Setsuko

Setsuko Shishido is a 41-year-old woman, fully human, with long, wavy black hair that extends all the way to her lower back, and light green eyes that are often framed by large square rim glasses. Her bangs are quite lengthy, complimenting her face in a way that highlights her mature, pretty features.

Setsuko works for the Kuronawa Corporation, a massive conglomerate that dominates many differing sectors of Japan’s market, anywhere from real estate to book publishing, as a high-end office grunt. Despite having worked there for much of her life, and in the same department, promotion to a managerial position seems to perpetually elude her; whether it’s because of gender discrimination or her admitted weaknesses as a person, she can’t really say. Regardless, while she’s tried hard not to show it outwardly, the lack of upward mobility over such a long period of time has proven rather frustrating.

Because of her growing discontentment with her job, as well as a healthy smattering of general interest in the topic, Setsuko one day decided to give vtubing a try. The process of having her model drawn took months, and the rigging took another few…but eventually, she debuted, to surprising success. Her stellar design, commitment to staying in character, natural acting ability, and satin voice steadily attracted a decent following, and while she wasn’t smashing any records, Setsuko managed to carve out a genuine niche for herself, something most content creators can only aspire to.

Setsuko’s vtuber persona is Cordelia Everwinter, a mage from the high-fantasy land of Elonia. Cordelia is a blonde woman with medium-length hair styled into a bob cut and vibrant blue eyes like sparkling sapphires. Cordelia’s outfit is a mix of mage robes and knight armor, offering an enticing balance of might and magic. A large part of Cordelia’s appeal is how Setsuko plays her as a genuine fantasy character brought to life, reacting to the games she plays and any viewer comments as one would expect an actual magician from a fictional world to, and with surprising wit, to boot.

Setsuko herself bears a more standard physique. She stands at 170 cm tall, or 5’7”. Her build is mostly slim, from her trim shoulders to her average hips, and almost entirely devoid of muscle. Her chest is modestly large, having never lost much of its gained size post-childbirth, but nothing mind-blowing, per se. The rigors of work and her recent dedication to her vtubing hobby have taken a clear toll on her physique, but she isn’t quite unhealthy, just worn down from decades of single-motherhood. Her limbs are fittingly lean, but she has beautifully slender hands and feet, with unpainted but well-maintained nails.

Behavior-wise, Setsuko has always been on the withdrawn side. She’s dedicated enough to bypass it in the workplace, but even there, she often struggles to converse deeply on any level beyond professional. It’s left her somewhat isolated as far as actual relationships go, but her clear work ethic and generally reliable demeanor has given her a positive reputation regardless. Underneath her nervousness, she’s very caring, but can often struggle to show it. She’s easily embarrassed, but also has a strong composure that’s difficult to crack. As Cordelia, thanks to playing a role, Setsuko doesn’t suffer from the restrictions of her true self. She maintains a prim and proper manner, but with a strongly gregarious undercurrent that lets her react naturally to just about every given opportunity. Cordelia has a deadpan humor, where much of the comedy comes from how totally different her perspective on even basic concepts is from the real world’s average resident.

Setsuko dreams of one day saving up enough money to quit her office job and open up a small coffee shop; getting promoted means reaching that dream sooner, but she doesn’t care much for the prestige itself, since it would end up being transient anyway. She has a strong passion for coffee, developed over decades of dedicated drinking, and prepares her own roasts every morning and before streaming.

Tsubaki Shishido is Setsuko’s daughter, a 22-year old woman with short black hair styled into a side fringe and dark brown eyes currently attending college at Asatsu University. Tsubaki is a swimming prodigy, someone skilled enough at her sport to have a very real chance at Olympic contention. Setsuko is extremely proud of her and very supportive, but while their relationship is much warmer than it was earlier in life, there’s still an air of awkwardness to much of their friendly interactions. After all, though she tried her best, Setsuko was ultimately a rather neglectful mother by necessity of her job. During what time they did spend together, Setsuko was overly stern to try and compensate. Tsubaki doesn’t hold it against her, but it does mean that their mother-daughter bond formed much later than it likely should have, which has led to some stumbling on both ends. Still, they both care deeply for each other, even if they can struggle to show it in a way that doesn’t seem forced.

Tsubaki has a major sleep disorder which causes her to fall asleep at times when she isn’t totally engaged, as well as sleep much more deeply than the average person, and has worsened over time. Setsuko’s efforts to ensure her daughter struggles with it that much less by shaking her awake every morning, however long and however hard she has to do it, has been a strong point of bonding for them.

Tsubaki’s father was Setsuko’s boyfriend during high school, before she realized she was a lesbian. He left her after finding out she was pregnant, and all these years later, Setsuko hardly considers his existence, even when looking back on her younger years.

Setsuko has had multiple girlfriends over the decades, but none of them managed to stick for long, for many different reasons. She still hopes to find a girl she can truly connect with for the long term someday, but her mousey personality combined with her staunch professionalism can make it a difficult prospect.

Setsuko, as Cordelia, has a vtuber friend nicknamed K2. She doesn’t know him in real life, and would likely react with initial fear if they ever met, but gradually warm up and slip into their usual dynamic of friendly banter. As vtubers, they’ve done a lot to support each other’s careers, and have a genuine camaraderie.

Setsuko very rarely swears, only doing so under extreme emotional duress, both as herself and Cordelia.

When speaking as Cordelia, Setsuko’s voice is higher-pitched and more theatrical.

Setsuko likes strategy games, RPGs, J-dramas, rain, plain sushi, drinks with a distinct flavor profile, mature and understated clothing, and fuzzy animals. She gets along well with warm and outgoing people that can help lower her guard, as well as people who respect her professional boundaries.

Setsuko dislikes cold foods (she has sensitive teeth), shooting games, hot weather, reptiles, and frilly dresses. She struggles to handle people who are excessively pushy with her.

Setsuko is a lesbian attracted only to women, including trans women and gender-nonconforming women.