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Ryuuji characterization thoughts.
While going through my old entries, I realized that I'd done this for Yami no Malik but never Ryuuji. So, here goes with my attempt to take a look at the world's favorite green-eyed gamer, canon versus fanon interpretations, RPability and some ideas from other people. (Please note, I'm talking about the manga version, not the anime. If you need an explanation of how they're different, read this post for a basic summary or the comments for a more detailed run-through.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ryuuji or YGO. I don't claim these views are 100% right and the only way to look at him. The following is just a listing of popular and rare fanon theories and my take on them, supported by scans from the manga and logical extrapolation.
Eyeliner/Tattoo/Scar:
Wristlets:
Education/Work:
Abuse:
Right. That's it for now. If I do a second part, I'll look into magical training, attitude, intelligence, sexuality and personality quirks.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ryuuji or YGO. I don't claim these views are 100% right and the only way to look at him. The following is just a listing of popular and rare fanon theories and my take on them, supported by scans from the manga and logical extrapolation.
Eyeliner/Tattoo/Scar:
One of the things that's oddest about Ryuuji's looks is the streak of black eyeliner he has under his left eye. Popular fandom theories are as follow:
1. It's eyeliner as a style thing (found in fics about anime!Duke).
2. It's eyeliner to cover up a scar (found in fics and my personal favorite theory).
3. It's a scar (originally encountered in an RP withsakata), her thoughts explained a little further here.)
4. It's a tattoo (mentioned in a story by
5. It's a tattoo his father made him get to mar Ryuuji's perfect looks (discussed in this entry by
The last theory is one that I would have never thought of on my own, but there's a certain logic to it, especially when you consider how it mimics the clown look of his father's mask. And his father is definitely bastard enough to make him have done. The tattoo-versus-eyeliner theory is also backed up by the fact that Ryuuji, even when sleeping, has the streak in place, not smudged or smeared in the least.
However, that could also be due to really strong/waterproof eyeliner? I don't know. I might be tempted to split the two and make it a tattoo covering up a scar in the future since I like the idea of Ryuuji turning something ugly into something pretty but at the same time, I also like the idea of him reapplying it every morning after a shower. Like a little permanent reminder of how his life has changed and how he can't get hurt any longer -- with a tattoo, you don't have the constant reminder. You go in, you're hurt, it heals, over and done with.
Wristlets:
Ryuuji also wears wristlets 24/7. Just like for the eyeliner, there are a couple of different theories behind it:
1. It's a style thing (found in fics about anime!Duke).
2. Ryuuji's a cutter and has bandages under the wristlets (found in fics about manga!Ryuuji).
3. They're actually secretly concealing wristblades (my favorite theory).
4. They cover up scars from a failed suicide attempt (more in this entry by
5. They cover scars caused by bloodmagic (found in fics about manga!Ryuuji).
The cutter thing bugs me personally because what we see of Ryuuji is an extrovert-introvert split whose behavior adapts depending on his company, who is ruthless, efficient, occasionally cruel, chivalrous and charismatic. He strikes me as too focused on being happy to secretly angst and cut himself; he isn't the type to allow himself to be lost for long. His life has had a purpose since he was born.
At the same time, I'm willing to semi-believe the failed suicide attempt theory, because that's a fairly decisive move to make, it's one way out of a situation that he can't escape otherwise -- though,
I'll fully buy into the scars-from-bloodmagic theory, and I heart the secret weapons theory because after all, they're positioned in the exact right place, Ryuuji was brought up by an Evil Clown and wristblades are a sneaky weapon and he's sneaky. Personally, I don't RP/write Ryuuji as having scars under the wristlets but I would think it makes sense for him to hide something ugly under something pretty, again like with the eyeliner-scar theory.
Education/Work:
In this page from the manga, Ryuuji's father says that he raised and educated Ryuuji himself. There are a couple of ways you can take that:
1. Ryuuji was fully home-schooled and that Domino was the first school he attended (logical conclusion from that page).
2. Ryuuji's father taught him magic but Ryuuji went to normal school for the rest of it (found in fics about manga!Ryuuji).
3. Ryuuji was partly home-schooled, but also attended normal schools to keep his social interaction skills up to par.
Ryuuji is a very successful game designer as made obvious in that page, where sales of the games are limited on the first day to make sure they don't get stockpiled, meaning that D.D.D isn't the first game he invented. Therefore, it's possible that he was academically and magically home-schooled to make sure he'd be able to juggle his schedule well enough to make sure that he'd have time to keep inventing games.
Abuse:
Anyone who's read the manga knows that Ryuuji was physically abused, thanks to Mr. Psycho Clown Daddy who walked around with a whip and couldn't take even the slightest failure on Ryuuji's part. Theories about that fall into the following categories:
1. The abuse was only physical (found in fics where the author is idiot enough to think that you can get hit by a parent without feeling any emotional backlash).
