Yukako Yamagishi
Yukako Yamagishi (山岸 由花子, Yamagishi Yukako) is a character featured in the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable. Introduced as a secondary antagonist in the "Yukako Yamagishi Falls In Love" story arc, she becomes a tertiary ally 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[2] cm (5 ft 6 in) tall. She is characterized as especially beautiful, as noted by Aya Tsuji, with fine facial features and bodily proportions.[3] 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 sailor fuku 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.
Color Schemes
Personality
Yukako is introduced in the midst of a date with Koichi Hirose,[4] 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 moe perfectionism applied to many female characters, as a statement that someone of any gender should be capable of being frightening or losing their temper.[5]
Abilities
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.
History
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.
Diamond is Unbreakable
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's 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.
Spin-offs
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 37.
She is familiar with Aya Tsuji 37's beauty parlor. When trying to find who Yoshikage Kira 37 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 37 explains what Yamagishi told them to Jorge Joestar later on.[7]
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.
Eyes of Heaven
Yukako is among the heroes who are rewritten and turned to Heaven-Attained DIO's side when DIO starts to rewrite reality.
She finds and then attacks Koichi at Boyoyoing Cape, infuriated that he made her wait. Although Koichi and Rohan Kishibe beat her, she disappears. Yukako reappears later in 2011 at Green Dolphin Street Prison and ambushes Jotaro Kujo as he appears. Koichi and Josuke finally beat her and manage to restore her. From that point on, Yukako accompanies the hero party in their search for the pieces of the Saint's Corpse. However, DIO springs a trap and Yukako is among the 36 souls that are absorbed in order for DIO to attain even greater power. Fortunately, Jotaro manages to defeat DIO once and for all, and fate is altered for the better.
Chapters / Episodes
- Chapter 294: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 1
- Chapter 295: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 2
- Chapter 296: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 3
- Chapter 297: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 4
- Chapter 298: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 5
- Chapter 299: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 6
- Chapter 300: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 7
- Chapter 301: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 8
- Chapter 302: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 9
- Chapter 303: Let's Go Eat Some Italian Food, Part 1 (Cover only)
- Chapter 307: Red Hot Chili Pepper, Part 1 (Cover only)
- Chapter 315: We Picked Up Something Crazy!, Part 1 (Cover only)
- Chapter 319: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 2 (Photo)
- Chapter 320: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 3 (Photo only)
- Chapter 321: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 4 (Cover only)
- Chapter 323: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 347: The People of Morioh
- Chapter 348: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 1
- Chapter 349: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 2
- Chapter 350: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 3
- Chapter 351: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 4
- Chapter 352: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 5
- Chapter 353: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 6
- Chapter 359: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 6 (Cover only)
- Chapter 360: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 7 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 364: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 11 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 372: Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid is Coming!, Part 2
- Chapter 373: Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid is Coming!, Part 3 (Cover only)
- Chapter 398: Let's Live on a Transmission Tower, Part 1 (Cover only)
- Chapter 412: Cheap Trick, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
- Steel Ball Run Extra Chapter 3: Untitled Stand Chapter (Mentioned)
- Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan Episode 8: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 1: Jotaro Kujo! Meets Josuke Higashikata (Cameo)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 7: Toshikazu Hazamada (Surface)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 8: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 1
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 9: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 2
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 14: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 15: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 18: Shigechi's Harvest, Part 1
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 20: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 21: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 22: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 2
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 26: Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid is Coming!
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 39: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
- Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan Episode 16 (OVA): At a Confessional
- Heaven's Door (Mentioned)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 6: Island (37th universe) (Mentioned)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 8: Nero Nero Island (37th universe)
Creation and Development
Yukako originated from the experiences that Araki gained after getting married during Part 3.[8] 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.[8] Araki based Yukako's initial personality and horrific obsession with Koichi on the 1990 film Misery.[9] In the film, the protagonist is held captive by an obsessed superfan.
Quotes
- “Koichi, you have something shining within! I know because I've always been watching... And I... I like everything about you, Koichi.”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 294: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 1
- “If I ever find you getting too close to my Koichi again... I'll make sure you suffer the consequences...”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 295: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 2
- “I'm here with you! From now on, I'll stay by your side and make you into a real man! That's why I'm here to take you away!”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 296: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 3
- “Koichi, some things might happen that might make you momentarily hate me, but when comes the time for you to leave this place, and you see how much you've changed...You will thank me. You will think of how much you need me in your life, you'll understand that you can't live without me.”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 297: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 4
- “I'm not going to let you leave this house until you fall in love with me. I'll definitely make you love me, or else... I might have to kill you.”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 299: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 6
- “No matter what face [Koichi] picks, no matter what fate he picks, I'll be satisfied. If he's the one who chooses, I won't have any regrets.”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 353: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 6
- “Don't you get that love is more important than work?”—Yukako Yamagishi, Chapter 349: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 2
Gallery
Trivia
- An image of Yukako from Chapter 350 is featured on the limited edition cover of Base Ball Bear's 2009 single "Breeeeze Girl",[10] as well as on billboards for its promotion.[11] In addition, a music video produced for the song features a version of Yukako portrayed in live action.[12]
- In the game Heritage for the Future, some of Midler's illustrations were based on depictions of Yukako from the manga.
Notes
- ↑ Based on Yukako being mentioned to be in the same class as Okuyasu in Chapter 294, and her zodiac sign in Chapter 303.
References
- ↑ JOJO magazine 2023 WINTER: The History of JOJO
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chapter 303: Let's Go Eat Some Italian Food, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 348: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 294: Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 1
- ↑ 2007 Eureka issue
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.104
- ↑ JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 6: Island
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Quick Japan (December 2007)
- ↑ JOJOVELLER: Araki's Stand Commentaries - Love Deluxe
- ↑ Base Ball Bear新作ジャケに「ジョジョ」山岸由花子ッ!!!!
- ↑ BREEEEZE GIRL!!!: ボクブロ
- ↑ Base Ball Bear - BREEEEZE GIRL Music Video