Josh had just watched Code Geass this week. He was a big fan of Wes' anime, so when he heard Wes was coming out of retirement to make a new series, he was thrilled. After watching the teaser and the first two episodes released by Evermark, he felt Wes' animation hadn't disappointed. But what really surprised him was the story. It came from this year's Liora Award winner, known for redefining the magical girl genre with Madoka Magica.
Josh had heard a lot about that series, but he'd never watched it. It had always been on his list, but something else always came up. After watching Code Geass, he figured the writer might have more great stories to tell. He asked around online for recommendations, and many people suggested starting with Mizushiro's classic, Rurouni Kenshin. Since it was only one volume, they said it was a perfect introduction to the mangaka's storytelling.
Summer vacation had just started, and Josh decided to spend the first week catching up on shows before his volunteer work began. He picked up Rurouni Kenshin, and after finishing it, his first thought was: It was love, written in sorrow.
The problem was, he couldn't move on. His plan to binge through a backlog of anime and manga came to a halt. Tomoe stayed with him all day, and even into the next. Eventually, he had to ask for more recommendations to shake off the lingering weight.
One community member replied:
"If you've read Rurouni Kenshin, first off, props. But honestly, who recommends Kenshin as a starting point? That's like dessert. You're supposed to enjoy it after the main course. Don't worry, though. I think you'll like Fullmetal Alchemist and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. And if you're more into anime and want that heavy, lingering feeling again, try Anohana or 5cm/s. Both are his works, by the way."
Josh replied:
"Oh, I'm more of an anime guy, but I read manga too. What order should I go in? I just want to get out of this heavy feeling after Kenshin."
The commenter responded:
"Understandable. Most people feel the same. In that case, start with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It was his first time writing something light, and I think the art style is pretty unique. A lot of people don't like it at first, but once they stick with it, they end up loving it. It's completely different from what the current market is putting out. The author is known for working outside of trends. Before JoJo, he did Initial D and Natsume's Friends. Most fans prefer JoJo because it mixes comedy with serious moments, while Initial D is more about adrenaline and tension. It's a racing manga. But still, give Initial D a shot when you're in the mood for something exciting. The anime's final season comes out next year, and the OST is a banger. It even won the Liora Award for Best OST."
Josh thanked them, and soon after, dove into JoJo.
He considered himself more of a drama fan, but he needed a break. JoJo hooked him right away. From the moment Dio stepped out of the carriage in Part 1, he was pulled in. At first, the art style felt out of place, especially compared to most modern series. It was completely different, but he started to like it. It stood out. It felt different in a good way.
It wasn't what he expected. Like the commenter said, it didn't have enough comedy to be called a comedic work, but it had quirky moments and plenty of bizarre scenes. Still, he kept reading. Even though he loved serious stories, he found himself enjoying JoJo anyway. By Part 2, he finally understood what people meant about the humor.
He laughed during the scene when the Pillar Men introduced themselves.
"Acidic Wamuu and Kars? Aren't these band names?"
Curious, he opened a new tab and searched: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure band references.
One of the first results was a clip from Mizushiro's comic convention panel. A fan had asked the same question, and Mizushiro confirmed: yes, many characters were named after real-life bands he liked.
Josh still listened to those bands. They were old, but he liked '80s rock mixed with jazz. He was a classic guy at heart. As he read the chapter, he started listening to all the bands mentioned in Part 2 while catching up with the story. Seeing names from his favorite bands pop up in the manga made him enjoy it even more. It felt like the author was speaking directly to fans like him, leaving little musical easter eggs as a personal nod.
Today happened to be the release of the final chapter of JoJo Part 2. Since Part 2 had directly followed Part 1, Josh assumed Part 3 would begin serialization immediately after.
Excited, he opened Echo Shroud's website. He had a subscription, so he logged in and clicked the latest issue. He immediately scrolled down and opened JoJo.
The story picked up right where it left off.
As everyone stood around Joseph's grave, Speedwagon, Erina, Elizabeth (Lisa Lisa), they all mourned him.
Seeing this, Josh thought, Now Joseph will come out for sure.
A red car entered the cemetery. Joseph stepped out and crept behind his grandmother, placing his hands over her eyes.
"Guess who?"
Everyone turned toward the voice. Joseph was standing there, alive. He explained why he hadn't arrived home earlier, while the bodyguards tried to push him away, calling him an idiot. Joseph beat them back, calling them idiots.
