Mansaku Nijimura
Mansaku Nijimura (虹村 万作, Nijimura Mansaku),[a] also known as Father Nijimura (虹村父, Nijimura-Chichi), is a tertiary character featured in the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable.
He was an abusive father and entered DIO's service, but the vampire's death causes the seed in his brain to turn him into a near mindless monster with regenerative powers. He is kept prisoner in the attic of the Nijimura Brothers' home while Keicho Nijimura seeks a Stand user that can kill him for good.
Appearance
Nijimura Sr. is a rotund creature with blistered green skin, mismatched eyes, no ears, a squished nose, and puffy lips resembling a beak. He has a mohawk-like hairstyle with small bald patches in between. He wears a sleeveless shirt along with shorts. The back of his shirt is decorated with a print of three soda bottles and four stars. Under imprisonment by Keicho Nijimura, Father Nijimura wore a collar on his neck with a very long chain, which could be used to restrain him.
Before his deformation, as seen in a photograph, he was a man of masculine features and short, dark hair, wearing a genial expression.
Color Schemes
Personality
Nijimura Sr. is unable to communicate above a basic, animalistic level. Keicho assumed that he is unable to recognize his two sons and possess much, if any, self and environmental awareness.[2]
His sons were originally frustrated by his apparently-meaningless habit of searching through a chest in his room. He would take everything out of the box and cry if the box was taken away, doing the routine over and over for ten years. However, Josuke restores the torn objects on the ground to reveal that Nijimura had been searching for a photograph of himself and his young family. Koichi theorizes that Nijimura can only recognize his sons' past appearances, so he cherishes his memories of them greatly, wistfully sobbing while gazing at the picture.[3]
Before his mutation, Nijimura was shown to be a man who loved his family. However, he was by no means a good father. He agreed to work for DIO in order to keep his family's economic situation together, but at the same time, he would often beat his sons without a second thought when he was stressed.[3]
Abilities
Regeneration
Due to merging with DIO's immortal flesh, Nijimura is seemingly immortal;[3] any damage done to him is quickly healed. The limits of his regeneration are unknown. Unlike vampires, having his head crushed is ineffective. Likewise, being cut into pieces or having pieces of his body carved away simply lead to regeneration.[2] However, Nijimura's flesh is flimsy. A moderately strong punch is enough to cut his arm off or tear away large chunks of flesh.[2][3] Josuke Higashikata suggests using his Crazy Diamond to fix Mr. Nijimura, however it's unknown if this occured or if it worked.
Stand
As one of the men chosen by DIO during his search for Stand users, Nijimura is stated to have a Stand. However, not even Keicho knows what it looked like or what its abilities were.[3][4] He seems to be unable to use it anymore as a result of the flesh bud fusing with his own flesh.[4]
History
Background
During 1989, Japan had been experiencing an economic down turn, and along with his wife passing away two years prior, left Mr. Nijimura's family in a harsh struggle. Mr. Nijimura would abuse his two sons, mercilessly and without provocation.
Two years later, Mr. Nijimura met DIO who seemingly grew an interest in his potential. Mr. Nijimura started to receive letters with money and jewels for his work. He would also develop a stand through the power of the Bow and Arrow. Keicho claims that his father effectively sold his 'heart' to DIO.
Nijimura was sent to investigate the known descendants of the Joestar family. He was the one to report on Holy Kujo’s condition to DIO.[5]
DIO, however, distrusted the father and implanted a seed of his undead body within him. When Jotaro defeated DIO, the seed burst, causing the father to slowly mutate into a monstrous form, and later lose his ability to speak. This form would automatically heal any wounds inflicted, effectively making him immortal. Keicho subsequently searched for a means to end his father's miserable life.[3]
Diamond is Unbreakable
The father of the Nijimura brothers is first introduced as a bestial, unintelligent creature. It is kept on a chain and searches feverishly through a box for his family's photograph. However, Keicho misinterprets the action as mere insanity and angrily beats his mutated father for that reason. Only when Josuke examines the contents of the box and pieces the photograph back together is the father finally pacified.[3] He suggests using his stand Crazy Diamond to heal their father, but they're interrupted with the arrival of Red Hot Chili Pepper. Chili Pepper murders Keicho and takes off with the Bow and Arrow.[6]
With the money they had, Okuyasu enrolls into Josuke's highschool and continues to live with his father.[7]
After Shigechi's murder, father Nijimura is seen with the rest of the present Morioh residents next to Okuyasu. They listen to Reimi Sugimoto explain the murder, and after a discussion Okuyasu walks off with his father right behind him.[8]
After Kira's defeat, Nijimura Sr. is seen adopting Stray Cat and bonding with his new pet.[9]
Father Nijimura is later at Tonio's restaurant with Okuyasu. They attempt to cure his mutation through Tonio's ability, but the process fails. However, a disappointed but unfazed Okuyasu is still happy being around his father.
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 274: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 281: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 8
- Chapter 282: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 9
- Chapter 283: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 10
- Chapter 284: Koichi Hirose (Echoes), Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 301: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 8 (Cover only)
- Chapter 303: Let's Go Eat Some Italian Food, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 324: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 7 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 347: The People of Morioh
- Chapter 412: Cheap Trick, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
Anime Appearances Novel Appearances Live Action AppearancesGallery
Nijimura transforming into a monster
First appearance as his new form, grabbing Koichi Hirose
Growing a new arm
Face revealed
Fumbling with paper scraps in his chest
Beaten by his own son, Keicho
The Nijimura family
Remembering happy times
Nijimura's last appearance, with a new pet
Chapter 282 Cover
Chapter 301 Cover B
Chapter 301 Illustration
Chapter 282 Tailpiece
The struggles of Father Nijimura
Father Nijimura transforming into a monstrous form
Growing a new arm
Being cruelly beaten by his son
Shocked at seeing the restored picture of his family
Remembering happy times
The Nijimura family
Father Nijimura and the other warriors of Morioh
Eating happily with Okuyasu at Tonio Trussardi's restaurant
Father Nijimura’s reaction after eating Tonio's food
A group shot over Morioh's town seal in the third opening, Great Days
Nijimura Father's Key Art
Diamond is Unbreakable Promotional Artwork
Father Nijimura grabbing Koichi's leg
Father Nijimura after getting punched by Josuke
Father Nijimura looking for pieces of his old photograph
A young Father Nijimura with his wife and kids
Father Nijimura crying over the restored photo
Father Nijimura continuing to cry over the photo
Notes
- ↑ The name Mansaku Nijimura may not have been chosen by Araki as it derives from the Diamond is Unbreakable live action film. As such, it may or may not be considered canon.
Trivia
- His name in the live-action film follows the name theming of his family, as all three men have kanji in their names used for the myriad-based system of Japanese numerals which groups digits in larger numbers in sets of 4: (万, man) in Mansaku represents 104 (10,000 or 1 0000), (億, oku) in Okuyasu represents 108 (100,000,000 or 1 0000 0000), and (兆, chō) in Keicho represents 1012 (1,000,000,000,000 or 1 0000 0000 0000).
- His Japanese voice actor, Naomi Kusumi, previously voiced Jack the Ripper in the Part 1 anime adaptation.
- His English voice actor, Kellen Goff, also voices Diavolo in the Part 5 anime adaptation.
References
- ↑ Chapter 414: Cheap Trick, Part 3
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chapter 281: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 8
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Chapter 282: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 9
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.120
- ↑ OVER HEAVEN Chapter 21
- ↑ Chapter 283: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 10
- ↑ Chapter 284: Koichi Hirose (Echoes), Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 347: The People of Morioh
- ↑ Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
