JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Encyclopedia
is a manga
written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki
. Every main character's name in each part can be read as JoJo. The manga, published by Shueisha
, first ran in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
from 1987 to 2002, before being transferred to the seinen
magazine Ultra Jump
in 2004. The current story arc, JoJolion, started in 2011. It is currently Shueisha's second longest running manga series with 104 volumes and counting (only Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo
, with over 170 volumes, has more). It is the longest manga not to have a TV adaptation, although there are two OVAs and a feature film.
The third story arc of the manga, the most popular and well-known, was published in English by Viz Media
from 2005 to 2010. Originally published bimonthly, it was later reduced to a quarterly release.
The September 1, 2011 issue of the magazine Weekly Bunshun reported that a live-action film and multiple animated films based on the series are currently in development from different studios; stating that a "super-popular idol
" will star in the live-action film and that formal release dates for the projects aren't expected until Summer 2012, at the earliest. However, JoJos publisher Shueshia downplayed the report, saying "We don't know where that story came from, but nothing has been decided at this time."
Despite the series' title, no character is named "JoJo": it is a nickname derived by putting together the letters "J" and "O" from the protagonists' first and last names. Later installments have additional variations on JoJo wordplay. For example, in the name "Giorno", "Gio" can be pronounced "Jo"; and in the name "Josuke," the character representing "suke" can also be read as "Jo".
and anime
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. When first presented in Part 3, Joseph Joestar referred to it as a ; it could conjecturally be said to be a semi-physical manifestation of one's hamon (ripple) powers as seen in Part 1 and Part 2.
The exact requirements for a person to obtain a Stand are unclear, although the series hints that it can be linked to bloodline, rigorous spiritual/hamon training, and/or exceptionally strong willpower. However, a Stand may never manifest itself in one's life until it is amplified by certain conditions/factors. However, not everyone able to manifest a Stand has the ability to control it; despite her father Joseph Joestar
and her son Jotaro Kujo
being powerful Stand users, Holly Kujo, due to her lack of physical strength and resolve, is brought to the brink of death by her Stand, sapping away her lifeforce in an attempt to manifest itself.
One of the known and most commonly used amplifying factors is to pierce oneself with "Stand arrows" created from a mysterious meteorite. However, it is often a gamble, as it would easily kill an unqualified person, and there is no apparent way to know if a person is qualified ahead of time; the arrows do, however, tend to seek out qualified people on their own if there is someone to guide them. Another amplifying condition is done by simply being around powerful Stand users, such as the case of Trisha Una's Spice Girl from Part 5, Vento Aureo. A qualified existing Stand user may also have their Stand "upgraded" by piercing the arrow through the Stand—this results in the Stand becoming a "Requiem" form of its previous self. However, this is also a gamble, as an unqualified Stand user may render their new Stand uncontrollable, and he or she may actually kill himself or herself in the process.
Enrico Pucci
of Part 6, Stone Ocean
, was able to produce artificial Stand users with his Stand, Whitesnake, by stealing others' Stands and "inserting" them into regular people. It is unclear as to whether or not these artificial Stand users were capable of having Stands of their own, but Enrico does claim that only certain individuals are qualified to have Stands inserted. It is still unclear for the condition that one person can possess two Stands. In Golden Wind there are examples of a single person possessing two Stands because of the ability of an extraordinary Stand.
In Part 7, Steel Ball Run
, a third surging factor is introduced by fusing parts of oneself with "The Saint's" body parts. However, Stands generated by this factor disappear as soon as the body parts defuse from one another. Both Johnny Joestar and Diego Brando "appeared to keep their Stands even after losing the body parts they possessed". In actuality Diego Brando kept the left eye to use his "turning anything to a dinosaur in any shape he liked" stand, and Johnathan Joestar kept his abilities "tusk" due to the fact that Hot Pants left a vertebrae of the "saint" inside of him.
