Daisuki Yamamoto

Archetype: Reluctant Hero

The aging agent caught between duty and conscience

Daisuki Yamamoto embodies the reluctant hero archetype - the skilled operative who questions his role in the system - but subverts it by actively working against his employers while maintaining the appearance of loyalty. His journey from unquestioning agent to disillusioned rebel reveals the moral complexity of living in a world where corporations control every aspect of life. His multiple identities and personas add layers of complexity to his character, as he navigates different roles and loyalties.

Basic Information

• Full Name: Daisuki Yamamoto
• Aliases: Dai, Daisuke (cover identity)
• Occupation: Counterintelligence Agent for Red Sector Industries (RSI), Yakuza operative
• Status: Alive (repeatedly cloned)

Physical Description

• Tall, slender Japanese man
• Black hair, often slicked back
• Green eyes (unusual for his ethnicity)
• Wears black suits
• 63 years old but physically fit due to cybernetic enhancements

Story Appearances

• Deck Jockey: Appears as Daisuke, a Yakuza operative testing Kenji Fujita
• Ganger: Mysterious figure who helps Angel after witnessing Nacho kill a little girl (Haydee)
• Urchin: Friend to Haydee who helps her develop her business selling fried baby mice
• Cleaner: Protagonist; rescues Hana (Prime Minister's daughter) and begins questioning his role in the Yakuza
• Hero: Protagonist; attempts to rescue Hana again and discovers Benjiro's true plans
• Daughter: Lover to Hana who is killed by her when she discovers his deception
• Operator: Cloned operative tasked with eliminating Eli, the Operator; questions his mission and Benjiro's true intentions

Connections

• Haydee: Fatherly figure; helped her develop her business before her death
• Hana: Rescuer and lover; develops feelings for her during missions; ultimately killed by her
• Benjiro: Former mentor; now an AI controlling Horizon City's infrastructure; manipulated Daisuki
• ROGR: Creator of the Reconnaissance Ontological Generative Response system; uses it for intelligence gathering
• Kenji Fujita: Tester (as Daisuke); evaluates him for Yakuza membership
• Eli: Target; tasked with eliminating the Operator in his cloned form

Subversion of Archetype

Daisuki subverts the reluctant hero archetype in several key ways:

1. The Loyal Agent Who Questions Orders: Unlike typical heroes who rebel openly, Daisuki works within the system while secretly undermining it, showing how resistance can take subtle forms.

2. The Skilled Operative With A Conscience: His exceptional abilities make him valuable to the Yakuza, but he uses these same skills to protect those he cares about, demonstrating how power can be redirected.

3. The Aging Warrior Seeking Redemption: At 63, he's nearing the end of his career and looking for ways to make amends, showing that moral awakening can come at any stage of life.

4. The Mentor Who Becomes The Student: Though experienced and skilled, he must learn new truths from those he once protected, revealing how wisdom can come from unexpected sources.

5. The Double Agent: Maintains cover identities while working toward his own goals, blurring the line between duty and personal conviction.

Role in the Corporate Game

Daisuki functions as both enforcer and subverter of the corporate system. His position in counterintelligence allows him to see the true nature of the Yakuza's control over Horizon City, while his skills give him the ability to work against it from within. Ultimately, he becomes a pawn in Benjiro's grand scheme to control Horizon City, though he begins to question and resist this role.

Notable Quotes

• "I think you will find that guns are limited to a certain range of efficacy." - Confronting a guard before demonstrating his superior combat skills in Cleaner
• "I'll figure out a way. I won't let them hurt you any more. You have to trust me." - Promising to protect Hana in Cleaner
• "Authenticate." - Initiating authentication with ROGR in Operator
• "ROGR, one more thing. What's the probability that this mission is exactly what it seems?" - Questioning Benjiro's orders in Operator

Combat Style

Daisuki is a master of both firearms and bladed weapons, particularly his katana. His cybernetically enhanced strength and reflexes make him a formidable opponent in close combat, able to move with lightning speed and precision. His fighting style emphasizes efficiency and minimal movement, using his opponent's momentum against them. His Sintergel light armor allows him to absorb bullet impacts while maintaining mobility, giving him a significant advantage in firefights.

Professional Background

As a counterintelligence agent for Red Sector Industries, Daisuki led the development of ROGR (Reconnaissance Ontological Generative Response), an AI system designed to monitor and analyze intelligence across Horizon City. His position within the Yakuza organization gives him access to sensitive information and operations, which he begins to use against them as his moral compass shifts.

He uses the cover identity of Daisuke when testing potential Yakuza recruits like Kenji Fujita, allowing him to operate more freely within Horizon City's power structure.

Cloning and Memory

Daisuki is repeatedly cloned throughout the stories, with his memories selectively preserved or altered by Benjiro. In "Daughter," he is killed by Hana when she discovers his deception, but is later revived in a cloning tank in "Operator." This cycle of death and rebirth, with potentially manipulated memories, raises questions about his true identity and agency. In his final appearance, he begins to question Benjiro's orders and the nature of his missions, suggesting a growing awareness of his manipulation.