JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - General Discussion

[Lantern7]

Caught the first episode of "Battle Tendency" again. I think it took quite a while for news of Speedwagon's death to get to the Joestars, if Smokey's hair is any indication. Or did he have the Padawn braid when he lifted Joseph's wallet? I forgot to check.

Strazio-as-main villain works for me, since Dio's schtick was anti-Harmon, to the point where it was an option for him to lop his own damn head off as he was plummeting to Earth. Strazio has both sets of powers. At least JJ2 knows that rapid gunfire alone won't cut it. And I liked Smokey's reaction. "He had a tommy gun?!? Why would he have a tommy gun?!???"

[Sandman87]

1 hour ago, Lantern7 said:

Strazio-as-main villain works for me, since Dio's schtick was anti-Harmon, to the point where it was an option for him to lop his own damn head off as he was plummeting to Earth. Strazio has both sets of powers.

Maybe the next bad guy is going to have three sets of powers. That would be the logical progression.

[Lantern7]

Okay. So Strazio basically goes on a suicide run, kidnaps a girl reporter, and winds up burning to a crisp . . . but not before delivering a warning to Jojo. And Speedwagon didn't die after all, but now he's a captive of Nazis. And they know about the Pillar Man, the guy in the tree, which is a pretty lame name. To make for it . . . over-the-top violence, multiple grenades exploding, Joseph reading dialogue a few pages in advance, and Strazio ripping one of the girl reporter's teeth out. Also, here are the credits. They're subbed, with the full song played (and translated) afterward:

[Terrafamilia]

Ach! Speedwagon still lives! Yet another horror for which we can blame the Nazis! At least they kept him in a straitjacket.

The head Nazi gives a lesson in Nazi eugenics!

Straizo runs around without pants! Because he can!

Joseph vogues at Straizo and declares he has no interest in women!

This was an especially goofy episode, complete with an anti-ripple beetle scarf.

[lathspel]

I admit this was the first show back after the break that I watched, just to see if the full speed zaniness would continue - and man, did it ever.  

Still liking that new JoJo is so far ahead of his opponent mentally.  And it's good that he doesn't have to learn Harmon from scratch.  

[Matt K]

I have to say at first I did not like the show.  Having such "humorous" named characters (e.g. REO) but at the same time a dead serious story did not work for me.  That said, I figured I'd check out the next arc (since I'm watching some the shows before and after) and I actually liked it.  JoJo 2 I feel is a better character for the "humorous" elements of the show.  His cocky attitude and crazier stunts help a lot(loved his "now I'm running away" line.    The fact that this arc is not as serious as the previous (no one's killed his dog or sexually assaulted his fiance) helps.  So I guess I'll be sticking with it for the time being.

[Sandman87]

The opening theme that they're using now sounds like the opening for a James Bond movie, maybe something by Duran Duran. I wonder if that was deliberate.

Straizo gouges bullets out of his flesh, hard enough to deform them. Ouch.

Funny how the bystanders are screaming and terrified, but don't run away from the scary guys with the bullets and explosions and stuff.

Now we know how it is that vampires have laser eyes; "high pressure essence."

From the sound of it "Granny" Erina and Speedwagon have told Jojo II all about how harmon works and how vampires work. Actual communication! Rarer than unicorn feathers in anime.

Straizo gives new meaning to the phrase "making one's flesh crawl." His flesh literally crawls!

They telegraphed the "secret weapon" joke from a mile away, but it was still funny. Probably because Jojo II spent so much time setting it up.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, an announcer reels off Straizo's vital statistics. Huh?

Usually the first woman in an anime to slap or punch the male protagonist becomes his girlfriend, so it looks like Jojo will be seeing a lot more of that reporter.

I was expecting Jojo to grab the end of the scarf and use it to conduct harmon at Straizo.

Major von Stroheim needs to decide what kind of accent he's going to use and stick with it. The Greman-French-Italian-Russian thing he has going doesn't work for him. And he should take it easy on the bug spray before he makes himself sick.

Wait, Major Bug Spray is wearing SS (a branch of the Nazi party, completely outside the regular military) insignia, but he says the Wehrmacht (the regular military) wants information from Speedwagon? That's odd.

