In GAMERA -Rebirth-, Joe is Boco’s best friend who does not think twice before sacrificing his life for his friends. Joe is voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka.
Boco met Satoru Matsuda, also known as Joe, when they were in first grade. Boco never fit in with the other children and was bullied by them. One day, when he was getting bullied, Joe came to his rescue. The two of them have been friends ever since.
Joe always takes care of Boco, who is quite reckless. Joe is also courageous like Boco, but unlike Boco, he does not dive head-first into dangerous situations. However, he never leaves his friends alone and is there for them when they need him.
Growing up too fast
At a very young age, Joe lost his mother and younger brother in a car accident. Joe’s father never recovered from losing them. It has been years since they died, but Joe’s father still tries to drink away his pain and problems.
Everyone knows that Joe’s father drinks a lot, so no one gives him a job. Due to this, Joe has to work as a paperboy to pay the bills. He works as well as does all the household chores because he knows that his father will not eat if he does not feed him.
At a young age, Joe learned how to take care of himself and his father. Losing his mother and brother also made Joe understand how people can die so easily. This makes him very protective towards his friends, especially Boco.
Joe does not trust people easily. Even when Brody tries to befriend Boco and Junichi, Joe does not stop trying to fight him until Brody stands up to his father. Joe befriends Brody only when he gets his father to help Gamera in his fight against Jiger.
As Boco reminds Joe of his younger brother, he always goes out of his way to protect Boco and is ready to risk his life for his friend. Joe and Boco never argue, but when Joe keeps doubting the Foundation, Boco gets sick of Joe’s attitude.
Boco reminds him that he is not his brother, which upsets Joe. The two of them argue, but they soon realize that they are both wrong and reconcile. However, Joe is still suspicious of the Foundation, for good reason.
Is Joe dead or alive?
The Foundation plans to revive Viras and feed the children to it to make it eat every human being on Earth. With Tazaki’s help, Boco and his friends escape the planet on a space shuttle. However, Viras attacks them, and the space shuttle catches fire.
Tazaki and the children try to evacuate, but the system that ejects the pods in the shuttle does not work. Someone needs to do it manually from the cabin. When Joe sees his friends in danger, he decides to sacrifice his own life.
His friends try to stop him, but Joe does not listen. He saves his friends and asks Boco not to give up on riding his bicycle. He ejects the pod and is the only one left behind in the space shuttle that is going to crash anytime.
After Joe’s sacrifice, a heartbroken Boco tries to contact Joe, but he does not receive an answer. Joe’s friends believe that he is dead, but in the post-credits scene, it is revealed that Joe is alive. He contacts Boco using the communication device that the Eustace Foundation had given them.
However, after losing Joe, Boco learns to ride his bicycle and vacates their old hideout with Junichi and Brody. He leaves his communication device there, so when Joe tries to contact him, he does not come to know that Joe is still alive.
Also Read: Boco: GAMERA -Rebirth- character explained