Call Sign: Tango

Yamato Harada
Yamato has always been big. The biggest kid in class, biggest member of his family, and biggest band mate of the hottest band in town, Malcontent’s Mercy! So big in fact, words like "delicate”, or "dainty" wouldn't seem appropriate to describe this hulking and massive man. Yet his gentle presence and even more gentle manner might have you wonder. Yamato is surprisingly nimble, unobtrusive, moving with quiet grace. Skills he developed through mastering the powerful martial art of Aikido meaning "way of harmonizing energy". Since childhood, Aikido offered him endless comfort and support through its physical, mental, and spiritual practices. Yamato's childhood was otherwise difficult, raised by an overbearing father who constantly berated him for his oversized size. A slight wisp of a man, his father himself had been bullied because of his extremely SMALL stature. An ironic contradiction in the theme of Yamato Harada's life. His father's obsessive browbeating resulted from his OWN father's mistreatment of HIM because of his puny size. An embarrassment to the well-respected Harada family, known for yielding large and powerful descendants for generations. That is until Yamato's father was born so shamefully small. Yamato would bear the brunt of that shame for he was born proper Harada-sized. Suffering daily verbal assaults and name-calling, one such being bukiyōna ōku or clumsy oaf, Yamato was determined to prove that he was neither. He truly loved his father and felt rather sorry for him, so he remained strong. He believed his steadfast pillar-like source of love would one day help his father acknowledge his cruel treatment and return only love. Yamato never waivers and continues to exemplify peace and harmony. He believes in the universe divine, and that all knowledge is within. To Yamato, kindness matters. However, adversaries take heed and beware. To mistake his kindness for weakness would be a mistake indeed. When faced with conflict, Yamato's intentions are for a peaceful resolution but the quest for peace and the journey to it isn't always peaceful. For once a foolish foe tried to break his peace. He misjudged his gentle manner, and began teasing him, calling him "a delicate flower". Yamato chuckled at the "insult" thinking out loud “if this guy could only see my plant collection!" A self-proclaimed “Crazy Plant Guy”, enjoying all things of the world of horticulture. But a delicate flower? No. Enraged that Yamato was completely unfazed, the bully went in for an all-out attack, making sure everyone around would bear witness to this confrontation. Before the thug could blink, Yamato transformed from a gentle giant into a terrifying warrior. He responded with moves to subdue, neutralize, and displayed just a hint of what could come next. This left that scourge petrified and stunned as he scurried off. Lucky for him too as Yamato's next step would cross over the fine line that separates defend and destroy and no one wants to be on the side of the latter! Yamato stood firmly centered, reminded once again that alternative methods are sometimes unavoidable. Balancing vigilance and bliss, Yamato is a force to be reckoned with and someone you want on your side. A constant affirmation to take the high road, doing all things with love in the space of yin and yang. His face toward the sun, the moon not far behind him, his head may be in the clouds but he's aware of it all. Light and dark, good vs. evil, bud to blossom, life until death.