PLAYER INFORMATION

PLAYER: Ski
ARE YOU AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD?: Alas, yes
CONTACT: Ski#0479 on Discord
CHARACTERS PLAYED: N/A

CHARACTER INFORMATION

NAME: Sasaki Kojirou
CANON: Fate/
CANON REFERENCE: Against my better judgement: The Type-Moon Wiki
CANON POINT: After Arctic Summer World (Summer Event 2022)
CRAU HISTORY: N/A
AGE: He's an adult, it's fine.
APPEARANCE: A handsome guy. Why is everything purple?
CONTRACT PAYMENT: Kojirou doesn't want for anything really, but if seriously pressed he would ask for a sword worthy of being called a Noble Phantasm. Let him bring the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or an equivalent blade back to the Throne of Heroes and he might put in some real effort.

QUESTIONNAIRE:
It is going to be very difficult to get Kojirou to be up front about any of these things. After all, he didn't get those skills that make him difficult to read by being free with his personal information. He is going to be evasive at the best of times.

What does family mean to you and who do you consider a part of your family? A shrug. Kojirou, as a nameless spirit stuffed into the legend of Sasaki Kojirou, does not really have anyone he could consider a family. He might have had people he cared about back in life, but if he still remembers their names and faces he's not telling anyone. As far as anyone asking is concerned, he has no family to speak of, and he's unlikely to stick around long enough to form another one.

How important is loyalty to you? What does it take to earn your loyalty? What extents are you willing to go through to maintain loyalty, and respect the loyalty others might have invested in you? In actuality, Kojirou values loyalty incredibly highly. He might not swear a lifelong oath freely, but to those who show him kindness he will, at the very least, pay them back in kind. A night's rest and a day's food are enough to buy his services as a swordsman. However, to those that do not show him that kindness, even if he is technically in their service, he is very likely to watch them get killed on some kind of technicality. Maintaining that loyalty is then a question of maintaining that kindness, and allowing Kojirou enough leeway to act with his own brand of honour. But what Kojirou is likely to say is something about how difficult it is to prove themselves worthy.

How do you define "success"? What is something you're ambitious about? This is something he might actually talk about. Success is, ultimately, being satisfied with your own efforts. Knowing that what you did was the best you could manage. The actual win or loss is often secondary to that. For example, one might view his Tsubame Gaeshi as overkill, but in the process of practicing his swing, Kojirou saw something and he pulled on that thread of inspiration to the end. As for ambition, Kojirou is a dead man, he doesn't have anything like that left.

What is your favorite diversion? Hobbies, indulgences, vices? Would you put off important things for that diversion, or would you be more strict about how you spend your time and/or money? Swordsmanship is his job now, but it wasn't always like that. He pursued swordsmanship because he saw that it could be beautiful. If he does have a weakness, it would be for other beautiful things. The beauty of nature, beautiful women, a beautiful piece of art. But ultimately his swordsmanship comes first. Nothing gets in the way of that. But also, depending on who's asking the question, Kojirou might just flirt with them until they give up.


POWERS & ABILITIES:
Kojirou is, to put it simply, arguably the greatest swordsman in all of human history. That is not to say he's invincible; there are heroes that are stronger than him, faster than him, and in possession of abilities and weapons that mere swordsmanship cannot match, but in terms of martial technique he has yet to be matched. Nowhere is this clearer than his greatest and only true technique:

Tsubame Gaeshi or Swallow Reversal. An unavoidable series of slashes with his sword, Kojirou says he is simply slashing three times as quickly as he can, forming a cage of blades to trap and cut down a swallow in flight. In truth, he has transcended mere "quickness", and is slashing three times at the same time, defying the laws of physics and approaching True Magic with nothing but sheer skill and determination. There is, of course, no need to do all that just to kill a bird, but once he got the idea Kojirou trained until one day he could do it, a testament to his talent and determination.

