User:Boubaker/Sandbox
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CommentarySince the whole production began with this episode, a lot of work has been put in it. No doubt it was the one that took the longest to do because of its neverending storyboard. Initially, 400 scenes were planned, but they didn't fit in the given time. We reluctantly had to cut a lot of scenes. The one where Jonathan eats his chocolate bar and the one where Dio stole the watch are simply absent.
Regarding the animation, our team wasn't familiar with the selected aesthetic; sometimes the lines are too thin or aren't dynamic enough. However, I think we did well for the boxing fight scene. It may be not obvious with the booklet, but one of JoJo's particularities are the wide angle poses. A too proper or prosaic style would have considerably lessened their charm. Thus we have reached for a restitution of the original material's vigor.Episode 2
CommentaryToshiyuki Kato has been remarkable for the second episode where he was in charge of the storyboard and the direction. We have many manga fans in the team but Kato was one of those who read it for the anime. Yet, he immediately grasped the work. With the excellent Manubu Akita who handled the key animation, it gives a high-quality episode, don't you think?
I especially enjoy the second part with Dio's aggressiveness, then this final scene softly transitioning into the ending. Moreover, the parts blackened for the TV broadcast will be revealed in detail in the disks.
It's also the episode where Speedwagon is introduced. The character gives off a very strong presence, it's impossible to do things half-hardheartedly with him (laughs). Everyone in the team had a hard time giving him life, we had to work twice as hard. A lot of secondary characters accompanied Speedwagon, but the one in charge of this part managed to give them all a true bad guy's look.Episode 3
CommentaryEpisode 3 is on fire, in every sense of of the term (laughs). Just like the first episode, we had to modify the storyboard several times and cut some scenes. It's also this episode that introduces the sight of mangled corpses, in scenes with several characters at that, which further complicates our work.
In this episode, Dio uses the Stone Mask to transform into a Vampire, but the animation in the first part is rather slow. It's in the second part that the action truly starts. I particularly love the expressions Dio gives, as well as Jonathan's father and his appearance of a majestic gentleman.
The plot is not to be outdone, everything is very cool. Speedwagon is overreacting, as it should be. I hope that you enjoy how a freshly vampirized Dio's famous "URYYYYY !!" was rendered. We separated the last two scenes by including the ending credits which was absent in the TV version, for a striking lengthening effect.Episode 4
CommentaryThe Ripple is here! You also find the famous onomatopoeia "Memeta" when the frog is punched. The episode necessitated more effort for the photography and vector graphics than the animation; it was a small challenge for those who weren't used to them.
It's also the arrival of Zeppeli, conveying his eccentric side at best was necessary. More and more dangerous characters like Jack the Ripper make their appearance. Jonathan and Erina have again a languid scene (laughs). I also like the scene where Jonathan's arm is healed thanks to the Ripple... "I can even lift this rock!" It wasn't planned in the storyboard but honestly, it had to be here even at the risk of upsetting everything. The audience had to see how awesome the Ripple is. The voice acting was also a great moment, everyone was excited like in those overnight infomercials.Episode 5
CommentaryWith the appearance of Bruford and Tarkus, the scenes from Episode 5 and beyond all happen at night. The Ripple, no sooner introduced during the last episode, is already countered by Dio. What a shock!
Up until now, we had trouble putting everything into a episode. This time, it was more than a minute of flashback we had to insert. But it was necessary to understand these new characters. They are perfectly depicted and we understand what is driving them. Their design is rather simple and the voices fit perfectly.
The zombie mobs were not a piece of cake. Every zombie had its individual sketch but the masses they form are really dense, so it's difficult to manage. The underwater fight scene was also of prime importance. The part with Jonathan's father ("JoJo, you have to see it from another angle") was cut at first, but after consideration, we included it because it wouldn't have been JoJo otherwise.Episode 6
CommentaryIt's time for Poco to shine.
There's a lot to see in Episode 6: Bruford's death in the first half, then the duel against the imposing Tarkus in the second one. Bruford's death is an important moment, directed perfectly and accompanied with a beautiful background covered in flowers. For that I greatly thank the color designer Shinichiro Yoshihara, who gave us a beautiful background as usual.
There is also a flashback of Zeppeli, which obliged us to create a young version of his design in this one scene. In JoJo, there are few designs we only use once, as they break our rhythm. Fortunately, the team managed to deal with that in time.
In the first half, Tarkus has this shout that goes "Gobabaa": it's an improvisation for the voice actor, Tetsu Inada, who read the onomatopoeia out loud. We didn't plan on keeping it, but at the end, the result is quite funny.
Lastly, I am fully satisfied by Poco's signature scene. "Tomorrow is now." There's also Zeppeli who dramatically enters the room, as determined as ever. The music perfectly sublimate this instant.Episode 7
CommentaryOne key moment to remember: Zeppeli's "Tornado Overdrive" attack. I love it and it's very cool.
The first half of the episode concentrates all the action and intensity, while watching the second half can be underwhelming. It was the structure of the plot that demanded it though, it would be difficult to do otherwise. That said, you can feel Jonathan's newly found strength, it gushes everywhere, it's exhilarating. "Gushing everywhere", I think it's an adequate expression.
Dio makes a short appearance again, we missed him. But he had such a presence onscreen that one simple apparition is enough to refocus the story on his person.
For Master Tonpetty's appearance, we thought about ringing the sound of a bell when he joins his hands to pray. We changed our mind at the last moment, it was too comical in the context of this scene (laughs). It left me quite a funny memory.Episode 8
CommentaryMasahiko Komino was the animation director for this episode, and he's a big fan of JoJo. He preferred rendering the characters as close to the manga as possible, giving a very intense result. Ideally, it was the result we wanted for every episode. But a TV series has many imperatives to respect and we often had to make concessions. This time, the satisfaction was at its peak, we had the best animators to render the best battle. I also like the zombies' small moment of glory, where they use their Blood Vessel Needle Attack.
The fight against Dio also has a lot of iconic quotes, to such a point the fight itself begins to fall flat. Thus we thought about cutting some of the back-and-forth to accelerate the rhythm. However, it's one of JoJo's hallmarks so we didn't touch the dialogue. We mixed Dio's shout on two audio channels when he's cut in two. You really get the impression he's in the room with you. In general, we have the worthy final fight of this story.
Dio's attack where he propels his own eye goo is exaggerated compared to the manga where it simply cuts through a pillar. In the anime, we had it pierce through the clouds.Episode 9
CommentaryThe series's director Kenichi Suzuki was in charge of the storyboard in this episode. It was simply flawless, I really have nothing to say about it. If I must absolutely say something, I'll just say "It was very interesting." (laughs). The 2D animation is really perfected for this finale.
Erina is one of JoJo's rare female characters. Her face is always somewhat different from one episode to another, but she's always ravishing (laughs).
I will note the last scene where Erina holds Lisa Lisa in her arms. It's the perfect link between the violent struggle that just ended, and a vision focused on the future. The farewell between Erina and Jonathan are especially moving. Kazuyuki Okitsu, Jonathan's voice actor, even shed a tear during the recording. It's even more poignant since a few scenes earlier, they were peacefully sailing as a couple.
CommentaryThis is the first episode of the Battle Tendency arc. Our approach was globally different from that of Phantom Blood. Notably concerning the colors.
Thanks to the experience from the first part, the team knew which direction to take. Ideas flew, everyone had something to say. It was the perfect state of mind for this Episode 10. It contains many day to day scenes. It was really interesting: the action is in suspension, so to speak; it was the mundane scenes that were the most spirited (laughs).
The plans with the pop colors were one of Yasufumi Soejima's ideas, our visual director. They remind of the aesthetic of the comic-books from this era while keeping the spirit of JoJo, and the drawings get sharper.
The dusk also has a small effect. The sky is blue. It is the color designer Shunichirô Yoshihira, who insisted he tried something with the sky. The results is, frankly, cool.
Episode 10 is also that of the cops or the guy with the brass knuckles. The casting was on top of its game.Episode 11
CommentaryStraizo has completely lost his mind and in enters Stroheim!
In Battle Tendency, choosing how to position the camera went more naturally. There are also more background layers, and a lot of nervous stuff on the screen. The line between ultra-stylized and normally colorized scenes is also more noticeable; you go from one scene to the other in one go.
The fight against Straizo is gorier than in the manga, which implies a lot of blackened frames during the TV broadcast. For the Blu-ray and DVD versions, we could allow all the necessary details. Note the 3D model for the Sathiphorosia scarabs; they say it's a great selling point. (laugh).
Personally, I like the scene where Straizo explodes into a thousand pieces. I find it well produced; we owe it to the episode's director and storyboard manager: Mitsuhiro Yoneda.
Everyone was saying "We don't need Bruto-chan" and it was true. It is with a heavy heart that we cut his appearance. It was the only scene that wasn't relevant to the main plot, and we had to make place somewhere...
Visually speaking, there is a good contrast between New-York in the first half and Mexico in the second one. You really get the feeling of the dry climate.Episode 12
CommentaryThis is the tacos episode (laughs)! The story itself doesn't really move forward since it's mainly about Santana slaughtering the German army, but a lot of stuff is worth seeing.
Notably, Joseph disguising as a woman in an oh so crazy scene. He's walking with an up and down motion, a little like a character from an old video game. You also find out fabulous Stroheim's famed shouts in episode 11 (laughs). He's voiced by Atsushi Imaruoka who gave everything at work, just like the rest of the cast. The recording sessions are as always vivacious "He is in the air duct!"
A good notable animation sequence: the time when the German soldier possessed by Santana gets shot.
Globally, Episode 12 works because of the diversity of the cast's personalities; everything ties together well. For the physical releases, we had to remake several plans so that the experience will be different than that of the TV broadcast.Episode 13
CommentaryAt the end of 2012, there was a tight timing for Episode 13. The series's director Kenichi Suzuki, made the second half of the episode. Thanks to him, we managed to finish it in time, and even made it look great. Masahiko Komino managed the first half and put in it his mark. It's a lot of tired muscles. There were only a few characters, but the ensemble was balanced. The tension is kept high by Speedwagon and Stroheim who compete to deliver their explanations aloud; they're really noisy here (laughs).
Anyway, the episode was really great between Stroheim's bravery or the last sunray vanquishing Santana in the well, such great moments. The composition is exemplary, Suzuki applied himself with the layout.
I think that with all of these together, we got many good scenes at the end.Episode 14
CommentaryThis is the episode where Caesar appears. The meeting already looked promising in the storyboard, but it went better than expected in the end. Takuya Satô is perfect as Caesar. The scene when Joseph is cheating at cards against Caesar was initially cut, but we had to really show the relationship between these two.
Toshiyuki Kato really directed the episode well. I do think about Mark's death, but the squid ink spaghetti scene was also spot on, with Joseph's black tongue or the details when Caesar throws Joseph's attack back at his glass.
Note how Caesar honors his grandfather, the Baron Zeppeli: they have the same top hat and the way they jump, then sit in midair before falling into the chair (laughs).
For the soundtrack, Taku Iwasaki wanted to find a suitable transition between the last scene and the ending, and I must say it really works.Episode 15
CommentaryThe back-and-forth between Joseph and Wamuu was really something (laughs). The Pillar Men were gathering such a great cast I was worried. Did the characters really fit with the actors? However at the end, Akio Ootsuka (Wamuu), Keiji Fujiwara (Esidisi) and Kazuhiko Inoue (Kars) got into it and had fun completing our particular requirements. Sometimes they proposed their own vision of the tone to have with one line. They constantly were in a good mood.
The climax of the episode is without doubt Wamuu's Divine Sandstorm. I think the visual effects are stunning. We entrusted the scene to Fumiaki Kouta who was in charge of the box fight between Jonathan and Dio in the first episode.
I work well with Taizo Yoshida, who was in charge of the episode's storyboard. We didn't have to make many corrections during production. He's talented and consistent, which is a great help.Episode 16
CommentaryIt's master Lisa Lisa's turn to appear on stage. She is splendid. We had our best elements Manabu Akita and Shinichi Machida to direct the animation. Due to that the drawing stayed balance for the whole episode.
