Yoshikage Kira/History
Yoshikage Kira (吉良 吉影, Kira Yoshikage) is the main antagonist of the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable, as well as the third main antagonist of the series overall. He also appears as the main protagonist of the short story Deadman's Questions.
Unnoticed in Morioh for years and undisturbed all his life, Yoshikage Kira is an abnormal and paraphilic serial killer whose murderous routine is shaken when the ghost of his first victim, Reimi Sugimoto, begs the living to look for him. Upon attracting unwanted attention by killing Shigekiyo Yangu, Josuke and the others sets their sights on Kira in order to put an end to his killing spree.
Kira is a Stand user and wields the powerful Killer Queen to create deadly bombs.
Appearance
Yoshikage Kira has a medium build and average height.[3] He has light hair, loosely combed with a few strands out of place. He wears a light Valentino[8] suit and a dark tie patterned by a column of skull emblems with upright, cat-like ears, similar to those on his Stand, Killer Queen. As a salaryman by profession, he wears a similar suit throughout the series, though he usually takes off his jacket at home.
Kira adopts one face other than his original one in Part 4, and a ghostly body resembling his original, with a unique outfit, after this. He remains a man of average height and slim to athletic build.
When Kosaku Kawajiri is killed, Kira assumes his facial features, including his spiky black hair, thin, large dark irises, and higher cheekbones. He retains his suit, changing only his tie to his normal Skull tie.
After being hit by the Arrow and receiving Killer Queen's third bomb, Kira's hairstyle spontaneously changes, becoming perfectly combed back, light, and striped by black strands.
Shortly after he dies, as a ghost, he retains Kosaku's features for a few moments before reverting to his original appearance, which he retains in Deadman's Questions. Henceforth, he adopts an elaborate outfit consisting of a dark bowler hat with an upturned brim and a tie, both patterned by concentric squares, and a shirtless, dark, lapelless suit.
Color Schemes
Personality
Kira is a serial killer, characterized as highly egocentric and psychopathic, with a few obsessive-compulsive tendencies. He dislikes any changes in his daily physical condition or routine. He takes the same route every day, puts on his clothes in the same order, and eats at the same time and in the same sequence. He is also a hand fetishist.[3]
Kira longs for a peaceful and quiet life, safe from any worry, and does not wish for it to be interrupted. Whenever that life seems assured, Kira adopts a jolly and confident demeanor.[9][10] Although he is highly intelligent and possesses many talents, this yearning shows in his dislike of coming in first, and Jotaro theorizes from his many trophies that he even made it a point to never rank better than 3rd in any competition so as not to stand out.[5] Since his youth, Kira has been avoiding standing out, living a healthy life, and following a strict regimen.[7] He becomes bothered when someone disrupts his habits and goes to extreme lengths to get them back. As his father pointed out, his obsession with staying in the background was so intense that if bullied or denied his favorite toy, Kira would bite his nails until they bled, being the only way he could express his frustration.[11]
Beneath his facade of a simple, humble salaryman, Kira is very abnormal; his most abnormal characteristic being his frequent and periodic murderous impulses. Kira targets women, or, more specifically, women with beautiful hands. He possesses a hand fetish, which he discovered when he found himself aroused by the Mona Lisa's hands.[12] However, his desire has never extended to the rest of the female person and he otherwise shuns their presence.[9] This results in murdering random women, not caring in the least how they look or behave, to acquire their severed hands as "girlfriends". He acts as if the severed hands are sentient and converses with them, even offering them various gifts.[13] When one "girlfriend" begins to decay, he disposes of it and goes off in search of a replacement.[9] Kira is an opportunistic killer, his modus operandi being spotting a potential victim, following her to her house, and murdering her when both are isolated.[14][15] Due to his Stand leaving no trace of their victim behind, these murders are reported as missing persons. Moreover, Kira has expressed various other similarly violent impulses such as the desire to choke his victims to death[16] and has scarred at least Reimi Sugimoto.[17]
Apart from his murders, Kira is particularly violent when someone threatens his way of life or publicly humiliates him. Since Kira doesn't want to be noticed, he will try everything to solve his problems without facing anyone directly. However, if he doesn't have any other choice, he will instantly try to kill whoever discovers his true nature.[7] Kira is quick to drop his polite demeanor, rudely insulting his foes or violently beating them before killing them. After Koichi's Echoes ACT3 results in Kira making a fool of himself in public and attracting unwanted attention, Kira goes on his way to torture and humiliate Koichi, putting his shoe into his mouth and slamming his face against the ground.[18] Kira has a hard time controlling these violent impulses, as seen when Hayato Kawajiri threatened to blackmail him. Kira lost his calm attitude and murdered Hayato in an enormous lapse in judgment.[11]