in the 19th century. The main protagonist is Jonathan Joestar
.Part 2:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volumes 5 to 12. Begins in New York City
, moves briefly to Mexico
, then to Italy
, and finally it ends in Switzerland
, during the year 1938. The main protagonist is Joseph Joestar
, grandson of Jonathan Joestar.Part 3:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volumes 12 to 28. Begins in Japan and involves the main characters traveling across Asia
to Egypt
. Takes place in the year 1989. The main protagonist is Jotaro Kujo
, grandson of Joseph Joestar.Part 4:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volumes 29 to 47. Takes place in the fictional Japanese town of Moriō in the year 1999. The main protagonist is Josuke Higashikata
, illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar.Part 5:
Le Bizzarre Avventure di GioGio volumes 47 to 63. Takes place in Italy
in the year 2001. The main protagonist is Giorno Giovana, son of villain Dio Brando
.Part 6:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6 Stone Ocean volumes 1 (64) to 17 (80). Takes place in Florida
from 2011 to 2012. The main protagonist is Jolyne Kujo
, daughter of Jotaro Kujo.Part 7:
Steel Ball Run volumes 1 (81) to 24 (104). Begins in San Diego, California
and involves the main characters traveling across the United States to New York
. Takes place in the years 1890 and 1891, in an alternate timeline from the previous parts. The main protagonists are Johnny Joestar
and Gyro Zeppeli
.Part 8:
adaptations based on the Stardust Crusaders story arc was produced by Studio A.P.P.P. The original six-episode series was released in 1993, which begins during the middle of the original arc. A seven-episode prequel
series was released in 2001, adapting the beginning of the story arc.
Super Techno Arts produced an English adaptation of both, the original series and the prequel series, releasing all thirteen episodes as a six-volume DVD series between 2003 and 2005, with the episodes ordered by its fictional chronology. Due to legal reasons, names which referenced certain bands or singers had to be changed in the English translation.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, a feature film adaptation of the original story arc of the manga, was released theatrically on February 17, 2007 in Japan. The film was produced to commemorate 25th anniversary of creator Hirohiko Araki's career as a manga artist. The theme song was "Voodoo Kingdom", a single by the group Soul'd Out
. This film has yet to be released on any form of home video.
In April 2011, it was announced that Nisio Isin
, Kouhei Kadono
and Ōtarō Maijō
are each writing novel adaptations of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in celebration of the series 25th anniversary.
Several video games have been adapted from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The first was an RPG, based on the third story, which was released in 1993 for the Super Famicom
. Later, two fighting game
s for the arcade
were also adapted from the third arc by Capcom
, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (released as JoJo's Venture in the west) and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future, both in 1999 for arcade. The arcade games were ported to PlayStation
and Dreamcast. The fighting games were the first piece of JoJo related media released in North America
, exposing the characters to many western players. A third Capcom game was based on Part 5, titled GioGio no Kimyō na Bōken: Ōgon no Kaze and released for the PlayStation 2
in 2002. This game was scheduled for release in Europe
as GioGio's Bizarre Adventure, but this did not come through because of the heavy references to band names, and Araki is unwilling to compromise in the change of names to avoid lawsuits. Capcom originally intended to release the game in the United States, even showing a playable version at the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo, but no further plans or official release date has been announced since then.
A new game by Bandai
, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, was released on October 26, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. The story is based on the first arc and features action/adventure gameplay, similar to Golden Whirlwind. Araki has personally checked the quality of the game and its faithfulness to the original. The release of the game coincides with the release of the new movie and the 25th anniversary of Araki Hirohiko's manga career. The game itself includes a bonus disc celebrating 20 years of the JoJo franchise.
Before the first JoJo's Bizarre Adventure game was released, Bandai released a Shōnen Jump crossover adventure game titled Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden
in 1989. Joseph Joestar from the second arc is one of the playable characters, while Santana and Speedwagon made cameo appearances. Its sequel Famicom Jump II: The Strongest Seven, released in 1991, features Jotaro as a selectable character. Joseph, Avdol, Kakyoin, and Polnareff also appears in this game. Both games were available on the Nintendo Famicom
.
Characters from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure were also featured in the Weekly Shōnen Jump
crossover
game Jump Superstars and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars
, including Jotaro Kujo and Dio Brando as playable characters.
and Studio A.P.P.P halted shipments of JoJo after a complaint had been launched against them because the series depicted the Qur'an as a book related to cold-blooded execution. A scene in the anime adaptation depicted the main villain, Dio Brando, reading the Qur'an
, which was construed as an insult. While the manga did not feature such a scene, Viz Media and Shueisha ceased publication of the English language edition of the series for a year in 2008. Viz resumed publication a year later, with the eleventh volume being published on April 7, 2009.
Video game websites
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki
Hirohiko Araki
is a Japanese manga artist. He left school before graduating from Miyagi University of Education.Araki is best known for his long running series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, published in Weekly Shōnen Jump starting in 1987. The story is full of references to Western music and Italy, both of which...
