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PLAYER INFO

Name: Jackie (she/her)
Age: 33
Contact: inabunk
Current Characters: n/a

CHARACTER INFO

Name: Ryo Asuka
Journal: suckonthis
Age: 17
Appearance: A pretty blond

Canon: Devilman [ OVA / OG manga]
Canon Point: Post battle – Sirene. Vol.02 Chapter 1.5


History: https://devilman.fandom.com/wiki/Satan

Abilities:

He has several useful talents that are not supernatural:

Marksmanship: This kid can shoot. He fashioned a sawed-off shotgun to defend himself at his introduction to the plot. He's also capable of sniping a moving target from several miles away.

Fighting: He's good at it, but that doesn't mean that he's an overpowered brawler. He's scrappy, fighting off angry party-goers after he attacked them in an attempt to attract demons to the Sabbath he threw.

All of these are expressed subconsciously at first:

Regenerative Healing: As a demon hunter, Ryo suffers from injuries that should have killed him, only to recover quickly. This power isn't just for himself; he can heal people he chooses. Akira is badly injured in his fight with Sirene. Ryo rushes to his aid and helps put him back together. He reattaches Akira's severed arm and heals his gored abdomen. He explains that Akira's healing prowess is due to his bond with Amon when his friend regains consciousness.

Sensing demons through a psychic link. It's not dumb luck that Ryo is able to find demons for Akira to destroy.

Time Travel: This will be nerfed because it goes against acceptable power. Expressed in Shin Devilman (assumed to have happened shortly after the battle with Sirene), Ryo drags his good friend to hunt demons throughout history. Good lord it's an offensive offshoot.

Manipulation/Premonition: He did not dump all of his points into charisma in the classic sense. Ryo doesn't sweet talk others to get them to do what he wants. He just makes it happen with his forward way of addressing adverse situations. The power of suggestion isn't limited to getting hippies to come to a drugged out party to essentially sacrifice themselves. The nightmares he has have a nasty habit of coming true. Once he realizes who he truly is, he goes from trying to defend humanity to pit them against one another in a fit of mass hysteria and terrible violence.

Finally, overpowered abilities that will be nerfed (barring flight):

Flight: In his true form, Satan is a many-winged being. A naked one. I suppose that clothing isn't really important when you understand that you're an angel fallen from grace.

Various psychic powers including telekinesis where he can split people apart.

Shooting beams of white light from his hands.

Nigh-omnipotence. He is literally the son of God. Super nerfed.

Questionaire:

1. What do they care deeply about? What kind of loyalties, commitments, moral codes, lifea philosophies, passions, callings or spirituality and faith do they have? How do these tend to be expressed?

Ryo is shown to care about two things on a deep level: justice and his best friend Akira. He is a young man that has an incredibly heavy burden to bare, spurred on by a ghastly discovery his father makes when exploring Mayan ruins. This sculpture Professor Asuka found was a gateway into the history of demons, and being a scholar, Ryo's father dove deeply. The aftermath was gruesome, with Ryo waking up one night to his father trying to kill him in his sleep. Shortly after, the possessed man ends his life before the demon he'd bonded with in his studies is able to fully take over him.

His father leaves his only son a terrible “inheritance”, namely the extensive proof that demons exist. Not only do they exist, but they originally walked the earth until the Ice Age locked them away for millions of years and they were slowly making a return. It's through his father's possession and notes that Ryo comes to the conclusion that it would take more than a human to go against demon-kind's resurgence.

Desperate for help in this quest to stop demons from taking back the planet he seeks out the help of the only person he trusts; the mild-mannered cinnamon roll that is Akira Fudou. It's in his retrieval of his friend that we find out a few things about Ryo's morals; they're fast and loose. A few examples of this include him forging his father's drivers license so he could drive before the age of 18, him concealing a weapon he altered and then using it against bullies that were harassing his friend (and telling Akira that he didn't particularly care if he'd killed them), and a general recklessness and disregard for authority and laws. He tells Akira about his father and his father's inheritance and begs him for help.