Furthermore, as an Assassin class Servant he has three Personal Skills and a Class Skill, manifestations of the skills he had gained through his training as a swordsman.
Mind's Eye (False) is about what it sounds like, granting him the ability to read the flow of battle almost to level of precognition, and be much less reliant on his actual eyes.
Fade Out represents the inner peace he's gained through his training and enlightenment, making him immune to mental interference such as fear and illusions, and allowing him to hide his presence as a martial artist and Servant, so that most people would not be able to recognise him as a master fighter and magical being.
Knowledge of Foremost Harmony represents his training, where he learnt only the attitude of a master from his teacher but no techniques. His sword style is deeply unorthodox, but his skill is at the level where an opponent cannot "get used to it". He does not use any attacks where mere familiarity would be enough to counter them.
Presence Concealment is what makes him an Assassin. He cannot become invisible like other Assassins, but he can hide his presence. For all practical purposes this skill is superseded by Fade Out.

These are ultimately skills he's trained in, not really powers that can be taken away. His physical ability will be brought down from Servant level to the normal level for Jigokucho, and he won't be able to defy the laws of physics with Tsubame Gaeshi, but he will still be an incredible swordsman capable of knocking around almost everyone he meets. The more supernatural aspects of his skills, such as his precognition from Mind's Eye, his ability to hide his stats and resist illusions, and his Servant abilities such as the ability to turn invisible will not be available.

SUITABILITY: Kojirou's debut is in the original Fate/Stay Night, which is actually just an adult game. I'm not sure what else there is to add here. Man fights, man is open to the idea of fucks, his canon is... what it is.

FACTION SUITABILITY:

Kojirou fundamentally rankles at the idea of authority. He doesn't like being bossed around, especially not over something as base as the political squabbles of a bunch of old demons. That said he acknowledges the state of the world he lives in, and that if there is a hell he certainly earned his place in it. Wherever he ends up he will learn to tolerate, but there will be no shortage of sass on his part towards their ever so respected leaders. They can't be worse than Caster. (Although he did let Archer in that one time, and in his Unlimited Codes route he just kills her when he finally gets the opportunity...)

Shuten: Kojirou is, first and foremost, a peerless fighter. He finds joy in testing his skills, and the Shuten would be the best place for him to do that. In terms of being a culture fit, Kojirou is a huge stickler for honour. He holds himself to the highest standard possible, even when it is to his own detriment. However, when it comes to the other half of the equation, Kojirou has zero patience for Might Makes Right rhetoric. The act of taking a life is undeniably evil, and to use one's capacity for violence to dominate others is an undeniable sin. As a man who has killed others before, and as someone who would do so again simply for the personal satisfaction of testing himself as a swordsman he doesn't consider himself worthy of passing judgement on this matter, but his own deep admiration for genuine goodness is something that will always shine through.

Tamamo: In terms of cunning and insight, Kojirou very much has both. He has achieved a form of enlightenment through his martial arts, and if you need someone to see the truth of things, he's the man for the job. He also values beauty highly, both in nature and in women. However, he is ultimately an ascetic, so if there is a faction he's not suitable for, it's the Tamamo. Constant debauchery would bore him. To him, "libertarian bliss" means fucking off to a mountain somewhere, which he is totally okay with. To live within society is to fulfil your obligation to others, and Tenkohime's philosophy sounds a lot like abdication of said duty. He was born to farmers, and he understands very well the complexity of turning the harvest into something that can be turned into sustenance. (He also read the records of the Sixth Lostbelt.) He also just doesn't like "witches" much and Tenkohime would definitely qualify.

Sutoku: As previously mentioned, he's an ascetic. A man who has no need for worldly possessions beyond what he can carry on his person. He is also, despite his preferences, an Assassin and has all the skills that would entail. However, in terms of philosophy Kojirou would argue they do not go far enough. To take power away from a central authority and distribute it to the various smaller clans and tribes reminds him a lot of the turbulent times he lived in, where if anything social stratification was stricter than if there was simply one united nation. To someone who had lived in the tail end of the Warring States, where clan approved violence was normal and predictable, where the samurai class ravaged the countryside, the Sutoku seem to be preaching a change without a difference. If Kojirou was the type to seriously value earthly politics, he would argue that the goal is a world where a farmer like he was in life could become a samurai, not to reorder the hierarchy but to dismantle it.