I personally think the episode was well done but many of my colleagues say it's too static. I think it's because of the Hell Climb Pillar that the characters must scale very slowly. The beginning of the ascension is, for me, a perfect mix between design, music, colors... Too bad the others aren't as enthusiastic (laughs).
We had to fit Joseph and Caesar's training in one episode. The production team advised me to cut where it was necessary, but at the end, everything fitted the time slot and didn't encroach upon the ending credits that much.Episode 17
CommentaryTaizo Yoshida is in charge of the storyboard like in Episode 15, which we finished early. Episode 17 will also be finished in advance.
The episode is entirely dedicated to the fight against Esidisi. Frankly, it was rather difficult to approach because of so many elements to manage. Whether it was directing or animating, it raises the bar high. It is Yuta Takamura, the episode director, who had to bear with all this. We needed not only good animation, but to also present very unusual things. You don't see many people fighting with their blood vessels (laughs).
The entirety of the battle is happening in the same place, so we made the arena feel particular, isolated. It's our only background, it had to be as immersive as possible. I think it works well. Esidisi's sudden recovery greatly contrasts with his earlier tantrum. Keiji Fujiwara gives us a captivating symphony of cries (laughs).
We showed Suzi Q earlier than in the manga. Since the next episode was centered around her, we had to avoid the audience asking themselves "Who is she?" Thus we've introduced her in Episode 17 near Lisa Lisa to reinforce Episode 18's stakes.Episode 18
CommentaryThis episode is a transition into the part in Switzerland, so you may think it's more peaceful, but it may be the most "JoJo" episode of all. Lisa Lisa is nude here... What other anime can show a woman in her fifties like this? Well it's true that on-screen, she doesn't look over 30 (laughs).
In the first part, Joseph and Suzi Q have more interaction than in the manga. They are a future couple after all, we wanted to show them being more intimate. The episode doesn't really have any signature scene, but you'll notice the application of a red filter in the shots with Suzi Q possessed by Esidisi. It's very difficult to create tension in an action scene in broad daylight, but the filter adds a little something. The layout is also very JoJo; I'm thinking about the teens Kars slices up in their car, or Messina's pose.
The goodbye to Suzi Q is also polished a lot; in here she tosses a pebble with an authentic little girl's throw that doesn't go far... (laughs). Everything is in the details.Episode 19
CommentaryThis episode incarnates the spirit of JoJo the best out of Part 1 and 2. From the moment Joseph runs to catch the red gem, up to his freefall fight against Kars, everything only lasts a few seconds. The direction stretches everything out infinitely though, much like an older anime (laughs).
Up to now, Kars was a mysterious character set in the background. It's the first time that he really acts. He exposes himself through really cool shots and finishes perfectly by madly laughing. You can also see his Light Saber technique in detail. The compositing effect is very pretty during the close-up on the blade.
The craziness around Stroheim works well as a whole. It's like it's his episode: "Hello, I make a thunderous entry. Then I get cut in half. Goodbye." (laughs)
We have tried to perfect most shots for the TV broadcast, but we also remade several for the Blu-ray and DVD. The new viewing should give you a brand new experience.Episode 20
CommentaryHere's an episode where a lot of things are narrated, but not necessarily with words. Toshiyuki Kato was in charge of the storyboard and the direction. I wanted him to do a good job but he ended up surpassing every expectation; the image of a homerun is what I felt in front of his exemplary work. I have nothing to say about it, it is a genuine lesson on direction. As for animation, Manabu Akita and Masahiko Komino formed a golden duo and the result is excellent. Again, I have nothing else to say.
For the music, Taku Iwasaki directly came to the studio for the final editing to ensure that the soundtracks perfectly fitted the images.
People aren't sensitive to the same scenes. For some, the real emotional sequence comes when Caesar hits Wamuu in vain with his last strength, others are more sensitive to Lisa Lisa's tears or Joseph's cry. I think it's a generational thing. (laughs).
Anyway, every member of the team's fits together brilliantly, it's one of our best episodes.Episode 21
CommentaryEpisode 21 is the only one where each half of the storyboard was tasked to a different person. It's a transitional episode between Caesar's death and the chariot race, but it's also the one where Lisa Lisa is featured the most.
The fight against Wired Beck had to be done before the opening credits but the editor, Kiyoshi Hirose, thought it was cruel for the character (laughs). His voice actor, Satoshi Tsuruoka, did give some energic acting and gave Wired Beck some depth. Honestly, the episode could have ended here after the first half. Structurally speaking, it would have worked (laughs). It's all we needed for the chariot race.
I find the pre-opening shots on the hotel's interior particularly well done. It's the visual director and background designer, Yasufumi Soejima, who personally managed the contemplative backgrounds devoid of characters.Episode 22
CommentaryShin Miwasa was in charge of the storyboard. Having been a director on Initial D, he's knowledgeable in 3DCG work. So he also had to take care of modeling the arena; double trouble (laughs).
The steel spheres are really superb. They fly so fast you can barely see them (laughs). I love the conversation between Kars and Lisa Lisa. They are both spectators of the fight between Joseph and Wamuu and give commentary as twists come. They are on an emotional rollercoaster (laughs). It's particularly enjoyable to see Kars lose his composure.
On the whole, this episode is really exciting. There are lots of classy action scenes here and there. Wamuu is an honorable and particularly interesting character. Since the beginning of the series, I was apprehensive of the moment we'd have to adapt this chariot race. But in the end, we managed to go through it without ordeal.Episode 23
CommentaryI confess to having laughed a little at Wamuu's death. Granted, it's classy and gentlemanly, but when he shoots his own head and shouts "You miserable vermin!" it becomes so funny. He's a resourceful one for sure (laughs)! Episode 23 is also the episode with Kars's famous "win win win" when he caresses Lisa Lisa's legs. We've just come back from Wamuu's dignified end, but it's finally this scene you remember most when the episode is done. There's nothing we could do, it's the structure of the series that needed it (laughs). Kazuhiko Inoue was delighted to finally be able to act the entirety of Kars's trickery and baseness; he really stole the spotlight from Lisa Lisa.
I personally managed in detail the shots with Lisa Lisa's tights and the rope while adding a sketch that improved the knot until the result was credible. I gave many kinds of indications; out of pure auto satisfaction (laughs).
The direction is really meticulous in this episode; we had to redo some shots several times to make it viable. Stroheim appears again, everything's assembled, you really get the impression of a final battle.Episode 24
CommentaryThere was a lot of space in this Episode 24! Indeed, we were keeping some of the material in reserve to give it all in the last two episodes. Thus, this episode is somewhat of a filler. That's why the direction was rather slow. Despite our choice, the fight between Joseph and Kars succeeds in keeping some rhythm. We owe it to Satoshi Osedo (storyboard and direction), his techniques are a god-send.
In the scene where Kars puts on the Stone Mask and the Red Stone of Aja, his body becomes semi-translucent, and the mask really pierces into the skull. We may have overdone it on the visual effects because we don't really see what's going on.
The episode's first half focuses on Kars's defeat, and the second one unveils the past of the Joestar lineage. I prefer the second half, first because Speedwagon's narration is enough to overshadow everything else, but there's also Smokey's reaction and the close-up on his tears at the end of the flashback, which uses as much frames as was necessary. Let's not forget we also get some of Stroheim at the very end (laughs).Episode 25
CommentaryThe series's director Kenichi Suzuki was in charge of the storyboard and the direction. It was an arduous episode, but he made it through.
We'll take note of our shaky plane, which does make you really feel the urgency of the situation. It's a 3D model and Suzuki had coincidentally debuted in 3D animation. He's had the model corrected to no end, and Yasufumi Soejima was no doubt exhausted from the ordeal (laughs). I think you really get the feel of this new Kars's "perfection". The squirrel alone is a highlight in itself. We even changed our staff for it: it's one of our female animators who personally took care of animating it until it became ferocious, then Masahiko Komino takes over to draw the violent beast. I appreciate a lot Smokey's line : "In fact, it looks rather cute." This small moment of relief in the middle of the tension... you really see how Hirohiko Araki plays with horror tension.
Suzuki gathered all his strength to show us a magnificent Kars. The perfect being. I would love it if the explanation chart was commercialized. For instance, what do you think about a table-mat stamped with "Sex: useless" (laughs)?Episode 26
CommentaryOur senior animation director Takako Shimizu personally handled this episode's animation. We took the best of the staff for the key frames. For Toshiyuki Kato (storyboard, direction), it was apparently the comfiest episode to work on (laughs).
The level of finishing touch is worthy of what you'd expect for a final episode. The spectator is constantly surprised by the twists until Kars's final defeat. "This time, we did it! Crap, we're screwed!" Up to the climactic final where Kars stops thinking. Summarily, the shonen manga in all its glory.
I think Kars is the centerpiece of Episode 26. We already know Joseph well, it's more interesting to go look at the antagonist. We had planned more scenes to flesh up his past, but the lack of screen time pushed us to select only a few...
The cemetery scene happens completely in the rain in the manga. However in the anime, the sun progressively comes. It probably fits more in the spirit of a "final episode".
"Thanks to your unwavering support, Stardust Crusaders will also be adapted into an anime." This is the message you have to receive when you see Jotaro at the very end as a bonus. Because, in truth, a typical end twist with the dreadful coffin coming back from the abyss would have been the perfect end.
CommentaryIn this first episode, I am the director. Frankly, it is quite dense, beginning with the minor characters in the boat scene. We had the same tension from the previous series. The making of this episode took more time than most.
To be precise, one must know that an anime uses three different frames for lips synchronization. For this episode, we went up to four frames. This is extra work for the key animator, for an ultimately discrete result. We then went back to normal for the remainder of the series, except the close-ups chosen by the director.
With this series, we sought to reach a Western aesthetic by observing animation processes used in foreign series and movies. In fact, to apply too many "anime-esque" tropes would have worked against JoJo. It was already the case in the first series, but some motions were still not realistic enough. The goal of this season was thus to improve this aspect as much as possible.
Regarding the animation, we had to manage 12,000 drawings like madmen. That was crazy. (laughs) But the benefit (if there was any?) was mainly towards Magician's Red's flames. In the end, everyone survived (laughs), and I am very satisfied with the first episode. It is a major work and a long series, and we had to jump into the fray and have a good start. Mission accomplished.Episode 28
CommentaryOnce again, I am storyboarding this 2nd episode, which is the ground for many firsts, with Kakyoin's introduction and the first "ORA ORA". The two first episodes absolutely had to define the atmosphere of the Stand fights. The storyboard was consequently hard to make, but in the end, we still get a well-paced episode.
The three frames from Jotaro's flashback ("They've branded me a delinquent...") were Yasuko Kobayashi's idea, and we had integrated them without a hitch. We had also included several original shots, but the true priority was to animate the Emerald Splash. We had meticulously examined the manga to render it as closely as possible onscreen. I hope that the result was good enough. I think this attack is particularly cool; I must thank the special effects team for this success.
For Jotaro's "ORA ORA" scene, we begin with a slow-motion of the punch digging into Hierophant Green. This two-second long shot counts 450 frames, which makes the impact very striking and powerful. A great success from Fumiaki Kouta.
By the way, I also like the high-school students. The boys are excessively buff, and there's this girl whose hair looks like a bird's nest (laughs).Episode 29
CommentaryThe direction and storyboard were in Toshiyuki Kato's care, one of the main members of the JoJo team. Because it was a calm transitory episode, the director had to be skilled enough to make it interesting. Seeing the end result, choosing Kato was clearly a good call. If I had to choose a memorable scene, it would be the one with a braless Holy and Avdol's explanations about the origin of the curse. That was quite a strange sequence (laughs).
I like the atmosphere of the big traditional Japanese house, especially the sound of the Shishi-odoshi (scaredeer). Let's note that the sliding doors are only 1.8 meter tall in this house. But Jotaro and his companions stand above 1.9 meters, and must bow a little to walk around. Joseph is confronted with Japanese culture, that's a first. Mr. Kato's directing underlines all these details remarkably well.
