Project work:: UPDATED. Character names/suggestions needed

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

WELL.
Since I've noticed the quality of my art is slipping (massively at that) and I don't want to be doing crap pages for my ongoing projects, I'm attempting to figure out a new project idea.

So far the only things that I have determined are::
~~-It will be a shoujo~~ EDIT:: It will be a slight mix between both shoujo and shounen
-It will revolve around a cosplay cafe's staff members
-There will be at least five main characters
-Every character will have a playing card motif (Spades, hearts, etc.) depending on his personality in the cafe
-The cast will be mostly male with perhaps one or two exceptions
-Each waiter will have an In-cafe personality
-Each character has a certain "drop" that allows their costumes to become real/grants them weapons/abilities.

And so far, I am considering...
-Giving it a twist of fantasy (like Sailor Moon or something)
~~-Giving each main character a "type" and "ability" (I guess a little like OHSHC)~~
-[If given a fantasy twist] Giving the cosplay cafe a "hidden" service (like assassination or something)
-~~[If taking the hidden service] Giving each character a second personality.~~
-Debating whether to set the main story in Japan or America. I know more about America, but there are words/ways of speaking in Japan that would really help me with the one character I have set.
-[If taking an action route] Making the character's fighting style revolve around his/her costume
~~-Making a regular/chef apprentice [likely female] the character who tells the story~~

Legend
Bolded things are newly determined.
~~Striked~~ things are thrown out the window
Underlined things urgently need to be decided
Italicized things are newly added

Set characters::
-Vi Date
Motif:: Hearts
In-cafe personality:: Submissive
Points of interest:: Only Japanese staff-member, prefers to be called "Vi-chan", extremely observant, somewhat matches in-cafe personality outside of the cafe, comes from a very wealthy family, is trilingual, is a hopeless romantic in secret, is the only female waitress, cross-dresses as a man during work hours.
Usual Costume:: Neko
Drop type:: Cross drop - Capable of becoming a spear, but doesn't magically give Vi proficiency in using it. Grants Vi the ability to locate a target based on thought so long as she knows his/her face and/or name.

-Luciano Marinucci (No Kudo, you have no say in this)
Motif:: Clubs
In-cafe personality:: Enigmatic/Silent
Points of interest:: Has Italian parents, but not Italian culturally, is called "Lucici" (Lew-chee-chee) by some of his colleagues, is blind in his right eye, is the youngest of the staff, has the most experience waiting, originally worked in a high-class ristorante, doesn't talk much, is extremely graceful, has a fear of embers, appears to fear cooks and relationships, loves plushies and animals, hates clowns, actually knows how to use a sword, doesn't speak Italian...at all.
Usual Costume:: Vagabond Warrior
Drop type:: Shield drop - Capable of forming into a sword. Abilities are unknown as Luciano is proficient with swords. Assumed that it has defensive capabilities.

-Fiacre Moreau
Motif:: Diamonds
In-cafe personality:: Gentleman
Points of interest:: French immigrant, first language was French, hair is dyed light green, is a smooth-speaking trickster outside of the cafe, dislikes being mistaken for a female (but refuses to cut his hair short), doesn't mind wearing feminine clothing (wait, what?!), one of the newer staff-members, tends to speak French to the customers, has a fascination with mythological trickster animals, has poor cooking ability, is banned from using kitchen appliances in the cafe, has no odd accent, worked with Luciano before the start of the story.
Usual costume:: Ninja
Drop type:: Mantis drop - Capable of forming into a kusari-gama. Able to extend and retract the chain at any moment and grants Fiacre extraordinary flexibility.

Please give me your opinion (hopefully it'll be critique and not a bash/flame) and maybe pitch ideas to me?
I'm especially keen on character ideas and costumes (male) since I only have one character set.
After I get all the characters down (and maybe the setting) I'll be more open about possible storylines I guess.
And title ideas are definitely welcome. -nodnod-

Valiant poster Number of posts : 405 Age : 30 Registration date : 2008-10-25

uh not that there's anything wrong with shojo, but i (again, PERSONALLY) don't like it (especially if it's uber girly and detailed, etc ^^; )
the only-girl-at-an-all-boys-thingy seems to be a somewhat tired-ish plot (but i think if it's just to improve art it's fine)
i think action scenes would be cool... maybe it's just me in all my tomboyish glory (do people say tomboy anymore...? )

hey, you going to post this on dA? Very Happy

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

Time to attempt to answer in order xD
Ergh, this is my second shoujo attempt, but the first one that's been composed of namely one gender. Before they were always equal amounts. ._.

Actually, Vi is just a muse that I'm following at the moment. I plan on focusing more heavily on the guys, but I have no idea how to start with them...which is a first. I usually have a fountain of it. It makes me sad that I don't have that now.

