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Don’t read any further unless you’re okay with being spoiled for the entirety of Gungrave and/or Gungrave: Overdose/Gungrave G.O.R.E. We highly recommend you watch or play a full playthrough before reading the Wiki. |
Jyuji Kabane (カバネ・十次, Kabane Jūji) formally known as Jyuji Kugashira (句が知ら・十次, Kugashira Jūji) is a deadman drifter as well as partner to Billy, despite having seemingly opposite personalities. He is one of the protagonists and playable characters in Gungrave: Overdose. Jyuji's voice actors are Cam Clark in the English dub and Hiroaki Hirata in the Japanese dub.
Appearance[]
Jyuji has a pale complexion accompanied by short, choppy white hair. On his face he has scruffy facial hair on his chin as well as multiple stitches; one going from the right side of his mouth down to the bottom of his chin and another running diagonally across his face from his right cheek and stopping around the top of his nose bridge. When he takes off his signature brown eye mask later on in the story, it’s revealed that his eyes are completely whited over by SEED which is what caused him to go completely blind. The surrounding area of his eyes, and slightly down his cheeks to his jaw is covered in similarly colored veins.
For clothing he wears a trench coat style jacket that has a fur neck trim and differing shades of gray from sewn in patches of fabric. Underneath that he wears a simple ensemble consisting of a black turtleneck, black pants, and dark brown dress shoes. The rest of his clothing is in much better shape than his coat, either taking the brunt of his fighting or implying he’s had it a long time.
When he uses his powers, it manifests as fire that starts at his back forming the image of a skull and creeps up his right shoulder fanning out at the top in a singular horn-like shape. The color is usually an orangish-red but takes on a blue hue during the end fight once he loses his temper.
Personality[]
"Y’know Juji, it seems to me you have a problem with that big mouth of yours. That’s why you’re not exactly Mr. Popularity." - Billy
Jyuji has a very abrasive personality. He is very straightforward, with both his feelings and how he fights. Billy laments that the only plan he ever comes up with is to rush in and do a frontal assault, showing that Jyuji is confident in his power and doesn’t care to sit back and think but instead get to the action. Despite this, he has a very high intelligence and often doesn’t act overly recklessly.
He doesn’t like dealing with weak people, especially children, and often laments the fact he is stuck ‘babysitting’ Spike and Mika. There are many points in which he talks very harshly towards them, believing they’re caught up in something way over their heads. Spike gets the worst of this treatment, as the two are constantly seen bickering back and forth. He instinctively doesn’t trust Spike, his sharp nose telling him that something was ‘off’ with him. He does secretly have a sense of humor however, cracking jokes on the rare occasion, and isn’t a completely unreasonable man. Despite the fact he seems to blow up with anger very often, his voice is always level. This could be due to the fact that if he loses control of his emotions, the SEED in his body could also lose control and take over.
Towards the end of the game, he is noticeably kinder. The main group had earned his trust, which was an impressive feat considering Jyuji has intense trust issues due to his past. He goes as far as to say that he'll be ready to help Mika if she needs it, and she just needs to call. He even keeps Spike’s goggles as a memento before leaving to drift once again.
Plot[]
Past[]
Jyuji is implied to have once been in a mafia organization over ten years ago. His death was caused by a "mistake" he made during a mission. He woke up in a vat after being necrolized by child Garino and used as a test subject. After that he was dissected and tortured for the sake of science for what he says could have been weeks or months. Once Garino had what he wanted, he injected Jyuji with a prototype of seed and watched him suffer until he finally died once again.
Waking up, Jyuji finds himself in a dump surrounded by garbage and other failed experiments. At some point in his life, he had learned a meditation practice called ‘Kutuba Ryu’. He attributes it to being what helped him survive, saying it ‘allowed my body to retain life while appearing dead.’ There is no further information on this practice and it is never mentioned again.
Sometime later in his life, he apparently saved Billy and they decided to team up. It is unclear how long they’ve been together but judging by how they interact with each other it’s safe to say it’s been a fairly long time.
Gungrave: Overdose[]
Note: This is from Jyuji's perspective.
