Personality: Personality wise… If you’ve ever heard the term “genki,” (Japanese for “good health” or “energetic,” denoting a sunny personality) that’s basically Kazuki in a nutshell. He’s got pep in his step. We’re not talking simple cheerfulness here… more like he could power a small city with his sheer enthusiasm for everything. He doesn’t do anything small; every part of him is loud and bright and exuberant. He almost always has a smile on his face, he loves being around people, and he enjoys life in an almost childlike fashion. Even the most simple things, like a sunny day, a gathering with friends, playing sports, or nailing a performance can make him very happy.
He's also very kind. When he sees people in trouble, he wants to help. He doesn't like to see people hurting or sad. For example, he stands as a pillar of encouragement for Kahoko during the earlier parts of the manga, and is probably the closest to him before she gets to know the other contestant better. He also stands up for his best friend Azuma when his family treats him poorly... And to good effect, as it gives Azuma the courage to stand up to his grandmother and continue to pursue music.
When he does get upset or depressed, he’s really obvious about. It doesn’t take a master of subtlety to understand what Kazuki is feeling. His heart is 100% exposed and on his sleeve. He slows down considerably, he stops smiling, spaces out, and hems and haws and sighs. But sometimes it takes time, or a nudge from someone close to him, for him to realize he's acting that way at all. When he first starts pining over Kahoko, Azuma has to point out to him that he looks a mess, and Kazuki is surprised that someone could tell... When he's been zoning out for days. You could say he's especially thick in that manner.
As you can see, he tends to get lost in his worries when he doesn't know how to solve them. His approach is straight-forward-- if a problem is too complicated to talk out in earnest, he may not be able to fix it at all without someone else's help. And he will ask for help, that doesn't bother him, but it may take time for that to happen.
But he rarely gets depressed for his own sake. Most of the time, he can take a hard time and still be perfectly fine (he never places well in the competition, but that doesn't get him down), and small mess-ups don't bother him. When he is sad, it's usually because he’s worried for someone else. Or if he’s having romantic issues, which he is clueless about in general.
His case of puppy love with Kahoko is a prime example of this. It doesn't take very long at all (much faster than the other boys, for sure) for him to become attached to her, smitten with her attention and kindness towards him, as well as her dedication in general. Even the smallest things, like eye contact, or their hands brushing, sends him all in a fluster. And it takes several volumes for him to finally admit to himself that he loves her.
Even then, he only admits it to himself. He thinks about telling her, but after getting advice from Azuma, and having a few days to think, he decides not to, because he doesn't want to burden her with his feelings when she has more important things to worry about. He vows to himself to do this best, with his music and as a human being, and if he's worthy of her, she'll notice him. Her happiness is more important than his romantic feelings. Then he cheers up almost immediately.
So you could say that he's naturally an emotional person, but not the best at picking up on his own vibes. He can tell right away when someone else is hurting, even if they're trying to hide it, like Kahoko often does, but doesn't realize it when he's in just as much pain. He has a lot of empathy for others, but little for himself.
Still, it's rare for him to be down. We're talking like, a 90%-10% split here, 90 being happy and 10 being sad. He's normally super cheerful nearly all the time, I promise. He's not a very complicated character at all. I don't even think he's ever been really angry in canon, and there definitely isn't an ounce of hate in his heart.
In conclusion, more than anything, he wants the people around him and the ones he cares about to be happy. He just wants to feel good and have a good time, and share music with anyone who will listen! Kazuki is a great person to go to if you’re feeling down because it’s nearly impossible to be upset around his completely genuine cheerfulness. Even Kahoko admits that he has a sort of “magic” about him; all doubts seem to fade in the presence of his smile.
My favorite trait of his are his rampant metro-sexual tendencies. He often wears hairclips/ponytails, never dons the same outfit twice (hell, he never even wears his uniform correctly), can go to 15 clothing stores in a row and still want more, and was bribed into going to that after-commercial party with limited edition hightop sneakers. Number one clotheshorse.
