✩ APPLICATION FOR ROUTE 29 ✩

[credendus]

Player
Name: Bensen
Livejournal Username: tealite
E-mail: banishras@gmail.com
AIM/MSN: tipping forties (AIM)
Timezone: CST
Current Characters in Route: Aradia Megido (incantates)

Character
Name: Jou Kido
Series: Digimon Adventure/Zero Two
Timeline: POST-SERIES
Canon Resource Links: Jou | Adventure | Adventure: Zero Two

Personality: Before we get down to business here, I want to point out that the wonderful thing about Digimon is that it comes in two flavors-- Original and DUB. Jou is one of the many characters who in the English variation suffers from a crippling case of adaptation decay. The English version depicts him accurately on some occasions but prefers to take a humorous approach and turn him into a whiny, flailing nutcase who sees all hope as lost. His diagnosis of AD is so bad that it actually draws away from the fact that while he can get a bit flustered and overwhelmed, Jou's a pretty down to earth, but pessimistic fella who just wants to keep people safe and really only wears glasses and a sweater vest because his parents never taught him to do otherwise.

Moving on!

Jou is introduced to us in the pilot of Digimon Adventure as a safety-conscious kid who doesn't want any one wandering off or getting eaten because he would really like to see everyone get home to their parents safe and sound. He is polite and conscientious, usually being very formal when addressing people older than him. This is likely a product of his upbringing with his father and two older brothers. As the oldest in the digikids group, he assumes the role of the responsible mother hen type. While he is very careful and tries to keep everything together, the responsibility of having to manage his friends is shown to weigh on him quite heavily. On some occasions even making him feel that he isn't living up to the position based on the behavior of his peers. More on that in a moment, though.

He can be a bit too prepared for things, wanting to keep everything as organized as possible even in absolute chaos. And when things get tough, he tends to show it. He has a bad habit of getting very stressed out over things, worrying and sometimes catastrophizing until someone-- or himself --finds something that works better. When the alternative occurs, he is usually on board. But he likes to be logical. As long as there is a low probability of failure. What he lacks in optimism, he makes up for in brains. He is very far from stupid-- he comes from a very strict, doctor father who wants him to do the very same thing. He sticks to his studies and knows the material very well. This leads him to be the voice of reason in the group while the most headstrong members tend to lead the group, Jou chimes in to size up the situation and provide needed alternatives.

There's just a bit of a problem when it comes to his father's expectations-- At that point, Jou isn't even sure if he wants to go down that career path. He actually has a pretty weak stomach for one thing. And, really, it's the pressure of needing to please his father that turns him off of it the most. Being put into a place he's uncomfortable in doesn't exactly bode well for him. As stated previously, Jou assumes the Team Mom Dad role in the group and knows its his job to watch over the younger kids. The issue with it is that he isn't completely sure of himself sometimes.

In an exchange with Gomamon, Jou is actually a bit stubborn to admit that he is worried when left alone to take care of things. So as the time in the Digital World progresses, he is shown trying upping the courage stat and putting everyone before himself. Needless to say, this leads to him making many reckless-- but selfless --decisions (which I've always found kind of weird because for someone who is so SAFETY FIRST he is usually the first to throw himself into a stampede of oncoming monsters). It's because of this huge chunk of his personality that he is bestowed with the Crest of Honesty (sometimes translated to Faithfulness/Sincerity in subs, and Reliability in the English version). Throughout the series, he willingly puts himself in danger of serious injury or death for the sake of his friends and still manages to stay as the support the team needs to stay together.

And, really, in an excellent example of character evolution, Jou develops from a paranoid worrywart into a strong and reliable leader who stays that way even after he gives up the power of his crest.

Before moving on, it's worth noting that Jou has a very unusual "My Funny Friend And Me" relationship with his Digimon partner, Gomamon. Gomamon by nature is kind of a jokester. He is care free, a risk-taker and the complete opposite of his human partner. His jokes and fun-loving attitude eventually chips away at Jou to lighten him up. Granted, Jou was saddled with a Digimon who clung to him almost immediately upon meeting him and made him incredibly uncomfortable for a while, but throughout the series, their bond is examined and Gomamon plays a huge part in the evolution of Jou's character. Gomamon manages to to prod at him just enough on occasions to know how Jou's feeling and they're both perceptive to each other's emotions. Even as they part ways, Jou thanks Gomamon for being such a good friend to him, even if he wasn't really a great partner in the beginning. Without him, he would still be a stick in the mud who wasn't sure of himself or where he was going. Like all the Digikids, it's expected of the partners to come together and work on each other's strengths and flaws. The Digimon waited their whole lives to meet their partners and the bonds they make have massive roles in the development of all the characters.

