Bruno Bucciarati

"To complete my mission and protect my men. Having to do both at once is what makes being a capo so tough. Are you ready for this? I know I am. (任務は遂行する 部下も守る. 両方やらなくっちゃあならないってのが幹部のつられところだな. 覚悟はいいか？オレはできてる.)"

- Bucciarati to Prosciutto,

Bruno Bucciarati (ブローノ・ブチャラティ) is a primary ally featured in the fifth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Vento Aureo.

Bucciarati is a and the leader of his own squad within the powerful Neapolitan gang, Passione. Sent out to track whoever attacked Leaky-Eye Luca and debuting as Giorno Giovanna's opponent, Bucciarati becomes the first to lend meaningful support to Giorno in his ascension in Passione's ranks.

Bucciarati is also a Stand User who wields the zipper-creating Sticky Fingers in battle.

Appearance
Bucciarati is a man of above-average height with a slim build. He has black chin-length hair with straight-cut bangs covering his forehead. His hair is adorned with a braid going along the top of his head and a hair clip surmounted on each side of his bangs.

His attire is composed of an all-white suit covered in small black spoon-like symbols, with an open chest similar to Giorno, and zippers in random places alluding to his Stand, Sticky Fingers. Underneath his jacket is a lace top, which is seemingly portrayed as a tattoo in the TV anime.

His appearance seems to have stayed consistent since childhood with no particular differences outside his height and clothing.

Jolyne, Fly High with GUCCI
Bucciarati makes a small appearance in the one-shot wearing a blue two-buttoned jacket plus a matching pull-over and dotted shirt underneath it, with gray pants and brown shoes.

His black hair is consistently portrayed with a red tint, as opposed to his usual blue.

Personality
"Even in this rotten world, I still want to walk down a path I believe in!"

- Bruno Bucciarati,

Bruno Bucciarati, first introduced as a sly gangster, is quickly revealed to be a righteous and extremely determined, if brutal, individual.

During his introductory arc, Bucciarati acts like a seemingly affable gangster toward Giorno Giovanna, starting chitchat on various subjects during which Bucciarati reveals his more violent side. This behavior is later shown to be an act he puts up with unfamiliar people outside of Passione, and he would later conduct himself in the same manner with two airport security guards.

Bucciarati's most important character traits are his righteousness and his natural kindness. Bucciarati is dedicated to taking the most honorable course of action, even if he puts his life at risk. For instance, at the age of seven, Bucciarati chose to stay with his father when his parents divorced as he thought he should support the one parent who suffered from this separation. Moreover, Bucciarati overtly rebelled against Diavolo when the Boss clearly wanted to kill his daughter, Trish Una, resulting in his premature death. Bucciarati is loyal to the civilians of his territory, being considerate with them accepting their requests for help, and is generally nice to the people he meets.

Bucciarati respects and upholds several values such as having resolve, commending Giorno's resolve in their fight, selflessness as he is prepared to sacrifice himself for his beliefs and his duties, and family loyalty, being outraged that Diavolo would dare hurt his own child. Like his team, Bucciarati believes that resolve involves risking one's own life for a just cause, a standard he constantly holds up to by putting himself in danger and betting on the enemy's lesser resolve to prevail, until his climactic self-sacrifice against Diavolo. During their first fight, Diavolo even praised how Bucciarati kept his consciousness and tried to counterattack despite an open chest wound. He also readily admires this same resolve whenever it shows up in an opponent, noting that Giorno and Pesci (temporarily) have such resolve. According to Giorno, Bucciarati believes in individual freedoms, and that people are free to die however they wish.

However, Bucciarati also particularly despises the drug trade, which caused his father's death and is hurting the population on a large scale, especially children, thus any mention of it unnerves him. Because of his allegiance to Passione which is selling drugs in the street, Bucciarati is conflicted between his code and his duty as a gang member. Giorno notes that Bucciarati was at odds with himself when he used Sticky Fingers to hide inside the body of a teenager who was addicted to drugs. Due to this, he decided to quietly support Giorno Giovanna's infiltration of the gang while still working for the organization. Shown to be against Narancia joining the gang, telling him to live a normal life, Bucciarati doesn't hold the gangster life in high regard. Bucciarati also looks down on spiteful violence, going back on his praise of Pesci when he saw that Pesci wanted to kill Bucciarati's team out of spite rather than tactical insight.

