Futoshi (フトシ Futoshi), also known as the Tech, is the backstage technician for 777's band, Def Märch.
Story
He is first seen in Week 1, Day 3 where Neku and Shiki learn how to imprint memes, and is integral to the mission for that day, being the one who reactivates the lighting in A-East in order to expose the boss. He is described by 777 as an individual wearing a black tee with a lanyard around his neck.
Futoshi is first encountered while under the influence of a negative Yellow Noise, complaining bitterly about his behind-the-scenes role in the concert crew and expressing a desire to be in the limelight. He appears to be oblivious of the fact that the band members of Def Märch are actually Reapers. Once he is freed of the Noise's possession with the help of Neku and his partner, he is able to recall having an errand to do. Futoshi's easygoing attitude, however, causes him to forget the specifics of his errand, requiring a reminder from a particular meme to buy a fuse.
He is later seen in Week 1, Day 6 as Makoto Miki attempts to give him a Red Skull pin. Humorously, Futoshi ignores Makoto's presence until he evokes the "Come get some hot stuff!" one-liner twice, causing Futoshi to gradually sidle near him and accept one of the pins. He can be seen in Week 2, Day 3 during the Dogenzaka Ramen Wars, where he recalls seeing the Prince mention the spicy tuna roll on his blog as an optional meme to imprint on Ken Doi.
It is unknown what exactly became of him after 777's erasure by the Game Master Konishi, as the apparent loss of the leading rock star may have caused him to lose his job. Nevertheless, he reappears again in Week 3 where he has succumbed to the Red Skull pin's brainwashing like many others.
In "Another Day", Futoshi appears as a Tin Pin opponent who relinquishes the unique Lucky Panda pin upon defeat.
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Personality
Essentially, Futoshi is a slacker, and is criticized often by 777 because of it. He appears to be somewhat of a scatterbrain as well, forgetting things easily and tuning out people if he is not interested in what they have to say. While his mellow personality allows him to take flak from others in stride, he is not completely carefree, as he seems to bear some repressed resentment against 777 for his hogging nature of the spotlight, which manifests when he is possessed by a Noise.
Trivia
- Curiously, his name is never outright stated in the main plot as he is always referred to as the tech. Futoshi's name is finally revealed as an aside in the Another Day chapter, should Neku and/or the Kindred Spirits challenge him to a Tin Pin battle.
- The player can choose to imprint Futoshi with the optional 'cough drops' meme before the 'fuse' meme, which prompts him to purchase Aurora cough drops for 777's sore throat. As a reward, 777 will give Neku and Shiki the Lucky Star pin for their troubles.
- The player can also imprint Futoshi with the optional 'ramen' meme before the fuse meme, which will remind him to finish off the ramen he ordered earlier. However, he will remember his errand and leave before he can eat his ramen. This is necessary to obtain the Secret Report for "Shiki Day 3".
- In the Another Day side-chapter, before Neku goes to Molco, if the player talks to Futoshi near the Cosmic Corner shop, he'll refuse Neku's offer to play Tin Pin at first, claiming that he has errands he needs to run, but then says "This is Japan. 'Yes' means 'No'" when Neku starts to walk off, then accepts Neku's offer. The kana for 'No' reads as 'いいえ,' (Read in romaji as ' Īe') while the kana for 'Yes' reads as 'はい' (Read as in romaji 'Hai'), so this might be a referral to the similarities of Japanese 'Yes' and 'No.' Another possibility is is that it is actually about the similarity between No (いいえ romaji: iie） and Good （いい romaji: ii), or the similarity between No (いいえ romaji: iie) and Yeah (ええ romaji: ee).