History Sandbox / SlowDamageTakumaMurase

** Taku is also this trope from a general standpoint. Even with his busy schedule and his own share of conflicts, he doesn't give his employees any trouble if their personal problems get in the way of their work and will even help them in any way he can. He also doesn't hesitate to treat their injuries if they get hurt, with his treatment completely free of charge.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler:His mother became a drug addict after his father abandoned them. When they fell into poverty]], Taku worked tirelessly to [[spoiler: pay for his mother's hospitalization bills. Toono lent him a helping hand and paid his way through medical school, although his mother then got discharged and died in the streets when he wasn't paying attention, to which Taku became a delinquent for some time in his grief]] before getting his act together later on and becoming a doctor. However, as he had already [[spoiler: incurred a huge debt to Toono]] by then, Taku is soon forced to [[spoiler: manufacture illegal drugs for the other man, with his life on the line]].

* DeathGlare: Toono comments how Taku, when angered enough, can give quite the reproachful look that comes across as outright demonic. Likewise, in Fujieda's route, during [[spoiler: a confrontation with Madarame]], Taku is described to have been looking at the latter with eyes that make it clear he wants to bite the man's head off.

* DistressedDude: Taku is only behind Towa when it comes to this trope, as he [[spoiler: gets taken hostage in every route ''except'' for Rei's]], with the culprit being either [[spoiler: Toono (in his own route) or Madarame (in both ''his'' and Fujieda's routes)]].
* TheDitherer: Taku isn't indecisive... by default. But as soon as it involves [[spoiler: his situation with Toono and his debt to the man]], Taku is always left at a loss on what to do. He is undoubtedly against [[spoiler: Toono's plan of creating harmful drugs and having them distributed]]. At the same time, however, he knows that if it weren't for [[spoiler: the money Toono had provided him, he would have never graduated medical school and become a doctor]]. Both arguments leave Taku at an impasse that wears on him both mentally and emotionally.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Subverted. Taku doesn't know ''everything'' about [[spoiler:Maya and her business the same way Hasegawa did]]. The simple fact that he knows about it, [[spoiler:and Mei by extension, should have motivated Sakaki to use that as extra leverage against Taku, with the already-existing leverage being the man's debt to the Takasato-gumi]]. However, it's implied that Taku managed to find out what he knew without [[spoiler: Sakaki ever catching wind of it, allowing Taku's problems with the organization to be restricted solely to his debt to Toono]].

* ShipperOnDeck: Implied in Rei's route. [[spoiler: Some time after Rei's final Moneymatch]], Taku leaves Towa and Rei alone [[spoiler:in the medical ward]], remarking in a playful tone that they have much to talk about-- hinting that Taku had taken notice of their RelationshipUpgrade and is implicitly showing his support.

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* BadLiar: Zigzagged. He can keep a secret just fine as long as no one suspects him of anything but if the part about him being a SecretKeeper gets exposed or even hinted at, he's immediately backed into a corner and has trouble in either dodging the subject or talking his way out.

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* PapaWolf: Even in the routes where Taku isn't the selected love interest, Taku never fails to express his concern for Towa. Besides the events of his own route, another good example that shows his protective side is a scene in Fujieda's route, where even though [[spoiler:he's already horribly bruised and beaten]], he still can summon the energy to show a fiercer side when [[spoiler:Madarame]] threatens Towa.

** Even though he tends to get overprotective about it, in his route, Taku has good reason to warn Towa to not go out at night, especially with the Takasato-gumi tailing him all around the city. [[spoiler: When Towa refuses to listen to him, he ends up getting restrained and drugged by Toono as a threat to Taku.]]

** Zigzagged in one case. When Fujieda finds information about a nurse from Shinkoumi Hospital who may be able to [[spoiler:give them more information about Maya]], Taku is visibly reluctant to get in touch with said nurse, given what happened to [[spoiler: Hasegawa after she told the main cast everything she knew about Maya and Euphoria]]. Even Fujieda acknowledges that Taku's concern is understandable, but after a moment, Taku concedes and [[spoiler:offers to approach the nurse]]. Thankfully, [[spoiler:the nurse didn't know anything too damning that would get her in any sort of trouble with the Takasato-gumi]], but Taku still sternly advises Fujieda to keep quiet about the exchange so as to not risk getting the nurse in danger.

