Rai Mamezuku
Rai Mamezuku (豆銑礼, Mamezuku Rai) is a side character and ally featured in JoJolion.
Rai is an associate of Norisuke Higashikata IV, whose existence is kept secret by Norisuke as his skills are valuable to the Higashikata Fruit Parlor. His job is to be a plant appraiser, someone who evaluates the economic value of plants.
Appearance
His appearance is that of a well-built man with braided dark hair. While having a normal shirt and dark tie, the plant appraiser wears a jumpsuit with a vine and edamame motif, as well as a hat.
Personality
Rai is extremely competent and composed under pressure, able to recognize a covert enemy Stand attack while on a moving bus, subduing the driver and taking control of the bus to outmaneuver the Stand. The nature of his job and title are highly-secretive, and as such Rai takes acts to ensure his identity remains unknown. This extends to breaking all onboard bus cameras, having Yasuho remove all video evidence of his appearance and living throughout the spring and summer at a ski resort; turning one of the chairlift's support towers into a makeshift home. During the winter when the ski resort becomes active with visitors, Rai resides at a private villa.
Rai is also, by the nature of his job, cold at times to others. He bluntly informs Josuke that his own life is paramount, with Josuke and Yasuho's lives being afterthoughts. He also holds allegiance to only Norisuke Higashikata IV, stating that even though Josuke is fighting to protect the Rokakaka, he only considers him an ally because Norisuke vouched for him.
He is also very skilled at determining the mathematical odds of an event on the fly, consistently deducing the probability of him and the others surviving the Tree Stand's assault. Rai also shows prowess with combat strategy, determining the strengths and weaknesses of the Tree Stand almost immediately after viewing its ability and how to counteract it.
Abilities
This section requires expansion.
Rai possesses a currently unnamed Stand of unknown power, which can create a prehensile bandage-like string in order to grab objects from afar. Rai implies his Stand is not suited for heavy combat, instead relying on Josuke to help protect him in case a battle ensues.
Horticulture
Rai is an expert in horticulture, his profession being a plant appraiser and a fruit grower, implying a great deal of knowledge and experience on plants.
Synopsis
History
Rai met Norisuke Higashikata IV at some point in the past and, realizing his vast expertise on not only fruits but supernatural fruits such as the Rokakaka, Norisuke appointed Rai in secret to be his personal fruit grower and appraiser. Rai's existence in the company was kept with the utmost secrecy, with not even Norisuke's own son Jobin ever being informed.
JoJolion
Rai is first shown when Norisuke shows a photo of him to Josuke Higashikata, advising the latter to go find that man, as his skills will enable the latter to recognize the grafted Rokakaka branch.
The Plant Appraiser
As Josuke and Yasuho go searching for him, Rai appears on the bus, having taken and hijacked it. He demands that Josuke protects him as a group of unidentified Rock Humans have gone after him. Both are surprised to see the man they are supposed to meet on the driver's seat of their bus. Rai explains that he's talked with Norisuke and inquires about Yasuho whom he doesn't know. It is too late to separate themselves from her, as the newcomer predicts the probability of her death if she returns to Morioh to be 95.5%.
Rai explains that he's taken the precaution of breaking the on-board cameras and plans to leave the bus farther away in any case. Rai explains that someone might be eavesdropping on them. Since Josuke was heard mentioning the appraiser, Rai is currently being pursued. Rai says that they are currently being followed and that his protection is the top priority. Arriving at a parking lot, he stops the bus in the middle of the lot. Rai invites Josuke and Yasuho to get off despite a mentioned 7.5% chance of survival. Noticing that the passengers were videotaping the incident, he asks Josuke to steal their phones, to which Yasuho answers that her Paisley Park has already erased the information, nonchalantly exiting the bus and somewhat impressing him.
Josuke asks who the enemy is, but Rai himself doesn't know. He specifies that this foe has slipped their way into society and that they will not stop before they have the Rokakaka. He then tells Josuke and Yasuho to come with him to a safer place and finally presents his name and title.
Josuke then shows the photos he's taken from the Higashikata estate and asks Rai to identify the grafted branch at once. Rai examines the photos and successfully identifies the branch, but doesn't reveal which one it is because the situation is more complex than Josuke thinks. Their enemy cannot find the branch and certainly cannot grow it as the fragile branches would wilt after any trauma; thus, Rai is one of their targets too.
The three then take a chairlift up the mountain, when to her and Josuke's surprise, Rai stops the ascension when they reach a particular pole. Rai leaves the chair and climbs the pole, revealing a whole kitchen crammed inside the pole, with the deployed exterior serving as a makeshift table. Rai reveals a parasol and air cushions to make the couple comfortable and begins to cook. Describing his recipe in detail, Rai makes an elaborate Romanoff cream.
Flabbergasted, Josuke and Yasuho understand that Rai literally lives in the chairlift and that it is the aforementioned "safe place" he's taken them to. Rai doesn't mind their reaction and explains that although he will find the Rokakaka branch, the problem is harvesting the fruits. He says the way of doing it is up in the mountains and prepares to show them a demonstration. As a final touch to his Romanoff, Rai reveals his Stand and grows ribbons in order to catch some strawberries to complete his dish. He explains that the entire mountainside is his orchard and invites his guests to eat up as they discuss what to do next.
Gallery
Rai summons his Stand
Trivia
- Rai's eccentric personality and hermit-esque lifestyle is directly similar to Toyohiro Kanedaichi from Diamond Is Unbreakable.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 JJL Chapter 65: The Plant Appraiser Part 2 Cite error: Invalid
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