Kira is also afflicted with several other quirks. Apart from his wish for a monotonous and tranquil life, Kira's OCD also makes him very meticulous and thorough. Kira has sophisticated tastes, notably buying his lunch at the best store in town[9] as well as wearing Valentino suits.[8] He doesn't tolerate any imperfection and is even willing to waste time fixing Koichi's socks instead of fleeing the scene, as he could not stand seeing them being worn inside-out.[18] Furthermore, during his time as Kosaku Kawajiri, Kira made sure to perfectly mimic his new identity in every way, notably Kosaku's hand-writing,[16] which he trained himself to do conscientiously. Kira's solitary nature is partially stemmed from his disgust with people who don't behave as properly as he does. Kira's favorite fashion brand is Gianfranco Ferré.[2]
Kira is also an egocentric and selfish man, akin to a spoiled child. He doesn't care that his crimes involve murder and make his victim's relatives suffer. He only seeks to satisfy his basic instincts. In addition, Kira is determined to preserve his lifestyle, and being set back only increases his determination. Kira is also quick to shift the blame to someone else for his troubles, notably Josuke and his allies, for ruining his life.[16] Kira possesses a twisted pride in having managed to mix his tranquil lifestyle and his serial murders for so long, and categorically refused to flee the town and live in fear, preferring to maintain a shaky façade of normal life with the Kawajiri's.[11]
In addition, while normally a very cautious, meticulous man who ensures he leaves no evidence behind, there are a few occasions where he becomes overconfident and lets his guard down, and each time has led him to a confrontation with Josuke and the others or defeat at their hands. He puts his "girlfriend's" hand in a sandwich bag and fails to notice Shigechi's presence as Shigechi comes to take the sandwich bag, thinking it is his,[9] which eventually leads to Kira being found out. In addition, Kira leaves his jacket with a tailor at Centipede Shoes alongside his real name, forcing Kira to confront Jotaro and Koichi.[19] He is overconfident in his Sheer Heart Attack by believing it is invincible and leaves,[20] but is forced to return to the scene of his crime when Koichi manages to subdue Sheer Heart Attack. In addition, he lets his guard down near a wounded Jotaro, allowing Jotaro the opportunity to beat him.
After being pierced with the Arrow a second time, Kira's demeanor becomes much more relaxed and prone to elation due to his new-found power, which guarantees that anyone approaching Hayato Kawajiri would be killed. When he is overconfident he has beaten Hayato in his attempt to stop him, Kira blurts out his real name in front of Josuke by mistake, which Hayato had planned.[21]
Kira believes that he has luck and fate on his side, exposing a superstitious façade, claiming that whenever faced with an obstacle he will be able to make it through with a combination of hard work and opportunity. He measures and collects his fingernail clippings, using them to predict his murdering luck off on their length.[5]
During his confrontation with the Stand Stray Cat, Kira expresses a desire to protect his "wife," Shinobu Kawajiri, and even shows relief at her safety. The feeling confuses him, but Kira rationalizes it as simply not wanting to arouse suspicion.[22]
As a ghost, Kira loses all memory of his previous life, including his temptation to kill. However, his desire for a peaceful existence and his latent brutality remains.[23]
Abilities
Stand
Killer Queen
Kira's Stand, Killer Queen, is a humanoid, short-range Stand with the unique ability to cleanly, and completely, wipe out objects and people alike with targeted explosions. This ability manifests itself as three distinct forms, or 'bombs'.
Bomb Transmutation (Primary Bomb): Killer Queen can charge any object into a bomb simply by touching it. The Stand can then manually detonate the charged object, causing powerful explosions.
Sheer Heart Attack
Sheer Heart Attack (Secondary Bomb): Sheer Heart Attack is an autonomous entity that detaches from Killer Queen's left hand. It is a mobile, heat-seeking bomb that is extremely durable and leaves massive explosions in its wake.
Bites the Dust
Killer Queen Bites the Dust (Tertiary Bomb): Created by a second pierce of the Arrow, Bites the Dust is an independent bomb that implants Killer Queen into a host body. If the host reveals Kira's true identity in any way, willingly or unwillingly, Bites the Dust will trigger, and any investigators will be blown up before a time loop commences that sends everyone back an hour. Kira is unable to use this ability on himself, however.
Air Bomb Transmutation ("Stray Cat")
After gaining Bites the Dust, Kira keeps Stray Cat in a hollow space within Killer Queen's abdomen. With Killer Queen's Primary Bomb charging Stray Cat's condensed air bubbles, Kira may create invisible, speedy air bombs (空気弾, Kūki-dan) to use as projectiles. Although no one, not even Kira, can see these bombs, the latter is skilled in determining their trajectory using basic mathematical skills.
Mastery
Despite the power of his Stand, Killer Queen, Kira's passivity led to an over-reliance on its powers to the detriment of actual mastery.
Up until his appearance, Kira has avoided fighting at all, leading to a laissez-faire approach to Stand battles. Although he did personally kill Shigekiyo Yangu and knows a great deal about the subtleties of Killer Queen, he then let Sheer Heart Attack take care of two Stand Users, leading to an unexpected defeat and almost leading to his capture. He then became overconfident in Bites the Dust's invincibility, again leaving ample opportunity for Hayato to seek a loophole. Kira's tendency to hide and avoid instead of confronting his foes has left him no time to show any imagination in using his Stand.
However, thanks to his intellect and "lucky" meeting with Stray Cat, Kira could sublimate Killer Queen's power to create a deadly long-range combination of Stand abilities.