This episode is a prelude to the journey, with the reason for the departure, the objective and the preparations. We had to set up everything well here before really getting to business in the next episode. We had mutinously prepared the content of the first two episodes to do anything we pleased for this last introductory episode.Episode 30
CommentaryWe find ourselves inside a plane in the middle of the night, so the episode is in general somewhat dark, for sure (laughs).
The layout of the aircraft cabin was made though 3D, but goes well with the rest of the characters. Because the place was cramped with very complex angles, to do everything by hand would likely result in composition errors.
Here is the first true Stand attack. Tower of Gray is a rather weak Stand for a first battle, but it's perfectly repulsive, with the second mouth jaw coming out of its mouth.
Kakyoin enters the scene to "properly and calmly deal with it". His strategy is rather interesting: shooting Emerald Splashes everywhere (laughs).
Kenichi Suzuki, the series's director, took care to portray Hong Kong in the second half of the episode as true to life as possible. Drawing the food ate up a lot of time, but it was essential to be able to look at the table and think that the food looked delicious. This is also the beginning of the "cultural" scenes accompanying every step of the journey.
At the end, we get Polnareff's first appearance. His Stand springing out of the bowl was a brilliant idea, hats off to Mr. Araki. The fire clock drawn by Silver Chariot is also beautiful.Episode 31
CommentaryI will talk about the animation for this episode in detail. First, it was directed and storyboarded by Mr. Suzuki, the series director.
But we have to also talk about the young Shunichi Ishimoto, who was an animation director for the first time. He was assisted by Masahiko Komino, the chief animation director and character designer, whose advice and influence have resulted in these dense drawings.
We initially wanted to create a 3D model of the Tiger Balm park in Hong Kong; it soon proved to be too complicated, with an unacceptable value for money. Thus, we've backtracked toward the standard 2D backgrounds.
Avdol and Polnareff enthusiastically battle by launching their best attacks, not without showing off in the process. After several back-and-forths, Polnareff is finally defeated. Personally, I like the characteristic color tones applied in this scene.
Since the first episode, the omnipresence of fights tends to wildy increase the number of animation frames. This episode holds the record of around 15,000 drawings. Just like in the first one, this is because of Magician's Red's flames. It reminded us that fire also burns through animation frames (laughs).
Finally, it's not specific to this episode, but the actions scene are this cool because of the animation team of course. I want to thank them for that.Episode 32
CommentaryThe key word here is water (laughs)! The team has felt the continuity... "After all this fire, we have to follow with water?" Indeed, animating natural elements is never an easy task.
The storyboard and direction were given to Hirofumi Ogura, who had produced a fine work. The sky is blue, the sea is blue, a blue panorama which leaves a strong impression. That's the crux of the matter.
The young runaway girl also makes her first appearance and she's been given a name for the first time. She's been dubbed "Anne" by Araki himself. She's never sexualized and is soaked from head to toes, but she remains a brat above all.
The fake captain is a colorful character, and that's why we like him. We initially hesitated about what color his clothes should be. But the obvious choice revealed itself: the sky is blue, the sea is blue, the captain is blue. Simplicity itself.
I like Jotaro's famous line "Looks like we've found a dumbass", it is delivered at the right moment and integrating it in the episode was made naturally.
Portraying an underwater scene correctly is really hard. Thankfully, Kenta Mimuro, the animation director, was accustomed with the task, with action in general, and all kinds of mechanisms. He and the animation team really applied themselves to perfect this battle, which is really classy in the end.Episode 33
CommentaryThis episode followed the tropes of psychological horror movies. We concentrated on their application to compose with this horrific tension. For instance, we had to choose where to not have soundtracks. The tanker's layout was tricky since we had to animate the whole Stand.
Personally, I appreciate the secretive and claustrophobic atmosphere of the ship. We also had the inevitable feminine nude scene that goes well with the horrific context (laughs).
The orangutan is really an imposing animal. At first glance it looks kind of cute with its big eyes, but in reality it's a real pervert. Note that real orangutans are not this tall in real life. Ours is one and a half times more imposing than usual. But this exceptional height partly allows to justify its abnormal intelligence.Episode 34
CommentaryEpisode 8 is appreciated overall by the fans and I must admit that I like it too. We mainly like it for its action, whirling in every direction, like a roller coaster of anime. The animation is not the only factor of the success, the sound effects were also very inspired.
Yasufumi Soejima was in charge of the storyboard and the direction. He is a man full of ideas who managed to show us new ways to approach things. He is a real model as a creator, simply speaking. He was here for every step of the storyboard quality control and in the inclusion of the details; I have a strong memory of it. This episode was conceived around Soejima's ideas.
Overall, this episode was really a difficult one. We had to keep the balance between the craziness of the action and the rest of the scenes to harmonize everything coherently. We owe their adjustments to Takahito Katayama, here an animation director assistant. All this must have been a difficult ordeal for the animators, but they are certainly satisfied at the sight of their work.Episode 35
CommentaryHere we are, this episode includes a famous scene. Everyone loves it, the famous cherry-licking one, of course. It was the animation director, Fumiaki Kouta, who had directly taken care of the key frames.
I remember having discussed a lot about Yellow Temperance's gelatinous aspect and how to portray it onscreen. We also had the fake Kakyoin's facial expressions. Komino made sure to exaggerate the traits so we could feel that the character was a real scumbag. Let's not forget the gory scene with the dog, Pocky, in the cable car. As a dog lover, I was really uneasy (laughs).
For the sky of Singapore, we tried to slide in several characteristic scenes where it was colored in pink around the end of the fight. It apparently pleased Daisuke Ono who was playing Jotaro, since he came back to the subject several days later, "By the way, the pink sky was really a good idea". I am delighted that he's spotted our colorization JoJo-style.
The final scene is also a cherry-licking scene. It's a humorous send-off which hits the spot. I think there was the right amount of humor in this episode.Episode 36
CommentaryHere's an episode I particularly appreciate. There's a real change of scenery when we arrive in India. Thus, it's naturally directed by Kato (laughs). He employed himself to portray this busy and full of life India.
We aren't lacking in great material; between the toilet pig or Hanged Man's appearance, there's so much to see.
The most difficult tasks here were the numerous mirror scenes. In a reflection the image is inverted, but Hanged Man only exists in the world of the mirror so we had to always double check and avoid committing mistakes. It was messy, and apparently even Kato had let one or two scenes slip through him. In the end, one or two is, in fact, a good score.
We witness a big dispute between Polnareff and Avdol, a serious one. I like the moment where Polnareff drops a little provocation by passing his finger through Avdol's earring... or whatever this is. Let's mention Komino, who's surpassed himself with the shot of Polnareff in tears.
Hol Horse on elephantback is also an iconic moment, as well as Emperor's striking appearance. Fumiaki Kouta, the action animation director, personally chose a specific color for the weapon's flash and smoke effects.Episode 37
CommentaryThis is the final clash against Hanged Man. J. Geil is such a scumbag that it becomes genius at this point. The contrast is even better when we see that the user is really a weakling physically speaking. Let us salute Kakyoin's cunning plan and his unshakable calm in all situations.
There's some hostility between Polnareff and Kakyoin at the start of the episode. I see it as Kakyoin looking down on Polnareff a little. He's worried that his friend may commit another stupid mistake in a fit of anger. But when it's time to fight side by side, then they make a really effective duo. I like this kind of galvanizing development. It was even written in the storyboard: "a feeling of buddy buddy relationship" (laughs). The natural conclusion of this story is naturally Polnareff finally skewering J.Geil after all these years of chase.
In the third part of the episode, we see Hol Horse again in a comical situation. Truth be told, he's walking comical duo, going from belligerent to desperately fleeing.
It's got nothing to do with the animation but Satsuki Yukino has given a charming voice to Nena's character that fitted her perfectly.Episode 38
CommentaryWe begin in fanfare with Enya the Hag's crazy fit even before the opening. This Episode 12 is sure to be wild.
There's a certain melancholy exuding from the sacred city of Benarès. This is kind of the storyboard and director of this episode Satoshi Osedo's personal touch. A real treat.
The doctor was also really funny. He is dubbed by Ikkyu Juku who has perfectly nailed the character of the shady physician operating with rusted knives. His acting is a perfect fit.
Since we're talking about the VAs, I also like Joseph and Empress's performance. Their dialogue is a dogged back-and-forth that doesn't seem to end. Despite its small size, Empress is already capable of the worst.
Seeing Joseph struggling and running across the town, we see that his strength has considerably diminished compared to his prime. Even the Ripple, a technique of which he's an expert, is ineffective. We have trouble recognizing the man who has defeated Kars (laughs)! The Pillar Men would be sad to see him now. Thankfully, the Joseph we know resurfaces with one of his tricks and manages to defeat his opponent.
In the last part, Joseph tosses the car keys, which land on Polnareff's hair (laughs). It's an a little original gag, but it's pleasant to see Osedo add his personal touch.Episode 39
CommentaryWith this episode taking place mainly inside a speeding car, we had asked ourselves how to correctly manage a scenario with a gradual progression while staying in the same place.
Another question was also whether to draw the car by hand or use a 3D model. In the end, the choice depended on the scene. For the 3D, Khara studio (of Rebuild of Evangelion) was a precious helping hand. With our tight planning, they sure saved us.
The action takes place at the indo-pakistani border, and we had applied an exclusive filter to this Episode 13 in order to underline the particular atmosphere of this mountain step.
A car chase is rather difficult to put onscreen, but thanks to Jin Tamamura's direction, I think that the episode is full of great moments. Once the work was done, we felt a little like the driver of the enemy Stand, "End of the 3rd round!" (laughs). By the way, it's a cool scene.
About Wheel of Fortune's design, I would have imagined a more cartoony visual, but Mimuro, in charge of the mechanical animation, had managed to combine his own style with a series of special effects to give an almost realistic rendering. The processing of the image marvelously works, for a striking result.
Incidentally, this is the only time you'll see Jotaro take off his jacket, so enjoy it. And we also see him smile.Episode 40
CommentaryWe added an original scene at the very beginning of this episode, so that the group could leave Anne, the runaway girl. It was something that the original plot missed, and we had to give her an exit.
The atmosphere is strangely fascinating with this fog. We can feel how dense it is, you'd only need to take a few steps in to completely disappear. Let's not forget the best of the creepies, the cockroachs and lizards crawling beneath with a soft rustle.
Joseph's Stand, Hermit Purple, makes itself remarkably useful in a scene... that is a lot less useful. Yet, this fence jumping looks like an important action in the middle of all that hesitation to go inside the fog. Who knows why we made a scene like this stand out, it wasn't on purpose...
Reiko Suzuki plays a fantastic and sinister Enya. Her wailings and crying with the "Ohlololo" don't sound natural at all and that's why they're perfect (laughs). I find that she exudes an atmosphere of danger, and you can tell that her Stand will be redoubtable just by looking at her.Episode 41
CommentaryThis episode makes a pair with Episode 14, and Hirofumi Ogura is at the storyboard for both of them. He's accustomed to comedy and this second part is precisely full of comedic elements.
Unconsciously, Polnareff manages to stir Enya's hatred more than ever. He's excellent at this little game. Even if the hag knows that it's not provocation, he's constantly rubbing it in her face by mentioning her son.
I like the zombie horde, they are as creepy as can be, but the real great moment you can't miss is of course Polnareff licking the toilet. This scene had our full attention and necessitated a lot of planning. Some wanted to add a little poo inside the toilet bowl, or debate about the overall level of dirtiness (laughs).
But in the end, Jotaro intervenes and takes the situation in hand. And what an entrance. As expected of him, he only has to enter the scene for the tension to rise. It's almost as if he was annoyed by the Polnareff gags and had decided to get to business. Incidentally, Jotaro was technically the only one able to defeat her, wasn't he?
