Released originally in 1999, “Dead Man’s Questions” is a spin-off story ofJojo’s Bizarre Adventurethat gives fans an insight into the fate of one of the series’ most iconic villains; Yoshikage Kira. Kira has long been one of the series' most unique antagonists, and the spin-off manages to continue his story in an unexpected way.
Across 8 different parts and over 30 years of publication,Jojo’s Bizarre Adventurehas become infamous for having some of the wildest plotlines and characters in anime and manga history. Kira played a big role in makingDiamond is Unbreakableas popular as it was, and it seems as though Araki still had plans for the introverted serial killer following the conclusion of Part 4.
Warning: Spoilers for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
Who is Kira?
In part 4, fans meet Yoshigake Kira, a local serial killer in the town of Morioh whose victims of choice are beautiful women, but who will kill anyone who gets close to discovering his identity. The main motivation of the protagonists of part 4 is restoring peace to the town by removing Kira’s dangerous presence for good. Like mostJoJovillains, the way in which Kira is defeated is unpredictable and strange, having his soul be ripped away by an army of grasping, phantom hands in a ghost alleyway.
It is stated that nobody knows where the hands take the spirits of those they capture, so not even the characters themselves find out what really happens to Kira once the story is over. All that is said is that he is going somewhere where he will never be able to rest in peace. Luckily for fans, however,JoJocreatorHirohiko ArakireleasedDead Man’s Questionsto show where it is that Kira’s soul eventually ended up.
Kira’s Afterlife
As the story begins, fans findYoshikage Kirawith a new look, completely devoid of the memories of his past life, living out his days as a ghost. He spends his time carrying out assassinations at the behest of a mysterious human monk, in exchange for money.
Even as a ghost, Kira is still bound by rules and restrictions, just as in his human life. Ghosts are shown to be incapable of phasing through most objects, and their movements are further restricted by the living people around them. Kira has to take the train to his destinations while sneaking behind and around human commuters. He cannot even enter a house or a room without permission from the living inhabitants, forcing him to use underhanded tricks to gain access to houses where his targets are.
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Despite his new life, Kira is shown with many of the same traits he is well known for. He still enjoys a strictly regimented lifestyle, taking note of exactly how many minutes he spends traveling or smelling flowers outside a train station. He also still finds himself drawn to preying on women, although far less violently than he previously was. Fitting for his new job, he also displays little remorse when it comes to murdering people, and even states that he doesn’t care who he kills, as long as they are the correct target he was instructed to kill.
He’s also still chasing his quiet life, dreaming of finding a house or an apartment of his own, where he can live freely without worrying about being restricted by the presence of living humans. He doesn’t want to become like other ghosts, who live in the crevices of society, afraid of bumping into humans and losing parts of themselves. He even hopes that despite time going on forever, he might be able to find purpose in his job, just as how he used to find purpose in perfectly regimented living, even though he knows he will never reach heaven.
A Satisfying End?
Dead Man’s Questionsshows a fate for Kira that is quite fitting. Not only has he lost his sense of self, but he is forced to work seemingly eternally, never being allowed the peaceful life he always wanted. Even when he finds a ghost house that might provide him stability, it is full of ghost-eating creatures called cleansers, and he permanently loses his left arm to them.
The story itself leaves off with Kira wondering where he will rest that night, implying that he will continue to wander forever, never quite finding peace. While it isn’t as immediately horrifying as the fates of villains likePart 2’sKars andPart 5’sDiavolo, an endless afterlife devoid of peace is exactly the kind of punishment that Yoshigake Kira deserves.