Enma: The Enma would likely value Kojirou's discipline. The level of training needed to reach his level of skill is not something that can be completed in a day or two, and when dedicated to a cause Kojirou is dedicated. He also has a weird habit of finding himself standing in front of gates, being told to guard it with his life. Being a peacekeeper isn't in his blood, but it does seem to be in his destiny. But if the question is whether or not he believes in the cause of the Enma, the answer would be a no. Kojirou's moral compass is internal, and he does not value the rule of law as much as he does the natural order born of the web of obligations people have towards each other. While he would not call himself a good person, he does value goodness, and his opinion of the much vaunted "system" is exemplified by his willingness to life to go hang out in a mountain somewhere instead of interacting with it.

SAMPLES

TDM 1 TDM 2

No:
Scat
Gore

Yes:
Pretty much everything else

Class Skills

Presence Concealment D: The ability to seem unthreatening, it makes him suitable for spying. As Kojirou is not a proper Assassin, this wasn't a skill automatically granted to him, but rather the result of his own martial arts training.

It can be disconcerting to see a man wielding a sword, but feel no danger from him, which may in itself be cause for concern. On the other hand, a less perceptive fighter may charge up to him, and be surprised by his actual skill. Kojirou himself places little importance on this skill, at least in Servant-vs-Servant combat, as his preference is to do things fairly by introducing himself before engaging in battle.

Personal Skills

Eye of the Mind (False) A: The ability to avoid danger based on a 6th sense, prescience, or intuition. It reduces the effect of visual obstructions. The difference between the False and True versions is that the former is based on natural talent, while the latter is based mostly on experience.

The mind's eye is a martial arts trope as old as there have been martial arts stories. In canon, Kojirou puts his skills on full display by easily parrying Saber's invisible sword, and giving an accurate measure of its dimensions only after a few exchanges. He could probably fight with his eyes closed if he had to. Servants with lower ranks in the ability are described as possessing great analytical ability, leading them to the surest path to victory, and Kojirou can probably do the same.

Clarity B+: A serene state of mind. This skill protects him from mental interference. By limiting his fighting spirit, it is possible to conceal himself to some extent.

Kojirou's troubles with proper translations begin. You'll see it translated as "Vitrification," "Transparency," or "Evanescence" none of which I think are particularly elegant, but in essence 透化 means to "become transparent." This isn't an especially new idea in martial arts, or even in anime versions of martial arts. It is essentially the idea of Meikyo-Shisui. You may have seen it in G Gundam too. Clear Mirror, Still Water, a serene state of mind that is cleansed of distractions like anger or hatred, focusing only on the goal at hand. The state of ultimate focus.

It means things like illusions, coercion, sick bants, or other mind-affecting skills magical or otherwise slip past him. It allows him to face the frankly terrifying Berserker without hesitation, something not even the honestly suicidal Shirou and Saber can say. Since the Caster of his particular war was his Master, he never actually had to face mindfuck magic though. As far as cutting off his presence goes, see Presence Concealment.

Understanding of Harmony B: A special ability which ensures that no matter how many times he uses the same skill or the same technique, Kojirou's accuracy will not drop. His attacks cannot be analysed. Perhaps it can be said that he never uses attacks so mediocre that it's possible to "get used to them."

宗和の心得 is another phrase with no good translation. 宗和 has no direct translation, but the individual kanji can be unpacked into "essence of harmony." 心得 is to "take to heart," so "understanding" is alright. Which is why the Type Moon wiki's translation of "Knowledge and Respect of Harmony" is unnecessarily long.

"I've seen through your moves!" is a phrase as old as stories about skilled competitors facing off directly against each other. Kojirou cuts that off at the source with a skill that denies such shenanigans, despite possessing expert ability at analysis himself. It makes him an exceptionally dangerous opponent as fights drag on, as he continues to accumulate knowledge on his opponents while he remains an enigma. The disparity is put on display in his fights against Saber, as he rapidly figures out the size of Excalibur despite the sword's invisibility being one of its advantages (see: Eye of the Mind) but all she can glean from him is that he's far beyond her in skill.