I loved seeing Joseph making fun of Polnareff like he did in the end of the episode. A real complicity had appeared inside the group and it shows. This is the kind of teasing that we only find within a genuine comradeship.Episode 42
CommentaryThanks to Daisuke Kishio's astounding performance, Steely Dan becomes an exemplary hate sink. He's subtly introduced with the kebab haggling scene with Joseph, which constitutes a first battle, so to speak.
The action is taking place in Karachi, Pakistan. We put a pink sky, but this time this was the base color for every scene. The strength of this episode is to allow itself this pink sky without giving any impression of disharmony.
By the way, when Komino was praised for the Episode 9 sky, this episode was already done, so it's him trying to repeat this particular success (laughs).
Regarding the plot, Dan manages to split the group only with his words, with him and Jotaro on one side, Kakyoin, Polnareff and Joseph on the other side. Until then, the group had acted separately, but never with a direction alternating between the two parties so well.Episode 43
CommentarySince a lot was happening inside Joseph's brain, we had to give the sensation of being confined inside a human body, but it wasn't an easy task. Had we chosen a really microscopic ambience, the organic sensation would have suffered, and that's why we put red tints everywhere. In reality, the inside of a body would have been a lot darker. Thus we had to make a choice, favorizing the direction.
The Stand itself, Lovers, has a funnily ...cute side. Especially in the scene where they all shout "the most, most (...) fearsome of the Stands!" together. We even see two of them shoulder by shoulder, they seem to be friends.
The storyboard and direction were given to Fujimoto, who has skillfully worked with everything that had to be managed. Kakyoin and Polnareff fight side by side again, but it seems the latter is rather useless (laughs). The fight against Lovers is above all the victory of Kakyoin's smarts.
Let's note how much Jotaro believes in Kakyoin during the episode. "You don't know Kakyoin." With this line alone, the trust remains unshakeable.
As soon as Lovers is captured, Jotaro becomes cheerful again, satisfied to finally hit back. Dan had it coming by acting so odiously. The onslaught of ORA ORA following this is the longest in the series yet.Episode 44
CommentaryI had personally overseen this episode, beginning with the script, and there is a lot to say. But before anything else, did you honestly think that the confrontation would take the entirety of the episode?
It could have been shorter, but I had to try this approach (laughs). Effectively, I think that stretching the whole battle into a whole episode was the best way to represent this suffocating and unbearable heat. The characters put up with it for a long time and begin to lose their minds little by little.
Mr. Soejima was in charge of the direction of the scene where their heads are spinning, literally, with rotation and distortion effects onscreen. He's always full of ideas, and I knew that he'd propose something interesting: I am happy to have followed his advice. The sun looks like it is in 3D, but it was entirely animated by hand by Mr. Kouta. The supplementary arrangements of the image then gave it this striking impression of power. We added original scenes, like the one where Joseph undoes Polnareff's hair after having bought a luxurious car. The dromedaries were a challenge, nobody among us had drawn these before. So we minutiously watched Lawrence of Arabia, just like Joseph, three times and even more. One difference: we didn't fall asleep (laughs).
To conclude, the animation director Satoru Nakaya had accomplished a genuine exploit with the scene where everyone begins to madly laugh, it was as strange and creepy as could be. A real treat.Episode 45
CommentaryHere is a new episode for Toshiyuki Kato. It is in fact a pair of episodes of which he only directs the first one. Nonetheless, he managed to build a good basis for how things should go, set up norms and composition effects, and took care of many details. Thus, thanks to his help, everything was ready for the second episode, which went without a hitch.
Mannish Boy is a baby, but remains as fearsome as J.Geil or Dan. And with an opponent of this level, the story only becomes all the more engaging. Ikue Ootani marvelously played Mannish Boy by giving him a cute, but mean voice.
The portraying of the dream world had given us some problems; we had to be in tune on a sufficiently cohesive overall design. Thus, the difference between reality and the dream is really marked. We instantly know which side we are on.
This episode is a purgatory for Kakyoin. Not only does he tenaciously struggle alone, but his companions find him suspicious. But overall, he puts up a good performance and progresses slowly toward the end.Episode 46
Here is the next part of the fight against Death 13. In the dream world, Polnareff's haircut is abused again, it seems it will be customary (laughs). At the same time, Joseph's artificial hand and Jotaro's chain get the same treatment. To each their iconic items!
Death 13 is still terrifying with its nightmarish grim reaper looks.
For the fight resolution scene, we decided to make the sky black. And even then the theme park is bathed in a particular light with no real sunlight. That is why we chose this green sky, with a lot of hesitation.
This episode also features a white-haired Kakyoin, you couldn't have missed that. Yuko Sato, the color coordinator, really wanted to include this effect. And I must say that this color schemes makes a good contrast with the black sky of the theme park.
Then comes the scene where Kaykoin finally punishes Mannish Boy. I am deeply sorry for those who were eating at this moment...Episode 47
This one comes in a pair with Episode 22, and it was a difficult duo.
I remember the team members discussing among themselves, a little confused by these enormous tongue-shaped plants on the island. It is surely some kind of tropical cactus, but in the end, it was still a mystery to us. (laughs) Suzuki, the series director, was so obsessed with the question that it became funny to witness.
This episode is centered around Polnareff's grief, as he's still haunted by the death of his sister. A rarity for this series, we meticulously represented the flow of time. On Suzuki's suggestion, the background sky goes through three different color tones as dusk and then night comes. I think that it contributes to support Polnareff's state of mind and his increasing sadness.
Kinryu Arimoto's voice fits well with the Stand, Judgement. During the auditions, we had asked him to play the voice of a crook, and he exactly nailed the tone we were looking for, at the same time persuasive, but also completely suspicious.
The scenes before Polnareff's meeting with Sherry are also well done. Everything is focused on his emotions and he is drowned in memories; we also come to hope that his wish has been granted.
Incidentally, Kenta Miyake, Avdol's VA, was beaming. He had just come back to the dubbing studio for the first time in a while, and he seemed jubilant at the idea of playing Avdol again.Episode 48
In this episode, Avdol officially comes back, and he's in tip-top shape. His famous "Hell 2 you!" remains an iconic line.
This second part gives prominence to the action, we can even say that there's only that. The tongue-shaped plants, about which I've already talked about, are neatly shaken by the wind.
Sherry has stayed a while on Polnareff to gnaw on him. He was already half-eaten when he got back on his feet to finally throw her away, as if he was thinking "okay, you've already eaten enough, here!" (laughs)
Since the fight is happening at the same place, we changed the scene's color scheme to give even more rhythm to these speeches, and it seems to me that it worked well.
Polnareff is really cool when he skewers Sherry. He hasn't always been this imposing during these two episodes, but he's reached an impotant step and manages to say goodbye. It's as if he's suddenly grown. However, some things never change and we see him flabbergasted to learn that everyone already knew of Avdol. Kakyoin sympathizes a little with him, but it's already time to leave...
The submarine appears in the very last scene. A normal submersible must surely cost several hundreds of millions of yen; this is really a luxurious journey. Seeing the size of this machine, it must cost into the tens of billions.Episode 49
This is the penultimate episode and last adversary, we had added a lot to the original scenario.
We wanted to talk about Holy again, even if the group was battling High Priestess. We had to bring news of her as a red string since she's the reason for this journey after all. To do so, we had used Suzi Q. Since she doesn't want to stay on the side and do nothing as her daughter is agonizing, adding her in this submarine episode is justified and allowed us to show her before her trip to Japan, as well as inform us about Holy's condition at the same time. I think it was appropriate to have all these scenes whose atmosphere is reminiscent of sitcoms, where all these exchanges and interactions happen at the same place.
In principle, a submarine is a lot more cramped than here. This one is decidedly too big, a typical anime direction.
We took care to include the time difference with New York. The Joestars live in a big tower, real-estate tycoon style. In my mind, they only live in one floor, the others being apartments as well.
I like High Priestess's sudden attack in the submarine, she intervenes in the middle of a simple conversation, that's an unexpected twist. She skillfully provokes urgency, even more in such a confined space.Episode 50
The scenes in diving gear take up more than half of this episode, but these devices are really difficult to draw. Jotaro and Avdol were particularly tricky because of the accessories they already wear normally. We didn't know what was where anymore. The only silver lining: their obstructed mouths do not require lips synchronization.
This is a new underwater episode after the 6th against Dark Blue Moon. Although the aquatic environment had given us a lot of problems again, it was a pleasure to make the sign language scene between Kakyoin and Ponareff. I love seeing them in sync like this, they are really well tuned.
Since this is the last fight, we had wished to make everyone participate. Every character is given his little action scene. The scene where High Priestess attacks by transforming into a harpoon was drawn by Katayama, the action scene animation director, up to the key drawings, for a beautiful result.
There's the scene where High Priestess becomes red - seen from the inside of the mouth and not the cheeks - we went from a pink as a reaction to the flattery to an angry red. I hope that this effect will have its little impact.
When the group finally steps on Egyptian soil, they stand on the beach, facing the sea. There is a shot on the water surface, rather discrete, but it was the only way which asked the most work because of the transparence effect.
The scene where Jotaro tosses a starfish stuck on him wasn't in the original storyboard, but we added it in the process of animation. It was an idea of the director Mr. Kato. It's maybe at this moment that Jotaro takes an interest in underwater fauna, to then dedicate his life to research and even a Ph.d. At least you can picture it like this! (laughs)
The last scenes are all original. The review of the enemy Stands until then, Dio in his mansion, a phone call to Suzie Q... Everything here allows us to wrap up the journey and really give a last episode feel.Episode 51
The beginning of the Egypt arc also marks Iggy's first appearance. Just like in the manga, he begins with a somewhat disgracious design. Indeed, when I looked at him onscreen, I couldn't help but mock him. (laughs)
In fact, Iggy has several designs. We have the one for his first appearance only, another one used during the N'Doul fight, the one used from Episode 27 onward, and finally the cute one from the second half of the season, making it four distinct designs.
It was the series's director Kenichi Suzuki who was in charge of the storyboard of the first episode in Egypt. The result is flawless, as expected.
As for the plot, the problems immediately come, and Kakyoin is taken out before having a chance to shine. It is the same story as in the manga, it makes you realize the terrifying menace that this new enemy represents.
By the way, during the making of this episode's trailer, we had to hide Kakyoin's defeat. The team must have had slaved a lot for the editing.Episode 52
The direct sequel to Episode 25. The Egypt part possesses many episodes split into several parts, which had allowed us to adapt the plot up to the smallest details. It was a great opportunity.
The episode is impeccably articulated around Jotaro and N'Doul's duel. There's a great tension developing until the final clash, where the first one to shoot is the winner, like a good western movie. The suspense is at its peak!
As for the animation, we have added a fast photography effect on Jotaro's punches, which are too fast for the eye. It makes the action scene particularly classy, until the final act.
We can also talk about Iggy's faces, they are rather comical. He's attacked, is thrown around, and we even see him fart midair. I really liked the post-battle scene where we can feel the start of a friendship (?) between Iggy and Jotaro. Misato Fukuen marvelously dubs Iggy, to the point I really thought that the dog was talking (laughs).
If we look at it, N'Doul is maybe the only honorable enemy, having a noble character. We have lost a valorous antagonist and that is a shame.Episode 53
Here is Oingo and Boingo's episode, who were introduced in the third part of Episode 26. It wasn't done because there was not enough material for Episode 26, but more because there was too much for Episode 27 and we had to resolve this problem.
Firstly, I want to point out how closely we had reproduced Boingo's comic-book Stand. This version is made from illustrations from the original manga that we colorized.
This episode doesn't shine through memorable action scenes, so the stakes were elsewhere. We had to find a good pacing to develop this story entirely carried by the voice acting of the two voice actors. On top of that, it was all accompanied by a Disney or cartoon-style score which I found had the nicest effect and perfectly fitted the tone of the episode.
I remember well the dub stage, where Daisuke Ono, Jotaro's VA, really looked like he was having a great time. His text was full of lines the real Jotaro would have never said.