* RealMenWearPink: Despite his otherwise gruff demeanor and serious personality, he has a feminine side. He's very good at housework as he's the one who takes care of Towa's laundry even regularly cleaning Towa's studio and he can also cook his own meals if need be.

---> '''Taku''': [[spoiler:I'll never let anyone kill you... I'll never let anyone take you away. I won't let them take you from me... Never...]]
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[- [[Characters/SlowDamageMainCharacters Main Characters]] ([[Characters/SlowDamageTowa Towa]], '''Takuma Murase''') | [[Characters/SlowDamageSupportingCharacters Supporting Characters]] ([[Characters/SlowDamageTheTakasatoGumi The Takasato-gumi]], [[Characters/SlowDamageMaya Maya]])]]-]]]

* ChildhoodFriends: [[IntergenerationalFriendship Putting aside their age gap]], he and Towa have known each other ever since the latter was still a child; hence the trope still counts.

* {{Expy}}: One could notice some resemblances between Taku and [[VisualNovel/TogainuNoChi Motomi]] upon first glance. '''unsure'''
** They're both the oldest of the main cast, they're men of science and medicine, and they easily come across as the most put-together love interest, what with being the reliable and friendly older figure. They're also [[spoiler: haunted by the death of at least one family member]], and they even have a CG where they are pointing a handgun at someone.
** However, that's where the similarities end. The CoolOldGuy archetype really does apply for Motomi, even with his inner conflict regarding [[spoiler: Nicole Premier]]. On the other hand, Taku's case is a lot more complicated, and he's more emotionally vulnerable than anyone would assume him to be. He's also the first mature-aged love interest who's [[spoiler: the resident {{Yandere}} of the main cast]]. By contrast, the role would always go to the youthful and naïve character in the previous games.

* FeelingTheirAge: Lampshaded. Rei quips in one route that Taku isn't getting any younger, though there's no scene in the game where the trope takes effect, and any time where Taku is in a situation of distress has nothing to do with his age catching up with him. In fact, after the events of his route, [[spoiler: he has since taken to training his muscles while he was in prison to ''avoid'' this trope from happening too soon]].
* FieryRedhead: Subverted. Taku is, for the most part, levelheaded and rational. While he does have his moments where he loses control of his emotions, he's not temperamental and outspoken by default.

* {{Foil}}: '''unsure'''
** To Sakaki. Both personally knew Maya and both treat Towa as if he was their own son. Toono also hints early on that [[spoiler:both of them are keeping Towa's past a secret from the younger man]]. However, they have completely different reasons for doing so. Taku [[spoiler:keeps quiet about the truth as he wishes to protect Towa from suffering a complete breakdown and doesn't want him to be chained down by the horrors of his past]]. On the other hand, Sakaki's reasons [[spoiler:are more sinister: he ''wants'' Towa to recover his memories, but he will only do so under certain circumstances that would successfully groom Towa into becoming Maya's successor]]. Their motives, in turn, show how [[spoiler:they truly regard Towa]]. Whether he's the chosen love interest or not, Taku [[spoiler: always shows genuine concern for Towa's well-being, and while he does commit several questionable actions, they're done with good intentions]]. Meanwhile, Sakaki [[spoiler: seems to have nothing but altruistic intentions in watching out for Towa; however, he only sees the younger man as a vessel of sorts for Maya and it's strongly implied that deep down, he resents Towa for killing her]].

* ForcedIntoEvil: [[spoiler:Taku's status as a debtor has him commit plenty of shady deeds for the Takasato-gumi]], and this is before [[spoiler: Toono invokes the large debt that Taku owes him to browbeat him into making deadly hallucinogens.]]

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Subverted. Taku doesn't know ''everything'' about [[spoiler: Maya and her business the same way Hasegawa did]]. The simple fact that he knows about it, [[spoiler: and Mei by extension, should have motivated Sakaki to use that as extra leverage against Taku, with the already-existing leverage being the man's debt to the Takasato-gumi]]. However, it's implied that Taku managed to find out what he knew without [[spoiler: Sakaki ever catching wind of it, allowing Taku's problems with the organization to be restricted solely to his debt to Toono]].

* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: In the climax of his route, Taku is given the opportunity to [[spoiler: pull the trigger on Toono]]. He ultimately decides against it, stating that while they're both shitty people, he refuses to stoop down to the other's level.

