APPEARANCE Yoko is a pureblooded Japanese woman. She has the facial features, and accent of a young woman who grew up in the Okayama Prefecture. Being a native of that city. Even though she originated in a nation that values politeness, she is very crass, and at times rude. Her facial features are fair, and rounded, but she has the look of an adventurer in her eyes. She has a large presence... with a small height (she's four-eleven, guys). Her black hair is kept in a bun, with a red clip in it... with a cowlick extending forward. She is definitely a Nomad... in case her outfit didn't give that away. Yoko wears the traditional garb of the Hatanaka family to battle. Which is a black leotard made out of a flexible material, with a white belt to hold it on, and a yellow jacket over her arms. The outfit compliments her legs (and backside) as they are on full display. While she's a bit lacking in the chest (which are 26A's), people say her well-toned legs make up for it.
PERSONALITY TRAITS ■ Rude/Impolite.
■ Bad Social skills.
■ Aggressive.
■ Competitive.
■ Good natured.
■ Has a bad fashion sense.
■ Inexperienced.
■ Curious.
■ Wants to improve herself.
■ Has lots of family pride.
■ Has a firey temper.
BACKSTORY & MOTIVATION Okay, over a hundred years ago, a massive war engulfed ancient Japan. Between the humans, and the Onis that they shared the nation with. Few know what actually sparked the war, as that was lost in time, but they felt the nation of Japan fall into disarray. Humans had numbers, but the Onis had raw strength. The war was in the favor of the onis, until a brave warrior named Hatanaka Takashi did the unthinkable... he ventured from Japan in search of a means to defeat them. He disappeared for years... before he returned with a sorceress from another land. This woman imprisoned the soul of the strongest Oni inside a sword. This sword was used to fight the war to a standstill, and a peace treaty was arranged between the two races; the Onis would claim the mountains as their own, while the humans get the rest of Japan.
This sword was revered as one of the many great Japanese treasures... Murakumo, the cursed blade of saviors.
Takashi bred a lineage of warriors, who were all trained in the ways of battle should another war with the Oni clan begin. While also keeping the ancient sword in safety. This lineage went from the father to the son, to the daughter... until Yoko was born. She was the latest line of warriors, and easily one of the brightest. However, before Yoko was even born, men came and stole Murakumo, raiding their compound. Her father, Hatanaka Goro, was killed in the raid. Leaving Yoko's grandfather to teach her all about the arts of the family.
However, her mother was left depressed and apathetic, and Yoko grew up angry that her father was taken from her. Her grandfather was probably not the best way to reign in Yoko's unruly behavior, and he kind of encouraged it. So, she kind of became a delinquent. In school, she would get into all sorts of trouble, and shamed the family's name at every turn... and generally an outcast. She just didn't gel with other people, but when she stepped inside her family's dojo, she felt at home. She was a talented martial artist, and a natural at the family's style. Her grandfather died just as her training was complete, and told her that she would be the defender of Japan.
But, his last dying wish was for Yoko to recover Murakumo, which Yoko promised to do. She felt proud... but then got a little bored. She was raised and trained to fight Onis, but they seemed content on their mountain. She was asked to find Murakumo, but she didn't have a single lead on it. So, Yoko would out to fight whoever the hell was out there to test her mettle, and make sure that when one of the two occurred, she'd be ready. From other martial artists, to samurais, and even Nomads that wandered in. She wasn't the best at this, but she prevailed in quite a few fights.
Soon, she learned that Murakumo had apparently been stolen by a foreigner, Jaden Raldo. Yoko didn't believe that Jaden was the one that stole it all those years ago, but she promised her grandfather that she would recover the sword. And God damn Yoko was going to do it. She prepared to set out, and live the life of a Nomad to find her family's sword...
... but a dark cloud fell over Japan.
