ooc: CHARACTER SURVEY | general

[59]

Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Stats: 168 cm (about 5'5"), 54 kg (about 118 lbs), 19.1 BMI (using the metric numbers). He's a little on the short side and pretty thin.

2. How old is he?
At the series start, he's fourteen; he's since turned fifteen.

3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
In normal situations (i.e. non-stressful situations -- school, home, with friends), his posture's pretty casual. Even in class he has no inhibitions about putting his feet up on his desk or leaning back in his chair. He tends to slouch and sulk, but he was brought up to be proper, so in the right circumstance, his posture would change. (Unless, of course, he's somewhere reluctantly -- then no matter the situation, he'd be his usual, casual self.)

4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's in excellent shape, despite the chain-smoking.

5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
He's agile, but not very graceful. He can be rash and it shows in his movement. With that said, he's able to set up complex attacks which require a fair bit of mental orchestration, so his coordination is excellent.

6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
He's pretty attractive, if the gaggle of fawning classmates has anything to say in the matter. Gokudera doesn't have the highest of self-esteems, however, and as such would probably not have the highest self-image. It's also fitting to mention that Gokudera is 3/4th Italian and 1/4th Japanese (his mother was half Japanese).

7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Very fair skin -- also a fair amount of scars. His hands especially look worn, given that he uses dynamite as a primary weapon. Privately, I would imagine that he wouldn't be very satisfied with his natural appearance; perhaps that's why he wears such flashy clothing.

8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
His hair is silver, a bit past his chin, and flips, but doesn't curl (like his mother's hair did). He usually leaves it loose and natural, but often ties it back while thinking. It seems to be medium in thickness (though the flips give it volume) and texture.

9. What color are his eyes?
They're green. And on the subject of his eyes, he wears reading glasses at times.

10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Just wait until we get to the wardrobe...

11. What are his chief tension centers?
Shoulders. All of that slouching and his devil-may-care attitude are a cover-up for more stress than the average middle school student should have to deal with, for sure.

12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Gokudera's sense of style can make quite a statement. The more snaps, buckles, and chains, the better, it seems. He wears many rings and bracelets even when in his school uniform. Out of uniform, the style hinted to in his accessories is completed in his clothes -- fitted pants and jeans, layered shirts and jackets, studded belts, the whole deal.

13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
Yes, and yes; though he tends to wear tight pants and layered tops, they don't have any negative affect on his movement -- in fact, they seem to improve his mobility (if the outfit he chose to wear to the storm ring battle against Belphegor sets any good example).

14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
Generally, yes; the only exceptions would be an occasion which would require formal dress (i.e. a suit). And of course he wears his uniform to school.

15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Boxer briefs.



Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
His voice is sort of rough, but not very deep, nor high. Somewhere in the middle.

2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He's pretty animated in speech and usually speaks quickly without mulling over the consequences. He's rash -- and it often puts him in the position of saying things that he really shouldn't. With that said, though his sharp tongue and smart mouth are often the means for insults, he's also quick at encouraging (Tsuna especially-- sometimes to the latter's chagrin), and he does speak thoughtfully and seriously when the situation calls for it.

3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
He peppers his speech with a significant amount of curse words. No matter who he's talking to.

4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
Gokudera speaks fluent Italian and Japanese, and I imagine enough English to at least get by, given that he had a multitude of private tutors as a child and would still be studying English at Namimori. He also invented his own "language" of sorts, which he calls G-Script. Though it's only been referred to as a system of writing and not a full language, I would imagine that the "letters" could represent Japanese or Italian, given whichever language he's using at the time. I hypothesize that Gokudera learned Japanese when he was a child under his father's tutors; Bianchi speaks it too, after all, even though she has no Japanese blood and would therefore be perhaps more unlikely to have picked it up on her own. (The Vongola itself -- and those with Vongola allegiance -- seems to generally be fluent in Japan, which makes sense, given that part of the Family is completely Japanese. Bianchi and Gokudera, however, despite the former's rendezvous with Reborn and the latter's loyalty to Tsuna, were not originally Vongola, which is why I have concluded that they must have learned Japanese under other circumstances.) With all of that said, Italian is still his first language, so perhaps he's more likely to write in Italian using G-Script than he is to write in Japanese.