The special ending is an idea I had proposed. It pleased Mr. Omori, the producer, and it came to fruition. Regarding the music, Yugo Kanno managed all of the ending's composition. He really polished it, I find the end result very funny.Episode 54
Here's a sword fight that fans have really appreciated. It's thanks to the whole team, with Jiro Fujimoto in charge of the storyboard and direction, and Shunichi Ishimoto, who was responsible for the animation. Several people felt sorry for them because they had landed a sword fight which was bound to be complicated. But the final result was even classier than we had hoped for. I am really grateful to all of them.
Here the story is developing a feeling close to that of a horror story, which we'd ensured to put in the foreground. However, the metamorphosis scene, where a meek Chaka picks up Anubis and transforms, is so sudden I can't stop finding it comical. (laughs)
The beginning of the episode allowed us to have more screentime for Kakyoin. Since he won't recover for a while, it is best to show him while we can.
The scene where Polnareff uses his secret technique and shoots his sword's blade is rendered in 3D. We have fewer occasions of using 3D in the Battle in Egypt arc. It was the first time since Episode 25.Episode 55
With Toshiyuki Kato at the storyboard and direction, I knew that the episode was in good hands.
The most important part of the episode is of course the fight between Jotaro and Polnareff. I was reminded how formidable the latter could be if he became an enemy.
In the duel scene, the climax is evidently Jotaro being stabbed in the gut by the blade, then breaking it bit by bit at high speed. It's an emblematic passage for me, and it looks rather nice on screen. Also, there's Anubis trying to call to the crabs and fish at the very end. Yasunori Matsumoto's frenzied performance is truly formidable.
The end of the episode is similar to that of Episode 26 as it also makes a transition with the next antagonist by presenting Mariah this time. We've also put here the manga's explanation about the different ethnic groups in Egypt, in particular the "Indian guy who had really nothing to do here". (laughs). I am sure no one in the audience had guessed that we'd go find this kind of seemingly useless scene. It would be forgetting that these details make Jojo's charm.Episode 56
The beginning of the episode features Kakyoin again. The Speedwagon Foundation takes care of him for his eye injury and we learn that he'll recover sooner than expected.
We face a Stand attack from a mysterious assailant, and we had to insist on entertaining this mystery while increasing the tension around Joseph's condition. Nevertheless the first part is more about poop. Vulgar jokes typical of shonen mangas are in legions and contribute to the series's charm; if you want to call that "charm". (laughs).
The scene where the forks and knives rushed toward Joseph particularly affected me. We feel the power of the magnetism well, which is about to become a serious problem.
Except for the beginning, we never see Mariah's face again. So we have this interesting continuity with Joseph being attacked by this mysterious beautiful woman while his magnetism problem gradually gains in power. In the toilet scene, we see the old lady again; Toshiko Sawada's depiction of her is perfect.
The scene where Jotaro and Polnareff are waiting for Joseph and Avdol was added in the anime. We put it here to establish a better link with the next events.Episode 57
This is the direct sequel to Episode 30, but with a lot more small objects on screen, because of the magnetism. Yuta Takamura found the direction rather difficult to sort out.
The old lady gets a third appearance while Joseph and Avdol are locked into each other. Will she appreciate the show? (laughs)
Just like the last episode, Joseph is a thrown around by Mariah's magnetism in a comical scale. It's only at the very end that he feels cool and brings down his adversary once and for all, as expected of a Joestar.
The scene of the final attack teaming up with Avdol is formidably well rendered, the one in charge of the animation gave full disclosure to the teams and didn't really need to make modifications.
Mariah is a female character, which is priceless in JoJo. We poured all our heart into showing her sexy side every time she appeared.
The episode finished on a mysterious guy stalking Jotaro and Polnareff... It's a way of inviting the audience to watch the next episode.
Note that in the manga, there's no precise indication of the chornology of the events. But in the anime, we made it so you could understand that the fights against Mariah and Alessi were roughly happening at the same time.Episode 58
When Polnareff pursues Alessi through the alleys, he's shrinking little by little. This scene is similar to Episode 1 where Holy runs across the prison to go see her son. It's a mix of 3D effects and drawing, which is very difficult to pull off. Even more so because you have to change the animation as Polnareff becomes tinier. It was a real ordeal for the whole team.
If there's something unforgettable in the episode, it would be the sexy bath scene. On one side, the humor of Polnareff who is a child again, and then the lightly risqué touches while never falling into vulgarity. There's also these soap bubbles floating in the bathroom, which I'm sure some of you will feel you've seen them somewhere before. I won't tell you where. (laughs)
The scene where Iggy is peacefully strolling across town was added in the anime. He steals a kebab directly from a passerby's hands and watches the fight between Joseph and Avdol against Mariah without batting an eyelid... He's doing whatever he feels like. As I have said about Episode 31, it's this kind of scene that represents the timeline more clearly.Episode 59
The second part of the fight against Alessi. Yasufumi Soejima is in charge of the storyboard which guarantees an episode of exceptional quality.
Alessi doesn't seem to think like a fighter, he's more the kind who rushes headfirst into the fray. At least he gives us some great funny faces. That said, his Stand itself has a particularly formidable ability. I think it compensates how ridiculous the user can be.
Even as a child, Polnareff manages to be featured with poop again in a scene. He's also walking around with his jewels out. He's really one filthy guy. (laughs).
Like in the manga, there's this homage to The Shining, a psychological horror style film. But with Alessi's personality, most of the scenes can also be viewed in a funny point of view. The balance between horror and comedy is truly astounding, and it reminded me how fascinating a medium JoJo can be.
At the end, we follow a painful separation between Malèna and Polnareff. The earring he's lost will suddenly come back in the next episode.Episode 60
Banjo Ginga, Daniel J. D'Arby's VA, was simply excellent. This sentence alone would be enough to describe the episode.
Jotaro and co. have finally arrived in Cairo, but they are already gambling in a café. Polnareff is aggressive and is masterfully tricked, so his chances of winning were slim. (laughs)
I think the episode gives a really good visual of the playing cards. In fact, we had asked a professional magician (紙磨呂) to do some moves. We filmed it and used it as reference material for the animation.
Daniel has some really strange motifs on his face. During the animation process, we had treated them as tattoos but in truth I confess I have no idea what they could be. (laughs) The two brothers have similar motifs, maybe it's something genetic...
Also note that even if the story is the same, we've made multiples modifications on this Blu-ray and DVD version. Have fun spotting all the differences.Episode 61
With everything happening while sitting in the same location, the layout was apparently more troublesome than ever.
Our chief animation director, Masahiko Komino, directly managed the episode. It's a part of the story he particularly appreciates and he's effectively put everything in it.
I liked Daniel's transformation, who's all bleached at the end of the game. Also there's the ending where Iggy then looks from the corner of his eye, that's him all right. He's really well made for this, it's easy to use this dog to punctuate a scene as we like (laughs).
Daniel's ability is really fearsome. Had he not bent to Jotaro's bluff, he would have annihilated the group in one move with a disconcerting ease. It's a really powerful enemy. There wasn't a Stand fight properly speaking, but the situation was more critical than ever. A struggle that has taken a form different than usual, but where the tension was real.Episode 62
This episode begins with Hol Horse face-to-face with Dio. The former discovers his insignificance before Dio, who is presented as the incarnation of charisma. Although in the last part of the series, we will see him afraid of the Joestar lineage when he'll finally fight Jotaro's group.
Hol Horse and Boingo make for a grotesque duo which ends up being really funny. Boingo pukes a lot of stuff without stopping, but it strangely ends up looking good and it lays out the foundation of their relationship.(laughs)
We've had barely enough time to learn that Holy won't have much time left that the fight against Hol Horse starts in the corner of an alley in Cairo. About the streets and the city scapes, I recommend you to consult the background designs if you can. They are real paintings, truly an excellent work.
At the end, Hol Horse sticks his fingers in Polnareff's nose for a still obscure reason. Of course we'll end the episode on this. (laughs).
It's the second time that we use a special ending with this episode. In reality, the song had been recorded six months prior. So Hidenobu Kiuchi (Hol Horse VA) and Motoko Kumai (Boingo) have waited a long time before hearing themselves sing on TV.Episode 63
Following the gag episode is another gag episode of course. (laughs) The idea is to look at the characters struggle, only for them to manage to accomplish nothing. Here, no matter everyone's initiatives, they are like the Stand, Thoth's toys. It's particularly true for Hol Horse who repeatedly and miserably fails without being able to do something about it. The poor guy is decidedly unlucky and even ends up in the hospital. At least he survived; surely a little speck of luck in the middle of his misfortune.
This episode marks the end of the comical sequence; time to get serious. But just as the manga has kept things here and there to decrease the tension, the TV series will try to not become excessively serious. It is again an episode with a special ending. They were all story-boarded by Yasufumi Soejima. He did this extravagant request even though he was still busy with work, but he's still offered these burlesque endings and I am very grateful to him.Episode 64
First, I must say that Pet Shop is bloody terrifying. He has no lines, but I find that it only reinforces the terror he inspires. And all the chase scenes with Iggy only show us how merciless he is. Surely because he's a bird of prey.
Mr. Suzuki was in charge of the storyboard, on which he had shown a lot of ease conveying his intentions to the animators. The exposition frames, usually numerous in a classical storyboard, were so much rarer in this episode. (laughs)
Horus, Pet Shop's Stand, allows him to manipulate ice. It's really pretty once colored onscreen.
It's interesting to note that Kenta Mimuro, our action animation director, went to a zoo in order to gather data and study the movement of falcons and eagles. It's thanks to this that we'd managed to create a high-quality Pet Shop, who immediately looks menacing. Because he had no voice, we had to use sound effects. These computer-generated screams fit the animal very well and only increase the terror he exudes.Episode 65
Episode 39 is the conclusion of the battle against Pet Shop. Here, Iggy is at his most virile and doesn't hesitate to thrown himself at the enemy. Thus, his last attack isn't made through his Stand, it's a genuine suicide attack where he leaps at the bird to directly bite its beak.
The flashback scene was not bad at all. Especially the shot where he's surrounded by female companions when he was having a good time in America. That was funny. It was me who selected these frames as the storyboard manager, but the animators were the ones realizing all that, many thanks to them.
Iggy came out gravely wounded from his struggle against Pet Shop, from now on he must walk on three legs... But at the same time, Kakyoin reappears, ready for duty.
Here they are in front of DIO's Mansion. But to really mark the spot, we had elongated this scene and added several shots to the storyboard. Thus, everyone remembers the battles they have made until now and ponders on the motivations that brought them to the final destination. All that being delightfully narrated by Toru Okawa.
Telence T. D'Arby makes his appearance at the very end, at the entrance hall of the mansion, which builds a transition to the next episode.Episode 66
We're about to get into serious business leading to the finale, but alas, the first fight is via a video game. (laughs)
Telence's dolls were animated by Reki Taki, who is really one of Hirohiko Araki's old assistants. We didn't get to him through Shûeisha or anything, it was pure luck. He had found himself among us via a completely different path. But thanks to him, the dolls are all the more successful and creepier.
For the racing video game, we had decided to make everything in 3D. Some of us would have preferred to make it with traditional drawings, but I won't dare imagine the exertion and hard work we would have to endure for these parts. In fact, people were wondering if we really could render a video game from the 80's in 3D. Even if it's a good question, let's say that the end justifies the means. (laughs)
Building the race track for F-MEGA was really interesting. The game session itself is rather enjoyable. The Stands pummeling the buttons without reason, Joseph being completely invested in what he's seeing, the sensation of absolute speed coming out of the game... What a fun atmosphere.Episode 67
Episode 41 begins with the end of the car race. Kakyoin loses rapidly and gets his soul stolen as soon as he admits defeat. It is Jotaro's turn, who chooses to fight with a base-ball game. The ball throwing shots were realized by the action animation director, Fumiaki Kota, who had notably made research by observing real games. Let's add that one of the animators for this episode, Kimitaka Ito, is a genuine base-ball fan. He's made all sorts of verifications. I think it made for a rather dynamic result onscreen... That said, there are only home-runs and you can find the match a little bland on the sports side.
