Barnaby Brooks Jr. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tsunderebunny) wrote2000-04-28 03:22 pm
tsunderebunny) wrote2000-04-28 03:22 pm
Application for Luceti
PLAYER
Name: Stark
Journal Username:starkxravingxmad
E-mail: caster023@gmail.com
PLURK: starkxravingxmad
Current Characters at Luceti:
Cliff Fittir |aerialassault
CHARACTER
Name: Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Canon: Tiger & Bunny
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Wing Color: neon pink
Canon Point: After the end of The Rising.
Canon Point Explanation: This is both a reapp and a canon update for the player and the character, and the Canon Point is incredibly important. It is both the most recent point from his canon to pull him from-- a full year after the epilogue of the series and two years after his prior canon point. In that time, Barnaby has grown as a character to become more psychologically stabilized and independent after the Maverick Incident, as the climax of Season 2 has become known within canon, and it hows in his actions. While he is still a professional who engages in subtle degrees of snark in his free time, he's clearly grown more concerned about the welfare of strangers as well as his fellow heroes-- he's grown to take on some of Kotetsu's heroic philosophy: People in danger are always a reason to act. Points don't matter.
For another point of focus, he's found his own reasons to come out of retirement and remain a hero, despite the fact that the early stages of his career were manipulated by the now-deceased Albert Maverick.
.
History: Barnaby's entry on the Tiger & Bunny Wiki
Information on The Rising, from the Tiger & Bunny Wiki
Personality:
Although Barnaby is the genius ace and former 'King of Heroes' of Hero TV, he is far from a perfect individual.. Underneath the charm and the smiles rolls the deeply rooted unrest, insecurity, and rage of a man who had the foundation of his life ripped out from underneath him at a young age--and spent the next twenty years in single-minded pursuit of revenge.
This led him to become a man that was stern, stubborn, painfully rational, and not necessarily kind. At the beginning of his career as a Hero, he only cared about getting the fame and recognition that the system provided-- for superficial reasons. He wanted the support in his unending hunt for his parents murder, and in finding the answers to the only clue that he had of the culprit. His entire hunt was based around a single memory about a tattoo of a snake eating its own tail on the back of the man's hand, a logo that he eventually learned was attached to a criminal organization called Ouroborous. This single detail was all that drove him in his desperate search, and it shows an enviable degree of dedication to his cause. Although he was cold and even callous in regards to Kotetsu and their interactions off camera early on, it's shown that this stubbornness and keen attention to detail is put to use repeatedly in his exploits. He is intelligent and perceptive enough to be able to read the flow of the crowd and the factors within it, and use this information to formulate strategies on the fly to suit his needs. Once more, the excuse of points and recognition was used, however he does change and expand his reasons as the story progresses.
Unfortunately, these same factors have affected him in many other respects of his life. His single minded search cut him off from the rest of society, leading him to live in self-imposed isolation. His stubbornness built into rage, which only fed his stubbornness and his drive in a terrible cycle-- its stated that he never smiled as a teenager, and that all of his social charms are something that he had to specifically cultivate in order to get along with society. Not only this, but his attention to detail has made him something of a perfectionist, and his own insecurities have made him rather immature on a basic level. It's not that he's acting childish on purpose. He literally doesn't know the difference.
His bizarre lifestyle and mentalities are hinted at early on during peeks into his apartment, which is spartan and utterly devoid of personal flare. All that's in the main room is an arm chair, a desk for his computer, and a mounted monitor that spans the entire space of his wall. There are no hints or echoes of any sign of personal life, and all clues about his personal mission are kept so heavily underwraps that he acts almost like a child who's been caught stealing during the moments when someone walks in on him. He is also highly possessive of his few belongings, such as a small toy that his parents gave him when he was young. While helping a his fellow heroes, Kotetsu and Pao-Lin, watch over the Mayor's infant son that happened to be a telekinetic NEXT, the first thing he grabbed during the child's tantrums was this small toy. It's a cherished treasure.
His personal mission came at great price that he unknowingly paid; he separated himself from all of the experiences that a child normally would have as their growing up so that they can become a well rounded and balanced adult. His sense of right and wrong was flat and unrelenting, leaving no room for 'maybes' and other uncertainties.It took a lot of time and a few sacrifices to learn how to trust another human, accept that he is trusted in return, and ultimately heal from the wounds wrought by a youth that was spent in a state of turmoil. But, he did heal...and he's come to understand that his thirst for justice and vengeance, the driving force behind all of his motivations in his life, changed nothing after he attained it. His parents were still dead, his Aunt Samantha was still dead, and he still had nothing to show for his life.
