JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is known for its unique beings called Stands. These Stands, which first appear in the third story arc, Stardust Crusaders, are used by both heroes and villains. They serve various purposes, mainly helping their users in battles against other Stand users, as they fight for survival.
The battles in JoJo’s are fought using the characters’ own strength and their Stands, rather than relying on machines or supernatural forces.
Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, summed up the theme of his story in an Anime News Network interview. He mentioned that his story inspires him to believe that “humanity is wonderful” because the characters fight using their own strength and abilities, not “machines and divine beings.”
While many characters do use Stands, these are more like extensions of the characters’ own powers rather than otherworldly entities. Most of the events in the story result from human actions and efforts. JoJo’s is largely a story about humans who, as Araki says, “determine fate themselves.”
Araki’s characters depend on their own abilities, without relying on machines or supernatural forces. This sets the series apart from other anime where humans often fight with the help of technology or the supernatural.
While those shows are great in their own ways, JoJo’s stands out because of this emphasis on humanity, making the story more relatable and connected to the real world in some ways. It is more impactful when humans achieve greatness on their own, without the help of supernatural beings or powerful machines.
Stands as Inner Power vs. Evangelion’s Blend of Divine and Technological Forces
A Stand might seem like a supernatural or magical being, but it’s actually quite different. Stands represent a character’s “life energy” or inner power, rather than relying on divine forces or technology. This shows that Stands are simply an extension of the user’s own inherent abilities, not an external form of help like in some other anime series.
Araki’s comments about “machines and divine beings” can be applied to many popular anime franchises that include these elements in their stories, often with great success.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a prime example of the kind of series Araki refers to, blending the supernatural with advanced human technology. In Evangelion, the heroes face off against Angels, using giant mecha robots called Evas. The story combines both divine elements and machines, with the most intense battles occurring between these otherworldly beings and human-made technology.
Evangelion is a highly acclaimed and award-winning series, benefiting from these fascinating elements, but the way its characters fight and the tools they use are quite different from what Araki has created in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
The Intimate Power of Close Combat and Human Connection in Stand Battles
In JoJo’s, many of the battles are very physical and up-close. Close combat is a key feature of the series, allowing characters to showcase their personal strength and land their own punches. Some notable examples of close-range Stands include Kira Yoshikage’s Killer Queen, Dio Brando’s The World, Jotaro Kujo’s Star Platinum, Enrico Pucci’s Made In Heaven, and Fugo Pannacotta’s Purple Haze.
These Stands require their users to be within striking distance, which eliminates the option to attack from afar. This makes the fights more personal and reliant on the characters’ own abilities.
Araki emphasized his admiration for humanity in the power source of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and this is clearly shown through the characters he creates and the battles he writes. The story features impressive Stand powers that take center stage during intense battles, but these Stands are not independent machines or divinely controlled beings.
Stands must be carefully guided and controlled by humans; without a person to direct them, they cannot act on their own. Additionally, any damage a Stand receives is also felt by its User, further linking them together.
How Stands Reflect Human Connection and Individuality in Battle
Stands are perhaps the most intriguing and creative power source in any anime because of how closely connected they are with their Users. Without the User, a Stand wouldn’t exist. Moreover, if a human dies, their Stand also ceases to exist.
This makes them different from other supernatural beings in anime, which can operate independently of their wielders. In JoJo’s, human life is ultimately highlighted as the most important, with Stands serving as tools that reflect the abilities and skills of their Users in battle.
Each Stand is unique, matching the User’s fashion sense and personality. It’s usually easy to identify which Stand belongs to which character because they perfectly mirror their respective User. The diversity of Stands further demonstrates Araki’s point that “humanity is beautiful.”
The way he designed each Stand to fit its User’s persona and interests shows his deep appreciation for humanity. By focusing on people, with the creative twist of Stands, Araki made JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure a uniquely personal and distinctive story that celebrates human power.
