Azukuriu

[SIZE="3"]Hi! I had some free time, so I played around with your pic a little. I'll pm the finished version to ya. Let me know if it's what your lookin' for[/SIZE]. :animesmil

[b]EDIT:[/b] While digging through a pile of old crap in my room, I found this ancient sketch of Kuro that I drew in the old days before I actually named my characters. You can find it => [url="http://s1006.photobucket.com/albums/af181/Azukuriu/?action=view&current=scan0001.jpg"]here[/url]. The coat is a bit of personalization that I'm not sure i'll have in the actual RP unless it is fine with the creators. [B]Name: [SIZE=3]é»?ç?° å¿ ç¾©[/SIZE][/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]Tadayoshi [/FONT][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kuroda (last name first, for those who need clarification) Kuro to his friends.[/FONT] [B]Gender: [FONT=Palatino Linotype]Male[/FONT][/B] [B]Rank: [FONT=Palatino Linotype]6[/FONT][/B] [B]Appearance:[/B] Kuroda is exactly 5' 11 3/4", and he resents it, telling everyone he's exactly six feet in height. He's very trim, but not overly muscular. Kuro has a slim face and very good looks, a trait that most of his family shares. His eyes are a vivid silver color, something that set him apart from the rest of his brothers. The only family member who shares this strange eye color is his little sister, Kireya. Kuro has long, silky, unnaturally-white hair. Depending on his mood, he either lets it hang loose, falling to the middle of his back, or he'll tie it back in a long ponytail. Two streaks of black hair hang across his left eye. Kuro is fair-skinned. He as two small silver piercings in his left earlobe, as well as a black cuff around the cartilidge. A small, spider-like tattoo with the kanji for demon set in the center is on the back of his right hand (This symbol has personal meaning to me, so I use it in my writing all the time,{[URL="http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af181/Azukuriu/bert002-2.jpg"][COLOR=navy][B]Symbol[/B][/COLOR][/URL]}) [FONT=Palatino Linotype][/FONT] [B]Personality: [/B][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Most of the time, Kuro is a very laid-back and good-natured guy. He gets along well with just about anybody, and would rather forego formallity for the sake of building relationships. Yet from time to time he will withdraw into himself. His speech becomes more formal, and he speaks with a calm detachment which usually put people off. But these moods are fleeting, the only consitency being when he is in the middle of combat, or under a great deal of stress[/FONT] [I][U]Zanpakuto[/U][/I] [B]Name:[/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]Nodoka Gekijou (quiet fury)[/FONT] [B]Appearance:[/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]This zanpaktou comes in a pair. They represent the different sides of Kuro's personality. [/FONT] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]Links here= [B]First:[/B][/FONT][B]([/B][URL="http://www.trueswords.com/images/prod/musashi_swords_handmade_carbon_katana2.jpg"][COLOR=navy][B]Dark[/B][/COLOR][/URL][B])[FONT=Palatino Linotype] /Second: [/FONT][FONT=Verdana]([URL="http://www.medropship.com/images/KA2013.jpg"][COLOR=navy]Light[/COLOR][/URL])[/FONT][/B] [B]Shikai Call Out:[/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]"Flash and burn Nodoka Gekijou..."[/FONT] [B]Shikai Appearance: [/B][FONT=Palatino Linotype]The blades become wider, and the design becomes rougher and more deadly looking. Kuro usually wields them with and inverted grip. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana][B]([URL="http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af181/Azukuriu/RP%20Stuff/NodokaGekijouquietfury.jpg"][COLOR=navy]linky[/COLOR][/URL])[/B][/FONT] [B]Shikai Power:[/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]The two swords allow Kuro to focus and channel his reiryoku, allowing him to move faster and hit harder than he already does. Also, the white blade has the power to create and channel lighting, and the dark blade channels fire. Kuro tends to use these abilities in a number of ways, keeping his enemy at a distance and wearing them down before darting in and finishing them off. Of course, sometimes he doesn't use these powers at all.[/FONT] [B]Bankai:[/B] [FONT=Palatino Linotype]The two blades become elbow-length gauntlets with long, wickedly sharp claws. The gauntlets themselves are covered with spiked ridges, with a black lighting bolt on the white one, and a white flame on the black gauntlet ([URL="http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af181/Azukuriu/RP%20Stuff/scan0001.jpg"][COLOR=navy]link[/COLOR][/URL]). Kuro's clothing changes as well, becoming more ragged and turning from black to white.[/FONT] [B]Bankai Power: [/B][FONT=Palatino Linotype]The lighting and fire that Kuro normally uses becomes even more formidable, and he can combine the two powers for even greater effect. Also has several other abilities that he has yet to master.