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 secondary ally featured in the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable. Introduced as an 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 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.

In the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan one-shot and OVA, Yukako has bangs that cover a portion of her forehead.

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.

She 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 (ヤンデレ), 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.

Stand
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 dependent 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 electric 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 realizes 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 her 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 realizes 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 feels depressed, she still loves Koichi and won't harass him, but she has no idea how to approach him. Josuke and Joseph pass by and notice her. While Josuke has no sympathy for her and warns her not to approach attack Koichi, Joseph does sympathizes and mentions a nearby beauty salon that may help her. Curious, Yukako discovers Cinderella Beauty Salon. Aya Tsuji, a beautician by trade, invites her inside, explaining that physiognomy affects how one is loved by people, and claims that she can improve Yukako's face, and by extension her love life. Yukako is skeptical but has nothing to lose, thus accepts a 30 minutes trial. When she closes her eyes, the beautician summons her Stand Cinderella and modifies her face. In the streets, Yukako coincidentally meets Koichi, who wishes to put aside their past fight and make peace, to Yukako's joy. Amazingly, their discussion seems to turn into a romantic date at a café. Although Koichi and Yukako go as far as touching each other's hand, the time limit has passed. Koichi begins to have stomachaches and runs away. Dismayed, Yukako rushes back to Aya's salon and demands to be upgraded further. Aya accepts to modify Yukako's whole body, but drawing a parallel with the story of Cinderella, warns her that she would need to use a special lipstick every 30 minutes from now on. Yukako accepts. Tying Aya and Cinderella, Yukako confirms that the beautician is Stand user but doesn't care otherwise.

Beautified to capture Koichi's love, Yukako meets him again in the streets. However, Rohan appears and pressures him into following him. Yukako, who pictured both of them having an intimate moment, is taken aback. She calls Aya out of frustration but Aya reassures her that love will bloom, eventually. However, Yukako's frustration grows as friends and family members of Koichi continue to get between them at Kameyu market. Finally, events conspire to make them hug each other. A flash from Rohan's camera startles Shizuka, Joseph and Josuke subsequently rush out of the supermarket to calm her, accidentally pushing Koichi in Yukako's arm. They share a passionate kiss as the time limit of 30 minutes passes.

However, Yukako's promise is broken and Cinderella's modification begin to crumble. Yukako loses her beautiful face and becomes ugly. She cuts communication with Koichi. Several days later, she meets Koichi in the streets of Morioh but is forced to pretend she doesn't know him. Heartbroken and furious, Yukako crashes Aya's salon, ordering her to fix her face. However, Aya reveals that Yukako's face is gone forever and her features begin to progressively disappear as a result of tampering with Fate. Yukako is horrified to see that her every features begin to disappear. Koichi suddenly enters the salon, having recognized Yukako by her personality alone. Impressed, Aya decides to give Yukako a second chance and spawns several faces, saying that she can choose whichever feels like hers, but choosing incorrectly would make her incredibly ugly forever.

Yukako is unable to decide, and asks Koichi to choose for her, saying that she will be satisfied with his choice, surprising Aya. Furthermore, when Koichi requests to be blinded in case Yukako ends up ugly to ease her pain, Aya is so moved by the couple's love for each other that she restores Yukako's features anyways. Everyone ends up happy.

Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid Is Coming!
Yukako also makes an appearance sitting at Cafe Deux Magots with Josuke and Okuyasu. The trio invites Rohan Kishibe to sit at their table but the mangaka refuses. When Rohan gets in a fight with a boy over a table, they berate Rohan for his attitude.

Goodbye, Morioh Town
Yukako last appears to bid goodbye to Reimi Sugimoto. The anime adaptation also shows her meeting with Koichi near the Angelo rock, apologizing for being late since she prepared lunch for the both of them, then going to school with Koichi.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Yukako 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.

JORGE JOESTAR
In the light novel JORGE JOESTAR, an iteration of Yukako lives in the 37th universe, only referred to as Yamagishi. She does not appear in the story directly, and her first name Yukako is never mentioned. Similarly to her original universe counterpart, she is the girlfriend of a Hirose. Her boyfriend is Koji Hirose.

She is familiar with 's beauty parlor. When trying to find who might have swapped faces with, Yamagishi informs Koji and the others about Aya's male employee, explaining that he is middle-aged but not bad looking.

Rohan Kishibe explains what Yamagishi told them to Jorge Joestar later on.

The Book: 4th Another Day
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.

Creation and Development
Yukako originated from the experiences that Araki gained after getting married during Part 3. Araki had been married for roughly two years when he created Yukako, choosing to draw her as the other side of women that weren't typically depicted at the time. Araki based Yukako's initial personality and horrific obsession with Koichi on the 1990 film. In the film, the protagonist is held captive by an obsessed superfan.

Gallery
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Trivia



 * 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. In addition, a music video produced for the song features a version of Yukako portrayed in live action.
 * In the game Heritage for the Future, some of Midler's illustrations were based on depictions of Yukako from the manga.