carlos’ blog

The Mentor of the Savior

In the post-apocalyptic wasteland, one man is considered the savior of this era and that man is Kenshiro. However, Kenshiro has to overcome many obstacles while setting off on his journey some of these obstacles are fighting his older brother Roah and Jagi but another obstacle is finding his other older brother Toki. Unlike Roah and Jagi, Toki has always exceeded and pushed Kenshiro to be the best and at one point sacrificed something of great importance to save Kenshiro’s life. Kenshiro has always looked up to Toki and one could say that Toki was a mentor for Kenshiro while growing up. Kenshiro is the youngest of the siblings but being the strongest is what would drive Jagi mad and the conflicting goals of Kenshiro and Roah are what would lead them to fight. these factors are a part of what makes Toki so different from the other siblings of Kenshiro.

The Search for the Mentor

While setting off on his own journey Kenshiro decides that he must find his older brother Toki. The first place Kenshiro would look is where Toki would usually be found in a tower that Toki uses for helping the sick in the area. When entering the tower Kenshiro couldn’t help but feel that something seemed strange and uncanny but kept on going deeper into the tower as feelings of uncertainty could not stop Kenshiro. Eventually, Kenshiro finds Toki deep within the tower, and although the two brothers have been reunited Kenshiro stills feels that something is strange and so he proceeds to be cautious while talking to Toki.

The Genius in his Lab

It is evident to Kenshiro and the reader that something about Toki is not right. There is an uncanny feeling to how Toki is talking and behaving that it can not be helped to question what is going on. Toki kept rambling about experiments that would further the understanding of how pressure points can affect the human body and how he was a “genius” which was out of character for the mild-mannered Toki that Kenshiro knows of. As predicted something was wrong and “Toki” finally attacks Kenshiro and uses pressure points on the body to paralyze Kenshiro. The uncanny feeling that Kenshiro felt from “Toki” was based on good faith as the “Toki” standing in front of Kenshiro was instead a doppelganger.

The Genius Reveals Himself

The doppleganger of Toki continues to proclaim how much of a genius they are while describing the cruel, inhuman experiments they conducted on people. The purpose of these experiments was to unlock secret potentials that none had known about pressure points on the body and the methods this doppelganger used could be described as nothing but insane. The maniacal doppelganger also goes into why they began impersonating the real Toki. Toki was a natural healer that used pressure points to relieve those with ailments or injuries and what drove this doppelganger mad was jealousy. The doppelganger was not jealous of how easy it was for Toki to help and heal people but jealous of all the praise that Toki would receive after helping someone. This self-proclaimed genius could not understand why they were not getting the same praise for studying the use of pressure points. This jealousy would fester within the doppelganger and lead to a hatred for the person that they would soon begin to impersonate.

A Genius Can Never Replace A Mentor

While rambling and conducting more pressure point experiments on the paralyzed Kenshiro the doppelganger eventually reveals their identity. The doppelganger loudly proclaims that they are the genius Amiba and that they will forever live under the name of Toki. With the help of a friend, Kenshiro eventually breaks free from the pressure point paralysis and reminds the “genius” Amiba of where they stand in relation to the two brothers. The unnerving imposter has finally been defeated and so Kenshiro continues looking for their mentor and older brother Toki.

The New Age

In the series, The Fist of the North Star the protagonist, Kenshiro, is used to dealing with the lowest of the low of scum. The setting is the post-apocalyptic world with killing, thieving, etc running rampant as well as people desperately searching for food and water. Kenshiro is the Savior of the New Era, a protector for the struggling people in this time. As well as being the savior of the people Kenshiro is a master at the martial art of Hokuto Shinken, a deadly martial art that focuses on pressing pressure points on the human body, and has the title of Fist of the North Star.

The Burden of the Little Brother

While Kenshiro is protecting the wasteland and trying to find his lost love, he encounters a rumor going around from village to village. People talk about how the Fist of the North Star should be feared and someone that they need to protect themselves from. Kenshiro is caught off guard by this because out of nowhere he has been given a whole new personality. Kenshrios public identity has been twisted into something that should be feared when his social identity is the exact opposite. Eventually, Kenshiro finds out that the one behind this vilification is none other than his older brother, Jagi. Not only did Kenshiro have to deal with his public identity being ruined but Jagi was also impersonating Kenshiro using his identity.

The Older Brothers’ Jealousy

Since Kenshiro and jagi were children, jagi has always had the idea that the younger brother can never surpass the older brother. this idea would lead jagi into becoming the psychopathic person he is, going as far as living a double life for a little bit pretending to be Kenshiro. Jagi’s insecurity and ego would be the reason that a burning hatred for Kenshiro would develop. Jagi goes as far as giving himself the same scars that Kenshiro has to secure his double life as Kenshiro. The hatred jagi harbored for Kenshiro would go as far as turning into a burning hatred for all little brothers that were “good little brothers”.

