#araki bring Kakyoin back

[hylianane]

I have an opinion about Holly Kujo and I’m a little scared cause I dont know the Jojo fandom enough to come in with what I think is a hot take.

I’ve noticed that, in fanworks, a lot of people portray Holly as tougher than she is in the show. And it makes sense, cause the idea of her being so weak-willed that she couldn’t handle a stand when even baby Shizuka could manifest one is kinda bs and a testament to Araki not being very confident with writing women at the time (thank GOD he got better though, so, so much better).

But. What always gets me is when her relationship with Jotaro is written to be a little more standard, still loving but with the child having a healthy fear of their mom’s anger- unlike what we see in Stardust, with him constantly being a brat, calling her “bitch” and her shrugging it off with an “Okay!”. And also him getting himself thrown into jail while she still can’t bring herself to get mad, just upset. And that’s a very fun play on them too, but I just worry that people who default to this dynamic for Jojo and Holly might not see how the canon characterization of their relationship is interesting in its own right.

Because even tho Holly being a doormat is a creative choice born from Araki pussying out of giving her a stand, it doesn’t change the fact that once he made that choice he gave it great importance. I think the fact that Holly’s idea of supporting her son is just accepting everything he does without any anger, is central to their relationship. It’s how, despite having a mother who loves him unconditionally, Jotaro is still a very troubled teen and emotionally withdrawn. Though it’s easy to blame it on Sadao’s implied absence, or troubles in school, we don’t have a lot of textual evidence for that.

But kids who are raised without at least some semblance of discipline and structure typically stop seeing their parents as authorities, and most importantly, protectors. A more textually-backed explanation for why Jotaro is always acting tough and independent is because he doesn’t have any adults in his life who he would trust to help him. He loves his mom, he traveled the world to save her life, but while doing that he saw himself as her protector, not the other way around, not the way it typically should be.

Think about, for example, how the adult he mouths off to the least in his life is probably Avdol. And I think part of that is because Avdol walked into that police station, took one look at Jotaro, and instantly clocked everything I just said. Because while Holly and Joseph tried to to get him out with simple words (and for Holly, tears), Avdol was there to force him out. And at first Jotaro says, “If he tries to force me out, I’ll just stay here even longer”, but Avdol doesn’t give him a choice. And he doesn’t win by overpowering him (if he had, I dont think he’d have gotten the same positive result, I am not pro setting troubled teens on fucking fire) but he outsmarts Jotaro and doesn’t quit the fight until his goal is achieved. He stays in control of his emotions when talking to him, and proves himself to be someone strong and assertive. So later, on the trip to Cairo, Jotaro is more willing to rely on him than he is to rely on his own grandpa. (+, it’s a similar thing with Kakyoin, who he trusts almost more than anyone else, because he saw Kakyoin’s will and power first-hand when they met, and left with the lesson that Kak is someone he can rely on to protect of both himself and Jotaro. Someone with strong convictions, but most importantly, willing and capable of clashing with Jotaro if necessary.)

All this to fucking say. In a world in which Jotaro was raised to fear his parent’s reprimands (and I don’t mean fear to an unhealthy amount, an abusive amount), he would act very differently than he does in the show, and his relationships to other characters would probably look very different. Holly’s personality and parenting might seem like it was an afterthought to Araki, but I think he truly did take great care in making it consistent with her son’s character. She is a very loving mom, who is very loved in return, but what I think a lot of people perceive as a flaw in her writing is actually just a flaw in her character, with narrative weight and interesting consequences. And I’m not sure how many people are really aware of that.

[cassyapper]

I remember you calling Araki's writing with Kakyoin inconsistent (which yeah lmao) before so I was wondering about something specific. How do you feel about the whole 'it was Kakyoin's idea to keep Avdol's survival a secret from Polnareff' bit? It's always been something that sat wrong with me for a multitude of reasons even outside of Kakyoin's direct stated involvement, so I was wondering if you had any deep thoughts about it.

hi anon great question! i agree i think it's absolute bullshit

kakyoin was with polnareff the entire time of the hanged man arc (or like, only missed the beginning and he was with him for the entirety of the middle and end) and while kakyoin isn't above lying necessarily, he literally TOLD POLNAREFF TO HIS FACE THAT THEY WERE GOOD AND IT WAS OKAY NOW. like kakyoin lies sure but he also has fucking pride and honor he would not then GO BACK ON THAT not to mention he LITERALLY SAW HOW AFFECTED POLNAREFF WAS HE SAW THIS MAN SOB AND SHAKE OVER AVDOL'S "DEATH" LIKE AR EYOU KIDDINGFNJFD;KJ oh it makes me so fucking mad

like yes, kakyoin's an asshole and he can be seen as cruel but that is a) with his enemies and b) EVEN IF HE WAS CRUEL TO HIS FRIENDS, HE HAD A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE POLNAREFF LEARNED HIS LESSON RE "STOP GOING AT IT ALL ALONE" LIKE HE WAS ANNOYED AF WHEN POLNAREFF TRIED SHOULDERING EVERYTHING HIMSELF IN THE HANGED MAN ARC BECAUSE IF NOTHING ELSE, IF NOT CAUSE HE CARES ABOUT POLNAREFF AS A PERSON, THEN BECAUSE THAT CONTINUED BEHAVIOR WOULD GET EVERYONE ELSE KILLED INCLUDING KAKYOIN. YOU KNOW WHAT'S ANTITHETICAL TO POLNAREFF LEARNING THIS LESSON. BEING FUCKING LIED TO BY THE PEOPLE HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DEPENDING ON OVER SOMETHING SO SERIOUS LIKE WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUCK oh im sick of it it's so fucking out of character it's so fucking MEAN to polnareff i hate it i hate it i hate it. this isn't even getting into the fucking "avdol's dad" thing jesus fuck

i know that araki just wrote all this cause he didnt know how else to be like "oh yeah avdol's alive and he's just on this island and we can move on now i dont want to make a big deal out of it" cause he decided he DIDNT actually want avdol dead (fucking yet), but it's SUCH a fucking disservice to both polnareff and kakyoin and frankly everyone else (like joseph KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THE "LAST CONVERSATION" WITH A FRIEND TO BE AN ARGUMENT AND THEN YOU THINK IT'S YOUR FAULT THEY DIED LIKE) OH FUCK OFFFF

i still need to find an interpretation of this event that can make me at least a little less sick to my stomach and a little less angry as fuck, but in the meantime i frankly just choose to believe this:

avdol instead of being saved by joseph and jotaro, gets saved by his friends in india. avdol constantly talked about how lovely a place india was and how much he loved it there so im absolutely sure he had friends and people he interacted with frequently there. i think THEY are the ones who saved him and tended to his wounds and shit. i think when avdol is healed he contacts the spw and is caught up to the crusaders while also bringing iggy with him. i think THIS is when he shouldve showed up on the island where the judgement fight was happening (the other crusaders were there not to pick up avdol but cause joseph bought the submarine bought from a resident of the island so. had to go get it). also this introduced iggy earlier. just godnjkjn GOD. anyway. long story short i think the "don't tell polnareff" thing is so stupid

[kurara-black-blog]

Since it's Pride Month and I’m bored at 2 AM, here's some Jotakak headcanons:

Jotaro is demisexual and demiromantic.

He found out after the trip to Egypt, during a school day, when he looked at Noriaki and felt the urge to kiss him.

Which he did.

Noriaki is bisexual and demiromantic.

He never had crushes before Jotaro, but, boy, is he horny.

Watching Jotaro change clothes during the trip was a sweet torture.

Noriaki is also genderfluid, though he usually presents as a man.

He’s prideful of his androgynous appearance.

He appreciates how his family and friends try their best to support him.

Jotaro is a silent romantic.

You won’t be able to take this headcanon awa from my dead, cold hands.

He might not serenade at 3 AM (Joseph’s idea), but silently offering flowers to Noriaki is a Thing™ he indulges every so often.

Honestly, he’s like Gomez Addams, but less vocal. Yes, that means he’ll dip Noriaki and kiss him at random, but usually only when they are alone.

He loves pampering Noriaki, so gifts, massages, cuddles, dates (when possible)... anything that lets him express his silent devotion goes.

Jotaro is forever glad Noriaki understands him.

PDA is a thing they both enjoy with certain moderation.

Holding hands, walking with arms linked, hugging, cheek kisses (usually from Noriaki) and hand kisses (surprisingly from Jotaro, who more often than not will end up kissing up Noriaki’s arm) are common things that happen.

Sometimes, the rare peck on the lips.

Full on mouth kisses are reserved for their moments alone, together with make out sessions, neck kisses and cuddling time.

Unless they are high on adrenaline/excitement, in that case they really won’t care about who’s around.

Do they use petnames? Kinda. Usually they stick to “JoJo” and “Nori”,

However, Noriaki is known for using more lovey-dovey petnames at random, like “love”, “dear” and “honey”.

When playful, “husband” or “hot stuff”.

“Big guy” and “big bear” are also popular.

Jotaro knows he fucked up when Nori calls him “Jotaro-darling”.

Again, Jotaro usually sticks to “Nori”, but he has called Noriaki “gorgeous” every now and then.

Jealousy? Their jealousy mostly comes from the same place: the idea that they’re not good enough for the other. They eventually grow out of that insecurity, but at the beginning it’s very present.

They have fought about it a few times, mostly because Jotaro is shit with feelings and thinks he can solve everything either with a punch or a cold shoulder.

The other factor of their jealousy is that they are both quite possessive of each other and the idea of being separated ruffles their feathers.

“Sorry, JoJo. I’m being greedy, am I not? Wanting you all to myself...” “‘S fine... I... am greedy too.”

Holly, Joseph and Suzie Q practically adopted Noriaki and, honestly, I don’t blame her.

Sadao wisely kept his mouth shut about his son dating a genderfluid person. He’s not against, but he’s not in favor either. He’s never at home anyways, so it’s not his place to say anything.

Nori’s parents took their sweet time accepting their child was dating a delinquent, but Jotaro is nothing but determined and managed to win them over.

Out of all people he has faced, Noriaki’s mom has to be the scariest of them all and he’d rather fight Dio three times in a row than get on her bad side.

You think you’re the biggest Jotakak shipper? WRONG, IT’S POLNAREFF AND JOSEPH.

And Avdol, but he’s more subtle about it.

They have a hard time sleeping alone because of the nightmares the trip gave them.

Noriaki is not the biggest fan of babies thanks to Death 13, but he melts when the twins, Jolyne and Jouta (fuck you, I love egg boy), are born from a surrogate mother.