[/FONT] [U][B]Hollow[/B][/U] [B]Mask Appearance:[/B] An evil-looking mask, with thin black stripes forming an intricate pattern around the eyes. the very edges of the mask, and certian areas of the mouth are lined with deep red highlights. Kuro's eyes become jet-black, and thin trails of smoke seep from the edges of the mouth. [[URL="http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af181/Azukuriu/RP%20Stuff/Mask0001.jpg"][COLOR=navy][B]Link[/B][/COLOR][/URL]]) [B]Level of Control:[/B] The longest Kuro has ever kept his mask active was for close to ten minutes, and he continuously pushes the limits of his control. As he is continuously at odds with his inner hollow, increasing his control won't be a simple task. [B]Specialty:[/B] Kuro becomes stronger, wilder, and less disciplined, disregarding his elemental powers and taking the fight to his enemies. He becomes consumed with raw fury during combat, and his zanpaktou resonates with this rage, crackling with dark enegry. Extra Information [B]Short Biography:[/B] Before his Hollowfication, Kuroda was a prodigal member of the Soul Reaper Academy. While his kido wasn't nearly as powerful as others, his skill with a blade was unheard of. No matter what the situation, Kuro always found new and creative ways to defeat his opponents. Like everyone else, he had heard rumors of the 14th squad, but instead of reacting with the fearful suspicion that everyone else seemed to feel, Kuroda thought it would be a worthy goal to aspire to, as only the most powerful Soul Reapers could survive the procedure necessary to become a Vizard. [B]Character Snippet: [/B] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kireya peeked into Kuroda's room, grinning mischeviously when she realized that he had fallen asleep over his books again. Moving quietly, her small feet making only the slightest noise, she darted over to the desk. Kireya reached for one of the books, lifting the heavy thing high over her head. She hesitated for only a moment before dropping the book next to Kuroda's head.[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]The effect was instantaneaous. Kuro pushed himself away from the desk, the chair tipping over and depositing him onto the hard wooden floor. The first thing his sleep-fogged brain registered was the musical laughter of his sister. with a groan, he raised himself up to a sitting position.[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]"Jeez.." Kuro rubbed the back of his head, wincing as his fingers grazed the swiftly-forming lump caused by his impact with the floor. He leveled his metallic eyes on Kireya, who was still in the throes of hysterical laughter. Despite the situation, he couldn't help but grin himself.[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]"Ha ha, I'm sure you're finding this immensly enteraining Kireya, but ya won't be able to sneak up on me so easily next time." [/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kireya slow regained her composure, wiping the moisture from here eyes. "Please brother. Yousleep so deeply that there's no way you could've heard me."[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kuro's raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well it's your fault I sleep during the day. Your horrendous snoring keeps me up the the whole night."[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kireya opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the door sliding open. One of the estate's servants shuffled in a few steps, keeping his head bowed and his hands clapsed behind his back.[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kuro stood up, brushing off his red robes and smiling politely. "What's up Sei? Do you need me for something."[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]"Forgive my intrusion, Tadayoshi-tono." Sei spoke formally and with precision.[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kuro winced at the use of that hated honorific. "It's fine, Sei. What do you need?"[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]"A messenger just arrived. He said you are to report to the 14th Squad barracks immediately for your... initiation."[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Kuro sighed. That explained Sei's attitude. He shrugged turning to his desk and rearranging all the books in their proper order. "Very well Sei, you may go."[/FONT][/I] [I][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Sei bowed once, then left the room, closing the paper door behind him. Kireya looked up at her older brother, gasping his hand and squeezing gently before exiting as well. Kuro put on his altered Soul Reaper uniform, the right sleeve having been removed. After belting on his zanpaktou, one white, the other black, he made for the door, expression composed, eyes expressionless, ready for whatever awaited him.[/FONT][/I]

