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♚ OOC
Name: Kaze
Age: 31
Contact:

wagashi
Character In-game: N/A

♛ IC
Name: Masakuni Doudanuki (Western Order); also known as Doutanuki in stage plays
Canon: Touken Ranbu
Canon Point: Up to War Training Expansion 4: The Search for Juzumaru bc grandpa won't come home
Age: (by 2205) approx. 630 years old
Gender: Male
Species: Sword
Appearance: Image here.

History/Background: Wikia Link for Doudanuki | World Information | Fanmade History (based on historical research)
Personality:
“We're weapons, so being strong is good enough. You know, simple and sturdy?"

Utilitarian by nature, Doudanuki follows the style in which he was forged. He doesn't believe in swords being collected and created purely for art's sake, although his grudge is less against swords that achieve aesthetics and more toward the humans who place value in such things.

Born into a world of war, he's single-minded about his approach to swords and their uses. He believes that as long as a sword (or person) is strong, sturdy, and can be used for their true purpose, then nothing else really matters. He balks at being given jobs that he considers "unsuitable" for weapons of war, such as taking care of horses or fields, and is among the least domestic (or domesticated, one could say) of the tsukumogami. He begrudgingly approves of horses, but only because "horses can be used for war, too." Fieldwork, however, is disdainful likely because many of the swordsmiths of his era were forced to turn to forging cutlery or farm tools after the Edo period began and active warfare declined. He also complains when taken shopping, stating he doesn't understand why the Saniwa would take him when all he knows is war. Also, where other swords tend to rejoice at finding resources when scouting the field, Doudanuki is exasperated that it's not an enemy.

Perhaps due to his singular focus on battle, Doudanuki is rougher in both speech and mannerism. His speech patterns in Japanese are very "boorish" and masculine compared to some of the other swords, and his dress reflects his personality greatly. He wears either black or grey tones only and his clothes are focused on increasing mobility and comfort rather than style. He wears his top loose with bandages wrapping his torso and when not in armor, he wears a simple dark grey jersey. He often mentions throughout the game that he doesn't care about his appearance and doesn't understand why people want him to change. When he ranks up, he even says: "Looks like I've gotten even stronger. ...My looks? I don't have to change those."

However, the amount of energy he puts into denying that he cares about his appearance is an indication that it bothers him more than he likes to admit. While other swords are traded and valued by collectors and enthusiasts, Doudanuki swords are largely left in storage or rarely let out onto the market. Their thick, unrefined style is displeasing to most modern collectors who grew up seeing the graceful curved lines of more famous katana. While other swords are displayed and lauded, he's largely forgotten and it stings - even if his pride won't allow him to acknowledge that.

In the comics, it’s shown that he does want to get along with others, but he simply doesn’t know how. Where the other uchigatana are very close with the tantou and wakizashi, most of them avoid him because he’s gruff and scary looking. He tries various things to get them to like him and mostly fails because he isn’t as socialized as the other swords. What ends up working is when he exhausts himself and falls asleep. The tantou see him sleeping so quietly and remark and he’s actually pretty nice, despite his failed attempts. Later, he shows up in a different comic trying to train the Level 1 versions of himself that are hidden in the basement of the citadel in how to smile properly so they can make friends and be chosen to go out onto the battlefield – which shows that while he understands that friends are important, he doesn’t quite understand why.

"I'm pretty sick of this era where you can't prove your strength without putting on a show."

Despite being a war sword, most of Doudanuki's life has been led in relative peace. In 1603, following the rise of the Tokugawa government, Japan left the Warring States period and entered an era of stability. This lowered his value as a sword and left him largely idle. Despite that, samurai loved to show off their skills to prove they were still useful, still important, and still better than everyone else. Doudanuki hates that about the modern generations. Although he himself became famous due to one such show of strength, Doudanuki is a largely practical spirit and wants his actions to be judged by their merits, rather than their showiness. He doesn't hate peace itself - just the fact that it results in him having nothing to do.

When he speaks with Otegine, a spear, in Edo, they both remark on how peaceful the era was and how neither of them had much use or value. However, both admit that it's ironic and a little sad that through the battles with the Retrograding Army they finally get a turn. He isn't displeased at the chance to prove his worth, but he recognizes that it's unfortunate that such events came to pass.