Relationships
Family
- Yoshihiro Kira: Yoshihiro is protective of his son, enough so that he was willing to support his son's murderous streak without a care as long as it made him happy. However, Yoshikage thought little of his father, ignoring his advice of leaving Morioh and sparing no thought for him when he died. In the end, Yoshihiro died in the most ironic way possible, being blown up by his son's bomb after he was tricked by Josuke into doing so.
- Mother: While little is known about their relationship and Kira's opinions of her, Araki points out that her overall appearance, as presented in their family portrait, suggests she may have been a bit overprotective of Kira to a point of abusive coddling.[1]
Kawajiri Family
- Shinobu Kawajiri: While Kira impersonated Kosaku, his failed attempts at acting ordinary were mistaken by Shinobu for a change toward a bolder demeanor from her husband. Charmed, Shinobu became attracted to her husband, not knowing that it was Kira. Kira on the other hand first struggled not to act on his murderous impulses on Shinobu and tried his best not to attract attention, thus acting gently with her. As time passed, notably after protecting her from Stray Cat, Kira noted a burgeoning affection for her.
- Hayato Kawajiri: Hayato and Kira lived in mutual suspicion, with Hayato noting everything his "father" did that was out of the ordinary, while Kira disliked the company of such a nosy child. When Hayato hears Kira plotting to kill him and then sees him use Killer Queen to kill a couple, their relationship turns antagonistic, culminating in Kira killing Hayato in a fit of rage. When Hayato becomes the catalyst for Kira gaining the sub-bomb Bites the Dust, Kira underestimates Hayato's resourcefulness, dismissing him as harmless at first, which Hayato exploits to lure Kira into the hands of his enemies. Hayato had come to know Kira well and proved a useful source of information during the climactic fight between Josuke and Kira.
- Tama: Kira and the cat Tama were initially enemies due to Kira's interference in Stray Cat's revenge against Shinobu. Kira wanted to get rid of the conscious plant as it was likely to attract attention, but after distracting it, he decided to keep Stray Cat in the attic, planning to use it later. During his confrontation with Josuke, Kira made the most of Stray Cat's power by combining it with Killer Queen's detonation ability to produce air bombs.
Enemies
- Josuke Higashikata: After Shigechi had been killed, Josuke developed a grudge against Kira and swore to avenge Shigechi. While Josuke loathed Kira, the latter didn't think much of Josuke and as an enemy, preferred to avoid any confrontation with him. However, Kira noticed that Josuke's healing power and resourcefulness countered his Killer Queen's bomb power and was precautious against him during their fight.
- Rohan Kishibe: Rohan was at first only curious about the local murderer, but after learning that he almost died by his hand and that Reimi protected him, his efforts for finding Kira became more personal. As an enemy, Kira preferred to avoid any confrontation with him. He was also aware of Rohan's status as a famous mangaka. When Rohan fell victim to Bites the Dust, Kira took great joy in his death.
- Koichi Hirose: Koichi, after learning of Kira's crimes, came to deeply loathe him to the point he would attack him on sight. Kira, on the other hand, came to somewhat praise Koichi's ability for being able to track him and then indirectly humiliate him in public, which he made sure to pay back with a beating. When Koichi humiliated Kira a second time, demonstrating how careless the serial killer could be, Kira was enraged and came to detest Koichi, being happy at the prospect of Koichi dying.
- Okuyasu Nijimura: Okuyasu, after learning that Kira killed Shigechi, developed a deep grudge against the murderer. As an enemy, Kira preferred to avoid any confrontation with him. During Josuke and Okuyasu's fight with him, Kira used Stray Cat to incapacitate Okuyasu and turned him into a bomb to trick Josuke into healing him. In the midst of attempting to kill Josuke with an air bomb, Kira was surprised when Okuyasu suddenly came back to life and not only saved Josuke, but separated Stray Cat from Killer Queen.
- Jotaro Kujo: The first time Jotaro would encounter Kira was near the Centipede shoe shop after Jotaro was heavily wounded by Sheer Heart Attack. Kira underestimated Jotaro due to the poor state he was in, only to get pummeled by Star Platinum for his trouble. Kira noted how dangerous Jotaro was and took care to avoid confronting him again. While confronting Hayato in the second Bites the Dust loop, Kira mentions to him that he would be very happy if Jotaro were to die in particular.
Victims
- Reimi Sugimoto: Reimi was the first victim of Yoshikage Kira fifteen years prior to the start of Part 4 along with the rest of her family, including her pet dog Arnold. As a ghost, Reimi remained in Morioh, looking for someone to help her put a stop to Kira's murders in order to restore Morioh's peace and dignity. While Kira managed to remember her name when Shigekiyo mentioned her, he couldn't recognise her at first when they met fifteen years later, which Reimi theorizes as Kira not having the occasion to remember her since he didn't take her hand as a "girlfriend". After her archenemy was dragged away by the ghost hands of the alleys, Reimi was able to peacefully ascend to heaven.
- Arnold: Arnold's throat was slashed by Kira fifteen years prior to the start of Part 4. Kira then hung the dog's body on a clothes hook in the wall. Upon Kira's death, Arnold took his revenge by forcing Kira to look behind him, condemning the killer to be dragged away by the ghost hands. Now at peace, his soul ascends to Heaven along with his owner Reimi.