[Lantern7]

"Give my regards to Speedwagon . . . IN HELL!!!!!!" Dude, that is harsh.

[Terrafamilia]

The Pillar Man has a vampire for breakfast! Then he does his best Eugene Tooms impression and ends up having a Nazi for second breakfast, after squeezing himself inside the Nazi!

The Nazi technicians not only develop the security camera film, they take the time to edit together a reel from several different cameras. Including one from inside an air vent!

When a Nazi redshirt is ordered to get away from the air vent immediately what does he do? Right. He sticks his face right up to the vent! No wonder they lost the war.

JoJo is secure enough in his masculinitiness to get right into drag. But he's not very good at it. Even Nazi pervs aren't fooled. Practice, Jojo, practice!

[Lantern7]

How does one say "What the fuck???!???!!?" in German? Damn, this anime gives zero fucks in general. Violence, indecency towards women, general physics, etc. Also, Jojo in the least-convincing drag ever. Nazis aren't that stupid.

[Matt K]

So I enjoyed the episode.  I'm just glad the show has now fully embraced it's campiness. 

[Lantern7]

It's always embraced the camp. Remember the first episode, where Dio snogged Irina, and his buddies did everything short of high-fiving each other in celebration?

[Sandman87]

Jojo in Mexico. No sign of his little thief friend, but maybe the kid didn't want anyone to see him wearing one of those dorky motorcycle helmets. The question remains: Who's going to act as Jojo's Greek chorus?

Sneaky German guy ambushes Jojo, but falls for the old exploding cactus trick. Turns out that cacti are "fabulous conductors of harmon." All those little needles have got to hurt, especially the ones that ended up in his tongue. No explanation of why he had his tongue hanging out, although it is rather impressive that he was able to enunciate perfectly while making like Gene Simmons.

"Turns out he (Speedwagon) was safe all along." Yeah, if you call being interrogated in a German vampire research facility by a Major who can't decide whether he's SS or regular military "safe."

Oh, now I see who the Greek chorus will be. Random Germans bad guys, that's who. The guy in the pillar breaks loose, and Major von Stroheim dubs him San-(something or other). Pillar Man will do for now, I guess.

The Major lets a vampire loose with Pillar Man, who promptly eats it. He's a Cruznik! He then strikes a few poses and flexes his biceps, which appear to weigh roughly 80 pounds each.

Jojo in drag vs. the perverted German guards. He's the second least-convincing transvestite I've ever seen. One wonders where a giant muscular dude like Jojo found a dress that fits him perfectly. Turns out that guards are no match for Jojo's coconuts. Also, one of them has a case of tongue-hanging-out, just like the previous guy. Maybe it's genetic, like with some breeds of dogs.

Pillar Man escapes from the test chamber by squeezing through the 2" wide ventilation grill, gets to the control room, and climbs inside a guard who is completely incapable of following orders. Then he finger-bangs (tm South Park) one of the guards. Turns out that shooting him is just a way of giving him ammunition

Jojo arrives and fends off a fusillade of finger-banging from the Pillar Man using hair and harmon.

"I'd have been here sooner if I had known what kind of party was going on." I guess he's saying that he didn't feel any great need to rush when it was just Speedwagon's life on the line.

[Lantern7]

I think Pillar Man was dubbed "Santana," though I don't know if that is what I heard. Had to do a search for that.

[Sandman87]

What I heard was "San Benito" or "San Bumento" or something like that. Maybe they changed it so they wouldn't get sued by Carlos Santana.

[lathspel]

I heard it as Sonviento.

"If we pump in any more blood, we'll exceed our safety parameters!"  How exactly did Nazi super science establish a safety parameter for liters of blood pumped into an ancient foreboding statue of a demigod, anyway?

I love how we went all "Owner of a Lonely Heart" there for a minute near the end.  This show is owning the music cues.  Every penny they paid Yes is worth it. 

[Lantern7]

Quick poster I made from the Jojo/Strazio fight.

[Vermicious Knid]

This show is reaching Helsing levels of batshit insane.