The Maverick Incident, wherein the entire population of Stern Bild learned that the CEO of Apollon Media and Barnaby's surrogate father figure, Albert Maverick, had beeen rigging the events of Hero TV for years through coordination with criminal gangs and feeding them technology he had gained by murdering Barnaby's parents , left Barnaby in a shattered, torn state. The entire basis of his career, and his life, was built around a pack of lies, emotional manipulations, and repeated memory rewrites by the hands of the one man he thought he could trust throughout his entire youth...and, it ultimately meant nothing. He took a year long sabbatical after this affair, declaring that he was going to retire permanently from the Hero business, and spent the time searching his heart and soul for a reason to keep on living. It was only upon a visit to his parents' gravesite in the dead of winter that he found it:
It was a memory, one of his parents talking about how much they wanted to help people, and how they wanted him to grow into a strong person who could help others as well.
That memory, and his determination to become a man who was worthy for Kotetsu to call his partner, was enough for him to keep going. He stepped out of retirement and rejoined Kotetsu as his partner, this time with more honesty and genuine affection and trust hidden underneath layers of subtle snark and his business-like persona. He left the superficial charm behind, as it was no longer necessary for him, and instead took a more honest and altruistic approach to living. He's adopted some of Kotetsu's philosophies on heroism, such as helping anyone and everyone who is in need of aid regardless of whether there are any points to be gained or not. This extends to his personal life, where the audience slowly learns that Barnaby has been donating large portions of his wealth and even his personal time to the local orphanages. When thanked for his actions, he simply says that he's doing what he likes-- which, as an orphan himself, is likely true. He understands what these kids are facing, and knows that, even despite his own traumas and trials, that they are still not as lucky as he has been in his life.
His drive to help others is shown again later on, when he circumvents a villain from using the backdrop of the Justice Day festivities going on in Stern Bild as a setting for his own vengeance. In Barnaby's own words, his only wish was to help the man, because he knows how empty he felt inside when he finally found his vengeance.
The anxieties of just a few years ago still linger,as he still has his questions about what makes a partner and a team mate when he's forced to change partners without his own consent, though a combination of being manipulated and Kotetsu's own lie of admission, to protect Barnaby from his own self-worth problems, although they aren't nearly as apparent as they were in the immediate aftemath of the Maverick Incident. He is calm, collected, and professional in all of his affairs and, despite still being unwilling to let Kotetsu drive their vehicle even once, is slowly taking strides to become the kind of man that he said he would become.
That is, he is becoming a good man, the kind of man who is worthy enough to call Kotetsu his partner.
Strengths
Physical:
Barnaby is a NEXT who possesses the same power as Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, the man also known as Wild Tiger. When he activates his power, he is faster, stronger, more agile, and more durable than a regular human by a hundred-fold -- the Hundred Power. As further described here on the Wiki, it does more than just increase his natural abilities. While his powers are active, his endurance is increased to such an extent that bullets fired at point-blank range don't cause any major damage and only barely break the skin; being smashed into concrete similarly does little damage. As displayed by Kotetsu, this power can also speed the body''s metabolism up enough to heal superficial injuries, and it also sharpens and enhances his regular senses to the same degree as his speed and strength.
Beyond this, Barnaby is himself an atheletic individual who focuses heavily on his kicks and jumps while in combat. This, along with his armor, is the reason why he's dubbed 'Bunny' by Kotetsu early on.
Mental:
If there is one thing that we can be completely certain of in Barnaby's mind, it's that he's definitely his parents' child. As the son of a pair of robotics engineers, its clear that he's inherited their intellect. He's cool and analytical in the midst of combat and he prefers to form a strategy instead of following Kotetsu's example and throw himself into the fray. The built in scanners of his suit allow him to make cursory checks of the environment that he's in. He can tell a person's approximate height, weight, and age by just a scan, and he's learned to read patterns and movements in such a way that he's able to make an educated guess about what they might do next. It's handy for racking up points, as he's spent the majority of his career as a Hero doing. But, it's also good for discerning where the immediate danger lies and minimizing the damage as best as he's able.
Emotional:
Barnaby is a frighteningly determined individual, which serves as a double edged sword for him in all aspects of his life. As long as there is a chance of completing his goal, even if it's just to earn points, Barnaby will continue to fight despite the odds. Nothing is so hopeless that he absolutely gives up on the possibility of success. The battle with Jake at the end of season 1 proved this. He kept picking himself up every time he was knocked down, biding his time until the plans that were concocted by Hero TV could be implemented.