- Shigekiyo Yangu: When Shigechi unwittingly took Kira's "girlfriend", Kira saw Shigechi as a potential threat to his peaceful lifestyle. When both confronted each other, Shigechi realized that Kira was a serial killer after finding his "girlfriend" and immediately prepared to kill him. On the other hand, Kira thought little of Shigechi, seeing him as a hindrance to his quiet life and wanting to dispose of him as soon as possible. Learning that Kira will kill his family too after being seriously injured, Shigechi tried to warn his friends Josuke and Okuyasu to protect them, only to be caught and killed by Kira. Shigechi's death alerted the Stand users of the serial killer, and thus became the source of Josuke and Okuyasu's grudge towards Kira.
- Mukade Shopkeeper: While the two never interacted onscreen, Kira and the shopkeeper knew each other well as the former is a customer at the latter's store. Despite this, Kira had no compunction silencing the shopkeeper with Sheer Heart Attack once Jotaro and Koichi entered the store to find the killer's identity.
- Aya Tsuji: The two had little interaction, but Kira was aware of her occupation and abilities, which allowed him to escape the protagonists and change his identity. Before being killed by Kira, Aya described him as truly terrifying and hated him for using her powers for evil.
- Kosaku Kawajiri: The two had no onscreen interaction and Kira only accosted him because they were of similar height and build. He kidnapped Kosaku, dragged him to Salon Cinderella, killed him, and took his identity including his face, fingerprints, and hair. Kira, however, was annoyed by Kosaku's willingness to have a promotion, forcing Kira to stress himself by bootlicking Kosaku's superior while having to impersonate him in order to maintain his masquerade.
- Minako Okura and Satoru Nakae: Initially, Kira, as Kosaku, had no interest in the couple, only to be insulted by them for moving Minako's bag away from his leg, and then for his nail clippers after bumping into them. Incensed, Kira stalked the two and barged into their apartment, greeting Satoru by detonating him and intimidating Minako into giving him her name and cutting his fingernails. After giving her Satoru's ears as earrings to wear, Kira vaporized Minako besides her hand to keep as his "girlfriend". Ironically, this act caught the attention of his "son" Hayato, who filmed the scene on tape.
Post-mortem
- Female Monk: In Deadman's Question, Kira's ghost works as a hitman for a female monk. Their relation is strictly professional and he only kills whoever the monk points him to in order to earn money. Kira is shown to be a bit suspicious and dismissive of the monk, calling his job doing her dirty work, while the monk is neutral with Kira. After Kira escapes the Cleansers of the mansion ghost, Kira suspects she was trying to eliminate him and thus he goes to investigate her claims about the mansion ghost to make sure she was not leading him into a trap, planning to kill her if it turns out she was lying.
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 331: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 332: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 333: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 4 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 334: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 5
- Chapter 335: Shigechi's Harvest, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 342: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 1
- Chapter 343: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 2
- Chapter 344: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 3
- Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- Chapter 346: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 5
- Chapter 347: The People of Morioh
- Chapter 354: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 1
- Chapter 355: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 2 (Arm only)
- Chapter 356: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 3
- Chapter 357: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 4
- Chapter 358: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 5
- Chapter 359: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 6
- Chapter 360: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 7
- Chapter 361: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 8
- Chapter 362: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 9
- Chapter 363: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 10
- Chapter 364: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 11
- Chapter 365: Atom Heart Father, Part 1 (Photo only)
- Chapter 366: Atom Heart Father, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 367: Atom Heart Father, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 368: Atom Heart Father, Part 4 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 369: Atom Heart Father, Part 5 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 370: Yoshikage Kira's New Situation, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 371: Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid is Coming!, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Chapter 377: Yoshikage Kira's New Situation, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 378: I'm an Alien, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 384: Highway Star, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Highway Star's ability)
- Chapter 385: Highway Star, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 392: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 393: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 394: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 3 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 395: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 4 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 396: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 5 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 397: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 6 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 399: Let's Live on a Transmission Tower, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 401: Let's Live on a Transmission Tower, Part 4 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 403: Let's Live on a Transmission Tower, Part 6 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 406: Enigma Boy, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 407: Enigma Boy, Part 4 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 408: Enigma Boy, Part 5 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 410: My Dad is Not My Dad, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 411: My Dad is Not My Dad, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 412: Cheap Trick, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Chapter 413: Cheap Trick, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Chapter 414: Cheap Trick, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 415: Cheap Trick, Part 4 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Chapter 417: Cheap Trick, Part 6 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Chapter 418: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 419: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 420: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 3 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 421: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 4 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 422: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 5 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 423: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 6 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Voice only)
