Bota Ma

**Bota Ma** is the main protagonist of *Leviathan*. He is the oldest child of Teon Ma and Narisa, and is the older brother of Rita Ma.

## Character

### Personality

Bota's personality changes in the story, with him being very naive in the first half but becoming more mature as he learns and experiences the world. He also develops a righteous personality like his father that doesn't stand for the inequality people of the lower decks get from harpoonists and higher ups and is willing to fight against it even if it puts himself in danger.

### Appearance

**Bota Ma** has short brown hair, brown eyes, and no real defining features. While we don't get any real answers on his height, he seems to be either average height or just below average. His appearance after the time skip shows him appearing more like his father but not sporting glasses like him.

### Relationships

#### Family

* **Teon Ma**: Teon Ma is the father of Bota Ma and is the person who raised him most of his life, teaching him many skills before passing. He loved his kids a lot and would do anything to make sure they would survive, even later sacrificing himself to guarantee they would live with him, asking Bota to protect Rita for him.
* **Narisa Ma**: Narisa Ma is the mother of Bota Ma, while she wasn't that much in the story what little we got from her shows she Bota a lot and was willing to sacrifice a life of high standing for them but passed away giving birth of Rita Ma
* **Rita Ma:** Bota's younger sister and only known living blood relative. As toddlers, Bota resented Rita due to believing her to be the cause of their mother's death, and as such originally refused to bond with her. However, during one incident while Teon was away, Bota saved Rita from falling into the ocean; following this incident, the two grew closer and Bota tended to watch over his younger sister while their father was away. After Teon's death, Bota continued to protect Rita as they went through *Busan United* and Port Oasis. When Rita was taken by Genod, Bota spearheaded a rescue mission to save her and other people kidnapped by the Genod, and eventually calmed her down after her mutation following the kidnapping.
* **Kana**: Bota first met Kana when she saved him and Rita from Kentrassi offspring. Kana later saved him and Rita again after Dohu threatened to kill them, and for the following four years after the incident, the three lived as a family in Port Oasis. During that time, Bota and Kana grew close to the point of the former considering them family, and Kana trained Bota as a Harpoonist. Bota considers Kana to be very strong and looks up to her as his mentor. Bota also seems to develop some romantic feelings for Kana although this is not fully confirmed.

#### Associates

* **Sonia**: During their first meeting, Sonia expressed interest in Bota, even affectionately licking his cheek to tease him. The two became partners during the rescue mission under Port Oasis, during which they saved each other several times. After Bota exchanged oxygen with her, kissing her in the process, the two appeared to develop faint feelings for one another, with Bota privately noting how his heart beat upon kissing Sonia again. Sonia herself casually dragged Bota to kiss him for oxygen, and expressed hostility towards Kana due to her bond with Bota.

#### Enemies

* Dohu : When Bota first met Dohu, he was deceived to think that Dohu was a close friend of his father- Teon Ma, when the truth was actually the opposite as Dohu hated Toen when he was young and now after discovering Bota was his son, Dohu began to start hating Bota. When Bota and Dohu collided, it always almost ended in a fight. Dohu always pissed Bota off, but the last straw was in Enemy on deck part as Dohu stopped Kana from killing Kentrassi as Kana finally put up with him and killed him in response.

## Powers and abilities

Bota only has the abilities of an average human but is very skilled at fighting and killing leviathans because of training he underwent with Kana for four years on Port Oasis. He also has the ability to hold his breath for an extended period of time, which is a lot longer than an average human. He got this ability from his mother, who was infected with the fish disease while pregnant with him. He first showcased this ability as a child when he was able to hold his breath underwater for 40 minutes and was possibly able to hold it for longer periods as he got older.

### Equipment

A box cutter like sword that is powered by these gas canisters allows for quick movement underwater and the ability to extend the blade to full length. Because of how it works, it's an excellent tool for killing sea monsters and leviathans.