Furthermore, his level of determination is now complimented by a level of altruism that he cultivated during his year-long sabbatical and his time with the Second League. While points are still important because Hero TV is how he makes his living, it's become clear that his focus has taken on a more humanitarian element. He's shown taking actions that he would have rejected in his early appearances because the timing wasn't conducive to accumulating points...however, these are also actions that his partner, Kotetsu, would take because they involved helping a person who was trapped in a collapsing building. There is even a tenderness to him now, as evidenced by the fact that he takes time out of his day to go read books to orphaned children at the local shelter....and his scolding of Kotetsu anymore is because he is genuinely worried about the man getting hurt because of mistiming the use of his dwindlin powers, not because he is worried about his public face.
On top of all of this is one key factor that shines in his actions and words throughout The Rising: He has finally found a reason to accept the world and his place in it as it is, accept himself, his flaws, his mistakes, and accept the flaws and mistakes of those around him. While he isn't proud of his actions during the Maverick incident-- and, indeed, seems to still hold some regret over the man that he was, he isn't ashamed of it. Instead, he's used those mistakes and those traumas to build himself a new foundation to firmly stand upon, one that he knows will stand up to any further trials that life hands to him.
Weaknesses
Physical:
The Hundred Power, while an impressive NEXT ability that greatly enhances a person's effectiveness in all respects, has one weakness that is extremely detrimental. It can only remain active for 5 minutes, and afterward Barnaby requires an extended period of time (at least an hour) to recharge before he can use his abilities once more. Additionally, although he can resist most major impacts and even heal superficial injuries while his powers are active, this does not apply to major internal injuries and damages that can exceed what a human that's 100x more powerful than normal can withstand. i.e. he can still sustain damage.
While his powers aren't active, he's limited to the abilities that an average, if athletic, human has. He is susceptible to being majorly injured in normal conditions, up to and including death. Furthermore, he's very nearsighted. The Hundred Power and the helmet of his hero suit compensates for this, but it's why he's never seen without his glasses while off duty.
Mental:
For all of his charm, Barnaby is far from the perfect ace and the King of Heroes that he portrays for the camera. Underneath the smiles is an extremely stern and isolated individual who has spent the entirety of his life seeking vengeance for his parents murder, effectively sacrificing his own childhood, his chances at finding friends, and even the chance at a normal life in this pursuit. His social graces are extremely calculated and something that he had to learn later in life. It's stated that, as a teenager, he never once smiled. Despite the personality he shows the camera, there were no romantic liaisons or even interpersonal interactions in his life before becoming a Hero and partnering with Kotetsu.
Although he has mellowed out over the nearly two years that have passed since the Maverick Inident, he is still judgemental and will quickly draw his own conclusions of the situation. While he is far less vocal about it than he was, he still resorts to moderate sniping when he's bothered by something. When he's not sniping, he has unfortunately taken on some of Kotetsu's bad habits as well and is likely to stay quiet and continue to soldier forth despite his displeasure.
His emotionality has a positive bent too-- it's implied through the dialogue that Barnaby has donated enough of his fortune to the orphanage to be worried about maintaining his current lifestyle. Commentary about wages and salary has come into play and, despite the fact that he is trying to be a hero, he seems to have concerns about keeping his posh apartment and continuing with his donations
While there is room for maybes in his life now, he still seems to think in absolutes to a degree. He is understandably shocked when he realizes that he's been manipulated by the man who bought out Apollon Media, and is quick to hand over some harsh judgements to Kotetsu when it came out that the other man made no attempt to fight it on his end. "Is this the limit of your desire to be a hero?' he demanded, targeting Kotetsu's longstanding dream in the process of making his inquiries. And, although he has gotten to be more subtle with his snark, he still makes no attempt to hide the fact when he doesn't like something.
Emotional:
Much of the reasons for his intellectual decisions and flaws lies on the emotional level. It's stated in canon that it's his only flaw-- and it is a flaw that stays with him over his sabbatical and stint in the Second League. As the man he was forced to partner with, Golden Ryan, said himself, Barnaby shows all of his emotions on his face. There is nothing for the man to hide, not when his entire life has been written about in the papers, not when the whole city has seen his emotional scars.
The stern and business-like masks that hid the broken young man that he was during the early part of his career have fallen away for the most part, but it's clear that his heart is still scarred from the traumas and memory rewrites that he sustained over his lifetime. His questions and insecurities come back quickly when it's clear that he's been manipulated, although he knows how to handle them now and soldier through the discomfort, and it's clear when he speaks of his regret that he is still healing from the unseen wounds and trying to find his purpose in this world.
