Kristof Brandt

Kristof Brandt is a Rank 1 investigator of the CCG and ex-circus-strong**man**. He resides within a side apartment in an out–of–the–way seafood restaurant in the 14th ward.

## Appearance

Kristof is an incredibly well built **man** of middling years hailing from Ger**man**y. Standing quite tall when compared to that of the average Tokyo citizen he tends to stand out, even when not clad in uniform. It doesn't help that the **man** is heavily muscled and prefers to flaunt his physique.

While most people first notice another's eyes in first contact, it is hard to do so with Kristof as they are seemingly always squinted. Instead the most noticeable feature found upon the otherwise bald **man'**s head is a thick, well-groomed mustache that twirls in on itself upon the ends. Slightly less notable are the numerous wrinkles that dominate his age worn visage.

The bulky **man** is often seen wearing green slacks along with similarly coloured suspenders that wrap around his broad shoulders. He also seems to have a penchant for sporting button-up shirts of light colours that are entirely too tight, whether it be because shirts of the correct size are simply too rare or Kristof enjoys showing off his physique is unknown.

After his reappearance, Kristof is seen sporting a fairly short unkempt beard, it's light brown hew fading into grey as it becomes closer to the chin. Just as well, after the encounter with Jack Conklin, his left forearm was not able to be saved, instead there now lies a stump at the elbow

## Personality

Kristof is a very patient **man** with a great deal of interest on the theatrical, this is likely due to a great majority of his life spent as a circus strong**man**, which he can also thank his well-trained body to. There are very few people that anger or irk the **man** through incompetence or immaturity, in fact Kristof prefers to share in the naivety and innocence of those redeemable.

Always touting on about reaching perfection in some trait, this large **man** always forges onward his hardest to push himself beyond the limits of what makes a **man** a **man**, and thus encourages all those around him in the same **man**ner. Whether they be underling, equal, superior, or enemy, Kristof wishes only to inspire those around himself that they may one day do the same for others.

Some may say that he is too old to be a CCG investigator, he only laughs it off with a hearty smile. Though due to his age, Kristof often finds himself acting fatherly, even to those of higher rank than he, occasionally landing him in hot water. Not to mention the mishaps through his broken Japanese and straightforward attitude.

Kristof's traits are of staunch **man**liness and perseverance, to see a better tomorrow and brighter future for all things. Deeply ingrained within the **man** is a love for all creatures, whether they be beast or bird, **man** or ghoul. Things are not nearly so black and white to Kristof as they are to **man**y others of the CCG.

His heart is warm, his demeanor inviting, Kristof is a difficult **man** to anger and one of surprising tranquility. On top of which he is honest to a fault, finding it nearly impossible to hide anything through his very transparent feelings. The **man** can be seen as too soft for his line of work, for above all, he desires only peace.

## History

Kristof Brandt was born in Ger**man**y into a family of circus performers, where **man**y of his ideals came to fruition. Traveling around constantly, across plains and seas to far away lands the **man** learned of **man**y cultures and traditions. And while there are **man**y societies that differ from others, there was one thing that he would always find during his perfor**man**ces of daring feats of strength. All people have a certain love of life, even in dire circumstances. Through such, he himself truly realized that all there was to life was to love and be loved. To find peace within the world and within one's self.

Most of the **man'**s life was spent honing his body and soul to their maximum potential, strength and spirit drove him onward. Where other men would give up, Kristof would stand strong as a mighty pillar of morals, a code unbreakable by the most devilish of corruption. However, such innocence is easily eroded by a steady stream.

As time sailed ever forwards, Kristof eventually desired a home, a place to settle rather than the fleeting life of travel of tricks that had held him close for so long. And thus, after his final perfor**man**ce in the streets of Tokyo, he decided immediately not to go very far from such an atmosphere of energy. Unknowing of the path that it would eventually lead him down.

The years soon after had taught him things of hu**man**ity that he had never learned in his life of travel. Learning of the creatures known as ghouls, and their apparent place within society. Through first hand experience of the way that these clashing groups treated one another, and occasionally even themselves. Kristof was determined to forge peace within this world.

He is first seen in the one-shot Heavy Downpour some years before the present, in which he encounters a decaying ghoul of indeterminate age. The creature is starving and cannot seem to move, Kristof allows it to feast upon his arm and soon afterwards wraps it in his rain coat, carrying the ghoul away, showing that the **man** seems to hold little malice towards those of the species.

Shortly after Kristof is shown cleaning the infected wounds of the ghoul whilst ignoring the blood gushing from his own earlier wound. During the events of Die regen kommen kann He finds himself questioning how anyone can despise ghouls, further showing his position on the creatures. After singing a lullaby and putting the child to sleep, he takes off into the night in order to feed his guest.

