NARRABUNDAH 1/2 - The Characters

by Urac Sigma

(Note: Not only does this list contain a few spoilers, but
one or two facts are drawn directly from Urac Sigma, Suzy
Styles and Nicole Wylie's own heads, rather than anything
written in the actual Narrabundah 1/2 anime scripts.)

SIGMATOME RATBAT
Our hero/heroine (well, one of our main characters, anyway).
Rejinra martial arts was once his entire life (because Len
told him it was), but he is now discovering other things. He
still, however, rarely turns down a challenge, even if he
thinks it'll be a dumb idea.
Training with his father Len at the mysterious Jusenkyou
training ground in China, he was thrown into a spring called
Bianfudenyanniichuan, where a young chiropteran girl drowned
1500 years ago. He emerged as a female, as per the spring's
curse. When splashed with hot water, he changes back to a
boy, but when splashed with cold to room-temperature water,
he turns into a girl again.
There is a final twist to Ratbat's curse: he/she is gender
dysphoric. She prefers her female form, and originally
planned to achieve such a result by more conventional
methods.
Ratbat often gets herself into trouble over cultural or
social niceties, doing what comes to mind rather than what
someone with her may have intended.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Distinguishing features: Chiropteran in both forms. The
effective apparent upshots of this are quatromammarianism
(obviously more apparent in female form), fangs, prominent
ears. and slight finger webbing.
Long fingernails.
Clothing: Usually, but not always, Chinese-style clothing -
invariably, however, full-length and flamboyant. As one
might imagine, gets quite obsessive about it. Often wears
jewellery. Always wears sunglasses in daylight or bright
light (another chiropteran property).
Hair: Dark brown (male), red (female). Medium-length, worn
in a ponytail.
Eyes: Green-grey.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Bizarre is the only way to put it. Ratbat's
Japaneigo is often written as if it were English with a
randomised British accent. Apparently, therefore, throws
English phraseology and Scottish noises into Japanese speech
(eg 'Och, wakaranai.'). Her accents also reflects this.
Other than that, speaks with a mixture of forms and often
bad ('individualised') grammar. Has been heard to
colloquially invoke Glenda Jackson rather than God (eg,
'What in Glenda's name...?). Often uses feminine forms of
speech.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.
Voice: Urac Sigma.

TENDO SUZY
The youngest Tendo daughter. A hot-tempered boy-hater, yet
admired by many boys at school (much to her chagrin). She
refuses to be betrothed against her will, which seems to be
the main obstacle between her and Ratbat. She often regrets
when the more arrogant part of her nature blocks out a more
tender thing she may have meant.
Despite their constant bickering and denials, Suzy and
Ratbat grow to like each other (and feel jealous when the
other appears more interested in another suitor), but
neither can admit it. Suzy is further confused when she
finds out Ratbat's real gender - not knowing if she can love
another girl, not that she does anyway so go away nerf.
Like her dansei/josei, Suzy also is finding things away from
martial arts. In her case, this has come in the form of
anime, manga and so forth. Through this, she has become
besotted with the culture (both modern and traditional) of
her home country.
She also - for no reason anyone can ascertain - maintains
the appearance of having a sexual relationship with her
sister Niki.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Weapons: Wooden or rubber mallets, in varying sizes to fit
her mood and opponent (in most cases, pissed-off and Ratbat,
respectively).
Distinguishing features: Double(?)-jointed elbows, which
enable her to do a weird-looking twist trick.
Long fingernails, particularly left little finger. This
(more often than the others) is painted, usually black.
After an incident shortly after Euan's arrival, she now has
no nipple on her left breast. Miraculously, though, there is
no scar, merely smooth flesh.
Clothing: Mostly male-style clothing, although she has been
seen in a dress or skirt from time to time. Work-boots are
very common. Often some aspect of her clothing will reflect
some aspect of Japanese pop culture. Wears a dog collar
around her neck.
Hair: Dark brown. Shortish, mostly worn in twin Chun Li-type
buns, bound by very long ribbons.
Eyes: Blue-green.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Suzy's manner of speech is obviously heavily
influenced by anime, occasionally pulling phrases or quotes
directly from their source (this is less obvious in
Japaneigo). Only uses the polite form self-consciously, and
using it or not, frequently uses masculine speech
mannerisms. Liberally sprinkles her speech with the
interjection 'nerf' and the occasional completely random
phrase (which can take her anywhere).
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.
Voice: Suzy Styles.

