Fuyuhiko Matsuura - Spirit User

Personality,

Fuyuhiko is first and foremost imaginative. He can frequently be found daydreaming — whether in class, out in public, or in the comfort of his own home. While he’ll indulge in any fantasy that allows him to escape from the real world, he most enjoys media involving crime fighting and vigilante justice. More specifically, he likes to doodle superhero costumes and imagine himself fighting crime using a wide array of weapons and superpowers. His obsession with fiction wouldn’t normally be an issue if it didn’t interfere with his daily life.

Overall, Fuyuhiko is pretty negligent with his studies, as he’d rather spend time reading comic books, visiting the arcade, or drawing instead of focusing on schoolwork. When he does try to study and complete assignments, he tends to struggle, either because he gets distracted or because he wasn’t paying enough attention in class to understand the material. The phrase “attention deficit” has been thrown around in reference to Fuyuhiko's difficulties in school, but he has never been officially diagnosed. His parents, for one, chalk it up to laziness and procrastination. When he is interested in something, such as an art project or leveling up in a video game, he can focus for hours at a time. The issue is motivating him to do what needs to be done — or so say his parents.

Fuyuhiko never intentionally disobeys his parents. In fact, he wishes more than anything to make them proud. He would never consider skipping school or running away from his responsibilities altogether to spite his folks, regardless of how overbearing they can be. Life for him might be easier if he had the ability to stand up for himself, put his foot down, and make a decision for himself, but as for right now, he lacks the courage and willpower to do so. He respects his parents too much and allows them full control over his life; thus, leading his parents to be at the root of many of his anxieties, even when they're just trying to do what they think is best for him.

Fuyuhiko frequently struggles with toeing the line between doing what brings him joy and doing what is expected of him. While he has considered dropping out of school and attempting to pursue a career as a comic book artist or a costume designer, he is constantly reminded that it's “not a plan for success” and “it wouldn't pay the bills.” So instead, he has opted to make his parents proud by applying for college and eventually pursuing a career in law, medicine, or finance. Unfortunately, his unexceptional test scores, lack of involvement in extracurriculars, and tendency to daydream make this option a difficult one.

He has considered joining the military or becoming a police officer, believing that it would be an ideal middle-ground between what he wants and what his parents want. Such jobs are respectable and would most certainly earn him some praise from his parents; plus, it would be the closest way for him to fight real-life villains, just like the heroes in his comics. There's no denying he has a firm sense of justice and a strong moral compass, but something prevents him from actively pursuing this route. Not only does it lack the fanciful nature of superhero work, but it requires courage and physical prowess, two things Fuyuhiko currently lacks.

Skills: Fuyuhiko doesn't exactly have book smarts or street smarts, but he does have enough heart and imagination to make up for it. He is skilled in art, namely in the cartoon/manga style, and in designing clothes that are both functional and attractive. He has exceptional hand-eye coordination as a result of his years playing video games; and while he does have the skill level to play competitively, he has never competed out of fear that it would disappoint his parents. He also knows basic CPR and random medical facts, all thanks to his parents’ profession.

Appearance,

Fuyuhiko is a fairly average seventeen year old boy. He's roughly five feet, six inches tall and about one-hundred-fifty pounds. His parents argue about whether or not he is "too skinny" or "too wide," but such bickering only leaves Fuyuhiko feeling insecure about his body. To help hide his true weight, he tends to wear multiple layers, even if the weather doesn't require it; for instance, in summer months, he might wear a vest or short-sleeve jacket over his shirt. As far as pants are concerned, anything is fine. Jeans, sweats, and shorts are all viable options, so long as they aren't too revealing. The same can be said for shoes, though sneakers are his go-to choice.

Fuyuhiko's hair is a dark brown, appearing almost black when wet. On average, he lets his hair do whatever it wants, not bothering to take the time putting product in it. Since it's only a few inches long, it tends to part in the center of his forehead and stick up in the back. While it doesn't always take on these properties, it's often enough for it to be considered commonplace. He'll sometimes comb it with gel if he's preparing for a formal event, though these instances are few and far between. Much like his how his hair can appear to change color depending on whether or not it's wet, Fuyuhiko's eyes are a deep brown which occasionally appear black or even grey depending on the lighting.

Inventory,

History,

Fuyuhiko was born on September 26th in Tokyo, Japan to Eito and Akiara Matsuura, two general surgeons from the Setagaya municipal. His childhood was a fairly average one. He had a decent relationship with his parents, he did alright in school, and he had a fair number of friends. Nothing exceptional or traumatic happened in his youth. The only thing one might find out of the ordinary is the fact that he spent a lot of time by himself as a child. Because both of his parents were renown doctors, they would be away at work most of the day and would sometimes have to stay late or return to work for an emergency procedure.