Jouta is a born Stand user and Noriaki is having flashbacks. Nori’s trying his best to be a good parent, but, Lord, if Charmy Green hasn’t startled him every now and then.

Nori swears any other children they might have are going to be adopted and older than five because he really can’t take another experience with baby Stand users.

Hierophant Green and Star Platinum are sentient, conscient and they somtimes come out without being summoned. They’re a big help around the house, or then their users can’t snuggle but really want to.

They marry only a few years after Highschool.

They often hear “oh, you were so young!” and, honestly, after those two months going after a vampire to kill it, they really don’t feel young.

They both go on missions for SPW, but mostly missions that are too difficult for “regular” agents.

They have a family to look after and careers of their own, after all.

They go together to Morioh, kids left with grandma Holly.

Josuke has a small crush on Noriaki, those “I admire this person so much” types of crush.

Nori thinks it’s cute, Joot is not amused.

The crush goes away naturally as Josuke starts to spend more time with Okuyasu.

The couple kinda becomes the parents of the group.

Okuyasu and Nori get along very well, and Nori is the first to know about the boy’s crush on Josuke.

He successfully matchmakes them, of course.

In the end, Nori and Jotaro adopt Shizuka. 

Yes, he is aware he said they would adopt older children. Shut up.

Their relationship in two words: POWER COUPLE.

[pt6dio]

missing kakyoin hours😞

[jostepherjoestar]

Can I get some headcanons of the Stardust Crusaders reacting to hearing their friend/partner (either is fine) tell them, "Thank you for existing."

SDC reactions to hearing “thank you for existing”

To make this extra emotional, let’s put this scenario after defeating Dio, everyone’s still alive because we’re allowed to have nice things. I’m staring daggers at Araki . Thanks for the lovely request!! (ok so interpret hc’s as more like little scenarios if that’s ok with yall) gn reader

Avdol

Avdol is not an easily flustered man, he’s pretty confident in his ability to be able to handle a multitude of situations. But when he heard your little voice say those thankful words while you hugged him, face pressed in his robes, he genuinely didn’t know what to say for a second.

He was already hugging you back but he squeezed you even tighter now. Giving you a kiss on top of you head, feeling the warmth of someone caring so deeply for you growing in his chest. Recovery was hard, it took quite a long time till all of your friends who had defeated Dio were able to go back to their old routines.

You were there for them all as much as you could, but you spent most of your time with Avdol, which he really appreciated since the both of you had a little crush on each other. Making sure he was eating right, doing his exercises in the hospital... You truly were thankful he was alive.

The hug seemed to last forever, honestly something you both were fine with. You hadn’t confessed your love for each other but this felt like a mutual acceptance of it. He pulled away his face a little, not letting go of the hug but creating some space to look you in the eye. “Every day I get reminded how truly lucky I am to have someone like you beside me.”

Polnareff

The whole plane ride back you were plagued by anxious thoughts, this was goodbye, it surely felt like it. You were all lucky to get out of the fight alive but this meant the group would split and you’d lose you friends and... him. You looked at Polnareff who’d been sleeping, his head resting against the window while his chest softly moved up and down.

Were you truly rarely going to see each other again? You loved all of your friends but Polnareff held a special place in your heart. The way he always made you feel better with a joke or a squeeze of your shoulder. The playful flirting, acting like you’d been a couple for years on end to tease the rest of the gang.

When the plane landed and everyone had gathered their luggage, goodbyes were being said. You felt your emotions barely being contained with every hug you gave. Doing your best not to cry, you left Polnareff as the last person you would say goodbye to.

He noticed how sad you looked, grabbing hold of your hand and giving it a kiss, the thing he always did when the two of you were playfully pretending to be a couple during the journey. A sad smile on your face, eyes watering “Thank you for existing Pol.” Tears started running from your eyes, a reassuring smile on his face. He took you in his arms. “Mon cher, I wouldn’t have found the strength to exist if it wasn’t for you. This isn’t goodbye.” he spoke close to your ear.

It only made you cry harder into him. You were going to miss this bastard so much.

Joseph

You were sat on the uncomfortable hospital chair next to Joseph’s bed, he looked peacefully asleep, you were rubbing you thumb over his large hand. He’d been sleeping so much these last couple of days, getting the life literally sucked out of you might do that.

The rest of the group had come to visit not long ago, glad to see the old man was doing alright, feeling even more assured seeing you beside him, guarding him even. You rarely left his side, the anxiety of the constant enemy attacks still weighing heavy on you, afraid that it would happen again.

He was always there for you, making sure that after the hardest days there was still a small smile on your face after he tried to cheer you up. You could always lean on him, so this is why you didn’t want to leave his side, you wanted to let him know he could lean on you too.

“Thank you for existing old man.” you smiled, voice soft like a whisper while still caressing his hand. “Who’re you calling an old man, you brat?” his voice hoarse from sleep startling you upright. Joseph had a satisfied grin on his face, pleased with his teasing. You softly punched his arm in reply.

“I’m glad I’m still here, even if it’s just to look at you.” he smiled while holding your hand now. The statement making you laugh and roll your eyes, this man is so cheesy sometimes.

Kakyoin & Jotaro

You visited Kayoin often while he was recovering, whenever you had free time you’d go, always bringing new mangas or even a new game you could play together. He’d been recovering close to home for a couple months now, getting his strength back everyday.

Sometimes you’d catch Jotaro just lounging around, reading or talking with Kakyoin. Today was one of those days, they were lazily chatting, both between the parallel bars, arms taut as they put their strength on them, feet dangling. Kakyoin clearly not doing his exercises. You cleared your throat, they hadn’t noticed you coming in. Arms full of snacks and a new video game.

They’d installed one of the latest gaming consoles and a tv in Kakyoin’s room which he loved to beat your ass in games on. The two brats turning to face you, Kakyoin smiling at you, the smile growing even bigger as he sees what you’re carying. “Jotaro...” Kayoin nods his head towards you, silently communicating with his friend. Before you know it your hands are empty and Jotaro’s snacking on a little bag of cookies behind Kakyoin.

These two, recklessly using The World to their advantage. It annoyed you but as much as it did you had to fight away the growing smile. “How ‘bout you show me how well you can use those legs huh. If you get over here I’ll even let you beat me in that new game I brought.”

“Heh, so you’re gonna beat him on what game?” Jotaro smugly says while holding the cartridge between his fingers. While Kayoin laughs, he starts walking between the parallel bars towards you. He was focused and managing pretty well. He reached you at the end, looking somewhere between proud of himself and wondering if you were too. “Good job kid, now get your assistant to start the game.” you say as you take his arm to support him to the chairs in front of the tv.

A loooong sigh coming from Jotaro as he walked towards you two, grabbing a chair to sit down next you, the youths guarding your sides. “Before we start we wanted to give you something. It’s really nice you always come by and uhm yea... here.” Kakyoin hands you an envelope with your name neatly written on it, not making eye contact as he speaks. With caution you take it and start reading the note inside.

It was a weekend trip to an onsen spa in a quiet mountain town. The note telling you you deserve a rest and how thankful they are to have you around so often to brighten their day. Your normally playful facade dropping, the unexpected gift making you feel weirdly emotional. You grabbed both of their heads, each under an arm in an uncomfortable headlock. “Thank you for still being here you shitheads.” the pair groaning from your hold on them. You let them go to quickly wipe the growing tear away from your eye. Jotaro’s face looked red while he turned away while Kakyoin had a smile on his. You truly were thankful they’re still here.

[arr-jim-lad]

What do you think Kakyoin's fashion choices look like aside from his uniform? I mean since uniform is a kind of standardized clothes, it doesn't give too much info about that, except for color and silhouette. I think you are the best person to go to with such question!

This is an interesting but somewhat tricky question that I’ll try to reply to the best of my abilities because that is what Kakyoin deserves

The reason the question can be a bit tricky to answer is because the fashion choices in Jojo can sometimes be very unpredictable when compared to the character’s personality, such as Fugo for example. If you were asked what kind of clothes an incredibly intelligent guy with anger issues would wear, ‘swiss cheese and a thong’ probably wouldn’t be the first thing to come to your mind lmao

However luckily, Part 3 still had a fairly down to earth look compared to later parts, with none of the characters in the main team really wearing absurdly strange clothes. Based on that, I think Kakyoin’s casual outfits would likely fall into the realm of very normal-looking, much like Joseph’s.

I drew a few outfits for him, the colours of which are based on his anime palette, treating it as his ‘canon’ one.

Okay, to start this off, I drew Kakyoin in his uniform + unbuttoned uniform

Since he sticks so strictly to his uniform, I think it’s pretty much undeniable that he wears a dress shirt underneath, but I decided to make it a bit more interesting by adding a cherry picture on his pocket, calling back to his younger self in the anime flashback.

I also want to point out his purple belt, which is based on his SAS figure. Medicos got Araki’s input on all their figure colours, and the anime-coloured Kakyoin figure has a purple belt, meaning that we can make an assumption that anime Kakyoin does as well. I took this into account with my outfit designs.

Okay so, Kakyoin wears his uniform completely buttoned up, all the way up to the neck, and he makes it abundantly clear that he feels comfortable like this. That makes me assume he’d prefer form-fitting and modest clothes, nothing showy. I also took into account that he wore a scarf in his first appearance.

These are some of my ideas for what a part 3 Kakyoin could’ve worn casually. I know it doesn’t look very “JoJo” but again.. Part 3 really didn’t when you compare it to later parts, and I mostly looked to Joseph for inspiration.

I brought back the scarf for one of these, and I decided to use his preference for simple jewellery to add a necklace that matches his earrings.

I went for purple in the middle outfit so that it wouldn’t be all green, and with the third one, I decided to give him some sorta jacket to match his original silhouette better.

Basically, I really don’t think Kakyoin’s casual fashion choices would be very interesting in Part 3. He’d probably stick to simple and modest, matching his uniform look in spirit.

I wasn’t pleased with just this though. If I’m designing JoJo fashion then I want to design JOJO fashion, not... that. So I decided to have a go at what Kakyoin might’ve worn in Part 4, which had distinctly more style than Part 3.

I was mostly looking to Jotaro to help me with ideas here, since he very nicely shows how his Part 3 design grew into the Part 4 one.

One thing that’s important to note is that his silhouette practically stayed the same. He doesn’t wear a gakuran anymore, but he still wears a coat, and a very similar hat. I took that into account when designing a Part 4 look for Kakyoin, meaning that he also needed to wear a coat to help him keep his Part 3 silhouette.

One big difference I noticed in Jotaro’s design, as well as many Part 4 designs compared to Part 3, was that a lot of the characters wear very cozy, baggy pants. I didn’t go quite as far with Kakyoin because I don’t think it would suit him, but I did make his pants wider in the first two examples.