Despite his reluctance to give up his sense of control for even simple things, like letting Kotetsu drive every once in a while, or to ultimately make the decision to partner with Kotetsu again because it wasn't just his decision to make, it is clear that he has grown and matured immensly since we last saw him. Although there is still much more room for him to improve, and although he may always carry the scars that are written in his heart, he is truly making good on his promises.
He is becoming a better man. He is becoming someone who is worthy of Kotetsu's -- and everyone's-- trust.
Word from the creators is that the extent of the psychological damage that has been wrought upon Barnaby by Albert Maverick over the years remains unknown. Although he's learning to accept himself and his flaws, and although he is recovering, there is still the distinct possibility that his memories remain a muddled mess that may never truly be fixed. This also means that he is liable to be susceptible to future memory wipes and rewrites if it ever becomes a possibility-- although, he is also in a far more stable and grounded spot psychologically. He is much harder to rattle and shake than he was before.
Anything else?:
It won't be immediate, but I would like there to eventually be a time where Barnaby's hero suit shows up in the game. It is made of a bullet-proof material that is able to withstand forces that can cause craters in concrete and other physical dangers that can cause major damage, yet is flexible enough to allow Barnaby to perform his agile jumps and kicks. On the back is mounted a propulsion system to further enhance this-- and even make it seem like he can fly. The visor in the helmet is equipped with a scanner that can lock onto targets (humans, objects) and discern the basic details about who or whatever it is. This includes approximate height and weight, and the onboard computers have access to a reasonable amount of information on his fellow heroes. Furthermore, the visor itself helps compensate for Barnaby's near-sightedness while he's not wearing his glasses or his powers are inactive.
It's predominantly red, white, and black in its color scheme and it sports logos from his various sponsors ("Crusade System" card series, Amazon.co.jp, and Bandai) on both arms and chest. It has a "Lighting Mode" feature that activates with his powers, which causes the red accents on his suit to glow in a neon pink, His helmet also has a pair of 'ears' on the helmet that resemble a bunny. This 'bunny' comparison is later toyed with by Saito, the head engineer employed by Apollon. As a birthday present to Barnaby, Saito made additions to both of the suits that, on first glance, appeared to be a pair of animal themed logos on each of the suits -- a tiger for Kotetsu, and a bunny for Barnaby. This was just for show. The deeper levels of the programming contain a feature called "Good Luck Mode" that, for Barnaby, enlarges the leg that he primarily uses for kicking. There is even a lightshow to go along with it while he's working with Kotetsu-- "Tiger and Bunny: Over and Out."
Contrary to what it may seem, Good Luck Mode does not do anything to increase power or endurance. It's just there to look cool.
SAMPLES
First Person:
Test Drive Thread: Total of 30+ comments.
Third Person:
The chilled glass of rose wine sat untouched on the side table as Barnaby idly flipped through the journal and thought about how different life in Luceti was from Sternbild. It was too quiet, lacking in the bright lights and the crush of people that the city offered. There was electricity, but no news network to turn on if the quiet became became too unbearable and the half heard stirrings of his own thoughts became too loud and impossible to be ignored. But, there was an unfamiliar calm that settled on the surface of the village, overlaying the currents of disquiet that carried in some of the voices within the journal. It was almost peaceful, but Barnaby could barely believe it.
After fighting Maverick in the Justice Tower with his fellow heroes, with Kotetsu, Barnaby wasn't sure what he believed any longer. What was there that he could believe, but what he could see, hear, and touch? Could he even believe that? His wings, the same bright electric pink of his armor, were a part of his reality now that remained no matter how hard he fought. A few torn out feathers at the beginning was proof of that-- it hurt, he was dizzy for the rest of the day.
He sighed and stood, and paced around his meticulously decorated apartment until he came to a stop at the window. The night sky was always the same, no matter where he was at. The stars were even brighter than they were in Sternbild.
But it was still too much to believe.
The people he met had told him that Kotetsu was in the village just until a few weeks ago, and that they had literally just missed eachother.
It truly was too much.
Anger sparked at the memory of the suggestion-- how could they say such a thing? But the complaints they filed against him sounded all to familiar, and finding that pin...
Another notification came in over the journals via private filter. Drawn from his reverie, Barnaby sighed and returned to the leather sofa and the side table that carried his forgotten wine. He flipped through the pages, listened to the feed, and ran a hand through his thick curls in aggravation.
