sanzo
family dojo
For several years the Sanzo family has been a socially elite family of Japan. Very rich and notorious, the Sanzo’s are said to be involved in pirating and extortion. Annually, the Sanzo’s hold a tournament to show their good fortune and superior fighting skill that they have dominated for countless years. Two Sanzo members uphold this legacy of marital dominance named Ioi and Hiro. However, Ioi is aging and in the wings awaits a young teenager named Utesemi who wishes to carry on this legacy of champions.
the Sanzosymbol
"The Tiger and the Dragon"
The Tiger and the Dragon mondokoro are engulfed in red to represent power and strength. The two creatures, the ferocious tiger, and majestic dragon stare at each other with gem-like eyes. The yellow eye of the dragon is used to represent energy and intellect. The blue eye of the tiger represents trust, tranquility, and security. Both creatures are shown in black to represent the mystery of the secrets held within the Sanzo dojo.
martial arts name and origin
Kaneshi was Shimabuku's, the creator of Isshin-ryu, number one student. Who spread the teaching of Isshin-ryu throughout Japan. During a tournament against Eiko's students a martial artist named Kenta Sanzo was handily defeated. After defeat, Kenta sought several rematches yet lost all of them. After defeat, Kenta was approached by Eiko himself and, due to his tenacity, was invited to be a student of Isshin-ryu. Not only did Kenta swiftly surpass the existing students, but finally grew to challenge and defeat the one who defeated him so many times. Through his victories, Kenta began developing his style of Isshin-ryu, and near the death of his grand master was peacefully granted permission to part from his school and pursue the influence of his own achievements. Thus birthed Sansshinryu Karate-Do: A striking art based off the kata of Isshinryu which focuses on striking opponents to vital areas of the body to inflict the maximum damage with minimal effort.
mystic art
10th Degree Mystic Art: “Sanzu Gami”: Manifests itself in two ways. The mystic dragon, Ren, which protects the Summoner or party, or as the ferocious, Misaki, the giant tiger with limitless Strength.
Sanzo characters
Ioi Sanzo
The controlling entity of the Sanzo province is anything but friendly. Ioi is a brash, aggressive, judgmental, and malicious. Though the Sanzo district is a prosperous area, the Sanzo way is questionably legal. Ruling with an iron fist, Ioi prefers to collect what is owed in person. This behavior is displayed toward anybody including family members and students of Sansshinryu. Ioi trusts no one, fears no one, and lives the proverb that it is better to be feared than loved.
Ioi Sanzo can be described with one word. Ruthless. Like his father before him, Ioi leads with an iron fist and continues the cycle of hatred with his lust for power and contempt for those in his way, even if they were family. Trying to hide his malicious ways behind the bottle, Ioi Sanzo has become somewhat of an alcoholic.
Ioi is not a man who gets attached to anything. Ioi will only negotiate if it absolutely benefits him. Ioi will use his most powerful attacks first and prefers overkill rather than a balanced attack.
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Echigoya Sanzo
Echigoya is the spiteful older brother of Lord Ioi Sanzo. Legend has it that while on his deathbed, Hiro Sanzo, Echigoya and Ioi's late father, had his two sons fight for control of the house rather than pass it down to the oldest, as was tradition. Though Echigoya matches Ioi in every way, he lost the competition to his more aggressive and ambitious, younger brother. Now, as they say in the Sanzo province, "You can see the hate in Echigoya's eyes." many believe that that defeat led Echigoya down a path of darkness. Some even believe that it is only a matter of time before Echigoya betrays his brother and family.
Echigoya Sanzo blames himself for not displaying the kind of ruthlessness his father was seeking to lose control of his stake in the family hierarchy. However, he has not become what he describes as “a poor excuse of a man, who hides his anxieties behind a bottle of Sake”. He schemes and plots behind the scenes to further the Sanzo name despite hurting people in the process. Older people of the Sanzo district believe that because he was not granted a rematch, he abuses others to quell the hatred that lies behind his eyes.
