Yukako Yamagishi

"Not that it matters who might come by... After all, love is invincible."

- Yukako Yamagishi

Yukako Yamagishi (山岸 由花子) is a side character featured in the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable. Introduced as a minor antagonist in the "Yukako Yamagishi Falls In Love" story arc, she becomes a neutral character in the "Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella" arc.

Yukako is a high-school student besotted with Koichi Hirose. She originally tries to kidnap Koichi before being neutralized and eventually starting a mutual relationship with him.

Struck with the Arrow by Keicho Nijimura, Yukako is a Stand User who freely manipulates her hair through Love Deluxe.

Appearance
Yukako is a teenage girl of fine build, 167 cm (5'5¾") tall. She is characterized as especially beautiful (noted by Aya Tsuji ), with fine facial features and bodily proportions. She has full, dark and wavy waist-length hair, a mole above her right breast, and dark eyes. She also has pale skin and prominent, arched eyebrows.

Yukako is often seen wearing a dark  with a rose imprinted on its sleeves along with a pair of leather shoes and socks.

In the Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella arc, she displays a mature taste in casual clothing. She wears a light wide hat with spots on it, a crop top with a collarless jacket, and a skirt.

Personality
Yukako is introduced in the midst of a date with Koichi Hirose, initially acting demure and sweet around him. This visage quickly dissipates when she reveals her bad temper and obsession with him, which occupies the majority of her initial role in Diamond is Unbreakable.

Yukako's most recognizable character trait is her obsessive love for Koichi, which she explains as appreciation for men with potential rather than perfect people, whom she considers boring, and admits outright to becoming obsessive about anything she likes. Her love takes an overtly psychopathic turn when she decides to kidnap him and attempt to brainwash him into reciprocating her feelings, as well as forcefully training him into fitting an idealized picture of himself. Upon Koichi's revolt, she goes completely berserk and is willing to hurt, or even kill him in order to keep him for herself. Once she is defeated, and then immediately saved by Koichi in spite of what she put him through, Yukako sees the error of her ways, becoming genuinely infatuated by his heroism, and as such begins to fully respect his privacy and feelings. After beginning a true relationship with Koichi, she appears much more mellow and relaxed. Aloof and "insanely tough" (as described by Koichi), Yukako is often cold toward people and maintains a steely, unwelcoming expression, except for in the presence of Koichi, with whom she acts sweetly and warmly in an excessive fashion. She is irritable, blunt and prone to lashing out, particularly when something gets in her way. When angered, her left eye also twitches. Yukako frequently and violently uses her Stand, Love Deluxe, against anyone she feels would hurt her chances of captivating Koichi, resorting to lethal force in the worst case.

She has also been described as the type of person who lives in her own world and tends not to listen to others, expecting things to go her way and for people to follow what she says. Even when something goes wrong, she tends to blame it on others and refuses to find fault with herself. Despite the insecure comments in her introduction, she has immense pride in her appearance and hair, even threatening to murder Koichi once he damaged her hair during their fight, and again threatening Aya after her Cinderella caused her face to fall apart.

In the anime, she has a habit of referring to herself in the third person. She also seems to have talent in cooking and sewing, and to some extent engineering as she built an electric chair from household appliances.

Yukako may be described as yandere, and arguably may have predated or became the progenitor of the archetype. Araki comments that her personality was designed in reaction to the prevalence of perfectionism applied to many female characters, as a statement that someone of any gender should be capable of being frightening or losing their temper.

Abilities
Yukako's Stand is Love Deluxe, lending versatile, prehensile life to her long hair; enabling her to spontaneously extend it, grasp heavy objects securely, and strike, smother or infect human targets.

Background
In February 1999, Yukako was shot with the Arrow by Keicho Nijimura, awakening in her a Stand ability. She lost consciousness and woke up completely healed. Confused, Yukako thought that the incident was a mere dream. During the new year, she enters Budogaoka High School, in the same class as Okuyasu Nijimura incidentally.

