Born This Way
Born This Way (ボーン・ディス・ウェイ) is the stand of Kyou Nijimura featured in Part VIII: JoJolion.
Appearance/Personality
Born This Way appears as a humanoid motorcycle rider covered in black. From the outside, it is not identifiable as a stand, though under it's helmet it has a robotic-like face that gives it a more hunchback look when exposed. The stand generally doesn't express any personality, though knocking it off its bike will cause it to make a "Shuu" noise and then quickly jump back on.
The stand is bound to what appears to be a heavily armored black Sport Bike. The bike itself is highly durable, capable of not only defending against physical blows, but able to damage attackers from the difference in density. This is made apparent when the motorcycle is completely unharmed after receiving a barrage of punches from Soft & Wet, despite the latter being capable of shattering an enforced wall with a single kick. The front wheels of the motorcycle feature flower decals on the hub caps and the front fork has a stitched design similar to the face of the rider.
It's first attack began when Kyou first discovered that Josuke Higashikata had left the Higashikata residence to meet Holly Kira. She reveals that she found out of his plans after discovering Norisuke Higashikata's study in a condition she had not left it, and says she will kill him if he tries to see Holly.
Abilities
- Targeted Conditional Assault: The Stand chases it's target when the victim "opens" anything not excluding doors, notebooks, cellphones. It can immediately appear from anywhere and ambush anybody as long as the target opens anything. The individual does not have to intentionally open something either, as merely touching an object as it is opening applies, e.g., the stand is summoned when Josuke backs into a taxi causing its door to swing open or when Kyou throws a loose pen at him causing the cap to fall off when it hit him.[1]
- In order to target a person, Kyou must have touched them at some point.
- The drawback to this ability is the stand disappears when anyone closes the object that was opened.
- World of Ice: When Born This Way appears, its power causes hurricane-like winds that can freeze and harden objects, which it can hurl as sharp weapons. The wind itself has enough intensity to knock back individuals, as well as freeze their breath rendering them unable to breathe.
Trivia
- Born This Way was originally called Going Underground (ゴーイング・アンダーグラウンド) until the release of the volume 4 tankobon. Araki may have renamed the Stand in homage of the cover design of Lady Gaga's album Born This Way, which features a motorcycle.
- The original name, was a reference to the song of the same name by The Jam.
