Tetsuko Shindou

TETSUKO SHINDOU (鉄子 心堂)

BASIC INFORMATION

Hero Alias: Steelheart
Player Name: Sporky
Faceclaim/Series: Higuchi Kaede - VTuber
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Affiliation: Hero
Height: 174cm / 5'8"
Weight: 63kg / 138 lbs
Hair/Style: Light Grey / Long, usually tied up
Skin/Scars: Slightly fair / Thin, light scars on arms and back - resultant of Quirk
Eyes: Sky blue, big and vibrant
Notables: Small beauty mark beneath her right eye

APPEARANCE AND PERSONALITY

Appearance:

Standing a small bit taller than the average Japanese girl, Tetsuko is built a bit more sturdily than most her age. She’s well toned, possessing a tight swimmer’s physique, resultant from a tough training regimen. Her skin is mostly fair, though slightly tanned by her outdoorsy nature. Tetsuko's features are rather boyish in nature, though her long, silver-grey hair adds a feminine tinge, along with the bow that keeps it tame. She's not particularly feminine, nonetheless, but some might consider her soft and handsome features quite attractive. Her more exotic features, her hair and eyes, clash against what are otherwise unquestionably Japanese features and facial structure.

Tetsuko's clothing is rather indicative of her tomboyish nature, tending towards sporty or neutral attire, and being somewhat averse to anything too feminine. She's quite into loose and casual street fashion and a few brands in particular, especially in regards to sneakers, so Tetsuko's dislike of feminine clothing is not at all an indicator of how fashionable she might be.

POSITIVE
✔ Persistent
✔ Loyal
✔ Honest
✔ Proud
✔ Dutiful
✔ Disciplined

NEGATIVE
✖ Anxious
✖ Rash
✖ Dogmatic
✖ One Track Mind
✖ Insecure
✖ Stubborn

LIKES
✔ Swordsmanship
✔ Soccer
✔ Clear Skies
✔ Sashimi
✔ Samurai Flicks

DISLIKES
✖ Dishonesty
✖ Heights
✖ Cats
✖ Storms
✖ Dishonor

Personality:

Tetsuko's upbringing and admiration for the art of swordsmanship have instilled some strong classical values in Tetsuko. She holds honesty and a strong moral presence in high regard, herself possessing sturdy moral fibers and a simple view of right and wrong. Tetsuko dislikes those who seem to be dishonest and flippant, or who seem to be uncaring and indifferent. Her disdain for weak morality is dogmatic, as she sometimes displays ignorance in favor of maintaining assuredness in her views.
A willingness to accept her beliefs as true and leave it at that, even if they hurt her in the long run.

In spite of her firm mindset, Tetsuko is still a naturally friendly young woman. An extrovert by nature, she’s no problem making friends and connections with others, especially those with the diligence and kindness that she respects. Tetsuko gladly makes acquaintances and friends, even though she can occasionally be unintentionally neglectful towards them due to her one-track mind pursuits. Regret and conflict naturally follow.

Much of this arises from the conflict between her naturally embedded desires, and the duty she feels as the heiress to the Shindou family. Tetsuko takes her family's honor very, very seriously, driven by a need to do the things her mother couldn't and live up to the expectations passed down to her. Her constant fretting over how capable she is or isn't of doing right by her family, and achieving the highest level in her martial art, has allowed deep-seated anxiety to fester within Tetsuko. Her anxiety mostly manifests in her own insecurities and powerful longing for security. Tetsuko's struggles with uncertainty and natural inclination towards order have left her seeking trust and safety wherever she can. Fully aware of this nature, it only creates more pain for the girl who seeks to be as 'immovable' as her swordsmanship requires.

In the end, Tetsuko is a girl wrought by internal conflict. Her volatile heart, and the immovable one she aims to attain. Her one-track focus on her goals, and the separate connections she holds dear. Her dogmatic views, and a deep down rather empathetic nature that so often throws them into disarray. It is the search for resolutions that underpins her life, even more so than the things she admires.

