“Was That A Jojo’s Reference?”
Anybody who is in tune with manga or anime has said this phrase at least once in their life. If you’ve never said it, you’ve at least heard others say it. Even if you don’t actually watch or read the melodramatic, theatrics that proudly displays itself in the whimsical series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. This anthology fantasy series truly is a one of a kind. It’s instantly recognisable. The story is a delightful meal made up of emotional moments, and some well executed story beats with twists. It has exquisite art and an instantly recognisable aesthetic that sprinkles in a delicious dash of ambitious lore. It may be campy and a tad cheesy at times; but the humour of it is delivered with quality, and built around embracing that campy energy. After all, what’s a pizza if it doesn’t have a bit of cheese with it?
Eyes of…Theatre?
If I were asked to explain to someone who had never heard of anime in their life, what this series is like; my answer would be to picture a bunch of theatre kids being really dramatic but full of unique energy and imagination; the kind of performers that you just can’t help but to watch and cheer for. Jojo’s is chock full of quirky characters and story beats. Everything inside of this story is just bursting at the seams with personality. Even the music is brilliantly composed to feel like its own character. The moment the soundtrack begins in an episode it feels as if it never stops. It has its own character growth and evolves accordingly with the plot as the episode plays out. The composition is simply marvellous to the point to where it even adds a sense of its own brand of humour. It can go from giving the slapstick brand an extra kick, to softening itself with an emotional scene to feel a strangely warm, embracing sense of loss or sorrow. You can’t help but feel just how fun in nature JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure really is. While it may not be a series for everybody at first, it shines in its ability to win people over when they give it a real chance. JoJo’s is very self aware, and excels at performing its brand of comedic relief and stylised action/drama. Both original sub, and the English dub are both brilliantly performed, and the art itself stands out and is truly a style of its own.
Lights! Camera! Sequels?
It’s commonplace in the entertainment industry for a production to under go changes, or reshoots, or spawn endless sequels. Sometimes they lead to a completely new story, with new characters. One fantastic element that JoJo’s has is the use of this concept. The story spans over the course of multiple generations within the Joestar family. Each part has a new set of exuberant characters. Some of which have cameo’s from former JoJo protagonists. These “sequels” all get revamped with a new storyline. A new place and time period; all set within the same universe. The same way a script rewrite or a production sequel would work. Every part has its own vibe to it, and therefore its own taste of uniqueness. It’s always fresh and new with each arc. With names like “Stardust Crusaders” or “Stone Ocean,” the series isn’t afraid to play with flashy ideas. Every JoJo has their own style, and even their own antagonists. Which makes it sort of an anthology in its own right. Which is something unique to anime.
Roll Credits
JoJo’s has won so many hearts within the anime/manga community and it’s very obvious as to why. It can be goofy and silly, but it also has its tense and heavily enticing moments. Not to mention how well the cast delivers in both versions. A series that can easily be overlooked for its brilliance; it deserves all of the credit its loyal and fun loving fanbase gives it. It’s a stand out performance in the medium, and the theatrics of it are easy to appreciate. It’s nothing short of pure fun, and deserves it’s place as one of the best in the business. It’s truly a top tier, one of a kind piece of art. A bizarre adventure, indeed.
The CineSquad 