hiroko--okamoto

[hiroko--okamoto]

[hiroko--okamoto]

Name: Hiroko Okamoto Age / D.O.B.: 34 /June 6, 1989 Gender, Pronouns & Sexuality: Cis woman, she/her, bisexual Hometown: Fukuoka, Japan Affiliation: The Brotherhood Job position: Arms dealer Education: High school diploma Relationship status: Single Children: None Positive traits: fun-loving, gregarious, courageous, brave, honest Negative traits: impatient, irritable, resentful, aggressive, reckless

BIOGRAPHY (slight tw for alcohol abuse)

Hiroko’s family is originally from Fukuoka in Japan, a city with significant yakuza activity. Her father ran a martial arts dojo, but had unfortunately become mixed up in the criminal underbelly of the city, running both arms and drugs through his local business to spice up the family income. After Hiroko was born, the family grew fearful and attempted to escape these connections and moved to the US, where they settled in New York and her father tried to rebuild his business.  

Unfortunately, the connections to the criminal underworld followed the family. Maybe it was habit, maybe it was money being tight, but soon enough packets of white powder and arms that definitely would have required a nonexistent license were kept in the dojo’s office again until someone (she would later realize was a member of the Brotherhood) would come to pick them up. Hiroko initially paid little attention to these events, and her main focus was on becoming the fighter her father dreamed of her to become. Only when she became older did she start noticing the people that occasionally conversed with her father in backrooms, their air of confidence and the camaraderie that her home life lacked.

Hiroko was 16 in 2005 when her father, not in on all the changes in loyalty in the world of the gangs, continued to hide illicit substances for those who had already switched sides to the Cartel. The result was a strategically set fire to the dojo (on which the family’s home sat) that, fortunately, did not cost the family their life, though it cost Hiroko’s parents their livelihood, their feeling of safety and, subsequently, their marriage.

The result was a mother drinking too much, a father working two jobs to make ends meet, and a teenage girl with two homes and yet none. In those moments of Hiroko feeling homeless, she remembered the gang members that always seemed to have a home, and she also remembered the bars they had gone to after stopping by the dojo and the street corners they had stood watch on. A 5’4’’ barely 18-year old asking to “join you” must have been a sight to behold, and maybe Hiroko’s initiation task was actually designed to get rid of her or cure her delusions: However, her having to intimidate someone who owed the gang money did not result in Hiroko giving up, but in her target ending up in hospital with several broken bones. A black belt in karate might not have been much use outside the dojo, but now, it had given Hiroko a new home.

She spent many years doing the dirty work that the Brotherhood would entrust a young woman with, running errands and letting her fists speak when needed while slowly building her reputation as someone not to be messed with. Hiroko learned that any weakness shown was a weakness about to be exploited. Ironically enough, her desire to be ever stronger led her to devote her life to the mastery of weapons – after all, weaponless combat she had already mastered. Hiroko learned to be an expert shot, both legally and illegally, practiced Kenjutsu, confiscated weapons from her targets and, once her self-confidence sufficed, pressured her father into reactivating his connections back in Japan.

At 28, her income was finally enough to allow her to step into her father’s footsteps in more ways than one, and the family dojo that was now Hiroko’s rose from the ashes, officially a place to learn karate and self-defense, but behind the walls of the gym room also a place to store weapons deliveries, exchange dirty guns used in crimes, place orders for weapons brought over from across the Pacific, and, for a small fee, also be trained in their usage. She has also been known to let other Brotherhood members crash in one of the backrooms and to offer temporary jobs to gang members down on their luck, provided they possess the necessary fighting skills.

Hiroko loves the Brotherhood’s value of anarchy. She is a big fan of the mantra of “survival of the fittest” and considers those who would not survive without any help weak. She is very proud of her own shrewd survival and her strength. That being said, she also loves teaching people to be strong. If you come into one of her classes being weak, expect to leave stronger and for her to be proud of you as long as you put in the effort. She genuinely loves teaching people to grow (okay…Brotherhood members and civilians….) and adores having her customers walk out stronger – be that through the power of a firearm or the ability to land a mean right hook.

Wanted connections:

Dojo customers: Someone who wants to learn self-defense, karate or kenjutsu (since the dojo is deep in Brotherhood land, probably only possible for Brotherhood, civilian, government and media characters, maybe law enforcement?)

Gang "customers": Brotherhood members who need weapons ranging from a switchblade knife to hand grenades. Hiroko also helps make guns disappear that were involved in crimes.

Sparring partner: Someone who is just as good at hand-to-hand combat as she is (or even better ... who knows?) and who loves to get some practice in.

The one who introduced her to the Brotherhood / mentor: There is some wiggle-room with the timeline here, but the general gist is this: This character was already a member of the Brotherhood about fifteen (plus or take a few years) ago. Maybe they recognized something in Hiroko, or maybe she just was really persistent, but this character kind of took her under their wings and gave her her first assignments. What kind of relationship they have now and whether the character is happy with their choice can all be plotted out.

The one she has a feud with (member of another group): Maybe Hiroko punched this person in the face many years ago. Maybe this person punched Hiroko in the face. One of them lost a confrontation and has never been able to live it down, not until the day blood is spilled again.

Party buddy: You would not think so from her excess of black clothing and often pissed-off demeanor, but Hiroko loves to let her hair down, go to bars, dance, play pool or darts, and just have a good time. Maybe also someone to get drunk with. Again, probably only open to Brotherhood or civilian characters, maaaybe government or media.

Exes: Again, this can be plotted out - anything from a short-term fling to an actual relationship goes.

[hiroko--okamoto]

kuriyama chiaki as nakaba rion KEI x YAKU (2022)