Bushi
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Bushi (Japanese: ツジギリ Tsujigiri) is a 
Fire element Pal.
Appearance
Bushi is a tall humanoid Pal that mostly mirrors the classic image of the wandering Samurai archetype. Most of Bushi's skin is a light beige in colour, though the forearms, legs, and top half of the head are a dark grey. Its torso is wrapped in white sarashi bandages, covering the point where the beige on the body changes to dark grey. Its legs are long and hollow, and flare out at the ends, resembling a hakama. There are triangular "cutouts" where the feet would be. The bottom rims of these legs are the same beige colour as the head and upper body. Held in its left hand is an orange and white katana and scabbard, which it always keeps by its left hip when it is not resting. Adorning the shoulders is a red thigh-length cape with orange guards attached to the sides.
Perhaps the most striking feature is the large wide-rimmed circular hat, resembling that of an ashigaru's jingasa or sandogasa, from which an orange flame billows from the top. A red band below the hat keeps it secured on Bushi's round head, which is connected to the body by a thin neck, and features two light-red eyes and a small mouth, from which a piece of straw is often carried.
Behavior and habitat
Cautious and calculative. This Pal usually does not attack unless provoked. It treats its battles with precision and will perform dash-like strikes, but it is also known to shoot elemental blades of all element types. It is one of the few Pals that is capable of wielding almost all elements.
Utility
Bushi is able to ???.
History
Trivia
- This Pal was featured in Paldeck #067 on 09/03/2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMXo094Mbv8
- Bushi may be inspired by a rōnin, a lone, wandering swordsman. In historical contexts, the term specifically referred to an armed man who has either been outcasted or gone rogue, or has no fealty to any liege lord, which would make such a man very low on the social caste system of feudal Japan compared to normal samurai, and not worthy of any respect. Rōnin are often depicted as wearing large, wide hats to cover their entire heads from the public, as they were considered so lowly and shameful to the point that the common folk were not allowed to look upon their faces.
- Bushi's Japanese name, Tsujigiri (literally "crossroads killing"), is named after the act of samurai testing a new sword or martial technique by killing a random unsuspecting commoner, usually at night, due to commoners not being of the military caste, and thus having little-to-no rights. The practice was declared illegal by the Edo period, in 1602.
- Bushi's English name, by comparison, is simply a synonym for any feudal-era warrior. It is the word which the term bushido, the traditional Japanese code of warrior ethics and expectations, is derived from. In historical usage, it is not interchangeable with the word samurai in the Japanese language.