HISTORY

Tetsuko's story starts with the great Japanese sword school of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū. Though its foundations are set hundreds of years in the past, all that needs to be known for Tetsuko's role in this prestigious school is that her grandfather, Ryouichi Shindou, renowned as the Iron Will of Kashima, serves as the head of one of its primary branches. And in his time, has sought to carve a place for the righteous swordsmen of the Shindou family as inheritors of this school. His own daughter, and Tetsuko's father, Miku Shindou would follow this path laid out for her, making great strides and becoming almost certainly the next inheritor of Jikishinkage-ryū. More notable for Tetsuko, however, Miku found love early in her late 20s with another student of the school. A somewhat awkward and emotional man by the name of Masaru. Little time would pass before they were married, and bore a child of their own. Masaru ended up adopting the Shindou name, his own family ties much less important than the prestige the Shindou held.

Tetsuko Shindou was born into the world in the city of Kashima, the birthplace of Jikishinkage-ryū. It was a lovely place to spend her first few years, a shoreside city of clear skies and vast oceans. It was also the place Tetsuko first got her view of the sword school she'd soon admire, often captivated by the fluid movements of her parents when they practiced. However, unfortunately for Tetsuko, she would only call the place home for her childhood, before tragedy struck.

Her mother suffered a vicious attack from unknown forces, though whether they were hooligans or rivals is not important. The fact was, that Miku Shindou was terribly wounded by the ordeal, suffering a traumatic brain injury that broke her body and mind. A tragedy that sent ripples throughout the Jikishinkage-ryū, and through Tetsuko's family. Never would Miku Shindou inherit the school she'd trained in. In light of the accident, Tetsuko's family moved to the city of Tokyo, where therapy awaited Miku Shindou, who was now... Far different. Far more broken.

Tetsuko was devastated by the happenings, by the state her mother was on. As time went on, she began to understand that it was up to her to restore her mother's honor, to study in Jikishinkage-ryū and wield at as her mother wanted to... But she was but a girl. An emotional one at that, wrought with grief and confusion. Even her own Grandfather was skeptical of the young girl's intentions to take on the school so early... Until she awoke to her Quirk.

She bloomed slightly later than others, and it was not a quiet awakening. No short deal of cuts was left on the girl, but the scars were small and faded. What did linger from this, however, was the increased interest from her grandfather. She was the first Shindou to have a Quirk, and thus he saw potential right away for the new era of Jikishinkage-ryū. She began truly learning the art, in the interest of honoring her mother and becoming a new champion of the righteous Shindou family.

Her school life continued on, now underpinned by this dedication to the school. Other than that, Tetsuko's life was decidedly... Normal. She played sports, stressed over school, and made friends. Most notably, a best friend. She was a stranger at first, but Tetsuko could not look the other way from the bullying Elise was suffering. The Shindou way did not allow such injustice to transpire, after all. In time, Tetsuko became Elise's protector, but perhaps more importantly, her friend.

Tetsuko continued a regular life throughout middle school, alongside her training with her school, under the strict tutelage of her grandfather. Tetsuko used her quirk however she could within her training in swordsmanship, but ultimately, there were few avenues for her to actually attain proper tutorship for its usage... At least, until Quirk users started to become much more accepted by the government.

As vigilantes became 'heroes', a new possibility was open to the Shindou family. When that tempted both Tetsuko and her grandfather. They could take their sacred sword art, and use it to shape righteous champions that would usher in the new era of their school, using Quirks to their greatest purpose. Tetsuko now saw a way to not only strive toward her goals of attaining 'immovable heart', but also using her skills to be a paragon of justice, to be someone who surely had the strength to restore her mother's pride. It was only natural she ended up wanting to go to U.A., even if her dearest friend wouldn't be coming with her...

As their futures seemed to diverge, one last fateful day was in store for the pair. Though Tetsuko saw her friend's differing path as equally just, not many of her schoolmates felt the same way. She confronted some of the bullies, and things escalated, to put it lightly. Punches were thrown all about, and Tetsuko suffered no small deal of punishment. Her head was such a swimming mess after it, so much that she couldn't even be sure of what transpired after. All she knew was Elise was there, closer than ever, and she felt better right away. Elise would always be there to save her, it seemed.

Tetsuko never felt quite the same way when thinking about her friend after that day, though she didn't know - or didn't yet accept - the reasons why. Now they both have their own paths to chase, with Tetsuko enrolling into UA to pursue a righteous path toward the immovable heart that lies at the summit of Jikishinkage-ryū. Towards the restoration of her mother's honor...