Everyone slowly came out of shock.
"JoJo is alive!"
Joseph just shrugged. "What's with all the surprise? It's like you've seen a ghost!" Then he looked at the tombstone where his own name was carved.
Suzie Q appeared, scolding him for standing in the rain while he was still recovering. She handed him an umbrella, and people noticed the ring on his finger.
"You don't know about my wife either?" Joseph said.
Again, everyone was surprised. Joseph explained what had happened after he sent Kars into space. He had escaped and spent two weeks recovering in Venice. Turning to Suzie Q, he asked, "You sent a telegram, right?"
Her blank expression said otherwise. Joseph raised his new mechanical arm, making metallic noises. Suzie Q panicked. "Let's not get all clinky now!" She suddenly remembered she had forgotten to send it and ran away. Joseph chased after her, shouting.
Later, Elizabeth revealed to everyone that she was Joseph's mother. After that, the story briefly showed what the rest of the cast had been doing before the timeline jumped forward.
New York Airport, 1987.
An old man was walking when a suitcase struck his leg. He clutched his knee, scolding the person to watch where they were going. The old man agreed, but when he looked up, the traveler was Japanese. The old man suddenly attacked with his knee.
Watching this, Josh thought: Yes, that's definitely Joseph.
Joseph himself was heading to Japan, eyes watering. "My only daughter married a Japanese man over twenty years ago. Why did she have to live on the other side of the world? I haven't even seen my grandson's face…" He wiped his tears as the plane left the USA.
The chapter ended with: To Be Continued.
Josh was worried for a moment. He had grown attached to Joseph, and if the story moved on without him, it would be disappointing. Joseph was such an interesting character that replacing him with a less compelling lead or, worse, a carbon copy just wouldn't work. But now, seeing Joseph old yet traveling to meet his grandson, Josh felt relieved. At least Joseph would remain a secondary character.
He opened the next chapter.
The front page showed a bulky man, JoJo, in a large overcoat with a T-shirt and pants underneath. A giant golden chain hung from the coat. The title read: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders.
Josh turned the page.
On a fishing boat, fishermen pulled up a coffin. Thinking they had found treasure, they cheered until the panel revealed the name engraved on it: DIO.
Josh's heart raced. "Oh, Dio is back, baby, let's go!" He knew Dio was the villain, but there was something about him that Josh couldn't help but like. He was almost certain Dio would be the main antagonist again or maybe even team up with the Joestars. Still, he was 90% sure Dio was the main villain.
News soon came out: three fishermen had gone missing after opening the coffin.
Next scene: a policeman described, "Jotaro Kujo, 17 years old, 195 cm tall," to a Western-looking woman.
"Yes, Jotaro is my son," she said. She looked just like Suzie Q.
The policeman continued explaining how many people Jotaro had hospitalized, not killed but beaten so badly they ended up in the hospital. The woman covered her ears, shaking her head. "No, I don't want to hear it."
The police led her to the underground cell. As she rushed forward, she shouted, "Jotaro!" imagining him in different moments, playing ball with her or standing tall at his graduation.
From inside the cell came a harsh voice:
"Shut the hell up. You're so damn annoying, you bitch."
The woman froze. "Okay…"
Josh chuckled. She was definitely Suzie Q's daughter. But if she had Joseph's personality, watching her deal with Jotaro would be interesting. The idea of a female Joseph made him smile.
The woman insisted to the police, "Jotaro is a sweet child."
Inside the cell, Jotaro told her, "Mom, go home. I'll stay here a while. I'm possessed by an evil spirit."
One of the cellmates backed him up, warning the officers he was telling the truth. Jotaro lounged inside, chugging a beer and reading Weekly Echo Shroud magazine.
The police were stunned. "How did he get that in there?"
Jotaro proved his claim about being possessed by an evil spirit. He approached the bars, extended his hand, and suddenly another hand emerged from his body. It grabbed a policeman's gun, pulled it through the bars, and aimed it at Jotaro's head. Then he pulled the trigger.
The same mysterious hand caught the bullet midair.
To Be Continued.
Josh thought, A new evolved power system? The cliffhanger gnawed at him. His fear that Jotaro might not be interesting vanished instantly. This was one hell of a way to introduce a new character and a new power.
Closing his computer, Josh finally went to sleep.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)