TENDO NIKI
Suzy's conniving older sister who tends to get most of the
best lines in the series. A mischievous mercenary, con
artist, and bookie, she finds ways to turn a profit from the
odd situations she becomes a part of. She appears to have
dirt on most everyone in Neribanda after some form or
another. She pleads (accurately) that she isn't so bad as
she's sometimes made out to be (she was only ever teasing
Ratbat about something she'd read in his diary), but no-one
believes it. Thoroughly reciprocates the advances Suzy
pretends to make on her.
Age (at entrance): Seventeen.
Weapons: Camera? None, really.
Distinguishing features: Wide-eyed look that encompasses
everything.
Clothing: Wears modern, often skimpy clothing, always in
black or dark colours. Frequently has yen symbols somewhere
on her apparel.
Hair: Black. Past shoulder-length, worn out.
Eyes: Pale blue.
Skin: Very pale.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.
Voice: Niki O'brien.

SIGMATOME LENMA
Ratbat's unforsightful father. Long ago, Len (as he is
known) arranged with his closest friend, Tendo Bobbi, that
their children would marry.
While training Ratbat at the remote Chinese training ground
Jusenkyou, Ratbat kicked him into Shonmaoniichuan where a
panda drowned 2000 years ago. Len emerged as a panda, and as
the guide, Matt, explained the spring's curse, still went on
to try to attack Ratbat, leaving her to dodge into
Bianfudenyanniichuan.
He has no idea of his 'son''s original curse, thinking that
he wishes to return to China to regain a permanent male
form.
Unlike Ratbat, Len doesn't have much trouble with his curse,
and becomes quite accustomed to living as a panda
(comporting himself with human dignity even as he drinks
Scotch and plays (or rather, cheats at) shogi with Bobbi).
Since he can't speak as a panda, he uses wooden signs to
communicate.
Age (at entrance): Fifty-one.
Weapons: Wooden signs as a panda, or anything else of a
suitable size to hand.
Distinguishing features: As a human, a moustache.
Otherwise...well, he's a panda...
Clothing: Usually wears the same gi that he did to
Jusenkyou.
Hair: Grey. Short. When younger, it was black, although cut
the same. As a panda, black and white.
Eyes: Blue (often bloodshot with intoxication).
Skin: Caucasian.
Dialect: Casual, even sloppy Japanese. Occasionally adds
Scottish interjections (eg, 'Aye' instead of 'Hai'). Has
remnants of a Scottish accent. Is fond of the phrase
'bullshit'.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.

TENDO BOBBI
The Tendo girls' mother. Also Len's closest friend, the two
of them trained together in Rejinra martial arts. Now they
try to force Suzy and Ratbat to bond against their will,
which rarely does any good. Neither she nor Len has any idea
of the reality of things with either of their children.
She has been known to slip off conversations on tangents,
and use completely inappropriate examples, but her mind
seems fairly intact beneath it all. Recently, however, she
has started to become apathetic about life, probably brought
on by not being able to keep as much control in her re-
ordered household. For some reason, this has left her mind
to wander, and she now has an obsession with breasts.
Age (at entrance): Forty-three.
Distinguishing features: As Graham notes, an extremely flat
chest.
Clothing: Usually dark colours, consisting of long dresses,
kimonos or robes. Has been seen to adorn herself with Celtic
patterns and insignia. Doesn't wear underwear inside.
Hair: Brown with grey. Very long, sometimes tied, sometimes
not.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Slips between forms as would suit a head of
household or would suit a young girl (almost unnoticeable in
Japaneigo).
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.
Voice: Robyn Scholes.

TENDO FIONA
The eldest daughter. A traditional, proper Japanese girl,
taking over the household duties that her mother doesn't
(after Bobbi more or less took over as their father),
keeping house and cooking for the dojo's many guests. She
takes the bizarre events around the dojo in stride with
cheerful obliviousness or sympathetic remarks on the
obvious. Occasionally seems to know more about what's going
on than anyone. She is going out with the Kunou household's
servant, Hodjsuke Tim.
Age (at entrance): Nineteen.
Distinguishing features: Constantly benevolent facial
expression.
Clothing: Very feminine and neat. Dainty imagery and floral
patterns abound.
Hair: Light brown. Shortish.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Always uses polite form.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.

