Dojo

Strength 6c

Agility 6b

Intellect 4x

Willpower 6c

Hand Size: Edge:

4 (25) 2

Origin:

Dojo, like most of his fellow GI Joe operatives, lacks special powers of any variety. He does however have extensive training in obscure, quasi-mystic martial arts forms, and while he isn't a supernatural combatant he may seem like it when you see him in action.

Powers:

(none)

Hindrances / Augmentations:

(none)

Equipment:

Katana (s): the blade with which he developed his Lightning Strike maneuver, Dojo can inflict devastating damage with this weapon. He can use it to inflict his Strength +4 in slashing damage, and is highly skilled in its use.

Knife (s): sheathed on his web gear, this handy steel-piercing knife has many practical uses. Made from m.s.13 materials, it either can be used to cut through materials of up to like m.s., or to inflict Dojo's Strength +2 in slashing damage when necessary.

Kusarigama (s): Dojo's preferred weapon, this is a sickle attached by a chain to a fighting stick, which he can use to strike targets for +3 damage - and at some range. He can hit anyone within about ten feet of his person with this curious ninja weapon.

Shuriken (a): Dojo makes frequent use of these projectiles, secured on his wrist guards when not in hand. He can fling each of these blades to inflict his Agility +2 in slashing damage, and typically has at least two of them on his person at any given time.

Smoke Bombs (s): Dojo's smoke bombs do not just obscure vision - they contain tear gas! These chemical devices act to reduce visibility with intensity 8 ability, and also serve to incapacitate those exposed to their fumes with intensity 8 strength.

Skills:

Acrobatics (a): Dojo is but a normal human, though he sometimes seems to have a super-human sense of balance. He can easily navigate narrow ledges and tightropes, and should always receive a reduced difficulty when trying to lower falling damage or dodge attacks.

Boxing (s): as a ninja, Dojo naturally knows how to pummel a body hard and fast - almost blindingly so. He can divide his pre-card play action score between two unarmed melee attacks, the second of which will occur as a contingent action.

Guns (a): though he specializes in melee combat, Dojo has been well trained in the use of most firearms by the United States military. As such, he can fire any standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary.

Manipulation (w): though he's no psychologist, Dojo excels in getting under the skin of almost anyone he comes face to face with. He should receive a reduced difficulty on efforts intended to unfocus his opponents, or otherwise be irritating and/or annoying.

Martial Arts (a): Dojo is an excellent martial artist. He can resolve unarmed melee attacks with either his Strength or Agility (his choice), and receives a reduced difficulty on actions to catch thrown weapons, dodge attacks, or lower falling damage.

Martial Arts Weapons (s): Dojo is a master of a variety of eastern weaponry, from his chain and sickle to his katana, including other odd items like the nunchaku or sai. Whenever he wields such weaponry, Dojo may do without any penalty for lack of training.

Military / United States (w): long before he became a ninja, Dojo served as a member of the United States armed forces; returning as a Joe was easier than one would think. He can function effortlessly in almost any combat group, and knows the SOP rather well.

Contacts:

Dojo is a long-standing member of the United States military, and can rely upon a large portion of people he's worked with in the past for help in a pinch. Furthermore, he's a member of GI Joe's Ninja Force, and can easily count people from that organization as reliable contacts, as well.

Calling:

Soldier: like many Arashikage, Dojo has a past in the military. Unlike most of them however, Dojo saw the Army as an end unto itself, only engaging in his ninja activities after he left the military the first time. He happily uses his ninja skills in the service of his country.

Costume:

Dojo's GI Joe field uniform is flashy - just like the man himself. It includes white, loose-fitting trousers, a blue, loose-fitting shirt with yellow trim and shoulder pads, a yellow sash, yellow wrist bands, blue and yellow boots, and a yellow mask to partially cover his features.

Personality:

It's kind of hard to get Michael to shut up. The man believes that non-stop rambling and snappy patter disrupts the focus of one's enemies, and keeps his friends on their toes. Of course, he also likes the sound of his own voice, finding himself amusing, so there's that.

Real Name: Michael P. Russo, Grade E-8
Occupation: martial arts weapon specialist, instructor
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe, Ninja Force (GI Joe sub-group)

Height: 5' 9"
Hair: dark brown
Eyes: brown
Weight: 160 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Almost all of Michael's hair is shaved, save for a long ponytail he maintains. Also, he wears a long, thin moustache and a 'soul patch' at all times.

Story:

Like many members of the Arashikage clan, Dojo had a military past before he joined up with the ninjas. After his retirement, he was adopted (after a fashion) by a mysterious ninja master in hiding, who trained him in the advanced Arashikage martial arts.

The Soft Master eventually disappeared, but Dojo persisted in his own personal training, and eventually Dojo was tracked down by Storm Shadow himself. Working as one of the Joes at the time, Storm Shadow was impressed both by Dojo's skills and immutable integrity.

This, and Dojo's past with the military, made him a prime candidate for the GI Joe team's new Ninja Force. Recruiting him onto the team, Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes continued Dojo's training alongside Jinx and his fellow new recruits, Nunchuk and T'jbang.

From his very first mission, Dojo was hip-deep in ninja intrigue, and was even momentarily brainwashed by Firefly into serving as one of that villain's Red Ninjas. He continued to perform well as a GI Joe operative until early '94, when he left active duty with the team.

Doing this before the team was properly disbanded for a time, Dojo had set out to build a martial arts school in Spanish Harlem with Jinx, Nunchuk, and T'jbang. While the others quickly returned to active duty with the Joes in one way or another, Dojo did not.

He presumably continued to operate the Ninja Force's free martial arts school, offering free education to the local youth to curb gang violence and to help those who had no other positive influence in their lives while growing up in that particularly rough neighborhood.

(Historical Divergence)

While he hasn't been seen in action with the Joes since he left the team, Dojo is a Joe through and through - and would gladly assist the team in any manner requested if only they would ask. It seems that the Joes feel his work is too important to pull him for active duty, however.

2017 Variations

Costume:

Dojo's second GI Joe ensemble is similar to his first. It is comprised of white, loose-fitting trousers, a blue, loose-fitting shirt, yellow web gear, yellow shoulder guards, gloves, and wrist bands, a yellow belt, blue and yellow boots, and a yellow mask.

Extra Goodies:

GI Joe directories featuring a version of Dojo:

1992

2017

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