- Chapter 424: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 7 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 425: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 8 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 426: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 9 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 427: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 10 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 428: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 429: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 430: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 3 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 431: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 4 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 432: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 5 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 433: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 6 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 434: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 7 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 435: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 8 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 436: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 9 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Chapter 437: Let Me Remind You (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Ghost)
- Chapter 438: Town Guardian Spirits (Death) (Ghost)
- Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart (Ghost) (Spiritual death)
- Steel Ball Run Extra Chapter 3: Untitled Stand Chapter (Mentioned only)
Anime Appearances- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 12: Red Hot Chili Pepper, Part 2 (Glimpse)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 17: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 18: Shigechi's Harvest, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 20: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 21: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 1
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 22: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 2
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 23: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 1
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 24: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 2
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 25: Atom Heart Father (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 26: Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid is Coming! (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri) (Photo only)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 27: I'm an Alien (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 28: Highway Star, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 29: Highway Star, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 30: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 31: July 15th (Thursday), Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 32: July 15th (Thursday), Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 33: July 15th (Thursday), Part 3 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 34: July 15th (Thursday), Part 4 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 35: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 36: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 37: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 1 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 38: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 2 (Disguised as Kosaku Kawajiri)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 39: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart (Ghost) (Death/Spiritual death)
Novel Appearances- Heaven's Door (Mentioned only)
- Golden Melody (Mentioned only)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 5: Disquietude
Quotes
Quotes- “In over 15 years, I, Yoshikage Kira, have never left behind even a single scrap of evidence. And now some kid's mistake is carrying that ring away... Like I'll let him.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 343: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 2
- “I'm always thinking this, but damn, Yoshikage Kira, you're one lucky guy... With your friendly demeanor and bold drive, there's no way you won't be happy in life.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 344: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 3
- “My name is Yoshikage Kira. I am 33 years old. I live in northeast Morioh, where there are many villas... I am not married... I'm an office worker for the Kameyu Department Store. Each evening, I return home no later than 8 PM. I don't smoke. I drink, but only occasionally. I go to bed by 11 PM and always get at least 8 hours of sleep... Before I lie down, I drink a cup of warm milk and do 20 minutes of stretching to relax my body... With that routine, I find that I sleep soundly all the way until morning. Like a baby, I awake with no fatigue or stress. And at my last checkup, I was given a clean bill of health... I'm explaining so that you'll understand that I'm a person who wants to live his life feeling at peace. I refuse to create dilemmas—or enemies—that will disturb my thoughts and keep me up at night worrying if I'll win or lose... And by maintaining that approach toward society, I have found that I can attain happiness. Of course, if I were to fight someone, I would never lose. (私の名は『吉良吉影』 年齢３３歳 自宅は杜王町北東部の別荘地帯にあり… 結婚はしていない… 仕事は『カメユーチェーン店』の会社員で 毎日遅くとも夜８時までには帰宅する タバコは吸わない 酒はたしなむ程度 夜１１時には床につき 必ず８時間は睡眠をとるようにしている… 寝る前にあたたかいミルクを飲み ２０分ほどのストレッチで体をほぐしてから床につくと ほとんど朝まで熟睡さ… 赤ん坊のように疲労やストレスを残さずに 朝 目を覚ませるんだ… 健康診断でも異常なしと言われたよわたしは常に『心の平穏』を願って生きてる人間ということを説明しているのだよ… 『勝ち負け』にこだわったり 頭をかかえるような『トラブル』とか 夜もねむれないといった『敵』をつくらない…というのが わたしの社会に対する姿勢であり それが自分の幸福だということを知っている… もっとも 闘ったとしても わたしは誰にも負けんがね。)”—Yoshikage Kira about his way of life, Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- “Before you talk to anyone else, I will erase you.”—Yoshikage Kira to Shigechi, Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- “Killer Queen can erase you at any time. For, you see, Killer Queen's power is to turn anything it touches into a bomb.”—Yoshikage Kira to Shigechi, Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- “Nobody can track me. Nobody knows the truth about Yoshikage Kira. That is, nobody will, after I get rid of you.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- “Killer Queen has already touched the doorknob. (『キラークイーン』はすでにドアノブに触っている………)”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 346: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 5
- “You ants really think you can find Yoshikage Kira? I'll destroy you. My Stand Killer Queen's Sheer Heart Attack will kill anything it aims for, guaranteed.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 356: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 3
- “I Yoshikage Kira, just want a quiet life, but these shitheads keep getting in my way.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 360: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 7
- “For me, it's not really about winning or losing. I just want to survive. I want a peaceful life. It's just that it's in my nature to kill. I will have my happy life!”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 363: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 10
- “I really want to show Yoshikage Kira's true nature to the girl on the right... I want to reveal my deep desires to her... I'm dying to touch her thin neck with my hands... and choke her to death.”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 377: Yoshikage Kira's New Situation, Part 2