. Every main character's name in each part can be read as JoJo. The manga, published by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
, first ran in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
from 1987 to 2002, before being transferred to the seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
magazine Ultra Jump
Ultra Jump
is a Japanese monthly seinen manga magazine published by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. Originally, the magazine was a special issue of Weekly Young Jump which first issued in 1995. On October 19 of 1999, the special issue became the new monthly publication Ultra Jump...
in 2004. The current story arc, JoJolion, started in 2011. It is currently Shueisha's second longest running manga series with 104 volumes and counting (only Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo
Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo
, full title , is a long-running comedy manga by Osamu Akimoto. It has been continuously serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since September 1976, with over 1700 chapters published, making it the longest-running manga series in history...
, with over 170 volumes, has more). It is the longest manga not to have a TV adaptation, although there are two OVAs and a feature film.
The third story arc of the manga, the most popular and well-known, was published in English by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
from 2005 to 2010. Originally published bimonthly, it was later reduced to a quarterly release.
The September 1, 2011 issue of the magazine Weekly Bunshun reported that a live-action film and multiple animated films based on the series are currently in development from different studios; stating that a "super-popular idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
" will star in the live-action film and that formal release dates for the projects aren't expected until Summer 2012, at the earliest. However, JoJos publisher Shueshia downplayed the report, saying "We don't know where that story came from, but nothing has been decided at this time."
Plot
The story of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure centers around the misadventures of the Joestars, a powerful family with English roots; most of its members attract the most particular trials and tribulations when confronting their enemies. Each member of the bloodline has a star shaped birthmark above their left shoulder blade – Dio, the nemesis of the Joestar family and his descendants have this distinguishable mark also, as a result from Dio's 'theft' of Jonathan Joestar's body and inheriting the Joestar genes as well. The series spans several generations, with each part featuring a descendent of the Joestars as the main protagonist along with a large cast of characters.Despite the series' title, no character is named "JoJo": it is a nickname derived by putting together the letters "J" and "O" from the protagonists' first and last names. Later installments have additional variations on JoJo wordplay. For example, in the name "Giorno", "Gio" can be pronounced "Jo"; and in the name "Josuke," the character representing "suke" can also be read as "Jo".
Stand powers
A "Stand" (スタンド sutando) is a supernatural power in the mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. When first presented in Part 3, Joseph Joestar referred to it as a ; it could conjecturally be said to be a semi-physical manifestation of one's hamon (ripple) powers as seen in Part 1 and Part 2.
The exact requirements for a person to obtain a Stand are unclear, although the series hints that it can be linked to bloodline, rigorous spiritual/hamon training, and/or exceptionally strong willpower. However, a Stand may never manifest itself in one's life until it is amplified by certain conditions/factors. However, not everyone able to manifest a Stand has the ability to control it; despite her father Joseph Joestar
Joseph Joestar
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph is the main hero of Part 2, and also plays a significant role in Part 3 & 4. In his younger days, he had black hair and muscular build, but in his older age, he wears a hat and sports a yellow shirt and khaki pants...
and her son Jotaro Kujo
Jotaro Kujo
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga series, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and the protagonist of Part 3. He has a recognizable attire of a blue trenchcoat-length school uniform jacket with yellow chains on the collar....
being powerful Stand users, Holly Kujo, due to her lack of physical strength and resolve, is brought to the brink of death by her Stand, sapping away her lifeforce in an attempt to manifest itself.
One of the known and most commonly used amplifying factors is to pierce oneself with "Stand arrows" created from a mysterious meteorite. However, it is often a gamble, as it would easily kill an unqualified person, and there is no apparent way to know if a person is qualified ahead of time; the arrows do, however, tend to seek out qualified people on their own if there is someone to guide them. Another amplifying condition is done by simply being around powerful Stand users, such as the case of Trisha Una's Spice Girl from Part 5, Vento Aureo. A qualified existing Stand user may also have their Stand "upgraded" by piercing the arrow through the Stand—this results in the Stand becoming a "Requiem" form of its previous self. However, this is also a gamble, as an unqualified Stand user may render their new Stand uncontrollable, and he or she may actually kill himself or herself in the process.
Enrico Pucci
Enrico Pucci
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Pucci is the main antagonist of Part 6.-Story:Pucci grew up with a secluded upbringing. His twin brother, Domenico, supposedly died in his youth due to illness. The disfigurement of a foot haunted his life, producing a...
of Part 6, Stone Ocean
Stone Ocean
, initially referred to as , is the sixth story arc in the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It was published in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 2000 to 2003 and was collected in Vol. 64 to 80 of the Jump Comics edition of the tankōbon.- Plot :...
