JOOOOOOOOJOOOOOOOOOOO!
HOLY SHIT GUYS, JOJO IS BACK! IT’S RETURNED! YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
Ahem. As I try to write this post, my body continues to fidget because I’m so pumped up from watching this first episode. For those of you wondering if Jojo is really back, YES. SO MUCH YES. Jojo is back, in full force!
This episode marks the start of the 3rd generation of Jojo heroes. Jotaro Kujo has his Stands power awakened with the return of Dio Brando from his 100-year hibernation under the sea. Joseph Joestar, along with his companion Avdol join Jotaro as they begin their conflict against Dio once more.
I do not even know where to begin with this. I’ve yet to read the manga (since I didn’t want to be spoiled for Stardust Crusaders) but holy hell, David Production nailed this episode so hard. It was so perfect. The directing was fantastic as usual. I am so glad they didn’t change the animation style from the first season to a noticeable degree (the art direction of this series is what makes it so fabulous after all!), only increasing the fluidity of the animation. The crappy CGI is still there (most noticeable as Holly was walking into the jail cell with the police officers) but who gives a shit when everything else is so fucking fantastic? I know I don’t.
The changing colour schemes, the written onomatopoeia directly taken off the manga, the panel close-up shots, everything was perfect. It never got excessive, but stayed true to what makes Jojo so special. It is a manga adaptation in its most literal form, and it suits Hirohiro Araki’s stories so fantastically. Of course, with a higher budget though we do get much more variation in shots, with the most obvious new variant being the scene where Jotaro kicks the bloody toilet. THE TOILET!!! AND IT SMASHED!!!! AND WATER SPLASHED!!! Ugh just look at how fabulous this shot is. LOOK AT IT.
Speaking of Jotaro, I think it’s about time I stop raving about how fucking amazing everything looks and talk about the characters. Before I start, let me mention that I am a HUGE fan of the first season, and Battle Tendency (the second arc) is one of my all-time favourites in anime. This is because Joseph Joestar is a boss. He’s charming, arrogant, a cheater, and all around best male protagonist ever. The fact that he returns in Stardust Crusaders as a mentor of sorts to Jotaro is just causing me to flip my shit because I love him so much. (I’m upset he’s not voiced by Tomokazu Sugita anymore now that I think about it, but I was so excited while watching this episode I didn’t care). And y’all are lying to yourselves if you didn’t think Joseph’s relationship with Holly is the best thing ever. Just look at them. Kawaii as shit.
Holly herself is already a superbly entertaining character. Look at her being such a child, look at her hugging her Papa, getting verbally abused by her son like it ain’t no thang because of THE POWER OF LOVE. I swear to God, she’s hilarious. You can really tell Joseph spoiled her crazy as a kid, and that she’s got the kookiness of the Joestar family. I’m upset that she’s only a supporting character when she’s THIS fun, but we’ll see even more amusing characters down the road, that’s a given with Jojo. Then there’s our actual protagonist of this arc – Jotaro Kujo. he’s such a badass that he drinks from a different opening in the can, one he makes himself.
I’m loving the fact that while he acts all cool and shit inside his cell he’s still doing the most childish things – reading shonen jump, playing with remote-controlled toys…he’s a Joestar all right. He’s not nearly as charming as Joseph of course, but I’m more than willing to give myself time to warm up to him, since he’s still pretty cool and you can bet he’s going to be awesome. The first episode also introduced Avdol, a friend of Joseph whose stand, Magician Red, is the coolest thing ever. Just look at him frying the jail cell. Perfect. He’s not as interesting as the rest of the cast yet, but still fits in with the over-the-top nature of the series. That’s good enough for me.
Last but not least, we’ve got the return of DIO BRANDO. FUCKING DIO BRANDO. Dio has always been fantastic. He is the definition of pure evil. Let me remind you that he actually threw Jonathan Joestar (the protagonist of Phantom Blood)’s dog into the bloody incinerator, ruined Erina Joestar’s potential first kiss with Jonathan and so much more. Wow. We get to see him shirtless and being amazing again in this episode too.
So yeah. Is Jojo still the most fabulous anime ever? Yes. Is Jojo the best anime airing right now? Yes. (along with Mushishi of course, but that’s for a separate post)
A suggestion for people who didn’t like what they saw in the first season of Jojo: You probably still won’t like it. I do suggest that you skip Phantom Blood (episodes 1-9) of the first season and just start at episode 10 if you want to check it out again if the first arc is too much of a chore for you . I didn’t like Phantom Blood very much but found Battle Tendency to be the best thing ever.
If you still don’t like Jojo though, you’re pleb lmao I’m not sorry
Possibility of blogging: I’m sad that I’m the only one on the team actually interested at all in Jojo. But this means I have it all to myself. You bet your ass I’d blog this.
Possibility of watching: Need you even ask?
I’m so glad someone is going to be covering this show (you are going to be covering it right?)! It’s just…SO GOOD! What a first episode! Jotaro shot-gunning a beer while in prison! Joseph getting tickled by Holly! Magician’s Red! DIO! And this arc is going to be even more ridiculous and epic than Battle Tendency. I’m really glad that it seems to actually have a budget now, but without losing the janky-ness that made the first season so great. The only thing missing were those familiar guitar chords leading into “Roundabout” at the end. But that would have been the icing on an already overly frosted cake.
There’s absolutely no way I’m not covering Jojo. No one else on this blog is interested in the franchise at all, so it’s my duty to give it the love and praise it rightfully deserves 😀
I’m so bummed about the lack of OP and ED themes in the first episode though. I wanted some good ‘ol Roundabout too! 🙁
The manliest anime + Epic Pose for this Spring.
I also don’t like Phantom Blood but I won’t tell people to skip it. Instead just do your best to get through it and once they reach Battle Tendency,thing will get interesting.
I like Joseph Joestar but Jotaro is also very interesting. Jonathan is boring though.
I skipped it actually 😛 I found Phantom Blood boring as heck, even if Dio is a fantastic villain. The art style just didn’t fit that arc in particular. I watched episodes 1-3 and the finale of Phantom Blood, which was totes enough for me to watch Battle Tendency!
Exactly, Jonathan was just plain boring. Joseph and Jotaro are clearly more interesting (ESPECIALLY JOSEPH OH GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH).