Charming Man ★ History
A detailed chronological summary of the life of Charming Man from The JOJOLands.
Background
Charming Man was born on the island of Hawaii and lived on a farm with his younger brother, Mauka. One day, he committed a traffic violation on Highway 180. The police officer grabbed Charming Man's arm hard, causing his palm to scrape against Charming Man's rough skin and turn red. The police officer arrested him for this, claiming that Charming Man injured him. A year later, Charming Man got into an ordinary brotherly argument with Mauka on the outskirts of his farm.
The following day, Charming Man and Mauka went racing on their bicycles on a valley at Hualālai. Charming Man taunted Mauka for being too slow, causing Mauka to wonder if he was planning on doing an ironman triathlon. Just as Charming Man mentioned that they'll be racing each other in a 2-mile swim as well once they get to the beach, he saw a fallen tree in their path. Charming Man evaded it with bunny hops and warned his brother about another fallen tree ahead, but then realized Mauka was no longer on his bicycle. Charming Man got off his bike and panickingly looked around. He eventually found water welled up on the ground, despite there being no water source on Hualālai. Mauka weakly called out for him from within a lava tube.
Charming Man called police officers to rescue his brother, but they all started to leave without even checking the hole Mauka fell into. Charming Man demanded that they hurry and save him, but an officer dismissed his concern, claiming Mauka was probably in the city eating pizza with a girl. Charming Man insisted that his brother slid into the hole, but the cop asserted there was no water anywhere nearby. The cop instead brought up Charming Man's argument with Mauka and his arrest record, making Charming Man the most suspicious one if they were to start an investigation. Before the officers left, the cop suggested that he should pay them if he wanted them to do a search, and warned that he shouldn't blame them if he were to get shot since the whole area was private property.
As time passed, Charming Man continued searching for his brother at the volcano but to no avail. He witnessed Rohan Kishibe constantly scattering dollar bills around and picking them back up. Rohan then picked up Lava Rocks from underneath the bills. Mauka had fallen in a lava tube uphill, where the Lava Rocks were falling out of. Charming Man wondered if there was a connection between the Lava Rocks and his brother's disappearance. He followed Rohan and spied on him at his villa with a trio of cats while the manga artist investigated the properties of the Lava Rocks.[1]
The JOJOLands
Pursuing the Lava Rock
While Usagi and Dragona are testing the Lava Rock's capabilities inside Diamotch, Paco goes to get chicken burritos for himself and Jodio while they wait. Charming Man transforms into Paco and returns with fake bags of chicken burritos, with one having three potatoes in it instead. He pretends to be excited to eat them, believing they're tastier in the island of Hawaii because the chicken are raised high in the mountains. Jodio then opens one of the bags and instead of potatoes, sees an illusion of the decapitated heads of Wild Cat Size inside due to Charming Man's ability. This makes Jodio suspect that an enemy is nearby and was stalking them the whole time.[2]
Still disguised as Paco, Charming Man tries persuading Jodio to return the Lava Rock to its "owner" since their job was just to steal the diamond. He hints that the mafia—or a lower organization with similar methods—might be against them. However, Jodio refuses, sure of Rohan being the only owner of the Lava Rocks. He believes that since Rohan was in the middle of investigating the Lava Rocks, and the "owner" was watching Rohan the whole time, the person also didn't know of its abilities. With the possibility of the mafia being after them, Jodio thinks their enemy would most likely also steal the diamond, as well as kill them to not leave any witnesses behind.
Charming Man tells Jodio that they should bring Dragona and Usagi out of the store since they have the Lava Rock. Just then, the real Paco arrives and apologizes to Jodio for taking so long. The shop he went to ran out of chicken burritos, so he asked them to fry up abalones for them instead. Jodio turns around only to see he was with a fake Paco the whole time, as Charming Man starts shedding off his disguise. Catching them off guard, Charming Man cuts Jodio's neck with a knife, claiming he had tried giving Jodio a chance earlier but Jodio wasted it.[3]
With Jodio down, Charming Man goes on to fight Paco. He swings his knife toward Paco, who quickly parries the strike by using THE Hustle to grab a food tray onto his arm, using it as a shield. Paco then punches his imposter in the face, before grabbing a chair with his back and throwing it, launching Charming Man into a pile of chairs and tables. As he gets back up, Charming Man sheds his disguise and reveals his true appearance. Paco asks how long he was following them for, but Charming Man stays silent and takes a fighting stance. He tries making repeated swings at Paco with his knife, but Paco swiftly dodges them all and is about to counter with a punch. Charming Man nearly succeeds in slashing Paco, but Paco retracts his arm and blocks the knife with his forearm, using THE Hustle to make his muscles grab the blade. Paco then punches his own elbow, vibrating the blade trapped in his muscles. Suddenly, Charming Man's muscles on his entire arm holding the knife start intensely vibrating and bulging out on the brink of bursting. As Charming Man screams from the pain of his forearm bending over from his inflated muscles, Paco grabs his neck.
Before Paco could strangle him, Charming Man makes Paco perceive his arm emerging from faraway clouds, pointing his knife toward Paco's head. Paco senses it before he's hit, and quickly uppercuts Charming Man's chin with his other arm, stopping the attack and sending him flying. As Dragona and Usagi reunite with Jodio and Paco, Charming Man takes the opportunity to strike with a surprise attack. The group sees a bird grab an expensive watch from a table near a couple, and Dragona is happily surprised to see that the bird is actually flying with the watch toward them. However, Jodio and Paco notice something is wrong and try stopping Dragona from touching the watch. They then realize that what they just saw was a trick messing with their perception, as the woman at the table actually still has the watch on her wrist. As Dragona is about to try grabbing the "watch" from the bird, Charming Man's body emerges from the birds and clouds, with his skin blending into his surroundings. Jodio, Paco, and Usagi watch in horror as the fake watch and birds crumble into his body at the same time as he stabs Dragona's neck with his knife and grabs the pouch holding the Lava Rock. Before Charming Man could escape, Jodio quickly activates November Rain, striking Charming Man's foot with the heavy rain and making him fall down.[4]
Charming Man hides in a nearby car owned by Leo, fusing himself with the door. Jodio finds him with his knife pointed at Leo's girlfriend. Jodio quickly grabs Charming Man's hand and kicks the woman away. Charming Man then shatters the door's window with his knife, knocking Jodio down and making his escape. He heads to the beach, but the gang is able to follow him by using the diamond as a radar, which is being attracted to the Lava Rock he is carrying. Fused with a splash of water, Charming Man emerges behind Paco, about to stab him. He disappears for a moment then re-emerges and slashes Paco's left leg. Before Charming Man could pierce Paco's neck, Jodio stops his arms from behind and drags him into the water. Charming Man asserts he was kind enough to give Jodio a chance before. He manages to turn around and is about to cut Jodio's neck, but November Rain activates and crushes the man with its raindrops, shattering the knife in half. Jodio and Charming Man sink deep in the water, but Charming Man gains the upper hand again and pins Jodio down, holding the broken edge of his knife to Jodio's neck. Jodio's November Rain continues its downpour, striking one of the rubber rafts. Usagi gets the message and kicks the raft toward Jodio. As the raft sinks right behind Jodio, he manages to breathe in air from the bubbles flowing from the holes in the raft. Thus, Jodio has the upper hand instead and plans to see how long Charming Man could last without breathing.[5]
New Allies
Paco decides to make Charming Man their ally, so Dragona tells Jodio to stop fighting him. Charming Man joins them at Kona Airport, where Jodio relaxes with him. They have a casual conversation, with Jodio inquiring about Charming Man's recent music preferences. While Jodio chuckles at his choices all being artists with 3 letter names, Paco, more pressingly, inquires about his name. Charming Man introduces himself and mentions the lava tubes at Hualalai. As the group undergoes airport screening, Charming Man questions whether they'd like him to accompany them to Oahu. Paco makes it clear that his presence is necessary if he's interested in the Lava Rock, cautioning against bringing any weapons on the flight. Charming Man, however, remains skeptical about the group's plan of getting rich from the Lava Rock, predicting they'll see the reality as they each drop out. After the flight, Charming Man waits outside Iko Iko while his new allies speak to Meryl Mei Qi.[1]
Charming Man is invited inside and Meryl asks Dragona why she should trust him. Dragona and Paco try to persuade her that he's a good person who just wants to save his younger brother. Charming Man explains to Meryl what happened to his brother and how he witnessed Rohan experimenting with the Lava Rocks. Charming Man is sure that there should be larger Lava Rocks higher up on Hualalai, but a company called HOWLER owns the land and prohibits entry to the area, which is also where Mauka went missing. Charming Man believes that he's still alive and thinks that they could find out what happened to him if they can go there. However, whenever he would try investigating it, the police or mountain rangers would stop him, and he's now considered a suspect for having killed his brother. He is convinced that society itself is preventing him from searching for his brother. Charming Man thinks that if they mimic Rohan by scattering bills around Hualalai, they could find another Lava Rock. Meryl expresses her sympathy for what happened to Charming Man's brother. She reveals her connections with HOWLER and unveils a plan for the gang to claim the entire Hualalai Mountain as their own by taking over HOWLER's assets using the Lava Rock. Meryl plans to give them 4% each of the total estimated 50 billion dollars if they succeed.[6]
The Land Registry Heist