* BadLiar: Zigzagged. He can keep a secret just fine as long as no one suspects him of anything. On the other hand, if the part about him being a SecretKeeper gets exposed or even hinted at, he's immediately backed into a corner and has trouble in either dodging the subject or talking his way out.

* ColorMotif: '''possible shoehorned plus indention issues'''
** Orange is normally associated with warmth and calmness, both of which match Taku's character, since he's a reliable figure who helps watch over Towa and is someone the public looks up to due to his reputation as a compassionate and friendly doctor. The aspect of warmth takes on a deeper meaning in Taku's route, where Towa reflects on how Taku has always been a reassuring presence in his life even though he took it for granted for the longest time.
** Orange also symbolizes action and aggression-- the former of which is ironic, as one of Taku's greatest struggles is his inability to resolve himself to act when most needed. As for the latter aspect, Taku [[spoiler: harbors a dark side that makes him willing to resort to extreme measures when faced with the fear of losing a loved one yet again]].
** Last but not least, the color also represents doubt and deceit. If he could have it his way, he would take his own {{Dark Secret}}s to the grave-- an act which sows distrust between him and his friends. And even though he means well with his actions and does what he does [[spoiler:with Towa's best interests in mind, the fact remains that he lied to the other man for a long time-- all to protect Towa from the agonizing truth of his past]].

* StalkerWithACrush: Played with. [[spoiler: After Towa's "euphoric session" with Asakura, Taku puts a webtag in Towa to keep track of his whereabouts just in case he gets thrown into danger again.]] That being said, the act was done out of fear and paranoia, not of obsession.

* DeathSeeker: * DeathSeeker:

* EveryoneHasStandards: [[orange:Even as someone who has long been accustomed to what life is like in Shinkoumi, both Taku's personality and his job as a doctor still has him carry a lot of scruples about certain matters.]]

* LoveFatherLoveSon: According to Toono, [[spoiler:Taku was in love with Maya, but decided to settle for Towa because he's all that's left of her. However, Taku]] [[SubvertedTrope denies this and says that he had no feelings for her whatsoever]]]].
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: In his Madness ending, Taku is overcome with despair over the fear that if he keeps worrying about how everyone around him will get hurt, then Towa will never be safe. Therefore, he decides to [[spoiler: give up on his goal on saving lives and focus on protecting ''only'' Towa and ensuring that no one else will ever be able to harm him]]. This means [[spoiler: isolating Towa from the outside world, which he now allows to be turned into a den of drug addicts and even aids Toono in doing so]].

** When breaking down the kanji in his complete first name, Takuma (巧真), ''taku'' (巧) means "skillful", and ''ma'' (真) translates to "true" or "genuine". The former kanji can refer to how he's widely regarded for being a capable and reliable doctor, whereas the latter refers to his earnest and straightforward attitude. But the latter also serves as an IronicName when it's later revealed that [[spoiler: besides keeping his debt to the Takasato-gumi a secret from others, he also knows the ugly truth about Towa's childhood but refuses to divulge it no matter what]].

* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Not by his choice, but [[spoiler: due to his debt with the Takasato-gumi, Taku is tasked not only with treating their injured, but also with falsifying medical documents and implanting webtags in debtors. It gets worse when Toono starts forcing him to manufacture illegal drugs and have them tested on unfortunate victims.]]

* OnlySaneMan: Taku is assigned this role in Rei's route, especially after the events involving [[spoiler: Mizuno/Kirihara]]. He serves as the mediator in case a situation is about to blow up, gives Rei advice on the rare occasion that he can, and is the one who urges Towa to check on Rei and see how he's doing.

** Zigzagged in one case. When Fujieda finds information about a nurse from Shinkoumi Hospital who may be able to [[spoiler:give them more information about Maya]], Taku is visibly reluctant to get in touch with said nurse, given what happened to [[spoiler: Hasegawa after she told the main cast everything she knew about Maya and Euphoria]]. Even Fujieda acknowledges that Taku's concern is understandable, but after a moment, Taku concedes and [[spoiler:offers to approach the nurse]]. Thankfully, [[spoiler: the nurse didn't know anything too damning that would get her in any sort of trouble with the Takasato-gumi]], but Taku still sternly advises Fujieda to keep quiet about the exchange so as to not risk getting the nurse in danger.

* RealMenWearPink: Downplayed. He's very good at housework as he's the one who takes care of Towa's laundry and even regularly cleans Towa's studio, and he can also cook his own meals if need be. Those aside, however, there's nothing relatively feminine about the way he talks, dresses or acts, in contrast to Rei.

* TechnologicallyBlindElders: Played with. Taku can use a phone just fine and occasionally engages in a group chat with both Towa and Rei, albeit mainly to inform them if there's any emergency, which indicates that he's the type of person who uses technology only when necessary and not as a pastime. It's also revealed that [[spoiler: his experience with implanting webtags in debtors eventually had him learn how to track one himself]], causing this trope to be fully subverted.

* TragicDropout: Almost. While Taku managed to graduate and earn his doctor's license, [[spoiler: his mother's death took a huge toll on his emotional well-being, causing him to act out in all kinds of ways when he was still studying in university]]. This resulted in him having to repeat one year in medical school.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Taku is willing to cross a line or two to prevent [[spoiler: Towa from recovering his memories]], such as [[spoiler: burning any mail that contains relics of Towa's past]]. Towa is ''not'' happy when he finds out about this, but after [[spoiler:he unveils enough truths about his childhood and learns that Taku is struggling with secrets of his own]], Towa begins to understand that even if what Taku did wasn't right, he genuinely did what he thought was in Towa's best interests.

* BackAlleyDoctor: Played with. Taku is a legitimate doctor with the credentials and skills expected of one, though he also provides medical services for the Takasato-gumi when requested. That being said, this doesn't affect his reputation as the public has already accepted that it's the norm for all hospitals and clinics in Shinkoumi to give aid to the Takasato-gumi if they need it. '''Misused; the trope is about a doctor with no medical experience, not a doctor who engages with shady business'''

* BrainyBrunette: Taku's hair color is more accurately a combination of dark red and brown, but he still qualifies for the trope. According to Toono, Taku was always at the top of his class even back in high school, and the extras reveal Taku also got a high score on the university entrance examinations. While Taku confesses to having repeated a year in medical school, [[spoiler:this is revealed to be a setback brought about by a personal tragedy affecting his behavior and consequently, his studies]]. This aside, Taku still managed to earn his degree and in time, his doctor's license as well. It's also noteworthy that most doctors specialize in one or two medical fields at most (as it takes a few years of medical training to get qualified to practice ''one'' field), but Taku specializes in ''four''. Not to mention, prior to studying in medical school, Taku had earned a master's degree in pharmaceutical science. '''has natter issues'''

* TheChewToy: Throughout the story, Taku isn't having the easiest time, not simply because of the stress that comes with his job as a doctor, [[spoiler: but also because of his debt to Toono]]. But it's only in Madarame's route that Taku's luck, or what's left of it, takes a deep nosedive. On top of [[spoiler:his situation with Toono]], he [[spoiler:gets held hostage by Madarame who then proceeds to kidnap Towa. When Towa returns home some days later, Madarame's vague words push Towa into confronting Taku about what he's been keeping from him. Even then, Taku doesn't get the chance to fully explain himself as Towa leaves and returns to Madarame out of a sense of isolation, to which Taku then loses Towa for good. While a quick mention of him in the Euphoria ending does confirm that he's alive]], it's all but stated that Taku is still in a worse position at the end of the route than he was at the start.

* DoctorsDisgracefulDemotion: After Taku [[spoiler: is tried and convicted for his association with Toono, both he and Towa expect that he may never be able to resume his job as a doctor again]]. However, the ''After Story'' drama CD subverts this; in spite of what happened, [[spoiler: the public is still looking forward to having him reopen his clinic. Taku is then left ruminating for a while on whether he really should go through with it given all the crimes he had committed, even though said crimes were done under duress. But in the end, he decides to officially reopen the clinic.]] '''narrative trope'''

* TheDogBitesBack: By [[spoiler:accepting Toono's help in paying for his tuition]], Taku finds himself [[spoiler: with a massive debt that he can only hope to pay even just half of by working for both the man and the Takasato-gumi by extension]], which requires him to do things that go against his very principles as a doctor. But in his Euphoria ending, Taku strives to make up for what he had done and shortly after, he [[spoiler: stands up to Toono in the climax, telling him that he can't follow his orders any longer. He also tells the mainland police everything he knows about Toono's plans, ensuring that the man will never be able to get a light sentence]]. '''not a character trope''