Jyuji recognizes Grave
Jyuji is introduced alongside Rocketbilly attacking Gargoyle Hotel at the same time as Grave, and for the same reason: Finding Seed. After hard battling they meet Grave at he destroyed Heavens Bar, and Jyuji, mistaking him for the Hotel Manager, attacks with a reluctant Billy. After a short clash the 3 had their weapons locked, and Mika appears. Jyuji speculates to shoot her, but Billy protests, saying "He'll take (him) down" if he did. Mika tells Grave to lower his weapons, and Jyuji finally learns who he is, claiming that he is a legend in the underworld. Billy joins Grave, with a reluctant Jyuji and helps with the search for Seed. Jyuji attempts to kill many who could still be saved, including the Casino Manager, who manages to escape while Mika has him distracted, burning him in the process. The gang go after Richard Wong, who Jyuji knows as the leader of the Gatou Gang, a chinese organisation. He, Billy and Grave attack Wongs base, but is stop by him personally. He explains the true story, and about the Corsiones, before they come under attack by the Corsiones. Jyuji breaks through the defences and escapes with the team, looking for a contact Wong has at Metaslica Imperial University. They meet him but he is killed by Zell's mercs, the team have trouble against this new organised enemy, but escape. Jyuji tells Billy that he has a bad feeling about Spike, and how someone must be selling
Jyuji aims at Garino, but has no choice but to let him go
them out to the Corsiones. Thats how they always now where they are. The team attack the Corsione mansion, and find the Casino manager again, now an Orgmen. Jyuji defeats him, and explains how if he killed him earlier this wouldn't have happened. The team continue to the lab where Seed was created, and meet a large Orgmen made of 3 of the 4 Big Four members. The team escape but meet Garino and Fangoram, the latter shooting Grave. Jyuji knows who Garino is, and takes aim, but he leaves him unscathed due to Grave needing his help. He explains who Fangoram is, his weapon, and him possibly being the strongest Deadman of all. He also explains why he doesn't need blood, since he is part Seed. Due to that he is forced to meditate to keep his Deadman side control over his Seed. Mika shows that they have a large supply of Blood, which they discover is Mika's. Spike is angered at Jyuji, reminding him of how rude hes been to her, and whats shes been through.
Billy and Jyuji feelings jam
Jyuji claims he will leave, but sits on the truck with Billy talking to him, saying how cold he is. Jyuji tries to laugh it off, but Billy continues, explaining how "Shes a lady, and shes sad, meaning she needs to be treated in kindness.". Grave condition worsens, and there isn't enough blood to last, Mika insist she'll connect herself, which would kill her. Billy tries to hold her back, but being a ghost passes through her, yet Jyuji stops her, showing the first sign of the new him. She protests, but he holds her back before Grave awakens, twitching but lasting. Jyuji explains its all the spirit of Deadmen that allow them to live, as Jyuji finds him "Amazing" and how he is "By far the strongest Deadman". The 3 attack a castle the Corsiones are hiding out in, and Jyuji meets Zell, who he beats in combat. He leaves him be, finding him to be too pathetic to kill. The 3 rendevous but are interrupted by Fangoram, who wants to fight Grave. Billy says he'll hold him off, but Jyuji says its suicide, Bily pleads to him, claiming its the only way he can show Mika how he feels.
Brotherly reunion
Jyuji and Grave and driven to an Airport, where Don Corsione is going to take off. Charging through the runway he finds someone he knew as a child, his brother Bunji. After a long battle, he is victorious, but asks if Bunji let him win. Bunji denies this, complimenting his abilities, and thanking him for killing him. He wishes Jyuji to be what he could've been, a hero, and not a monster with a thirst for blood, and dies.
Mika picks up him and Jyuji and Grave, going after the taking off plane. Jyuji leaps into it as Grave stays with Mika and Spike. He fights through its defences, including Sherry Walken, a Deadwoman and daughter of Bear Walken, before finding the Don on his knees to a hologram of Garino. Garino has apparantly been taking organisation over from the very beginning, and has injected seed into Denito. He claims he has rigged the plane with explosives, and that Jyuji will die in the blast. Jyuji escape onto the top of that plane and fights the Orgmen of Denito. He rides the plane down to the ground and somehow survives.
Searching the wreckage of the plane he finds the destroyed Truck, with an unconscious Grave, Billy and Mika in it, heavily wounded. Billy tells the story, and how Fangoram defeated Grave and Mika, yet left with out hurting Spike, who injected Mika with Seed. Mika awakes, partially transformed. Jyuji is angered at Spike, and how he's "Turned (her) into a monster, like (him)".
