Ryu Katsuragi - Shinigami

Shinigami Template

Name: Ryu Katsuragi

Age: 50/21

Gender: Male

Race: Asian

Birthplace: Japan

Occupation: Shin'ō Academy Student

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 190 lbs

Appearance: Ryu is a tall person with a thin frame. His brown hair is spiky in the back and wavy in the front with long bangs that hang down, partially obscuring the right side of his face from view. The most obvious feature of his appearance is the patch of snow white hair on the left front of his head above his face, including his eyebrow. His left eye is also a pale blue color, contrasting with the amber color of his right eye. His body is also covered in scars left over from an incident in his past, the most notable of which are the three lines crossed on his left cheek and the large burn scar that covers his entire left shoulder.



Personality: Ryu is a super serious, logical young man who is best described by the word blunt. He speaks the truth of the matter and his opinion with little filter for the situation. Analytical in nature, he relies more on observation than empathy, the latter of which he is extremely lacking in, to gauge the moods or opinions of those he interacts with. Having grown up with no friends to depend on and instead making do with business acquaintances, Ryu has trust issues and prefers to do things on his own rather than rely on others, though he is realistic and will seek help for projects impossible for him to accomplish on his own by making a proposal of mutual benefit.

Special Characteristics: Heightened Dynamic Vision – Ryu prefers to analyze his opponents and take on a more counter specialized approach to battle, moving to trap, disable and/or counterattack his opponents. To better suit himself for this response type of combat, he has trained himself to better perceive movement, helping him keep track of quick opponents who would otherwise try and escape his notice. This does nothing for his actual reflexes. He must train separately to make himself quick enough to make proper use of this observational skill.

Stats: (You begin with 100 stat points to distribute around each of the three different attributes. 20 are automatically placed in each stat and another 40 are divided up as you so choose. However you may only spend them in increments of 5 and no one attribute may begin with more than 50 points in it.)

Attack: 30

Speed: 35

Defense: 35

Sealed Zanpakto: Ryu's zanpakuto is a long nodachi the blade of which being about a meter in length. Its guard is hexagonal in shape, but with curved sides that turn inward giving it an appearance like that of a star or a firework. The wrapping of its handle is snow white in color.

History: Ryu has no memories of his time on Earth because he was not long for that world. Dying as an infant to illness, he arrived in the Soul Society young and completely helpless. He would have died quickly and been bound for the living world for another go if it had not been for the kindness of the man who would become his father. The infant Ryu was picked up and accepted into the Katsuragi family. The Katsuragis were a small time merchant family, peddling the small supplies of water that were left over by the time they reached the Southern 46th District where they lived. Securing sources and trade partners was difficult, and thievery was a constant threat, but they managed to maintain a stable lifestyle.

As Ryu grew up, his family found out that he was quite studious. He delved into his learning materials and quickly began to help out with the family business, using his logical mindsets to land many lucrative business deals and expand their product selection. Within a few years, the Katsuragis sold not only water, but food, sweets and clothing as well. They managed to do so well that the entire family even managed to relocate and set up in the 41st District, just a bit closer to the Seireitei and a good step further from the slums and violence. But as is often the case, their success bred jealousy and disdain.

One night Ryu was ambushed as he returned home from his work. Knocked out and kidnapped, he was held hostage as his captors demanded ransom from his family for his return. The money was a substantial amount, not easy to get together very quickly. And so, Ryu was left to his fate for a long week of suffering cruel tortures as the brigands took out their frustrations on him. By the time he was returned, his body was covered in the scars that he still wears to this day. He’d always been a bit of an oddball before, but this incident made him shut down completely. Trust was a thing of the past, with only himself as someone he could rely on.

His life returned to some level of normalcy, trying to recover both himself and his family from the incident. Life had some measure of its former feeling, save for one difference: Ryu was starting to crave food. He had experienced the joys of eating for fun previously, but now it was a necessity. The family took this as joyous news and informed him that requiring food meant that he had the potential to become a Shinigami. Ryu himself had no opinion on the matter, but decided that becoming a Shinigami would be nothing but beneficial to his future. He was enrolled in the academy and began this new stage of his life a few months later when the recruiters came through town.


Role Playing Sample: The market bustled happily under the shining sun of another day in the Southern 41st District of the Rukongai. Souls went about their day chatting amidst each other as they mingled and haggled with their transactions. Seated behind a water stall, Ryu Katsuragi deftly slid markers back and forth on an abacus as he oversaw the sales taking place. It was just another day like any other.

Suddenly a small girl came rushing towards their station, her steps awkward and her body tilted as if she were off balance. If she continued on her current path, she’d knock over several containers of their precious water. That would be serious losses for the day. Ryu vaulted himself over the counter and planted himself in the girl’s path, catching her before she crashed into the jugs.

“Are you alright?” he asked in a monotone voice that gave no indication that he was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. The girl didn’t seem put off by this though and simply stepped back from him while flashing a big smile.

“Yup! All good. Thanks for helping me mister!” And without another word, she turned and raced off back into the crowds as quickly as she had appeared. Ryu thought it was odd, but turned back to resume his work just in time to see two young boys snatching one of the water jugs from the table with gleeful looks of accomplishment spread over their faces. One of them looked up and saw Ryu staring at them, his face quickly turning to one of urgency.

“Crap! She didn’t distract him long enough! Run!”

The boys took off with their spoil. Ryu was in hot pursuit as they weaved in and out of the residents. Thinking quickly, he slowed his chase and fell back from their position. He made sure to keep a close eye on their location and let them believe they’d lost him. The two ran into an alleyway and collapsed on the ground out of breath. The girl from before arrived a few moments later, leaving all the culprits reunited. Their relief was immediately dashed as Ryu coughed to announce his presence, walking into the alley and blocking off their exit.

“That was rather sloppy. You grew confident of your success too early and didn’t even try anything like a feint or a decoy to throw me off your trail. Now what to do with you little thieves?”

The children quaked under his unfeeling gaze, certain that they would be beaten or even killed for their insolence. But Ryu had other plans in mind.

“I suppose I’ll just have to hire you. You may keep that water as payment. But you are now part of the Katsuragi advertisement force. Make sure you tell everyone you can about where it was that you got your water. I should probably get you some new clothes too. Can’t have someone affiliated with our business walking around in tattered rags like yours. Go to my father’s shop later and tell him that Ryu sent you. He’ll be sure to take care of you.”

Ryu did not wait for their reply, but instead turned and left the alley. The children followed his departure with their eyes wide and mouths agape. Not only were they not being punished but they were being given a job? Who was this guy? Of course they’d take the deal. The perks were too alluring to even consider turning him down. Ryu showed a confident smirk as he ran all these thoughts surely racing through their minds right now through his own. The carrot was a much more effective tool than the stick. He’d deal with these three on his own terms later and turn them into respectable employees in his effort to bring prosperity to the Katsuragi name.

Approved.