FIGHTING STYLE Yoko was trained to be a warrior from the youngest age possible. She was in fact trained in the ways of the Samurai, and many other martial arts. Her specialty being Bōjutsu. Thus, Yoko wields a massive bo staff made out of wood she carved herself to make the perfect weapon for her. Due to the length of her staff, it allows her to strike at quite the distance. In fact, her fighting style revolves around just staying in that sweet spot where she's out of the range of the enemy, and just in range to fight where they cannot. Her strikes with her bo staff are quick, and quite damaging. Her specialty seems to be attacks that catch opponents off guard. However, she can mix up attacks with some pretty fierce kicks, and this leads to her other strength: her defense. Yoko has a variety of counters and parries, that can make an opponent think twice about a wild offensive attack. Which makes Yoko quite the threat.
SPECIAL MOVES & TECHNIQUES ■ Ritual DanceYoko's counter move, she'll step back, and hold her staff above herself at an angle for a moment.
If the opponent attacks, she'll deflect the move, leaving them open for a few moments.
■ Tsuru WindUsing her ki, Yoko will charge her feet, and hop up into the air so fast she'll be hard to track. A moment later, she'll appear from above her opponent, and dive downwards with her staff extended. Almost landing on them.
■ Tanuki Spin-RollYoko will propel herself upwards, doing a roll with her staff extended. If anyone is unfortunate enough to be in the air, they'll be smacked several times.
■ Dragon DiveIf Yoko is in the air, she will dive downwards with her staff extended.
■ Tatsu DanceAnother counter move. Yoko will slam her staff onto the ground, and if the opponent hits it, she'll quickly do a full spin around on her staff, and use the momentum to kick them.
■ Tsuru DanceYoko quickly swipes her opponent's leg with a wide swing of her staff, and leave them open for further attack.
■ The Cat's ClawYoko will quickly stab forward multiple times in the blink of an eye with her bo staff, and leave her enemies staggered. It is good for continuing, or beginning a combo.
■ Cat DanceSimilar to the Tatsu Dance, Yoko will hop on top of her staff. Projectiles (and certain melee attacks) will simply pass through her staff as she sits perched on top of it (Like a weird bird!). While she's susceptible to upper-cut moves, she can hop vast distances on top of her staff. She can also initiate a combo by hopping off, and swinging it downwards for a powerful attack.
■ Wings of the ButterflyAn initiation technique where Yoko swings her bo staff upwards, and launches her opponents up into the sky. From here, she can continue a combo.
■ Double Crane KickYoko quickly hops up, and does a double-cartwheel, as any low-hitting attacks simply miss. This attack hits the opponent overhead, and does a lot of damage. But, the attack is very telegraphed, and punishable.
■ Carp DanceIf Yoko's opponent gets too close, she can do a grapple move where she hops on their shoulders with both hands. Doing a handstand, before she swings around and kicks them in the back.
■ Komainu DanceIf Yoko catches an enemy off guard, and gets them from behind, she can choke them from behind with her staff (Pressing their neck with it). Then she'll roll backwards a few times, before she kicks them into the distance.
SUPER MOVES ■ The DivinitiesYoko suddenly dashes forward with a burst of speed, swiping at the enemy's leg. If she knocks them over,
she'll slam onto the grounded opponent with both hands, charge her staff with ki, and pray. Causing an explosion of ki that does tremendous damage.
■ Dragon DanceA counter move. If the opponent strikes her, Yoko will immediately counter by hitting them in the chin with her staff with such force it'll be flung upwards. Spinning as it gracefully falls to the ground. Yoko, in the meantime, barrages her opponent with a series of lightning fast kicks. Before kicking them both in the air, catching her staff, and hitting them into the ground.
WEAKNESSES & LIMITS While Yoko has a lot of options, from mobility, to defense, she has a few problems. For starters, her damage is abysmal, and it requires a lot of well timed and precise strikes to bring down a Nomad. She may also get brought down in the process, because her health is also low. Not to the extent where a basic combo does tremendous damage, but she's a bit more fragile than the other characters.