Part 4 was also big on pins, so I added a gem-shaped pin on his lapel, and a cherry one on the third outfit. If Araki designed a Part 4 Kakyoin look he’d probably give him something less predictable (think of Jotaro’s hearts and dolphins), but well, we sadly can’t make many assumptions about Part 4 Kakyoin’s interests, and I designed these in a rush so I didn’t really put as much thought into symbolism.

I kept the cozy turtleneck from the first design of his casual Part 3 look, because I think it really suits him, with his original uniform going up to his neck and all. He has a sweater vest on the first outfit, and I once again brought back the scarf on the second one.

After I did the first design, I realized that he’d likely wear his coats closed, seeing as, again, he felt comfortable in a completely buttoned-up uniform. Jotaro kept his open jacket, so it makes sense for Kakyoin to keep his closed.

I was gonna stop here, but then I took a look at Jotaro’s Part 4 outfits again and I realized I completely missed one huge element; the colour.

Jotaro went from black to white, making a massive shift in his palette.

Every time I see anyone design Part 4+ looks for Kakyoin, they always default to green, but looking at other reoccurring characters in the story, that doesn’t feel authentic to JoJo design. Basically: I don’t think Kakyoin would wear green if he appeared in the Part 4 anime.

Well, the opposite of green is red, but Kakyoin already has red hair, and too much red is... honestly probably something Araki could do and pull it off well, but I kept thinking about that singe drop of barely notable purple on Kakyoin’s SAS figure, so I decided to just go full purple, and I made this palette shift;

I think these colours would fit pretty nicely into the Part 4 cast. I kept plenty of green in the design due to green emeralds being Kind Of A Thing with Kakyoin, but I tried to push it in the background of purple, his new main colour.

Personally, the green variety third outfit is my favourite, but I think I’m clinging to my biases of Kakyoin = green. I could probably adjust the purple third outfit’s palette to make it just as nice, but again, I kinda rushed these so I didn’t really bring my A-game into the designs.

I’ve been planning to design Kakyoin’s Part 4 & 6 looks eventually, so I’ll probably be using these concepts as groundwork for when I finally do that!

That’s pretty much all I have to say on this topic for now, I hope I gave a satisfactory answer to your question, and thank you for asking it!! <:

[iyote]

21, 25, 29, & 56! :D

21 - Do you prefer the anime or the manga? Why?

I love the manga the best! Araki's original art is amazing.

Also I hate that the anime altered or glossed over some of jotaro's expressions and moments of characterization, like this and this.  & here's him being visibly worried for his friend, also entirely cut out from the anime:

(I love the anime too though! it's got some good animation & I love the palette swaps and music.)

25 - Stand ability you think wasn’t used well enough in the series?

ooh that's a tough one! araki's already great at coming up with creative uses for his stand powers

I would say The Hand.  I just think we deserved to see more of it in action.  it’s pretty powerful!  you can just destroy oncoming projectiles or stand attacks.  of course, okuyasu’s too nice to use it directly against people, so he’s never going to be as formidable as Cream.  but I do really like it when protagonists have powers that seem like villain powers, like how hierophant green has a possession power (which he does not forget about!  he uses it against mannish boy - he’s just understandably reluctant to use it after being controlled himself).  so I would’ve liked to see more of the Hand, but I understand why we didn’t get to

I think gold experience was used well in canon, but I would’ve also liked to see more of its limits.  how big/complex of an organism can giorno create?  please imagine a damage-reflecting t-rex.  I also wish narancia could use aerosmith to carry him, like, hanging from the wings, but I recognize that both of these ideas probably require more strength than either of these stands possess.  (still, there was a large part of me that hoped that aerosmith wouldn’t shrink during the little feat fight and narancia could ride his plane from the tiny cabin...)

I would've also loved to see Holy's stand used in canon though - she definitely still has it. it's just no longer turning against her because dio's influence is gone. I want to know what power she has.

29 - Rank your order, favourite to least favourite of: All the Jojos

Still haven't finished reading part 6 (I've gotten distracted rereading stardust crusaders rn) so I'm just going to do 1-5:

Jotaro, Giorno, Joseph, Josuke = Jonathan

sorry to josuke & jonathan, I still love them!

56 - Any headcanons?

yes! gonna put this below the cut bc it's a long post already:

jotaro is aroace. he only got married because he was struggling with loneliness & depression and due to heteronormativity, he thought that a relationship would finally bring him happiness again,, and it didn't work

kakyoin knows all the constellations and the stories behind them (since he has a lot of miscellaneous cultural knowledge which he spouts at random times when he doesn't know what else to say).  on one of the clear desert nights, he points them out and tells the stories to the crusaders

joseph adopts avdol’s chickens after sdc ;-;

I think jotaro would like cats. he's a quiet person really and he'd give them space, so I think cats would get along with him well. cats are animals that can be hard to read, but jotaro is thoughtful and will take time to consider things from an animal's perspective (he does this with iggy and the rats in p4), so I think he would understand cats pretty well. plus his chain would make clink-y noises that cats would love

I like to think that jotaro's belts are a gift from joseph because y'know. caesar pattern. jotaro wears both at once because he appreciates the gift (he also thinks it looks cool)

I think that once he is fully manifested, star platinum mostly just acts as an extension of jotaro's conscious will, but I like to think that on occasion, when jotaro is sad, splatinum still brings him things to cheer him up, like he did in the jail cell. but I feel like he'll only really do this if jotaro is very tired or unfocused, at which point his conscious will becomes enough of a blur that splatinum goes back to acting on jotaro's subconscious will + splatinum's own limited sentience- wanting jotaro to be happy. so, getting things that jotaro would appreciate but not consciously think of fetching with splatinum

...oops, all sdc.  My mind is just stuck in Egypt, 1989.  u_u

[edgy-ella]

I doubt anyone cares anymore, but Phantom Blood and Stardust Crusaders spoilers inbound.

So I’m 100% reading way too far into this, but an interesting thought crossed my mind as I was rewatching the Jotaro vs. Dio fight.

One thing that’s always bothered me about both the stairway scene and the scene where Polnareff stabs Dio in the head is why Dio doesn’t just kill Polnareff right then and there. He has two easy opportunities to kill him without much trouble but he just...doesn’t. The stairway scene makes it clear that he’d rather have Polnareff back on his side rather than fight him, but why? He clearly has no qualms with killing other his other fleshbud victims, so it’s not like he sees it as him “failing” to bring them to his side through charm alone; Polnareff’s flashbacks with Dio aren’t portrayed as particularly intimate (unlike Kakyoin’s, which is eww since he’s 17), so I doubt it’s anything like that; and Silver Chariot is a strong Stand but it doesn’t seem like it’s at all vital for the Heaven plan. So what gives?

Then it hit me: Silver Chariot uses a sword.

Whether it be Bruford or even Jonathan himself, it’s possible that Silver Chariot’s sword and knight aesthetic remind Dio of a simpler time, back when it was just him and JoJo battling to decide which one of them was superior. No Stands, no dealing with disobedient minions, no plans for Heaven...just him and his brother. Given how much respect Dio seems to harbor for Jonathan later down the line, it seems likely. Polnareff’s quest to restore his sister’s honor may also remind Dio of Jonathan and Erina.

Taking into account Dio’s actions after Polnareff stabs him adds another layer to this as well. First, Dio acknowledges that he’s being attacked, stops time, and moves away from Polnareff’s sword. Then he simply knocks him into the side of a building, knocking Polnareff unconscious. Obviously, he doesn’t donut Mr. Frenchman because as we’ve established, Dio would rather keep Polnareff alive and loyal. But then he grabs the stop sign, moves over to Polnareff and tries to behead him. But why go through the effort of beheading Polnareff when Dio could’ve easily just donutted him in the stopped time like he did to Kakyoin? Why go through the trouble of messing with him on the stairs if he was just going to kill him later anyway?

We know for a fact that part of Dio’s immediate endgame against the Crusaders is to drain Joseph of his blood in order to perfectly “fuse” with Jonathan’s body. However, Joseph is a Hamon user, and Hamon “propagates from the bloodstream to the rest of the body.” Given that Hamon was already very much a dying art even all the way back in Phantom Blood, we can assume that Dio never had the opportunity to drain another Hamon user’s blood. Dio is also crazy prepared here, having a backup plan to attain Heaven even if he lost, which is a big deal considering how much of an egomaniac Dio is. So Dio probably had a backup plan in case Joseph’s Hamon-induced blood “attacked” him in some way. He’d obviously rather keep Jonathan’s body, the one he feels like he’s rightfully “earned,” but the Joestar blood is both tied to Hamon and actively rejects him, and Polnareff’s swordsmanship and chivalry clearly reminds Dio of Jonathan, so...

In conclusion: Dio may have been keeping Polnareff alive as a backup body in case something went wrong.

Once again, I’m obviously putting a lot more thought into this than I should be, and the real reason is likely that Araki gave Polnareff some plot armor just because he didn’t want Jotaro and Joseph to be the only ones left alive at the end of the journey, but it really makes you think.

(Also while writing this I almost wrote Silver Chadiot instead of Chariot, and that’s honestly pretty accurate tbh)

[neon-ufo]

Answering some OC asks

cool-human-98 said:

Since there's not much info about Ness, I'm really interested in what he's like. What do you have on him so far? Of course I'm asking about things that are not spoilers

Ness is 17, which makes him the youngest character in the entire story, and he acts like it too. He’s very careless, loud and free-spirited, with a good sense of what’s right and wrong.

He absolutely doesn’t know when it’s not the right time to have a big mouth and can get himself in trouble by talking too much, or not following directions.

He’s very eager to meet new people, because he didn’t have many chances to do so in the past due to reasons I don’t want to disclose yet.

He makes very quick judgements and will often make a decision in the spur of a moment, not really thinking about the consequences of it. He’s very much led by his heart more than his brain.

He loves comics and power metal, and I think the fact that Gloryhammer is his favourite band says quite a bit about him.

My friend once said he's a personification of the Ultra Pink Monster Energy drink and that’s a pretty good summary of him (thought I’d say he’s more of the Pipeline Punch flavour).

behold-a-bastard-in-this-house said:

Are there any details on Ciril's curse, maybe? As in, how he gained it and when? Thank you much!

Without spoiling too much of the core conflict of the story, Ciril’s curse was basically caused by him being too curious and going to places he shouldn’t have gone to. I am not fully set on the timeline of how long ago he’s been cursed, because it has to be lined up with events regarding some other characters (Mario and Ren), and I haven’t really sat down and properly match it up yet, but he’s been cursed for a couple of years at this point.