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Breeder! Kazuki isn’t much for competition, he just wants everyone to have a good time. He doesn’t like to see others hurt either, so I don’t think he would like being a trainer.
I accidentally said in a few of the threads that Popplio was using Bubble, like, the attack Bubble. Capital B. But when I checked Popplio’s stats online, it turns out he can’t even learn Bubble! Bubblebeam, yes, but he’d have to be at a much higher level than I intended in this sample. I just assumed from his Pokedex entries (that are all about blowing bubbles) that he’d be able to use the actual attack, but… Nope. I’m very sorry about that. I’ll be sure to check attack lists thoroughly from now on before saying a Pokemon can use a certain move.
Victory Road Sample: “Honky Tonk! I think you should use Water Gun!”
Kazuki’s tone was unsure as he commanded his Popplio. He wasn’t a trainer, and avoided most battles, but sometimes a flock of angry Spearow decided that you needed to get out of their territory right now and you didn’t have much choice in the matter. Thankfully, his Pokemon weren’t entirely inept when he came to defending themselves. Honky Tonk took the order with a sharp bark, and blew a pressurized stream of water at the cloud of pissed-off birds.
Spearow were not the best fliers. Once they were soaked with water, their tiny wings weren’t able to keep up their weight airborne. A few of them dropped to the ground in a clumsy, controlled fall. They didn’t seem terribly hurt, but with their flock broken up, the rest that Honky Tonk didn’t hit gave up pursuit. They retreated back to the grove of trees they were perching in before Kazuki crossed their path.
“I’m sorry for bothering you!” Kazuki called back to the Spearow that were still trying to dry themselves in the tall grass as he ran back to the safer main-path. “That’ll teach me to not try taking shortcuts again, huh Honky Tonk?”
“…Honky Tonk?”
Kazuki glanced behind himself, and noticed that his Popplio was glowing with a sparkling blue light. That wasn’t normal. None of his attacks did anything like that either. What was going on?
“Hey!” Kazuki got down to his knees with a worried expression. Was something wrong? Did those Spearow hurt him somehow? “What’s going on here buddy? Are you okay?”
The blue light grew brighter, to an almost-white as it fully engulfed the Popplio. His body raised in the air a bit, and he began to change shape. He got bigger, his ears turned up, and he grew more frills that went down his body and tail. As the light subsided, Kazuki could also see that he had turned a much brighter shade of blue.
“Briiii--one!” Honky Tonk happily declared, and struck a pose. Kazuki clapped, beside himself with wonder.
“Dude! Did you just do that evolving thing everyone’s been talking about? Wait just a sec…”
He dug through his pockets for his Pokedex, and pointed it at Honky Tonk.
“Brionne, the Pop Star Pokemon,” it whirred in its mechanical voice, “A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies. It cares deeply for its companions. When its Trainer is feeling down, it performs a cheery dance to try and help.”
“Pop Star Pokemon? Honky Tonk, that’s awesome!” Kazuki raised his hand for a high-five, and Brionne joyfully complied, with a flourish! He had just evolved, and he already felt like dancing! He stood up on his tail and wiggled his hips in time to a little song he began to sing.
“You’re a real star now! But… Hmm, buddy, you got way cuter! I wasn’t expecting that!” Kazuki thought he’d just turn into a bigger Popplio, maybe with a new cape or something, but he didn’t seem bothered at all that his male Popplio just turned into a very female looking Brionne. In fact, the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. There was nothing wrong with being a super-cute dude! “We should change our act a bit! Something that really takes advantage of that cuteness, you know?”
Honky Tonk nodded eagerly. Oh, he couldn’t wait to dance to some new tunes Kazuki thought up for him! They were going to be a better act than ever before!
“That settles it! When we get to the next town, we’re having your favorite Pokepuffs to celebrate! Congratulations, Honky Tonk!”
