This pain proves I'm alive. If I feel pain, I can also feel happiness. So this is what it means to be human. I feel a strange peace; I no longer feel resentment toward the world.
The first part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is considered the most boring of them all, but on this viewing, I found it strangely endearing. I've been a fan of this franchise for many years, since 2019. I was a child and watched it with my father. I remember he really liked the concept of Hamon. It's truly sad that it only appeared in the first few parts, but I reflect on this because breathing is what gives us life. Phantom Blood uses breathing as a means of fighting and healing, something of life and death. A Stand is something much more personal; it's the battle of souls with a physical representation. But the introduction of the Stand concept made the characters increasingly less muscular, which I find quite comical, but it's because combat ceased to be purely physical; it shifted from being the strongest to being the most intelligent.
Phantom Blood is the constant struggle of opposites, of good and evil, life and death. Dio Brando is a Machiavellian and Dionysian villain, someone who seeks to be feared rather than loved. He seeks domination, not only of the world, but of every situation that arises. In contrast, Jonathan Joestar embodies goodness, a carefree kindness, an Apollonian figure. He doesn't care about losing his life for those he loves and what he believes in. They are two sides of the same coin: selfishness and altruism. They come from opposite ends of the social spectrum: Jonathan is from the nobility, and Dio from poverty.
All of this unfolds in a story completely removed from Japanese culture; it's a tale with Gothic and European Romantic undertones. But I'm not talking about romantic love, but rather romanticism. It's bizarre and grotesque, violent, tragic love, full of melancholy and an exaltation of nature. It even reminded me at certain moments of Bram Stoker's romanticism in Dracula. It's an extremely epic work, especially with the soundtrack and the atmosphere of the scenes.
Unfortunately, it's quite short, but I think it's somehow about destiny, the inevitable destiny from which there is no escape. Destiny was already marked by the stars. Many concepts that define the franchise are established here. Goodness is present in all the Joestars of this universe; perhaps some have a certain mischievousness and others a bitterness, but they are all united by the common good. I think it can even be analyzed as a work about generational trauma (especially Stone Ocean, a masterpiece). The bizarreness is in the title! But it's impossible not to mention it; there are extremely funny moments because of how strange it all is. And the musical references! Dio, Zeppeli, Speedwagon, even Erina is inspired by Eleanor Rigby from The Beatles!
I can't help but get emotional about this part; it touches a nerve. It's far from perfect, but I have a huge affection for it. I even have the manga for this part! Even though I should be watching Battle Tendency now, I decided to also read the light novels, so I'm starting Jorge Joestar. I'm so excited!
To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose is the next best thing.
To be continued...