When the Little Brother Surpasses the Older Brother

After Kenshiro learns about the way his identity has been villainized, he tries to correct the wrong deeds that his older brother has done and begins to track Jagi down. Jagi continues living his double life as Fist of the North Star until Kenshiro is finally able to track him down. The fight between Kenshiro and Jagi shows how much Jagi’s obsession with being better than his younger brother has left him. Kenshiro beats jagi in the fight but unfortunately, Jagi’s ego will not let him stop and so the fight turns into a fight for the right to live. Kenshiro again surpasses his older brother and beats jagi but when reflecting on how much he has changed one can only wonder if the man Kenshiro beat was his older brother jagi or someone else that was born from hatred.

The Bands Background

In the 1960s a band would be renamed Pink Floyd by Syd Barrett with members Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright. Pink Floyd would go on to peak during the 1970s releasing songs like Wish you Were Here, The Dark Side of the Moon, etc. Although Syd Barrett would form the band he would not be present during the band’s peak because in April of 1968 the band would announce that Syd would no longer be a member. Instead, it would be Richard Wright that would lead the band during its peak with David Gilmour being the guitarist and vocalist. David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in 1967 as a backup vocalist and guitarist for Syd as Syd would often be absent or unable to play during shows.

Shining like the Sun

Syd and Roger Waters had been friends since high school and had performed gigs with each other for local events. Syd and Roger being friends would lead to Syd joining the group that would become Pink Floyd. Not only did Syd know rogers before joining the band but Syd also knew David Gilmour before his eventual joining of the band. Before joining the band Syd had always expressed his interest in art writing music and poems and playing all kinds of instruments. Syd’s creativity would help him form his friendships and songs for the bands. Syd had an undeniable effect not only on his friends in the band but on the band itself giving it its iconic name. Syd was the band.

Black Holes in the Sky

It was during the summer of 1965 that Syd would have the first LSD trip. Syd would deal with an abusive relationship with drugs which would be the reason for his departure from the band. Although David Gilmour joined the band as just a writer he would need to be frequently used as a backup for Syd as he would be away or unable to play because of drug use. The band tried to deal with Syd’s eccentric behavior for as long as it could but this behavior could only last for so long. In 1968 Syd’s departure from Pink Floyd was officially announced with David being the permanent replacement for Syd. Syd would go on to have a solo career for a while but in 1972 he would retire from the music industry and public life.

The band’s Tribute to Syd

Although Syd and pink Floyd would be going in different directions it did not mean that the band was happy with what happened. In the album Wish You Were Here there was a 2 part song dedicated to Syd written by Roger, David, and Richard titled Shine on You crazy Diamond. The song talks about the way Syd would shine in the past with lyrics like “Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun” comparing him to the Syd they knew while writing the song “Now there’s a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.” Other lyrics like “Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far.” talk about the disconnect between Syd and the rest of the band members. During the recording of Shine on You crazy Diamond, Syd actually showed up but looked so different from when the band knew him that they essentially didn’t recognize him (as pictured above). Seeing what was once a bandmate and former friend in Syd’s condition was shocking for the rest of the members. Syd once felt like and was a leader of the band that wrote, sang, and played songs with the band and now Syd had become an uncanny version of himself that the band could no longer recognize. Pink Floyd would go on to dedicate more songs and albums to Syd but the most notable homage to Syd Barrett from Pink Floyd will always be Shine on You crazy Diamond (S.Y.D.)

Mason, Nick. Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd. United Kingdom: Weidenfeld & Nicolson Illustrated, 2004. Print.

“Syd Barrett – Official Website.” Syd Barrett, 12 May 2022, www.sydbarrett.com.

The Band’s Background

in the late 70s, a new band was making an impression on the music industry; this band was the Talking Heads. Along with other punk rock bands emerging like The Clash and the Ramones, the Talking Heads was standing being described as “Intellectual art rock” as defined by a 20/20 TV news segment. The band would go on to release plenty of hits that can still be identified today such as Once in a Lifetime, Burning Down the House, etc.

The song inside the mind of a Psycho Killer

one of the Talking Heads’ most popular songs would be Psycho Killer released on the Album Talking Heads 77. The song goes on to describe the thoughts of a “Psycho Killer” giving us a glimpse into the thought process of the double life psychopathic killers usually have. Often, psycho killers have double identities and don’t say the thoughts they truly feel and the lyrics of the song reflect this perfectly with lyrics like “You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything” and “I hate people when they’re not polite”. The song also notes the type of people psycho killers are saying “We are vain and we are blind” noting how often psychopathic killers kill for satisfaction. Although the Song does not clearly mention the use of a double identity. it is well known that the use of double identities is often done by psychopathic killers.