In contrast to his righteousness, Bucciarati has a violent and ruthless side. At the age of twelve, Bucciarati murdered his father's would-be aggressors in cold blood, and as a gangster, kept his tendency toward violence. Upon their first meeting, Bucciarati violently beat down Giorno and referred to his interrogation as a torture session and didn't stop the team from beating and torturing Mario Zucchero. Having worked for a gang for years, Bucciarati is an experienced fighter, being able to discern whenever killing intent is genuine, is unfazed by empty threats, and is able to keep calm even during a desperate looking fight. Likewise, Bucciarati will often use lethal force against his enemies as demonstrated against Prosciutto and Pesci whom he caused to be run over by a train and dismembered, as well as against Secco whom he deafened with a popped car tire.

During a fight, Bucciarati is both brave and cautious. While he is ready to sacrifice himself in order to win, Bucciarati will try tactical retreats and sneak attacks regularly, as seen when he tried to ambush Diavolo. The versatile Sticky Fingers notably allows him to perform unpredictable tricks such as giving himself a greater range or suddenly disappear and maneuver out of trouble. Even when pitted against a physically weaker Stand, Bucciarati takes precautions and thus he can be seen performing a strategic retreat against Gold Experience; even more so against a stronger Stand such as Oasis. Nonetheless, when push comes to shove, Bucciarati will recklessly risk his life if it enables him to win following his philosophy of resolve.

Bucciarati is consistently shown to be serious, even as a young child, and usually keeps a serious and unflinching demeanor throughout the story. Moreover, Bucciarati takes his responsibility as a team leader seriously, considering that a lieutenant has the double duties to accomplish the mission but also to ensure that his subordinates live. That makes Bucciarati extremely determined in a fight if the lives of his teammates are in stakes, and Bucciarati routinely takes reckless actions to ensure their safety, for instance dragging Prosciutto out of a speeding train to take him out and prevent him from aging the team to death. During most of the story, Bucciarati always acts with a given objective in mind (take Polpo's treasure or bodyguarding Trish for instance), and always pays mind to it. As a result, Bucciarati can be seen reining in his less disciplined subordinates in regard to focusing on their goal. For the sake of his teammates, Bucciarati keeps a stern facade of determination, ordering his team to carry on despite the recent loss of Abbacchio even though he too was internally distressed by Abbacchio's sudden death.

Bucciarati keeps a strong relationship with his team, being severe but fair and giving them praise whenever he thinks it is earned. His habit of looking for misfits and treating them humanely and often with kindness has indeed secured their loyalty, allowing the majority of the group to stay united under him even when they rebel against the Boss of Passione. Furthermore, each member of Bucciarati's team looks up to his abilities and believe that under his leadership that they can achieve greatness. For instance, Guido Mista was let out of prison thanks to Bucciarati, and Narancia was struck by Bucciarati's stern but humane behavior toward him, both ultimately trusting him to win against Passione. Bucciarati is shown to have a paternal side with Narancia, whom he sheltered and counseled to stay away from the life of a gangster, as well as with Trish whose worries about being the daughter of a mob boss he tries to comfort the best he can. In the brutal world of gangsters, Bucciarati nonetheless holds no illusion that they are constantly risking their lives.

Stand
Bucciarati's Stand Sticky Fingers allows him to create zippers on any solid object or surface, including his own body parts, which he can zip open and close at his leisure. Sticky Fingers also demonstrates exceptional strength and defense in combat.

Undead
During the events at San Giorgio Maggiore island, Bucciarati was given a lethal blow by the boss and was subsequently healed by Giorno's Gold Experience. Bucciarati eventually reveals that his life had ended at that time, however, his body continued to move only through the "life energy" that Giorno had given him. As a living corpse (生ける屍), Bucciarati lacks bodily functions such as breathing, a heartbeat, or the ability to feel pain. However, it also allowed him to be immune to the effects of Green Day, and although the decay of his body gradually made him functionally blind and deaf, he could still converse with others through the ability to observe and feel what individual souls thought.