Both you and Brasil make good points, and I agree with some of them. I guess what I was really trying to say was that I believe the reason they destroyed everything Shepard worked for in the first game, as well as making most of the original Normandy's crew move on with their lives, was to show that the player (Shepard) cannot truly control what other people in the world do, even his crew. In the second game, Shepard, despite the destruction of the Normandy and his temporary death, still retains his conviction. He still pursues the Reapers, even when most of the Normandy's surviving crew moves on with their lives. They gave up, even when Shepard didn't. You can't convince them to return, because they don't want to return. They've made their own lives since the attack on the Normandy, and unlike Shepard, aren't willing to put their personal convictions aside just to help you, despite their awareness of the threat. It sucks. It sucks really bad. But growing attached to your original crew and having them taken away makes the game more real. Sometimes, realism blows. Also, remember that how you ended the first game, and whether or not you imported save data from the first game to the second, can affect certain important elements of the second game. As a default in ME2, the old Council is destroyed and a new, all human one rises to power. Gavin, you had a completely different gaming experience because of this. All of my original game data was inexplicably wiped, so I was forced to play the second game with consequences that I didn't bring about. This gives us a different outlook on the game. Although I will agree that I made a critical error by saying the Collectors were the greater threat. We know that the Reapers are, but I was just trying to say that they take the place of Saren and the heretic geth.

[FONT=Palatino Linotype]I agree that there are many elements from ME1 that they did not include in the second one, but I do not believe that it detracts from the experience of playing the second Mass Effect, if you look at it from a different perspective. In my mind, I view ME2 as a bridge chapter in the series. You must remember that at the end of the first game, the old Council has been destroyed, the Citadel is in ruins, and Shepard decides that no matter what he is going to go on this crusade to destroy the Reapers once and for all. He's high off his victory against Saren and the destruction of his first Reaper, and confident of his abilities as well as that of his team and crew. While I believe ME2 could have handled their introduction better, what they were basically doing was showing what happened after Shepard and the original Normandy set out to wage their personal war. They had no set direction, and were still trying to find their bearings. In the middle of this transition period, everything goes to hell. The Normandy is destroyed by an unknown force, and Shepard is essentially killed, with his body being virtually destroyed. Which leads to something else ME2 should have improved on but didn't. Before you truly begin playing the game in earnest, two years have passed. Two years where Shepard spends completely unaware of the outside world. During even after you beat the game, your still not completely aware of what all has changed, and that could give a player a sense of disconnection. But the main point I want to bring to light is the Collectors. I'm going to assume that you've already beaten the game, so you already know about what the the Collectors really are and what their role is. While Saren led the geth against Shepard in the first game, the second Mass Effects shows that the they were never the real threat. The collectors were the true servants of the Reapers, and always have been. There is no central "bad guy" in the second game, because Shepard is going against an entire race of bad guys. There isn't one centralized enemy to fight, because Shepard has made many enemies. What Mass Effect 2 tries to do is show progression of the galaxy and its inhabitants as a whole, but mostly the progression of Shepard as an individual. His entire perception of the Reaper threat changes during the game, for he begins to realize that the sheer scope of what he must accomplish is far greater than he first thought. Two years may have passed, but the Reapers and the Collectors still continued with their plans, unopposed, sowing the seed of destruction throughout the galaxy. In essence, ME2 is basically a stepping stone for ME3, a way of moving the story along while trying out some new innovations within the game during the process. Despite it's flaws, and the lack of some great elements that made the first game amazing, ME2 tries its best to keep the series new and interesting. Though I will say that the lack of weapon customization has me really bummed. Hopefully they'll do something about that.[/FONT]

[FONT=Palatino Linotype]Hello to all! For those who like clarification, I am Azukuriu, and I have just signed up. I've been writing RP's for years, although I admit to being new to online RP forums. From what I've seen of the site so far, there's plenty of talented, entertaining... and somewhat odd people hanging around. I'm looking forward to workin' with everyone! That is of course if nobody objects to one more delinquent throwing himself into an already diverse mix. [/FONT]