Rei Saionji/Personality

Here There Be Dragons

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS Rei is the consummate image of this, at least on the surface. He excels at the top of his classes, is active in extracurricular organizations and is well-regarded by his peers. The fact that he happens to come from a family name of significant clout and wealth only furthers the image, though it's one he makes no particular effort to maintain. From Rei's perspective he only does what comes naturally to him, or how he knows he is expected to act in regards to his position. ALOOF Although Rei observes all the courtesies and politeness where it is proper, it might be a stretch to call him friendly. There is a distinct reserve that serves as buffer between the Saionji heir and his fellow human beings. A man with many acquaintances but few apparent friends, he quite prefers this state of affairs, disliking the unwanted obligations and troubles too many people often bring. SOLITARY In relation to the above trait, Rei often prefers to be by his lonesome. He studies alone, practices alone and lives alone. He pursues few social activities beyond those he deems necessary for any positions he may hold and often rejects invitations with the constant, convenienct excuse of always having something more important he must attend to. He does not particularly enjoy the presence of others, and knows exactly where his limits lie. EASILY IRRITATED Although he strives to be as pleasant as courtesy demands thanks to years of hard-won lessons in observing social niceties, Rei inwardly counts up all the different ways a person irritates him as soon as they walk into the room and any given social interaction is a waiting game of how long he can stand to hide it. In general it varies with personality types - he can easily suffer the presence of the quiet, the meek and those who respect boundaries. It's loud, outgoing, curious sorts who press his buttons with a fury. Such individuals burn through his patience like a box of kleenexes. NIHILIST Rei himself professes to have no particular desires or ambitions for life. He appears to do otherwise only because the of the demands on him as a member of the Saionji family and it's next presumptive head, having been raised in an environment that breeds a reliance on orders and directives. Yet has no sense of pride in his accomplishments, nor any ambition for his future. He does only what is expected of him because he has no wants of his own, and terms following the will of other people as 'better than nothing' though even that is being tested lately. He sees no point in existential despair over this fact, instead resenting the world for it's utter pointlessness, and the futile lives that fail to see it for what it is. MISANTHROPE Humans are by and large foolish, lazy, useless creatures seen by Rei. He considers few people worth knowing, and thus worth his time. He hides his general revulsions for the commonality as best he can, but that impatience and disgust for others always lurks near to the surface of his psyche. He's seen far too often the way people lie, mistrust and abuse one another and has largely written them collecvely as deserving the misfortunes and failings. Thus his ears are deaf to cries of injustice or pleas of mercy. Everyone has done something to deserve their misery, and he'll not indulge anyone's ego by pretending otherwise. PERFECTIONIST While he has no particular care for what he does, Rei does care that it is done /well/. He holds himself to high standards that he doesn't expect others to meet, and dislike being surprised in this regard, especially if someone should happen to outperform him. Life in the viciouslt meritocracy of the Saionji household has bred and intense competetiveness and rivalry necessary for survival in Rei's own case, and there is no off switch to comparatively lower stakes of life outside the family's hallowed halls. ELITIST While Rei does find most everyone equally insufferable regardless of social status, there is plenty he considers beneath him. Most pedestrian, 'common' activities are privately scoffed at and shunned. He is keenly aware of class boundaries and restrictions even in the modern day and tends to observe them most of the time. He certainly considers himself in the top social sphere, and even if it hold no particular meaning for him it unnerves him to see others intruding where they don't belong. MAN FROM TOKYO Although Sumaru is certainly not in the 'sticks' as it were, it is in a particular region of Japan that is sometimes portrayed in popular cultures as being a bit off-kilter, it's residents often stereotyped as one-off characterizations of a certain mold. The last ten years of Rei's life have been spent in Tokyo, where he considers himself having been born and raised. Combined this with his elite upbringing and the Saionji heir as general distaste for the city and it's inhabitants being somewhat beneath him and the capital city's superior regional culture. Don't even get him started on the legitimately rural areas like Inaba.