Koorogi

==Background==
Kichiro Ito was born to a traditional Japanese family in 1970. He grew up learning discipline and his place in society. He enjoyed school and the thrill of a challenge. At the age of six he became attracted to the beauty of gardens and specifically flowers. He loved to stare into the myriad of colors and textures that well-cared for gardens displayed but he longed for more than just spectating. He pursued the art of ikebana, traditional Japanese flower arrangement. In this he found a spiritual purpose, a connection to nature and a place into which to pour his soul. Quiet and alone he would spend hours honing this art.
Kichiro's quiet life changed when he was 9 and his family grew to include a baby sister. Midori was much Kichiro's opposite. She was outspoken, blunt and very active. Though intelligent she was a bit scattered which contrasted with Kichiro's quiet, reserved nature. With such an age gap between the two, Kichiro's relationship with her was centered on the impulse to protect his sister. This was mixed with a constant annoyance at her lack of etiquette, especially with their parents.
When Kichiro was 19 and away studying at the local university his parents died in a bus accident that killed 12 other people. This experience shook his world, forcing him to question his life purpose. Midori went to live with their aunt and uncle while Kichiro continued his schooling. However, upon learning that the cause of the accident was due to a gang-related car chase he gained a new focus. Nothing felt more important to him than helping the citizens of Tokyo against violent criminals such as gangs. He changed his major to criminal justice. With a relentless drive Kichiro rose to the top of his class and upon graduation was accepted into the elite police force. There he continued to master martial arts, weapon training and his already sharp skills with motorcycles and cars. He was introduced to investigative techniques, deduction and critical analysis. He also learned teamwork and leadership skills though this was not his focus. He spent the next 10 years in the police force becoming a decorated officer.
At the age of 28, Kichiro met the love of his life, Kimi. The two started dating and became serious shortly thereafter. Kimi was a molecular biologist and currently assisting Professor Yukio Tanaka. Professor Yukio, as he was known, was a genius at sequencing genetic code. He had embarked on a lengthy project to map the DNA of many animals and insects. The professor would be trying to identify special abilities or instincts that could be transferred to different species.
In 2000 Kichiro was involved in a bizarre accident in Kimi's laboratory that transformed his being. He would often come to the lab to visit Kimi and spend some of his time off from police duties. He was fascinated by all the technology that Kimi and Professor Yukio used. However, something went wrong and the alarms rang out in the lab. Kimi and the Professor were trapped in a high radiation room where genetic sequences were loaded into living DNA. Not wanting to see his girlfriend harmed, Kichiro busted into the lab and saved both Kimi and the Professor but as he was attempting to leave one of the machines released a wave of radiation and exploded. Kichiro was badly injured from shrapnel and was rushed to the hospital.
Kichiro recovered quickly and was back on duty within two weeks. Though it was not known at the time, he had been partially fused with several key genetic sequences from a cricket. This manifested slowly with an improvement in his reflexes and additional strength. Within three months he discovered he could leap incredible distances and dodge attacks more easily. Later that year he discovered much to his shock that he could form a carapace over his body. Though disturbed at the time he and Kimi realized what was happening. After an examination with Professor Yukio, Kichiro learned that due to the high doses of radiation the change was permanent.
Meanwhile, Professor Yukio's project was cancelled due to the unacceptable risk factor to human life which infuriated the older man. He left the university and sought private funding to continue his experiments. Kimi and Kichiro never heard from him again.
This was the dawning of a new chapter in Kichiro's life and he began to experiment with what it meant. He practiced using his new powers and began to become comfortable with them. He adapted his martial arts training in Kempo to use his new enhanced mobility and reflexes. He did this training at night and with his new found sense of hearing was able to fully function in complete darkness.
At first he used his powers to gain an edge in high speed pursuits of criminals or dangerous standoffs. Soon he realized that he could dodge most bullets and that his carapace would block most of the damage of any that still hit him. He then pushed the limits by going after gangs or other dangerous criminals by himself using just his powers and martial arts. His successes were broadcasted over the nightly news and Koorogi, his hero's identity, became known throughout Tokyo. Within a year the gangs started to thin out as he relentlessly pursued them.
Things were going great for Kichiro. He resigned his commission from the police force to focus on his crime fighting activities in 2002. He was loved by the public as a hero and had the praise of politicians and police. He proposed to Kimi and the two got engaged. All seemed to be going well… too well.
In the summer of 2003 Kichiro busted a gang ring that included a promising superhuman recruit of Bushido. Kichiro brought them all in to the police. Though the recruit was released, he was questioned, fingerprinted and photographed first before being let go. This upset Bushido and they started looking into this 'Koorogi' person. Bushido finally learned of Kichiro's true identity in November and decided a strong response was necessary. They hired a particularly vicious gang, the Red Shadows, to take out Kichiro and Kimi.
Nine members of the Red Shadows waited until the unsuspecting couple was out for a stroll through a public park. There they set up an ambush and as the two approached they opened fire. Kichiro was able to dodge the entire initial volley but Kimi was not so lucky. She was hit with four rounds that fatally wounded her. Witnessing the violence done to his fiancé, Kichiro snapped and went into rage.
