CHARACTER INTERVIEW!
Interviewee: Houka Inumuta (Kill La Kill)
Portrayed by: @actual_houka (Twitter)
Bio: The last of the Four Devas, Inumuta is a boy often shrouded in mystery. He works behind the scenes, ensuring the integrity of Honnouji Academy with his extensive knowledge of technology. Today we have sat down with him to better understand his perceptions of the academy he serves, as well as his feelings toward the events of the Life Fiber Crusade.
Q: What is your name and what do you commonly do?
A: My name is Houka Inumuta, Head of Intelligence, though if you are interviewing me, you should already know that.
Q: What are some of your responsibilities as Honnouji Academy's "Head of Intelligence?"
A: The Head of Intelligence is a job that is quite expansive, and reaches into a variety of aspects of the academy, the town and our operation. I am in charge of making sure all the club documents are stored and properly archived, that the curriculum of the school year falls under what we want to teach, that rival schools did not infiltrate us, and if they did, sniff them out as soon as possible so Gamagoori could deal with them accordingly. I am in charge of all the student profiles of the school, so if we need a specific kind for, ah, let's say, experiments, then it is my duty to find the one most suitable. Planning tactics and future attack formations, helping with development of weapons and new uniforms, reconnaissance, etcetera etcetera. That is not even counting my job as treasurer on top of that.
Q: With all of these responsibilities, what is it that you personally gain? What motivates you to take on these tasks and what are your rewards, abstract or concrete?
A: It is interesting. That is all. Yes, it is very taxing sometimes but the end goal of it fascinates me. Lady Satsuki's goal is to change the workings of the real world, and she derided me for only thinking of the virtual one when I was younger. I feel we have a lot in common, in our philosophies and our backgrounds and I joined her because I wanted to know if she really can do such a thing. I will do anything in my power to be a part of that greatness. ...Is that selfish of me?
Q: I want you to talk about an event which deeply impacted you emotionally. How did you feel as the event unfolded? What did you hope for as the end result, and how did you feel when things turned out the way they did?
A: It is really difficult to speak of an event that has impacted me deeply as most events have, really. Matoi's arrival set about a chain of events that is one interesting thing after the other but I would have to say... That month in Nudist Beach. As Lady Satsuki was not there to guide us, the four of us, and Iori, had to rely on ourselves and what she taught us to continue the rebellion against Life Fibres. Myself especially, as even though Lady Satsuki has passed, or we believed that she did, that month proved that her motivations and goals did live on. It gave me something to fight for. The end result was the Vacuum Suction Device that I developed alongside Iori.
Q: I want you to talk about a great achievement. What motivated you to push forward in this endeavor?
A: In the beginning, it was to test my abilities. Similar to Sanageyama, Honnouji Academy was a playground in which I could use my skills freely and develop them. By the end of this year, however, I did truly want to change the fate of this world. Not just because I could, but to protect the people I have met in it. That...was a first for me, I must admit. No accomplishment can ever hold a candle to that, I would think. Ugh, I sound like him now.
Q: What is a value that you hope to instill in other people? What is it you want people to learn from having met you?
A: Logic. Think over whatever you are doing before you do it. I have made many rash decisions when I was younger and it is a wonder I did not get killed or locked for it. See things from every angle, and examine the situation deeply. It is unfortunate that none of those tactics really helped in the final battle, thanks to Matoi's hot-bloodedness but real life is not nearly as simple. Be careful.
Q: Is there anything which you regret thus far?
A: Regret is something that I would rather not dwell on, as it just makes one think of the opportunities you have missed. If there is one regret I have, it is not planning out the raid of the Original Life Fibre, back during the cultural festival, out enough properly. If Soroi was not there... Ugh, I shudder to think what would have happened to Iori... Oh, and the sewing club too, of course.
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Inspiration (3/4): With Houka Inumuta, the term "genre savvy" is something of an understatement. This is a man who understands cause-and-effect, but will not hesitate to reinvent the status quo if it satisfies his mental calculus. He manipulated the share price of a major corporation knowing that, if successfully overwritten, it would cripple speculative markets the world over. For what purpose? Because the concept of global cataclysm was fascinating to him. In the Naturals Election, he willingly forfeited the match against Ryuuko Matoi, simultaneously forfeiting his Three-Star Goku uniform. Why? Because he understands that sometimes, the only winning move is not to play. Every action taken is done purely for its own sake. Of the Four Devas, he is perhaps the one with the greatest impact.
Aspiration (2.5/4): My interview with Houka Inumuta was initially one of confusion, because I was able to see a side of him that I don't believe most people see at first glance. The rumors paint him as rather pompous, egoistic and accustomed to playing with a full deck. In reality, you can tell there are many insecurities plaguing him as he tries to understand his responsibilities to himself, his position as a member of a great team, and the impact of his abilities when taken to their extreme. His interactions with Satsuki Kiryuin have definitely helped to mature him, but I feel that perhaps it is more than that. He wants to retain many of his intimidating qualities, but to ensure benevolence in their execution. Even if others may despise him for his image, his actions uplift him enough and show how noble he truly is.
Verdict (5.5/8): If I had to draw parallels to this man, the most obvious one would by Kyoya Ootori of the Ootori Health Conglomerate. A less obvious parallel would be Rossiu Adai of Adai Village, and even less obvious would be Alfred Nobel. Men of power and prestige, who often push for progress despite the staggering ethical implications, will never be fully understood. They do it out of love for what humans can be, and this makes them genuine. Regardless of if we choose to accept this, it is simply a fact.
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