Psycho Killer song from Spotify

“20/20 Punk Rock story from the late 70s.” YouTube, uploaded by skipgalv, 16 October 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s1EoCxy1ZA.

In part 5 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, we hear about the character, Diavolo, a mafia boss that protects his identity at all costs. When we finally see the boss in the series, we do not actually see him. Instead, we are presented with a young, innocent-looking man going by the name of Doppio. We are presented to Doppio first, then later learn that the mafia boss, Diavolo, and the innocent underling, Doppio are double identities for each other.  

Understanding the Duo

Diavolo and Doppio are two personalities living in the same body and it can be debated on who the original owner of the body is. The appearance of the person will change depending on which person is in control of the body. Diavolo and Doppio work together and use their double identity to benefit one another. Doppio works as the second-in-charge in the mafia right under Diavolo. Doppio also works as a mask for Diavolo, making it even harder to identify Diavolo as the mafia boss. This double identity all works in favor for Diavolo, as he goes to extreme lengths to protect his true identity.  

The Devil and his Double

In truth, while the personalities share one body, it is clear that Diavolo does not care for Doppio and uses him as nothing more than protection and as a double identity. Diavolo clearly is the leader of the two and Doppio is nothing more than a loyal servant. The double life of Diavolo is what takes him so far in his career and what enables him to stay hidden for so long. 

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Directed by Naokatsu Tsuda, Yasuhiro Kimura, Yasuko Kobayahsi, and Hideya Takahashi, Viz Media, 2016. 

1970’s Background 

In the 1970’s one music genre was dominating the industry: Rock. To say that nothing happened in the 1970’s would be a blatant lie with the Watergate scandal, the environmental movement, anti-war movement, etc. The point is that the 1970’s was a moment of change and leading that change was the rebellious genre of Rock.  

The King of the Castle 

In 1970, a band named Deep Purple would go on to release a song by the name of “Speed King”. A fast-paced hard rock song that would come to be one of the band’s most popular songs. After the release of Speed King, it became almost essential that the band play the song at every stage they played at. While this song would go on to boost the band’s popularity, one can only go so long before getting tired of always being known as the “Speed King” band. The public would begin to think about the song before even thinking about the band that had made it. The band would begin to despise being known as “the band that made Speed King,” which was understandable considering the fact that the song that shot them into popularity had multiple references to other songs, making the song not feel original and true to the band. The identity of the band was being taken over by the popularity of one song and the band wanted to change that.  

The New Star  

The band wanted to take back its identity and remake the song that had taken it over. In 1972, the band would release the song, “Highway Star”. This song was completely new, with no borrowed lyrics, no references to any other songs, and completely written and sung entirely by the band. The song was an instant hit. The band was finally recognized for the talent they had and was no longer known as the Speed King band. The public was changing its view of the band and the band formed a new identity: an identity that would not be formed through the public’s eye, but by the band itself.  

The Band of Kings and Stars  

In short, the band experienced a double identity because of the release of the song Speed King and experienced what it was like for the public to label its identity. The band fixed its double identity by releasing a new original song that they could say was original and completely theirs.

Yoshikage Kira is a man that is fine with being average, ordinary, and unexceptional. Being anything other than average would bring Kira attention, which is a problem that he would like to avoid at all cost. This way of thinking may be confusing to some because although most would like to excel in whatever they do, it is clear that although Kira could be number one, he chooses not to be. If he were to bring attention to himself, it would increase the likelihood of someone finding out about his secret life. Kira is an average office employee that always makes sure to get eight hours of sleep each night, but he is also a serial killer. On the surface of Kira’s character, one could think of him as a background character and in truth, he is a background character. Why would anyone pay attention to Kira if he is not exceptional in anything? That is why Kira avoids being above average in anything: to avoid the chances of someone paying attention to him.  