, was able to produce artificial Stand users with his Stand, Whitesnake, by stealing others' Stands and "inserting" them into regular people. It is unclear as to whether or not these artificial Stand users were capable of having Stands of their own, but Enrico does claim that only certain individuals are qualified to have Stands inserted. It is still unclear for the condition that one person can possess two Stands. In Golden Wind there are examples of a single person possessing two Stands because of the ability of an extraordinary Stand.
In Part 7, Steel Ball Run
Steel Ball Run
is a seinen manga series by Hirohiko Araki. Originally presented as an unrelated story, this series was officially declared a part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure storyline. The series stars Gyro Zeppeli, who uses a set of steel balls that spin incredibly fast, and Johnny Joestar, a former hot-shot...
, a third surging factor is introduced by fusing parts of oneself with "The Saint's" body parts. However, Stands generated by this factor disappear as soon as the body parts defuse from one another. Both Johnny Joestar and Diego Brando "appeared to keep their Stands even after losing the body parts they possessed". In actuality Diego Brando kept the left eye to use his "turning anything to a dinosaur in any shape he liked" stand, and Johnathan Joestar kept his abilities "tusk" due to the fact that Hot Pants left a vertebrae of the "saint" inside of him.
Manga
There have been seven parts to the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure saga, each featuring a descendent of the Joestars/Kujos as the main protagonist along with a large cast of characters.- Part 1:
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the 19th century. The main protagonist is Jonathan Joestar
Jonathan Joestar
is a fictional character and the protagonist and hero of part one of the manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the son of the wealthy George Joestar. He is an honest, kind and positive young man whose life is fraught with tragedy.-Early life:...
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, moves briefly to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, then to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and finally it ends in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, during the year 1938. The main protagonist is Joseph Joestar
Joseph Joestar
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph is the main hero of Part 2, and also plays a significant role in Part 3 & 4. In his younger days, he had black hair and muscular build, but in his older age, he wears a hat and sports a yellow shirt and khaki pants...
, grandson of Jonathan Joestar.
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Takes place in the year 1989. The main protagonist is Jotaro Kujo
Jotaro Kujo
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga series, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and the protagonist of Part 3. He has a recognizable attire of a blue trenchcoat-length school uniform jacket with yellow chains on the collar....
, grandson of Joseph Joestar.
Josuke Higashikata
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Josuke is the main hero of Series 4. He begins the series as a new freshman in the town of Morioh...
, illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the year 2001. The main protagonist is Giorno Giovana, son of villain Dio Brando
Dio Brando
is a fictional character from the manga and anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the primary antagonist of Parts 1 and 3, although he is also considered to be the main villain of the entire series, as his actions affect the JoJo universe long after his death...
.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
from 2011 to 2012. The main protagonist is Jolyne Kujo
Jolyne Kujo
is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Jolyne is the main heroine of Series 6. She is the daughter of the third arc's hero, Jotaro Kujo, and is the only female "JoJo" to date.-Story:...
, daughter of Jotaro Kujo.
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and involves the main characters traveling across the United States to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Takes place in the years 1890 and 1891, in an alternate timeline from the previous parts. The main protagonists are Johnny Joestar
Johnny Joestar
, birth name , is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In Steel Ball Run's alternate universe version of the world, he takes the place of Jonathan Joestar. He is a paraplegic, and is usually seen wearing a hat with a horse shoe decoration on the front...
and Gyro Zeppeli
Gyro Zeppeli
, birth name , is a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. In Steel Ball Run's alternate universe version of the world, he most likely takes the place of Will A. Zeppeli, Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli or another previously unseen member of the Zeppeli family...
.
- Once again takes place in the fictional Japanese town of Moriō, this time after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiThe 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
, in the same alternate timeline as Part 7. The main protagonists are Yoshikage Kira, who shares the same name as Part 4's antagonist, and Yasuho Hirose.
Anime
Two OVAOriginal video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
adaptations based on the Stardust Crusaders story arc was produced by Studio A.P.P.P. The original six-episode series was released in 1993, which begins during the middle of the original arc. A seven-episode prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
series was released in 2001, adapting the beginning of the story arc.