In order to acquire the rights to the lands in HOWLER's possession, Meryl directs the gang to Hawaii's land registry office so that they can make the Lava Rock touch all the original copies of the ownership deeds of the company. She assigns Dragona, Usagi, and Charming Man to go inside while Paco and Jodio stay in the car as support. While they are waiting for the office to open, Charming Man drinks from a water bottle. They eventually enter the building at 10:00. In the atrium, Usagi trips and spills his cup noodles on the floor. Usagi argues that the security guards won't care about him, but Charming Man thinks that it's unlikely that they'll forget him. Nonetheless, the security guards leave them be, so the trio proceeds with their infiltration. Dragona uses Smooth Operators to fake an ID for Charming Man with a new photo. He goes to the counter and disguises his face with his Stand to match the ID, formally making a request to consult the original land deeds. Meanwhile, Dragona tasks Usagi with tampering with the cameras with THE MATTEKUDASAI so that their real appearances wouldn't be recorded. Although the clerk initially directs them to a PC to see digital copies of the deeds, Charming Man insists on taking a look at the original deeds by pretending that Usagi wants to study them.
The staff accepts and brings the group to the archive where the clerk presents the original land deeds to Usagi and Dragona on a table. The clerk puts gloves on and tells them that she'll be the only one touching the documents. While Usagi pretends to "study" them, Dragona stealthily touches the pages with the Lava Rock hidden in their pendant. At one point, the rock vibrates and attracts the deeds but Dragona separates them before the clerk suspects foul play.
After they are done, the trio quickly exits the building. As the plan seemingly went smoothly, Dragona is enthusiastic to see the results of their operation. Charming Man calls Jodio and Paco so that they drive back and pick them up but Usagi suddenly feels sick. Usagi collapses on the floor and starts to vomit, no longer being able to breathe. Charming Man notices that he's not throwing up food but a cloudy liquid and when he examines Usagi, he sees that his neck is covered in rock-like scabs. Dragona is just as puzzled as Charming Man by Usagi's symptoms, as they barely know him and don't know if he's suffering from a sort of chronic illness or has been poisoned. Dragona almost calls an ambulance but Charming Man warns not to because it will leave a trace of their presence. Anxious, Dragona suspects that they are under attack.[7]
Charming Man diagnoses Usagi with pulmonary edema, but instead of committing to saving him, suggests to Dragona that they leave Usagi for dead since he's barely an acquaintance and a liability. Usagi manages to save himself by cutting a hole into his chest and using THE MATTEKUDASAI to become a straw, which he pierces his lung with to make himself a secondary breathing orifice. Witnessing this, Charming Man develops some respect for Usagi's initiative and courage. They bring Usagi to the group's van and discuss the situation. While Usagi claims he's being attacked by an enemy Stand, Charming Man suggests that he's merely suffering from symptoms of a drug addiction. Usagi is proven right when the group witnesses the clerk who was showing the land registry's pages to Usagi being evacuated by medics and suffering from the same symptoms. Out of respect for Usagi, Charming Man decides to check for the enemy inside Usagi's body. He detaches his eyeball using Bigmouth Strikes Again and disperses it into sand so it can enter Usagi's body through the straw. He eventually does notice a Stand attacking Usagi's blood vessels and pursues it. Noting that it is very weak and slow, Charming Man tries to drag it out of Usagi. However, he then also falls ill and develops a tumor around his right eye as he came into contact with the Stand. Worried, Jodio tells him to stop. Worse, Dragona has also become sick.[8] While Usagi's symptoms worsen with blood splurting out of his eye, Jodio and Dragona manage to defeat the Stand inside Dragona's body, allowing Dragona to breathe again. However, Charming Man warns it's too late to locate the Stand in Usagi's brain. Jodio plans to use an MRI at the hospital to locate the Stand and save Usagi.[9]
At the Hospital
After arriving at the hospital, Jodio mistakenly presses the elevator button to the ICU. They see Sophie, the clerk from the registry office, unconscious. Her father, Congressman White, believes HOWLER poisoned her. He plans to seize HOWLER's land and signs a document on his tablet, but his assistant warns him not to. Before he decides to submit it, Sophie's ECG monitor suddenly flatlines. Amidst his grief, he leaves his tablet behind when he rushes into Sophie's room. Dragona and the others use White's tablet to submit the document, using Smooth Operators to drag his fingerprint onto the sensor.[9]
To save Usagi, the group plans on using an MRI to scan Usagi's body and find the lesions he must have from his heart to his brain, which is where the enemy Stand must be. Then, Dragona will send in Smooth Operators to drag the Stand out and the group will be able to eliminate it. Unfortunately, both MRI scanners at the hospital are being used at the moment. Thus, the group decides to tell Usagi to conjure his own scanner with THE MATTEKUDASAI and use a spare room. Time is short as Usagi starts to become delirious and blood is flowing from his ear, meaning the enemy Stand is in his brain, and Usagi will soon be unable to use his Stand.