Kazuki Hihara | La Corda d'Oro 2/2
Personality wise… If you’ve ever heard the term “genki,” (Japanese for “good health” or “energetic,” denoting a sunny personality) that’s basically Kazuki in a nutshell. He’s got pep in his step. We’re not talking simple cheerfulness here… more like he could power a small city with his sheer enthusiasm for everything. He doesn’t do anything small; every part of him is loud and bright and exuberant. He almost always has a smile on his face, he loves being around people, and he enjoys life in an almost childlike fashion. Even the most simple things, like a sunny day, a gathering with friends, playing sports, or nailing a performance can make him very happy.
He's also very kind. When he sees people in trouble, he wants to help. He doesn't like to see people hurting or sad. For example, he stands as a pillar of encouragement for Kahoko during the earlier parts of the manga, and is probably the closest to him before she gets to know the other contestant better. He also stands up for his best friend Azuma when his family treats him poorly... And to good effect, as it gives Azuma the courage to stand up to his grandmother and continue to pursue music.
When he does get upset or depressed, he’s really obvious about. It doesn’t take a master of subtlety to understand what Kazuki is feeling. His heart is 100% exposed and on his sleeve. He slows down considerably, he stops smiling, spaces out, and hems and haws and sighs. But sometimes it takes time, or a nudge from someone close to him, for him to realize he's acting that way at all. When he first starts pining over Kahoko, Azuma has to point out to him that he looks a mess, and Kazuki is surprised that someone could tell... When he's been zoning out for days. You could say he's especially thick in that manner.
As you can see, he tends to get lost in his worries when he doesn't know how to solve them. His approach is straight-forward-- if a problem is too complicated to talk out in earnest, he may not be able to fix it at all without someone else's help. And he will ask for help, that doesn't bother him, but it may take time for that to happen.
But he rarely gets depressed for his own sake. Most of the time, he can take a hard time and still be perfectly fine (he never places well in the competition, but that doesn't get him down), and small mess-ups don't bother him. When he is sad, it's usually because he’s worried for someone else. Or if he’s having romantic issues, which he is clueless about in general.
His case of puppy love with Kahoko is a prime example of this. It doesn't take very long at all (much faster than the other boys, for sure) for him to become attached to her, smitten with her attention and kindness towards him, as well as her dedication in general. Even the smallest things, like eye contact, or their hands brushing, sends him all in a fluster. And it takes several volumes for him to finally admit to himself that he loves her.
Even then, he only admits it to himself. He thinks about telling her, but after getting advice from Azuma, and having a few days to think, he decides not to, because he doesn't want to burden her with his feelings when she has more important things to worry about. He vows to himself to do this best, with his music and as a human being, and if he's worthy of her, she'll notice him. Her happiness is more important than his romantic feelings. Then he cheers up almost immediately.
So you could say that he's naturally an emotional person, but not the best at picking up on his own vibes. He can tell right away when someone else is hurting, even if they're trying to hide it, like Kahoko often does, but doesn't realize it when he's in just as much pain. He has a lot of empathy for others, but little for himself.
Still, it's rare for him to be down. We're talking like, a 90%-10% split here, 90 being happy and 10 being sad. He's normally super cheerful nearly all the time, I promise. He's not a very complicated character at all. I don't even think he's ever been really angry in canon, and there definitely isn't an ounce of hate in his heart.
In conclusion, more than anything, he wants the people around him and the ones he cares about to be happy. He just wants to feel good and have a good time, and share music with anyone who will listen! Kazuki is a great person to go to if you’re feeling down because it’s nearly impossible to be upset around his completely genuine cheerfulness. Even Kahoko admits that he has a sort of “magic” about him; all doubts seem to fade in the presence of his smile.
My favorite trait of his are his rampant metro-sexual tendencies. He often wears hairclips/ponytails, never dons the same outfit twice (hell, he never even wears his uniform correctly), can go to 15 clothing stores in a row and still want more, and was bribed into going to that after-commercial party with limited edition hightop sneakers. Number one clotheshorse.
