Changelog: 2/25/2024So the Neocities site is more or less done at this point. Got the story, setting, mechanic and inspiration sections rockin', characters are loaded and ready to go.Had to do a lot of rejiggering with it's graphic design, but it's over all much better than what I could do on this site. I guess Carrd is only useful for hosting links and portfolios.Anyways click here to see the new site.
© Eric 'The Mayor' Aponte/Beast Coast Creative, 2022-23Any actual names or likenesses of real life celebrities, public figures and so on are used in a fictional, exaggerated and parodic manner that are not representative of any real persons.The images of any anime, manga, comic book and etc. that aren't of my own creation are used for educational example purposes only and are not meant to infringe on the IP owner. I willingly agree to take down any image material if asked.
Story / About
Tiago drawn by @JanisLCV/@JNSPortfolioNOTE: Design slightly outdated
In a world of fighting game and battle comic logic, where a supernatural fighting energy is an everyday occurence, two life long friends are finally ready for the next step in their lives.Tiago Tirado, a Nuyorican street fighter with a heart (and fists) of gold, and Casey 'Kidd Clown' Robinson-Bello, a shapeshifting mimic Circus Clown and Tiago's best friend since the playpen.After enjoying their gap year following high school, the duo are finally ready to take on college type education at Fukatsu University!
But college ain't no cake walk! If the studies and grind that lie ahead of them aren't hard enough, they'll have to contend with swordsmen, karate buffs, wannabe street toughs, crypto-zoologists, pro wrestlers in training and that's just some of the Freshman class!Others might buckle at the challenge ahead, but through their own determination, and with help from friends along the way, they'll make the grade, kick ass and see Tiago keep his promise to his father!Come hell or high water, nothing's gonna stop this Tough Breaker!
This might come as a shock, but Tough Breaker as a concept began nearly a decade ago on Tumblr.You see despite being aware of/enjoying anime and manga over the years, I was never really ‘into’ any series in particular. I had a few faves like Kaleido Star and the occasional Cartoon Network affair like Duel Masters, but those were short lived faves. One and dones on multiple occasions that really didn't linger inside of me for long outside of 'That was cool. Hope we get another season or whatever'.It wasn’t until my first semester in College where I really got into many of the series and games that would influence my tastes going forward. Classics I’d only been passingly familiar with before like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Fist of the North Star, Comedy genius with Cromartie High School and over the top manliness like Sakigake!! Otokojuku to name a few. I had finally found the anime and manga I was looking for: Shounen Battle Action.And after a year or so and a few OC RP blogs that have been lost to time, I set out to make what I thought would be my magnum opus! My own take on Shounen-esque stories! A concept that didn’t have a name, but would undoubtedly become Tough Breaker! And boy howdy…It Was A Fucking Piece Of CRAP.I won’t go into much detail of these dreadful early days, but this early attempt was marred by two things:
1. A Confused Tone
Although I’m a big fan of Shounen and Battle comics, I still knew that it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. It dominates the landscape more or less. So I decided to do a spin on it to make my idea standout: While it would be a celebration of all things Shounen, it was also going to be a deconstruction a la One Punch Man.And there lies the problem.I was trying to have my cake and eat it too, but I was nowhere near smart enough to do biting or witty satire on the genre or it's tropes. The best I could do is a very basic 'Shounen has good and bad in it, but you should focus on the good' arguement. Not very compelling as you can see.
2. An Unlikable Protag
If you dealt with this fucker back then, I Am So Sorry.
One of the ways I sought to challenge the Shounen norm was to make Takeo (as Tiago was formerly known) something of a two-faced character. He was to be this legendary badass who was putting up a front and was really a wimpy weakling who only managed to gain this status through sheer luck and coincidence.
Now in fairness, I think a character like that can be pulled off. The problem was that I couldn’t do it properly and ended up making Takeo a whiny little bitch. Hell, his name wasn't even Takeo. It was some bullshit non-sense word that sounded Japanese and I'd rather not say it here because it was such a blunder and made me look like a stupid weeb who doesn't understand Japanese.Even looking at his sprite right there is making me break out in a rage rash.
And one more li'l thing worth mentioning that I realized rather recently...