This isn't to say his parents were never home and never spent quality time with their son, but it was often enough for Fuyuhiko to develop a habit of visiting the arcade after school rather than coming straight home. What was the rush to go home and do homework anyway? Not only was it lonely returning to an empty house, but no one was there to insist he get his homework done first. Even on the days he did go home after class, he usually wouldn't immediately work on his assignments, instead deciding to make himself something to eat and watch cartoons. Despite this, he never let his hobbies interfere with what he knew needed to get done. "One hour at the arcade then home to study." "Two shows then I need to turn everything off and do homework."

Because he always made sure to complete his assignments and study for upcoming tests, Fuyuhiko did well in school. There was a time when he would receive high marks and would be praised by his teachers for his hard work. But something changed, and school became more difficult for him. No one knows exactly when the shift occurred, but it started some time in his early high school career. Was it a display of teenage angst, silently rebelling against his parents and teachers? Was it the result of a child reluctantly accepting the fact that he was becoming an adult? Or perhaps it had something to do with the move from Setagaya to Shibuya during his sophomore year of high school (10th grade).

Fuyuhiko never bothered learning the details of why they moved. The only thing that mattered to him was the fact that his parents were uprooting their entire life in Setagaya to move fifteen minutes away. It seemed like a waste of time, effort, and money. The icing on the cake was the fact that his parents hadn't asked Fuyuhiko for his opinion on the matter. Granted, they normally didn't consult him when making big decisions, but it felt like his parents didn't care at all how it affected his life. Even though he was frustrated, he never went out of his way to say anything about how he felt. He kept silent and played the role of obedient son, pretending to be happy about the move in order to spare his parents' feelings.

For the first few months after the move, he would ride his bike or take a taxi to Setagaya in order to visit his friends and hang out at their favorite spots. However, as time passed, he stopped going. He needed to focus on his studies, and his friends needed to do the same. Schedules conflicted, money grew tight, and motivation was lost. Though Fuyuhiko still keeps in touch with many of his childhood friends via text or email, he doesn't see them as often as he used to. Eventually, Fuyuhiko's grades began to slip. It was subtle at first. Lower test scores in subjects he normally excelled in. A late or missing assignment here and there. Projects which only met the bare minimum requirements.

Over time, these behaviors worsened until he was a few weeks into junior year (11th grade) and his parents received a phone call from one of his teachers. Fuyuhiko, his parents, and the professor all met to discuss his poor test scores and inappropriate behavior in class. "Mister and Missus Matsuura, it's a pleasure," the teacher began before diving into her list of complaints. "I can tell your son has promise, but he's unmotivated to complete classwork or turn in homework. He reads comic books in class and stares out the window. If this behavior persists, I'm afraid he might be held back a year." The teacher began to theorize about what she thought might be contributing to the issue, but Fuyuhiko had long-since toned her out.

The ride home after the meeting was filled with silence, but the moment they entered the apartment and closed the door, the reprimanding began. Fuyuhiko's parents took turns voicing their disappointment, stating that they expected more of from son and explaining how he'd be no better than a bum on the street if he didn't start turning his life around. "You don't seem to understand the importance of your schooling," his father spat, and for some reason that line stuck in Fuyuhiko's mind. Perhaps because, in that moment, he realized that his parents valued his grades over his mental state. Was that all he was to them? Did they even care what he was going through?

After a long, one-sided belittling session, Fuyuhiko's parents grounded him. In the Matsuura household, grounding meant that Fuyuhiko was required to return home immediately after school. To prove to his parents that he was obeying their new rules, he had to send a picture of the clock in their living room to his father as soon as he got home. He was given more chores to do on top of the ones he did regularly, and his parents checked his homework whenever they returned from work. To top it all off, many of Fuyuhiko's personal belongings were confiscated. No superhero and anime figurines. No manga or comics. No television or gaming devices. They even took his sketchbooks, seemingly unaware that he was able to doodle on the same lined paper he used for school.

This was the worst month of Fuyuhiko's life, but it did an excellent job getting him back on track. His test scores improved, he was turning in homework on time, and he was making his parents proud. As a reward, the curfew was lifted and his belongings were returned over the following weeks. All in all, everything seemed to be going well. Test scores were okay, parents were content, and teachers were happy... but Fuyuhiko was not. Day after day, he became more aware of how fast senior year (12th grade) was approaching, and he began to worry about what he would do once it was all over.

College? That's what his parents wanted, anyway, but was that what he wanted to do? Did his desires even matter at all? All answers pointed to no. The only thing that did matter was school and work. "Finding a wife" was in there somewhere too, according to his parents. Alternatively, if he pursued his own dreams then what guarantee was there that he would be successful or that he would make his parents proud? Perhaps a single act of bravery could help put him on the right path.