Rai Mamezuku (豆銑 礼 Mamezuku Rai) is a side character and ally featured in JoJolion.
Rai is a secret employee in the Higashikata Fruit Company, only known by Norisuke Higashikata IV. Once attacked, he joins with Josuke Higashikata in order to protect himself.
Appearance
Rai is a well-built man with braided dark hair. He wears a jumpsuit with a vine and peapod pattern, as well as a hat with an oversized flap covering the whole back of his head.
Personality
Rai Mamezuku is an eccentric and brusque individual with little care for politeness. He is highly analytical and quick-witted in his way of approaching problems. As soon as he learns of what is happening in Morioh and that he is under attack, he takes the initiative in joining with his allies. With a single phone call with Norisuke about Josuke's confusing issue, Rai manages to grasp the stakes for every party involved and see the best course of action for him. He tends to carefully observe his surroundings and verbally takes notes of everything remotely interesting to him; this habit allows him to discern the nature and subtleties of the attack against him. Rai also regularly calculates probabilities, like the chances of someone being safe through selected factors.
Rai is very coldhearted in his methods, repeatedly showing that he has no qualm sacrificing a perceived less important part for a greater goal. His orchard specifically leaves a small part of the culture overriden with predatory insects and disease to better the rest of the orchard, he has no problem cutting off his own hand to save himself, and even puts Yasuho in great danger because he sees her as less important than his own safety.
Moreover, Rai is very cool-headed. Despite being introduced under attack from an unknown ability, he acts calmly despite an open focus on his survival. Once on relatively safe grounds, Rai even takes the time to cook a snack for him, Josuke and Yasuho. When he loses his left hand to a Stand attack, he calmly severs it to preserve the rest of his body.
However, Rai's most noticeable trait is his eccentricity and bluntness. First, he is extremely antisocial. His only relationship is with Norisuke, whom he nonetheless considers a good friend. Rai takes many steps in order to stay isolated, as his home during the summer is actually a support pillar for a skilift, complete with at least a hidden kitchen and a whole mountainside as his orchard; during winter he resides in a villa. Moreover, Rai constantly demonstrates a lack of care for others. He hijacks a bus without a second thought but the repercussions on him, pries on Yasuho's private life and considers his survival as the priority, that of Josuke and Yasuho being second to his. Nonetheless, he seems impressed when Yasuho takes the initiative in covering their tracks and has thought of inviting his guests for a snack while they discuss their next move. It doesn't stop Rai from condemning Josuke when the latter instinctively prioritizes her safety in the midst of an attack and then coldy throw her into the range of the enemy Stand to observe what happens.
Abilities
This section requires expansion.
- Main article: Doggy Style
Rai's Stand has a currently unknown power, which can create a prehensile bandage-like string from his body 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. He can identify a plant simply from its appearance in a photograph, and has the knowledge on how to properly care for rare plants such as the Rokakaka.
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 hijacked it. He demands that Josuke protect him as a group of unidentified Rock Humans have gone after him. Both are surprised to see the man who they are supposed to meet in the driver's seat of their bus. Rai explains that he has 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 has 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, but he does point out that several trees have been following them on the way, and that the concrete and asphalt has halted their movements. 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 skilift up the mountain, when to Yasuho 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 has 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
Trivia
- Rai's eccentric personality and hermit-esque lifestyle is directly similar to Toyohiro Kanedaichi from Diamond Is Unbreakable.
References
- ↑ JJL Volume 16: Mother and Child (Age originally 32 in Ultra Jump)
- ↑ JJL Chapter 59: Dolomite's Blue Lagoon, Part 1