[Lantern7]

It's awesome, isn't it? And you can't predict what will happen. I tried this morning . . . "The door opens and everybody is exposed to moonlight." "Jojo chops off the wrong leg." Doesn't work. We only had four people this week (three if you discount Sanviento), and it worked so well. All that was missing with the drama on the stairs was Speedwagon chiming in, "You know, if I wasn't in a straitjacket and wheelchair, I could be exposing the beast to sunlight even as we speak." "SHUT UP, HERR SPEEDVAGON!!! DAMN!!"

[Matt K]

8 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

This show is reaching Helsing levels of batshit insane.

And hopefully unlike Hellsing it doesn't get super boring towards the end (Hellsing Ultimate was so boring without Alucard). 

As for JoJo, this show is really starting to pick up steam.  Love JoJo questioning whether or not Stoneman was a bad guy or not (I mean he was just killing Natzis).  It's so much better with a JoJo who can just make fun of the silliness.

[Sandman87]

Now von Stroheim sounds like Conan O'Brien doing his Schwarzenegger impression.

"Fighting Ribs" would be an awesome promotional item at Outback Steakhouse.

Pillar Man is basically a giant stomach. Ew. He ate two people last episode and he's still hungry? He's like a supernatural Garfield.

Surprise plot twist: The Nazis were doing something good, trying to destroy all the pillar men!

"Let the sunshine in", a deliberate Hair/5th Dimension reference? Not something I'd normally associate with Nazis.

Edited January 22, 2017 by Sandman87

[lathspel]

Great episode, although I could've lived without some of Von Stroheim's shouted exposition at the end.  It was a little hard to listen to - I pity the VA's vocal cords. 

I am definitely enjoying some tropes being subverted, particularly the smart and sarcastic JoJo. 

[Sandman87]

You mean you wouldn't prefer yet another idiot hero? Blasphemy!

[Lantern7]

Image from tonight's episode on Toonami's Tumblr. I am interested in how Speedwagon became an oil baron. I mean, Joseph is still The Man, but Speedwagon is a fun character.

ETA: Damn. More Pillar Men. More Nazis getting killed. We meet Zeppeli's grandson Caesar, who is also an ace with harmon. The names of the new adversaries? (checking Wikia) Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars. I don't get the first name. I suspect Esidisi has big balls (hosting them! hosting them!), and Kars is a guy with below-average looks that gets the nines and tens. Sorry, I didn't know how to incorporate "You Might Think." Oh, and Friendly Nazi Guy is halved, yet can talk unto his death. This show. This friggin' show.

[Sandman87]

Jojo travels to Italy, where he proceeds to be The Ugly American. He meets Caesar Zepelli, and the two have an impromptu contest to determine who the biggest asshole is. The result: Both of them are.

I knew the German soldier was doomed as soon as they mentioned that he was going to get married.

Meet AC/DC, Cars, and...Wamuu? Hey, that's not a band name! Wamuu makes the German guards join hands the hard way, then drains them all at once. Efficient!

[Terrafamilia]

Wamuu = Wham! ??

Poor Mark. He's only half the man he used to be.

Three more Pillar Men and they are fabulous! When they find out they will need to wait 40 more years for Studio 54 they'll be pissed.

22 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I suspect Esidisi has big balls

The big balls that go clang in the opening credits.

[Sandman87]

4 hours ago, Terrafamilia said:

Wamuu = Wham! ??

I'll buy that. It seems obvious now that you've mentioned it. When they pillar-ized themselves (for whatever reason) they clearly instructed him "Wake us up before you go-go."

[lathspel]

I thought we'd slow build through the rest of the Pillars, but we just unleashed them all?  Interesting.

So was Sonviento a band name that we just missed?

[Vermicious Knid]

So, out with the Nazis, in with the homoeroticism? Jojo gets two poisonous wedding rings and the first thing he's concerned with is whether that makes him a bigamist.

I have to wonder how many takes got ruined because the VA lost it and cracked up.

[Sandman87]

Caesar unleashes his bubbles, but Wham is so fabulous that he negates them with a flip of his hair.

Jojo is truly the master of running away as hilariously as possible.

Amazing that an old mining cart just happened to be available for Jojo and Wham to take a ride on. In a secret underground Pillar storage chamber.

"Say hello to the wedding ring of death. Guess where it goes? Not on your finger!", "What are you doing with that?!" - Let's have a quick show of hands; who else thought for a second that Jojo was going to end up with a Prince Albert, courtesy of the Bad Guys With Body Piercings?

