“So now everyone’s going to take action, huh?”
What They Say:
“Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly, Part 2”
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
While seeing the goofy antics of Yoshikage Kira stalking children last episode was entertaining to a certain degree, it just didn’t pack the emotional oomph that an introductory episode to the series’ main villain should. Thankfully, this week’s followup episode had enough emotional impact to make up for it.
Picking up immediately where the last episode left off, Shigechi is faced with Kira and his Stand. Not even five minutes into the episode, and it oozes with style. Extremely detailed closeups, dutch angles, filters and shading—everything that was sorely missing last episode was used to its full potential this time around not only for pure aesthetics, but to really amp up the tension between the characters. Kira’s cold and calculating character, the way he holds himself as well as how he speaks to others in a slow, almost condescending manner offers so much into his person that more full-blown actions cannot accomplish, and it’s all pulled off so perfectly. Even when he begins to show his Bond Villain levels of hubris, allowing Shigechi to escape for the time being, it’s forgivable because he’s able to follow up and deliver the finishing blow shortly after.
Shigechi’s death itself is heartbreaking, and the episode does a solid job of making sure that his death carries just as much weight as it should. As unlikeable as his character tends to be at times, he’s still a person with people to protect, and seeing him writhe on the floor in fear for his parents’ lives now that he knows a killer lies in his hometown shows that he’s clearly capable of putting others before himself. The emotional weight isn’t just felt from Shigechi’s side of things, but from Josuke and Okuyasu’s as well—both of whom immediately feel that something is wrong when Shigechi’s Stand disappears in a manner they both considered atypical. While it’s easy to forget at times, it’s important to note that to some extent, Stands are an extension of the User themselves. So to see the sole Harvest Stand explode while holding a key clue to Kira’s identity speaks volumes when it comes to Shigechi’s level of desperation; that even if he may die, he’ll make sure the people still alive have something to go off of to track down this enemy and bring him to justice.
And the effects of Shigechi’s death don’t just stop at Josuke and Okuyasu, either. Immediately following his death at the school, we cut to Reimi witnessing Shigechi’s soul depart to the other side, and her relaying this information to every allied Stand User within Morioh. You have the likes of Tonio, Aya, Rohan, among others joining up with the main cast members in a call to arms of sorts, confirming that their enemy is not only a fellow Stand User, but a fellow denizen to Morioh who’s been giving their hometown a bad name for years at this point. Seeing the mishmash of every Stand User we’ve met in this series so far gives a slight ray of hope in that there are a lot more allies than expected, and all of them are willing to do whatever they can to help bring down this killer. Mr. Joestar exchanging a silent look of worry and determination with Jotaro as Koichi mentions this new Enemy Stand in particular carries so much weight.
The final scene this episode almost mirrors the opening scene of Diamond is Unbreakable’s first episode, as Koichi and Jotaro are together investigating a small-time shop. As innocent talk escalates into a full-blown Stand fight, the ending of this episode acts as a bookend of sorts, wrapping up the first arc of DiU while also sinking its teeth well into the second arc nicely enough.
In Summary:
While part 1 of “Yoshikage Kira Just Wants to Live Quietly” had the misfortune of noticeably poor animation on top of painfully slow pacing, part 2 delivers in every respect. Shigechi’s death hits all the right notes, giving proper reason for all the ally Stand Users in Morioh to band together, on the lookout for one of their own.
Grade: A+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
