Name: Isao Takeda

Alias: N/A

Age: 380

Visual Age: 24

Gender: Male

Reiatsu Color: Blue and Tan

Affiliation: Gotei 13

Division: 5

Rank: Lieutenant


Appearance: A strikingly handsome man, Isao has a striking face that features a strong jawline and sharp features. His messy light brown hair matches the color of his eyes. He is 6'4 and has an athletic build. His limbs are long as well, built more for speed than raw strength. He likes to dress casually, wearing a basic Shihakusho with blue accents on the white cloth that ties it together. He tends to smile a lot and has a generally pleasant expression the majority of the time.

Personality:

Go With The Flow

Isao tends to be described as a easy going, having a very carefree and relaxed attitude. He doesn't stress very easily and likes to avoid confrontation as much as possible. He tends to get along with others well and is often praised as being a team player. Some people see that as a lack of confidence or lack of caring, but that is far from the case. He simply realizes his opinions on topics do not mean any more than anyone else. He tends to be quiet when he is nervous or intimidated, but is often talkative and open when around people that he trusts. Because of his relaxed attitude, he doesn't like to boss around others like he is superior. While he can be assertive when he is forced to be, he would much rather get something accomplished through common interest.

Loyalty

He is very dedicated to the people he considers friends and will do anything for them. He is not afraid of death if it means protecting someone else, as he values their friendship over his own life. He is self sacrificing even in every day activities, often offering food and money to a friend in need. It takes a while to get him to trust someone completely, but once he does he will be dedicated to that person. This can be in a downfall when in battle. When he sees a friend become injured or even killed, it will stir him emotionally to the point where he is not thinking clearly because of anger. He likes to counsel his friends when they are in depressed states, as he feels it is his duty. He will listen and give advice as long as it is needed.

Calculated Survivor

While he prefers not to fight, he is quite skilled in battle. He is a strategist, preferring to out maneuver opponents rather than simply overpowering them. Because of his lack of pure strength, he relies on traps and speed to out think his opponent. Only in battle, does he show his intelligence, which is considerable. He likes to use a mixture of attack methods, whether it be his zanpakuto release, kido, or Shunpo. He has a considerable tolerance for pain, being able to clearly think even when injured to a moderate degree. He has no 'rules' to fighting and will fight alongside teammates or against multiple opponents. Whatever will give him the advantage and allow him to return to his friends is the strategy he will choose. Once he has been attacked, he will kill his opponent, however he will not just kill others without a reason.

Flirtatious

He is also homosexual and makes no attempts at hiding that fact around other guys who are attractive. He will often blush if one of the hot guys gives him attention, whether it was meant sexually or not. He has a habit of cuddling as well, often being found clinging to a male if they are sad and need some love. He hopes to one day find a partner to share his life as a Shinigami with. He will often drop hints as to who he wishes that was, despite no one wanting to hear it. He tends to have crushes that move quickly, often having a new one every week.


History:

Early Life

Isao grew up in the 27th District of South Rukongai. He entered the district at a really young age, immediately being adopted by the people he would know as family. He was a rather timid child, choosing not to speak much. He showed promise for becoming a Shinigami at a very young age as well, having a considering appetite because of his Reiryoku. He would often stay at home with his 'mother', Tenmei, and do various activities such as playing board games or cards. He didn't have many friends at the time because of his lack of an outgoing personality. He wanted only to be loved and to love his 'family'. His 'father', Mitsuo, didn't understand Isao and wanted him to get out more and play with the other kids. He would obey just to be outside for a few minutes and run back in, scared of being made fun of.

It was during this time that he was bullied by a group of boys who happened to be his neighbors. He would not tell his 'family' though, as he didn't want to upset them over his well being. They would often call him names and even physically beat him if he tried to stand up for himself. It was because of this that he tended to stay inside where he was protected from the monsters that waited out the door. After years of this, he finally broke down and told his 'parents' about what was going on. Enraged, his father ended up killing all three of the boys that were responsible for so many of his injuries and scars. However, such actions were not allowed in his district, and Mitsuo was killed within a week of the incident. This put quite an emotional strain on Tenmei, causing her to shut down and reject the world. Not only did it affect them mentally, but it strained them financially as well.