The curse slowly saps his energy, making him physically extremely weak; there are times when he can’t even get out of bed, and some days he can only move around with a wheelchair. He’s only 32 years old but looks much older.

While the process of the curse is slow, living with it at this point is terrible, as he’s not just weak, but he also can’t taste food, he’s constantly cold, his overall feelings feel very numb. It’s clearly out to kill him, and he has no idea how to lift it. Because death is his biggest fear, and he feels like he’s running out of time, he’s very desperate to save himself by any means necessary.

Anonymous said:

Does Vivid have a favorite meme?

Dabbing & Minecraft, no questions about it.

blacksheep28 said:

What's Vivid's big dream in life?

He’s not really a person with any big plans for the future, he keeps his options open! One thing he definitely wants is to make things that bring joy to people.

In the current time, he’s an actor in a community theater. Sometimes he plays guitar and sings on the streets and then gives his earnings to those in need, since he loves to perform, but he doesn’t really need any additional income, so he just does what he can to bring some overall good vibes to his community. If any bars have an open stage, you know he’s there. 

He can play a guitar and piano, however he doesn’t want an actual career as a musician, or an actor, as he’d find that restricting. Basically, he’s just vibin’

bayygel said:

Who is most likely to cry when surprise punched in the face? Who is least likely to cry? I hope this question is up to your standards, Jim :) because I for one am very curious!

Vivid is a HUGE weenie when it comes to pain, his pain tolerance is non-existent. He will cower at any threat of pain, despite being pretty muscular and big. Being an actor, he’s able to put up an intimidating charade if necessary, but if his bluff is called he immediately retreats to avoid any further confrontation.

As for least likely.. About half the characters are pretty damn tough. Mario and Barbi would be hard to push to crying through pain (Barbi would cry from frustration sooner than from pain), and Ren is stone-cold. However, Otto is a clear ‘winner’ here, as life got him to a point where he’s too jaded to really care about much anymore, and that includes pain (which he has an extremely high tolerance for, he could probably lose a limb and not care)

Anonymous said:

I don't have a particular question but I'd love to hear more about ren! i guess if you need something more specific then maybe something about her sibling kind of relationship with mario?

Mario and Ren started off on pretty rough terms which caused her to be wary of him for a while. On the other side, Mario felt extremely bad about it and did everything he could to make her realize she’s safe and can trust him. Eventually, she came around and they’ve been really close ever since; he was the first person she ever felt calm with and he helped her a lot when it came to basically learning how to socialize, despite him being a total extrovert and her a total introvert.

Mario is an only child who always wanted a younger sibling, so meeting Ren filled that void for him and he protects and spoils her like a little sister, he’s willing to listen to her talk about her interests even if he doesn’t get it, he takes her out shopping, plays basketball with her, etc. 

Ren is very aware of this and deeply appreciates Mario for it. He’s constantly supportive of her, and while Ren is the kind of inexpressive and quiet person that might come across ungrateful to an outsider, Mario knows better than that and knows that this means a lot to her.

Anonymous said:

On a scale of 1 to 10, how huggable are each of your characters?

Ciril: Not huggable - bony and thin, will greatly oppose to hugs. Em: Somewhat huggable - might oppose at first, but it’s very possible for his motherly instincts to kick in and a gentle hug will be returned. Mario: Huggable - but your bones will be crushed Otto: Possibly huggable? Might not know what’s going on. Alternatively, he might think you’re upset and try to awkwardly pat your back. Ren: Not huggable, will flinch. Barbi: Only huggable for friends, otherwise she will headbutt you in the face Vivid: Extremely huggable. Possibly the most huggable. Will always hug back. King: Not huggable. Will not like it. Ness: Huggable. Will be happy to receive a hug and might spin you around.

Anonymous said:

Did Jojo inspire your characters designs? If so, are there any specific characters who inspired the designs? And on the topic of design, who is your favorite and why?

Araki’s work influenced me in general, not just when it comes to character designs, it basically changed how I look at art altogether. A lot of the characters are directly inspired by stylistic choices, rather than specific characters;

- Crop tops. - While Em was not inspired by Kakyoin directly, he was inspired by how I decided to stylize Kakyoin when I drew him. - Barbi’s hair is inspired by Araki’s rigid style of drawing hair which I love a lot - King’s hair was inspired by Diavolo’s hair, because I interpreted Diavolo’s hair as having a leopard pattern, and that gave me idea for King’s zebra pattern - Similar as with Em, this isn’t a DIRECT inspiration from JoJo, but the way I draw Mario is slightly based on the way I stylized DIO - Ciril’s two-tone hair was inspired by my initial interpretation of Abbacchio’s headband being differently coloured hair on top of his head. - Ren’s pitch black no-shine eyes were inspired by Mista, and her spiky hair is a mixture of Narancia and that 2000s scene style where everyone gelled the hair at the back of their head - The ‘holes’ between the strands of Ness’ hair were inspired by how Reimi’s hair was drawn, I thought that was really cool.

As for my favourite, I’m fond of all of them since I worked on streamlining their designs a lot, but if I had to pick, I think King is generally the one I like drawing the most for some reason. I’m very happy with how Inverness turned out too, and Em being kind of a fashionista is fun to design outfits for.

Anonymous said:

Do any of your OCs watch anime? If so what type?

Ren is a bonafide weeb. Kuroshitsuji is her favourite anime because she loves Sebastian. Her favourite genres are supernatural mystery anime and slice-of-life anime. She prefers older shows and doesn’t really dig the hype of the seasonal shows, though she will occasionally check them out. She generally doesn’t like the Shounen genre. She likes Dragon Maid too, Fafnir being her favourite (as you can see she has a type). She uses Picrew to make her avatars.

Anonymous said:

Who of your OCs is the least athletic? Who's the most athletic?

Due to his current predicament, Ciril is by far the least athletic one, as sometimes he can barely walk. Before the curse, however, he was a traveller, meaning he was in a pretty good condition.

If we don’t count Ciril due to his curse, then Em would be the least athletic one. He’s slim and elegant and makes sure to stay that way, but any work out he does isn’t really preparing him for any serious conditions, he’ll be the first to lose breath if everyone ran a race (not counting Ciril who, frankly, can’t run.)

On the other side, Otto doesn’t look like it and doesn’t live like it, but he’s pretty much peak condition among my characters. He actively works out as a way to cope with the mess that is his life and had military training in the past.

(Mario is also a good competitor for this, being a fitness bro, but he doesn’t have nearly as much experience as Otto, and despite their difference in size, Otto could absolutely take him down.)

Anonymous said:

ideas on how any of your original characters would deal with self isolation/quarantine?

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Hol Horse

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

So last year I thought it was a good idea to try and review all of the enemy Stand users in Stardust Crusaders in a totally random order. The results were… mixed. Some of them I think came out okay, but others? Not so much. One of them was just an entire backhanded attack against some guy who decided to say “No one likes your analyses” because I think ProJared was a creep. It was, quite frankly, a mess, and I never bothered to revisit it and never thought I would, even though I still hadn’t covered the glorious, wonderful human being who is Hol Horse.

Well, now, after playing Heritage for the Future and All-Star Battle as well as just becoming a bit more knowledgeable on JJBA, I’ve decided to not only give Hol Horse his dues, but also at least briefly go back over or cover the other Stand users and give them a rating or an updated rating, as the case may be. So buckle in, this is gonna be a long one, and it’s all gonna start with everyone’s favorite incompetent henchman.

Hol Horse is probably one of the most amazing characters Araki has ever created. Hol Horse is in possession of a powerful Stand, The Emperor, which is literally a magical gun that fires bullets he can control the trajectory of. By all accounts, Hol Horse should be the single most dangerous foe that the Crusaders face, more than even Vanilla Ice. This guy should be able to shoot them all dead without a second thought! There’s just one tiny little caveat:

Hol Horse is a fucking moron.

This man is cowardly, incompetent, and just the punching bag of cruel misfortune as all his plans constantly go awry and he is constantly knocked on his ass. And yet, Hol Horse is still the most beloved enemy Stand User of Stardust Crusaders, and it’s not hard to see why. Because despite all of his bumbling, Hol Horse just oozes a sort of cool you just don’t see every day.

(For best results, listen to this the whole time while reading the following).

Motivation/Goals: Hol Horse is one of the few henchmen of DIO who is motivated purely by his own greed… at least, at first. Eventually he has his ass handed to him one too many times, and he decides to try and assassinate DIO. This goes about as well as you’d expect, and Hol Horse – not just part of it, the ENTIRE Horse – is so scared out of his mind that he decides, yep, loyalty to DIO is the way to go! It doesn’t work out, but hey, he tried, right?

Performance: Imami Williams gives Hol Horse that raspy, American charm he needs in the anime adaptation. With his voice and the animation combined, we get to see our favorite smarmy sharpshooter who can’t shoot for shit shoot his shot and miss every time, and it is simply glorious.

Final Fate: Hol Horse kidnaps Boingo and forces him to work with him to finally get his revenge! With the prophetic skills of Thoth and the raw damage that can be done with Emperor, there’s no way they could lose! And yet, as is always the case with Thoth, things go horrendously awry and Hol Horse, despite having the ability to control the trajectory of his bullets, ends up shooting himself and knocking him out of part 3 for good.

Best Scene: Really, just the entirety of the episodes where he teams up with Boingo, especially when he tries holding up Polnareff. Considering what comes after and what came before it, it’s just the dose of lighthearted fun needed before you watch all of your favorite characters get brutally murdered by DIO and Vanilla Ice,. 

Best Quote: There is only one line it could be, and it’s Hol Horse’s response to Thoth’s suggestion he kick a woman in the neck: “Listen, Boingo... I am the nicest man in the world. I have girlfriends everywhere. I might lie to a woman, but I'll never hit them! It doesn't matter how ugly they are! Because I respect women!”

That’s right, everyone. Hol Horse drinks Respect Women Juice.

Final Thoughts & Score: Hol Horse is simply astounding. The character is such a colossal screwup that he shouldn’t be as good as he is… yet he is. The dude is gifted with the most incredible power imaginable, and yet somehow he is never able to do a goddamn thing with that power! You control where the bullets go, dude! How can you not hit anything?! It’s interesting how his cowardice and lack of motivation makes him a perfect representation of the inverted Emperor tarot card, but hey, tarot motifs are par for the course with the Stand users.