Lost in thought he becomes, reflecting on the cycle of violence as he calls it. Ending in his realization of pity for not only ghouls, but for all people forced to partake in such a world of cruelty. Kristof eventually breaks into a 14th Ward morgue and steals away a fresh corpse, justifying that it will save the child whom he had rescured's life. Agter which he dubs the child, 'Blume' and fosters her as his own daughter, deeply enjoying the sensation of being a father.

Sometime afterwards he is seen again during the one-shot Magnificent Fervor!; Glorious Vigor! entering the mask shop 'Two Face' in order to commission a mask from the enigmatic Tatsuhiro Owari for an unknown purpose.

Kristof appeared during the 'Raiding the Railroad' Arc, In which he and another investigator, Kouta Matsushita, were paired together in the third railway car. Together they fought against two invading ghouls, Atsui Koi and Jack Conklin. Wishing to not sustain severe injuries the latter party disbanded, taking off with key CCG supplies.

During the Wintertide arc, Kristof is partnered with Kosei Waller, who at the time shared rank 2 investigator status with him. The pair are sent to the 8th ward in order to investigate a disturbance, in which they confirm as the One-Eyed Cat a bestial kakuja rampaging about Tokyo. Kristof engages the beast ready to sacrifice his life that Kosei might escape, however after a short conversation with the beast it fled, leaving the pair to clean up its mess.

Nearly one month later, the heavily-built investigator responded to a general ghoul disturbance call, taking him to a memorial park in the 14th ward. It was there that he encountered the proto-ghoul Kichirou Kurosawa. The pair engaged in combat, through which mutual strikes left both gravely injured, this had sent Kristof into a coma from which he has yet to wake from.

About four weeks proceeding, the strong**man** awakes from his coma to find a picture of he and his daughter, scrawled abaft the words, "Moonlight regards". Returning to his home in the fourteenth ward, there is a distinct lack of Blume. Which leads up to a tenuous meeting with Jack Conklin and a very tenuous 'partnership' of sorts, the ghoul offers the strong**man** the protection of his child, Blume Brandt in return for CCG information, blackmail.

After their encounter, the paths of Kristof Brandt and Jack Conklin cross once more, this time however, Waller Squad is on the case. The Ger**man** **man** relayed to the Commission of Counter Ghoul that he had been in care taking of a ghoul child, wishing only for peace, as well as explaining the situation of the ghoul 'Smiles'. However the two opposing groups simultaneously hunt him down, leading to a pitched battle.

Through which, though given the chance to flee by his good friend, Kosei Waller, Kristof charges in to their aid, bringing about a swift end to the conflict, whilst sustaining major injuries, including the severing of his left forearm.

Some months after the event, Kristof was held on trial under the grand jury of Kouta Matsushita, Tomoyuki Otsuji, Joseph "Seph" Winters, and Jiro Horikoshi. Torabashi Kotetsu presided over the event as a whole, and displayed the charges against him. It was then that the 'judge' saw fit to bring out the **man'**s daughter.

Kristof did as he was commanded, snapping the ghoul child's neck in an instant. Soon after, there was a four of five deliberation to both pardon the strong**man** and to promote him to rank 1.

## Powers and Abilities

**Strongman's Physique:** Kristof's strength is, well, *his strength!* The **man** excels in physicality, and is extremely durable to boot thanks to the immense amount of time he spend perfectly sculpting his body. Just the same, he holds a large well of stamina to draw upon that outlasts even some ghouls. However, due to his body's bulky nature he is not the most **man**euverable of investigators. While not necessarily slow on his feet, **man**y opponents who are more swift would find it easier to deal with him.

**Love and Be Loved:** Kristof would argue that his truest and greatest strength is his unconditional ability to sympathize and care for others, even those deemed as his enemies. However rare, his ire is to be feared to which only the truly evil are deserving of.

## Relationships

 Jack Conklin | The relationship between Kristof and Jack is more complex than his others, having originally met during Raiding the Railroad Jack can be seen as something of the strong**man'**s nemesis. Having clashed multiple times since that day, though rarely in combat. Begrudgingly, Kristof had been glad on some level that the ghoul had kidnapped his daughter, for she would have had no one to take care of her during the four weeks of hospitalization. And yet, the **man** still worked his hardest to bring the other down, it cannot be said whether Jack was viewed amiably or odiously.

## Trivia

* His favorite colour is green.
* He enjoys giving out advice in the form of old adages.
* Kristof bears a gleaming silver medallion, emblazoned by the CCG logo at all times.