A few more years passed with Isao doing as much as he could for Tenmei, despite her loosing the will to live. Slowly but surely, she became less human and more a shell of her former self. Only five years after Mitsuo was executed, she killed herself with a katana by stabbing herself in the stomach. Isao was crushed, finally loosing the one person he had left to relate too. After months of struggling to find his own purpose in life, he was offered to enter the Shinigami Academy. He accepted, hoping to find friends and the joy that had been missing from his life for years.

Academy

His life as an academy student started out with some confusion and soul searching. While he liked the idea of having a goal to strive for, he wanted people to take the journey with him. To do this, he had to force himself to open up to people. Within a few months of being in the Academy, he found himself among friends that enjoyed him. They didn't judge or hurt him, but encouraged him. That positive reinforcement was enough to send him to new heights of happiness. During this time, his progress as a student went much faster, as he wanted to keep up with those around him. He used that very tool as a motivation to become as great as he could. The friends he found were precious to him, as it brought the joy back to his life that he so desperately searched for. The idea of being able to protect those people caused him to find out what he had some natural talent at and really focus on those areas. Luckily, one area came quite easy to him.

That area was Kido and he had a knack for learning the spells at a fast and efficient rate. Basic spells like Hado #1 and Bakudo #1 were learned in a matter of hours as he continued to impress the teachers around him. Despite his ability in Kido, he did struggle in other areas. His physical strength was poor for his size and he did not do well in Hakudo because of it. Fighting someone with his fists brought back those memories of his early days in the district, causing him to almost refuse to fight with his his fists. Of course, he was forced to do it, and thought up a unique way of making sure he did not have to do it often. He would focus on learning speed, that way he wouldn't need special skill in hand to hand combat. He could take out his opponent without them being able to counter. It was in these two areas that he excelled, quickly getting through the each level of teaching.

It was during those last months as an Academy student that he learned just how important those friends were to him. During a field trip to the world of the living, two hollows attacked the group of students and teacher. While the teacher tried to drag them away from the weak academy members, only one followed him. The other aimed his sights on Yuudai, a close friend of Isao's. The hollow pounced with such ferocity that Yuudai could barely dodge. It continued to chase him, making most of the students cower in fear. Most would have expected the same thing out of Isao. However, something clicked in his head that caused him to explode with emotion. Using the Kido and Speed he had learned, he drew the Hollow's attention away from Yuudai. He was not powerful enough to defeat the hollow, he knew that. He was simply trying to occupy it long enough for the teacher to return. In just a few minutes later, the hollow was split in two as the sensei returned. Luckily, no one was killed. However, he found the reason why he would become strong. To make sure he could take care of the threat himself next time.

Life as a Shinigami

Once he graduated the Academy, he was placed directly into the fifth Division. There was some consideration for the Stealth Division, but his personality did not fit the mold. He was happy to be apart of his division though. He loved using Kido and being around those who also found joy in it. His Academy friend, Yuudai, was sent to the seventh division, meaning they would see each other a lot less. During these years as a normal soldier of the Gotei 13, he saw a lot of battle. He learned that he did not like fighting for the sake of violence. It was sad and often pointless after seeing so many enemies with the same mentality. Hollow after Hollow, it seemed as if he wasn't making much a difference in the lives of his friends. He was always in the world of the living, protecting humans he could have no contact with. Those days were lonely and some of the worst he had as a member of the Gotei 13. He didn't realize just how much time he had to spend alone when he joined the Academy. There were times when he debated whether or not it was worth it.

