While the community awaits the animated adaptation of Steel Ball Run, a new part of the Jojo manga is being published. The JOJOLands, the ninth installment, is going unnoticed by many Western fans. This story, set in an alternate timeline, presents a radical twist with protagonists far removed from traditional heroism. Jodio and Dragona only seek to get rich, a goal that unleashes Stand battles with a notable level of strategy and creativity.
The Technical Evolution of Stand Design and Narrative 🎨
Araki has refined his approach in The JOJOLands. The confrontations are based on complex rule systems and uses of the environment, prioritizing ingenuity over brute force. The design of the Stands, like The Matte Kudasai, integrates abilities that interact with abstract and economic concepts. The narrative structure incorporates a darker tone and subtle political reflections, showing a maturity in world-building and characters, who are morally ambiguous.
But if the protagonist doesn't save the world, what are we doing here? 🤔
The skepticism is understandable. We are used to heroes with codes of honor, not a teenager with a get-rich-quick plan and a sister who seems like his manager. Seeing the protagonists calculate profits in the middle of a Stand fight is a change of pace. Perhaps it scares us that, for once, the motivation is as earthly as our own: paying the electricity bill, but with supernatural powers involved.