She sees Koichi Hirose's development off-screen and falls in love with him for this.

Yukako Yamagishi Falls In Love
Yukako gathers the will to invite Koichi to a cafe, where she confesses her love to him. Acting demure at first, Yukako is enraged when Koichi dithers in his response and reveals a glimpse of her true self by shouting at him. She regains her senses and leaves in shame, still hoping that Koichi will see her again. In her anger, she leaves some of her hair in Koichi's drink. Unbeknownst to her, Josuke and Okuyasu have been watching the date and realize that she may be a Stand User who is up to no good.

The next day, Yukako approaches Koichi again during the midday break. Koichi is on cleaning duty and Yukako interrupts him, seeking forgiveness for how she acted yesterday. Koichi is relieved to see that Yukako is reasonable and accepts to still be friends with her. However, Koichi's acceptance goes to Yukako's head as she reveals the pullover she lovingly knitted last night for Koichi, as well as the bento she put together this morning and a good luck charm, showing that she's still obsessed with Koichi. Yukako tries to feed Koichi, now afraid of Yukako. When the class representative comes in and tells Koichi to finish throwing up the garbage, Koichi happily obliges to dodge Yukako. Believing that the class representative is trying to seduce Koichi, Yukako confronts her near the school's incinerator. Threatening the representative, she plants some of her hair on the representative before she leaves. The hair is linked to the incinerator, leading flames into the representative's hair, but also blind her and tie her tongue to isolate her as her head burns. Luckily, Okuyasu saves the representative by scraping her hair.

After Koichi, Josuke and Okuyasu meet to concoct a plan to drive off Yukako, Josuke and Okuyasu deliberately badmouth Koichi in front of her, hoping that she will lose interest in him. However, Yukako kidnaps Koichi the same evening, determined to turn Koichi into her ideal partner. Yukako brings Koichi to an isolated mansion on the coast where she intends to keep him prisoner, educate and torture him until he's completely dependant on her. She first serves breakfast but turns it into an English lesson by hiding the dishes behind boxes, allowing Koichi to eat if he answers right but threatening to force feed him things such as erasers or asparagus wrapped in dictionary paper. She catches Koichi trying to cheat and in anger decides to make him eat the items for the wrong answers. When Koichi tries to run away, she reveals that she's planted some of her hair on his hair, lifting him toward the ceiling. She decides to leave Koichi alone for the time being.

Yukako returns to Koichi having soiled himself because she locked the toilets with a combination lock. Ashamed, Koichi begs Yukako to let him go but she reveals that she loves Koichi because of his great potential and is determined to make him develop into a better man, although she also reveals that she's working on an electrical chair for dinner. Yukako leaves as she must order olive oil for dinner, allowing Koichi to use Echoes ACT1. Koichi sends Echoes to a nearby payphone to hide. Although Yukako keeps a close watch on Koichi, she is taken by surprise when Echoes plants sounds on her to makes a call to Josuke, allowing Josuke and Okuyasu to guess the general location of Yukako's hideout.

Yukako realises that Koichi is also a Stand User. Thinking that their similar ability must mean they are meant for each other, Yukako approaches the house to capture Koichi again and change hideout but Koichi barricades the front door. Koichi's resistance frustrates her greatly but she shows that she can shrug off Echoes ACT1's power. However, Echoes evolve into Echoes ACT2 and creates a strong wind that pushes Yukako away from the house. Genuinely angered, Yukako uses her full power to capture Koichi and threatens to kill him if he doesn't accept her. However, Koichi puts a sound on himself, causing a great explosion sending Yukako flying.

Yukako lands near the cliff leading to the ocean, her hair damaged and bleached white by the explosion. She wakes up and ties Echoes whom Koichi sends to check on her, cutting off Echoes' tail. Furious, Yukako tries to kill Echoes and doesn't listen to Koichi's warnings. The cliff crumbles, and Yukako falls towards the rocks down the cliff. However, she's saved when she bounces up to solid ground again. Koichi reveals that he's been planning to save her all this time and leaves. Yukako realises Koichi's valor and her love for him is renewed, although she decides to admire him from afar for now.