But there’s something charming to how pathetic Hol Horse is. He’s always plying second banana, he’s a dirty coward who turns tail and runs when things aren’t looking good for him, he never wins a single battle, he didn’t even kill the one guy it seemed like he killed… but throughout it all he still has this sort of smarmy charisma to him that makes him impossible to hate. It’s no wonder this guy has girls all over the world, because he is a world-class charmer. There’s also how Hol Horse is just a character who really, really lives by his own personal philosophy – that is to say, he always likes to be #2, never going into a fight without backup. It’s kind of refreshing to see him always stick by this, even to his own detriment; it’s hard to hate a man who’s principled to that degree. And, of course, this man respects women. Good on him.

It helps that Hol Horse’s inexplicable popularity has led to him getting his time to shine in outside media. Heritage for the Future has two versions of him, his regular form and one that partners him with Boingo, and in skilled hands his Emperor finally gets to live up to its deadly potential. And he’s no slouch in his return appearance in All-Star Battle, and what’s more impressive is in that game he is part of the base roster while Joseph and Iggy, two of the main heroes, are relegated to DLC! You heard me right: the bumbling cowboy who did not win a single fight or even come close to it and spent a lot of time shooting himself managed to beat out out two iconic heroes from the same part onto the roster! Horsey Man must be doing something right.

As this video shows, Hol Horse is one of the most influential characters in the JJBA franchise, having helped to shape the franchise going forward and helped to inspire the traits that made beloved characters like Guido Mista, Gyro Zeppeli, and Yoshikage Kira as legendary as they are. Hell, Hol Horse is just so awesome he almost got to be a protagonist, but Araki decided that Horsey was too similar to my favorite big-titty Frenchman, Polnareff. This means Hol Horse never got his time to shine as a hero, and so stayed a villain til the end… but hey, can he really be that sad if he gets a 10/10 on Psycho Analysis?

Actually, maybe he wouldn’t like that. He likes to play second fiddle to others, after all. But I guess that’s just the curse with these JoJo villains who want to not stand out; they always end up being the best and most memorable characters.

Anyway, now that we’ve got the best of the best out of the way, it’s time for...

Psycho Analysis: DIO’s Other Henchmen

I’m just gonna give my brief thoughts on these guys. Most of them are pretty one-note oneshots, but there are a few who rise above that and manage to be something else entirely. These guys were a learning experience for Araki, and his enemy Stand users of the week definitely improved with later parts, with Vento Aureo really cranking it up to 11. 

But for now, we’re stuck with these guys.

Gray Fly: I actually stand by my opinion from my original review of him; he’s nothing incredibly memorable, but he’s a solid start to the adventure and he is directly responsible for diverting the journey onto the course it ended up going on. Without him, things would have likely played out far differently. A 5/10 is still a good score for him.

Fake Captain Tenille: He actually gets bumped down to a 2/10, due to my changes in how things are scored. He’s not amusing enough to be in the “So bad it’s good” category of the other 3s, he’s just really lame and forgettable, and he still somehow manages to lose when he has the advantage. What a dweeb.

Forever: If you think the monkey boat fight is dropping in score, you’re mistaken. Forever remains at an 8/10 for being such a delightfully weird curveball that helps set the tone for the franchise to follow.

Devo: One of the weirder playable character choices from Heritage for the Future, and certainly not one I like too much; he’s also a random event that is pretty useful in All-Star Battle’s online campaign, so that’s a good mark for him. If nothing else, he gave a good showing of Polnareff’s skills when under pressure, so… yeah. I think a 5/10 is good enough.

Rubber Soul: This review I regret because I was backhandedly responding to that guy who weirdly decided to bring up my distaste for ProJared in a review of Arabia Fats and Kenny G. I do mostly stand by what I said; Rubber Soul is one of the more amusing minor foes, if only because of his ridiculous performance as Kakyoin. Still, it really sucks he was just a clone character in Heritage for the Future… put he gets points for  having the iconic cherry-licking as a taunt. 6/10 is where he remains.

J. Geil: Again, my opinion hasn’t changed: J. Geil is a mountain of wasted potential, but at the very least he makes for a good antagonist for his brief appearance and hey, he’s the one who helped bring us the beautiful hunk of man that is Hol Horse, so I’d feel bad giving him less than a 7/10.

Nena: I honestly think Nena is one of the most boring Stand users of the part, which is sad because her episode gives Joseph the spotlight. She’s just really gross and uninteresting, and you’ll likely forget her after her episode is over. 2/10.

ZZ: ZZ is not particularly great, and his design is just there to be a joke, but it’s hard to totally hate a guy who manages to roll references to Christine, Duel, and the album cover for Eliminator by his namesake into one. I think he’s more of a 4/10, but probably on the higher end there. He’s not great, but he has enough going for him to keep me from hating him.

Enya: So if I thought that J. Geil was a waste of potential, I feel this even more so for his mother Enya. Despite being hyped up as this big, intimidating right-hand woman to DIO early on, she gets one appearance where her Stand is defeated by Star Platinum pulling a power out his ass and then is unceremoniously killed by Steely Dan of all people. I will give her this: her interactions with Polnareff are absolutely hilarious. But when all you have going for is some jokes, don’t be surprised when you end up with a 6/10, which you’re pretty much only getting because even despite the mountains of wasted potential you’re really not that bad.

She do be looking hot in the OVA tho.

Steely Dan: My opinion is unchanged; he’s a solid 7/10 oneshot douchebag. Nothing more, nothing less. His level in the PS1 game seriously blows, though.

Arabia Fats: I was too hard on this guy. While I meant everything I said, and his episode is boring filler, does it really make him a bottom of the barrel all-time worst villain? No. It just makes him a crappy joke character. 2/10.

Mannish Boy: I regret not getting to this guy last time, because aside from Forever he’s probably one of the most insane Stand user of the part, seeing as he is an infant. Like, he’s just an evil baby who can kill people in their dreams. And he gets defeated by being force fed his own crap. Much like Forever, it’s fun to speculate where exactly DIO found this guy; did he just go to a nursery and start jabbing babies with the Stand arrow? Did he meet this guy at a Cairo night club? What exactly is Mannish Boy’s origin? He’s just so utterly and hilariously inexplicable. He’s definitely a 7/10; he doesn’t quite have the shock factor that Forever did before him, but let’s not pretend an evil talking baby Stand user isn’t one hell of a weird twist.

Cameo: This guy really lives up to his name; his Stand is the one that gets the most screentime, with the actual Stand user being relegated to a – you guessed it – cameo appearance at the end of the fight. Thankfully, his Stand is an enjoyable take on jerkass genies and gives a pretty sad and disturbing episode that not only features my man Polnareff, but also marks the point where Avdol returns and brings “Hell 2 U!” I think he deserves at least a 7/10, even if this is mainly for Judgment. Still, a Stand is a representation of the user’s soul, so I think it works out.

Here’s the Stand:

And here’s the man behind it:

Midler: Midler is one of the single most interesting characters from the pre-Egypt half of Stardust Crusaders, and is the point where Stand users really started to get interesting. Her Stand, High Priestess, has a really funky and unique design, and her battle serves as the final roadblock before the Crusaders arrive in Egypt. Despite never appearing onscreen, with only her unconscious body being shown at the end of the fight in a way that obscures her, she got to appear in Heritage for the Future with an awesome sexy belly dancer design and a badass moveset that makes her a really fun character to play as. Taking everything into account, I think she just barely scrapes into the bottom of the 8/10 pool, though really this is mainly for her playable appearance.

N’Doul: My opinions really haven’t changed on him. He’s still an 8/10.

Oingo & Boingo: These guys are, in a word, hilarious. In between the grueling, brutal fight with N’Doul and the later fights in the part, these guys bring some much needed levity to the proceedings. Oingo gets an entire episode where he just completely bumbles about as he attempts to impersonate Jotaro to assassinate the Crusaders, failing at every turn and only managing to blow himself up in the end. Boingo fares a little better, eventually getting roped in to Hol Horse’s scheme to get some revenge, which leads to one of the funniest episodes of the entire series as Hol Horse and Oingo hold up Polnareff. I think they collectively get an 8/10 for being two of the funniest Stand users in the part. They even get their own unique end credits in the anime (with Hol Horse joining in on the fun when he teams up with Boingo)!

Anubis: Again, my opinion is unchanged, though I must say him having technically three playable appearances in Heritage for the Future does make me have at least a little more fondness for him. Black Polnareff, Chaka, and Khan are all amusing characters to play as and all have some awesome theme music. Introducing the concept of Stands being able to exist independently of their Original user is pretty neat, as well as the idea of a Stand that can switch users like it does. 7/10 is still what I’d give it, but I think that it’s pretty telling that this is probably the “weakest” character in the Egypt arcs in terms of being a villain, and yet he’s still pretty cool.

Mariah: Completely unchanged. She still deserves an 8/10, because her episode is hilarious, her playable appearance in Heritage for the Future is a blast, and she’s just really frikkin’ hot. I’m not gonna lie, she’s probably my second favorite enemy Stand user out of the Egyptian ones. I may or may not want her to step on me.

Alessi: I’m going to be honest here: Alessi is my favorite of the Egyptian Stand users. He’s an ax crazy coward with pedophile undertones who is just an utterly demented and sick individual with a seriously intriguing Stand that de-ages its victims. It’s a damn shame he never crossed paths with Joseph and de-aged him, but when he’s just such a hilarious and hateable lunatic with an incredibly fun playable appearance in Heritage for the Future (complete with awesomely creepy theme music!) it’s hard for me to give Alessi anything less than a 9/10. Attaboy!

Daniel J. D’Arby: My opinion is honestly unchanged, but I think I’d bump him down to an 8/10.

Pet Shop: Again, unchanged really. It’s hard to give a character as busted as he is in Heritage for the Future anything less than a 9/10 any way you slice it.

Telence T. D’Arby: Opinion unchanged, 8/10. I don’t have much else to say here, besides Xander Mobus rocks.

Kenny G: See Arabia Fats above. I got irrationally mad over a dumb joke character. He’s not going above a 2/10, but he’s not worth really getting mad about.

Vanilla Ice: I still think he’s the only enemy Stand user besides Hol Horse who deserves his 10/10. My opinion of him remains unchanged, but I would like to say he’s easily one of my favorite characters to play as in All-Star Battle.

Nukesaku: Ok, he’s not an enemy Stand user, he’s just some weird vampire… zombie… thing. Still, I feel he’s at least worth briefly mentioning, if only because he’s probably the only easily-defeated joke villain Araki did from the first three parts who is particularly memorable. Wired Beck and Doobie are really not all that memorable, but Nukesaku at least elicits a few chuckles – he even gets cameos in Heritage for the Future as well as getting to be a stage hazard in All-Star Battle. For what he is, I think he deserves a 5/10.

And with all these enemies taken care of, that just leaves one more Stand user to talk about.. one whose Psycho Analysis has been sitting in my drafts for a year now...