* EasilyForgiven: '''trope is being renamed'''
** In Taku's route, Towa learns that Taku [[spoiler:implanted a webtag in him to keep better watch of him]], something that Taku later confesses to doing... and believes that he doesn't deserve to be forgiven for. But when Towa presses the older man for an honest answer, Taku relents and says that he does want to be forgiven, which Towa does after punching him in the face once.
** Averted with a vengeance in Fujieda's route when Towa finds out that Taku [[spoiler:is actively trying to keep Towa's past hidden from the latter to the point of burning the packages that contain clues about Towa's childhood]]. Towa lets Taku know how pissed he is about it, and after that, [[SilentTreatment Towa avoids talking to Taku whenever he can for a long while]]. But once he finds out that Taku has some problems he can't just confide in anyone about and realizes why Taku was determined to [[spoiler: not let Towa recover his childhood memories]], he grows to understand Taku's actions and they eventually reconcile.

* FiveStagesOfGrief: The opening sequence to his route shows Taku going through denial, anger and bargaining [[spoiler: upon seeing his mother's corpse]]. At present, he had already long come to terms with [[spoiler: the fact that his mother is dead]]. But at the same time, he's still trapped in the fourth stage (depression), as [[spoiler: her death still haunts him and is one of the main contributing factors for several of his personal flaws, one of them being his overly protective behavior towards Towa]]. Depending on whether the player gets his Madness ending or his Euphoria ending, Taku can either regress back to denial and bargaining or take a few steps closer towards complete acceptance. While the ''After Story'' drama CD does hint that [[spoiler: his mother's death will always continue to weigh on him in some way, Taku nevertheless resolves to not let his fears or his grief make him waver in his choices any longer]]. '''narrative trope'''

* {{Gaslighting}}: A morally-conflicting example; in Madarame's route, [[spoiler:Taku confesses to Towa that he's been giving Towa false memories of his past in an attempt to shield him from any further trauma were he to remember what his childhood was really like]]. '''not a character trope'''

* GutturalGrowler: Downplayed. Taku normally speaks in a rough and husky voice, though he starts to sound much lower and raspier when he gets ''furious'' or when his more sinister side manifests. '''trope is being disambuigated'''

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: '''narrative trope'''
** Subverted in his route where [[spoiler: he puts a webtag in Towa]]. Taku admits that [[spoiler: the worry he felt from seeing Towa's beaten up state after Asakura "operated" on him caused him to do the aforementioned act out of fear that Towa might get in danger the next time and Taku wouldn't know where he'd be by then]]. Though he doesn't make any attempts to justify himself, even remarking that Towa shouldn't forgive him for it.
** Zigzagged in his attempts to [[spoiler: keep Towa from remembering his past]]. Taku doesn't take any pride or joy in doing so, and even shows some remorse when Towa confronts him about it. However, Taku still believes that [[spoiler:Towa is better off being left in the dark]], and is determined to [[spoiler: keep his lips sealed]] because he knows that if he [[spoiler:lets Towa even recall a hint about his childhood]], he'll risk [[spoiler:shattering Towa's already vulnerable sanity]]-- a fear that's proven correct at one point, [[spoiler:with only Fujieda's timely intervention preventing the worst case scenario from happening]]. Part of the reason why Towa eventually stops being mad at Taku is because he comes to understand that whether Taku's actions were objectively the right or wrong thing to do, he only meant well with what he had done.

* MommyIssues: In short, several of Taku's flaws and personal conflicts can be traced back to his mother [[spoiler: being a JunkieParent and all the difficulties that come with living with one]], as well as [[spoiler: the tragedy of his attempts to save her from her addiction ending completely in vain]]. '''trope is indexed and listing indexes are a no no'''

* MyBelovedSmother: Gender-inverted, and downplayed. Taku may not be Towa's father, but he had helped watch over him for years. It's partly because of this that Taku can get overprotective of Towa, what with often telling him to be careful and to watch himself, though he never tries to stop Towa from engaging in his artistic tendencies; at most, he just keeps Towa from going too far with some of his other unhealthy habits. Though not the most appreciative about it, Towa treats it as no more than the norm. But if Taku's route is taken, Towa starts to become increasingly annoyed with how Taku would keep on attempting to look out for him, even if he understands that Taku's vigilance is from a place of concern. '''unsure'''

