BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

RIN ASANO

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
8	STR	-2	11-	Lift 75.8 kg; 1 1/2d6 HTH Damage [2]
13	DEX	9	12-	OCV:  4/DCV:  4
11	CON	2	11-
9	BODY	-2	11-
10	INT	0	11-	PER Roll 11-
12	EGO	4	11-	ECV:  4
10	PRE	0	11-	PRE Attack:  2d6
14	COM	2	12-

4	PD	2		Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
3	ED	1		Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
3	SPD	7		Phases:  4, 8, 12
4	REC	0
22	END	0
19	STUN	0	Total Characteristic Cost:  23

Movement:	Running:	6"/12"
		Leaping:	1"/2"
		Swimming:	2"/4"

Cost	Powers & Skills
	Martial Arts:  Mutenichi-ryu Kenjutsu
	Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
4	Block		+2	+2	Block, Abort
4	Evade		--	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
4	Lighting Stroke	+2	+0	Weapon +2 DC Strike
0	Weapon Element:  Blades

20	Flight Of The Golden Wasps:  RKA 1/2d6, 24 Recoverable Charges (+3/4), 
	Autofire (8 shots; +1); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), IAF (hidden knives strapped to her 
	forearms; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4), 
	Range Based On STR (-1/4) plus +4 OCV; IAF (hidden knives strapped to her 
	forearms; -1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4), [24 rc]

	Perks
2	Fringe Benefit:  Member of the Lower Nobility (samurai's daughter)

	Skills
3	CK: Edo 12-
1	High Society 8-
1	KS: Kenjutsu 8-
0	Language:  Japanese (idiomatic; literate)
1	PS: Calligraphy 8-
1	PS: Poetry 8-
2	WF:  Blades, Thrown Knives
43	Total Powers & Skills Cost
66	Total Character Cost

25+	Disadvantages
10	Distinctive Features:  Style (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group)
20	Hunted:  Kagehisa Anotsu And The Itto-ryu 11- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish)
15	Psychological Limitation:  Guilt-Stricken Over The Death Of Her Parents (Very Common, Moderate)
20	Psychological Limitation:  Hunting/Hates Kagehisa Anotsu (Common, Total)
90	Total Disadvantage Points

Background/History: Rin is the second of the two main characters for Hiroaki Samura samurai epic Blade of the Immortal. The daughter of Kurose Asano, she was only 14 when Kagehisa Anotsu and his Itto-ryu school killed her father and raped her mother. Swearing vengeance upon Anotsu (and the rest of the Itto-ryu), Rin spent the next two years perfecting her sword skills in preparation of exacting her revenge. It was while visiting her parent's grave site that she met Yaobikuni, who upon hearing her tale, directed her to hire "the strongest, toughest yojimbo of them all...".

Wandering the streets of Edo, Rin finally found the yojimbo Yaobikuni was referring to... Manji. Rin's initial attempt to procure him as a bodyguard him failed, as Manji pointed out she was the fifth person trying to hire him to kill without giving him a good enough reason why. Upon being asked what she would give to see her parents avenged, Rin responded by offering Manji her body, "You... you may do with me what ever you want". Manji refused, commenting that Rin reminded him of his younger sister, and sent Rin on her way. A moment later, however, he relented, telling Rin that young girls shouldn't walk around alone, and he'd accompany her back into Edo, stating "Hell, maybe I'll even get the chance to whack one or two on the way."

Personality/Motivation: Rin's two most distinguishing features are her constant bouts of crying and despair over the deaths of her parents, and her desire to see Anotsu dead. She is torn between wanting to avenge her parents and knowing the death toll from her quest for revenge will be a great one. Rin is often over come by bouts of sadness, usually crying herself to sleep. Her sense of failure seems to make her a touch reckless (witness her lone attack on Anotsu) as well as overly-emotional to criticism (witness her sparring match with Manji in the same issue). On top of this, Rin has stated that she will do anything to see Anotsu die. Early on she stated that she had trained herself in "assassin's tricks," so it seems likely that any deed—no matter how low or underhanded—will be considered by Rin as a means to an end (although I seriously doubt she'd stoop to mass murder or destruction—such as burning down an inn to get one member of the Itto-ryu). When using Rin in a game, it is these two extremes—her despair over her lost parents, and her desire to destroy Anotsu—that need the most attention, for here is where a great deal of her character development lies.

Quote: "First, I'll cut you down—the man who killed my father—as the prologue to my bloody drama of revenge."

Powers/Tactics: Rin, for all her drive and desire to see vengeance done, is really just a "normal'" amid a large number of very skilled swordsmen. She can handle a sword and has practiced the Mutenichi-ryu kata, but isn't a really samurai (or a kenshi for that matter). Manji states she might be able to hold her own against a third-rate swordsmen, but wouldn't last a second against any of the Itto-ryu. On the other hand, Hage comments on her form ("Not bad form for a little brat.") and we do see her kill one of his followers in the fight in Master Sori's yard.

Rin does have one interesting trick up her sleeve (literally). In her quest for revenge, she's developed an attack she calls her "Curtain of Death" or the "Flight of the Golden Wasps." The attack consists of two handfuls of small throwing knives, hurled in a cloud at her target. She throws these knives in groups of eight (four per hand) and at one point stated she carried 24 blades, attached to straps on her arms. Although this attack is not very affective; the inherent OCV bonus comes from the idea that the cloud of knives is bound to hit something. So far in the manga (Rin's Bane), the most knives she's had hit home has been three. Because of the extreme wind-up (and the fact she ducks her head upon release) I made the attack Full Phase and Concentrate 1/2 DCV. As Anotsu himself said, it's an attack best used to surprise the enemy, as opposed to actually stopping anyone.

The rest of Rin's skills are derived from a few scenes in the manga and well as what the daughter of a samurai (and a swordmaster) would be trained in for a "proper" upbringing.

Appearance: Rin is 16, and not quite yet fully grown. She looks to stand only about five feet in height (if that) and probably only weighs 100 pounds or so. Her hair is black and comes past her shoulders. Normally she keeps her hair wound into two long braids, each tied off to a large metal ring. If she lets her hair down, Rin does looks quite a bit older. Either way, she's reasonably pretty and will probably be rather attractive in a year or two.

Rin dresses in a red kimono with black trim. The kimono is patterned with flame effects along the sleeves and bottom hem. It is kept secure by a broad gold (or yellow) obi. Under the kimono she wears a white yukata. Normally she has a small travel bag slung over one shoulder, with her father's sword thrust through the cover flap.

(Rin Asano created by Hiroaki Samura, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

Rin Asano's Hero Designer File


Blade of the Immortal Introduction
Manji | Rin Asano

Return to Anime and Manga Character Adaptations