The group waits outside but then hear silenced gunshots. Although they see nobody, they soon spot a hail of bullets slowly heading towards them and are hit.[10] Charming Man stops the bullet from entering his skin by using Bigmouth Strikes Again to crumble the skin on his neck. Paco points out that Usagi is in the process of making an MRI with THE MATTEKUDASAI. He instructs Charming Man and Dragona to take the photographs of inside Usagi's brain, while he and Jodio will stand guard. Dragona instructs Usagi to stay as still as possible. Charming Man warns Dragona not to get too close to the MRI entrance due to its magnetic resonance, but Dragona's bracelets are already stuck to the door. Charming Man also cautions Dragona about the potential for tattoos to cause burns. In a rush, Charming Man scans the photos for the lesion in Usagi's brain, but the strong magnetism pulls a cart with various items toward the MRI.[11]
Charming Man finally spots the enemy Stand in Usagi's temporal lobe, allowing Smooth Operators to corner the Stand. Suddenly, Dragona sees that Smooth Operators are surrounded by multiple Bags Groove bodies. Charming Man notices a doll's head stuck to the MRI scanner and realizes that the user must be nearby and has sneakily sent more of their Stands into Usagi.[12]
Thankfully, Jodio manages to defeat Bobby Jean and kills him.[13]
Countdown to the Asset Collection
After the crew leaves the hospital, Charming Man impersonates the banker Yokohama and infiltrates his office. Firstly, he manipulates the security passcode of the bank's system so that when there is a transfer of Acca Howler's assets, the money will be actually transferred to the gang's bank account. Secondly, he also takes the time to enjoy the luxuries inside Yokohama's office, such as his mini golf course, the pralines or the alcohol. Finally, he calls Yokohamas wife and pretends that an emergency will prevent him from coming home for a few days. The wife asks him to say the usual "magic words" so that she can forgive him. Out of ideas, Charming Man tries to say he loves her, but the wife reveals the magic words are "my nether regions are pointing the other way, you bitch cat!"
The conversation is interrupted when Yokohama's secretary comes to tell him about some guests come to visit him. Pretending that he was completely uninvolved in the hospital shooting, Charming Man tells his secretary off and welcomes Jodio Joestar, Dragona and Usagi, explaining that they are are children of a relative and that he will be giving them a tour of the office. Quipping that he would make a good banker, Charming Man reveals that the bank's chief executive has ordered him to make sure Howler's assets are collected, but in reality, the money will go to the gang's bank account.
Later, the whole crew reunites at Meryl Mei Qi's office. She interrogates Lulu to have a clear view of Howler's knowledge of the situation. Lulu reveals that Howler knows about the existence of the Lava Rock and its power, but that he doesn't know about any of the gang member. Thus, Meryl tells everybody to make sure they won't be followed during the next week, until Howler's assets can be collected.[14]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The JOJOLands Chapter 12: Charming Man
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 8: Hualalai - Cat Size, Part 3
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 9: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 10: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 11: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 3
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 13: Joestar Brothers
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 14: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 15: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 2
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The JOJOLands Chapter 16: Lulu's Bags Groove, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 17: Lulu's Bags Groove, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 18: Lulu and Bobby Jean, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 19: Lulu and Bobby Jean, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 20: Lulu and Bobby Jean, Part 3
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 21: HOWLER Company Impropriety Suspicions
