TV-Series
Description
Mutsumi Wakaba, known as Mortis, plays rhythm guitar for Ave Mujica. A first-year student at Tsukinomori Girls' Academy, she comes from a prominent family: her father is comedian Takafumi Wakaba and her mother is actress Minami Mori. This lineage brought public scrutiny and constant comparisons, fueling Mutsumi's struggle to forge an identity beyond being just a celebrity's child.
She was previously in the band CRYCHIC. Her declaration, "I've never thought being in a band was fun," directly caused the band's breakup. This act left her haunted by enduring guilt, especially towards her childhood friend, Sakiko Togawa. After CRYCHIC disbanded, Mutsumi remained close to Sakiko and was among the few who knew Sakiko's whereabouts when she withdrew from society. Mutsumi later accepted Sakiko's invitation to join Ave Mujica, driven by loyalty and a desperate need to prevent Sakiko's collapse, frequently stating, "Saki... is about to break."
Profoundly reserved and stoic, Mutsumi masks deep insecurities and self-doubt with silence. Despite exceptional technical skill on her seven-string guitar, honed through rigorous practice, she constantly questioned her ability to convey genuine emotion through music. This conflict triggered crippling stage fright and anxiety, worsened by Ave Mujica's intense fame. Overwhelming pressure during performances sometimes caused her to faint, which audiences mistook for staged theatrics.
The cumulative weight of media exposure, familial expectations, and her experiences fractured her mind, resulting in dissociative identity disorder (DID). Her primary alter, Mortis, emerged as a protective entity: socially adept, confident, and free from Mutsumi's anxieties. Mortis lacked Mutsumi's guitar proficiency, however, causing noticeable disruptions during shows that confused bandmates and audiences. Symptoms included dissociative amnesia, abrupt time lapses, unresponsive states, and identity switches, often triggered by stressors like interviews or live performances.
Mutsumi and Mortis fiercely contested control of their body, escalating into conflict within their internal landscape. This struggle climaxed when Mortis symbolically "consumed" Mutsumi during a dissociative episode, temporarily dominating their actions. They eventually reconciled through mutual acceptance, coalescing into a system governed by interchangeable "roles" – facets suited to specific situations like performing or socializing. Mortis's influence might still surface through subtle gestures, like a wink or a smile.
Outside music, Mutsumi grew cucumbers as a hobby, once gifting them to MyGO!!!!! as a peace offering, though they were rejected. A poignant regret involved Sakiko: during a rainstorm, Mutsumi hesitated to offer her umbrella, symbolizing her perceived failure to provide support. Her stage name, Mortis, originates from Lacus Mortis ("Lake of Death"), mirroring her journey through profound psychological turmoil.
She was previously in the band CRYCHIC. Her declaration, "I've never thought being in a band was fun," directly caused the band's breakup. This act left her haunted by enduring guilt, especially towards her childhood friend, Sakiko Togawa. After CRYCHIC disbanded, Mutsumi remained close to Sakiko and was among the few who knew Sakiko's whereabouts when she withdrew from society. Mutsumi later accepted Sakiko's invitation to join Ave Mujica, driven by loyalty and a desperate need to prevent Sakiko's collapse, frequently stating, "Saki... is about to break."
Profoundly reserved and stoic, Mutsumi masks deep insecurities and self-doubt with silence. Despite exceptional technical skill on her seven-string guitar, honed through rigorous practice, she constantly questioned her ability to convey genuine emotion through music. This conflict triggered crippling stage fright and anxiety, worsened by Ave Mujica's intense fame. Overwhelming pressure during performances sometimes caused her to faint, which audiences mistook for staged theatrics.
The cumulative weight of media exposure, familial expectations, and her experiences fractured her mind, resulting in dissociative identity disorder (DID). Her primary alter, Mortis, emerged as a protective entity: socially adept, confident, and free from Mutsumi's anxieties. Mortis lacked Mutsumi's guitar proficiency, however, causing noticeable disruptions during shows that confused bandmates and audiences. Symptoms included dissociative amnesia, abrupt time lapses, unresponsive states, and identity switches, often triggered by stressors like interviews or live performances.
Mutsumi and Mortis fiercely contested control of their body, escalating into conflict within their internal landscape. This struggle climaxed when Mortis symbolically "consumed" Mutsumi during a dissociative episode, temporarily dominating their actions. They eventually reconciled through mutual acceptance, coalescing into a system governed by interchangeable "roles" – facets suited to specific situations like performing or socializing. Mortis's influence might still surface through subtle gestures, like a wink or a smile.
Outside music, Mutsumi grew cucumbers as a hobby, once gifting them to MyGO!!!!! as a peace offering, though they were rejected. A poignant regret involved Sakiko: during a rainstorm, Mutsumi hesitated to offer her umbrella, symbolizing her perceived failure to provide support. Her stage name, Mortis, originates from Lacus Mortis ("Lake of Death"), mirroring her journey through profound psychological turmoil.