Super Techno Arts produced an English adaptation of both, the original series and the prequel series, releasing all thirteen episodes as a six-volume DVD series between 2003 and 2005, with the episodes ordered by its fictional chronology. Due to legal reasons, names which referenced certain bands or singers had to be changed in the English translation.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, a feature film adaptation of the original story arc of the manga, was released theatrically on February 17, 2007 in Japan. The film was produced to commemorate 25th anniversary of creator Hirohiko Araki's career as a manga artist. The theme song was "Voodoo Kingdom", a single by the group Soul'd Out
SOUL'd OUT
Soul'd Out is a Japanese hip-hop band that consists of three members: Diggy-MO' , Bro.Hi , and Shinnosuke . Their name is a pun of "soul " and "sold out"...
. This film has yet to be released on any form of home video.
Novels
In 2000, it was announced that Otsuichi would be writing a novel based on Part 4. The novel proved difficult to complete; in Kono Mystery ga Sugoi 2004, Otsuichi claimed to have written over 2000 pages, but thrown them all out. Intent on writing a novel that lived up to the manga, it took him until 2007 to complete The Book: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 4th Another Day.In April 2011, it was announced that Nisio Isin
Nisio Isin
, frequently written as NisiOisiN to emphasize that his pen name is a palindrome, is a Japanese novelist and manga writer. He attended and left Ritsumeikan University without graduating. In 2002, he debuted with the novel , which earned him the 23rd Mephisto Award at twenty years of age...
, Kouhei Kadono
Kouhei Kadono
is a Japanese author, best known for the Boogiepop series, which has also been adapted as a live action movie, two manga and an anime.- Biography :Born December 12, 1968, he graduated from Hosei University...
and Ōtarō Maijō
Otaro Maijo
is a Japanese novelist from Fukui Prefecture. Winner of the 19th Mephisto Award for Smoke, Soil, and Sacrifices, and the 16th Yukio Mishima award for Ashura Girl...
are each writing novel adaptations of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in celebration of the series 25th anniversary.
Video games
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. Later, two fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s for the arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
were also adapted from the third arc by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (released as JoJo's Venture in the west) and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future, both in 1999 for arcade. The arcade games were ported to PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Dreamcast. The fighting games were the first piece of JoJo related media released in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, exposing the characters to many western players. A third Capcom game was based on Part 5, titled GioGio no Kimyō na Bōken: Ōgon no Kaze and released for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in 2002. This game was scheduled for release in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as GioGio's Bizarre Adventure, but this did not come through because of the heavy references to band names, and Araki is unwilling to compromise in the change of names to avoid lawsuits. Capcom originally intended to release the game in the United States, even showing a playable version at the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo, but no further plans or official release date has been announced since then.
A new game by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, was released on October 26, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. The story is based on the first arc and features action/adventure gameplay, similar to Golden Whirlwind. Araki has personally checked the quality of the game and its faithfulness to the original. The release of the game coincides with the release of the new movie and the 25th anniversary of Araki Hirohiko's manga career. The game itself includes a bonus disc celebrating 20 years of the JoJo franchise.
Before the first JoJo's Bizarre Adventure game was released, Bandai released a Shōnen Jump crossover adventure game titled Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden
Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden
is a 1988 console role playing game for the Family Computer published by Bandai. The game commemorates the 20th anniversary of Shueisha's manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump....
in 1989. Joseph Joestar from the second arc is one of the playable characters, while Santana and Speedwagon made cameo appearances. Its sequel Famicom Jump II: The Strongest Seven, released in 1991, features Jotaro as a selectable character. Joseph, Avdol, Kakyoin, and Polnareff also appears in this game. Both games were available on the Nintendo Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
.
Characters from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure were also featured in the Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
game Jump Superstars and its sequel Jump Ultimate Stars
Jump Ultimate Stars
is a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...
, including Jotaro Kujo and Dio Brando as playable characters.
Controversy
In May 2008, both ShueishaShueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
and Studio A.P.P.P halted shipments of JoJo after a complaint had been launched against them because the series depicted the Qur'an as a book related to cold-blooded execution. A scene in the anime adaptation depicted the main villain, Dio Brando, reading the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, which was construed as an insult. While the manga did not feature such a scene, Viz Media and Shueisha ceased publication of the English language edition of the series for a year in 2008. Viz resumed publication a year later, with the eleventh volume being published on April 7, 2009.
External links
- Official website
- Official Viz Media JoJo's Bizarre Adventure webpage
- The World of JoJo Flash movie presentations that quickly summarize each arc in JoJo.
- Evidence of JoJos spelling errors
- The JoJo FAQ, with plot and character summaries
Video game websites
- JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken by Capcom
- JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken: Mirai no Isan by Capcom
- GioGio no Kimyō na Bōken: Ōgon no Kaze by Capcom
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood by Bandai
- Jump Superstars by Nintendo