People of Morioh Town
Later in the story, Yukako is warned about Yoshikage Kira after Shigekiyo Yangu's death and advises everyone to be careful.

Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella
Yukako, still lovestruck, seemed to have learned from her mistake in trying to force Koichi. Unhappy about her unrequited love she made use of the services offered by Aya Tsuji's beauty-enhancing Stand, Cinderella, which rendered her into a bewitchingly attractive woman in the eyes of Koichi - for a price and a certain time limit, during which she was to use a special lipstick in order to uphold the "magic", i.e. the Stand's power. The Stand allowed her to grow closer to Koichi, who, after some trials and tribulations, warmed up to her and willingly became her boyfriend.

However, when she forgets to apply the magic lipstick, her face becomes deformed and she flies into a rage at Aya, who grants her a chance for her to return to her original appearance should she be able to pick her original eyes. Yukako has trouble picking the right one until Koichi arrives in her aid and decides that he will pick for her, but requesting that Aya take away his eyes should he make a mistake. Aya, unwilling to take the role of an antagonist, decides to give Yukako her original appearance back. Following this, Koichi and Yukako share a tender moment and the two presumably become a couple afterward.

Janken Boy Is Coming!
Yukako also makes an appearance in Janken Boy Is Coming while sitting at Cafe Deux Magots with Josuke and Okuyasu.

Goodbye, Morioh Town
Yukako last appears to bid goodbye to Reimi Sugimoto. In the anime, a scene is added with Koichi making lunch for him and Yukako.

Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan
Yukako reappears in Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan - Episode 8: Deoxyribonucleic Acid. She asks Rohan for help, telling him to examine the strange Mao Katahira. However, Rohan claims that she is fine the way she is and leaves, making her angry. However, she could read within Mao when Rohan turned her into a book and gave Mao's mother Mai vital clues into finding the father.

Yukako later tells Rohan about Mai's wedding with her new fiancé.

The Book: 4th Another Day
(The information below derives from a Light Novel not written by Araki. As such, it may or may not be considered .)

Yukako was Chiho Futaba's neighbor when they were kids. She helps Koichi find Hanae Orikasa's killer, a student with red marks on his arms. Suspecting the killer might be in the same class as them, Yukako traps their class in the classroom so Koichi could raise the temperature with a word made by Echoes, making the students take off their jackets. Unfortunately, the killer wasn't in there. Several days later, Yukako witnesses the fire of Chiho's home and immediately informs Koichi.

Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
Yukako makes her first video-game appearance in Eyes of Heaven as a playable character. She was confirmed alongside Koichi, Hol Horse, and Jean Pierre Polnareff.

Yukako is of the Stand User Style, but more specifically is she a Mode User, possessing the exclusive ability to Switch Mode. Unlike other Mode Users, Yukako's abilities and moveset do not dramatically change when she switches, nor is her mode one that requires a lengthy cooldown. This means that she is free to enter in and out of her mode as she pleases. Yukako is still a Stand User nonetheless, and as such, she is one of many characters with wildly varied abilities that grant her uniqueness in battle.


 * Style Action - Love Deluxe: Yukako enters a voluntary enraged state, causing her hair to flare up. While active, all non-DHA attacks become unblockable, her damage receives a boost, and certain skills gain additional properties. In exchange, she is unable to lock on, guard, Sidestep, or Homing Dash. The ability will deactivate when Yukako's stamina empties and can be manually deactivated at any time with another press of the Style Action button. While Yukako can normally trap larger stage objects with her hair to paralyze opponents, she instead gains the ability to pick up stage objects of any size while Love Deluxe is active, even objects she herself has trapped.


 * Trait - I can't hear you!: While Love Deluxe is active, Yukako is immune to the effects of Koichi's "I hate you!" skill.