[cassyapper]

Apart from Jotaro and Kakyoin (unfortunately) what are your other favourite jojo ships? I’d love to know

OHHHH POST YOUVE OPENED A CAN OF FUCKING WORMS LET ME GO OFF

i have a disease that makes me invested in the joestars’ happiness to an absurd level so bc of that a lot of ships i enjoy involve,,,one joestar,,,but there r others i swear let me just start rantingi

jonaeriwagon is soooooo so so cute it involves the most wholesome and purehearted jojo characters and it makes me smile so wide. erina and jonathan r childhood sweethearts and erina helped jonathan back on his feet after he lost EVERYTHING in the first fight against dio at the mansion. jonathan and speedwagon are best FRIENDS OKAY!! SPEEDWAGON LITERALLY CHANGES HIS ENTIRE WALK OF LIFE BECAUSE OF JONATHAN AND THE KINDNESS HE SHOWED HIM. i know erina and speedwagon didn't interact a whole lot in part 1 but like they're BEST. FRIENDS. in part 2, so much so joseph thought something was going on between them. i bring this up bc then it’s proof that this ship is full of ppl who just care for each other so much. they just adore each other and love each other and I'm crying

caejoseq is my FAVVV OKAY they're so stupid and in love. i love love love love imagining caesar and suziq falling in love slowly when he’s first training as lisalisa’s student and like they never do anything about it cause they're both so shy (yes caesar is shy bc these feelings r more genuine romance rather than sexual, unlike his other flings) but it’s obvious enough they both understand to a degree the other knows they like them sjkd;dn cuties. but then JOSEPH BARGES IN with his stupid hamon-breathing mask and his stupid blue-green eyes and his stupid lax personality combined with the moments he takes thing seriously during which is works hard as fuck/smart as fuck. he just completely sweeps them off their feet they had no fuckin warning whatsoever. so after a bunch of messy and intense pining from the both of them they eventually sit down and are like okay. we should do smth about feelings actually. so they Do and it ends with the polycule and I'm (”: smiling so wide they loved each other do u understand

AVPOL!! DO NOT GET ME STARTED OKAY it’s the survivor’s guilt and cherishing and longing for me sis!!!!!! I'm just saying both have pasts (araki said avdol’s backstory was so sad he didn't wanna put it into sdc so that’s where I'm drawing this from) that leave them focused on things other than their direct happiness/their own futures but then they connect and even though they're so fucking different they are SOOO different they're still the same on this level and i think!!! that would be everything for them finally someone who understands...listen I'm ging to go insane do you hear me. avdol loves this stupid fucking Frenchman so much because said stupid fucking Frenchman just cares so much about everything. meanwhile polnareff is in love with this fuckin god of a man who’s patient and kind and funny and a skilled enough fighter it’s stated explicitly in canon “oh avdol’s the one we need to worry about most not jotaro” like fuck polnareff is ENAMOURED WITH HIM!! AND I DONT FUCKING BLAME HIM!! and just dude. when pol thinks avdol came back to life and he starts crying tears of joy and hugs him so tightly and avdol just laughs but hugs him back imfmfjfj help. help. help. help. help. POLNAREFF LITERALLY ASKS HIM OUT ON A DATE THIS IS FUCKIN!!! CANON!!! i cant do this stupid fuckign idiots i love them

JOSUYASU!!!!!! TWO GUYS BEIGN DUDES WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT??? like listen we have such a SLEW of wholesome moments between these two the opening to the tonio episode is literally just them going on a date OKUYASU WAS GONNA FEED JOSUKE AND JOSUKE DIDNT EVEN FUCKING QUESTION IT OKAY THAT’S KINDA GAY THAT HAS ROMANTIC FUCKING UNDERTONES!! and them fighting against shigechi idk man i just love their dynamic it’s such a pleasant bro relationship and i love them. but even beyond the wholesome moments when okuyasu fucking dies josuke loses his SHIT!!! DO YOU HEAR ME HE GOES FUCKIGN INSANE!!!!! HE’S SCREAMING AND CRYING AND BEGGING OKUYASU TO WAKE UP AT THE EXPENSE OF HIS LIFE FUCKIGN HAYATO HAD TO SHRIEK AT HIM TO MOVE HIS ASS OUT OF THE WAY OF KIRA’S BOMB LIKE!! listen the recklessness and furiousness of josuke’s tactics after okuyasu “”died”” haunts me. he didn't want to live in a world without him and meanwhile okuyaus LITERALLY TRIUMPHS OVER DEATH BECAUSE HE DOESNT WANT TO LEAVE JOSUKE’S SIDE HELP ME GIRL FJKF;NDJN FUCK. fuck. so yeah i lvoe them

fugionara... any combination of this ship makes me go nuts okay okay. the dynamics in the bucci gang will forever leave me in tatters but THE ONES BETWEEN THESE THREE IN PARTICULAR. FUCK ME UP. it’s the healing it’s the animosity it’s the regret it’s the trying to figure out your own mentally ill self while also the world ur in with these ppl u love so much and I'm going crazy okay okay okay. idk how to quite put my feelings for them in worlds i just have a lot of them and they are fuckin. overhwelming. just narancia for example meant EVERYTHING to fugo as evidence by purple haze feedback (literally every other paragraph is a flashback) and the only time giorno cries in the anime is when narancia dies. meanwhile fugo saved narancia’s life and giorno knew when to take narancia seriously as opposed to a joke. and then THE WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT GRIEF FUGO AND GIORNO HAVE IN PURPLE HAZE FEEDBACK? listen something about these three make me go insane and feral

foolymes like okay. okay. I'm shaking like a dog trying not to go overboard on this justification just listen to me. hermes and jolyne first find someone to trust in prison in each other. jolyne cares abt her enough that she first learns how to use stone free’s string-on-a-telephone ability bc she wanted to watch over hermes. hermes loves nd respects jolyne that after she wakes up from getting a stand shes like “hm. wonder where jolyne is” and goes to find her before all that bullshit happened just hey okay LISTEN TO ME!! and then they get foo they save her it’s just like fucking kakyoin they give her another chance and they show her what relationships are supposed to be like (fulfilling) they enjoy her company and make her laugh and she makes them laugh in return ohmy god EVERYTHING FOO FIGHTERS DID WAS FOR JOLYNE AND HERMES DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!!! the marilyn mansion debt collector arc. the kiss of love and revenge arc. foo fighter’s death. I'm going to eat rocks in an attempt to stop feeling oh my god JOLYNE DIDNT EVEN BELEIVE FOO FIGHTERS WAS DYING AND THEN SHE GOT HYSTERICAL LIKE “BUT WE CAN JUST REMAKE YOU RIGHT WE HAVE YOUR STAND DISC??” SHE DOESNT WANT HER TO GOOO HELP ME HELP ME. I'm in tatters these three girls loved each other so fucking much they just wanted each other safe and they DESERVED to be safe and happy together but araki is fucking evil

jotaweather I KNOW THIS IS A CRACK SHIP I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW DONT FUCKIGN LOOK AT ME JUST HEAR ME OUT. jotaro and weather r both of similar demeanor that is quiet soft-speaking intimidating strong big aura of sadness coming from them. both have powerful stands and both had real fucked up luck in the love department. i also hc both to be autistic so that’d be another similarity. i jus think them settling down together after everything went down in a stone ocean au would be very soft and sweet yknow? they wouldn't even necessarily start it off in a romantic sense but they just take the time to try and heal with each other and eventually it just kinda veers that way. yeah

gyjo for OBVIOUS reasons like are you serious? gyro changed johnny’s fucking lfie from the SECOND they first interact johnny begins to push himself and tries to reach further/go further. and in turn johnny shows gyro you cant always be a wet blanket you need to take a stand this both helps his resolve to save the kid AND helps him to take the measures necessary to get to his goal. like gyro would not have been able to find johnny in the “who shot johnny joestar?” arc if he hadn't gone through, say, the ring roadagain arc with johnny first. listen man their relationship is literally the catalyst for this whole part it’s the driving force i just. they love each other they love each other thank you goodnight I'm emo

yasugap is just so so so so sweet it makes me so happy,,like okay josuk8 literally has a daydream where all that happens is he gives yasuho some candy and she eats it and is like “aw josuke this is so good thanks!” and she smiles at him and that’s IT THAT’S THE DAYDREAM 😭 listen they just love each other so much and i am emo. they literally SAVED EACH OTHER OKAY LIKE yasuho pulls him from the dirt and like she mentioned during the flashback chapter with the hairpin and her dad, it was also the other way around....saving josuke also saved herself and just LISTEN TO ME. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. it’s a very sweet and healthy relationship and i hope to god araki makes it canon please sir ill bite you

anyway yeah these are the main main ones ? that i ship ship. like you'll get me excited if u mention them. anyway this post has gone on long enough so I'm gonna end it here by saying i really do have a thing where the relationship focuses on healing/helping one or both parties to save/improve themselves

[writingwhatneedswriting]

It’s not goodbye- Kakyoin x reader

//Just an FYI, I cried writing this, knowing what happens. So, be warned. JJBA characters all belong to Hirohiko Araki Also, key: Y/N= your name// "Kakyoin! Kakyoin! Where are you going?"The boy turned, smiling over his shoulder. She'd followed him out of school again, that same blush on her face that was there every time. "Ah, yes. Hello." he smiled, looking down at her. "I'm going to the cafe for some tea, would you care to join me?" She blushed, again, as she always did. if there was one thing he could rely on, it was that she would blush every time he looked at her. It was rather endearing. Ever since they were kids, she'd tried her hardest to make him open up, to bring him out of his shell, but she couldn't see his Hierophant Green. Nobody could. How could he ever be friends with her if she couldn't ever understand him? Still, his coldness didn't deter her. Perhaps that was what made him so interested in her. Even his own family gave up trying to know him eventually, but this girl didn't stop or ever slow. She picked up speed with every passing year. "Oh... I'd be happy to, Kakyoin... I... I actually have something for your first." She then slid her bag from her shoulder, holding it up with her knee before rifling through it, frantically.  For some reason, he found himself watching her, curiously. She was a rare bird, this girl. Her hair always seemed just right, in just the right way to maintain his gaze. Her smile was always so bright, too. He couldn't deny it. He was fond of her. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he looked at her, wondering if she'd cry when he told her what he needed to. Then, she pulled out a letter, in a pristine, pure white envelope, with his name written in beautiful calligraphy on the front.  "Kakyoin, I want you to read this letter for me. Please, don't say anything until you have read it entirely." Lavender eyes glanced down at the letter before he took it and opened it, pulling the little letter from its papery sheath before unfolding it and reading it.  Kakyoin. It began. I respect you too much to demand that you love me in return, but I love you too much not to say anything. Ever since I met you, you've always been so formal and so cold to me. I want to warm you. You are so kind, and yet so misunderstood. I barely know you, but I want to know you better. I see you and I blush. I smile. You make me smile with your presence. I understand if you do not want to speak with me anymore because of this, but I need you to know.  His eyes widened, just a fraction.  I am in love with you, Kakyoin.  Ever yours, Y/N. He read the letter again, and then once more for good measure, before returning his icy gaze to the girl in front of him. For once, he was lost for words. There was a lump in his throat, throbbing, choking him, yet spurring him on to speak more.  "Y/N," He began, eyes narrowing. She looked down to the floor, ashamed. "I need to tell you something too. I am going to Egypt, with my family...I'll be gone for a while and... and when I come back, I'll be moving home." She started to shake, teary. Nervously, he placed his hand on her shoulder. "But... this isn't going to be a goodbye. I won't let it be." he slid his hand along her shoulder and neck, to then lift her chin and make her look at him, as he let himself smile. "This is just... a see you again soon, Y/N." She nodded, tears running down her cheeks. Kakyoin pressed his lips to her forehead, before pulling back and looking into his eyes. "and when I come back... we can get to know each other... and I will show you how I feel. Alright?" There it was. That smile again. He couldn't help but mirror it back to her. "Now, shall we go and get that tea?"