And speaking of the rings, are we really expected to buy that these Pillar Men just happened to have a plot device like that handy? That's not just being prepared; that's Batman prepared.

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 7:24 PM, lathspel said:

So was Sonviento a band name that we just missed?

According to Wikipedia, he was originally "Santana." Must have changed it in the dub to avoid legal problems.

[Terrafamilia]

It was the night for magic bubbles. First here and then on Naruto.

[lathspel]

Yep, that got even more bizarre.  I can't believe this show.

I liked the Yes deep cut for this week's end title.  

[Lantern7]

"Roundabout" clocks in over eight minutes. Nice that the anime is squeezing as much of it into the closing credits.

In case you missed it, here's a recap of the final scene. I would overdose on capital letters, exclamation points and basic HTML, but I don't want to drive anybody crazy. Just fill those in with your mind. Apologies to Team Four Star for copying a few lines.

Jojo: One month. Let me train for one month, and I know that I can defeat you.

Wamuu: You know, I know you're playing me, and I don't care. One month it is.

Speedwagon & Caesar: (exhaling)

Wamuu: Still, I need insurance that you're not going to run out on the fight.

Jojo: Look, I know I'm not as gentlemanly as my sainted grandfather. I'm still waiting to receive his moral compass. But you have my word. That has to count for something.

Wamuu: True. Still . . . (slamming into Jojo's chest)

Jojo: What the fuck did you just do?!?

Wamuu: I have placed my wedding ring near your heart. In 33 days, it will release poison, killing you instantly. If you try to remove it, you will die. Only I can give you the antidote.

Jojo: I . . . but . . . that's not how wedding rings work! And while I'm thinking about it . . . when we were on the car, how did you know about the dynamite? That was invented long after you and you friends went to sleep!

Wamuu: Sonviento called us before you killed him. (to his comrades) Okay, I'm ready. Let's bounce.

Esidisi: Hold on. I want in on this.

Jojo: Say . . . say what?

Esidisi: (slamming his hand into Jojo's throat)

Jojo: Oh my God. Do any of you know where to put a ring?!? On the finger! I have ten! And you lot call me primitive!

Esidisi: Different ring, different poison, different remedy. Kars, do you want to join us?

Kars: I do have a ring . . . and I know where to put it . . .

Jojo: Oh, you better fucking kill me now . . .

Kars: Nah. Let's bounce. And you've stopped bleeding.

Jojo: Really? That's . . . bugger . . . (falls unconscious)

Speedwagon: I was not ready for today.

Caesar: I don't think any of us were. And now that your friend cannot protect you. (punching Speedwagon in the face) That's for letting my grandfather die. (kicking him in the chest) And that's for nicking his hat. Do you know how hard it was for me to find something as awesome-looking? Damn!

[Terrafamilia]

From this show I have now learned that cropped shirts on muscular men was quite the style in Mussolini's Italy.

[Matt K]

As much as I disliked the first story line, this was has been amazing.  I love how this JoJo is a bit of an asshole and kind of cocky (I too thought he was about to get a cock ring of death).  The bad guys are colorful enough that I look forward to seeing them again (so much better than Dio). 

[Lantern7]

On 2/6/2017 at 7:21 PM, Terrafamilia said:

From this show I have now learned that cropped shirts on muscular men was quite the style in Mussolini's Italy.

Call me crazy, but I don't think Caesar would like Mussolini at all. He had no hair, let alone flowing locks. He'd insult Jojo and England in general, but I don't think he'd fit in with the Axis powers . . . if Germany/Italy/Japan were that in 1936.

While I'm thinking about it . . .

"CAESAR USED BUBBLES! IT WAS NOT EFFECTIVE!"

"I whip my braids back and forth! I whip my braids back and forth!!'

[Vermicious Knid]

There's a live action movie coming.  It's a later story arc with different characters but still, I cannot imagine real actors trying to carry off the dialogue and crazy fake martial arts.

I do wonder how Santana's lawyers even found out about this show.

[Lantern7]

I read about that. I believe the movie will be based on the fourth incarnation of the series. Right now, we're on the second.