Intelligence
Bucciarati is a remarkable fighter in a Stand fight; having mastered the versatile power of Sticky Fingers, he can easily use the environment to his advantage, restrain his enemies, swiftly evade incoming attacks, and attack from blind spots. His natural selflessness means that survival is not among his priorities, thus his actions will easily surprise his opponents.

Bucciarati is also a perceptive fighter, having been able to quickly deduce the weaknesses of King Crimson despite being fatally injured and proceed to take advantage of them. He is able to analyze his opponents' fighting styles and perceive their strengths and weaknesses.

Lie Detection
Bucciarati is able to know if someone is lying simply by looking at them, claiming that when a person lies their skin glistens due to sweating. He can also taste a person's sweat to distinguish them as a liar, claiming that the sweat of a liar tastes sweeter than normal.

Team Bucciarati
As a valorous man and a capable leader, Bruno Bucciarati is respected and obeyed by every member of his team. While Bucciarati is severe with his subordinates, he is also protective of them and trusts them all, due to recognizing their own valor.


 * Giorno Giovanna: Even though Bucciarati and Giorno met as enemies, Bucciarati acknowledged Giorno's resolve while Giorno saw that Bucciarati was at heart a decent man. They stopped fighting each other and began to cooperate in order to stop Passione's drug trade. The two trusted each other, and Bucciarati only acknowledged that he became an undead in front of Giorno. When Bucciarati expired, he saluted Giorno one last time, telling him that he allowed him to be at peace and trusting the young boy with finishing Diavolo off.
 * Leone Abbacchio: While Abbacchio is Bucciarati's subordinate, Bucciarati and Leone act more as equals as Bucciarati also sees Abbacchio as an elder. Abbacchio is the most prone to question Bucciarati's orders, but at the same time is ready to defend Bucciarati's authority. When Bucciarati rebelled, Abbacchio berated his foolish move but was the second one to join him, stating that he made him feel at peace.
 * Guido Mista: Bucciarati first heard of Mista when he was being prosecuted. Seeing that Mista had the necessary willpower and honor, Bucciarati pulled some strings to have him freed from prison and admitted into Passione. Now Bucciarati trusts Mista as a valuable fighter, while Mista respects Bucciarati's ability as a team leader.


 * Narancia Ghirga: Bucciarati met Narancia when he was a sick street urchin. He then had him treated and brought back to school, at the same time being outraged that the young Narancia asked to be made a gangster. The paternal severity of Bucciarati's scolding made Narancia realize that Bucciarati was worth following and he still entered Passione. As a member of Bucciarati's team, Bucciarati trusts Narancia's ability while Narancia is nearly devoted to him. However, when a terrified Narancia asked Bucciarati, who at this point rebelled against Passione, to order him to go with the rest of the team, Bucciarati told Narancia to decide by himself, showing that Bucciarati expected Narancia to one day be mature enough to be independent.
 * Pannacotta Fugo: Not much is shown of the relationship between Fugo and Bucciarati, but Bucciarati respects Fugo's intelligence, and Fugo is functionally his right-hand man. After Fugo was thrown out of the university, Bucciarati brought him into Passione, and Fugo felt indebted to him. However, that respect was not enough for Fugo to follow Bucciarati into what Fugo thought as a suicidal rebellion against Passione.
 * Trish Una: At first, Bucciarati simply saw Trish as a way to get closer to the Boss while Trish tried to act disagreeably toward everyone. However, as Trish was distressed from being the daughter of a gang boss and the target of assassins, Bucciarati tried to reassure her, such as offering her a securing hand in the elevator ride towards the Boss. Bucciarati saved Trish from her father and thus Trish began to greatly trust him. Bucciarati somehow seems to admire the girl's growing resolve and determination to fight against a predestined fate. While referring to Bucciarati as cold and distant, Trish implicitly wishes that he showed a more openly caring attitude towards her. When Doppio feigns to be Trish, subsequently fooling Bucciarati, the latter offers Trish a small estate in the suburbs of Neapolis and utters that she has a right to peace and happiness.