[kurara-black-blog]

CAN YOU TWO STOP FLIRTING FOR FIVE SECONDS??!!

They're too precious. I can't. 🥺

[dio-daily]

id ask about dio but i feel like thats cliche so how about kakyoin??

Ahh I just answered this but I will add: he deserved so much fucking better. He did. And I know why Araki killed him off and it works extremely well from a narrative stand point. But my boy. I love him. Pls bring him back. I miss him. Part 9 Kakyoin return?? I fucking hope so.

[jjbaconsumedmysoul]

Hi if requests are still available can you make a fluffy scenario where femreader and kakyoin are out on a date and kakyoin is super soft when is comes to his s/o and they just hang out and just sooo much fluff please I really love your writing and would love if you could do this for me thanks!! :)

I actually finished something aaaaaahNotes: It’s winter time cause why TF not, no one dies because screw you Araki, Jotaro and Kak tots go to college together, it’s lit (I wonder what Kak would have studied :( )

You shrugged on your coat and pulled up your boots, hoping that your makeup was still intact and your hair still presentable. He’d been dating you for several weeks already, but you still couldn’t help but feel pressured to impress. After all, you had no idea how you had scored such an amazing man, and you wanted to keep him by your side (though he insisted you were always beautiful, that smooth-talking charmer).

You almost jumped as you heard a knock at the door. After checking one last time that you had your purse, your phone, that you looked okay, that you had chosen the right jacket, that—

“(Y/n), sweetheart.” Wow. The way he said you name so softly practically sent shivers down your spine.

“C-Coming! I’m almost ready,” you straightened your skirt underneath the long jacket before bounding to the apartment door. Like a gentleman, he had insisted on picking you up at your apartment and walking you to the date destination rather than letting you trudge through the snow all by yourself. You opened the door to see his wide smile, and couldn’t help but shyly smile back. “Hi Kak…” He eyed your outfit appreciatively, but not in a perverse sort of way, as his cheeks became tinted a light pink.

“You look beautiful today, (y/n).” You giggled nervously as you looked down at the ground. His compliments never failed to fluster you.

“So do you. I mean—” you mentally facepalmed as you corrected yourself, handsome that is,” even thought he really did look stunningly beautiful. They way that single curly auburn lock framed his face, how his large lips curled in a soft smile, the striking violet of his eyes standing out in contrast to the dark green peacoat. A flowing white scarf was draped around his shoulder, and his tight black jeans were tucked into his knee high buckled leather boots. Wow.

He let out a genuine chuckle as he held out his arm. “I’m glad you think so. Now, shall we?”

You had conversed all the while. He wasn’t a genius like his best friend and soon to be PhD student Jotaro Kujo, but he was cunning with his words, and certainly made more interesting and more intellectually stimulating conversation than JoJo, as well as plenty of clever jokes. You held on to his arm tightly as a cold wind blew past. It whipped his scarf through the air and ruffled his crimson locks, but he remained unphased by the sudden chill. That is, until you shivered.

He immediately wrapped his arm around your shoulder, pulling you against his side to warm your cold frame.

“We’ll be there soon, dear,” he squeezed your arm reassuringly, looking down into your clear (e/c) eyes. He giggled as he caught sight of your face, however and you pouted at his mockery.

“What’s so funny?” He shook his head as he continued laughing.

“I’m sorry, you just look so cute bundled up like that. With your little red cheeks and your pink nose…” your cheeks became even redder as he teased you, but your heart melted at the thick red eyelashes framing his cherry violet eyes, the way the corners crinkled as he smiled, his laugh lighthearted but still resonant as it reverberated through your own chest.

You finally reached the cafe, and he, like a gentleman, slipped off your coat for you as you adjusted to the warm interior.

“You can go ahead and grab a seat, (y/n). I’ll order,”

“Oh, okay.” You muttered shyly as he approached the counter. Dammit, why were his hips so enticing? How was a beautiful man like this still dating you?

You set your purse down at a small couch in the corner; most of the tables were occupied, and even though the seat was a bit small for the both of you… well, Kakyoin having to snuggle in close to you in order to stay on the couch wasn’t exactly a bad thing. You fidgeted nervously as he waited for the drinks. You knew it would probably be better to just be yourself, to not worry about every little detail, but you were scared he wouldn’t like you when he realised you just weren’t good enough for him…

You silenced the torrent of thoughts as your date approached the couch (his beautiful hips swaying in their full glory) two steaming cups in his hand. He offered you the one with more whipped cream, to which you giggled.

“Thanks, Kakyoin.” He smiled as he sat down next to you, and you were somehow able to keep your grip on the hot cup, despite the surprise of his warm thigh pressing against yours. He cocked his head, his eyes sparkling as he smiled gently at you.

“You know, you can just call me Noriyaki if you want…” your heart practically fluttered. You had always wondered why he went by his last name primarily. Maybe… was this an indication that he actually really liked you? That he trusted you? You took a sip of your drink before you grinned back at him, beginning to giggle as an idea crossed your mind.

“How aboooout… Nori?” He chuckled as he broke eye contact, bringing his cup to his lips.

“You know I don’t really like it when people call me that,” you froze as you stared down at your lap. Crap, maybe you shouldn’t have… You took a small sip of your drink to hide your embarrassed blush “But I think it sounds really sweet the way you say it.” He flashed a smile and winked at you, and dear god you almost choked on your coffee.

You continued your conversation from the walk over as you two finished your drinks. Eventually he asked about your current project, to which you excitedly began telling him about everything you had been working in over the past several days. He smiled at your enthusiasm as all of your nervousness slipped away and was replaced by passion for your craft. You weren’t scared about messing up or saying something you shouldn’t, you were just yourself.

When you had both finished the drinks, he piped up again.

“You know, if you’d like, there’s a garden around here I think you might really enjoy. It’s beautiful in wintertime…” you had expected him to just walk you home once you had finished up at the cafe, but your heart quickened at the opportunity to spend more time with him. “Not as beautiful as you,” WHY WAS HE SO STUPIDLY SMOOTH “but I think you’ll appreciate it nonetheless.”

You both bundled up once more as you exited the coffee shop. You gasped as you realised it had actually begun snowing while you two were chatting away. White flakes coated the ground in a fresh layer of soft snow as he led you along the path, towards the gates of a large park, and he had been right: it was magical. The fountain was perfectly frozen in arcs of ice, snowflakes gathered on the petals of pink peonies; the annual trees arrows firm but for the soft sway of the wind, Thor branches barren and skeletal, but nonetheless they contributes to the silent serenity of the scene. Kakyoin led you along a path lined with hydrangeas, towards wintry willow tree shading a carved wooden bench. He wiped the snow from the seat, graciously removing his dark green coat and spreading it across the surface so you wouldn’t get wet. You muttered thanks as you accepted the seat, and he sat down next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you close.

“Are you still cold?” You shook your head as you hesitantly leaned into his chest.

“Thanks to you, I’m actually pretty warm,” you giggled, before biting you lips. You dared to reach up to weave your fingers through his, where his hand rested protectively on your upper arm. “What  about you though?” you eyed his tight blue sweater he had been wearing underneath his jacket. “It’s freezing out here…” He chuckled as he pulled you closer.

“I suppose it is a bit cold, but thats why have you here to warm me up,” you held back a gasp as he hugged you tighter, his free hand lifting slowly to rest on your cheek as he turned your face to his. Your breath froze. He had never kissed you before, other than a soft parting peck on the cheek. But you always fantasised about what those soft lips might feel like on yours. He slowly leaned in. You were nervous as all hell, but your eyelids fluttered shut as he inches closer.

Suddenly, you felt a soft peck on your nose.

What?

You opened your eyes to see a soft smirk lighting his face. Your face flushed with embarrassment and frustration.

“Kak, I mean— Nori, I— what was that for?…” you looked away, mortified. He chuckled.

“Your nose is so cute and red, I just couldn’t resist.” He paused as he leaned over to whisper in your ear. “But if you want, I could try again…” chillbumps formed along your neck as you felt his hot breath against your skin. You nodded shyly as you realised he was waiting for a response. His thumb gently stroked your cheek as you looked back up as his. You couldn’t discern whether his face was flushed from the cold air and the falling snow, or whether he was actually a tad nervous as he bit the edge of his lip. You hesitantly brought your hand up to rest on his chest as he tilted your chin upwards. His half lidded eyes gazed down at you as he closed the gap.

Wow.

You hadn’t actually expected the kiss to feel this… electric. His lips barely brushed against yours, but nonetheless your heart nearly leapt out of your chest at the soft sensation. You could feel his own heart through his sweater, beating rapidly in time with yours. He pulled you closer as he kissed you the slightest bit harder, and you could swear you heard a moan rumbling through his chest. His hand slid down to your waist and your noses brushed together as he tried to hold back his enthusiasm.

Eventually, you had to pause to catch your breath, and you rested your forehead against his as you struggled to comprehend what had just happened. His heartbeat stiff hadn’t returned to normal.

After several moments of rest, you heard him clear his throat. His voice seemed somewhat shakier a bit more hesitant than usual confident self:

“Can we do it again?”