 * I'm already inside your head.: Yukako extends her hair a considerable distance forward. If it makes contact with an opponent, they will have her hair "implanted" on them. While an opponent has Yukako's hair, she is unable to perform any other skill, and can only re-input the same skill. Upon doing so, the opponent is forcibly drawn towards Yukako, giving her the chance to attack first. If Yukako is knocked down, her implanted hair will be nullified. If Love Deluxe is active, this skill becomes unblockable, the range of the initial attack is extended, and the maximum amount of time Yukako's hair can stay implanted is increased.


 * You dumbass!: Yukako leaps a short distance toward her target if locked on, backward otherwise, and attempts to body slam them before swinging her hair. If it connects, she grabs and lifts them up with her hair alone before crushing and slamming them into the ground. If Love Deluxe is active, this skill becomes unblockable and the range of both the body slam and hair attack are extended.


 * Hmph!: Yukako uses Love Deluxe to extend her hair toward specific points in the stage to pull her to, represented by anchor icons. This allows for quick escapes and inversely can be used to get closer to the opponent just as quickly. Certain types of environmental objects, such as lampposts, allow Yukako to stand on them, granting her the ability to recuperate from out of reach of close-ranged attacks. If Love Deluxe is active, this skill executes faster.


 * That's what I meant.♡So sorry...: Yukako wraps her hair around her head for a short period of time. If an opponent gets too close, the hair automatically moves into the ground as a trap before bursting upward in a large pillar, stunning the target and leaving them open to further attack.


 * EX - I'm already inside your head.: The skill executes faster and Yukako is invincible during activation.


 * EX - You dumbass!: The skill executes faster and Yukako gains super armor (or unflinching to enemy attacks) until she lands from the leap. The hair attack will also cause the target to bounce high into the air when slammed down, setting up for further attacks via Flash Canceling.


 * Trait - My precious hair! It's turned completely white!: When Yukako's health hits zero for the first time, she will be granted half of a health gauge to continue on with. Her hair color turns white, and Love Deluxe becomes permanently active without draining her stamina. Once her health reaches zero once more, Yukako will then fall permanently.

JoJolities

 * I'm starting to feel a little violent...: Yukako must use her Style Action 3 times. (200 Points)


 * You should be thanking me.: Yukako must connect "I'm already inside your head." twice. (200 Points)


 * Don't you understand that love is more important than work?: Yukako must connect "That's what I meant.♡So sorry..." twice. (300 Points)


 * Koichi belongs to ME!: Yukako must hit something with a stage object while Love Deluxe is active 3 times. (500 Points)


 * Love is invincible!: Yukako must Retire an opponent while Love Deluxe is active. (800 Points)

Dual Heat Attacks

 * Solo - Looks like I'm going to have to play rough!: An irritated Yukako wraps the opponent in her hair before effortlessly flinging them around, slamming them into the ground three times before raising them extremely high up into the air and sending them into the ground one more time hard enough for them to bounce.


 * With Koichi - Invincible Heroine: Koichi uses 3 Freeze to make the opponent heavier, then Yukako wraps them in her hair before attempting to fling them around. Despite struggling with the increased weight of the opponent, she successfully slams them into the ground four times before raising them extremely high up into the air and launching them into the ground one more time hard enough to generate a shockwave.

Tournament
She is paired with Hol Horse in the Eyes of Heaven Tournament but was eliminated in the preliminaries by Jotaro Kujo and Vanilla Ice.

Gallery
Manga=

Trivia

 * Araki based Yukako's initial personality and horrific obsession with Koichi off the horror film.
 * An image of Yukako from Chapter 350 is featured on the limited edition cover of 2009 single "Breeeeze Girl", as well as on billboards for its promotion.
 * Some illustrations of Midler in Heritage for the Future are based on depictions of Yukako.
 * Yukako is the only playable character in Eyes of Heaven whose voice lines can dynamically change. In her case, all of her skill quotes and battle grunts becoming shriek-like and violent while Love Deluxe is active.

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