Takenaka Ren

> **"If anything, I prefer silence. I need space to breathe and relax."**
>
>

Unnamed Grandfather

**Takenaka Ren** is a third-year at **YamiTsume High School** and is the Lead Guitarist of **Paradoz**. He is a quiet boy with no reason to go to school in the first place. His parents insisted him to go, however, which causes him to join the music club and plays guitar most of the time. He preferred to play rock music when he is stressed by the pressure he himself had thought.

He frequently asked his friend and bandmate **Eidal Chross** to repair his sword, **Shizukesa** at times.

He had a certain disgust towards the members of the **Student Council** as he believes they are all "liars and backstabbers".

## Background

Ren lives with his parents and his grandfather, who was once an outstanding samurai. Ren looked up to his grandfather and wanted to become a samurai as well, but his parents rejected his decision and told him that he should be studying to be a well-educated man.

Ren ignored their wishes and continued training with his grandfather. When he finally got to learn swordplay with a real sword, his father got so angry about it. His father slammed the sword repeatedly into a stone and the sword broke. Ren snapped and ran away from home, taking his broken sword with him.

He went to **Kiyoyasu Riverbank** to unleash his anger at his parents who continued to force him to do things he didn't like. After he finally calmed down, he went home. His parents ignored him while his grandfather welcomed him with open arms.

His grandfather knew about his anger, and asked him to examine the sword he gave him carefully. Upon examining the sword, he realised there's a word - "静けさ" or "Shizukesa" embedded on the sword. He then realised that his grandfather is truly the only person in the family who could understand him.

## Appearance

Ren has mahogany coloured eyes and tidy long hair which he kept in a ponytail. His eyes are small and and he keeps his right hand on his waist, like a swordsman ready to unsheath his sword. He takes both a wooden sword and Shizukesa to school.

His casual wear includes a traditional Japanese training outfit when he's at home, or during the kendo club. And his other casual wear includes a white button-up shirt, and blue jeans.

His summer wear includes a black t-shirt, and green pants and a pair of slippers, while also carrying Shizukesa around.

His winter wear includes his training kimono, as he rarely comes out of his house during winter and holidays.

## Personality

Ren is a very calm and calculated individual, claiming to try to ascend the top form of swordsmanship. He trains very seriously and meditates everyday to reach the calmest state of mind. He dislikes bickering and noises, as his parents tends to force him and shout at him, which tends to make him feel rather uncomfortable.

He loves his grandfather dearly, as he believed that his grandfather is the only person to believe him and knows what he wants to do the most. Because of his grandfather teaching him swordsmanship, Ren's parents tried to stop their training, which causes Ren to have more hatred to his parents.

Despite him trying to achieve a calm state of mind, Ren has an uncontrollable anger inside of him. If he happened to snap, he would express his anger at the nearest thing next to him. He had a fight with a group of delinquents after one of them bumped into him and the rest of them tried to pin the blame on Ren. He then beat them all with a wooden stick.

To his friends and classmates, however, Ren is friendly and a great listener, and would train people that wants to learn swordsmanship. After **Bestisia** asked him to train her, they developed a powerful friendship.

He became good friends with **Bakin** after the two met on accident at the school rooftop. The two chatted a while, and then they became meditation buddies.

## Interactions

* Mitari Tokunaga
* Bakuzoku Rokakku
* Chosuke Ryuzaki
* Eidal Chross
* Bakin Fujiwara
* Bestisia Lorraine

## Trivia

* He studied many sword styles from his grandfather's books and tried to perfect most of them.
* He admired both Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō after reading stories about them.
* With Eidal's help, Ren gave Bestisia her first sword - "権限" or "**Kengen**" after she mastered the basics of swordplay.
* He is never seen talking with **Azama**, who once thanked him for answering his prayer. Ren is utterly confused by that statement.