Echigoya delivers ultimate punishment to those who cross him. Like his brother, Echigoya will use powerful attacks to finish off opponents, starting first by bragging about and performing of the Sanzu Gami. Once an opponent is down, though, Echigoya sees no point in the act of overkill.
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Sanzaka Sanzo
Some say the Sanzo infamy stems from the actions of one Sanzaka Sanzo. Sanzaka's high intellect and striking physical features make him a match like no other. Coupled with his curious and manipulative natural instincts, Sanzaka is known to use mental prowess far before he allows himself to be encountered physically. Knowing that he is “easy on the eyes” and abundantly wealthy, Sanzaka is extremely selective of the opposite sex company that he keeps.
Sanzaka Sanzo is the would-be prince of the family and the oldest of the next generation of Sanzo. Holding deep-seated anger toward his family, namely his father Echigoya for losing, Sanzaka conducts himself as if he were the highest-ranking Sanzo member. Frequently reminding his younger family members of his late grandfather’s poor decision, Sanzaka has turned his anger into a way of increasing wealth as a distraction from his current position.
As a character, Sanzaka will always act like a boss. He does not travel alone, will never face conflict unless he either absolutely must, or feels he must save the people in his group. Instead, Sanzaka will defeat opponents through bribery, wordplay, or deception.
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Seikiya Sanzo
Seikiya is the daughter of Ioi Sanzo. Once the beautiful princess of the Dragon and the Tiger, Seikiya now spends her days in isolation and darkness. On a lonely night, Seikiya was out for a walk and was gang-raped by several men. To hide their crime these men doused Seikiya in oil and set on fire. By the grace of God, Seikiya survived this brutal attack, but her entire body is now covered in burn scars. However, the scar that has left the deepest mark is the mental one. Now rarely seen in public, Sanzaka will cover herself in wrappings, and never travels alone. Sanzaka spends her days seeking a cure to her physical condition and will sacrifice anything to return to her youthful appearance.
Seikiya Sanzo was a sweet and innocent girl until her tragic accident. Now, she struggles to accept her place in the world and is consumed with the thought of ending her suffering by taking her life, unless she can find a way to rid herself of her scars. Once full of life, depression has taken residence in Seikiya’s head, and now she contemplates death daily.
Seikiya does not enter a battle unless she feels she will be killed by whatever the threat may be. She will not save anyone other than Utsemi, her youngest brother Utsemi, for whom she will fight with all her might. Despite her prowess as a martial artist, Seikiya will assume a seated position when events seem grave, to welcome perceived oncoming death. This makes her a liability in many scenarios.
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Utsemi Sanzo "The Shimmering Knight of the Darkenss"
Utsemi views the surviving members of his family as guiding, caring individuals. Because of his age and naiveté, he does not understand the overall negative public opinion about The Dragon and the Tiger. Knowing that one day he will be the head of the dojo and land owned by his family, Utsemi fights to change the misconception about his family in and around his province. Called, “The Shimmering Knight of the Darkness”, Utsemi uses his abilities to correct wrongdoings he encounters in the real world.
Utsemi Sanzo is the only male to bring delight, rather than fear, with his presence. He is said to be a breath of fresh air coming from the Dagon and the Tiger dojo. Utsemi is caring, considerate, and compassionate. He spends a lot of his time talking to his sister, Seikiya, giving her positive reinforcement while treating her scars and rebandaging her body. Angered by his family’s reputation, Utsemi’s goal is to change the reputation of his family, will apologize for several of their past digressions, and is quietly fuming while awaiting his opportunity to lead.
Utsemi Sanzo is a valiant hero. He will go out of his way to assist others, even if it means pausing his own endeavors. He will inject himself into the matters of others to find a solution, and prove he is different from his family. This does not always bode well for the young soon-to-be Lord.
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