Enemies
"The words "I'll kill you" should be left unsaid until the deed is already done. That's how it works in the gangsters' world we live in."

- Bucciarati echoing Prosciutto's words to Pesci


 * Diavolo: Bucciarati first had an ambiguous relationship with his Boss, having a duty toward Passione for protecting him and his father but also despising Passione's drug trade. When Diavolo tried to kill his daughter Trish, Bucciarati was outraged that he would kill his own child and completely rejected him. However, that hate was not reciprocated by Diavolo who didn't understand why he rebelled but still respected his ability as a leader. During the final confrontation, Diavolo lets his anger explode and expresses his extreme disdain towards Bucciarati, referring to him as a weakling, the latter having virtually vanquished the boss's semi-invincible state by resolving the mystery behind Silver Chariot Requiem's ability.
 * Prosciutto: Both met as enemies, Prosciutto trying to kill Team Bucciarati in order to capture Trish. Bucciarati didn't think much of Prosciutto, seeing him as an adversary but nothing more. On the other hand, Prosciutto went from dismissing Bucciarati as an incompetent lieutenant to commending his determination in a fight, which mirrored the assassin's motto.
 * Pesci: Bucciarati and Pesci met as enemies, Pesci trying to kill Team Bucciarati in order to capture Trish. When Prosciutto was defeated by Bucciarati, yet still maintained his Stand to help Pesci, the latter was moved and gained a determination which Bucciarati, upon seeing Pesci again, somewhat admired. However, Pesci's ruthlessness made Bucciarati change his mind and qualify Pesci as a "scumbag", killing him without ceremony.

Family

 * Father: As a child, Bucciarati loved his father deeply. When his parents divorced, he chose to stay by his father, knowing that he suffered the most from the separation. In return, Bucciarati's father tried to work hard to pay for Bucciarati's studies. When Bucciarati's father was nearly killed by drug dealers, Bucciarati went as far as to murder the dealers to protect him. Bucciarati dedicated his time to trying to right the wrongs of Passione after his father passed away. It is stated that his inherent kindness and devotion are a legacy from his father.
 * Mother: Bucciarati and his mother had a loving relationship prior to his parents' divorce. When she divorced his father, she tried to influence Bucciarati into coming with her, but Bucciarati refused. Moved by Bucciarati's kindness, his mother was both sad and proud of her son. Being separated by great distances, Bucciarati and his mother eventually stopped seeing each other by the time he turned 12, only occasionally visiting her on Christmas.

Creation and Development
"So you're after us now? No matter. This sort of thing happens to us all the time..."

- Bucciarati being betrayed by Fugo

Araki created Bucciarati's bob cut to give him a feminine silhouette that "exudes eroticism." While designing Bucciarati, Araki was concerned that he had made his design too girlish, but considering the rest of Bucciarati's team were eccentric youths, he figured it wouldn't make sense if their leader was masculine or boss-like. He also figured his design would work since the manga was set in Italy.

While writing Part 5, Araki originally planned on having one of the members of Bucciarati's team, out of Mista, Narancia, Fugo and Abbacchio, be a spy working undercover for the Boss. This spy would then at some point betray Bucciarati and Giorno, similar to the story of. Araki initially settled on making Fugo the traitor, however, decided against it as he couldn't bare how Bucciarati would've felt being betrayed by a dear friend. During the Weekly Shonen Jump publication of Part 5, Araki mentioned that if Fugo and Bucciarati were to fight, Bucciarati would win due to his Stand being fast enough to easily unzip Purple Haze's arms and neutralize its deadly virus attacks. In All-Star Battle, the game includes hypothetical pre-fight dialogue portraying Fugo as a traitor when he is pitted against Giorno, Bucciarati, Mista, or Diavolo.

Trivia

 * Out of Hirohiko Araki's Top 10 favorite characters list in 2000, Bucciarati ranks third, right under Yoshikage Kira and Josuke Higashikata.
 * Bucciarati is voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in the TV anime, who originally played Narciso Anasui in All-Star Battle and Eyes of Heaven.