Again, Jotaro shows really impressive bluffing skills. Thinking about it, I even feel that he only wins his battles through bluffs (laughs). Of course he has his physical strength, but he also has nerves of steel, and thus all the qualities of a great protagonist.
Finally, the games with Telence do not last two but three episodes. Like in the manga, everyone has their little tactics we must develop one at a time, and everything takes up more screen time than we imagined. I think only a few of us had thought we would use three episodes for the video game part.Episode 68
Here we are at the "YES YES..." part you all have been waiting for. I know a lot of people wanted to see this scene which has a cult following, and it was a priority for us during the episode's production.
The famous "You're going to "ORA ORA" me, won't you ?!" at the end of the fight cannot be missed, and Telence gifts us with a completely grotesque but brilliant face.
It is after this fight that finally, Vanilla Ice appears. At this moment, the plot picks up the pace for the last final sprint, and nothing will stop it. This sinister character remains fascinating.
The red lights are flashing for Avdol and his inevitable death. It's him who finds the scribbled message on the wall. Let's ignore that it's a message written in Japanese inside an Egyptian building. Please don't laugh, it's not the time. (laughs) And thus, Avdol is definitively eliminated. As Polnareff said it so well, it was really too sudden. This is all the more unbearable for him as it was again a sacrifice to save him from death at the last moment.
Avdol's death leaves no doubt about Cream's dangerousness, and even Iggy is terrorized at the sight of this Stand.Episode 69
Mr. Ishimoto was one of the animation directors for this episode, hence the distinctive dark lines. Overall, it was a real success.
Iggy and Polnareff are presented at their most chivalrous, in a fight to the death against Vanilla Ice. I believe we can say without exaggeration that he is the most dangerous Stand user we've met until now. He is truly cruel and formidable, has a strong aura and has a knack for making everything tense. It's truly impressive.
We had particularly worked on Cream's appearances, and they ended up especially good. The Stand is very beautiful but also perfectly terrifying, a real fatal beauty. The poor Iggy has suffered a lot. Against an imposing adult who repeatedly kicks at full strength, the result can only be horrible. As an animal lover, I find this scene sickening.
In the scene where Vanilla Ice blindly closes up on Polnareff, some neat concentric circles would have been great. But because of the layout of the room, we had to content ourselves with ovals, a shame. Polnareff then pronounces his last words and we see an earring falling to the ground, as an invitation for the next episode. Mr. Kato was in charge of the storyboard and it's his style to finish like this. Cutting at this moment was a good idea. In the end, it was really an intense episode, we don't have time to be bored. Half an hour passes in an instant.Episode 70
This episode is where Vanilla Ice is taken out once and for all. In the end, Iggy decided to protect Polnareff at the cost of his own life. And even if his death is a sad one, one can still feel some satisfaction at seeing this duo triumph over such a fearsome opponent. They've done quite a feat.
For Vanilla Ice's decomposition under the sun's rays, we had used what we call the "magma effect". It was originally used in the first two parts for wounds caused by the Ripple, including amputations. We put a texture similar to magma instead of blackening out the injury. I find it is better for immersion and atmosphere. I gave this idea to preserve the mood. (laughs) We hesitated a bit on how to make Polnareff cry, but ultimately opted for a simple drop falling on his hand, rather than a shot of the tears on his face. I hope the subtleness is to your taste and that the scene will be as touching to you as it was to us.
The second part of the episode is largely dedicated to Suzi Q. It had been a while since we'd last seen her. Holy is featured in a suggestive scene tied up with her own Stand. In hindsight, it was a little too erotic and I regret this choice. Forgive us for having treated an important character like this... Still, she doesn't look like she would have a son in high-school. (laughs)Episode 71
From now on, we enter the final battle. This episode begins on one of Polnareff's lines and it will be an onslaught of more or less famous lines.
DIO exudes an unbelievable charisma every time he appears. We really have the feeling it would be impossible to win against him.
For me, the one memorable scene will be the part with Wilson Phillips. Mr. Chô is the voice actor, and it is a somewhat strange performance that still fits the character and his vanity. The power of The World is extraordinary, but the senator's reaction makes the scene more comical than tense.
Kakyoin takes the lead and attacks DIO with his Emerald Splash. The scene also exposes the fervor of his spirit, you feel that he's eager to get his revenge. Nonetheless, he doesn't even manage to graze him and his attack is completely swept away.
All of this shows that Kakyoin has no chance against DIO even though he has a long-range Stand. If even Emerald Splash is ineffective, the range of tactics is largely restrained...Episode 72
This episode begins exactly where the last one finished, with Kakyoin announcing that he's found a way to reveal the secret of DIO's Stand. We follow with a flashback scene, which is always a sign of a character's imminent death. (laughs)
Kakyoin is shown in primary school, with a cherry motif on the pocket of his shirt; it is one of Mr. Kato's personal touches, I think it was a good idea bringing a little originality.
Hierophant Green deploys his famous web and it is beautiful. At the start, the Stand didn't have this luminescent effect. We had added it afterward and it was an immediate hit for us.
Kakyoin's death was, of course, a great moment. I think you can say that this episode is mostly used to show DIO's might, as he's fearsome from beginning to end.
The precise moment where time stops is really cool. We could have just made it simple, with only an emanation of stopped time coming from DIO. But by testing image contraction effects, the sensory enjoyment was multiplied tenfold. It immediately pleased the special effect team, who didn't ask twice to perfect The World up to the version you know here.Episode 73
In this episode, time stops during the opening itself. At Kamikaze Douga, which is the studio in charge of the animation, it was something that Junpei Mizusaki wanted to direct ever since the beginning of the Battle in Egypt arc.
The confrontation between Jotaro and DIO is full of power. The animation is striking in the power it conveys, and the casting was just as good, they were both remarkable.
Mr. Mimuro, our key animator, had bought a model of a human heart to use as reference for the scene where Jotaro manually stops his own heart. To this day, this model stands on my desk. (laughs).
The second part of the episode is dedicated to Jotaro's furious counter-attack against DIO. But at the very end, a sudden twist reverses the situation, next stop: the last episode for the conclusion...
This episode being dedicated to the fight, it was surely one of the heaviest episodes in terms of production. It is full of action scenes which will be impossible to reuse. The number of shots is also well above the average of the season. I want to deeply thank the whole team for having held the line despite this considerable work.Episode 74
The last episode happens just after DIO's new evolution. The color of his lips was advised from Mr. Araki himself.
About the pre-opening scene, the composition is a throwback to the Volume 28 cover of the tankobon.
One scene of the final battle uses really particular colors, as DIO is purple here and Jotaro's uniform turns blue. And if we had the color of the aura surrounding the characters, I think that the color scheme is rather good overall.
As for the action, every scene is very energetic and classier than ever. The final nail being the road roller scene, with this completely crazy pummeling.
DIO finds himself cornered and is heavily bleeding. It feels funny to see him diminished like this. He was such a charismatic man, but even he can only break against the Joestar family.
The last part is a straight dash to the conclusion while leaving Joseph some time for a bad joke. We can now weep in front of the airport scene.
Jotaro is looking at the group photo while lightly smiling. We had added this final scene during the finalization of the storyboard. It is cut in a manner perfectly closing the long journey. The curtain falls.I was in charge of the storyboard for this first episode.
Part 4 and Part 3 are very different in nature, and the question came down to how we could "change the flavor" of the show. Because of this, I needed a whole month to finish the storyboard (bitter smile). We also had to rethink how to manage the colors in general.
The opening scene directly presents what the audience may guess will be Kira. This scene was made to be as natural as possible, just a simple preview of the oncoming storm. Since episode 1 only revolves around the cast, there aren’t a lot of major events, and nothing has been resolved. However, thanks to the strength of the original manga, nothing stagnates and everything flows naturally toward episode 2. In terms of directing, I tried to give off the rhythmic feeling of a Music PV through rapid shot sequences. I think that overall, we’ve started off strong, don’t you think?
Morioh Radio’s jingle was discovered by Yasuko Kobayashi, the writer. She was looking for “this little something that would be pervasive to the whole town”, and she found it. It really gets stuck in your head, it’s crazy (laughs)! I hope this was a good surprise for you too during the broadcast.Episode 76
Intense. That would be the best adjective to describe this episode. The animation director, Shunichi Ishimoto, is known for his distinctive dark lines, and here he is again at the start of part 4 to animate amazing close-ups of Angelo.
The Stand, Aqua Necklace, has a nature to change, always halfway between water and some sort of flowing vapor, so animating the key frames for it was quite difficult. But it was well worth the effort as the final result nicely represents how dangerous this opponent is. I think our Aqua Necklace exudes a certain terror.
It’s also in episode 2 that Josuke uses his “dorarara” for the first time and since we are at the beginning of the story, we also made him swear to protect the city in the first 15 minutes. That’s how we raise the stakes for Part 4 and set up the essential components. I think these first two episodes are wonderful, their structure making it so they link perfectly. The series director, Toshiyuki Kato, also in charge of directing this episode, managed to tie everything together. Personally, I would have done this: it’s raining, people are dying, then, once Angelo dies, the sky clears up. It's this kind of direction detail that I would have appreciated, though it would have been difficult. It reminded me how directing techniques can vary from person to person.Episode 77
Okuyasu’s first appearance steals the show (laughs). Truth be told, we were a bit apprehensive at first; would Okuyasu prove to be popular even when animated? In the end, it was quite unnecessary to worry. He’s a “dumbass” character, but in a good way, the type of character that always has fans within the audience. Even when working on the storyboard, I'll think to myself, “Okuyasu is a dumbass…” (laughs). The first half of the episode focuses on slow-paced dialogue, but as soon as he comes to the forefront, Okuyasu immediately brightens the atmosphere, don’t you think? Of course, it’s all thanks to Wataru Takagi, his voice actor!
His Stand, The Hand, is very cool. It’s one of my favorites, personally speaking. Imagine how useful he could be for rescue missions, helping disaster victims. On the other hand, his space cutting power gave us a lot of trouble when it came to showing it on screen. Thanks to the compositing, adapting this ability was not time-consuming, but I hope that the overall result is sufficiently harmonious to the eye and that the fans won’t be troubled by these effects.
By the way, know that the many accessories and symbols Okuyasu wears are always drawn by hand. They’re easy to forget so we have to keep our eyes open when performing last time checks and scan the images long enough to be sure that everything is present.Episode 78
First of all, let's talk about how Bad Company was depicted. The compositing team went through hell for this Stand, so when I told them that I liked it, it was mostly to encourage them.
In regards to the story, the Nijimura house's layout is particularly interesting. A house with three floors is quite rare, and there's these long stairs where a significant part of the plot progression occurs. Of course, the fight needed meticulous attention, with its subtle use of the house’s obscurity.
Keicho Nijimura also left a good impression at the end. As expected of a character that is often placed in the top 3 "big brother figures" in JoJo. Okuyasu and him make a heck of a pair. His little brother finds himself in the line of fire? No matter, let’s shoot him in the face, “pew pew pew!” (laughs). Keicho’s lines are also a little crazy. “Is this your first time”, he says to Koichi when he awakens his Stand. Of course that’s his first time! You just shot him with an arrow (laughs)!
The CD Drama also has a few of my favorite lines. In short, I really do like this character.
In this duology of episode 3 and 4, Josuke plays the main character in a very cool way, which seems perfect for his role. At the same time, Koichi lands into trouble and that’s only the beginning for him.Episode 79
This is the first episode featuring Red Hot Chili Pepper. Since there aren’t many action scenes, we made sure to up the quality of each one to make up for it.
At the end of the episode, Keicho’s corpse is discovered laying on top of the power lines. In fact, this is one of the only episodes in Part 4 where we can clearly see those utility poles, and the aforementioned power lines are actually close to the Sun Mart featured in the first episode. I bet you didn’t even notice that, though it would have been really impressive if you did. In principle, this is the sort of detail only the animation team would know (laughs).
