EPIC! Oretachi/Characters

Get to know the characters from the junior high Slice of Life light novel EPIC! Oretachi.

The EPIC!-tachi

Tsugumu Minagawa

"Female rapists? THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!"

The central character and the unreliable narrator of the EPIC! journal entries. Tsugumu finds personal entertainment in anime, writing, and being with his twin sister. He'll do anything to be with the latter.

• Accidental Pervert: JUST. DON'T. ASK.
• Big Eater: Remember that time when he had five bowls of fried rice + the food itself all while talking over a certain sex video? HE LOVED IT AND WANTS TO DO IT AGAIN.
• Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: The absolute epitome of this trope.
• Driven to Suicide:
• Moral Event Horizon: Tsugumu killed people over the death of his twin sister and elder brother and thought they'd be proud of him for the vengeance.
• Nightmare Fetishist: One man's Squick is Tsugumu's Squee.
• The Smart Guy: Well, Tsugumu can't analyze things. He's much better with presenting explicit info.
• Wife Husbandry: Ask a certain Troper about what happened to him over at the Cute Shotaro Boy Troper Tales page.
• Yandere: Towards his family members.

Tsukiyo Minagawa

"What you just said to me was just so moe-inducive!"

One of Tsugumu's best friends and his twin sister. Tsukiyo likes watching Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya reruns, and she's also a How I Met Your Mother fangirl. And she glomps everybody. She means everybody.

• Cloudcuckoolander (Tsukiyo also believes that reality is unecessary, yet she believes it is recommended for those who need to get a grip on life and everything else.)
  • Which is probably why the twins both have over-the-top emotional states and vocal chords that can even withstand cold weather.
• Cute Bruiser (Tsukiyo is actually good at sports and martial arts.)
  • This is a subversion, really, Tsukiyo is a very optimistic person who's a little more down-to-earth than twin brother Wide-Eyed Idealist Tsugumu.
• Enemy Mine (Tsukiyo is best friends with Tsugumu's mortal enemy, Renako.)
  • If Tsukiyo shares a growing friendship with one of Tsugumu's enemies, she tries to educate the enemy about Tsugumu's reasons for being a Wide-Eyed Idealist.
• Expy (The calmer, more down-to-earth side of the author, especially due to the author's self-controllable and reality-accepting state during sixth grade.)
  • Tsukiyo TOO can be considered a Spiritual Successor to Kona-chan.
• Genre Savvy (Tsukiyo believes that every sitcom that's centered around a 20's to 30-year old guy involves falling in love with someone and ultimately marrying them.)
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse (She too is like Tsugumu, when it comes to her strength.)
  • Yes, she can high five someone pretty hard, at times, even maintaining the redness of the victim's hands.
• Trademark Favorite Food (Mostly like Tsugumu, except for her ice cream dish.)
  • Favorite ice cream dish: 2 scoops of white chocolate topped with fried crepe crumbs, and hazelnuts. Finished with a liberal dose of Nutella.
• Yangire (Tsukiyo is more of a yangire, her anger having more face faults and less trauma that Tsugumu.)
  • The Yangire-ness of Tsukiyo often comes from a very bad sister complex, or Tsukiyo's recurring perfectionism.

Ryouji Chinaka

"Do you really think that plan will work? Think of the pre-imposed limits!"

One of Tsugumu's other best friends. Ryouji is also a Haruhi fan, and is pretty much ambiguously religious, yet he is a Haruhiist. He has a growing relationship with Renako, the latter of which is Tsugumu's enemy.

• Class Representative (Ryouji is representative of Class A of the 7th Grade.)
• Deadpan Snarker (Ryouji is one of the most down to earth people you can meet.)
  • Like Kyon, Ryouji is pretty much able to point out flaws, but Ryouji create a plan that can be within certain limits, provided there is no budget.
• Expy (Subverted, however, as Ryouji is only partially based off the author's best friend.)
• Genius Bruiser (Ryouji is a former hockey player and current track runner who likes reading up on current issues, and historical facts, which explains his good grades.)
  • Ryouji is also good at martial arts, particularly aikido.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold (Tsugumu gets pissed off by Ryouji due to his sarcastic statements about idealism.)
  • Ryouji is pretty much aloof to ideals in general, but Tsugumu's over-reacting just makes Tsugumu who he is.
• Restored My Faith in Humanity (Subverted. After Ryouji finished watching Haruhi and reading all of its related novels, Ryouji realized one thing.)
  • Not all Humans Are Good and not all Humans Are Bastards--its just that humans are capable of doing anything, with possible ways.
    • Ryouji's answer to Apocalypse How: Increase in poverty, gov't corruption, destruction of the environment.
• Shirtless Scene (Ryouji pretty much has appeared in a Beach Episode the makings of a six-pack at this age, even when he's The Napoleon.)
• The Napoleon (Taken to extremes, as his mom's side has a bit of vertically-challenged relatives.)
  • Yet oddly, Ryouji's a Genius Bruiser with a six-pack, who likes milk.
• Puppy Love (Ryouji told Tsugumu one time over a Y!M conversation that he had been fantasizing about a romance between himself and Renako.)
  • Yet strangely, Ryouji and Renako have premature Belligerent Sexual Tension.