* ThrowTheDogABone: In his good ending, Taku is [[spoiler: inevitably put on trial due to his involvement with Toono. However, he's let out on bail prior to his formal sentencing due to his full cooperation with the authorities, and when he's eventually imprisoned, he's only sentenced to two years and is even let out a year early due to good behavior]]. He gets a similar outcome in Fujieda's good ending thanks to Fujieda [[spoiler:speaking in his defense during his trial]]. '''narrative trope'''

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Given what [[spoiler: Taku is revealed to be dealing with thanks to his debt to Toono]], the player is left guessing what happens to him at the end of Rei's route, since absolutely no hint is given in the epilogue. Although a throwaway line in the second ''After Story'' drama CD [[spoiler: hints that Taku still gets imprisoned for being an (albeit unwilling) accomplice in Toono's crimes, with the others waiting for his sentence to end]].

* {{Yandere}}: '''possible indention issues'''
** Between all of Towa's love interests, Taku is the only one who openly shows a jealous streak that sometimes manifests in disturbing ways if he gets distressed enough. In his route, there's an unnerving moment where he [[spoiler:mutters to himself about keeping Towa somewhere where no one else can get to him]], and later on, [[spoiler:he attacks Towa with a scalpel in a misguided attempt to spare Towa from any further torment Toono may inflict on him]]. In his Madness ending, [[spoiler:the trope is taken to its logical conclusion when Taku confines Towa in a basement and keeps him locked up out of the belief that it's the only way Towa will ever be safe]].

** It should also be pointed out that Taku [[spoiler:is the only Nitro+[=CHiRAL=] love interest so far to be this trope by default]], since the love interests from the previous games who also qualify [[spoiler:only become murderously possessive under very special circumstances]]: either [[spoiler: they're [[VisualNovel/TogainuNoChi under the influence of a]] PsychoSerum, they're highly [[VisualNovel/SweetPool sensitive to a supernatural pheromone that's clouding their rationale]], or they [[VisualNovel/DramaticalMurder had their minds either reprogrammed or corrupted by a virus]] in their bad endings]]. By contrast, Taku [[spoiler:[[IfICantHaveYou makes a murderous confession to Towa]] ''after'' the player has netted his good ending]].

* DeathSeeker: In his route, Taku's reluctance to [[spoiler: create a certain kind of drug for Toono forces the latter to take both him and Towa hostage]]. Despite this, Taku is still hesitatnt to [[spoiler: finish the job. But after Towa gets terribly injured from overextending his reach in spite of being a prisoner]], Taku resolves to [[spoiler: cut the project short once he can find a way for Towa to escape]], even though he knows that this will get him killed in the process.
* DeclarationOfProtection: Taku makes such statements twice in his route.

* TheDogBitesBack: By [[spoiler: accepting Toono's help in paying for his tuition]], Taku finds himself [[spoiler: with a massive debt that he can only hope to pay even just half of by working for both the man and the Takasato-gumi by extension]], which requires him to do things that go against his very principles as a doctor. But in his Euphoria ending, Taku strives to make up for what he had done and shortly after, he [[spoiler: stands up to Toono in the climax, telling him that he can't follow his orders any longer]].

* EveryoneHasStandards: Even as someone who has long been accustomed to what life is like in Shinkoumi, both Taku's personality and his job as a doctor still has him carry a lot of scruples about certain matters.

* {{Gaslighting}}: A morally-conflicting example; in Madarame's route, [[spoiler:Taku confesses to Towa that he's been giving Towa false memories of his past in an attempt to shield him from any further trauma were he to remember what his childhood was really like]].

* LoveFatherLoveSon: According to Toono, [[spoiler: Taku was in love with Maya, but decided to settle for Towa because he's all that's left of her. However, Taku]] [[SubvertedTrope denies this and says that he had no feelings for her whatsoever]].

* MenCantKeepHouse: Towa, Rei and Arimura observe that Taku's desk is always a bit of a mess, and Rei lampshades that Taku can't seem to keep his own things organized despite diligently cleaning up Towa's studio on a set schedule. When Towa gets to visit Taku's apartment for the first time, he notices some cluttered books and messy dishes. [[spoiler: This serves as a reflection of Taku's state of mind: he's far better at fixing other's messes than his own.]]

* ParentalAbandonment: [[spoiler:Taku's parents divorced when he was still in high schoo]]l. Based on what he tells Towa in his route, it can be easily inferred that Taku and his father never got in touch even once after that.