"Honestly. You can't go to anywhere without making a mess can you, Oji-san?"
Name: Stark
Journal Username:
starkxravingxmad E-mail: caster023@gmail.com
PLURK: starkxravingxmad
Current Characters at Luceti:
Cliff Fittir |
aerialassault CHARACTER
Name: Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Canon: Tiger & Bunny
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Wing Color: neon pink
Canon Point: After the end of The Rising.
Canon Point Explanation: This is both a reapp and a canon update for the player and the character, and the Canon Point is incredibly important. It is both the most recent point from his canon to pull him from-- a full year after the epilogue of the series and two years after his prior canon point. In that time, Barnaby has grown as a character to become more psychologically stabilized and independent after the Maverick Incident, as the climax of Season 2 has become known within canon, and it hows in his actions. While he is still a professional who engages in subtle degrees of snark in his free time, he's clearly grown more concerned about the welfare of strangers as well as his fellow heroes-- he's grown to take on some of Kotetsu's heroic philosophy: People in danger are always a reason to act. Points don't matter.
For another point of focus, he's found his own reasons to come out of retirement and remain a hero, despite the fact that the early stages of his career were manipulated by the now-deceased Albert Maverick.
.
History: Barnaby's entry on the Tiger & Bunny Wiki
Information on The Rising, from the Tiger & Bunny Wiki
Personality:
Although Barnaby is the genius ace and former 'King of Heroes' of Hero TV, he is far from a perfect individual.. Underneath the charm and the smiles rolls the deeply rooted unrest, insecurity, and rage of a man who had the foundation of his life ripped out from underneath him at a young age--and spent the next twenty years in single-minded pursuit of revenge.
This led him to become a man that was stern, stubborn, painfully rational, and not necessarily kind. At the beginning of his career as a Hero, he only cared about getting the fame and recognition that the system provided-- for superficial reasons. He wanted the support in his unending hunt for his parents murder, and in finding the answers to the only clue that he had of the culprit. His entire hunt was based around a single memory about a tattoo of a snake eating its own tail on the back of the man's hand, a logo that he eventually learned was attached to a criminal organization called Ouroborous. This single detail was all that drove him in his desperate search, and it shows an enviable degree of dedication to his cause. Although he was cold and even callous in regards to Kotetsu and their interactions off camera early on, it's shown that this stubbornness and keen attention to detail is put to use repeatedly in his exploits. He is intelligent and perceptive enough to be able to read the flow of the crowd and the factors within it, and use this information to formulate strategies on the fly to suit his needs. Once more, the excuse of points and recognition was used, however he does change and expand his reasons as the story progresses.
Unfortunately, these same factors have affected him in many other respects of his life. His single minded search cut him off from the rest of society, leading him to live in self-imposed isolation. His stubbornness built into rage, which only fed his stubbornness and his drive in a terrible cycle-- its stated that he never smiled as a teenager, and that all of his social charms are something that he had to specifically cultivate in order to get along with society. Not only this, but his attention to detail has made him something of a perfectionist, and his own insecurities have made him rather immature on a basic level. It's not that he's acting childish on purpose. He literally doesn't know the difference.
His bizarre lifestyle and mentalities are hinted at early on during peeks into his apartment, which is spartan and utterly devoid of personal flare. All that's in the main room is an arm chair, a desk for his computer, and a mounted monitor that spans the entire space of his wall. There are no hints or echoes of any sign of personal life, and all clues about his personal mission are kept so heavily underwraps that he acts almost like a child who's been caught stealing during the moments when someone walks in on him. He is also highly possessive of his few belongings, such as a small toy that his parents gave him when he was young. While helping a his fellow heroes, Kotetsu and Pao-Lin, watch over the Mayor's infant son that happened to be a telekinetic NEXT, the first thing he grabbed during the child's tantrums was this small toy. It's a cherished treasure.
His personal mission came at great price that he unknowingly paid; he separated himself from all of the experiences that a child normally would have as their growing up so that they can become a well rounded and balanced adult. His sense of right and wrong was flat and unrelenting, leaving no room for 'maybes' and other uncertainties.It took a lot of time and a few sacrifices to learn how to trust another human, accept that he is trusted in return, and ultimately heal from the wounds wrought by a youth that was spent in a state of turmoil. But, he did heal...and he's come to understand that his thirst for justice and vengeance, the driving force behind all of his motivations in his life, changed nothing after he attained it. His parents were still dead, his Aunt Samantha was still dead, and he still had nothing to show for his life.