Renako Kinami

"Well you can kiss my African Wild Ass if you want to, but don't even."

One of Tsugumu's enemies and Tsukiyo's best friends. Renako is pretty much aloof to Tsugumu and is good at every other subject where he isn't. Renako also loves watching Nanoha.

• Class Representative (Renako is class rep for Tsugumu's class, 7-B.)
  • There is a subversion, however. Nobody calls her iincho.
• Deadpan Snarker (Renako can even point out the flaws of basically anything.)
  • Well, Renako IS observant after all.
    • She's so observant that she expands on the flaws on certain plans pre-pointed out by Ryouji!
• Expy (Renako is a revised yet author-biased rendition of the class representative of his section, who always goes from girl scout to the tiny dangerous one.)
  • Her position in the student council and her Tsundere-ness can reflect that of Kagami Hiiragi, with her cooking skill akin to that of Tsukasa Hiiragi.
• Lethal Chef (Subversion, however, Renako makes the best food that rivals that of Tsukiyo--)
  • Its just that people will want more and Renako only gives firsts to anyone but her family and Ryouji.
    • Simply put, Renako's food is a literal one-time chance every month.
• Master of the Mixed Message (Ryouji doesn't know if the feeling between Renako and him is mutual, yet...)
  • Renako's messages come in the form of sitting with him during lunch, and writing poetry centric towards two people who are like Ryou and Rena in terms of personality.
• Puppy Love (Ryouji and Renako are starting to realize the things that make them a possible target for shipping.)
  • Strange thing is, Ryou and Rena are a premature Takahashi Couple.
• Slap Slap Kiss (At first, Ryouji is thrown a drink, but guess what Renako does when he holds Ryouji by both cheeks?)
  • Premature make-out due to Renako's dress and Ryouji's missing shirt, anyone?
    • Well, they are going to have some sort of recognition of their feelings, people.
• Thou Shalt Not Kill (Renako is pro-animal, especially towards endangered species, yet someone else owes Renako a steak.)
  • A bit of a subversion, however, Renako despises PETA for their over-reaction against the murder of animals. She'd prefer that animals are only killed for practical purposes.
    • Simply put, meat to Renako isn't murder.
• Tsundere (Renako is initially Type A, but when Tsugumu kicks into Yandere mode and traumatizes her during a debate about idealism and cynicism, she becomes so scared of Tsugumu as a Yandere to the point of becoming Type B.
  • As a Type B Tsundere, Renako accepts the jokes Tsugumu makes and tries to get them, and sometimes has a laugh with him. Simply put, Renako will never let a debate like that provoke Tsugumu ever again.
    • Getting along with Tsugumu also needs assistance. Tsukiyo also helps out bring Tsugumu's brighter side to Renako.

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Hikariyama Academy

Sure enough, the 7th grade of Hikariyama is organized into four cliques, but the goal of the EPIC!-tachi is to make the cliques merge into one, as the EPIC!-tachi THEMSELVES were formerly part of cliques.

Jocks

The Jocks of Hikariyama Middle School is pretty much composed of kids who are pretty much talented at sports. They're pretty much indifferent to those certain people, and that's why Ryouji left them. Here they are:

Andou Misaki

One of Tsugumu's good friends and one of Tsukiyo's enemies, Andou is basically a guy amongst the popular crowd, and one of the premature pretty boys (Alliteration Ahoy!) besides Tsugumu and Ryouji.

• Bishounen (Andou has brown-chestnut hair, on the verge of becoming blonde, while his sparkling smile just makes people call him...)
  • Zettai Ryouiki Bishie Grade A, with the light brown hair!
• Boisterous Bruiser (Andou's pretty much a guy who likes having fun and can send a guy flying with his high-fives.)
  • The only guy who stays stable post high-fiving: Tsugumu. And sometimes, the two act like drinking buddies.
• Expy (Mostly an Expy of the author's classmate who was good at sports, mainly baseball and track.)
  • The original character's jerkitude was downplayed.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold (Especially around Tsugumu. Sometimes, he just makes Tsugumu fall for jokes. The good news is, Andou hugs the guy right after.)
  • But Andou sharply contrasts in terms of "jerkitude" with Ryouji's. Ryouji prefers to snark his day through, while Andou likes insulting random people just because of their flaws in character.
    • Especially the women. Somebody save the women.

