ONA
Description
Jiro is the younger brother of the recurring character Haida and the primary antagonist introduced in the final season of the series. His name, Jiro, is a pun on the Japanese word for "second son," which reflects his position in the family. Jiro's appearance is based on a spotted hyena. While he shares the same grayish-brown fur and black nose and ears as his older brother, he can be distinguished by his lighter grey muzzle, tufts of fur on the ends of his cheeks and the top of his head, and grayish-brown freckle-like spots on his cheeks. He is typically seen wearing a navy suit with a white dress shirt, a navy tie, and silver half-rim glasses.
In terms of personality, Jiro is presented as self-assured and prideful, a stark contrast to his older brother's more anxious and indecisive nature. He is considered the more gifted child in the Haida family and carries himself with a cunning and charismatic demeanor. He is a skilled manipulator, a trait he notably uses against his brother, and he is confident and charismatic enough to win over the public as a political candidate. Despite his usually composed and calculating exterior, Jiro is still capable of showing agitation and strong emotions when placed under significant stress, which can cause his professional facade to crack.
His primary role in the story is as Retsuko's opponent in an election for the House of Representatives. Jiro's motivations are deeply tied to his family, particularly his father, Juzo Haida. As Juzo's favored son, Jiro is expected to run for his father's former political position to uphold the family's reputation and legacy. Initially, he appears to be a willing participant in this plan, using his connections for a substantial campaign boost and doing his father's bidding against his own brother. His ultimate motivation shifts when he realizes the extent of his father's tyranny and manipulation, leading him to rebel and seek his own path.
The most significant relationship for Jiro is with his older brother, Haida. Their relationship is strained and complicated by their father's blatant favoritism. Jiro is aware of how to manipulate Haida, often doing so to serve their father's agenda or his own purposes. Despite this antagonistic dynamic, he does not order a violent attack on his brother, a fact he later clarifies. At the conclusion of the series, Jiro takes steps to silently make amends, telling Haida the truth about the attack and allowing him to move on with his life. His relationship with his father, Juzo, is central to his character arc. As the favored son, he is a willing participant in Juzo's political schemes until he witnesses Retsuko's unfiltered rage and learns of the dangerous lengths his father would go to secure the election. This prompts him to finally rebel against Juzo's dominance, ending their partnership and publicly proposing an "elderly resignation mandate" to force older politicians to retire, thereby defying his father's old-fashioned control. His relationship with Retsuko is that of a professional rival. He remains courteous toward her throughout the campaign, even when she criticizes him through her death metal music. Ultimately, he is inspired by her genuine rage to find his own voice and break free from his father.
Throughout the fifth season, Jiro undergoes notable development. He begins as a tool of his father, a cunning but ultimately obedient son using his charisma to win an election on his father's behalf. Over the course of the campaign, and after witnessing the consequences of his father's ruthless ambition, he evolves into his own person. By the end of the series, he chooses to forge his own political identity, announcing policies that directly counter his father's generation and declaring that he will handle his career himself, signifying a complete break from his former role as a puppet. Jiro's notable abilities lie in his cunning intellect and political charisma. He is a skilled manipulator, capable of influencing people to do his bidding. He is also a charismatic public figure, able to present himself effectively to the masses as a political candidate, and his self-assurance allows him to navigate the pressures of a campaign.
In terms of personality, Jiro is presented as self-assured and prideful, a stark contrast to his older brother's more anxious and indecisive nature. He is considered the more gifted child in the Haida family and carries himself with a cunning and charismatic demeanor. He is a skilled manipulator, a trait he notably uses against his brother, and he is confident and charismatic enough to win over the public as a political candidate. Despite his usually composed and calculating exterior, Jiro is still capable of showing agitation and strong emotions when placed under significant stress, which can cause his professional facade to crack.
His primary role in the story is as Retsuko's opponent in an election for the House of Representatives. Jiro's motivations are deeply tied to his family, particularly his father, Juzo Haida. As Juzo's favored son, Jiro is expected to run for his father's former political position to uphold the family's reputation and legacy. Initially, he appears to be a willing participant in this plan, using his connections for a substantial campaign boost and doing his father's bidding against his own brother. His ultimate motivation shifts when he realizes the extent of his father's tyranny and manipulation, leading him to rebel and seek his own path.
The most significant relationship for Jiro is with his older brother, Haida. Their relationship is strained and complicated by their father's blatant favoritism. Jiro is aware of how to manipulate Haida, often doing so to serve their father's agenda or his own purposes. Despite this antagonistic dynamic, he does not order a violent attack on his brother, a fact he later clarifies. At the conclusion of the series, Jiro takes steps to silently make amends, telling Haida the truth about the attack and allowing him to move on with his life. His relationship with his father, Juzo, is central to his character arc. As the favored son, he is a willing participant in Juzo's political schemes until he witnesses Retsuko's unfiltered rage and learns of the dangerous lengths his father would go to secure the election. This prompts him to finally rebel against Juzo's dominance, ending their partnership and publicly proposing an "elderly resignation mandate" to force older politicians to retire, thereby defying his father's old-fashioned control. His relationship with Retsuko is that of a professional rival. He remains courteous toward her throughout the campaign, even when she criticizes him through her death metal music. Ultimately, he is inspired by her genuine rage to find his own voice and break free from his father.
Throughout the fifth season, Jiro undergoes notable development. He begins as a tool of his father, a cunning but ultimately obedient son using his charisma to win an election on his father's behalf. Over the course of the campaign, and after witnessing the consequences of his father's ruthless ambition, he evolves into his own person. By the end of the series, he chooses to forge his own political identity, announcing policies that directly counter his father's generation and declaring that he will handle his career himself, signifying a complete break from his former role as a puppet. Jiro's notable abilities lie in his cunning intellect and political charisma. He is a skilled manipulator, capable of influencing people to do his bidding. He is also a charismatic public figure, able to present himself effectively to the masses as a political candidate, and his self-assurance allows him to navigate the pressures of a campaign.