KUNOU JARRAH
Boastful captain of the kendo club, and for that matter,
most of the other clubs in the school. Apparently of wealthy
samurai lineage, although he doesn't seem to have grasped
that it is now the twentieth century. He is rather self-
obsessed, and often the obvious escapes him entirely. He
possibly has the capacity to act intelligently, were it not
for his tendency to think too much of the World According to
Kunou.
As president of too many clubs to mention, he ruled that
anyone who would date Suzy must first defeat her (owing to a
continuity error, he must have known who Suzy was and been
warning people ahead of time when he said this - she
wouldn't have actually been in the school until the
following year). At the start of the series, Suzy defeats
their attempts every morning, helped towards the end by
Ratbat. In the meantime, he falls in love with the pony-
tailed chiropteran girl who has also been seen since Ratbat
arrived. He hates Ratbat for the lack of respect he gives
him, and also for being too close to both Suzy and ponîtêru
no onna - never being able to decide for himself between the
latter two.
Age (at entrance): Seventeen.
Weapons: A rubber sword, provided by his servant Tim after
Ratbat burnt his wooden one.
Distinguishing features: Incredibly fine-bodied.
Clothing: Usually wears a samuari robe.
Hair: Black. Cropped short.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Needless wordy, and his Japaneigo comes across as
quasi-Shakespearean. Speaks poetically, usually about
himself, women, or some connection between the two.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 2.

HINOMIYA RUTHIE
Graham couldn't bring himself to ignore the sick child he
met in Kyoto, so he showed her a training technique which
would take her back to health. In fact, he taught her the
Happo go-en satsu chi-absorbing technique to take out the
opposition to his panty raids. When she absorbs chi, her
body grows and she takes on a much sterner frame of mind.
She and Graham were once mortal enemies after she left him,
but following one defeat and the former's less focussed
personality in later days, they are usually little more than
pests to each other.
As Ratbat and Suzy's teacher, she is intolerant of poor
discipline, which is usually where or when she absorbs
fighting energy.
Age (at entrance): Thirty-one (usually looks twelve).
Weapons: Coin (merely symbolic).
Distinguishing features: As an adult, a figure to die for.
Clothing: Glasses, black leather trenchcoat and black
sweater. Mysteriously fits just as well in either form.
Hair: Red. Shoulder-length.
Eyes: Hazel.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Uses forms appropriate to her apparent age at the
time.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 2.
Voice: Ruth Crabb.

KUONJI COLLEEN
Another fiancé for Ratbat. In 1984, on a training journey
with his father, Colleen's father told Len that 'Col' (whom
Ratbat thought was a boy) said she wants to be Ratbat's
wife, and he was thinking of giving them his okonomiyaki
yatai for a dowry. Len, thinking with his stomach, accepted.
Realising what he had done, he made Ratbat decide; he asked
Ratbat which he liked better, okonomiyaki or Colleen.
Unaware of Colleen's wish or gender (and biased by some
theatrics on Len's part), Ratbat chose okonomiyaki, so Len
ran off with the yatai and left Colleen behind. Shamed and
ridiculed by her peers, Colleen decided she wouldn't like
boys forever, and dressed and lived as one, feeling that
Ratbat had stolen her femininity.
Eleven years later, when Ratbat discovers her actual gender,
they reconcile and she becomes uncertainly attracted to her.
Ratbat generally treats Colleen as a close friend, but just
a friend nonetheless. She runs an okonomiyaki shop in town.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Weapons: Spatulas of many styles and sizes.
Clothing: Often wears a stylised boys' school uniform. Once
she starts the restaurant, she wears 'attractive' girls'
clothes on duty. Wears glasses with one arm missing. Also
has a bandolier armed with many small spatulas and one huge
one.
Hair: Dark brown. Long, worn in a ponytail.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Kansai dialect (ex. 'da' replaced with 'ya', '-sen'
-> '-hen', uses 'uchi' instead of 'watashi', says 'ooki ni'
for 'thank you').
First Appearance: Volume I, chapter 10.
Entrance: Volume II, chapter 1.
Voice: Colleen Hick.

HODJSUKE TIMOTHY
Kunou's 'pet ninja'. His personal servant, who comes up with
most of Kunou's ideas, but gets none of the credit. A
downtrodden figure, although shown to be several times
smarter than his master. Is currently dating Tendo Fiona.
Age (at entrance): Twenty-seven.
Distinguishing features: Rather short.
Clothing: Ninja outfit with the hood down - wears a Fuzzy
Bunny badge.
Hair: Blonde. Tousled and short.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 2.
Voice: Tim Hodge.