- “Don't answer a question with a question!! (質問を質問で返すなあーっ!!)”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 410: My Dad is Not My Dad, Part 1
- “You want me to leave Morioh!? To live in fear of pursuers, constantly looking over my back without any tranquility or peace?! You should know better than to suggest that to me! I will never leave this town!”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 418: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 1
- “Lately, with everything going on, the waves of my life have grown rough and violent...But from now on, I'll be able to live my life with a peaceful mood. I matured last night, all because you cornered me...rather, I felt a truly powerful will radiating from you last night... You even managed to threaten me, Yoshikage Kira. Hahaha oh dear did I let my name slip...?”—Yoshikage Kira to Hayato, Chapter 419: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 2
- “Even the fact that Rohan Kishibe met you has been erased! That is Killer Queen Bites the Dust! There's nobody you can talk to! Nobody who can investigate you!”—Yoshikage Kira to Hayato, Chapter 421: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 4
- “For your information... I turned myself into Kosaku Kawajiri not because I was fleeing from you. If I had wanted to get rid of you all, I could have killed you at any time. I didn't simply because I don't have a taste for battle. I dislike combat because it runs counter to the tranquil life that I desire. Winning a single battle is simple, but stress builds up in anticipation for the following battle... It is a foolish act. [...] That was the only reason I didn't get you out of the picture.... Right now you three are the only ones disturbing my tranquility. Those who know my identity are the only ones I have no choice but to fight!”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 427: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 10
- “Phewwww~ Back when I was a kid... you know Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, right? I saw it in an artbook. When I saw Mona Lisa's hands, folded by her knee... How do I say this? It's a bit crude, but... hehe... I got...a BONER. I cut out just the hands... and put them up in my room for a while. I'd like to... cut yours off... too. My name is Yoshikage Kira... I've killed 48 women with pretty hands. You shall be the only one! The only one to know my secret!”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 436: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 9
- “Bites the Dust emerged from my single-minded desire not to encounter you... Bring it on! Let's see you stop time! How long can you keep it up?”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 436: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 9
- “I-I did it! It activated! (や~ やったぞ! 発動したぞ!)”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 436: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 9
- “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I beat them! Now I can be free!”—Yoshikage Kira, Chapter 437: Let Me Remind You
- “No... No, No, No! Where- Where are they taking me!? They're dragging me away! Noooo!”—Yoshikage Kira's last words, Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
Quotes- “My name is Yoshikage Kira... I can't remember the reason why I died... but one thing I can say for certain is that I will not go to Heaven.”—Yoshikage Kira, Deadman's Questions
- “What am I supposed to do from here? I don't have the answer for that. But if time continues forever, I may find some sort of happiness by making my 'job' my 'purpose' for living.”—Yoshikage Kira, Deadman's Questions
- “I don't carry the tickets with me, but what's important is that I got the seats... And what's most important is to gaze at the brilliant blue sky and enjoy the view. Is there anything more important than that in the world?...”—Yoshikage Kira, Deadman's Questions
- “I don't really care... If the 'target' is a good or bad person. But if I happen to kill the wrong target, you're going to feel bad.”—Yoshikage Kira, Deadman's Questions
- “My... What a beautiful, blue sky. Where should I rest tonight?”—Yoshikage Kira, Deadman's Questions
Creation and Development
Part 4 didn't start with a clear final boss in mind. Hirohiko Araki envisioned Josuke facing off against various creepy entities in town, and through battles with characters like Angelo and Keicho Nijimura, Yoshikage Kira eventually emerged as a further evolution of those foes. Serial killer stories were popular at the time, such as The Silence of the Lambs film, featuring the sadistic killer Hannibal Lecter, and Encyclopaedia of Murder by Colin Wilson and Patricia Pitman, which documented true murder cases. Kira was inspired by those stories where ordinary-looking unremarkable individuals turn out to be killers.[3]
When creating Kira, Araki didn't just consider how Kira would contrast with Josuke, but also with DIO. Japan's bubble economy had just ended and Araki felt that flashy and larger-than-life characters like DIO who were typical of that era would no longer feel appropriate. Rather than being an ultimate evil charismatic villain, he made Kira a subtle, lurking terror who blends into ordinary life. Araki stated that someone like DIO wouldn't exist in real life, but Kira can, which makes him terrifying.[3]
Araki thought of a backstory for Kira which would portray Kira's abusive relationship with his mother and neglect from his father. Kira's backstory wasn't included in the manga both because it was serialized in a magazine for a younger audience and Araki felt Kira would end up being a very sad villain so readers wouldn't see him as the enemy.[1][25] However, Araki stated that if he were to depict Kira in the modern era, he would likely delve deeper into what made him so evil and gave him a twisted personality, including more of his upbringing and family relationships.[26]
According to an interview with Araki, the idea to have Kira take over Kosaku's life while Hayato suspects his "father" of being replaced was inspired by the Philip K. Dick novel, The Father-thing.[1]
Araki approached David Production during the start of Part 4's anime, suggesting that they should include Kira in several background foreshadowings early on in the part, mainly because he initially didn't know who would end up being the main villain of the story until later on when Kira was introduced.[27]
Trivia
- According to a Top 10 List published in JOJO A-GO!GO!, released in 2000, Kira is Araki's favorite antagonist and second favorite character overall.
- The character of Yoshikage Kira was the focus of a collaborative photoshoot with the fashion magazine UOMO featuring Japanese model Dean Fujioka, who made an impression of the character.
- Kira's TV anime voice actor, Toshiyuki Morikawa, also voices Diavolo in the Bandai Namco video games.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Information from the Character Profile sheets may or may not be considered canon if they didn't appear in the manga. According to Araki in Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques - Chapter 1: What Can Be Changed and What Should Stay Consistent, "the Character Profile is like a sketch—a rough outline of the character. Characters grow and evolve as they live out their lives within the manga. As the story progresses, certain aspects of the profile may no longer align."
- ↑ His character sheet in Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques says that his height is 178 cm (5 ft 10 in).
