Kaato Higashikata

"I don't have any regrets, but... That's because I'm going to take back the life I lost."

- Kaato Higashikata, JJL Chapter 55

Kaato Higashikata (東方 花都) is an antagonist appearing in JoJolion.

Kaato is Norisuke Higashikata IV's ex-wife and mother to the four Higashikata children.

Appearance
Kaato is a 51-year-old woman with shoulder-length black hair, parted in the middle with two spiral buns on each side which end in two spiraling pigtails. Her eyes are split down the middle, like those of Josuke Higashikata, but hers are split in a zigzag pattern rather than evenly.

She wears a long dress with a layer of fringe along the waist, and with playing card back designs with the Higashikata family crest across her chest and on her hips. She also wears large rectangular bracelets on both of her wrists.

Personality
"This world... is full of liars, after all."

- Kaato Higashikata, JJL Chapter 58

Kaato is a very mysterious individual, showing different sides of herself depending on whom she's speaking with. She seems to act the most genuine around her son, Jobin Higashikata whom she trusts. Kaato herself acts incredibly loving towards her children, however she is not above violently attacking them if she is disrespected; as shown when Joshu tripped her with a chair. Kaato dislikes Josuke, calling him a freeloader and generally looking down upon him for being taken in.

She also seems to be very two-faced and deceptive. Kaato shows her true calculating personality to Jobin, which seems to intimidate and inspire fear in him. In public, however, she comes off as charismatic and loving; as despite her horrific crime the prison community loved her and genuinely missed seeing her leave. While relaxed, she tends to speak like Hato; elongating certain syllables.

Abilities
Kaato's Stand appears to take the form of a simple deck of playing cards. However, by placing objects between the cards, she can store that object in the deck itself as if nothing was there. Once stored, if a card containing the object is flipped over the object will emerge.

The size limit of objects Kaato can store within her cards is unknown, though she was able to keep a full-sized dining room chair within them.

History
Fifteen years ago, Kaato Higashikata was imprisoned in Morioh's Stone Ocean prison for the murder of a child. After her imprisonment, she was divorced by her husband, Norisuke Higashikata IV for the heinous crime. While she served her time, her fate was falsified by Norisuke to his children; being told that their mother was dead so they wouldn't have to bear the shame of Kaato's crimes.

Walking Heart, Breaking Heart
She is released from prison on time served shortly after her family's encounter with Tamaki Damo. The guards warn her that society has likely not yet forgiven her for her crimes, but they all loved her dearly. As she gets dressed in her original clothes, she retrieves a deck of cards she was allowed to have while imprisoned, which reveals a cellphone hidden within them, a result of her Stand's ability to hide things within the deck. She calls someone on the phone, who promises to pick her up at the prison, but she asks the caller to keep her release a secret from the family, as she wants to surprise Norisuke. As she hides the phone back in the deck of cards, Kaato claims she has no regrets for what she did as she plans on taking the life she lost back, and her caller is revealed to be her son Jobin. She leaves Stone Ocean prison, tossing her engagement ring from Norisuke in the air as she walks out a free woman.

Dawn of the Higashikata Household
Kaato later meets up with Jobin, who allows her into the Higashikata household. Kaato waits on the couch for several hours as her children wonder who she could be. Once Norisuke wakes up, she calmly greets him to his utter horror. She lovingly introduces herself to the family, explaining that she is their mother. As Norisuke demands to know why she is out of prison and specifically returned to the household, she swears on her ancestors that she was an innocent woman and simply wanted to be reunited with her family. She then reveals that Norisuke divorced her while she was in prison while Hato explains to Josuke that Norisuke lied to them over their childhood; claiming that Kaato had died or abandoned the family. Joshu is less enthusiastic about meeting his mother and purposefully kicks a chair into her as she goes to hug Daiya. Joshu then undresses Kaato using Nut King Call to humiliate her further. The action causes her deck of cards to fall from her bra and spill out on the floor. Kaato, feigning worry, asks Joshu to help pick them up. As Joshu flips over a card, he is uppercutted by a chair leg that was hidden between the cards. Kaato then warns Joshu not to trifle with her ever while still reaffirming the other children of her love for them. As Jobin enters the household, Kaato politely excuses herself to her hotel; saying that she'll come back when everyone is less shy.

The Man Who Lives by the Pond
Kaato later appears painting her nails while sunbathing in Norisuke's hammock and drinking his stash of, much to his surprise. He commands her to leave immediately while she states calmly that half of the house, and Norisuke's assets, still belong to her. After Norisuke storms off, Kaato calls Jobin on her phone, telling him that she suspects Norisuke is plotting something. She also informs Jobin of Josuke's interloping, correctly assuming that he's also working against them.

Trivia

 * Kaato's initials on her wedding ring begin with a C, suggesting her name is meant to be romanized as "Caato".