* {{Yandere}}:

* BackAlleyDoctor: Played with. Taku is a legitimate doctor with the credentials and skills expected of one, though he also provides medical services for the Takasato-gumi when requested. That being said, this doesn't affect his reputation as the public has already accepted that it's the norm for all hospitals and clinics in Shinkoumi to give aid to the Takasato-gumi if they need it.

* BrainyBrunette: Taku's hair color is more accurately a combination of dark red and brown, but he still qualifies for the trope. According to Toono, Taku was always at the top of his class even back in high school, and the extras reveal Taku also got a high score on the university entrance examinations. While Taku confesses to having repeated a year in medical school, [[spoiler:this is revealed to be a setback brought about by a personal tragedy affecting his behavior and consequently, his studies]]. This aside, Taku still managed to earn his degree and in time, his doctor's license as well. It's also noteworthy that most doctors specialize in one or two medical fields at most (as it takes a few years of medical training to get qualified to practice ''one'' field), but Taku specializes in ''four''. Not to mention, prior to studying in medical school, Taku had earned a master's degree in pharmaceutical science.

* ColorMotif:

* DoctorsDisgracefulDemotion: After Taku [[spoiler: is tried and convicted for his association with Toono, both he and Towa expect that he may never be able to resume his job as a doctor again]]. However, the ''After Story'' drama CD subverts this; in spite of what happened, [[spoiler: the public is still looking forward to having him reopen his clinic. Taku is then left ruminating for a while on whether he really should go through with it given all the crimes he had committed, even though said crimes were done under duress. But in the end, he decides to officially reopen the clinic.]]

* EasilyForgiven:

* {{Expy}}: One could notice some resemblances between Taku and [[VisualNovel/TogainuNoChi Motomi]] upon first glance.

* FeelingTheirAge: Lampshaded, at least. Rei quips in one route that Taku isn't getting any younger, though there's no scene in the game where the trope takes effect, and any time where Taku is in a situation of distress has nothing to do with his age catching up with him. In fact, after the events of his route, [[spoiler: he has since taken to training his muscles while he was in prison to ''avoid'' this trope from happening too soon]].

* FiveStagesOfGrief: The opening sequence to his route shows Taku going through denial, anger and bargaining [[spoiler: upon seeing his mother's corpse]]. At present, he had already long come to terms with [[spoiler: the fact that his mother is dead]]. But at the same time, he's still trapped in the fourth stage (depression), as [[spoiler: her death still haunts him and is one of the main contributing factors for several of his personal flaws, one of them being his overly protective behavior towards Towa]]. Depending on whether the player gets his Madness ending or his Euphoria ending, Taku can either regress back to denial and bargaining or take a few steps closer towards complete acceptance. While the ''After Story'' drama CD does hint that [[spoiler: his mother's death will always continue to weigh on him in some way, Taku nevertheless resolves to not let his fears or his grief make him waver in his choices any longer]].

* {{Foil}}:

* GutturalGrowler: Downplayed. Taku normally speaks in a rough and husky voice, though he starts to sound much lower and raspier when he gets ''furious'' or when his more sinister side manifests.

* IDidWhatIHadToDo:

* MommyIssues: In short, several of Taku's flaws and personal conflicts can be traced back to his mother [[spoiler: being a JunkieParent and all the difficulties that come with living with one]], as well as [[spoiler: the tragedy of his attempts to save her from her addiction ending completely in vain]].

* MyBelovedSmother: Gender-inverted, and downplayed. Taku may not be Towa's father, but he had helped watch over him for years. It's partly because of this that Taku can get overprotective of Towa, what with often telling him to be careful and to watch himself, though he never tries to stop Towa from engaging in his artistic tendencies; at most, he just keeps Towa from going too far with some of his other unhealthy habits. Though not the most appreciative about it, Towa treats it as no more than the norm. But if Taku's route is taken, Towa starts to become increasingly annoyed with how Taku would keep on attempting to look out for him, even if he understands that Taku's vigilance is from a place of concern.

* ThrowTheDogABone: In his good ending, Taku is [[spoiler: inevitably put on trial due to his involvement with Toono. However, he's let out on bail prior to his formal sentencing due to his full cooperation with the authorities, and when he's eventually imprisoned, he's only sentenced to two years and is even let out a year early due to good behavior]]. He gets a similar outcome in Fujieda's good ending thanks to Fujieda [[spoiler:speaking in his defense during his trial]].