Complains about the hassle, helps anyway
He always looks impatient with beginners and mutters "what a pain", yet he quietly tunes their first board for free.
Portrait·Character assets
Character profile
Lin Jiu · Skateboard Shop Owner
More urban character cards →Reusable comic characterUrbanSkaterCommunityGrumpy-kind
At a glance
- Role
- Skateboard Shop Owner
- Genre
- Urban
- Gender
- Male
- Form
- Human
- Art style
- Japanese-style illustration
- Main colours
- Neon green, purple, black
- Home scene
- A graffiti-covered skate bowl at night
Appearance
Short black hair buzzed at the sides with a purple-dyed tail at the back, tan skin and a cool, almost lazy expression, as if the trick he is pulling costs him no effort at all.
Signature outfit
An oversized neon-green T-shirt under black overalls with purple stripes down the legs, a black wristband and black-and-white high-top skate shoes. He is airborne on a black-deck skateboard with cream wheels, one arm stretched forward for balance.
Where you will find them
A skate bowl at night. The curved walls are sprayed with neon-green and purple graffiti, a skyline of lit windows and a starry sky rise behind him, and the moment of the air is drawn with splashes of paint and speed lines.
Personality and what makes them interesting
He has watched a generation grow up
He has seen countless kids go from falling over to riding with style, so he understands persistence better than anyone.
Guardian of street culture
His shop is more than a gear stop. It is a secret base in the city where dreams and friendships gather.
Characters that pair well
Suggested pairing: an office worker buying a first board
They are not young and they fall hard. He roasts them constantly, but stays an extra half hour after closing every day to practise with them.
Suggested pairing: a developer who wants the bowl gone
The bowl is set to be redeveloped and he has to speak up for it, a good base for a mid-length street ensemble story.
Story hooks
An old board at the door
A possible opening: opening up one morning, he finds a worn-out skateboard at the door with one of the shop stickers he printed back when he first opened.
The kids' competition
He has no intention of getting involved, but the kids who keep skating at his spot drag him in as their coach.
The hundredth "what a pain"
A short comic that counts how many times he says "what a pain" in a day, each one followed by an act of help.
Character card FAQ
What genres suit Lin Jiu?
Street youth stories, sports ensembles and light comedies about a sharp tongue hiding a soft heart. Skateboarding moves hit hard visually.
What are the key points of Lin Jiu's design?
The purple-dyed tail of hair, the neon-green T-shirt, the black overalls with purple stripes and the black-and-white skate shoes. The colour scheme is his strongest signal.
Does Lin Jiu always have to be skating?
No. Him behind the shop counter fixing a board, tool in mouth, while sighing at a beginner shows his personality just as well.