The team go back to the Lab, and find Spike. Jyuji opens fire, but Mika stops the bullets. Jyuji is stunned, asking if she is insane, but she stays silent. Spike explains how the Seed works differently depending on the host, and opens a large door through a DNA scanner. Its reads "Garino Creale Corsione", and he reveals that he is his clone. He had been using Grave to extract revenge on Garino, who had abandoned him. Jyuji asks if he sold them out, which Spike denies, and now knowing he's trustworthy, continues through the door.
Jyuji soon meets Fangoram, and duels him. After a long battle he charges a Flaming Torpedo and charges right at him, charging it another 2 times to keep him in the air. Fangoram dies, and he leaves to find Garino. Going through a tunnel full of growing Seedlings, he and the team finds Garino, cigarette in hand. Jyuji opens fire, but his shots are kept in the air. Garino reveals a large space ship, and of the alien species that is Seed. He brings Spike into the air, explaining their minds are connected, thus he could see and hear everything Spike did. He forces Spike to fire upon himself, but he suspends the bullets above him to say farewell. He lets them go and they pierce right through him. He notices an angered Jyuji, in a beserker state, before Spike uses the last of his strength to try and fire at the ship. This takes Garino's attention and he loses grip on Spike, who Grave catches. Jyuji fights Garino, who is in control of his ship. Garino is tired of the fight, and takes Jyuji to a strange barren waste land to fight him head on. Jyuji, Grave and Billy charge their greatest powers and fire at Garino at the same time, defeating him.
"We're born drifters!"
Garino passes the counter-seed to Grave, explaining that it is a proto-type, but the best chance to save and almost transformed Mika, he asks Jyuji if he believes him, before dieing. Jyuji does, and watches the collapsing ship with Billy as Grave injects the counter-seed into Mika.
Jyuji with Spike's Goggles
Later on, Jyuji and Billy have to say goodbye to Mika, he claims that being drifters they can't stay in one place for long. Billy asks for her to say goodbye to Grave for them. Jyuji carries Billy's guitar off, before saying that if she needs help, just call for him. Billy appears from his guitar, laughing, claiming that "He'll come running!". Jyuji yells at him and Mika thanks them for everything.
Later in the credits you can see that Jyuji has Spike's goggles around his neck, showing his newly found respect for him
Relationships[]
Allies[]
Beyond The Grave[]
When they first meet Jyuji calls out to Grave with ‘freak boy’, mistaking him for the ‘big boss’ of the hotel. It isn’t until Mika arrives and calls out, coupled with the fact he gets closer and feels the weight of Grave’s guns, that he recognizes him. He didn’t know he was still alive, knowing him solely through his reputation calling him a legend. He dislikes the fact that Grave obediently follows orders like a puppet. He respects him as another deadman, and doesn’t understand why he would throw away his freedom and follow the orders of a little girl. Over time his opinion changes, having grown respect for Mika. They trust each other and fight together, but it’s unclear if they would consider one another a friend.
Rocketbilly Redcadillac[]
Billy and Jyuji are very close. The two apparently met when Jyuji saved Billy’s life, they’ve been traveling side by side together ever since. When the two meet the group, Jyuji is reluctant to have anyone join their trio and is only convinced by Billy pleading with him. He trusts his partner enough to travel with him constantly, listen and value his opinion, and talk about his feelings clearly when he has a problem doing that with anyone else.
Mika Asagi[]
Jyuji doesn’t think much of Mika at first, seeing her as a weak little girl and believing she’s using Grave for her own means. It’s not until later in the game does he finally understand and respect her after seeing how strong she really is. He respects the length she’ll go to meet her goals, even if it’s a bit reckless at times. When she gets injected with SEED, he is genuinely worried about her safety and that worry continues all the way to the credits where he offers to come back if she ever needs help.
Spike Hubie[]
From the moment they met Jyuji didn’t trust Spike because he smelt ‘off’. Constant fighting to the point of death threats; Jyuji being annoyed at Spike’s antics and Spike just loving to push Jyuji’s buttons. Surprisingly as the story progresses Jyuji comes to tolerate and even appreciate Spike to the point that when it’s revealed Spike is a clone, Jyuji forgives him after he admits he never sold out their team. During the credits, Spike’s goggles can be seen hanging from around Jyuji’s neck.