5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
He generally speaks Japanese, though he appears to have no trouble using both languages concurrently (at the beginning of the future arc, for example, Gokudera read the Italian directions that materialized once he was able to open his box; at the same time, he was speaking Japanese with those around him. With that said, if he were to speak alone and very seriously with, say, Reborn, or perhaps Dino -- certainly Bianchi -- he would be comfortable speaking Italian.

6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
Impromptu speaker: yes. Good: no. Gokudera, as it has been mentioned, is pretty rash. As such, he often speaks without thinking. This doesn't mean that he doesn't think -- in fact, he thinks quite deeply and often. To discuss his innermost experiences, he would need more time to deliberate -- and he may be reluctant about it, depending on the situation.

7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Not particularly eloquent, not particularly inarticulate (say that latter phrase five times fast!).


Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Gokudera's smart, period. Until he was eight, he lived at his father's mansion and had many private tutors, which likely worked to jumpstart a natural talent. At Namimori junior high, he excels in all of his classes (which irritates his teachers, who usually can't stand his delinquent attitude) and finds the work simple. He has a particular knack for mathematics, as seen by the multiple situations in which he's solved difficult equations or helped his friends with their work, and works out puzzles well (figuring out the Sistema C.A.I. system, for example).

In addition to all of that, and also as a result of the fact that he lived with his father until he was eight and then left home, Gokudera has a considerable amount of street smarts, which would have been necessary as a lone kid trying to make it into the mafia. He's conscious of his surroundings and is wary of others at all times. Given his suspicions and his spitfire personality, however, things can sometimes get ugly...

Additionally, his top multiple intelligences are musical, logic, and kinesthetic.

Musical, 4.86
You like the rhythm and sound of language. You like poems, songs, and jingles. You enjoy humming or singing along with music. You probably remember things well when they are associated with music or rhythm. Try to incorporate sounds into your lessons, such as using a familiar tune, song, or rap beat to teach spelling rules, or to remember words in a series for a test.

Logic/math, 4.71
You enjoy exploring how things are related, and you like to understand how things work. You like mathematical concepts, puzzles and manipulative games. You are good at critical thinking.

Kinesthetic, 3.57
You like to move, dance, wiggle, walk, and swim. You are likely good at sports, and you have good fine motor skills. You may enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together. Incorporating body movement into your learning will help you process and retain information better.

Interestingly enough, the order for the rest was so: spatial (3), intrapersonal (2.71), linguistic (2.43), naturalist (2.29), and interpersonal (2.14).

2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
He thinks on his feet, but his conclusions are sometimes wrong. With that said, he's adaptable in battle and doesn't give up out of frustration.

3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
As for logic or intuition, Gokudera's thoughts seem to be governed by a bit of both. In a situation of action -- a battle, for example -- he is sensitive to intuition and acts on impulse. Given that he uses a long-range weapon (his bombs), however, he must think logically to plan out his attacks and orchestrate his action. In casual situations, he's more logical than intuitive and has difficulty with sensitive emotional changes in discourse at times. He's practical in most affairs (except where his superstition comes into play!) and isn't very idealistic in general. He does, however, have absolute faith in Tsuna, effectively to the point of idealism.

4. What kind of education has the character had?
As previously mentioned, he was taught privately until he left his father's mansion when he was eight. Not much detail is given about what went on between Gokudera's leaving home at eight and arriving in Namimori at fourteen, where he resumes education at Namimori junior high. It is said that he went around trying to join different mafia families (and was denied) and then trained with Dr. Shamal. He then worked for the Vongola as an assassin for some time before transferring to Namimori. Whether Gokudera was tutored privately while working with Shamal and for the Vongola -- either by the doctor himself (doubtful) or hired tutors -- or attended public school concurrently is unknown. My best guess is the latter.

5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
Academically, Gokudera's a whiz at mathematics. He's also a very talented pianist and, of course, an aficionado with explosives. He has a ridiculous amount of knowledge about the paranormal and supernatural, and always likes to learn more.

6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert. It seems like he'd be on the cusp of ISTJ (the "duty fulfiller") and ISTP (the "mechanic"). Also a reserved designer, apparently.

