and onto the streets. More angry and bitter than ever before, Ryotaro ran away from his home town and into the forests near the mountains.
No one can say for sure what happened in the week that passed after that (mostly because Ryotaro makes up a different story every time he's asked), but he returned to Yanagimachi with a large scar running down his chest, a fine sword nearly as tall as he was, and a changed attitude. Though he was still a delinquent, he no longer needed to act out to express his feelings. He sought out children like he had been, angry at the world and their place in it, and took them under his wing. He taught them to fend for themselves on the streets, how to fight and win, or how to steal and not be caught. Within a year, Ryotaro was the kingpin of a large gang of disenfranchised youths, the influence of which extended even into the neighboring villages around Yanagimachi. This delinquent gang called themselves the Black Emperors, and referred to their leader with the reverent title of Black Tiger.
Though he was happy with the place he made for himself, Ryotaro wondered if there was more to life. He was growing older, and these childish antics would not keep for very long. The Black Emperors sometimes ran favors for the local yakuza, and Ryotaro himself was considered an associate by their number. A future among their number was possible, but Ryotaro considered that the choice of a child that never grew up. He returned to his mother's brothel for the first time in years, and consulted her for advice about his future. It was in this long discussion that his mother told him that his father was a soldier in the Imperial Military, and that only Ryotaro could decide his own future.
Ryotaro needed time away from his home and the memories that surrounded it to think about this. He needed to clear his head, and decide his own fate. It was then that he decided to head out and track down this father that he never met, as it could lead him to learn something more about himself, which could help him find his path in life. Ryotaro set out on the roads, and traveled for nearly six months before being arrested in a village in a mountain pass for trying to run off on a restaurant tab of 2 ryo.
StrengthsAlthough he carries an odachi sword, Ryotaro is far from a swordsman. His true fighting style is that of a brawler, as he is extremely experienced in street fights. He usually seeks to overpower an opponent in a fight, using his strength and reach to his advantage as much as possible. An utter pragmatist in battle, Ryotaro will use any dirty trick he knows, or any miscellaneous object lying around, as long as it will put him at an advantage. Having no skill in sword-fighting at all, Ryotaro only ever actually brandishes his sword for the purpose of intimidation.
Having lived on the streets nearly his entirely life, Ryotaro is quite streetwise. He knows his way around such seedy establishments as brothels and gambling dens, and can effectively talk with or negotiate with yakuza and other criminals without being duped. He's half decent at sneaking around, an effective pickpocket, and is no stranger to setting fires. While he isn't the most educated fellow, he does possess the low cunning of a proficient criminal, which is invaluable when forced to think on one's feet.
Surprisingly, Ryotaro's greatest advantage is his charisma. When he speaks, people listen. Where he goes, people follow. Ryotaro has a good understanding of other people and what motivates them, particularly people of the lower class (such as himself). He can be funny and charming when he needs to be, but also ruthless and terrifying as well. Good at improvising and making up stories, Ryotaro is also a quick-thinking and convincing liar. He can be quite eloquent and persuasive when he sets his mind to it, and what makes this most dangerous is how few people expect this from him.
WeaknessesRyotaro's lack of formal combat training puts him at a severe disadvantage against skilled opponents. Though he carries a massive sword, he has no idea how to use it, and would probably be better off barehanded in a swordfight. While he can hold his own against street thugs, common soldiers, and similar trash, a samurai or other trained warrior would mop the floor with him. Ryotaro is effectively useless in duels, and to win fights must hold advantages such as fighting in close quarters, or taking his enemy by surprise.
Similarly, Ryotaro is utterly uneducated. He is illiterate, and can't count much higher than twenty. While he is decent with money within the context of haggling, he otherwise knows nothing about handling, counting, or properly managing money. As a result, he's almost always broke or going broke. He's not dumb, and is quite clever and observant, but these advantages can be nullified by exploiting his lack of book knowledge. While he may sense that he's being duped, he may be unable to convincingly prove it, and thus is often treated as an idiotic goon.
While Ryotaro's tenacious will is a benefit in many ways, it's also his critical character flaw. He is stubborn beyond all belief, and is almost impossible to dissuade from a task or action once he's decided on it. He can also be worked up into a fury relatively quickly, as his emotions are surprisingly easy to manipulate. His rashness and bull-headedness have nearly been his undoing in the past, and time will tell if they are ever truly the death of him.
Most of Ryotaro's weaknesses can be attributed to his youthful inexperience. All of his boasting aside, he's still just a kid, and has much to learn about the world. Though he considers himself to be somewhat jaded and cynical from his poor upbringing, he still holds a fair deal of childish naivete. A lesson he is still sorely in need of learning is that not everyone is susceptible to his charms; those that do not consider him to be charming usually find him quite repellant. To some he would come off as a precocious child, but to many he just appears to be a moronic, posturing loudmouth.
Likes-Cheap beer
-Gambling
-Shaved ice
-Sumo
Dislikes-Fish smell
-Annoying women
-Cold weather
-Foreigners
ThemeRap is the Soul of a Man! Nah, too obvious.
Yeah, sure. 