HAPPOUSAI GRAHAM
The feared and loathed former sensei of Bobbi and Len.
Thirteen years ago, he harshly trained them, soon giving way
to simply using them as blame or scapegoats for his own
nefarious activities. Finally, they got him drunk, and used
a prostitue to lure him into a cave, which they then sealed
him into.
In 1995, Euan (while still searching for Neribanda) punched
the boulder over the cave mouth, and Graham escaped.
Initially seeking revenge, he headed for the Tendo Dojo, but
soon decided he'd much rather enjoy his reclining years and
see who he could train as his successor.
An utter pervert, he constantly goes around lifting skirts,
stealing women's underwear for his extensive collection, and
committing frottage. It is not uncommon to see him chased by
hordes of women whose underwear he has just made off with.
Age (at entrance): Over a hundred.
Distinguishing features: Very short.
Clothing: Black and maroon clothing. These days, has a
leather jacket and an African-style hat.
Hair: Red and grey. Worn in a long ponytail and goatee
beard.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Caucasian.
Dialect: Speaks very casually all the time.
First Appearance: Volume I, chapter 7.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 8.
Voice: Graham Henstock.

TOBOKI EUAN
The eternally lost boy with fists of steel, a heart of
glass, and a brain of cabbage. In junior high back in
Hakodate, Euan was an almost-boyfriend for Ratbat (although
he doesn't seem to know about her innate girlhood). However,
after he told Ratbat to meet him for a one-on-one (Euan
maintains it was a fight, Ratbat says...differently), and
Ratbat didn't show (never mind that Euan got lost and took
seven days to get there, or that Euan found that he'd
actually forgotten to send the 'challenge' letter in the
first place) Euan got somewhat irate. By this point, Ratbat
had gone off with her father on a training expedition.
To avenge the grudge, he (miraculously) tracked Ratbat to
China eventually blundering his way to Jusenkyou, and into
Xiaotouenniichuan, where a piglet drowned 1200 years ago.
Euan blames Ratbat for his condition, and Ratbat has agreed
not to reveal Euan's secret. Niki, who was also present when
he told his story, needed a slightly more financially-based
reason than that honour stuff. Suzy adopted Euan the pig as
her pet 'B-chan'. Euan then proceeded to get a crush on her.
However, he is too shy about himself and his cruse to do
anything about it. Suzy is unaware that the pet pig she
sleeps with is Euan (probably lucky for him, really).
In addition to a complete inability to follow directions,
Euan is extremely strong, he often shatters rocks, walls and
other defenceless objects in his anxiety (it was because of
this that Graham escaped).
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Weapons: His infinite supply of hats, which he throws like
Oddjob from Goldfinger. He seems to always be able to pull
one from his head, having another underneath and never
running out.
Clothing: A yellow top, black trousers, GP boots and a grey
felt fedora with a yellow-and-black hatband. The hatband
remains as a collar when he changes into a pig (the hat,
unlike his other clothes, disappears and reappears like
Len's gi). Oval-shaped glasses.
Hair: Red. Long and frizzy, worn in a ponytail.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Attempts to be sophisticated, but often fails.
Occasionally mis-uses big words.
First Appearance: Volume I, chapter 2.
Entrance: Volume II, chapter 1.
Voice: Euan Bowen.

GOSUNKUGI SAM
A would-be magician in the same class at school as Ratbat
and Suzy. Try as he might, he can't seem to get a grip on
real magic. Is often to be found trying seances, voodoo
dolls or reading occult material.
He has been noted to think that the female-bodied Ratbat is
cute, but has never done anything about it.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Weapons: Occult props.
Distinguishing features: Sunken eyes.
Clothing: School uniform (one of the few worn at Narrabundah
College). Also wears glasses and has a candle strapped to
his head.
Hair: Blonde.
Eyes: Grey.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Occasionally tries to speak in a mysterious manner,
but generally fails.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 5.
Voice: Sam Smith.

SIGMATOME NICOLE
Ratbat's mother and Len's wife, who has barely seen either
of them since they left for training some time ago, although
they keep in contact via post. A kindly woman, she has
however apparently made Len promise to raise Ratbat to be a
man among men, otherwise the both of them must commit
seppuku. For this reason, Len is keeping his distance of
her.
When she does end up visiting the dojo, she finds no sign of
her son or husband, just of the Tendos' chiropteran cousin
Komoriko, and her pet panda.
Age (at entrance): Thirty-five (in flashback - present age
forty-seven).
Weapons: Katana.
Distinguishing features: A rather tall lady.
Clothing: Kimonos, usually purple.
Hair: Brown. Kept short.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 6.
Voice: Nicole Wylie.