- ↑ His character sheet in Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques says that his weight is 70 kg (150 lb).
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jump Remix P4 Vol.27-28
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Chapter 412: Cheap Trick, Part 1
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques Column - Part 4: Yoshikage Kira—The Fear of an "Ordinary Person"
- ↑ Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 39: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Chapter 365: Atom Heart Father, Part 1
- ↑ Diamond is Unbreakable Model Sheet - No.MC00-36A
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Chapter 345: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 4
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chapter 360: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 7
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Chapter 342: Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 419: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 2
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Chapter 418: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 436: Crazy Diamond is Unbreakable, Part 9
- ↑ Chapter 334: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 5
- ↑ Chapter 347: The People of Morioh
- ↑ Chapter 410: My Dad is Not My Dad, Part 1
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Chapter 377: Yoshikage Kira's New Situation, Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 332: Rohan Kishibe's Adventure, Part 3
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Chapter 361: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 8
- ↑ Chapter 354: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 356: Sheer Heart Attack, Part 3
- ↑ Chapter 426: Another One Bites the Dust, Part 9
- ↑ Chapter 395: Cats Love Yoshikage Kira, Part 4
- ↑ Deadman's Questions
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.104
- ↑ Jump Square (December 2007)
- ↑ Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques - "On the Timeless Nature of Villains"
- ↑ Anime Boston (April 2017)
Kira was born Janurary 30, 1966, in Morioh Town within Japan's M Prefecture in the city of S. His parents, already old when he was born, died when he was 21; his father from cancer, his mother passing away peacefully. Araki has stated that Kira did not have a good childhood, but Jotaro narrated that the Kira family was very close. He graduated from D University in 1988 with a literature degree, then moved to S city for a job at Kameyu's corporate office. He eventually transferred to the Morioh-cho branch in 1993.
Starting his spree roughly when he was in high school, Kira is a serial killer who originally murdered his victims by stabbing them so viciously that they were left with horrific back wounds (their hideous nature is implied by the fact that the reader is never actually shown Reimi's wound, despite all the instances of blood and gore that Araki had drawn up to that point). His first victims were Reimi Sugimoto and her entire family, including their dog Arnold.
Kira's Stand, Killer Queen, came as a result of his father, Yoshihiro Kira, giving him a Stand arrow that he himself received from Enya and DIO. Killer Queen manifested from his desire to leave no evidence from his killings behind, developing an ability to make its victims disintegrate completely. At an unknown point, Kira dubbed his Stand, but wasn't aware of what it was until far into the future. He now lets Killer Queen annihilate his victims (except for his "girlfriends'" hands), letting everyone else think that the victims have simply gone missing. Though the number of missing people would eventually attract attention, no one would have any reason to suspect that Kira was involved due to his simple demeanor and lifestyle.
Yoshikage Kira is first seen when Josuke stops Koichi from walking into the road as he's driving. He stops, but then continues driving, returning home with the severed hand of a recent victim.
Formally introduced in this arc, Kira is seen shopping for lunch while on break to deliver documents, having the hand of another woman with him. He has lunch in the park after buying from a sandwich shop, marveling the day, but hides the hand of his girlfriend inside the bag he recieved when startled by a dog. After intimidating the dog, Kira continues his peaceful lunch and overhears Shigekiyo "Shigechi" Yangu with a sandwich from the same shop arguing with Josuke Higashikata and Okuyasu Nijimura about money. While writing down the IOU the two high-schoolers promise, the dog makes off with Shigechi's sandwich, causing Shigechi to mistake Kira's for his.
Kira is quick to make the discovery but can't stop Shigechi in time, and out of fear he may be discovered due to the hand wearing a ring he recently bought, he begins to follow Shigechi to yank the bag from him. He eventually follows the group to Shigechi's school, and after nearly being found on three occasions, manages to retrieve his bag.
However, Shigechi catches on and, under the assumption it's his stolen sandwich bag, rips it open with Harvest on accident, revealing the hand. As a result of being found, Kira retaliates, revealing his Stand and successfully killing Shigechi without much of a fight by exploiting Harvest's weakness of bringing money back to Shigechi. However, Harvest manages to grab one of Kira's coat buttons and delivers it before he fully passes on.
Kira brings his suit to the tailor and finds that Jotaro Kujo and Koichi Hirose are investigating him. As a result, he sics Sheer Heart Attack after them in order to buy time to escape, managing to get as far as a cafe without being seen. Koichi awakens Echoes Act 3 and traps Sheer Heart Attack in place, transferring the same effect onto Kira. Kira returns in person and, heavily wounded, surprises Koichi by using Killer Queen and withdrawing Sheer Heart Attack. He attacks Koichi personally as revenge for unintentionally humiliating him in public, but stops after a punch from Killer Queen knocks off one of Koichi's shoes and reveals his socks are inside out.
Kira hesitates and proceeds to fix Koichi's sock, allowing time for Jotaro to get back up. After Star Platinum wounds Kira, Josuke and Okuyasu arrive on the scene. Impatient to escape, Kira asks Josuke to 'fix' him as he fixed Jotaro and Koichi while posing as an innocent bystander, only to unwittingly reveal to Josuke that he can see Stands and thus show he's the enemy. Cornered, Kira cuts his own hand off to release Sheer Heart Attack from Echoes Act 3's ability and flees.