Hector Kyunomono

One of Andou's best friends who has a deep connection with soccer, or football whatever-you-call-it. Hector is actually one of the nicest Jocks Tsugumu's ever met in his life.

• But Not Too Foreign (Hector is 1/8 Brazilian, 2/8 Spanish, 7/8 Japanese.)
  • Brazilian could come from the fact that soccer is VERY popular in Brazil.
    • Spanish--Real Madrid and Barcelona FC.
      • And Hector even shows those two soccer leagues off two.
• Cool Loser (Despite hanging out with the popular crowd, Tsugumu rates Hector as one of the most underrated guys in Hikariyama's 7th Grade.)
  • This pretty much stems from not many people hanging out with Hector but Andou himself, and some of the girls view this as some sort of Ho Yay phenomenon.
• Expy (Arguably an Expy of the author's classmate who was very good at soccer and had a very deep connection to it.)
• Theme Naming (Kyumono, Kyuno = Of the ball, Mono = person. Person of the ball.)
  • Perhaps this has to do with Hector's affinity with soccer in general, and his talent in the sport.

Tanner Galehardt

One of Tsugumu's good friends as well as Andou's, who is a transfer student from the US. He is addicted to go-kart racing and even excels in the sport, bringing his many medals to school.

• Boisterous Bruiser (Tanner and Tsugumu are often caught playing rough and jerking around with each other.)
• Eagleland (Tanner falls in between, however.)
  • Type 1: Subversion, however. Tanner isn't that much of a patriot, yet he considered the time when President Obama was head of the USA as... Best. President. Ever. And yes, Tanner is a Democrat.
  • Type 2: Tanner seems to be overly stubborn for a kid like him, even for Tsugumu--who is pretty stubborn himself. But Tanner's also a bit of a pro-life edgy guy.
• Expy (Tanner is an Expy of the author's classmate who has an affinity for go-kart racing.)
  • The skill is also pretty much identical to that of the source person.
• Phenotype Stereotype (Tanner is pretty much a green-eyed blonde guy.)
  • Yet his intelligence contradicts jokes revolving around his hair color.

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The Minagawa Family

Mitsuko Minagawa

The beautiful, prim and proper matriarch of the Minagawa family, she is a restauranteur owning 5 restaurants, 3 of which are in the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, the other two opened in other buildings.

• Cloudcuckoolander (Mitsuko's connection to reality is very vague at that.)
• Expy (Since this is a semi-autobiography, Mitsuko is a toned-down Expy of the author's mother.)
• Hot Shounen Mom (Subverted. Unlike many mothers of this type, Mitsuko actually learns how to maintain her hotness.)
  • She still reads Cosmopolitan, she uses anti-aging cream, facial moisturizers, and not that much make-up.
• The Ditz (Even when handling food, Mitsuko is pretty accident prone.)
  • The good news is, no one is ever injured, except for the food.
• Wide-Eyed Idealist (Mitsuko believes that ideals can even become realities, as long there are realistic limitations.)
  • She doesn't want a saccharine world! If Mitsuko wanted saccharine, then the whole world will never suffer of hunger as people are literally eating the world itself!

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Group Character Tropes

There are even Tropes that apply to more than one character here in EPIC, which shouldn't really be in the main EPIC page.

• Absurdly Powerful Student Council (The student council is actually capable of interrogating those who have been stealing air-con knobs with assisstance from the teachers. The same council members are capable of holding parties for certain purposes: one to commemorate the entrance of the 6th Grade, and another to commemorate the graduation of the 8th Grade.)
  • All four members of the EPIC!-tachi at one point were members of the Hikariyama Mixer Comittee at one point in their life, Tsukiyo and Tsugumu joining at around the same time.
• Trademark Favorite Band AND Anime AND Food (Tsugumu is partial to steaks, Tsukiyo's diet is chicken karaage-centric, Ryouji's favorite side is french fries, and Renako adores curry.)
  • Each member of the EPIC!-tachi even has their own favorite J-pop group or J-rock group. Even extends into Trademark Favorite Song!
    • Tsugumu = Perfume (Chocolate Disco, One Room Disco)
    • Tsukiyo = TWO-MIX (True Navigation, White Reflection)
    • Ryouji = UVERworld (Colors of the Heart, Prime)
    • Renako = Nana Mizuki (Astrogation, Massive Wonders)
  • Even all four members of the group have their own favorite anime, or TV show.
    • Tsugumu AND Tsukiyo = Sitcom: How I Met Your Mother, Anime: Lucky Star
    • Ryouji = Sitcom: Friends, Anime: Suzumiya Haruhi
    • Renako = Sitcom: Thirty Rock, Anime: Lyrical Nanoha