Flash forward to Adventure: Zero Two and Jou has become quite the study-bug, attending private school supposedly for the purpose of furthering his studies in the medical field-- meaning that he has chosen to go along with his father's wishes. He is far more collected than he was back in the last series. He is still polite and very kind, but has his head buried inside of his books most of the time and really doesn't show up a whole lot. He is still a bit of a rambler, making long, unnecessary voicemails and being generally long-winded when explaining things, but he has matured considerably.

He pops up again at episode five of the second series, answering a call from Gomamon for help after he is beaten and left for dead by the Digimon Kaiser who has just taken over the territory that Gomamon has been watching over since the departure of the previous set of chosen kids. It's in this episode that Jou winds up taking Hida Iori under his wing. The younger boy's shyness and seriousness eventually reveals a whopping boatload of uncertainty on his shoulders that Jou attempts to quell with words of advice from when he was younger and trying to help the Digital World. Having to be the object people needed to lean on, he tells Iori that it's normal to feel like you're letting your team down because everything that happens has a purpose and his will eventually bubble up again. His older brother trait comes back into play in episode 16 when Iori must employ Jou's help in order to save his friends who are trapped under an oil platform in the middle of the sea.

While Iori is upset for telling a lie to get Jou out of his exams, Jou tells him that not all lies are bad and that he did the right thing because other people could have gotten hurt had he not been able to find him.

In quick review, Jou as of the point he is pulled (sometime after episode 50), is a polite young man with a bit of a worry streak. He tends to ramble when he is nervous and is less awkward than he was originally. He assumes an older brother figure to not just the original chosen children but the new ones as well, sharing his advice and wisdom that he has picked up through his own experiences. He has learned from his mistakes and triumphs in the past and is less reckless in his more extreme decisions-- but will be the first to offer a hand to anyone in need of help or support. A sweet kid with an "old soul"-type disposition and a true friend that anyone would be lucky to have.

Strengths/Weaknesses:

S T R E N G T H S
Old Reliable
Jou's "hook" characteristic in the show is the fact that he is the bridge over troubled water that everyone learns to rely on for support. From keeping the group from ripping each other's heads off, to staying behind to help the mentally-rattled Mimi after many of her Digimon friends passed away and she wasn't able to fight anymore, Jou has proven to have an unwavering sense of faithfulness to his friends and others around him, leading him to be very selfless as long as its for their sake. He tries his best to never let anyone down and wants nothing more than to see his friends safe and happy.

Boy Scout-esque Survival Skills
Jou comes from a family of doctors who have been in the biz since ancient times. Naturally, he was raised to follow the tradition-- even if he was very unsure if that was what he wanted to do. He has practical knowledge of basic first aid and living in the outdoors. In Zero Two, he even brings supplies for the trip to see Gomamon in the Digital World because he lives in the colder climates. THOUGHTFUL, RIGHT? In the novels, it was revealed that he was a camp counselor... so it's pretty obvious that he would know such things whether he had read up on them ahead of time. In another vein, early in the series he was able to determine where the group was located by just looking at the stars and everything over them. His practical knowledge proves very useful as time progresses. Skills such as rudimentary wound care, stabilization of sprains and other minor injuries are all up in his arsenal of various skills.

... There was also that time he randomly remembered a Buddhist chant to take care of some pesky ghosts. That was cool, too. Take that, Yamato.

Big Brother-Like Responsibility & Voice Of Reason
He is always prepared-- or tries to be --for whatever what may happen. Jou takes it upon himself as the oldest in the group to be their protector. Younger kids lead to trouble and Jou's maturity plays a role in what keeps them together. Without him as a rock, they would be in bigger trouble. When Taichi and Yamato get into their frequent spats, Jou attempts to be the first one to break them up. Emphasis on attempts but he tries, right? If they find something weird or something to eat, he is the first to say "HEY THAT MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD IDEA...." and put the hazards into a light. Throughout the two Adventure series, Jou leads the old and new kids through times of trouble using his maturity and logical thinking. Even when he doesn't think he's capable, he knows how to pull things together to try and get the best result.

W E A K N E S S E S
Selfless Recklessness
While reliability and responsibility are his hook characteristics, they lead to some HUGE downfalls in Jou's personality early on. Namely, he has this habit of throwing himself into extremely dangerous situations. Including but not limited to: jumping onto the back of a very pissed off unicorn, being turned into a keychain by a clown thing because he let his friends escape and stayed behind until he knew that they were safe, helping Takeru afloat in freezing water at his own expense, getting caught by some tentacles one time...

Anyway, these are all examples of the things that he will do for his friends despite the fact that they are blatantly dangerous. And he has no problem doing it as long as it ensures that they are alright.

Bleeding Pessimism
While he's improved in Zero Two, Jou tends to worry and think that things are... pretty terrible. All the time. Organization is comforting to him and keeps him from becoming a huge rock that contradicts and drags down his otherwise brave underlying persona. However, he is a bit stubborn in his views when they are on the downside. It just takes a bit of a push.