7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Gokudera has a lot of mood swings. One moment he seems content, the next he's flying off the handle. He's easily riled up and often needs to be restrained by his companions. He fluidly switches from teasing, to threatening, to smiling, especially in mixed company. Put it this way -- there's rarely a dull moment.

8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
He tends to be suspicious of people, especially adults. He's resourceful, though, and can adapt well enough to new situations quickly (though not necessarily with ease).

9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
It depends on what's most advantageous for him, especially in battle. If he needs to gauge his opponent's abilities (or weaknesses), he'll wait to make the second move. Often, though, he'll be the one to pick a fight -- though usually only when it's not anything too serious.

10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight. He'd fight even if it would be safer for him to flee.

11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Schadenfreude, definitely. The occasional prank, especially on Lambo, but he gets pretty pissed if he's the victim.

12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
He has a fair amount of troubles, but not necessarily any diagnosable mental disorders (at least not in canon). He keeps his problems hidden from others, generally, however.

13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
1. Discovering the truth about his parents and leaving home.
2. Finally being accepted as Shamal's apprentice.
3. Meeting Tsuna.
4. Shamal's teaching during his training for the storm battle in the rings arc (i.e. that his life matters too).
5. The first battle against Gamma alongside Yamamoto (and the conversation that the two shared during that battle).

14. What does he fear?
Ultimately, Gokudera fears letting others (see: Tsuna) down. He wants to set an example for the other guardians, but consistently falls short. He would never be able to live with himself if Tsuna or anyone else were to come to harm because of his own failure, so he works hard to be sure that it will never happen that way.

15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
His main driving force is to become the ideal right hand to Tsuna, i.e. an indispensable and powerful consigliere to a boss that has enough faith to rely on him. In order to become that, however, Gokudera must evaluate and revalue his relationships with Tsuna's other guardians, as well as his own self-image and the image he has of Tsuna himself -- all of which is part of an on-going process.

16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
He tries hard to front his insecurities away. If he were to reveal the doubts that he has about himself, it would feel like he had failed -- both himself and those whom he wishes to protect and serve. He doesn't want to trouble people (partially out of an intense streak of independence and partially because he doesn't expect people to care) and would rather not deal with it.


Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
Gokudera is the illegitimate child of his father and a pianist, but was raised as the child of his father and his father's wife (Bianchi's mother) in order to avoid controversy. He was able to see his real mother just a few times per year until she died in a suspicious car accident when he was three. It was long supposed that Gokudera's father's men had a hand in orchestrating the accident. According to Bianchi, however, the truth is that Gokudera's mother was already dying from illness; though she loved Gokudera's father (as he loved her), she refused to marry him due to her impending death. Indeed, it is said that she died from this illness even before the car slipped off the road.

... So, with all of that in mind, Gokudera has a very strained relationship with his parents. He denies Bianchi's account of his mother's death and cannot forgive his father for what he believes to be murder -- to the point that he even considers taking revenge. This thirst for vengeance is what prompted Gokudera to flee his home after discovering the truth about his mother and father.

Nothing has been mentioned about Gokudera's relationship with his step-mother. I would imagine that he harbors ill feeling toward her as she may be considered an accomplice, but before he learned the truth, he did believe her to be his mother. Because he was an illegitimate child (the result of an affair, even!), I would also imagine that Gokudera's step-mother could have mixed feelings about him -- perhaps the feeling's mutual. It's possible that she is warm, forgiving, and accepting, but given Gokudera's unpleasant memories of his early childhood, it's doubtful.

Gokudera is bitter about the lack of a relationship with his true mother, and he sees it as something that was purposefully denied him. Because he was so young when she died and because he saw her so infrequently, his memories of her are hazy. Still, she was the one to first teach him to play the piano, and the instrument still has an air of nostalgia about it because of that.

2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
He has an older half-sister, Bianchi. Their relationship is also strained, especially from Gokudera's side. As a child, Gokudera was classically conditioned against his sister's appearance as a result of her poison cooking, which he was forced to consume before performing piano recitals. Though she has good intentions and cares for Gokudera, Bianchi usually forgets to obscure her face and causes him to become violently ill and pass out -- which, of course, he doesn't take very well. Beyond the conditioning issue, Gokudera both resents Bianchi because she may have known the truth about his parents and refuses to believe her when she does share the aforesaid truth. He feels conflicted, not sure whether to dislike Bianchi or to accept her as she is. No matter how inconveniencing she can be sometimes, and no matter how murky their past, she is Gokudera's sister, and he does care for her, too.

