[prismatica] application;

[skulleon]

▶ PLAYER
HANDLE: dup
CONTACT: herzog or pm
OVER 18? Yes!
CHARACTERS IN-GAME: n/a

▶ CHARACTER

NAME: Ryuji Sakamoto
CANON: Persona 5
CANON POINT: Post-game (True Ending), during summer vacation (after July 20th)
AGE: 18
BACKGROUND: Extensive info is here, but in short⁠—Ryuji's a Japanese teen from a broken home (alcoholic/abusive father, left when he was young) with a busted knee (thanks to shujin academy's new volleyball coach), former track and field star, and founding member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts alongside Ren Amamiya after they met in the Metaverse.

PERSONALITY: Anyone who's ever run into Ryuji will be able to tell right away he's an over-emotional guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He's loud and proud when it comes to his love for his mother, his friends, his teammates, and just for being a phantom thief in general. His feelings are intense, and expressed openly, ranging from loud cheers that encourage his companions, to violent outbursts of rage whenever someone's crossed the line. Although his temper isn't as short as it used to be, he still gets offended easily, losing his cool more often than he should. He's also not afraid to cry when the need arises⁠—when Ren first moved to Tokyo, sharing his situation-thus-far (and a beef bowl) with him, Ryuji was moved to tears.

His rough and crude punk talk may be able to get you out a tough situation every once in a while, but for the most part, Ryuji's blunt to a fault. He doesn't mince his words, showing no hesitation in regards to his hatred of selfish adults and authority figures who abuse their power—he'll tell it to you straight no matter who you are or what you're doing. Don't expect to go through a long car ride without him filling the air about how his ass itches, or that, yes, that extra piece of cake's totally going to pile on the extra calories and make you fat. Sticking his foot in his mouth as frequently as he does tends to make him the butt of every joke, though at its worst, it's also formed rifts between him and his fellow phantom thieves who took his cynical wisecracks to heart. It makes him the most belligerent of the team, as there's few people he hasn't butted heads with at some point or another.

Energetic and restless, Ryuji has a hard time sitting still. it's normal to see him fiddling around his phone, teetering back and forth in his seat, or kicking out and bouncing his injured leg during moments of stress. he's well-suited for sports, though he doesn't excel at very many; he joined the track teams of his middle and high schools in the hopes of being able to earn a scholarship to ease the burdens on his mother, and to be able to channel all of his vigor into skills he can actually use. Athletics are one of the few things he's ever been able to excel in.

Compared to his physical prowess, Ryuji's brains are lacking. he's at least self-aware of how dumb he is, constantly lamenting his poor grades in school. By the middle of his third and final year, he's gotten three failing marks on his exams, and nearly missed out on having his summer break because of all the remedial courses he's taking. He shows nearly no interest whatsoever in studying and would rather stay up late playing video games than bother to try and get any work done. Not all hope is lost, as he does possess a wealth of knowledge about physical training and sports, retained from his days as a star athlete...but there isn't much room for anything else, especially if it comes out of a book (which he says he never reads—it puts him to sleep).

Hidden behind his public image of being a delinquent and a troublemaker, however, lies an altruistic boy possessing a strong sense of right and wrong. Ryuji doesn't think twice when he needs to protect his allies, more than willing to put his life on the line if it means he can save theirs. He'll do anything for those in need from running out in the middle of the street so he can stop a taxi, to flinging himself off of a sinking ship so that the rest of his crew can board a lifeboat and float to safety. Even when he'd only just met Ren, a transfer student with a questionable criminal record and already-ill reputation, he showed no fear when he threw himself into harm's way in the hopes he'd be able to escape. The needs of others far outweigh his own; he'll shoulder the blame in most situations, regardless of if he had anything to do with it or not. It was due to his being singled out by Suguru Kamoshida that he took the fall for his school's overworked track team, despite them all viewing him as a traitor.

Overall, past his vulgar problem-student exterior, Ryuji's your number one fan, always eager to lend a hand, and the great friend who won't be one bailing you out of jail, but the guy sitting next to you saying, "Damn, wasn't that fun?!"

POWERS/ABILITIES:

Persona
Like his fellow phantom thieves, Ryuji is a Persona user—a facade used to overcome life's hardship. When he summons Seiten Taisei in battle, the core of his abilities revolve around Hitting It Very Hard and little else, although he does have a few lightning spells at his disposal to shock enemies, can boost the attack power of his allies, and is able to evade wind-based magic.

Alter Ego
First appearing in the Metaverse, with his will of rebellion Ryuji can transform into his alter-ego, Skull: a biker dressed in black leather with a red scarf, criscrossed belts full of shotgun shells, and kneepads. He's accustomed with breaking and entering, sneaking around, and using basic acrobatics to help stay out of sight while infiltrating Palaces.

Track Team's Ace
Back when he competed, Ryuji won several first-place awards in sprinting events. His old injury has slowed him down some, but he's still faster than many, with high endurance and the capacity to outrun many obstacles. He does muscle training in his spare time and is still trying to recover from his broken leg, limping and tripping on occasion when he's overworked himself.

Skill List
Ziodyne
Maziodyne
Charge
God Hand
Swift Strike
Shock Boost
Matarukaja
Evade Wind

INVENTORY: Smartphone, camouflage waist bag, skull necklace, Metaverse weapons (spiked club, model shotgun), and his Persona (Seiten Taisei)

MOONBLESSING: Sanguis.

▶ SAMPLES

TDM with Ren
TDM with Ann