Norisuke Higashikata IV
Norisuke Higashikata IV (四代目東方 憲助, Yondaime Higashikata Norisuke), born Josuke Higashikata (東方常助, Higashikata Jōsuke), is a side character featured in JoJolion.
Norisuke is the current head of the Higashikata family three generations after Norisuke Higashikata I and owner of the Higashikata Fruit Company. In hopes to help his beloved family find a cure for the Rock Disease, he adopts Josuke Higashikata and tries to help him recover his past.
Norisuke is a Stand User and can track specific smells through his King Nothing.
Appearance
Norisuke is a post-middle-aged man of average to above-average height and average build. He has light, shoulder-length hair with spheres along its length in increasing size, and stubble or a light beard.
He wears a tan puffer vest, with a light turtleneck jumper, light pants, and a belt with a buckle in the shape of a heart.
Personality
Norisuke first gives the impression of being a laid-back and happy old man. He greets Josuke with a smile and then en route to his house, describes himself as a "yankee", or one who likes "fluffy things" like teddy bears;[4] before laughing openly in the presence of Josuke and Yasuho. He maintains an ability to joke.
Later, Norisuke ominously warns Josuke that "[his] word is the law" in the Higashikata family home, in a rather traditional demonstration of paternal authority. However Norisuke proves that he isn't evil by helping Josuke in his quest for identity, although he confesses that he only helps him out of interest.
Norisuke has a deep love for his family and can be quite insular. He looks over all of them and loves them, working with Josuke in order to retrieve the cure he thinks Kira had for the Rock Disease and being sorry for Holy's state as she is a relative. Norisuke is particularly close to his eldest son Jobin and his daughter Daiya, while considering Joshu a problem child without scolding him too severely. Norisuke sees his children as still being innocent; he warns Yasuho not to tempt his son Joshu. He also becomes angry, swearing to kill Josuke, after witnessing what appears to be a romantic affair between Josuke and Daiya, though he calms, happy to "keep Josuke a slave and prevent him from retrieving his memories". When he is introduced to Tamaki Damo, Norisuke is revealed that he cannot bear the thought of his daughter having sex with someone. Also, when Damo questions him on Kira's wherabouts and threatens to kill Hato his daughter he agrees to talk in exchange that Damo return his children to normal and not kill his children.
While he does love his family more than anything, he seems to have grown fond of Josuke as he helps protect him and search for information about him. When Damo tortures him to find information on Josefumi's whereabouts, Norisuke knows Josuke is his target but refuses to tell even at the possibility that he will be killed. In addition, when forced by Damo to rat out on Josuke or have his family killed, he is forced to choose his family but sincerely apologizes to Josuke for not being able to protect him, showing he still cares for him as a friend and possibly a surrogate son.
Abilities
King Nothing is Norisuke's long-range Stand, able to track targets by smell; copying their movements, in sequence.
Synopsis
History
Tsurugi divulges details of a superstition practiced by the Higashikata clan of dressing all firstborn sons as girls until 12 years of age, in order to ward away specific "demons of sickness", referring to a mysterious, medically unresponsive bodily affliction suggested as having origin in some Stand effect.[5]
Flashbacks reveal that Norisuke was also affected by the Rock Disease at the age of ten, but his mother had saved him by taking his place throughout equivalent exchange.[6]
JoJolion
Norisuke initially seems glad to help Josuke, entrusting him to take care of Daiya. However, when he walks in on Josuke and his daughter Daiya in an intimate situation, he is enraged and promises to kill Josuke later. He proves to know of Daiya's Stand, California King Bed, as he thought that Josuke would be under Daiya's control.
He later quells a confrontation between Joshu and the Protagonist, asking Joshu to get along, before bribing him.
Norisuke Higashikata, Tsurugi Higashikata, and Yotsuyu Yagiyama
When Josuke confronts Norisuke about his relationship with him, Norisuke denies being involved in any way in Josuke's state and reveals that his family is afflicted with the same Rock Disease as Holy Joestar-Kira. Norisuke also tells Josuke that he hopes to find the cure Kira had for the disease, but because of his death, he has to rely on Josuke.
Norisuke then witness Josuke being attacked by Yotsuyu Yagiyama and his Stand I Am a Rock. He chooses to help Josuke, and with his Stand King Nothing, contributes to the architect's defeat.
After Yotsuyu is killed, he examines the remains of the Rock Human, asking himself where his comrades are. Norisuke later manages to find the dog Tsurugi saw, and also finds the mysterious fruit Tsurugi was talking about. Refusing that Tsurugi eats it, he has King Nothing memorize its scent and goes to the Higashikata Fruit Parlor in order to identify the fruit. In the meantime he also takes time to present his business to Josuke.
His search is interrupted when he meets his eldest son Jobin Higashikata, who has returned from a business trip overseas. Overjoyed to see him, Norisuke returns home immediately with Jobin, unaware that King Nothing has smelled the scent of the fruit on Jobin.
Relationships
Josuke Higashikata: Mutually suspicious; Josuke's natural curiosity as to his origins and Norisuke's intentions carries him beyond the boundaries set for him by the Higashikata patriarch as condition to his residence at the family home, which Norisuke appears to have offered under ulterior motives. He reveals that he knows Josuke has some link to Yoshikage Kira who had information on how to cure the family and for that reason adopted Josuke in hopes of acquiring that information. Norisuke later reveals himself as an ally, and the two hold a mutual trust for one another. Norisuke still places his family above all else, but seems to have grown to care for Josuke as family and even a possible surrogate son (one main example being when Damo tortures Norisuke to get information about Josefumi and Kira from him. While he knows Josuke is somehow involved, he does not rat on him until Damo threatens to kill his family. Even during this, Norisuke breaks down crying and sincerely apologizes to Josuke for not being able to protect him, showing the depth of his care).
Kaato Higashikata: Norisuke is highly mistrusting of his ex-wife.
Video Games
Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
Norisuke appears as the shopkeeper in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven, where you can buy additional costumes, colors, dual combo poses, victory poses, and extra dialogue.
Gallery
Entrusting Josuke to take care of Daiya
Witnessing Daiya and Josuke's intimacy
Looking upon Daiya with Josuke
- Norisuke loses his arm.jpg
Damo slices off Norisuke's arm
Trivia
- Norisuke's birth name is Josuke Higashikata, like that taken on by the Protagonist. The fact that his mother's name is also Tomoko suggests that Norisuke IV may represent an Alternate Universe counterpart of Diamond Is Unbreakable's protagonist.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 JJL Chapter 11: Family Tree, p.20
- ↑ JJL Chapter 7: Josuke, Go to the Higashikata Family, p.15
- ↑ JJL Chapter 7: Josuke, Go to the Higashikata Family, p.11-12
- ↑ JJL Chapter 7: Josuke, Go to the Higashikata Family
- ↑ JJL Chapter 23: Paper Moon Deception (1) p. 23
- ↑ JJL Chapter 30: King Nothing