Besides which, most of my series are action-oriented with little time for me to work with anything else, so I'm trying my best to make it work for me this time. I mostly want to work with drawing male figures since I seem to have an aversion to non-feminine figures art-wise.

The action scenes seem like they'll be fun to do, actually. I just don't now if I'll be able to add it very easily. If I add action scenes, then I have to give them more than just oddball personalities and whatnot. Aaand I'll actually have to give reason for the plot-points. Only reason it's under consideration and not determined already, really.

And I probably will be posting it on DA when I get around to doing it.
Reminds me though. I need to learn how to draw interiors.xD

Admin Number of posts : 946 Age : 30 Registration date : 2008-10-23

I DIDN'T KNOW YOUR STYLE WAS SHOUJO
Action and Shoujo don't mix too well, UNLESS most of the action involves "foot + male-tender-area"
Who is the main character and Foreigners are ALWAYS okay.

Shonen is my style (Chibi when I draw in class) and that always seems to work with the humor and action. Though I do admit, Shoujo adds depth to the character as the "sparkly" details are added.

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

Hurhur.
Well, my style isn't all out shoujo, it's somewhere in between. Recently my people are getting less pointy and a little cuter-looking, but it still has a serious aura to it.
o3o
Painful kick is painful.

Hmm...well, shoujo+action is usually a poor mix if it's got a crappy storyline.
-not actually a very big fan of all-out shoujo-
But action sprinkled in with character development and morality issues seems to be a popular thing. Can't say I know why.
Though if I put action in, I might have to do something about their costumes. o3o

over 1000! Number of posts : 1084 Age : 30 Registration date : 2008-10-25

You better make them sexy or I will kill you at night.

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

...that's...encouraging.
Feedback on a potential character please?

Fiacre Moreau
Motif:: Diamonds
In-cafe personality:: Gentleman
Points of interest:: French immigrant, first language was French, hair is dyed light green, is a smooth-speaking trickster outside of the cafe, dislikes being mistaken for a female (but refuses to cut his hair short), doesn't mind wearing feminine clothing, one of the newer staff-members, tends to speak French to the customers, has a fascination with mythological trickster animals, has poor cooking ability, is banned from using kitchen appliances in the cafe.
Usual costume:: In consideration (Don't know why, but I keep thinking ninja. I doubt that'd be a good idea though)

Valiant poster Number of posts : 405 Age : 30 Registration date : 2008-10-25

for fiacre moreau, i should hope that's an actual french name (lol, i don't know any french DX ), b/c if it isn't then it starts irritating me. meh, stupid pet peeve. DX i mean, a foreign-to-that-country's first name's fine... i dunno, it's just something that bothers me X3

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

Haha.
I always take names into careful consideration. His name is French. o3o
When they come from a realistic setting, I give my characters all real names.
Even Vi's names are both real, but they're not both Japanese. o3o
I have pet peeves when names don't match their histories or families though...

Moderator Number of posts : 538 Age : 30 Registration date : 2008-10-24

I'll just talk to you about this at other times...I'm not an expert (actually, as far as any sort of projects like this, I should be one of the last people to ask about stuff like this) But I'll take a look at what I can (if I feel like it later)

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

Decided not to fly with the personality switching.
Too complicated, and they already have in-cafe and out-of-cafe personalities. o3o

Valiant poster Number of posts : 269 Age : 31 Registration date : 2008-10-25

Double post is ugly, but needed. -hatehatehate-
Character ideas::

-[American name needed]
Motif:: Spades
In-cafe personality:: Dominant/Flirty
Points of interest:: Constantly used by Vi in skits, pronounces every name wrong, is American, collects guns of all types, has a girlfriend, is protective of all girls, often accidentally trips others during work, is an exceptional cook, does sleight-of-hand tricks, isn't very flirty outside of the cafe, has a lot of pride, takes meticulous care of his costume, happens to be well-read.
Usual Costume:: Magic Gunner
Drop type:: Space drop - Capable of recreating the arm-guard into any gun and allows for the gun to fire "magic" ammo. Is the only drop-type that is embedded into the costume.

-[name needed. Any ethnicity - female]
Motif:: N/A
In-cafe personality:: N/A
Points of interest:: Is the newest member of the staff, is restricted to the kitchen, still required to wear a costume, is a decent chef, likes pastries, is (obviously) a girl, is slowly befriending the others, doesn't know Vi is a girl (yet), is often picked on/teased by Fiacre, wishes Luciano would be more open/less afraid, only speaks one language. [more can be added]
Usual Costume:: Angelic Jester (no true identification. Made to accommodate chef clothing requirements)
Drop type:: Magic drop - Capable of becoming a staff. Abilities unknown as it has not been used yet. Drop was originally meant for Vi, but given to [name here] for protection.

Suggestions/changes appreciated. Pleaaaase? :'D

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