3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
No one else, no.

4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
He doesn't just have a non-blood-related family -- he has a whole famiglia! Though some of them can be a real pain in the ass (see: stupid cow, lawn-head, the list goes on and on) they are his family and he's fiercely loyal to them. Gokudera has great respect for Reborn as well.

Additionally, the next closest thing to family that Gokudera has is the hitman and doctor Shamal. Though Gokudera resents Shamal for his alcoholism and perversion, he has been a (slightly unsteady) mentor to him since his childhood -- the dynamite techniques that Gokudera relies on are a product of Shamal's influence (and so is Gokudera's hairstyle!) -- and he has come through for Gokudera multiple times since he's come to Namimori. Though he would never admit it aloud, Gokudera probably trusts Shamal more than he'll ever be able to trust his own father.

5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
Transcending the rank of 'best friend' and moving right into 'boss' is one Sawada Tsunayoshi. The unlikely pair met when Gokudera transferred into Tsuna's class at school... and promptly challenged him for the title of tenth boss. Long story short, Gokudera (rash as usual) got himself into a sticky situation mid-battle and Tsuna, in saving his own skin, ended up saving Gokudera's life, too. From that moment on, he's declared himself as the Tenth's right hand and will stop at nothing to perform that role. He supports Tsuna unconditionally as a boss, though as time has passed, they've become better friends as well. Tsuna sees Gokudera as a good friend (though a scary one, sometimes) and Gokudera sees him as his leader, so their relationship is a bit skewed, but no less meaningful nor any weaker because of it.

After Tsuna, Gokudera's closest friend (though he'd never, ever admit it-- okay, well, it'd take a lot to get it out of him!) is Yamamoto Takeshi. These two met at school as well, though it was Tsuna who became friends with Yamamoto first, and Gokudera immediately disliked him as he perceived him as a threat to his coveted role as right hand. Though he constantly berates and begrudges Yamamoto, Gokudera spends a lot of time with him (unwillingly, of course, tch--!) and does trust him greatly. Though they can be a bit rocky at times (usually because of Gokudera's stubbornness), they work very well together and Gokudera has even learned to rely on him a little bit.

6. Does he have other close friends?
He doesn't have any intimate friends outside of Tsuna and Yamamoto (and even they're a stretch, given that Gokudera's so secretive), but he does, of course, care for his famiglia. Though he teases him to no end, he has a soft spot for Lambo and almost treats him like a younger brother (an annoying one, though!).

7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
Though people (especially schoolgirls) seem allured by his badass facade, Gokudera isn't very interpersonal and as such doesn't go out of his way to make friends. In fact, because he's so private and independent, he doesn't often make friends at all -- and even when he does, the relationship is almost always a bit skewed. Furthermore, he's suspicious of others and needs time to develop a complete picture of someone before he knows how to interpret them.

8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Family. Vongola family, that is!

9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
Single. No past relationships.

10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
No way.

11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
He's not really the type to get caught up in that kind of stuff.

12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
He doesn't.

13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
No, and no.

14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
He's in the mafia -- of course he has enemies and rivals! Rivals being anyone who encroaches on his spot as Tsuna's right hand (that means you, baseball-brain!), enemies being anyone who stands in his way or threatens his famiglia.

15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
This is an interesting question! I would suspect that Gokudera would be an even three on the Kinsey scale. He doesn't display much active interest in the many girls that have interest in him and generally remains unfazed by their advances (though he does become flustered at accidentally seeing Lal Mirch full-frontally nude; this may be because she's, you know, nude, not particularly a nude female). He hasn't been shown to take any particular interest in guys, either -- however, Gokudera seems to be disinterested when it comes to relationships, period. The many times that Dr. Shamal tries to give him hints about learning dynamite techniques via telling Gokudera to think of it like flirting, Gokudera's at an absolute loss, remarking incredulously that he wouldn't know about anything like that. It's just not a priority for him -- and it would probably be a distraction.