We also depicted the Nijimura Family’s past, a family that was hit hard by the asset price bubble collapse of the late 1980's. Keicho and Okuyasu’s father is particularly adorable; he's just trying his best to recreate his family photo. You would think Keicho would have noticed this, but if you think about it, he's still young, isn't he? I wonder what he wanted to do after high school. It’s really interesting to me, I would have liked to know him better.Episode 80
This is the episode where Koichi really shines on his own. The storyboard and directing were in the hands of Mr. Yasufumi Soejima, who portrays Tamami Kobayashi as a very interesting antagonist.
Echoes ACT1 enters the scene for the first time and with it comes the difficulty of showing a Stand that fights with sounds. Tamami’s own power, The Lock, doesn’t directly kill its targets and isn’t made for face-to-face combat. I think in that regard, this particular battle nicely represents Part 4 and what will be following. The fights until episode 5 were some kind of introduction and here we are in the development phase.
In regards to the animation, we decided to shrink Tamami’s proportions from the get-go. He's much smaller, but this also reflects his personality.
The second half of the episode happens at the Hirose’s. The house is quite small compared to other residences in Morioh and we had this information in mind when directing the battle in this rather cramped space. We also remember from this episode that Koichi’s sister is also very beautiful (laughs).Episode 81
This episode is the fight against Toshikazu Hazamada.
I heard that animating Josuke was somewhat difficult as he was constantly running, but the chase as a whole can actually be seen as a guided tour of the town. As soon as the characters leave the school, they pass by a number of places in Morioh before eventually reaching the episode's climax. I'm hoping some of you will take time to carefully observe and listen to the surroundings. During this trip, we discover details such as the railroad crossing that never let's you through, or the building overlooking the train station.
The fight against Hazamada marks the first time Josuke and Koichi cooperate, the latter finally having some experience with Stands. Starting from the making of the storyboard, I also noticed that it really was the first time Josuke is accompanied by a 'friend'; they investigate things together and do fist bumps like buddies. As Rohan Kishibe says later, it’s not rare for the main character of a manga to be loved by all, being able to bond with everyone, and these two are a great example of it. Regarding Koichi, he’s clearly a nice boy, but his exacerbated sense of justice would be a bit scary in reality; as if it's hiding something else. I would be suspicious (laughs).
We can see one of Hazamada’s friends at the beginning. He really has the physiognomy of someone who you'd picture as “Hazamada’s friend”. Nothing more nothing less, we didn’t even have a precise model to be faithful to.Episode 82
Mamiko Noto was responsible for Yukako Yamagishi's voice and her performance was truly wonderful! A yandere of this level is frightening (laughs). She’s so sweet at first… and then suddenly, she snaps and goes on the offensive! And when she looks through Koichi’s window... it’s a real nightmarish vision! I do not dare imagine how much trouble it would be to have a girl like this hitting on you… What do you think?
In terms of animation, this "hair" Stand was difficult to draw. When adding auras to Stands, there are often cases where the aura will extend to the user. In Yukako’s case, this aura will of course extend itself into her hair. For example, there is this one scene where she implants her own hair into Koichi’s scalp allowing herself to control him. We had to use separate cels to differentiate between Yukako and Koichi's hair, which required a little more time than it normally would.
Let’s take stock. Up until now, we saw someone get his teeth broken for having tried to hit on a woman, a high schooler was roasted, and here is a girl that kidnaps you when she falls in love… It's at this moment that I've realized Morioh is frankly a really frightening town (laughs).Episode 83
This episode marks the first appearance of "Echoes ACT2". ACT1 had a difficult power to represent on screen, but this time the difficulty is taken up a notch since the sound is now materialized.
The series director, Toshiyuki Kato, was in charge of the storyboard and the result was brilliant. I’m beginning to think I’m counting a little too much on him (laughs). Koichi reaches another level in awakening his Stand ability, and he looks alot cooler now. We finally understand why Yukako is attracted to him. Nonetheless, she remains a terrible person and even calls Koichi a “pissy pants” after the incident with the toilet in the episode's introduction. She’s terrible (laughs)! But she did manage to rightly judge the boy and see the man he would become. She must have an eye for that.
Episode 8 and 9 are worthy of being apart of 'Part 4' and pride themselves on their suspense. Will Koichi fall for Yukako? Will he get killed? Is there another way out? I remember during the weekly publication, when we couldn’t read the following story yet, the tension was at its highest. And to see a main character like Josuke ending up completely useless was something quite new. “You guys took your time” Koichi says to them. But it’s worse than that, they completely missed the train (laughs)!
The episode concludes on a catchy melody. It'll become a little habit that we'll repeat quite regularly.Episode 84
The reaction shots for Okuyasu leave quite the impression, but behind each of them there was a team of animators giving it their all. Every face he makes is always drawn with heavy lines for a great result. In the second half of the episode, Tonio’s turnaround scene resembles a game of Chicken (laughs). We don't even know who started it. In any case, all of these panicking scenes and the rest of the meal interlaced perfectly.
Fumiaki Kouta was in charge of the storyboard for this episode despite working on another series at the same time. But since we had similar sensibilities, there was practically nothing to correct. Mr. Kouta is also very efficient when he’s in charge of the animation. If you see a scene with fluid animation, it was most likely him who drew the layout.
In terms of the plot, I think this episode was primarily intended to make us laugh, but the humor is balanced by all this gory horror imagery, like with Okuyasu's gut exploding out of his body. It's even more unpleasant when we look at the uncensored version without the black filters. But paradoxically, we still come out of the episode with this urge to try Tonio’s restaurant.
We paid particular attention to the colors of the food in order to make the dishes as appetizing as possible. It’s strange to say this, but I have the impression that these kinds of episodes where they're completely irrelevant to the plot actually boosts the team's morale. Who knows why (laughs).Episode 85
This episode is here to show how dangerous Chili Pepper can be. It's quite frankly invincible as long as there’s electricity nearby. A part of its electric sparks is drawn by hand, but the rest comes from compositing effects. The animation of the motorcycle took a lot of time, especially if we take into account the various corrections made by the director.
There is a shot where Okuyasu stomps on Chili Pepper with his Stand's foot. We redid it after the voiceover in order to increase the impact of the strikes. The original consisted of only two stomps (*geshi, geshi*), but we retouched it to create a real flurry of blows (*geshigeshigeshigeshi*). We had to do this much in order to match Mr. Takagi’s hell of an acting job. There are times when you should know how to do things excessively.
My favorite part is still the opening scene with Josuke struggling on his console. He’s really into it, but eventually loses to the game. Concretely, the game isn't what matters, it’s the reaction that’s important. With a little more time, we could have worked on the scene more, because it deserves it. (laughs).
Even if it has nothing to do with the story, I especially love how Chili Pepper invades a TV series and just sits peacefully in the background. It’s one of those "only in JoJo" moments.Episode 86
This whole episode can basically be summed up with the guitar scene, since the animation for it monopolized a quarter of the episode's frames. Notice that the position of the fingers is also as realistic as possible, it’s the same notes one would use in real life! Mr. Kato is really committed to the details.
I love the episodes with Okuyasu in them. The part on the boat where Okuyasu tries to guess who’s the real Otoishi brings us back to a gag anime. There’s also this scene where he proposes Josuke to fix the cane and Koichi goes “What are you saying, idiot? You’re really dumb!” My dear Koichi, there's no need to repeat, we get it (laughs)…
Joseph fully enters the story starting from episode 12 and I think that a good number of fans were surprised by his new appearance; he’s changed a lot since part 3. He will show off his capabilities in the next episode, but for the most part, we wanted to really make the audience feel the character’s old age and at the same time the perils he was facing. Unsho Ishizuka, Joseph’s voice actor, really went into his role as an old guy, for instance coughing a lot in the studio during the recordings. He was doing it on purpose, but at least he lightened the mood during recording.
In hindsight, we had action sequences, sincere human feelings, and solo concert (?)… Overall episode 12 is full of great moments.Episode 87
This episode really spotlights the father-son relationship between Josuke and Joseph. It's a bit awkward in the beginning, but it's good to see the gap fill between them, little by little. A story centered around human feelings is very rare in JoJo, although it’s dotted with comedic elements.
The invisible baby also has the interesting ability to make the environment surrounding it invisible as well. The parts that were invisible were actually drawn in the key frames. With digital effects being commonplace nowadays, we erased the parts that were invisible afterwards.
The music playing at the end is an arrangement of a music track from part 3. It evokes Joseph as an old man but still ready to do the impossible and help those around him. What this golden-hearted old man does to save the little girl is admirable.
Episode 13 also marks a pause in the first half of part 4. As such, it summarizes the situation thus far and spreads clues about upcoming events here and there; the best example being Rohan Kishibe’s sudden appearance. It's about reminding the audience that even with Akira Otoishi’s arrest, there are still a lot of Stand users created by the bow and arrow who are roaming free. Let’s keep our guard up!Episode 88
Rohan finally appears in this episode.
I'm personally in charge of several storyboards in this series and they aren’t given randomly. I'm systemically given the first episode of each new cour, so in this case: Episodes 1, 14 and 27.
I was also responsible for about a third of the directing, but if I had to remember one thing from it, it'd be the compositing around Heaven’s Door. Visually speaking, its power lacerates the face off like an open book, so we had to pay attention to each page separately. More specifically, the operation consists of creating content for each of the pages and then incorporating it and sticking it as naturally as possible inside the book. Suffice to say the process has been long and tedious, and no one was spared. You could say that Heaven’s Door is such a fearsome Stand, its effects can be felt by the production studio (laughs).
About the content in the episode, we wanted to highlight the comical elements of this arc. This is why a lot of the drawings have such a comical look. At the same time, we had to correctly dose the disquieting, even sinister atmosphere that Rohan exudes. The mangaka’s face is really rich in expressions, and it's generally a pleasure to animate this character. As a nod to his work, some of the shots were directed to look like panels, much like a comic book. The episode ends like this, leaving Rohan’s case hanging, with Koichi coming back to visit him as if nothing had happened… It is the ideal transition into episode 15.Episode 89
Here’s an episode that generally makes people dizzy. Its rather rhythmic progression requires a very strict directing, but thanks to the eagerness of the whole team, the quality of the animation falls nicely into place, and every scene gives off the vigor that is expected of it. You can practically feel Yasufumi Soejima’s handprint all over the storyboard for this episode; I would even say that it's thanks to his overflowing style that Rohan’s eccentric personality translates so well to the screen and that the episode is so fascinating.
The shots concerning Rohan’s manga, Pink Dark Boy, were handled by Reki Taki, who was one of Hirohiko Araki’s former assistants. This also includes the page announcing the publication hiatus. There’s not much else to say, his quality is remarkable.
Finally, a subject that has much been written about, even at the time of the manga, about the boy who saves Josuke in the flashback. The famous role model. Since he appears in this episode, I’ve decided to ask Mr. Araki what this was about before launching the production. Who is he? But it looks like the truth is forever sealed… For this scene, we settled for a style imitating old voiceless movies. I feel the end result really pleased the audience, which is the important part.Episode 90
Moving right along, here’s the 'pest control' episode (laughs). Since I particularly love this arc, I was more than motivated to handle the storyboard myself, but it sadly didn’t fit my schedule. Oh well...
Yoriyasu Kogawa was in charge of the storyboard and also the directing. He’s a true veteran and his participation was invaluable to me. This episode proves that I will need to call for him again in the future. Naruhito Sakikawa also handled the key frames by himself, so this really was the episode with the most "solo positions". I can only sympathize with them. It's also maybe the episode with the least JoJo-style directing of the whole series.
Given that it’s an independent story entirely resolved in one episode, the atmosphere is quite different, and it was the ideal occasion to test new approaches. The other members of the team were also very enthusiastic by this little spin-off.
For the record, the design of Jotaro clothes here is exclusive to this episode. I’m taking note of it because I like it a lot, this combination of colors suits him marvelously. The last scene where Josuke finishes off the rat is also extremely cool. Frankly, these two JoJos are a dream team when they fight side by side. Their electrifying dual keeps us in suspense during the episode.Episode 91
Here is Reimi's first appearance, a character who will play a key role later in the story. This is also the starting episode where Rohan begins to progressively steal the spotlight (laughs). We also begin to learn a little more about Morioh through the sad story surrounding Rohan and this young girl, as well as Morioh’s other inhabitants, all bound by the same curse.