2. The abuse was physical and mental (found in fics, RPs, canon and favored by
3. The abuse was physical, sexual and mental (found in the occasional fic).
From this sequence of events, I think it's pretty obvious that Ryuuji's father is a manipulative mindfucking bastard, since not only does he lash Ryuuji twice with the whip within a short space of time, but he also guilt-trips Ryuuji by showing his 'war wounds' and saying that Ryuuji is the only one whom he can rely on. That's enough to have Ryuuji apologizing for having failed his father, when his failure was nothing more than losing a normal game of chance which allowed him to scout out his opponent's abilities anyway.
Sexual, you can make a case for it by saying that Ryuuji looks nothing like his father and therefore can be taken to resemble his dead mother and also, for someone as hideously deformed as Ryuuji's father is, having such a beautiful son must be torture. The fact that Ryuuji's androgynous probably counts against him there, and the touchy-feelyness of his father also gets used as evidence that his father sexually abused him.
Personally, I dislike that theory for the simple reason that c'mon, the kid is physically abused, mentally fucked over, got guilt/perfectionist complexes, and seriously, how much more trauma does he need? I'd really rather not debate it -- since there's no hard canon evidence in favor of it like there is with the physical/mental abuse, I'm not interested in reading further into the lines to figure out if it's implied or not.
Right. That's it for now. If I do a second part, I'll look into magical training, attitude, intelligence, sexuality and personality quirks.
no subject
Hmmm... I can see that. I still like the whole terrify-Ryuuji-into-submission thing, but either, I think, would work. Maybe it's a combination of both?
... Me, too. I honestly don't think that Ryuuji's a stranger to death--he or his father probably made good friends with it. :x He'd be into the whole hiding-in-the-shadows thing
and now my cracked-out mind is seeing him as an Oto-nin, because that's about how fucked up he is >.>.OH GOD I WANT IT. XD It would make such a good story, done right. >.> And his father, perhaps, might look at the eyeliner and maybe feel just a smidgeon of guilt, because honestly, if he's a two-dimensional psycho all the time, it's just no fun. :x He'd look at his son and maybe think "What have I done?" but then his insanity would kick in again and he'd just lie to himself and think that it's all a part of Ryuuji's training. Maybe he would have done that to Ryuuji during a particularly bad insanity fit.
Yeah, true. Ryuuji would inwardly be going, "You're not good enough for me, but DAMN, I'll play you until the cows come home if it'll get me what I want/need."
Such as Terry getting off his case. ;xWell, there are the RP logs of yours that I've seen, don't those count? ANd yeah. Don't get me wrong, I like description, but the whole stream-of-consciousness works really well, too.
... It's.... sex that isn't but is still sexy? XD *hit*
no subject
...Maybe I'm an idealist, but that manages to absolutely terrify me. I'd prefer to think that Ryuuji isn't so completely and totally fucked over. XD And the submission would work. It would be like branding Ryuuji. Marking him, forever, with a sign of what he is and what he comes from.
Ryuuji's not scared of dying, or killing. He doesn't care if his hands get dirty. Contrary to what everyone else says, blood does wash off. It's the blood in his veins that's the problem.
LOL! I was trying to get![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pikachumaniac to draw him as a Robin. He'd be so fun.XDDD Add it to the list of things you can request from me next time I stick up a fic meme? Or find someone else to write it, my plot bunnies are totally shareable to good homes. And his father is insane, yeah, but underneath that, maybe there's something that acknowledges that Ryuuji's a kid, his kid. But I like his father as being completely amoral and ruthlessly focused, so that he wouldn't care when he saw the eyeliner about how Ryuuji felt, he'd care about how close he came to destroying his own weapon. That's why he'd stay away from Ryuuji afterwards; not because of guilt, but because of practicality.
And oh yes, that's totally how Ryuuji thinks. Sex is a bargaining chip; he'll hold it in reserve unless he actually wants you, in which case getting to fuck you and getting he wants means he gets a double-score.
Poor, poor Terry. Gotham has a totally different breed of crazy to Domino.I don't actually count RP as writing, weirdly enough. XD It's different to me because it involves an instant, or near-instant, reaction to someone else. You can't plot it out beforehand, or fine-tune it, or reread it and change it. Not really. And if someone else is using explicit terms for sex, it's going to be weird if your char isn't -- I've actually had someone ask me if they weren't being interesting because I'd gone off into describing how bright the stars were. ^^;;; That got me off the semi-fade track in a hurry.
It's headsex, mind games, power play and for Mai/Ryuuji, two people who are alike taking some time just for each other and themselves. If it was a film, it'd be the kind of sex that's shot with no focus on the actual sex organs and instead, harsh angles on the bricks, the sky, the way that shadows fall and close-ups of eyes and how the shadows of eyelashes can change your eye color.
no subject
That's good! The idea is supposed to be scary. XD Ryuuji's father is just THAT damn fucked up. And no matter what happened afterward, or how much better things got, whenever Ryuuji would look in the mirror, there it was, haunting him and reminding him that he'd never truly be free.