The Maverick Incident, wherein the entire population of Stern Bild learned that the CEO of Apollon Media and Barnaby's surrogate father figure, Albert Maverick, had beeen rigging the events of Hero TV for years through coordination with criminal gangs and feeding them technology he had gained by murdering Barnaby's parents , left Barnaby in a shattered, torn state. The entire basis of his career, and his life, was built around a pack of lies, emotional manipulations, and repeated memory rewrites by the hands of the one man he thought he could trust throughout his entire youth...and, it ultimately meant nothing. He took a year long sabbatical after this affair, declaring that he was going to retire permanently from the Hero business, and spent the time searching his heart and soul for a reason to keep on living. It was only upon a visit to his parents' gravesite in the dead of winter that he found it:
It was a memory, one of his parents talking about how much they wanted to help people, and how they wanted him to grow into a strong person who could help others as well.
That memory, and his determination to become a man who was worthy for Kotetsu to call his partner, was enough for him to keep going. He stepped out of retirement and rejoined Kotetsu as his partner, this time with more honesty and genuine affection and trust hidden underneath layers of subtle snark and his business-like persona. He left the superficial charm behind, as it was no longer necessary for him, and instead took a more honest and altruistic approach to living. He's adopted some of Kotetsu's philosophies on heroism, such as helping anyone and everyone who is in need of aid regardless of whether there are any points to be gained or not. This extends to his personal life, where the audience slowly learns that Barnaby has been donating large portions of his wealth and even his personal time to the local orphanages. When thanked for his actions, he simply says that he's doing what he likes-- which, as an orphan himself, is likely true. He understands what these kids are facing, and knows that, even despite his own traumas and trials, that they are still not as lucky as he has been in his life.
His drive to help others is shown again later on, when he circumvents a villain from using the backdrop of the Justice Day festivities going on in Stern Bild as a setting for his own vengeance. In Barnaby's own words, his only wish was to help the man, because he knows how empty he felt inside when he finally found his vengeance.
The anxieties of just a few years ago still linger,as he still has his questions about what makes a partner and a team mate when he's forced to change partners without his own consent, though a combination of being manipulated and Kotetsu's own lie of admission, to protect Barnaby from his own self-worth problems, although they aren't nearly as apparent as they were in the immediate aftemath of the Maverick Incident. He is calm, collected, and professional in all of his affairs and, despite still being unwilling to let Kotetsu drive their vehicle even once, is slowly taking strides to become the kind of man that he said he would become.
That is, he is becoming a good man, the kind of man who is worthy enough to call Kotetsu his partner.
Strengths
Barnaby is a NEXT who possesses the same power as Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, the man also known as Wild Tiger. When he activates his power, he is faster, stronger, more agile, and more durable than a regular human by a hundred-fold -- the Hundred Power. As further described here on the Wiki, it does more than just increase his natural abilities. While his powers are active, his endurance is increased to such an extent that bullets fired at point-blank range don't cause any major damage and only barely break the skin; being smashed into concrete similarly does little damage. As displayed by Kotetsu, this power can also speed the body''s metabolism up enough to heal superficial injuries, and it also sharpens and enhances his regular senses to the same degree as his speed and strength.
Beyond this, Barnaby is himself an atheletic individual who focuses heavily on his kicks and jumps while in combat. This, along with his armor, is the reason why he's dubbed 'Bunny' by Kotetsu early on.
Mental:
If there is one thing that we can be completely certain of in Barnaby's mind, it's that he's definitely his parents' child. As the son of a pair of robotics engineers, its clear that he's inherited their intellect. He's cool and analytical in the midst of combat and he prefers to form a strategy instead of following Kotetsu's example and throw himself into the fray. The built in scanners of his suit allow him to make cursory checks of the environment that he's in. He can tell a person's approximate height, weight, and age by just a scan, and he's learned to read patterns and movements in such a way that he's able to make an educated guess about what they might do next. It's handy for racking up points, as he's spent the majority of his career as a Hero doing. But, it's also good for discerning where the immediate danger lies and minimizing the damage as best as he's able.
Emotional:
Barnaby is a frighteningly determined individual, which serves as a double edged sword for him in all aspects of his life. As long as there is a chance of completing his goal, even if it's just to earn points, Barnaby will continue to fight despite the odds. Nothing is so hopeless that he absolutely gives up on the possibility of success. The battle with Jake at the end of season 1 proved this. He kept picking himself up every time he was knocked down, biding his time until the plans that were concocted by Hero TV could be implemented.
