Izumi

All-American Girl. Er, Japanese Girl. Um, Italian? Uh...

Izumi's a girl after my own heart: a hypocrite. She's also selfish, carelessly illogical, and possibly bulimic. The last would probably be due to vindictively trying to make JP envious of her sleek physique, however, since her self-image is ridiculously positive (remember the swimsuits?), so that's alright.

Izumi doesn't play in her own world by her own rules. Nah -- that'd make her a tomboy, and that's not her game. Instead, she nuzzles into everybody else's worlds, twists them around her finger, and leaves them reeling. Great fun for kicks, and fantastically exhilarating.

Anyone already lost by her refusal to play one game will be even more annoyed by her refusal to play one character. She wants to be seen as a competent planner, a skilled fighter, a compassionate optimist, a voice of reason, a cute girl down the street, and the sexy idol of your dreams. If you give Izumi your coat, she'll slap your friend for breaking her fall. As well as dabbling in too many pies, she's trying to take up carpentry.

Even her Digimon are weird. Kazemon's definitely cute, but is Zephyrmon supposed to be sexy? Aside from the fact that her face is obviously hideously malformed (why else would she wear that mask, since she's not a desert maiden?), her finger-like talons are less than elegant. Her strips and straps reveal a body that's finely sculpted, admittedly, but it is too long, making her look like an emaciated athlete without enough grace and no sensuality of attitude. I'll pass, thanks.

The boys, however, are somewhat appreciative, enough to be seeking more of her company, at least. Izumi, for her part, plays recklessly with their hearts, seemingly with no more reason than boredom. She teases Kouji for his gentlemanly behavior with inadvertent hugs or supportive words, taunts Junpei with reassurances and false hope, and blessedly ignores both Tomoki and Kouichi (the implication that they're equally sexless may be thankfully overlooked, especially since Kouichi's only twelve). The only one she appears to think she has real feelings for, Takuya, is treated much more roughly, earning insults, slaps, and scorn. She gets a perverted thrill from leaving him dazed and confused, so she mixes these abuses in with girlish blushes and flirts. When he loses his temper and snubs her, she of course flashes to depression and rage, leaving poor Takky all the more confused, since he thought he was the victim here.

Ah, young love. There's a reason it's called that -- anyone but a neophyte would quickly identify it as no more than a heady infatuation.

But of course, Izumi is not the sort for infatuations, or love, or weakness. Strong and independent, with little tolerance for useless pessimism and whining, she bitterly laments her lack of friends and rails against how the boys shy away when she finally decides to show her sensitive side. Not even worthy of being dubbed a paradox, she's confused as to who she is, how she's supposed to act, and what exactly the difference is between "being herself" and "doing what comes naturally."

I'll tell you what she's like if she ever figures it out herself. Until then, I think I've found a soulmate.

...but Izumi, dear? You're as thin as a rail and as flat as a board. Wait another couple of years, and then start playing with the skimpy clothes. Whatever image you decide to go for, I'm betting "delusional slut" won't be it.