The Build of Yoshikage Kira 

It must be emphasized that Yoshikage Kira is choosing to be perceived as average on purpose. Being perceived as average allows him to slip through the public’s eye and is crucial for his killings. In truth, Kira is a psychopathic serial killer living a double life as an average person. Kira plans out how to be perceived as average, serving as evidence that his mundane life is just a singular side to himself. Kira stops at nothing to preserve his double life by destroying evidence and killing innocent people including killing a 13-year-old boy. One may think that Kira is killing whoever but that is not the case. Kira is a meticulous, apathetic, and logical killer who kills those that know about his true identity. Kira does not kill for a rush or any reason but one. Kira has an obsessive fetish for women’s hands. Kira kills and disposes of his victims, only keeping the severed hand and does so to fulfill his sexual desires. All his planning and meticulous thought process is dedicated towards satisfying his lustful urges. While being meticulous and logical, Kira also makes sure to keep his ego in check making sure to never be over-confident in himself or underestimate his problems.  

The Structure of His Life  

For years, Yoshikage Kira was able to go undetected by the law and by the public. Following his meticulous plans and always doing the logical thing, Yoshikage Kira was able to continue for years without being disturbed or worried. Kira was living an average life like he wanted, was able to continue his murders, and was able to satisfy his urges with no problem. Kira was happy. As long as Kira was able to continue his routine and sleep eight hours a night, he had no reason to change because he was happy. Kira was able to do as he pleased as long as he could present his double life as an office worker as unimportant. Kira spent years being seen average and perfecting his way of killing that to the community, it seemed as if nobody was committing these crimes and that the victim just vanished into thin air.  

Beginning to See the Cracks 

Kira’s downfall began as a mere mix up with another character named Shigechi, the aforementioned 13-year-old boy, simply mistaking Kira’s food bag to be his own. This incident led to the death of Shigechi. Before Shigechi’s death, in a last-ditch effort, Shigechi was able to let his friends know that he was being attacked. This was the first crack in the perfect killing structure that Yoshikage Kira had built. Shigechi’s friends had nothing but a button from the suit Yoshikage Kira was wearing to find the killer. Eventually, Shigechi’s friends were able to catch up to Yoshikage Kira and confront him about what he had done. This would be the first time Kira’s simple life and psychopathic life would collide with one another. Kira is confronted in the open public, putting him in the spotlight and fracturing his “average” life. Kira is cornered and begins making more rash decisions, which leads to him having to make a choice: run away and disguise himself, temporarily abandoning his psychopathic life, or fight against Shigechi’s friends. Kira chooses the option to disguise himself and temporarily abandon his psychopathic life. At this point, it is clear that the simple “average” life Kira lives is solely the mask for the psychopathic killer life he lives 

The Downfall  

For some time, Kira is able to hide away with a family after killing and taking the identity of the father. The family was already falling apart so Kira was able to slip-in with ease, only arousing the suspicion of the child, Hayato. Kira’s whole lifestyle has been flipped with Kira having to lay low and having to adjust to a whole new “average” life. Kira’s apathy is highlighted in this part, with Kira showing just how little he cares for the family he has forever changed. The only time Kira ever gives the father of the family a second thought is when he thinks about how easy it was to impersonate him. Since the beginning of Kira’s serial killing life and “average” life, he has always made sure to never be overconfident in his ability. The only reason Shigechi’s friends have not be able to locate Kira is because of how meticulously he has been doing everything since joining the family. While living his new double life, Kira comes up with a plan to get rid of Shigechi’s friends and for the first time, begins to let his ego get to him. Kira lets his ego get the best of him, and while fighting with Shigechi’s friends, is outsmarted and, in an unrelated accident, Kira dies.  

The Rubbles Left in the Aftermath 

It is undeniable that Kira’s double life was the “average” life he lived with his real life being the apathetic, lustful, killer life. In total, Kira murdered around 48 women in his life and believed that as long as he had his double life, he would be untouchable. Kira is a perfect example of the “hiding in plain sight” idiom. The way Kira lived, using his double life as a shield from the public eye, would have gone unaccounted if not for Shigechi and his friends.  

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Directed by Naokatsu Tsuda and Toshiyuki Kato, Viz Media, 2016. 

Walter White is a great example of a person living a double life. Not only does Walter deal with his double lives intersecting with one another, but he also ends up hurting those close to him and changing into a completely different man. This blog will include spoilers for the series, Breaking Bad, and I highly recommend watching the show before reading further if you have not seen it. This blog does contain some sensitive topics such as death.

The Path of Madness

In the beginning, Walter White is an average family man. Walter may not be living the most luxurious life, but he has a peaceful life supporting his family as a high-school chemistry teacher and working part time at a local carwash. Although Walter has a loving family and friends that are more than willing to support him, it is evident he is unhappy with his life. It is clear that Walter is desperate for change. On Walter’s 50th birthday, he was diagnosed with cancer. This moment is what led Walter to want to find purpose within his life. Walter wanted change. He wanted something interesting to happen; he wanted to do more with the time he had left. In a gesture of good faith, Walter’s brother-in-law, Hank, a DEA (Drug Enforcement Apartment) agent, takes him on a ride along which leads Walter to begin his path.