3. High School Settings Is Old Hat
As I'm heavily inspired by Shounen battle comics and other related faff given my love for Japanese Delinquent types, for the longest time I kept Tough Breaker and it's sister concept series Hi-Striker, set in High School with High School aged characters. After all, all my faves do it, so I gotta play things a little by the book.But then I realized something as I began to rework Hi-Striker...I Don't Have To Do That. In fact, moving it out of High School and making the cast a bunch of post-grads only increased what I can do with the characters.And truth be told, for a while I was kinda/sorta/but not really working on a concept that was set against a College backdrop with College aged characters called Whirlwind. It was less of a concept and more of an exercise all things considered, but I still liked it and wanted to do something with the College setting.So with Hi-Striker having a main cast of post-grad types, Tough Breaker is inheriting what little was done of Whirlwind and will take place during College.
Anyways...I tried to course correct, but I ended up scrapping the whole thing entirely. I was trying too hard to make it work and it was just a drain on me. It doesn’t help that I was also trying to suck up to some artists I admired at the time which led to me trying to further polish the turd in a desperate attempt for peer approval. No joke, I sent a rough draft for my world to one of them and I Regret It Dearly. After binning it the first time I moved onto other concepts that never left the ground either, but every time I started something I’d still learn something new.And like how all roads lead to Rome, the road to my journey as a creative lead me back to Tough Breaker. This current form was thanks in part to another failed concept, Mall Masters.In short, MM was my take on Rival Schools mixed in with 90’s coming-of-age type stories and mall aesthetics. Despite a strong start and a clearer vision, it wasn’t long for this world either. But its world and mechanics were solid enough that I planned to make a side story/sequel in the same universe. And that side story/sequel would become the concept it is now. Funnily enough, two characters from Mall Masters have been put into Tough Breaker simply because I love to reuse shit and I still have a fondness for the idea. Maybe I'll reuse the name somewhere.And after all these years later, I’m planning on keeping with it. For now and forever, Tough Breaker is one of my main OC concepts. I mean for fucks sake, it wouldn't be if I didn't make a website for it. You can't exactly just fart these out y'know.Now I won’t lie, It’s gonna be a nice long time before Tough Breaker is ready for prime time. I just don’t have the energy or mental focus yet. Not to mention that I’m someone who loves to do rewrites every now and then so go figure. But I can promise you that one day, pen will finally be put to paper and Tough Breaker will be put out in some form or fashion.I promise.
Setting
What is a story without a central backdrop? I don't know, but if I did I'd probably have a better analogy to use for this opening line.
Anyways, Tough Breaker’s primary backdrop is Upstate New York, taking place in a heavily fictionalized version of Westchester County known as Stonehale County. But to be even more precise, our main backdrop is...
Bright Plains, New York
Located on the boarder of Stonehale's upper southside.Founded as a shanty town in the 19th Century by folks who got mixed up directions to the Westward Gold Rush, the failed goldpanners stuck together in their folly and turned this makeshift town on the fringes of the then unnamed Arcadia Valley River into a thriving community of it's own. And over the years it would grow into the epicenter of business and pleasure in the Stonehale County region. Some say it's size can even rival that of Midtown Manhattan!If you’re well to do or attending Fukatsu University, you're probably living here.
Fukatsu University
Nestled in the middle of the Arcadian Valley River on Edward's Island off the coast of Bright Plains lies Fukatsu University.Home of the Hybrid Fighters football and Fujiwara Gumi baseball teams, Fukatsu U. is known for it's arts/science/combat programs and lively campus life composed of many Hot Blooded students. So whether you're majoring in Digital Arts or are studying the finer details of Hot Blooded Combat, there's always something to find going on the campus!The school was established in 1967 by it's namesake founder, Masakage Fukatsu The 1st. A native of Bright Plains, world traveled educator and occasional prize fighter, he founded the university so he could shape the young minds of the world to a stronger tomorrow. Quite literally as well since Fukatsu was the first campus in the US to have curriculums dedicated to what would later be known as 'Vigor'.For many years Funkatsu the 1st watched over the campus as it's Dean, ensuring his vision was kept alive. Although he was dedicated to his dream, his time as Dean would ultimately come to an end as he retired at age 70, passing away six years later due to natural causes. Following his death, his son Fukatsu the 2nd took up the mantle for the interim. You see while Fukatsu the 2nd was as smart as his father, he had dedicated his life to combat sports and Vigorous combat. Yet during that interim period, something called out to him to continue running the school.It wasn't before long that Fukatsu the 2nd formally retired from combat sports to continue running Fukatsu University for the foreseeable future.