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Breeder! Kazuki isn’t much for competition, he just wants everyone to have a good time. He doesn’t like to see others hurt either, so I don’t think he would like being a trainer.
Starter: A male Popplio please!
Password: Atomic Fireball
Samples
RP Sample: Victory Road Test Drive Meme
I accidentally said in a few of the threads that Popplio was using Bubble, like, the attack Bubble. Capital B. But when I checked Popplio’s stats online, it turns out he can’t even learn Bubble! Bubblebeam, yes, but he’d have to be at a much higher level than I intended in this sample. I just assumed from his Pokedex entries (that are all about blowing bubbles) that he’d be able to use the actual attack, but… Nope. I’m very sorry about that. I’ll be sure to check attack lists thoroughly from now on before saying a Pokemon can use a certain move.
Victory Road Sample:
“Honky Tonk! I think you should use Water Gun!”
Kazuki’s tone was unsure as he commanded his Popplio. He wasn’t a trainer, and avoided most battles, but sometimes a flock of angry Spearow decided that you needed to get out of their territory right now and you didn’t have much choice in the matter. Thankfully, his Pokemon weren’t entirely inept when he came to defending themselves. Honky Tonk took the order with a sharp bark, and blew a pressurized stream of water at the cloud of pissed-off birds.
Spearow were not the best fliers. Once they were soaked with water, their tiny wings weren’t able to keep up their weight airborne. A few of them dropped to the ground in a clumsy, controlled fall. They didn’t seem terribly hurt, but with their flock broken up, the rest that Honky Tonk didn’t hit gave up pursuit. They retreated back to the grove of trees they were perching in before Kazuki crossed their path.
“I’m sorry for bothering you!” Kazuki called back to the Spearow that were still trying to dry themselves in the tall grass as he ran back to the safer main-path. “That’ll teach me to not try taking shortcuts again, huh Honky Tonk?”
“…Honky Tonk?”
Kazuki glanced behind himself, and noticed that his Popplio was glowing with a sparkling blue light. That wasn’t normal. None of his attacks did anything like that either. What was going on?
“Hey!” Kazuki got down to his knees with a worried expression. Was something wrong? Did those Spearow hurt him somehow? “What’s going on here buddy? Are you okay?”
The blue light grew brighter, to an almost-white as it fully engulfed the Popplio. His body raised in the air a bit, and he began to change shape. He got bigger, his ears turned up, and he grew more frills that went down his body and tail. As the light subsided, Kazuki could also see that he had turned a much brighter shade of blue.
“Briiii--one!” Honky Tonk happily declared, and struck a pose. Kazuki clapped, beside himself with wonder.
“Dude! Did you just do that evolving thing everyone’s been talking about? Wait just a sec…”
He dug through his pockets for his Pokedex, and pointed it at Honky Tonk.
“Brionne, the Pop Star Pokemon,” it whirred in its mechanical voice, “A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies. It cares deeply for its companions. When its Trainer is feeling down, it performs a cheery dance to try and help.”
“Pop Star Pokemon? Honky Tonk, that’s awesome!” Kazuki raised his hand for a high-five, and Brionne joyfully complied, with a flourish! He had just evolved, and he already felt like dancing! He stood up on his tail and wiggled his hips in time to a little song he began to sing.
“You’re a real star now! But… Hmm, buddy, you got way cuter! I wasn’t expecting that!” Kazuki thought he’d just turn into a bigger Popplio, maybe with a new cape or something, but he didn’t seem bothered at all that his male Popplio just turned into a very female looking Brionne. In fact, the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. There was nothing wrong with being a super-cute dude! “We should change our act a bit! Something that really takes advantage of that cuteness, you know?”
Honky Tonk nodded eagerly. Oh, he couldn’t wait to dance to some new tunes Kazuki thought up for him! They were going to be a better act than ever before!
“That settles it! When we get to the next town, we’re having your favorite Pokepuffs to celebrate! Congratulations, Honky Tonk!”