Tora

**Tora** is one of the main characters of *Midnight Poppy Land*. He is the official bodyguard of Quincey Balthuman, the heir to the Balthuman Clan.

# Character

## Physical appearance

Tora is a tall, brooding man with a very muscular build. He has long black hair, amber-colored eyes, and very vibrant, distinctive yakuza tattoos on his arms, back, and left leg. He is described to be very handsome by many women and men.

He is often seen wearing a suit or casual wear.

## Personality

At the beginning of the series, Tora was shown to be none other than an emotionless, stoic, muscular brute working for the Balthuman Clan. However, since meeting Poppylan Wilkes, he has become more comfortable and in touch with his emotions and often lowers his guard around her. Tora can be seen teasing, laughing, smiling, and flirting with Poppy. He is said to be very fragile, according to Alice. He is very protective of the ones he cares about and gets angry should any harm, malicious or not, come their way. He will stop at no end to maintain their safety and well-being.

# Story

Tora's dad died when he was around 4-5 years old, and was sent to an orphanage because "His mom couldn't take care of him for anything." During his adolescent/teenage years, he became a member of the Balthuman Clan, and was often seen coming back to Alice's restaurant covered in blood. He was trained to be a ruthless, lapdog/bodyguard by Vincent. His mother is said to have passed away a few year before the debut of the series.

### Poppy

Poppy Wilkes is a young editor that works for Giant Goldfish Publishing. Tora runs into her by mistake, due to an important missing notebook containing incriminating evidence against the Balthuman Clan. Tora texts Ronzo to see if it was possible to run a background check on Poppy without her ID, and Ronzo replies that it is possible, as long as he gets a full, clear picture of Poppy from the front. Tora purposely takes a picture of her, as per Ronzo's request, with her chest out due to her shirt tearing from when her moped crashed.

Throughout the story, they start to spend time together as a bargain, considering both have what the other wants (Tora wants the notebook, Poppy doesn’t know she has it, and Poppy wants to become closer to Tora). As the story progresses, they have grown much to like each other in comparison to when they first met in episode 1, even showing to have made out with each other several times throughout season 1.

## *Friends*

### Quincey

Tora is Quincey’s bodyguard who seem to have a small brotherly relationship, with Quincey miffed with one of Tora’s signature smiles. He also finds him a bit creepy because at times he resembles his father, Vincent Balthuman. He has white hair and turquoise eyes. Quincey is also a best friend to Tora, who looks up at Tora whenever he needs help in the clan. Quincey also seems to have a strict nausea for blood, as he ends up puking himself whenever he's faced with the sight of blood. And he's also against any kind of absurd violence, especially relating to mafia. For during times like these, Tora helps him as his bodyguard.

### Gyu

Gyu was helped by Tora in the past and often talks to him via text. When Tora needs information regarding hacking, background checks, or anything technology related, he goes to Gyu as he is shown to be proficient in unethical hacking.

### Joe

Joe is the son of Alice who has calmed him down from one of his rages. It is noted that Tora thinks Joe might rat him out due to being a cop, however Joe never does. In one of the scenes during the flashback in Tora's life, Joe seems to show his revealed arms, showing tattoos around both of his arms like how Tora has now. This might imply that Joe was once related to the mafia clans, in the past even if not now. Joe is said to have passed away after some time from the past timeline, as said by Tora to Poppy himself, and the reason being that he died during his duty as a cop in the department, while he was on his work. It's also remarkable to mention that Tora has been having a ring and a black string bracelet which once belonged to Joe, as he now possesses them after Joe's death, saying it's very precious to him and he treasures them while giving them to Poppy as her birthday gift. This not only implies how Joe was and is important in Tora's life, but also that he trusts Poppy than anyone that he hands her the ring and bracelet without hesitation. Tora was indeed raised and tamed by Joe when he was a relentless kid being in a clan, also showing that he looked up at Joe like an older brother or a father figure till his death. It's to mention that Poppy, realising that the ring and bracelet are precious to Tora, hands the ring and bracelet back to him during their birthday party in the fallen angels night bar by the end of season one. Tora also seems to have a mannerism, in which whenever he's in deep thought or is spacing out while thinking about something serious, his thumb finger intentionally moves to the ring finger and grazes the place where he was wearing the ring. Every now and then, he checks up on the ring and bracelet if they're safe with him. But after handing it to Poppy, he sometimes asks her to bring the ring and bracelet so that he can see for himself about its safe existence with her.

## *Acquaintances*

### Vincent Balthuman

Vincent is the person who had trained and fathered Tora after he ran away from an orphanage. They currently have business ties.

# List of appearances

* Episode 1
* Episode 2
* Episode 3
* Episode 4
* Episode 5
* Episode 6
* Episode 7
* Episode 8
* Episode 9
* Episode 10
* Episode 11
* Episode 12
* Episode 13
* Episode 14
* Episode 15
* Episode 16
* Episode 17
* Episode 18
* Episode 19
* Episode 20
* Episode 21 (mentioned)
* Episode 22
* Episode 23
* Episode 25
* Episode 26
* Episode 27
* Episode 28
* Episode 29
* Episode 30
* Episode 31
* Episode 32
* Episode 33
* Episode 34
* Episode 35
* Episode 36
* Episode 37
* Episode 38
* Episode 39
* Episode 40
* Episode 41
* Episode 42
* Episode 43
* Episode 44
* Episode 45
* Episode 46
* Episode 47
* Episode 48
* Episode 49
* Episode 50
* Episode 51
* Episode 52
* Episode 53
* Episode 54
* Episode 55
* Episode 56
* Episode 57
* Episode 58
* Episode 59
* Episode 60
* Episode 61
* Episode 62
* Episode 63
* Episode 64
* Episode 65
* Episode 66
* Episode 67
* Episode 68
* Episode 69

# Trivia

* Lilydusk confirmed on Instagram that Tora is the great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of Prince Nigen, the son of Ulaan and Yuwa: the protagonists of Lilydusk's other Webtoon, Asuras Bride.

# References

1. ↑ [1]Gyu(Ronzo) Claiming Tora's Tattoos to be Vibrant, ***Midnight Poppy Land**,* episode 15
2. ↑ [2]Tora's Leg Tattoo Displayed, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 37
3. ↑ Poppy Wilkes
4. ↑ [3]Alice calling Tora Fragile, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 20
5. ↑ [4]Young Tora Comes Back to Alice's Restaurant Beaten Up, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 18
6. ↑ Ronzo
7. ↑ [5]Ronzo Asks Tora to Take Poppy's Picture, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 2
8. ↑ [6]Poppy Crashed her Moped/Scooter, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 1
9. ↑ [7]Tora Accidentally taking a Picture of Poppy, ***Midnight Poppy Land,*** episode 3
10. ↑ Instagram @lilydusk.art | Link