(Anime)Akio Kawazu of Paranoia Agent

SKJAM! · March 31, 2006

Contains mild spoilers for Paranoia Agent, mostly Episode 1.

Akio Kawazu

Player: Created by Satoshi Kon

Val Char Cost

8 STR -2

10 DEX 0

10 CON 0

10 BODY 0

13 INT 3

11 EGO 2

14 PRE 4

8 COM -1

2 PD 0

2 ED 0

2 SPD 0

4 REC 0

20 END 0

19 STUN 0

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

1 1/2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 6

Cost Skill

3 Acting 12-

3 Bribery 12-

1 Cryptography 8-

2 CK: Tokyo 11-

2 KS: Celebrity Gossip 11-

2 KS: Lurid Crime 11-

2 KS: Sexual Deviance and How to Spot It 11-

1 Language: Japanese (imitate dialects) (5 Active Points)

5 Mimicry 13-

5 Persuasion 13-

2 PS: Yellow Journalist 11-

3 Shadowing 12-

3 Streetwise 12-

1 TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles

Skills Cost: 35

Cost Perk

9 Contact: Underpaid workers (Contact has useful Skills or resources), Organization Contact (x3) (9 Active Points) 11-

1 Fringe Benefit: Press Pass

Perks Cost: 10

Cost Talent

1 Can tie a cherry stem into a knot with his tongue

Talents Cost: 1

Total Character Cost: 52

Pts. Disadvantage

0 Normal Characteristic Maxima

5 Money: Poor

10 Psychological Limitation: Sleazeball (Common, Moderate)

5 Reputation: Vulture on human misery, 8-

5 Social Limitation: Cannot legally drive (Occasionally, Minor)

Disadvantage Points: 25

Base Points: 25

Experience Required: 2

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Background/History: Little is known of Kawazu's history, though we learn that he's well known to the police as a sleazy reporter, and that he once hit an old man while driving recklessly. The old man survived, and Kawazu avoided jail time, but was hit for a civil suit to pay the victim's hospital bills. Desperate for funds, Kawazu fixates on the alleged assault on Tsukiko Sagi as a possible scandal article. Pressing the issue, Kawazu learns that Shonen Bat may actually exist.

Personality/Motivation: Akio Kawazu's personality can be summed up in one word. Sleazy. He would gladly destroy a person's life for the sake of getting a lurid scoop. He looks up women's skirts when the opportunity presents itself, sees nothing wrong with giving children access to porn, and only cares about crime when there's a celebrity twist.

's also strapped for cash, and needs a good article so he can pay his debts. A dangerous combination.

Quote: "I'm the real victim here."

Powers/Tactics: Kawazu has a remarkable ability to mimic other people's voices and mannerisms, which he uses as an icebreaker, or to provoke a reaction. He can also tie a cherry stem in a knot with his tongue. He also has most of the traditional reporter skills. Rumor Weekly Magazine provides him with his press pass.

will use all the traditional tricks of the sleazy reporter, including pretending to be a police officer or other official, slipping money to loose-mouthed individuals, going through garbage (or even your home if the door isn't locked), etc. He has no combat skills and will avoid it if possible.

Campaign Use: Kawazu (with suitable cultural changes) can fit into any modern campaign. He makes a good rival for a player character reporter, or a foil for a detective or cop. He will Hunt characters who seem to have juicy secrets, but only so he can print them in a story.

Seed: One of the player characters notices Kawazu at a downscale bar or nightclub. He keeps repeating an odd nonsense phrase in a particular voice, with certain gestures. If approached, Kawazu will just say that he's trying to figure something out. A moment later, he gets a pleased look on his face and leaves.

next morning, Kawazu is found dead. He's left a very good clue for the PCs...if they can figure out what it means, and find the imitated person.

Appearance: Kawazu is a middle-aged man with short, spiked black hair that's beginning to recede. His irises are unusually small, and his eyebrows are nearly invisible, giving his eyes a bulging appearance. He wears a thin mustache, and has a wide, thick-lipped mouth. A short, pudgy man, he bears some resemblance to a frog. Kawazu's voice is normally deep and gravelly, but he has a remarkably wide vocal range.

's normal attire is a dull red shirt, grey slacks, light grey jacket, and black shoes. He carries a black cell phone with a factory-standard ring tone.

Comments, questions?

yamamura · March 31, 2006