Ironically, despite being a "war maniac," he hates leading. He's more comfortable being part of a team than pushing a solo mission or being the head strategist. If the Saniwa puts him in charge of a unit, he complains: "The captain's gotta order people around, right? Ughhh..." It isn't that he's lazy, but that he understands the role to which he's best suited - that of a sword to be used and wielded instead of the wielder. He's one to follow another's lead easily so long as it takes him into battles and brings him home. And even if he dies in battle, he has no regrets. Should Doudanuki perish on the field, he says that it's a natural outcome of going to war and that a death on the battlefield suits him. He'd much rather die there, among clashing steel and screaming men, than to slowly rust away to nothingness in a closed, dusty shed.

"I'm the one who cut the helmet where all the others failed, y'know."

The Doudanuki line's greatest achievement came after the Sword Abolishment Edict of 1876 and Doudanuki takes great pride in it. His introduction mentions it and so does his critical attack. He even carries the helmet he split under one arm at the citadel. While he doesn't go out of his way to brag about it, it's obviously become one of his defining traits - which is why it's interesting that he might not have been the one to do it. While it was indeed a Doudanuki sword that cut the helmet at the Emperor's match, it likely wasn't a Masakuni sword but a Naritsugu made blade. However, since most people can't tell the difference between a Masakuni and Naritsugu Doudanuki sword, it's possible that the feat has been lumped into one single event lending to the Doudanuki sword spirit's identity. Doudanuki himself would be aware that it wasn't Masakuni (his swordsmith) that created the sword that did the deed, but as it's one of the only things he's known for, he'd be loathe to let anyone else know.

Doudanuki doesn't crave attention - when he's made MVP he even semi-apologizes for stealing the spotlight (although he sounds very pleased with himself while doing it) – and he has very little by the way of famous deeds to his name. Most of the other sword spirits the Saniwa possesses had famous owners, were part of famous battles, or at the very least had a singular sword or weapon they represented. Doudanuki lacks this, and so he clings to the one thing that he can call "his," even if it isn't truly his own.

"Find me the enemy headquarters. I'll charge once we find 'em!"
Overall, Doudanuki is a straightforward, honest type of spirit who focuses on what he's good at and gives his all to every battle. He may be rough around the edges and, like his swords, lack a certain amount of refinement, but he's a solid, trustworthy ally that will protect and defend his master and history. As annoyed as he gets at being injured or unable to fight, he realizes that the ultimate goal of war is peace and isn't going to resist the flow of time. He hopes, like all the swords, that the Saniwa is successful in stopping the Retrograding Army - and if he gets to have some fun and tear up the battlefield in the meantime, then what's so bad about that, right?

Skills/Abilities: As a tsukumogami of a sword, Doudanuki is adept at using his particular weapon. He's strong (having one of the higher Impact ratings for uchigatana), but not particularly fast (lowest Mobility) or good at hiding (low Camouflage). As an uchigatana, he can see better in the dark than tachi or oodachi, but not as well as tantou and wakizashi; and his Scouting score is fairly low. He is skilled at practical applications of hand to hand combat and swordfighting. Due to being a sword spirit, his healing factor is higher than most humans, and in game he'll heal as if he has a slight healing buff. While humans take two weeks to heal a broken bone, he might only take one week, for example. He won't be immune to illnesses, but he will have a hardier constitution than most. As a spirit, he has no biological need to eat or sleep, although he does it anyway as part of a learned trait from having a human body. He can feel hunger, but the biological need to satisfy it or die does not exist. In game, he can manifest out of his vessel and if it is damaged, he is hurt or dies. In CrossCheck, he won't have a vessel and thus is stuck in his human body, but damage to his weapon will not be reflected in damage to him.

Magic Weapon: Kabutowari - a 76cm long sword styled after his vessel, thicker than most with less of a curve than other uchigatana. It has a plain black sheath, handle, and tsuba. Depending on mana output, it can induce headaches, disorientation, and nausea in mild to strong doses on one (1) target or as a mild area of effect for up to 5 targets within a ten foot range. A mild affect would be an annoying headache, like a fatigue headache, little to no nausea, and mild disorientation, and can be held for a longer period of time. A strong effect would be closer to a migraine minus sensitivity to sound or light, and cannot be held for a long period of time before user fatigue sets in. Otherwise, it functions as a normal sword.
Carrier: A tanuki, a Japanese raccoon dog. They're so fat and fluffy...

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