And maybe that's the reason why he potentially uses drugs. Hell, his blood is filthy to begin with; it might as well be the fun kind of filthy.
... AHAHAHAHAHAHA WIN.... I think I will. ;x Either that, or something to do with Axisshipping (SetoSieg, which, strangely enough, V.S.-chan got me hooked on) or just Sieg--the poor boy doesn't get enough love. And yeah. Maybe he'll disguise it as remorse or tenderness, but inwardly he might be all, "don't want to ruin the weapon".
... Like with Seto? ;x Because, come on, getting him to renounce his position of asexuality would prove to Ryuuji that he's made of win. XD
Yeah, but it's the hot kind of crazy and w all know that Terry likes it.Well, still. X3 It's hot. And yeah, I understand--it's a bit odd, trying to fit your words to your partner's.
Kinky. ;x And that's actually kind of neat; I actually dislike visual sex scenes. XD I prefer a more fade-to-black approach. But if it's fic? BRING IT ON.
no subject
And man, the branding thing is REALLY freaky when I think about it like that. Because you can't laser off all types of scars, so that could be the type that sticks and even eyeliner only covers it up, doesn't get rid of it.
Oh man, that's a perfect way of thinking about it. Yes, his blood is contaminated. Tainted. It carries the seeds of madness in it. Drugs are different. Drugs are chemicals; they're steady, he knows what's in them. When he injects them into himself, he's making himself more constant. He knows himself better that way; it stops him from being a mystery to himself.
*takes a bow*Hm, don't think that I've ever written Axisshipping before. But lol, that means you have to ask for that, for crazyverse, and for Sieg? You'd better hope I put up a lot of fic memes :P
Oh man, yes, that's a very definite sort of victory. But I think for Ryuuji, it's more about the fact that he recognizes some of himself in Seto. But Seto has Mokuba. And Ryuuji might see himself in Mokuba as well, with the same skin color and similar hair, and the adoration that Mokuba has for Seto, so maybe part of it is the desire to get close to what he sees as himself split into two.
Terry's Batman. Batman's not meant to like it like that. But Ryuuji's eyes are very green, and Terry remembers that Talia (Selina) had green eyes too. Maybe this is traditional.Thank you. *grins and takes another bow!* I hate it when I'm RPing in one tense and someone else is using a different one. It makes me switch over as fast as possible.
I have no objections to RPing them, it's just writing them that makes me self-conscious. Hence the reasons for my sex scenes being so very tasteful :P
no subject
Yeah, especially near the eye area, you have to be careful because one slip-up there and BOOM! Half-blind Ryuuji. That would seriously blow, and Ryuuji's not so vain that he'd risk sacrificing an eye for it--besides, the blinded eye would look freakier than the scar/tattoo.
For some reason, I got this Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni-style scene in my head, where Ryuuji is basically nuts and raves on about tainted blood, a la Rena--and then tries to get rid of it.
*applauds*... MAYBE. :X I dunno, there's a first time for everything--and I've never seen Axis for you, though there may have been a vague hint of Challengeshipping (SiegRyuuji) in the crazyverse fic, the part where Terry wonders how many of the other CEOs Ryuuji's "dealt" with. X3 I think I'd ask for the continuation of the crazyverse ones. Either that or attempt to bribe you with ficcage. :x
Yeah. Ryuuji would be all, "Who's house is this? :D :D :D" about it, and Seto would see it and roll his eyes. He might feel sad hen he sees Mokuba, wondering if he could have been as sweet and innocent if he hadn't been so fucked up. (Though mangaverse!Mokuba isn't nearly as sweet-natured. :x)
Not only that, but doesn't Selina have black hair, too? She also seems to have the same slick wit, the same flippant, dangerous attitude at times. Maybe Bruce Wayne understands Terry more than he'd like to admit.Yeah, it's annoying. I dislike feeling off-center from my RP partners.
Nothing says tasteful like a blow-job outside of a club in a dirty alley. ;3
no subject
Good take. Really good take. I think that Ryuuji'd stay still for it and afterwards, keep it like a kind of reminder instead of risking having it lasered off.
Oh? I haven't seen that. But dude, that is ONE way in which I could see Ryuuji cutting himself, whereas I am usually totally against that.
Check out
And yes, I think that Ryuuji'd be way protective of darling snarky Mokuba. Especially knowing that Mokuba had his own bad side when trying to get Seto's attention. He'd be very insistent on making sure that Mokuba has enough attention from Seto -- some sort of Saturday brunch with cartoons or game night where they all play Monopoly.