Furthermore, his level of determination is now complimented by a level of altruism that he cultivated during his year-long sabbatical and his time with the Second League. While points are still important because Hero TV is how he makes his living, it's become clear that his focus has taken on a more humanitarian element. He's shown taking actions that he would have rejected in his early appearances because the timing wasn't conducive to accumulating points...however, these are also actions that his partner, Kotetsu, would take because they involved helping a person who was trapped in a collapsing building. There is even a tenderness to him now, as evidenced by the fact that he takes time out of his day to go read books to orphaned children at the local shelter....and his scolding of Kotetsu anymore is because he is genuinely worried about the man getting hurt because of mistiming the use of his dwindlin powers, not because he is worried about his public face.
On top of all of this is one key factor that shines in his actions and words throughout The Rising: He has finally found a reason to accept the world and his place in it as it is, accept himself, his flaws, his mistakes, and accept the flaws and mistakes of those around him. While he isn't proud of his actions during the Maverick incident-- and, indeed, seems to still hold some regret over the man that he was, he isn't ashamed of it. Instead, he's used those mistakes and those traumas to build himself a new foundation to firmly stand upon, one that he knows will stand up to any further trials that life hands to him.
Weaknesses
The Hundred Power, while an impressive NEXT ability that greatly enhances a person's effectiveness in all respects, has one weakness that is extremely detrimental. It can only remain active for 5 minutes, and afterward Barnaby requires an extended period of time (at least an hour) to recharge before he can use his abilities once more. Additionally, although he can resist most major impacts and even heal superficial injuries while his powers are active, this does not apply to major internal injuries and damages that can exceed what a human that's 100x more powerful than normal can withstand. i.e. he can still sustain damage.
While his powers aren't active, he's limited to the abilities that an average, if athletic, human has. He is susceptible to being majorly injured in normal conditions, up to and including death. Furthermore, he's very nearsighted. The Hundred Power and the helmet of his hero suit compensates for this, but it's why he's never seen without his glasses while off duty.
Mental:
For all of his charm, Barnaby is far from the perfect ace and the King of Heroes that he portrays for the camera. Underneath the smiles is an extremely stern and isolated individual who has spent the entirety of his life seeking vengeance for his parents murder, effectively sacrificing his own childhood, his chances at finding friends, and even the chance at a normal life in this pursuit. His social graces are extremely calculated and something that he had to learn later in life. It's stated that, as a teenager, he never once smiled. Despite the personality he shows the camera, there were no romantic liaisons or even interpersonal interactions in his life before becoming a Hero and partnering with Kotetsu.
Although he has mellowed out over the nearly two years that have passed since the Maverick Inident, he is still judgemental and will quickly draw his own conclusions of the situation. While he is far less vocal about it than he was, he still resorts to moderate sniping when he's bothered by something. When he's not sniping, he has unfortunately taken on some of Kotetsu's bad habits as well and is likely to stay quiet and continue to soldier forth despite his displeasure.
His emotionality has a positive bent too-- it's implied through the dialogue that Barnaby has donated enough of his fortune to the orphanage to be worried about maintaining his current lifestyle. Commentary about wages and salary has come into play and, despite the fact that he is trying to be a hero, he seems to have concerns about keeping his posh apartment and continuing with his donations
While there is room for maybes in his life now, he still seems to think in absolutes to a degree. He is understandably shocked when he realizes that he's been manipulated by the man who bought out Apollon Media, and is quick to hand over some harsh judgements to Kotetsu when it came out that the other man made no attempt to fight it on his end. "Is this the limit of your desire to be a hero?' he demanded, targeting Kotetsu's longstanding dream in the process of making his inquiries. And, although he has gotten to be more subtle with his snark, he still makes no attempt to hide the fact when he doesn't like something.
Emotional:
Much of the reasons for his intellectual decisions and flaws lies on the emotional level. It's stated in canon that it's his only flaw-- and it is a flaw that stays with him over his sabbatical and stint in the Second League. As the man he was forced to partner with, Golden Ryan, said himself, Barnaby shows all of his emotions on his face. There is nothing for the man to hide, not when his entire life has been written about in the papers, not when the whole city has seen his emotional scars.
The stern and business-like masks that hid the broken young man that he was during the early part of his career have fallen away for the most part, but it's clear that his heart is still scarred from the traumas and memory rewrites that he sustained over his lifetime. His questions and insecurities come back quickly when it's clear that he's been manipulated, although he knows how to handle them now and soldier through the discomfort, and it's clear when he speaks of his regret that he is still healing from the unseen wounds and trying to find his purpose in this world.