After years of that internal battle, he realized what the answer was. Unfortunately, the answer came with a price. His long time friend, Yuudai, was killed by a hollow. The agony and grief that boiled in his body was unbearable as he he mourned the loss of his comrade. However, it reminded him of why he even became skilled enough to graduate. He was here to become stronger so he could protect the people he considered friends. To make sure that no one else died without him at least trying to protect them. Isao became a dedicated solider at this point, following his duty and training so he could get a seat. Years and Years passed before he could make that dream a reality, but eventually he was promoted to officer. He was the seventh seat of the fifth Division. After learning his Shikai, he was able to finally make the next step in his journey to become the true friend he desired to be.

Promotions

Once he was promoted to the position of officer, his duties became different. He was expected to lead rather than just protect. While his personality didn't exactly have the leadership qualities that most would assume, he managed to do fine as an officer. He was well liked in his division and often made the mood lighter if something awful had happened. He was a source of light to the soldiers around him, encouraging them to follow whatever passions they had. He had achieved something he could only have dreamed about as a child and passed those same aspirations to the people under him. However, there was one person that was not quite as happy with his promotion as everyone else. The Lieutenant was a rather creepy girl that did not like him. He didn't know what the reason was or why even cared about his progress as a Shinigami. He would soon find out.

After the passing away of the third seat of the division, Isao's name was put into consideration for the slot. He had become quite adept in his abilities and showed promise as a leader as well. It seemed he was a guarantee to get the spot when she showed up. Her face was angry as if she was filled with rage after seeing her family being killed. She attacked mercilessly, swinging violently at Isao. He was in shock, asking her to stop and wondering why she would do such a thing. In her emotional state, she explained that she was the one that killed the third seat. She killed him because he showed potential to pass her and take her position. To this, Isao was mortified. He couldn't believe someone would use their power for such a terrible act. It was for that reason that he decided to fight her. She targeted him as potential threat, and he could not die. He still had to protect his friends.

After a long battle for hours, Isao finally put down the psychotic woman. Members of his squad had gathered to watch from a far, hearing her stories and taunts as they fought. Because of his willingness to step up and take care of a threat, he was promoted to the position of Lieutenant. Filling up with pride, he took the position with joy as he was rewarded for all the hard work he had put forth as a member of the Gotei 13.

Lieutenant

To become a Lieutenant as quickly as he did was quite a feat in the eyes of his peers, as people started treating him as a hero. He simply responded saying he did what he had to do, and that any of them would have done the same. He showed kindness and friendship towards the members of his squad, rarely ever getting angry or yelling at them. He flourished as a Lieutenant, becoming even stronger and using that strength to protect those that he led into whatever battle was ahead of him. People often called him the heart of the division in those early years, making him smile in thanks. He was eternally grateful for the wonderful opportunity that had been given to him and was dedicated to making the best of it. However, the attitude and lifestyle of every member of the Gotei 13 changed when the Blue Moon War started. It was an unexpected turn of events for Isao, as he didn't see anyone being bold enough to challenge the Shinigami. The Arrancar proved to be more than bold.

The war took it's tole on every member of the division, including Isao. He fought endlessly, protecting the people around him and still seeing them fall because of the opponents strength. His resolve was shaken and he was worried about the future of the Gotei 13. His fears slowly came to pass when he heard news of the death of the Captains of the third and seventh division. Unfortunately, those fears seemed all but unstoppable as he saw the captain of the thirteenth division die. he watch as the once white robe hit the ground in a bloody mess. It seemed that all hope was lost. He watched as several of the seated officers of his own division were killed. Yet, he survived, doing all he could for the benefit of those around him. He sustained injuries and kept going, providing a spark of hope for those who fought beside him.

He was not the only one. The Captains of the second and sixth divisions stepped up in the Shinigami's time of need. They managed to kill three of the powerful Espada that were leading the charge. With the sudden shift in morale, the Captain Commander seized the opportunity to end the war once and for all. They were still battling Arrancar while seeing the battle of Aion and the Captain Commander in the distance. After days of fighting, Aion fell and the Captain Commander's victory made the Shinigmai surge forth. The Arrancar retreated, and the war had ended for a while at least. The Soul Society started to rebuild and Isao took the opportunity of battle and war to get strong. He would make sure that next time someone attacked, he would be able to turn the tide.

Approved @ 3800