I put him at three, however, because he focuses so intensely on what's inside a person, not what's outside. Though he's nowhere near ready to have a stable romantic relationship with anyone (let's work on opening up in friendships first, alright?), I don't think that he would feel particularly hindered by the sex of whatever person he would develop feelings for (if he were to ever do so). If he reached the point of realizing and accepting his own feelings, he wouldn't give a rat's ass about what other people thought about it.

16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
It's not very important to him at this point. He'll think about that when he gets there.

17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Oh, god. Stupidity would be a turn-off. Like these questions.


Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
Being born on September 9th, Gokudera is a Virgo. The description on that site (though a bit painful to read) seem to fit moderately well to rather well, except in the matter of Virgos being 'conservative' -- Gokudera is anything but -- and avoiding health hazards (the kid chain-smokes, come on).

2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
He's not really religious, nor spiritual, though he has made references to gods (like the times he's mistaken enlarged Ezio as a mountain god and told the others to pray and show respect), but I think it stems more from superstition than spiritualism. They don't play a great role in his life.

3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
Though Gokudera seems to disregard other people's feelings (he can be ruthless in picking on people), he does follow a general moral code. He's fiercely loyal and is angered when his friends (even those he normally pretends to dislike) and (of course) his boss are in any danger. He wouldn't actually hurt anyone intentionally or act violently without being provoked. He values life (though not always his own) like any decent person. He tries his best, even though he makes a lot of mistakes.

4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Gokudera will defend Tsuna to no end, and he wastes no time in berating Yamamoto for believing (erroneously) that the mafia is some sort of game. Outside of the matter of Vongola honor, however, Gokudera is mostly indifferent.

5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
He tends to distrust people older than him, which stems from the negative experience he's had with his family and the poor reception from other mafia members when he was younger.


Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Gokudera comes from a wealthy family in Italy, but he lives on his own in apartment in Namimori, Japan. It was evidently listed in an artbook that he struggles to pay his rent. I imagine that he receives money from his father, though reluctantly, as he still holds a grudge against his father for his mother's death. He has just enough to get by.

2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
As mentioned, his mafioso father heads a wealthy family, and this world of class and money was one that Gokudera lived in until he was eight. Since then, he's been on his own. He appeared to feel stifled by his previous lifestyle; the independence and change were better for him, though it wasn't a very responsible decision at the start.

3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
Gokudera lives alone in an apartment, which would likely look something like this. It's pretty modest living, but for just himself, it's fine. (A description of the inside of a typical apartment is here.) I would imagine that he would have a small living/dining room off of the kitchen, a larger bedroom (if he can fit a piano in there...), and of course a bathroom. It's a little cramped and cluttered, but organized just enough.

4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Cigarettes. A lot of cigarettes. He also regularly stocks his dynamite, buys snacks for himself and his friends, and subscribes to a magazine called 'The Wonders and Mysteries of the World.'

5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
Middle school student by day, mafioso by night! (Or something like that.) School can sometimes be a drag (it's so easy!), but it's something to pass the time. He definitely prefers getting down to business, though. As a child, he was supposed to become a pianist (which he had incredible talent for) like his mother; though he still plays, it wouldn't be the ideal career for him.

6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Like previously mentioned, Gokudera has a peculiar interest in the paranormal/supernatural. In his free time, he could probably be found reading magazines about that sort of stuff. He's also really anal about the maintenance of his dynamite inventory. He likes to take walks, especially in the morning and the evening when there aren't as many people around. And occasionally, he will have a free moment at the piano. Usually, though, he spends his time with his friends, whether happily and on purpose (i.e. going to Tsuna's house) or by chance and reluctantly (i.e. running into Yamamoto, which he does pretty often).

7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Breakfast's pretty standard Italian -- coffee (with or without milk), toast with jam or a sweet croissant if he has time, or a bag of cookies to eat on the run. Lunch is usually convenience store bento. Dinner's whatever he feels like that evening (and whatever he has money leftover for).


Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:

1. Color? Red.
2. Smell? Smoke.
3. Time of day? Late night.
4. Season? Summer. Lots of thunderstorms.
5. Book? Cheesy sensationalist paranormal magazines. (Do those count?)
6. Music? Classical piano.
7. Place? Empty parks. (Swingsets are good places to contemplate.)
8. Substance? Cigarettes.
9. Plant? Some sort of persistent weed.
10. Animal? Cat. (Uri!)


END
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