Selina and Talia both! I mentioned them both in the fic. XD And I think that Talia also had green eyes, actually.So way annoying but fortunately, I usually get it settled within a few posts. I still prefer playing in third person past tense to anything else. You?
... XDDDD Yeah, but it was TASTEFULLY done. No details!
no subject
Yeah. He'd hold still, and wait for it to be over--but he'd be reminded of it forever.
I like it, but it's not for everyone. ♥ If you like creepy mind-trips and plot twists, though, by all means, check it out. Yeah, I'm against that, too, but that is a case where I can se that happening.
Ooh, ok, i will. ♥ OMFG I KINDA WANNA SEE THAT IN CRAZYVERSE. Jealous!Seto FTW, since the man normally appears to have the emotional capabilities of an ice-cube. Waaaant it~ :x
I can majorly see Ryuuji taking him under his wing. XD So cute.
... OMFG. In the whole "Dragon Knight" thing V.S. and I are writing, one of the character's names is Talia. >.> She has blue eyes, though.I prefer the same thing. I dislike most other formats--I'm so picky.
... XD
no subject
I think he might curl his toes, because nobody can see that and it's one way to tense up without his father being aware of it.
I don't really like cutterfic, because it's usually done really badly and cliche. I prefer self-destructive fic, where people spiral downwards, getting dragged towards the darkest, hardest core of themselves.
Oops, messed up the name. It was too long.
Adorably cute. Mokuba'd get TWO overprotective and awesome brothers.
XDDD I had the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dragonandknight comm set up for Ryuuji/Terry but never reallly did much about it.Whee! Match. I can do present tense, occasionally, but past tense is a lot easier to stay in for me. Present tense just doesn't work outside of fics for longterm writing.
Shut up. It was tasteful. :P
no subject
Yeah, that. And he'd force himself to breathe steadily and look like it wasn't effecting him at all.
Me, either--it's majorly overdone and it's normally written badly. THOSE fics. YES. I love them.
I swear I'm sadistic. :xYAy! I was all "Why does it not work ;~;", but now yay! And I can see Siegfried smirk, tilting his chin slightly, and laugh at how silly those two are, and just act like it didn't affect him at all. But... ow, that would hurt, but he wouldn't show it, even if it killed hi,.
And it would be AWESOME.
... YOU'RE SPYING ON ME. Or the other way around. And the link is here, (http://fan-dancer.livejournal.com/145744.html) you didn't see that. XD; Aw. ;;Yeah, I mostly do present-tense for a synopsis or a bio.
... Yeah, it was. ;x *hit*
no subject
Exactly. Can't make a fuss. It'll just make his father angrier. And he'd hold his breath at the worst bits to stop himself from screaming/panting when his father has the knifetip right near his eye and is talking about making taking it out completely.
HAH! See, you are a girl with taste. Which is obvious since you like my fics and spiral-inwards tastes.
At least sadism doesn't scar you as badly as masochism does. No guarantees for the other person, though!Sorry, I keep forgetting we had to change the original comm name because it was too long. And Ryuuji would just be all glittery green eyes and endless, beautiful arrogance. And if Sieg tried to gloat about it to Seto or anything, Seto would just smirk and say that he knows, and that Ryuuji said that Siegfried was absolutely miserable in bed. But he'd be eaten up inside with jealousy, because what Ryuuji would've actually said that is that he told Siegfried that to hurt him, but it wasn't true at all. Siegfried was mind-blowing. But like hell will Seto repeat that.
Lucky, lucky Mokuba. Especially when he starts stealing their clothes.
HAH!![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dragonandknight existed before your fic did :PI do present tense if I'm just messing around, like above with the 'he would, they would' etc, but that's technically not really present tense, but I'm too sleepy to care what the real name is.
HAH! *preens* Who rocks the house? I do, I do!
no subject
And he's maybe thinking Fuck, I hope this ends soon or Maybe he'll go completely nuts and kill me this time, then I'll be free.
I am a lady of exquisite taste, thank you very much. XD
True. At least not physically. :DXD S'ok, I've done that, too. ;; And Sieg wouldn't, I think, he'd just keep it to himself, and maybe make a few snide, underhanded remarks. It would be just too delicious not to. ANd maybe Sieg would catch the spark of jealousy in Seto's eyes and smirk just a little wider whenever he saw him.
Though, I also like the idea of hate!UST (or NOT UST :x) Seto/Sieg.And yeah, Sieg wouldn't just walk in and be all "o hay don't know what I'm doing" before fucking Ryuuji, he's probably STUDY to make sure he wasn't. XDD... And Ryuuji would take him shopping so it wouldn't happen any more. But he'd really be amused and maybe a little "Ha! I rock" about it.
... I'M READING YOUR MIIIIND~ D8XDDD Yeah, that one's cool for imagine-sequences.
... And I just... agree. XD;