[drkandraz]

Why Hirohiko Araki Is a Great Writer

Note: add writing saying “I am only going to be addressing JoJo because 1) I have not read his older works, 2) His works before and including Phantom Blood lack what I am talking about here and 3)  I include JoJo spin-off manga under the “JoJo” moniker”

 As the man behind one of the most influential manga of all time, Hirohiko Araki is already a highly praised writer and artist. However, I believe what lies at the heart of Araki-sensei’s writing style is not explored often enough. What I think are the most important factors in the writing of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are the extremes to which the author takes his creative freedom and his skill in writing relationships between people.

Phantom Blood is the most conventional part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. It has a structure very similar to other shounen manga at the time: hero has a rivalry, rival becomes obscenely powerful, hero learns martial art to defeat rival, ally dies, other ally narrates, hero wins etc. Phantom Blood’s writing only succeeds in the outlandish concepts introduced throughout: vampires appearing as a consequence of mayan blood rituals with magical stone masks, vampires somehow sucking blood by introducing their fingers inside a human’s skin, the power of the sun channeled (or created) by breathing, medieval warrior zombies, people being cleft in half by chains… frog punching. What also comes out here is a hint of the strategic battles the series will come to be known for, with Dio’s defeat at the hands of a burning sword.

A lot of the quality of the writing comes in the relationship between Jonathan and Dio, two characters who could not be more polar opposites who supposedly die together. While Jonathan is a typical nice guy shounen protagonist, Dio is a somewhat complex villain; he is irredeemably evil, but not unjustifiably so.

The decision to change protagonists was in itself an unheard of prospect at the time, each part bringing its own atmosphere and self-contained storyline, facts which allow Araki-sensei to explore all of them at length.

In comparison, Battle Tendency goes completely off the rails. If Phantom Blood is a cautious dip into the water, then Battle Tendency is a cannonball jump right into the deep end. This is where JoJo starts going from typical shounen manga to a manga characterized by battles of wits and skill rather than of pure brawn; and this change is reflected in its protagonist. Where Jonathan was the perfect gentleman who would never face his enemy anything less than head-on, Joseph likes to screw with his opponents’ heads. To show this change in character, his first major fight is against an enemy comparable to Dio, who is taken out a lot more easily thanks to Joseph’s fighting style. The insanity present in Phantom Blood is taken up to 11: the vampires are mere distractions to the new Pillar Men, Nazis are turned into Cyborgs and Hamon now apparently works on bubbles.

The relationship built between Joseph and Caesar is perhaps the most natural growth displayed in the series until this point. Their friendship grows gradually and culminates not with perfect teamwork, but with a realistic ideological fight between the two, one that Joseph would come to regret for many years to come. Caesar’s death is one of the most natural and powerful scenes in manga history, from the desperate dedication he displays even in his final moments, to Wamuu’s respect for him and to Joseph’s desperate cry for his best friend.

Stardust Crusaders is the start of Araki-sensei’s complete creative control. Stands now allow him to explore any fun and interesting idea he has in battles and to make stands that fit with their characters. The change of the format from single story to monster of the week supports the author’s writing style of throwing ideas at the wall and expanding them to his heart’s content. However, the clunkiness of his inexperience with such creative control is obvious. He is obviously pressured to come up with cool designs and powers for the stands (some of which he will later forget). In the second half of Part 3, getting used to the concept of stands, he starts writing interesting and fun ideas for his battles, like the D’Arby Brothers and Vanilla Ice. The insanity is punctuated by the increasing number of musical references (from Captain Tennille to Oingo Boingo).

Sadly, the characters take a backseat for the duration of this Part. Except for certain minor moments between the Crusaders, the characters don’t really have arcs (except for perhaps Iggy and Polnareff). For this reason, Jotaro, Kakyoin and Avdol are often criticized for having little to no character, which is a fair point. Jotaro himself is more of a superpowered version of the most barebone characteristics of Sherlock Holmes.

Dio’s return recontextualizes Part One as a tragedy rather than a story of sacrifice for the greater good, as well as making Part Three more of a culmination of generations of fighting rather than another story about saving the world. Jotaro vs Dio is still one of the best battles in shounen history because of the weight behind every single action the characters take feeling like the climax of the story.

Diamond is Unbreakable, in contrast to its predecessor, is not in the least an epic story about cleansing evil. It is, for the most Part, a slice of life. Therefore, its stand users have abilities more suited to everyday life (Bad Company notwithstanding), or rather their own special needs. The town of Morioh truly feels like a real (albeit bizarre) place, with a community comprised of people with their own personal goals. The advantage of Part 4 in Araki-sensei’s writing style consists of the fact that the author is no longer chained by the needs of the lengthy story structure that plagued Part 3. He himself pointed out in an interview that he could always go back to continue Part 4 if he wanted to (I could not find the interview again, sorry. If you can find it or correct me, it would be most appreciated).

The character’s relationships in DiU are quite evidently better defined than in Part 3. The main crew of Part 4 is smaller and it never feels restrained to keep everyone around at every point in the story (like Part 3 was somewhat forced to). In this way, characterization and character relationships are better crafted within stories that emphasize only those characters and relationships. Jousuke is never forced to be the main character of an episode; rather, he only is when the story demands it, making for a much better experience. Of note are Koichi, whose growth is signaled within his stand’s abilities, Rohan, whose growth is exhibited throughout the series and within his spin-off series, Joseph, whose appearance is bittersweet to old fans, as the sneaky and crafty Joseph becomes senile and unable to do anything worthwhile and Kira, whose chillingly normal demeanor doesn’t betray his dark tendencies.

After Part 4’s gleeful atmosphere, Part 5 dives right back into the horror-inspired roots of JoJo. Giorno Giovanna, Dio’s son, is a far more dark and cunning figure than Jousuke. Indeed, Giorno and the rebellious cell of Passione he becomes part of are a reflexion of past characters painted in a new, more sinister light, fitting with the new Mafia theme. They are a family, led by Bruno Bucciarati just as the Part 4 gang was led by Jotaro, but because of their jobs, they live in a world almost completely devoid of the fun antics of DiU. However, their relationships are just as well developed: Abbachio and Giorno’s one-sided rivalry is resolved organically, Bucciarati and Giorno’s hatred of immorality is what binds them together and Fugo’s “betrayal” is completely in character for him etc. As a villain, Diavolo is well written insofar as we recognize that his main attribute is his megalomania and his relationship with Doppio is magnificently fucked up in the best way possible.

The fights in Part 5 are brutal bouts for survival. The enemy stand users are trained assassins who will stop at nothing to get their revenge on The Boss. What makes this change even more effective is their motive for chasing the gang, the murder of their “family members” at the hands of Diavolo. Therefore, each ability is more valuable than each of the ones in Stardust Crusaders, since there are just a lot less of them. Each stand is that much more developed and consistent in its use (with the exception of King Crimson, but I’m not going on that rant right now) On the other hand, the concepts introduced for them are just that much more insane: a turtle in which one can enter by putting a key in a hole in its back, a stand that dehydrates everything at long range, a stand that can put zippers on anything etc.

Part 6 is a much more plot focused arc. The whole part focuses on Jolyne’s search for her father’s memory and stand discs with the help of Stone Ocean’s gang of reluctant helpers. This gang feels less like a pseudo-family, more like a bunch of people chasing their own goals and helping each other along the way. This, by the end of the story, is what will bring their demise at the hands of Pucci, Dio’s best friend. Despite this, I can’t say they are not well-written characters. Foo Fighters’, Weather Report’s and Pucci’s characters and arcs particularly are very compelling.

Within this story driven part, the villain of the week format just does not fit anymore. This is why, despite their great ideas and executions, a lot of villains from Stone Ocean are made forgettable especially by the ending, which left almost no hope for a direct continuation to be made. In many ways, it can be said that one of Araki-sensei’s strong points eclipsed the other one completely.  The creative freedom which used to be a leading factor in why the series was so great was now taken to too many extremes (Looking at you, Heavy Weather and Bohemian Rhapsody) which detracted from the story more than they added.

On the other hand, the reboot Part 7 brought was exactly what JoJo needed, in my opinion. Now that stands had been grounded as more akin to abilities than the ghosts they were originally, there was no need to keep them as anything more than representations of the user’s skills. The bizarre nature of JoJo was also given almost complete freedom with the abolishment of continuity and concepts like stand arrows. Instead, Araki-sensei introduces pseudo-scientific and pseudo-philosophical concepts that fit in perfectly with JoJo. To explain the level of insanity, I will summarize the premise of SBR in one sentence: two men, one crippled and the other with the power of ball hamon, compete in a cross-country horse race in 1880s USA, while fighting dinosaurs and the president using powers granted by Jesus Christ. While the stand battles in the middle section are almost as forgettable as Part 6’s, it matters less because the most important aspect is the development of our two main characters.

The characterization in Part 7 is the best it’s ever been in JoJo. Johnny’s hopeful nihilism contrasts perfectly with Gyro’s playful jackassery. The main cast – now smaller than any that came before it – only consists of two characters (if we don’t include the very well written reccuring side characters). Every character gives a feeling of having their own agenda, while also each contributing to one side of the battle between Johnny and Gyro and President Valentine. Interestingly, Funny Valentine is probably right from an ideological stand point, which is an unexpected turn out from a mostly childish manga up to this point.

Part 8 brings Steel Ball Run’s ideological musings into the 21st century with a return to Morioh. Araki’s style has retained its mature edge, but shifted them into science-fiction territory. The characters retain the moral ambiguity found in Part 7. Jousuke would do anything for Yasuho, even torture somebody. Yet the familial aspect that had long been missing from JoJo returned in full force with the Higashikatas and their rival pseudo-family, the divided Rock Humans. This makes Joubin a perfect antagonist despite his seemingly underpowered ability.

The bizarre atmosphere of JoJo’s fourth part returns with the Shakedown Road and the Milagro Man arcs which have almost nothing to do with the overarching plot of the series, but enhance the sense of a world existing beyond the characters. The battles in JoJolion are realistic and brutal to the extent not even Vento Aureo was willing to go, despite the relative bizarreness of the enemies’ stands.

This is how Hirohiko Araki’s writing style changed over the years from simple and restrained to bold, philosophical, dark and bizarre. The overall mundanity of Hamon was slowly replaced by stands and other special abilities, allowing the author to indulge in outlandish ideas that complimented the intelligent, consistent and thoughtful structure of his battles. To conclude, I believe Hirohiko Araki is a great writer because of the balance between his strange, out there ideas and his calm and logical understanding of his concepts (with a few exceptions), combined with his ability for writing strong and believable arcs and relationships for characters.

Edit: If you want more details about the first four parts of JoJo, I wholeheartedly recommend Super Eyepatch Wolf’s videos on the subject, as he can go into much more detail in those.