Josuke uses Crazy Diamond's ability to make the severed hand chase after him. Kira escapes by forcing Aya Tsuji and her Stand Cinderella to switch his face and fingerprints with Kosaku Kawajiri's, then killing Aya with his first bomb, successfully stalling the protagonists' chase.
With his new identity and his hand reattached, Kira tries to assume Kosaku Kawajiri's life and blend into his household. Fortunately, Kawajiri wasn't the kindest man, something Kira wasn't aware of - as a result, he accidentally provokes romantic emotions in the formerly estranged Shinobu Kawajiri by doing simple things like apologizing and making dinner.
However, Kosaku's son, Hayato, sees there's something not right about his father, as he normally spies on his parents, and wonders why his father has two pairs of shoes that are different sizes as well as why his father would practice writing his own name over and over again.
After Shinobu Kawajiri kills the cat Tama, Kira finds it resurrected as the Stand Stray Cat, and after a fight, he gives it a home in the household attic. Unbenknownst to Kira however, Hayato Kawajiri finds the cat in the attic and grows even more suspicious of him.
After fending off the urge to kill for some time, Kira finally kills two people who annoy him on the train, and prepares to take the hand of his female victim back with him. As he does so, he notices Hayato Kawajiri fleeing the scene with a video camera, and realizes he has been seen. He vaporizes the hand for his own safety.
Kira corners Hayato in the bath, hoping to get his hands on the video tape. Hayato reveals that he has backups hidden in a number of places, and warns Kira not to harm him or his mother. Kira loses his temper and kills the boy, then realizes he has made a mistake. He bites his nails to the point that they started to bleed, which his father says Kira has done since he was a little boy. In his desperation, the Arrow in his father's portrait pierces him on its own, granting Kira a new ability called Bites the Dust, an ability that manifested from his desire not to be caught. Kira revives Hayato by planting Bites the Dust in him and begins the next day with a new confidence.
Josuke and company attempt to pursue their new lead, only to be trapped in the time loop created by Bites the Dust. However, Hayato manages to take advantage of the time loop and cause Kira to expose himself by gloating about his victory despite Hayato's efforts. Josuke and Okuyasu, arriving on time thanks to a call from Hayato, hear Kira gloating and immediately attack him, forcing him to call back Bites the Dust and cancel the time loop.
Kira combines Stray Cat's aerokinesis with Killer Queen's explosive charges to produce invisible air bombs. After defeating Okuyasu, he charges Okuyasu's body to explode on contact, forcing Josuke into a dilemma, but is again foiled by Hayato, who allows himself to be blown up by touching Okuyasu, only to have Josuke heal him.
When Josuke and Hayato escape into a nearby house, Kira continues to attack them from a distance with the help of his father, who is hidden in Hayato's pocket and relaying their location to him. He is eventually tricked into blowing up the photograph containing Yoshihiro. Josuke then uses Crazy Diamond's restoration ability to pull glass shards covered with his own dried blood towards the house, intercepting Kira on the way.
Kira, unwilling to accept defeat, is pummeled out into the neighborhood sidewalk, exposed to a crowd of people. Unwilling to accept this irony, Kira attempts to use Bites the Dust on a nearby woman to escape. As he gloats over his victory, he is confused to discover himself in a strange alley, and finds that his watch has not been restored when the time loop reset.
He encounters Reimi, who reveals that Bites the Dust has actually been foiled by Echoes Act 3's "freeze" technique. Jotaro, finally close enough, stops time and beats him with Star Platinum's barrage. Still alive, but unable to activate Bites the Dust with broken fingers, Kira was accidentally run over by a nearby ambulance, which was called in to save him and take him to the hospital.
Upon recognizing Reimi and wondering why she would show him her back wound, Kira recalls that his father told him about a place he could not turn his back to when he died, and tries to force Reimi to look back instead. However, his plan fails when Arnold bites off his hand.
Kira falls to the ground, ends up turning around in surprise, and is torn to pieces and dragged off to another world by a swarm of hands.[1][2]
Kira is shown some time between the End of Part 4 and the End of Part 6 as a vagabond spirit who is unaware of his identity. Now a ghost trapped in the living world after his death, Kira can't remember anything but his name, but is sure he cannot get to heaven. However, he still shows traits of his personality, as he wants a normal life and doesn't wish to attract the attention of living people. Not sure what to do with his eternal existence, he now works for a monk, doing the "dirty work" of killing targets she gives him in exchange for money. He believes that, by making this job his purpose to live, he might find happiness.
He is sent to a mansion belonging to a soldier that turned into a spirit to find out the reason behind the deaths of people around the area. There, he discovers that he can interact with objects in the mansion, and is excited by the possibility of living there. As he investigates further, he is attacked by Cleansers, and in the process of destroying them, is forced to cut his own arm off. After escaping the mansion, he goes to investigate the information the monk gave him, swearing to kill her if he finds any errors. He wonders if her arm would stick in place of his lost one.
- ↑ Chapter 438: Town Guardian Spirits
- ↑ Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh Town - The Golden Heart