Akira is the only one Ryo has left. While he takes no pleasure in dragging his friend into a situation that is dangerous, he does it because he believes it's the only way they have a shot at saving humanity. He also believes that Akira has a strong enough heart and sense of justice that he can successfully harness the power of a demon without the demon taking him over completely. What follows is just another example of how little he cares about people that aren't Akira. He lures hippies to a wild Sabbath party that involves sex, drugs, and rock and roll. And blood. Lots of blood. These individuals were all meant for sacrifice to lure in powerful enough demons to save the whole of humanity. A culling or sorts, and it's successful.

He shows no remorse for their grotesque end. His plan to merge a powerful demon with his friend was a (roaring, ripping) success, something he considers more important for the greater good. The only doubt he showed with his plan arose when he saw Akira gleeful in violently attacking demons. He's left wondering if his attempt to save humanity had backfired and ended in creating mankind's greatest enemy.

2. What kind of person could they become in the future? What are some developmental paths that they could take: best, worst, most likely?

I'm taking Ryo from a canon point where he can very well change his fate, if he chooses to. It'll take considerable effort though, but would it really be retribution without? No. Not for Satan.

Change is difficult when Ryo passionately believes that his efforts to save humanity are genuine and that he is doing the right thing, abhorrent methods aside. He's aware that his means might be considered unlawful; he just doesn't care. The scry being at orange will mean little more than a reminder of how important his goals are and the things he is willing to do to achieve it. How can he genuinely be judged against other people that aren't similarly burdened?

For good or bad, there will be a point where Ryo's memories of being Satan are triggered. He'll realize what he's fully capable of and the true intentions he had regarding humanity. It was always going to be the demons that won. Even on a subconscious level, Ryo understood that. It's the reason why he sought out Akira to merge with a demon, not to save humanity but to ensure that the boy he'd fallen in love with was strong enough to survive the demon apocalypse. It makes sense really, no matter how valiant his best friend's efforts he was still one against one million (plus).

The worst case scenario has Ryo (Satan) banding together with like-minded individuals that refuse to change, so firm in their convictions and morally ambiguous ways that it creates an echo chamber. He wanted to return home when he thought he was just a human but it was largely an uphill battle. Being aware of his true identity, there is an assurance that he can and will succeed. It's the attitude that is most important. The devil is a charmer, so even with his most overpowered abilities nerfed (thank God), he will not be alone. Imagine having spicy light beams that can fry off the leggies of your beloved in a fight you didn't want to have in the first place. Now cater that energy to a fight he willfully wants.

It's terribly similar to what ends up happening to him in canon and there are a few reasons it was such a powder keg. He was very isolated even before his father passed, but with him gone it left Ryo in a situation where he was frantically scrambling, trying to make things right again. He was left with only one person, and even when Akira challenged his recklessness, Ryo was was too close to the fight to back away calmly. As the situation progressed, he began to further think on the human condition, ultimately accepting his own fear as humanity's greatest weakness.

He is only able to reflect on his hubris when there was nobody left.

This moment of self-awareness and genuine regret for his actions is what makes me think that he is capable of changing for the better. This is the best case scenario, if it is achieved before it is too late.

What is most likely to happen is an uphill battle with him coming to terms with how uncaring he is. It is not a bad thing to be motivated by seeking justice. Becoming an extremist, unafraid to cross the line however, is a wee bit problematic. I think that being removed from the immediate threat he was struggling will help him slow down enough to be able to see how his actions have hurt others. It would be interesting to have him find people that were similar to him further along in their path of enlightenment. He wouldn't immediately accept the advice offered but it would definitely sit with him.

3. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why?