Despite his reluctance to give up his sense of control for even simple things, like letting Kotetsu drive every once in a while, or to ultimately make the decision to partner with Kotetsu again because it wasn't just his decision to make, it is clear that he has grown and matured immensly since we last saw him. Although there is still much more room for him to improve, and although he may always carry the scars that are written in his heart, he is truly making good on his promises.
He is becoming a better man. He is becoming someone who is worthy of Kotetsu's -- and everyone's-- trust.
Word from the creators is that the extent of the psychological damage that has been wrought upon Barnaby by Albert Maverick over the years remains unknown. Although he's learning to accept himself and his flaws, and although he is recovering, there is still the distinct possibility that his memories remain a muddled mess that may never truly be fixed. This also means that he is liable to be susceptible to future memory wipes and rewrites if it ever becomes a possibility-- although, he is also in a far more stable and grounded spot psychologically. He is much harder to rattle and shake than he was before.
Anything else?:
It won't be immediate, but I would like there to eventually be a time where Barnaby's hero suit shows up in the game. It is made of a bullet-proof material that is able to withstand forces that can cause craters in concrete and other physical dangers that can cause major damage, yet is flexible enough to allow Barnaby to perform his agile jumps and kicks. On the back is mounted a propulsion system to further enhance this-- and even make it seem like he can fly. The visor in the helmet is equipped with a scanner that can lock onto targets (humans, objects) and discern the basic details about who or whatever it is. This includes approximate height and weight, and the onboard computers have access to a reasonable amount of information on his fellow heroes. Furthermore, the visor itself helps compensate for Barnaby's near-sightedness while he's not wearing his glasses or his powers are inactive.
It's predominantly red, white, and black in its color scheme and it sports logos from his various sponsors ("Crusade System" card series, Amazon.co.jp, and Bandai) on both arms and chest. It has a "Lighting Mode" feature that activates with his powers, which causes the red accents on his suit to glow in a neon pink, His helmet also has a pair of 'ears' on the helmet that resemble a bunny. This 'bunny' comparison is later toyed with by Saito, the head engineer employed by Apollon. As a birthday present to Barnaby, Saito made additions to both of the suits that, on first glance, appeared to be a pair of animal themed logos on each of the suits -- a tiger for Kotetsu, and a bunny for Barnaby. This was just for show. The deeper levels of the programming contain a feature called "Good Luck Mode" that, for Barnaby, enlarges the leg that he primarily uses for kicking. There is even a lightshow to go along with it while he's working with Kotetsu-- "Tiger and Bunny: Over and Out."
Contrary to what it may seem, Good Luck Mode does not do anything to increase power or endurance. It's just there to look cool.
SAMPLES
First Person:
Test Drive Thread: Total of 30+ comments.
Third Person:
The chilled glass of rose wine sat untouched on the side table as Barnaby idly flipped through the journal and thought about how different life in Luceti was from Sternbild. It was too quiet, lacking in the bright lights and the crush of people that the city offered. There was electricity, but no news network to turn on if the quiet became became too unbearable and the half heard stirrings of his own thoughts became too loud and impossible to be ignored. But, there was an unfamiliar calm that settled on the surface of the village, overlaying the currents of disquiet that carried in some of the voices within the journal. It was almost peaceful, but Barnaby could barely believe it.
After fighting Maverick in the Justice Tower with his fellow heroes, with Kotetsu, Barnaby wasn't sure what he believed any longer. What was there that he could believe, but what he could see, hear, and touch? Could he even believe that? His wings, the same bright electric pink of his armor, were a part of his reality now that remained no matter how hard he fought. A few torn out feathers at the beginning was proof of that-- it hurt, he was dizzy for the rest of the day.
He sighed and stood, and paced around his meticulously decorated apartment until he came to a stop at the window. The night sky was always the same, no matter where he was at. The stars were even brighter than they were in Sternbild.
But it was still too much to believe.
The people he met had told him that Kotetsu was in the village just until a few weeks ago, and that they had literally just missed eachother.
It truly was too much.
Anger sparked at the memory of the suggestion-- how could they say such a thing? But the complaints they filed against him sounded all to familiar, and finding that pin...
Another notification came in over the journals via private filter. Drawn from his reverie, Barnaby sighed and returned to the leather sofa and the side table that carried his forgotten wine. He flipped through the pages, listened to the feed, and ran a hand through his thick curls in aggravation.
"Honestly. You can't go to anywhere without making a mess can you, Oji-san?"