SHIRATORI NOOMY
Cutesy martial arts/exhibition skater of the free-skating
Golden Pair. When she sees something she considers cute, she
gives it a French name and very selfishly claims it as her
pet, often going to violent ends to do so. Very childish,
acts as if she is only about six years old.
Distinguishing features: Big, bright eyes.
Clothing: Young children's clothing, mostly pink.
Hair: Black. Worn tied over the sides.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Oriental.
Dialect: Speaks like a much younger person, refers to
herself in the third person a lot.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 7.
Voice: Noomy Schwinghamer.

SANZENIN CHRIS
Conceited other half of the Golden Pair skating team. Tries
to be very elegant, often tiring of Noomy's childish
activities. Is convinced that every woman in the world wants
to date him, a notion which is, sadly for him, untrue.
Distinguishing features: Continually smug body language and
expression.
Clothing: Very expensive and fine, completely unsuited to
ice-skating.
Hair: Light brown.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Caucasian.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 7.
Voice: Chris Simpson.

KURENAI CHARLOTTE
While Colleen was attending an all-boys' school under her
assumed gender, she caught the eye of this high-spirited
individual. Appearing for all intents and purposes to be a
girl, Charlotte is, underneath the frilly clothes and long
hair, 100% male, and doesn't hold any illusions otherwise.
He doesn't even define himself as a transvestite - many
girls wear boys' clothes, so - since they suit him so well -
why shouldn't he wear girls' clothes?
Colleen tried to fob Charlotte off (for a master of disguise
like Charlotte, seeing through Col's cross-dressing wasn't
hard, especially after a couple of inadvertant hints by her)
by telling him she was engaged to someone already (ie,
Ratbat), but Charlotte refused to have his parade rained on,
and continues to declare his love for her to this day - even
from inside bizarre disguises such as clothes-baskets or
post-boxes.
Charlotte, after so long in disguises, has developed some
detective skills - more so, unsurprisingly, than anyone else
in Neribanda.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Distinguishing features: More undistinguishing - even
without his girls' clothes, he still appears very feminine.
Clothing: Cutesy, girly, feminine things, most of the time.
Always female clothing, no matter what. It is rumoured that
he might own one or two unisex T-shirts, but this is utterly
unconfirmed.
Hair: Dark brown, with a somehow purple tint to it. Fairly
long, worn in many different styles.
Eyes: Blue.
Skin: Oriental.
Entrance: Volume II, chapter 8.
Voice: Charlotte Sarossy.

MATT
Bemused guide to the mysterious and mystical Jusenkyou
training ground in China. He knows all of the stories and
curses of the various springs off by heart, and as such he
is amazed that anyone ever wants to risk going there.
Age (at entrance): Forty.
Clothing: Chinese guide's uniform. In later days, he seems
to have redesigned and reconstructed this to his own tastes.
Hair: Bald with a brown goatee.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Oriental.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 1.

SAYURI KIM
A student of Narrabundah College who likes attention.
Age (at entrance): Sixteen.
Clothing: Partly school uniform, partly casual clothes.
Hair: Black.
Eyes: Brown.
Skin: Asian.
Entrance: Volume I, chapter 7.

YUKA LOUISE
A friend of Niki's who doesn't always completely understand
her.
Age (at entrance): Seventeen.
Clothing: Very casual clothes, or a seiraa fuku.
Hair: Dark brown, cut rather short.
Eyes: Green.
Skin: Caucasian.
Dialect: Speaks casual Japanese with an English accent.
Entrance: Volume II, chapter 3.
Voice: Louise Douglas-Major

Narrabundah ½ created by Urac Sigma, Suzy Styles, Euan Bowen and Leila Fetter
Blatantly ripped off from an original idea by Takahashi
Rumiko.
A Recycadelic Cacti Production.


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   'Yes, my Queen!'                                                    |
|   'I wish he wouldn't call me that...'                                |
|   - Inferno and Megatron, BEAST WARS: TRANSFORMERS - BEFORE THE STORM |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Urac 'Ratbat' Sigma, the Green Flame  u962986@student.canberra.edu.au |
| Come on down to the Ratcave - http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1778 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+