Grouping up with Ryo is advantageous; he is a natural leader, good at strategizing and capable enough to carry out those plans. Being a good shot, adequate at fighting, and having a quick mind make him a useful ally. With that groundwork covered, Ryo is not intent to group up in order to be friendly; he will easily use people in order to achieve his goals. He has no real interest in padding his opinions to shelter people, so a con for working with him is that he is difficult to gain favor with, no matter how good of a survivalist he is. As long as he's getting something out of it, he will continue to offer his talents. Once that ends, he is gone.

People are largely expendable to Ryo which is the first chip in this whole “save humanity” plot he's got going on. It is terribly difficult to gain his trust. He's accustomed to being wary of who may be an enemy. The only canon example of someone he trusts is Akira. When he worked alongside, Ryo showed compassion to his friend's concerns and struggles. When he was in danger, he was quick to action, putting himself into dangerous situations that would have killed him were he actually a human. Ryo treated his friend as an equal in their joint effort instead of coolly detached and superior.

4. What do they need and want out of relationships, and how do they go about getting it?

I don't even think that Ryo is aware of what he wants out of a relationship. While he isn't necessarily a rude individual Ryo is not openly kindhearted. According to his only friend, Ryo is “shy”. Akira might have a bit of a bias. He is the only one that garners Ryo's genuine affection. Unfortunately, Ryo's love for his best friend makes him grossly possessive.

It won't be an easy or quick task. In fact, it more than likely will occur by sheer dumb luck. It's important for his own growth that he opens himself up to be vulnerable to other people. Ryo doesn't need yes men. He doesn't need judgment from a stranger. What he needs is someone that will see him for his complications and be unafraid to challenge him. He needs someone that cares for him, for who he could be, and is patient and willing enough to help him work through his issues by proving there are people worth trusting.

5. How do they understand the world–what kind of worldview and thought processes do they have? Why?

In his mind, he is at the precipice of a great battle between good and evil. Ryo's final month with his father living was spent in building tension, watching someone he referred to as virtuous commit bloody, thoughtless acts before turning on his son and them himself. While he doesn't seem to be deeply religious he takes the resurgence of demons as a sign that humanity is in grave danger. As he has been made aware of demons, he feels it a personal duty to act against them in any way that he can. At his canon point, he still has more faith than cynicism for the human condition and his ability to make a difference.

6. How much do they rely on their minds and intellect, versus other approaches like relying on instinct, intuition, faith and spirituality, or emotions?

His first appearance in the manga (and ova) shows how fearful and unsure he is, which would have you lean toward a bias of instinct and emotions for his reckless and violent behavior. Once the shock wears off, Ryo's mental prowess comes to the forefront. He is well-read and analytical. Cunning and quick-witted. He reasons that demons have probably been laying in the weeds for years largely unknown as reality to humans. If they didn't exist, why would humans have a concept for them though?

As time passes, he is left trying to anticipate the demons' next move. Some of his dormant abilities are mental in nature. Telepathy allows him to sense when danger is near and be able to react in a timely matter.

7. What is something others might find intolerable about them?

( What is 'Being Satan' for $500? )

He largely lacks compassion. He will not pretend to be sympathetic for situations that do not directly impact him. He will not fail to offer input if it's asked of him but there will be no additional points awarded in how he delivers it. Is he even human? No. He has experienced human emotions due to living for several years under the guise of Ryo Asuka but he is in no way completely assimilated.

Samples:

One

Two

Three

Why are you interested in this game?

One of the reasons I was drawn to him when being introduced to the canon was how complicated his motivations are. He is emotionally distant, morally loose, and only trusts one person in the entire world. He is bombastic in his pursuit of saving a race he shows no real kinship with.

This setting forces him to explore the weaknesses in himself and how to rely on more people than just Akira. My handling of the question regarding who he could become is closely tied to why I want to play here. There is good in his heart that doesn't fully show itself until it's too late.

Also... a game with a punishment mechanic? That is so rare. While I don't want to torture him, if he acts in a way that has him backtracking he should be punished. Devilman is one of those series that is a heavily implied loop, so Satan keeps making the same mistakes and learning from them but he doesn't remember it and by the time he learns it's time to go on to the next incarnation.