Complicated[]
Bunji Kugashira[]
Bunji is Jyuji’s big brother. It can be assumed that they grew up together, both without parents meaning they only had each other to rely on. Eventually Bunji ends up leaving at some point in Jyuji’s life to chase his own goals causing a rift to form between the two. When you play as Jyuji and do the Bunji boss fight, the two brothers have very different reactions upon seeing eachother again. Bunji is sad, reminiscent and proud of his brother for growing stronger even up until the point he is defeated. Meanwhile Jyuji starts off as aggressive, still hurt and even shouting ‘We are brothers no longer!’ before fighting. By the end of the fight however he goes through a cycle of emotions. First confused on how he won, then sad at Bunji’s death (even going as far to quietly whisper ‘brother…’) then anger on how his brother could still be so selfish even after death.
Abilities[]
Due to being Half-Deadman and Half-Seed, Jyuji has a wide range of abilities.
Being a deadman means that he is stronger and faster than he was before, as well as the ability to take damage that would kill a regular human being. Unlike Grave however, he doesn’t have to rotate and fuel himself with blood because the SEED running through his system. His regeneration appears to be on the same level as Grave’s though. With his fire ability he can do basic fire manipulation as well as more advanced techniques like afterimage creation.
A weakness however is the fact that he is completely blind and relies on his other senses (particularly his sharp sense of smell) in order to perceive the world. The Deadman half of his biology is constantly at odds with his Seed half, an instability which is only held in check by his own personal meditation techniques. If either side overtakes the other, or if he ever stops his regular meditation, he will die.
Gameplay[]
Playable Character[]
The difference when you pick Jyuji Kabane as your playable character in Gungrave Overdose is that instead of Grave fighting the bosses, it's Jyuji instead. The only exception is the first encounter with Fangoram, in which if you pick Jyuji it's Billy who stays behind and fights him instead so you can hop on the plane to chase after Garino. This means he is also the one to get injured on the truck and tell the player of Spike's betrayal.
There are certain scenes with special extra dialogue, cutscenes and models such as: Casino Manager, Zell, Bunji Kugashira, Sherry MacDowell, Don Corsione, Fangoram, Garino Corsione.
Jyuji is the fastest character of the three playable characters. While his Gunblades have automatic fire, he cannot charge shots meaning his ranged attacks are the weakest of the three. To balance this, his melee attacks with his blades are the strongest and fastest in the game and he can charge his blades to deliver multiple ranged slashes while still dealing melee damage.
His Demolition Meter skull bears oni horns, similar to the phantom flame devil skull that emanates from his back.
Demolition Shots[]
Forward Attack[]
- Level 1: Kutabaryu: Jyuji fires a flame orb from his fist, exploding on impact.
- Level 2: Dimension Blade: Jyuji slashes at extreme speeds in front of him.
- Level 3: Flaming Torpedo: Jyuji gathers flames on his hands before jumping and spinning at high speeds. He charges forward and explodes, before appearing back in his previous position.
Surrounding Attack[]
- Level 1: Ring of Fire: Jyuji crouches and spins, firing AOE flames from his back.
- Level 2: Burning Cyclone: Jyuji spins at high speeds, forming a fire cyclone he then pushes outwards.
- Level 3: Bladestorm: Jyuji hones in on all enemies who are moving in bullet time as he slashes each with his blades, sliding and skidding as he goes. (Glitch: This move instantly kills the second form of Sherry Walken)
Bullet-time[]
- Level 1: Mirage: Everything goes in slow motion.
- Level 2: Heatwave: Much longer and slower.
- Level 3: Inferno: EVEN longer and slower.
Quotes[]
| «♱ | Stinks in here RB. Did we wander into a pig farm or something? | ♱» |
| «♱ | Come on Casanova! Is there no woman that you're not into? | ♱» |
| «♱ | Ouch! That smarts… | ♱» |
Gallery[]
Sprite Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- During the final boss fight, for some reason Jyuji’s model has white sunglasses instead of his signature brown blindfold. It’s unsure if this was a modeling error, or a reference to his brother Bunji’s sunglasses.
- If you activate ALTERNATE CHARACTERS in the menu and select Jyuji, it allows you to play as Bunji instead. He even has a different fighting style and his own voice lines.
- Jyuji has seventeen (17) unique sprites in game.