ETA: This week? Training! We meet Lisa Lisa, the one we adore. Y'know, as opposed to Misa Misa from Death Note, the one we abhor. Anyway, our heroes ascend an oil-soaked tower for two-and-a-half days, using harmon as Spider-Man powers, under the threat of starving to death at the bottom. Of course, Jojo has more difficulty, because his arrogance weighs him down. Also, Lisa Lisa makes him wear a mask to control his breathing, and he's not a happy camper. After that, we meet (looking up Wikia) Loggins and Messina. Sure. Why not? Not sure whom the latter represents, but I'm certain that Loggins takes Jojo and Caesar to the Danger Zone. Oh, and we get about twenty seconds of Irina, Speedwagon and Smokey. Remember Smokey? Barely, right?

[lathspel]

Lisa Lisa did not disappoint, and that oil covered pillar seemed like a tough obstacle.  

Really JoJo's time to summit the pillar was shorter, right?  He started 19 hours later than Cesar and finished at about the same time.  

[Sandman87]

Air Supply Island? Really?

Jojo and Caesar get oiled up and climb the pillar of Hell. Jojo tries to use his palms, but Caesar shows him how to do it better with his fingertips. Things get a bit sticky when Jojo puts his hand in the wrong place, causing the pillar to gush with great force. Also, Jojo is wearing a mask during all of this. And I swear that I'm not talking about anything sexual here.

[Lantern7]

An idle thought from the Toonami Tumblr:

Quote

 

If Jojo wears a Bane mask…does that make him Banjo? 

 

[Sandman87]

Either that or Jane.

[Vermicious Knid]

Not sure if you're kidding there but Loggins and Messina.

With those two at the end I actually got a flashback to Hans and Franz and wouldn't be surprised if they had busted out "We're going to pump...YOU up!"

[Lantern7]

All that was missing was Jojo going, "Muscular men in tight clothing and exposed skin? Finally! This feels like coming home!"

ETA: Bad news: Esidisi takes Loggins to the Danger Zone. Permanently. Jojo puts everything on the line, and we get a big game of "I know that you know that I know, but do you know what I know about what you know how I know?!?" At one pont, Esidisi owns Jojo to the point where he predicts Jojo's next words. In the end, Jojo gets the win, the antidote . . . and some parasite thing clutching to his back. He doesn't seem to notice. Meanwhile, Caesar gets Messina to concede to pass his final test, and Lisa Lisa introduces the Deus Ex Macchina jewelry seen in both sets of credits.

[Terrafamilia]

In this episode, Caesar is told he's in love with JoJo and JoJo says torture works.

[Sandman87]

AC/DC tries to kill Jojo with his Tubes, which are full of boiling hot blood.

[lathspel]

No appreciation for the brief appearance of Suzie Q?  It was almost too fast.  

[Lantern7]

This week's episode is titled "Von Stroheim's Revenge," but the most persistent Nazi doesn't come in until the final act. Apparently, he's a cyborg now. Of course. The writer has lost more fucks than most of us will ever possess.

In other news: Jojo and Caesar double-team Suzie Q. In their defense, Esidisi's brain had taken over her body, and they wound up exorcising it with sweet alternating harmon. Jojo gets an eyeful of a naked Lisa Lisa. The plot device gets intercepted by the Nazis, instead of going to the Pillar Men. And Kars has acclimated enough, and he saves a stray dog's life. How? He separated a drunk driver's hands from the arms. Whatever works, right?

ETA: In the original version, was Suzie's Italian accent that thick? Man, that was so heavy. Like she was trying to sell me pasta and/or flowers.

ETA2: How powerful is Kars? He uses his arm blade to kill Nazis. From the outside. The best part is seeing the carnage, ending with a dead Nazi with half of a comrade's head on top of his own. That's badass.

[Sandman87]

I don't get why Jojo and Caesar were so reluctant to kill Suzie Q, because I wanted her dead as soon as she opened her mouth for the first time and I heard that wretched excuse for an Italian accent.

Von Stroheim is still alive, and he's all cyborgulous. Doubtless he has some built-in weapons now too.

[Terrafamilia]

JoJo peers through the keyhole and gets an eyeful of Lisa Lisa taking a bath and this results in a handful of goo. Wait, WHAT?!