Changing into cricket form he leapt into the midst of the gang and attacked savagely. He used his special leaping cricket kicks to send several gang members flying through the air and struck the others with unerring accuracy. Chaos overtook the gang and they even started shooting into their own group in the attempt to hit Kichiro. Within a minute the battle was over and seven gang members lay dead. Those that lived were unconscious. Kichiro immediately went to Kimi's body but she was already dead. Kichiro looked over the scene in shock. The police arrived shortly and Kichiro helped out as he could.
For the next week it was as if time was standing still. Kichiro lost interest in doing anything. He was able to go through the motions including Kimi's funeral and answering questions with the police.
Though the public still held Koorogi in high regard, Kichiro was sinking in despair. Every night the battle played out as an endless nightmare. It seemed to vary each time but the end was always the same. The next morning he would feel as if he hadn't slept which soured much of his day. He also learned that not all the gang members died from gunshot wounds and that three of them had snapped necks. Though the police did not say anything further Kichiro realized that it was by his own hands that those three died. He had been very careful to keep from killing anyone up to this point and now had blood on his hands. It deepened his disconsolate mood.
Kichiro's depression remained over the next year. He put to rest his Koorogi identity and did his best to return to normal life. The nightmares continued though not as frequently. He also started to work part-time for the police force, but he was not himself. Midori was especially worried and started visiting him much more frequently, trying without success to bring him out of his stupor.
It was then that he was contacted by Lord Doom. The criminal mastermind offered him a life with purpose, and the possibility of redemption helping all of humanity. Reluctantly, he agreed, especially when Doom mentioned that, with Koorogi’s presence, the actions of his fellows might be mitigated with a calmer hand.
==Personality and Motivations==
Kichiro grew up in a traditional Japanese family and holds many views of the traditional Japanese. His younger sister is a source of some irritation as she is very outspoken and downright rude at times. He prefers women to be more reserved and follow traditional roles. Kichiro also has a strong work ethic and is prone to overworking himself. He is driven to pull his weight and becomes depressed when he cannot contribute to his team. The death of his parents in his late teens propelled him into law enforcement which he pursued with relentless drive. He mastered so much of his training that he no longer saw himself as an average human being. His mutation further separated him from the rest of normal society and only aided his pursuit of villains, which he did alone.
The tragic death of his fiancé was too much and as a result he lost his bearings in life. The guilt over his inability to stop her death has haunted him, causing him to question the goals for which he had dedicated himself. He now suffers frequent nightmares which replay the scene over and over again with slight variations, though all end the same. Thus he is very sensitive about getting serious with another woman to the point where he simply avoids relationships, if possible.
Normally Kichiro is polite, diplomatic and perceptive. He has good communication skills and has some natural leadership abilities. He does consider honor very important along with providing for his family or team. He is honest and has a strict code against killing. He does want to make a positive impact in the lives of others, especially those who are weak. Though he is struggling through some powerfully dark issues right now he is not hopeless. With time he will heal and return to his normal self. He just hopes that his deal with the devil... or Lord Doom... doesn't corrupt his soul.
Kichiro does have a few quirks. First, he hates the cold and thus dresses warmly, overly so. Second, he loves his motorcycle and likes to keep it extraordinarily clean and in top-shape. He is irritated by outspoken women, especially of Japanese descent. Also he feels uneasy in science laboratories. Finally, he finds spiritual meaning in the natural display of beauty, most notably in the arrangements of flowers.
==Quote==
"Masaka! My luck indeed!"
==Powers and Abilities==
Kichiro's main source of power is from his cricket mutation. He gains several key abilities from it. First, he can leap an amazing distance. Second, he has enhanced reflexes which can help him dodge bullets, ride his bike at incredible speeds/agility and perform martial arts moves with grace and accuracy. He also has the ability to grip tightly onto any surface which allows him to leap onto the sides of buildings or ceilings. Most noticeably is his ability to form a carapace around himself. He also has special cricket hearing which allows him to hear the full sound spectrum and pinpoint where sounds come from.
Kichiro has created his own style of martial arts based on Kempo. This form uses leaps and kicks primarily and is also highly defensive. He can also perform a special sonic kick that sends a sonic shock wave towards his opponent. He creates this attack by actually kicking while in mid air, using his special cricket legs to create the force. As a member of an elite police force he was trained in weapons. He also has a disciplined mind (mental defense) that stems from his martial arts training. He has honed many skills primarily as a detective/elite police and martial artist. Finally, he is an expert at riding motorcycles and driving cars.
==Appearance==
Kichiro is a young, quiet Japanese man with very short black hair and deep brown eyes. His expression is usually stoic and serious. He is of average height and weight with a slender and supple build. He prefers to wear a black leather jacket and blue jeans. He typically is dressed warmly even when it isn't that cold outside.
In cricket form, Kichiro has a visible dark brownish-black carapace. This carapace, while true to his cricket motif, actually appears more like body armor with plates. His head looks like a motorcycle helmet with two visible antennae on top and two black mirror-like lenses over his eyes. His thighs look slightly larger than normal while the rest of his legs below his knees are thin and long. He does have human looking hands and feet and can speak in a normal voice.
Category:Characters
Category:Villains
Category:Japanese Characters
Category:Martial Artists
Category:Japanese Villains
Category:Male Characters
Category:Male Villains