This is my educated guess, but the reason why this particular skill was given this particular name is that it is his oneness with nature, his acceptance of his place in the world, his general zen, and his adherence to bushido that has granted him such elevated, instinctive skill. He was never taught swordplay, but was taught the mentality of a swordsman. So it can be said he achieved this perfect mindset before he ever swung a sword.

Secret Technique, Tsubame Gaeshi: The Swallow Reversal. This is the skill that Kojirou came up with in order to cut a swallow in flight. Swallows are swift creatures, who can read the movements of the air on their feathers and dodge a simple swing. However, if one arc won't catch them, then how about two or three? But it's precisely because they are so quick that all three strikes must be executed within the span of a single breath. That's not something an ordinary human can do, but Kojirou had nothing better to do so he practiced anyway, and such was his talent and dedication that not only did he manage to cut three times in one breath, he cut through time itself and slashed three times simultaneously. An undodgeable technique with no counters as long as it's executed perfectly.

He calls it a secret technique, but to slice through dimensions and common sense itself to create three blades from one slash surely cannot be just a skill. It intrudes upon the realm of the gods, and has been called a demonic or magic technique. And yet it is nothing more than a human skill, executed by human hands, and using no more mana than an ordinary swing of the sword. It is an impossible feat in so many ways and yet Kojirou has achieved it, just to kill a bird.

Of course, there is no need to go to such lengths to strike down a mere swallow, and that Kojirou did it anyway is testament to his personality.

♚ OOC
Name: Ski
Age: 20+
Contact: Skiiage
Character In-game: None

♛ IC
Name: Kojirou Sasaki
Canon: Fate/
Canon Point: Fate/Grand Order, Post-Garden of Order
Age: Unknown, looks to be in his 20s
Gender: Male
Species: Human Servant
Appearance: Here.

History/Background: Link
Personality: Kojirou is a samurai, someone who has dedicated his life and every brief incarnation after that to the mastery of the sword. He is someone capable of incredible focus and determination, who through talent and practice managed to do the impossible and break the rules of time and space with nothing but sheer skill with a sword. He is therefore constantly seeking to challenge himself, in search of greater heights whether it be seeking duels with legendary knights or entering colosseum battles with demons and worse. As long as he can find new, stronger enemies to test himself against, Kojirou is content.

There is little else he wishes for, as a nameless ghost filling in for a legendary figure, and as such he places a low value on his own continued existence. It is far better to see a battle to its end, or even to merely sass an annoying person though she may have absolute power over him, than it is to merely continue to exist. It is after all, a samurai’s lot to live ephemerally, blooming and wilting with the seasons much like the cherry blossom.

Between slaying dragons and ghosts, Kojirou is a man of simple pleasures. He enjoys nature, watching the moon and drinking wine. Failing that, he will also take making fun of others and provoking them for his own amusement, something he has gotten quite good at.

However, a samurai is ultimately someone who kills for their chosen lord. While Kojirou wants nothing for himself, he will abide by his master’s wishes, albeit antagonising them the whole way should he dislike them. It may not be easy to form a contract with him though, as without the binding of the summoning contract he has little reason to give his loyalty to anyone.

That said, he is not one to wax lyrical about his loyalty. To him, anyone who kills another is evil, including himself, and all that anyone can do is accept that if they wish to achieve anything in a chaotic era. He is therefore unlikely to be swayed by promises of the “greater good” or by bright idealism. He accepts that he fights for one side over the other through little more than the accident of birth or summoning, and uses that as an opportunity to seek further mastery.

But if he could have one wish, it would be to have his deeds recorded in history. As himself, his own legend of the samurai. Not an invention to embellish some other great hero’s tale.

Magic Weapon: A laundry pole. It is a length of wood attached to a simple hilt and guard with the ability to rapidly grow and sprout branches mid-swing. It is essentially a way to extend Kojirou’s reach, eventually able to grow massive enough in the space of a single strike that escaping his grasp becomes nearly impossible.
Carrier: A small winged dragon.

Sample:
TDM thread