The First Steps on Walter’s Path

The ride along with Hank is what led Walter to making crystal meth with a former chemistry student, Jesse Pinkman. And so, Walt begins to live a double life. At first, Walter has trouble balancing his life with his family and friends and with his other life of crime. Walt would begin to justify his double life by saying the money he earns is for his family once he is gone. Walter struggles because he knows that what he is doing is wrong and that by living this other life, he is lying to his family. The situation worsens for Walter when suddenly a misunderstanding between him and the distributor of his crystal meth, Krazy-8, leads to Walter and Jesse holding him captive in a basement. This event is the first big cross road for Walter and his double life because Walter struggles with the question of what to do with Krazy-8: whether he should let him go or kill him. Walter knows that once he kills a man, he will never be able to undo his actions. Walter has to choose between doing something that he knows would be beneficial for his double life or doing the morally right thing that he would normally do. Walter decides that he can not murder Krazy-8 and is in the process of letting him go when he realizes that Krazy-8 plans on killing him as soon as he is released. In response, he kills Krazy-8 in an act of self-defense. Walter is in shambles. Although he did it in self-defense, Walter knows that he can never take back the action of killing a man and now has to deal with the mental self-torment he inflicts upon himself.

Halfway Down the Path

After the incident with Krazy-8, Walter begins using an alias, Heisenberg, and this is when he begins making the clear distinction between his double identities: Walter White and Heisenberg. Heisenberg uses a fedora as a way to distinguish himself from the other criminals. Later in the series, in about season 3, Heisenberg has no problem killing people or threatening those he does not like. Walter is constantly lying to his family and trying to make sure they do not find out about his secret identity. This Walter is already completely different from the Walter in season 1 with how little he cares for the people he kills compared to the Walter that was devastated about killing Krazy-8 in self-defense. Not only is Walter killing without remorse, he is also effortlessly manipulating people into doing whatever he desires. A moment in which Walter is at a crossroad with his Walter White life and Heisenberg life is when Hank, his DEA agent brother-in-law, asks Walter to drive him to a location where he suspects meth is being made. The double identity of Walter works at the suspected meth lab location that Hank wants to visit. The old Walter that had nothing to hide would probably have felt uncomfortable about the situation but still have done it, and so, a problem arises. In this moment, Walter is faced with a conflict of allowing Hank to figure out his other identity or to do something to protect his double life. Walter makes his decision and decides to protect his secret life by purposely crashing the car, endangering not only himself but also Hank. Walter made the decision that his double life is more important than his and Hank’s own well being.

The End of Walter’s Path

By the end of Walter’s double life adventure, Hank is dead, his family despises him, and innocent people were hurt or killed. Walter is no longer the person he once was. Walter’s double life had consumed him entirely. Walter worked with Neo-Nazis and orchestrated precise assassinations. Walter’s double life had been nothing but successful: owning a car wash to launder money, having associates at disposal, a lawyer with plenty of connections to help him with whatever, etc. But, as retribution, Walter’s home life and original life had been falling to pieces with his wife finding out and hating him, his children no longer being able to stay in the same home as him, and pushing all those around him to the edge. Walter’s story ends with him dying not because of his cancer, but because of work he needed to finish as Heisenberg. In the beginning, a baby was born and named Walter White, raised to be a family man with socially acceptable morals, but a man named Heisenberg took over, turned Walter into an ego maniac, and he died by the consequences of his own actions as a result from his double life.

End of the Line

On the surface, Walter White was seen as a normal high school chemistry teacher that lived a semi-boring life that had good friends and an even better family. In reality, Walter White was consumed by his alter ego, Heisenberg, and was a ruthless, manipulating, murdering, drug kingpin. While at first, Walter may not have been very interesting, he was at least admirable in the fact he was working two jobs to support his family but the Walter at the end of the show has no redeeming qualities. Walter is still able to love and show care for people but the lives he ruined, people he manipulated, trauma he put others through, etc. are inexcusable. The Walter in the end of the show admits that he may have started making crystal meth to earn money for his family but that as time went on, his goal was twisted into a sense of pride and the benefits of the job outweighed his moral compass. Walter’s double life and alter ego all came crashing down onto him, forcing him to face the actions of his consequences and much like the Yellow Wallpaper, the audience follows along watching the slow descent into madness. 

Sony Pictures Television ; High Bridge ; Gran Via Productions ; produced by Karen Moore … [and others] ; created by Vince Gilligan. Breaking Bad. The Complete First Season. [Culver City, CA] :Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2009.