Worrywartitis
Lastly, no matter where Jou is pulled from in canon, he will always be a worrier. He is a logical thinker, remember, who prefers to keep the dangers and hazards within eyeshot because they are THERE instead of, say, ignoring them. He tends to react wildly to bad news and grumbles whenever he has that sick gut feeling. Even in a personal sense, Jou can be uncomfortable with himself sometimes. A little unsure of where he's going, but he is much better at keeping that mostly inward.

Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Breeder
Starter:
(♀, "Kimi")
Password: TACO BELL~!

Samples
First Person Sample:
[Cue video post from a new 'Gear on the network. There is a rather flustered-looking young man looking into it with his glasses askew and... He appears to be hiding from something behind a tree.]

You have gotta be kidding me. I thought I was finished with the Being Transported To Different Worlds thing for a while... Not that I really mind or anything, but I don't have time for thi--

[Oh, right. It's on.]

Hello? Is anyone there? My name's Jou and I seem to be having a bit of a problem in the staying home department. If anyone wants to give me a hand, I'll pay them back or something. It's just sort of important that I get back home so I can finish my homework. It's kind of important that I get it done now so it doesn't pile up and if it piles up, well... I'm in trouble.

I could probably take a guess at what's going on here, but this doesn't even look like the Digital World, so I'm sort of at a loss.

[He looks like he's about to speak again, but a voice from off-screen pipes up, catching his attention and making him bristle.]

Honey, you forgot to take the clean underwear I packed you!!

[Jou lurches out from behind the tree with the 'Gear at his side and everyone can see Default Mom descending upon him like a hawk from the house.]

Ma'am, I really don't need it-- And I have a mom! I don't need another one!

What are you talking about? You're being ridiculous. Now come back inside~

Who are you...?? [Default Mom gives not a fuck and grabs his free arm, tugging him along back to the house with an unusual strength. She speaks in a weird, quick, texty-like tempo with one sentence right after the other.]

Hush, and come back inside and I'll give you the rest of your supplies~ Your adventure is very important! I'm so proud of you~!

Look, I'm REALLY happy that you're being so generous, but I don't know you! [A beat and Jou fumbles the 'Gear with his free hand and addresses it directly again.]

Anyone who gets this-- Send help! Please....?

Third Person Sample:

"What a mess..."

Jou carefully thumbed through the book in his hand, emblazoned with the title POKEMON BREEDING AND YOU: A GUIDE across the front cover and a motif of dancing eggs and Pokemon. It was a little more than a mess-- maybe something better, really. He could have been sent to a place that was on fire or something. That would have been a story.

But a relatively normal world with constant background music for no good reason and a brand of animals who looked like the products of nuclear fallout would work. It wasn't the weirdest thing that had ever happened, though Jou wanted to think that just maybe he had the opportunity to go back to being normal. After all the past chaos and near-destruction of his own world--...

"Spheee~~"

The blue ball of a creature had been rolling around the tree he was sitting under for a solid twenty minutes now. She stopped only to stare up at her new master, calling to him in a sort of squeaky bark and leading him to draw his eyes away from the book for a second.

"Are you done?" He asked, a light chuckle playing on his words as the seal flopped her way over, stopping right next to him with a thud. She seemed happy for something that had just come out of a ball, "You were probably in that thing for a while, huh? ... Sorry for taking so long." While the animal seemed rather dumb to his apology, she still managed to snuggle into Jou's hand when he reached to pet her. Strange how these things had a habit of attaching themselves to strangers. Maybe they were just a good judge of character?

"Sphee-Spheal~" She purred softly, popping up on her tail for a moment to clap at him.

"You're clapping and I have no idea what you're saying. The other monsters I deal with at least speak the same language." Not that her act wasn't a little cute, "I'm not really sure what's even going on..." His lips twitched into a frown, eyebrows furrowed and not liking the position he had been put into.

Old habits die hard.

"You can't tell me very much, can you?"

"Spheal...?" The creature just blinked her eyes and flopped over onto her side.

"Fantastic." His his head hit the back of the tree with a heavy thunk, followed up by a groan.

As much as he didn't really want to admit it, Jou could feel a sense of deja vu bubbling. A weird-looking seal, awkward scenery, no outright reason for being here. But it wasn't necessarily bad. In fact, the feeling was kind of nice-- A weird nostalgia that managed to keep him from flying off the handle completely.

"I'm not sure if I really want to be done with this quite yet," he sighed, Spheal rolling suddenly and about to his other side, nestling there with another purr and clap of her flippers, "We'll stick together and it won't be that bad, right?"

He hoped, anyway. At least Spheal seemed to like the idea. But at the moment, she seemed more interested in catching a nap next to her master while he caught up on his reading, "You kind of remind me of someone too. I lucked out." His eyes shifted back over to the book idling on a heading about proper care of eggs for some reason, followed by a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders.

... At least this place came with an instruction manual.