That said, condensing all this exposition into one episode wasn’t easy. In theory, I would have liked more time to develop a more suspenseful atmosphere, but it was clear that it wouldn't fit. It's already the first episode where the opening and ending are cut: the time was extended as far as it could go.
Reimi is an adorable character, I found her depiction very successful. Her voice actor, Sayuri Hara, is still quite young, but is totally in phase with the character, and knows how to take into account the atmosphere surrounding a ghost. Some new blood is always welcome within JoJo’s monstrous cast, which is sometimes hard to direct. In a way, she represents Part 4’s cast the best.
The alley is the frontier between our world and the afterworld. To portray this otherworldly feeling, we used a color palette totally different from the usual.
I want to talk about the clothes again: Take note that starting from this episode, Rohan’s clothes will change every time he appears. It’s always difficult to have so many pattern variations and designs for one character. Honestly, Rohan is making our lives hard (laughs).Episode 92
I think this episode is the one that has the most 'acts' in the entirety of the series. Things are constantly moving and nothing will stop these little rogues. Eri Nagata is in charge of the storyboard and the directing and will come back in full force in another following episode.
Shigechi is a funny little guy, don’t you think? I appreciate the sudden change in his facial expressions. We discover him when he’s still a friendless kid, getting accustomed to his new buddies, but his sudden mood swings don’t get better…
We added a scene that wasn’t originally in the manga, the one where Yukako discreetly follows Koichi in the shadows. She won’t have a role until episode 20, so here she is.
This is an episode where we take pleasure in following Josuke and Okuyasu as they assume the roles of 'rotten kids'. These are two high school students profiting from a middle school student, I think there must be something wrong with their education (laughs). Starting from here, the story focuses more and more on the essence of Part 4. But if you had to remember one thing from this episode it would be the outstanding performance of Wataru Takagi, Okuyasu’s voice actor. During the recording, the whole team was laughing out loud.
Here’s a small digression to inform you that Harvest was the only 3D animated Stand of this part. To draw these multiple creatures by hand would have been too much to ask for our team.Episode 93
There weren't any particularly notable color changes in Episode 18, but this one has two. The first one is the negotiation with the banker, where all the characters are colored gold. During this moment, everyone has one thing in mind: money. So, what's better than gold to symbolize their greed (laughs)? The other scheme happens in the second half during the fight against Shigechi.
Shigechi is strangely adorable when he’s bubbling with joy, an amazed expression on his face. The banker was also remarkable at his role.
Once again, Harvest was difficult to animate as it, or rather they, swarm around everywhere and scatter in all directions. It was actually a recurring conversation topic in the studio where we told ourselves how the Stand was so fearsome that it could exhaust people in real life. Seriously though, I think Harvest is possibly very strong depending on how its user wields it.
Personally, I find it fascinating to see a main character like Josuke use his Stand power for little misdeeds. It was only an unusable lottery ticket at first glance, but he manages to make away with 5 million yen in the end.Episode 94
Here's another episode that I particularly enjoy. Much like episode 16, I would have liked to handle the storyboard myself, but it was impossible with my schedule. Therefore, Jiro Fujimoto helped me out while also doing the directing. That said, the parts largely inspired by Alphonse Mucha were still directed by me.
The narrative thread is obviously the love story between Koichi and Yukako. Koichi seems cooler than ever and we come to appreciate Yukako's crazy personality a little more. She seems more humane than before and I can honestly say that I don’t hate her...though it’s not like I want to be her friend either (laughs)…
Aya Tsuji’s first appearance goes hand in hand with Sayaka’s Oohara’s first time behind the mic, which after recording, we can confirm was a correct casting choice. She has a certain charm that goes perfectly with the character.
The decorated scenes in the style of Alphonse Mucha are the result of Mr. Soejima’s work, he’s the one in charge of the layouts. The results exceeded in surpassing my most optimistic expectations and I think that we can all be satisfied with how they turned out.
Note that Morioh’s sky is truly blue in this episode. In a way, it marks Yukako's change of heart.Episode 95
Here’s an episode that's bound to succeed, and more importantly, an episode where one can feel sympathy for Kira. For example, there’s this moment where he’s hidden under the vaulting boxes and tries to pick up the bag with an iron wire. He’s so meticulous (laughs). When I was young, I had trouble liking Kira’s character, but now that I'm grown-up, I feel sympathetic for him. Is that how it is, to be an adult? (laughs)
Since this episode was mainly scenes about day-to-day life, our animation director, an expert in action scenes, had a lot of trouble with it. I thought it would be easy since there wasn’t any fight, but on the contrary, handling natural day-to-day movements can be difficult.
Part of the episode happens in the storage room of a high school’s gym. We made sure to reproduce every detail as close as possible to real life paraphernalia one could find in such a place.Episode 96
This is the episode where Shigechi meets an unfortunate end. The series director, Toshiyuki Kato, handled the storyboard this time, we're pretty familiar with his style. Seeing Shigechi being pulverized in the corridor was so sad I was tearing up. I was also touched by the scene where all the Stand users gather after Shigechi goes to heaven.
The drawing of Shigechi’s father and mother on his desk was an idea from Mr. Kato. It was here that I realized that Kato was an expert when it came to making the audience cry.
We designed Killer Queen’s explosions to be out of the ordinary, that's why the colors are different. We returned to an effect that was often used back in the day: explosions with black smoke.
In this episode, Jotaro changes clothes. This signifies the day changing as well.
For the record, we asked permission from the manufacturer to use their brand of children's biscuits that the shoemaker eats. I believe that it was starting from this episode that we’ve done this more and more.Episode 97
Here’s another episode I like a lot.
It's been awhile since we've had any 'true' action scenes, and more importantly, Jotaro’s “ORA-ORA-ORA” returns. Unfortunately for him, Sheer Heart Attack isn’t even scratched…
It's completely in line with JoJo’s style to fight an enemy you cannot directly see. It is, in essence, part of the charm of Part 4. It's something I personally adore and is even linked to the rest of the story: a psychological battle that consists of first finding the enemy.
Echoes ACT3 arrives in this episode. At first glance, it doesn’t look very strong, but it’s the first to inflict damage onto Kira, although in an indirect fashion. To be continued!Episode 98
The direct confrontation against Yoshikage Kira finally begins in this episode. We also discover his "fussy side" when he's disturbed by Koichi’s socks. Compared to other characters in the same category, he seems a lot less like a final boss.
I don’t know if the animation team suddenly doubled their efforts, starting with the animation director Shunichi Ishimoto, but from this episode on, the key frames are becoming more and more intense. It certainly helps increase the tension in the series.
By fighting Kira head on, Koichi finally looks like a true hero of the series. Jotaro also intervenes to save him at just the right time; the part when the Stardust Crusaders theme plays in the background is just phenomenal.
The climax of the story happens when Aya Tsuji and the real Kosaku Kawajiri die in a scene where the colors are much duller. Then the colors come back once they lose track of the enemy, being unable to identify his new appearance. I'll let you freely interpret the meaning of this scene.Episode 99
In this episode, we’ve changed the way we look at colors. Yuko Sato, the color designer, did a fantastic job with the fight scene against Kira’s father. It’s a motif we end up using for similar scenes in subsequent episodes. It’s funny, I've been working with the same people for quite a long time, yet they still manage to surprise me.
As for the storyboard and the directing, Eri Nagata was in charge of both, much like Episode 18. It's an episode full of small comedic moments, but she’s been great.
Also in this episode, we discover the Kawajiri residence. Many of us at the studio said that it felt like a soap opera. I had to actually ask myself where this series was going when I saw the last scene with Shinobu surrounded by flowers. (laughs).
I had been looking for a long time for how to portray the Stand of Kira’s father on-screen, but I think we’ve reached a satisfying result. I advise our audience to not think too much and to simply feel things out.Episode 100
The colors we chose for the duel between Rohan and Rock-Paper-Scissors Kid were inspired by another series. I’ll let you take a closer look, mainly at the auras around them. (laughs).
The boy here, Ken Oyanagi, was brilliantly portrayed by Chika Sakamoto. I particularly like his insolent tone, as well as Rohan, who can be merciless even against a child. This already happened a few times before, but this episode allowed the voice actors to surpass themselves. During the recording, Ms. Sakamoto and Mr. Takahiro Sakurai, Rohan’s voice actor, both gave off a lot of energy, I remember it very distinctly.
According to Mr. Araki himself, Ken’s Stand design is inspired by Tetsujin 28. However, I hesitated to faithfully recreate the colors, so instead of Tetsujin’s blue, I opted for a more metallic coloring.
Just like in the manga, the Janken duel happens in five rounds, but during a meeting, we thought about shortening it to three. In the end, we managed to keep all five rounds in the allotted screen time.Episode 101
This episode is the start of new cour, so it was up to me again to not only handle the storyboard, but also set the overall tone for what's to come. Though I also did it because it's a comedy episode. (laughs) Beginning from here, the show will feature several episodes where certain elements are heavily altered from the manga.
A new character enters the scene, Mikitaka Hazekura, voiced by Mr. Yasuyuki Kase. I find his deep voice perfectly fitting for the character. Since it takes quite a bit of time to draw all of his transformation sequences, I also helped supervise the painful process of length adjusting each scene to fit the episode.
Rohan’s facial expressions also required a lot of work. And once again, we had to resort to CGI for the dice during his and Josuke’s duel. Other than Harvest, we rarely work in CGI, although it would have made our work a lot easier in several cases. (bitter laugh).
Here’s some trivia: Mikitaka only has his nose ring in this episode because one of the ladies from the animation team told me he was cooler without it.Episode 102
Here's a really tense episode after the dice game. I personally thought Rohan looked really cool here when he said, "I refuse (だが断る, daga kotowaru)" to his opponent's face. Visually speaking, the animators had to double up their efforts in order to emulate the manga as close as possible for this scene. This is, after all, the first Stand fight of the new cour, so the whole team had to give it their all.
Drawing all of Highway Star’s footprints by hand is fairly difficult, which is why I had to put my best recruits on the case, starting with the action scenes director. Kishō Taniyama, Yuya Fungami’s voice actor, has alot of style, which is why he ranks either first or second for most fitting voice in Part 4.
You will notice that we do not necessarily change the colors between the humorous scenes and the tense ones. This was the case in episode 27 too. Since episode 25’s visual style was admirable, it now serves as the base for the rest of the series.Episode 103
Drawing a moving motorcycle by hand is very exhausting. And while I wasn't directly involved in drawing it, the faces on the other animators… phew. I thought the storyboard was bad enough, but it was even worse when I saw the sheer amount of key frames the animation directors had. Better be prepared when you’re dealing with a car chase scene. (laughs).
When Highway Star absorbs its victim’s nutrients, they become a little transparent, leaving their skeleton exposed. We achieved this effect by messing around with the layers display. It's actually simpler than it looks. The skeleton’s appearance does give the impression that one’s energy is being sucked away. Yet another visual trick we owe to Mr. Araki.
Just after Fungami’s defeat, we added an original scene between Josuke and Rohan. It's essentially the conclusion of the feud between these two going back to episode 27. It was inevitable that this particular story would come to an end. It apparently pleased the fans, so I’m reassured.Episode 104
This is the episode where Hayato figures out what's going on thanks to the 'cat-plant'. We ended up adapting six manga chapters into one episode, so everything went very quickly. It was necessary, however, in order to kick things into high gear and rush toward the final battle.
'Kosaku Kawajiri' begins to develop feelings for Shinobu. He was even clearly troubled when she was attacked by the cat-plant. When I read the manga, I told myself that after this incident, Kosaku would question his feelings about his new family, but that wasn’t the case at all. In the end, his every action was conditioned to ensure his survival. (laughs). However, he was clearly disturbed by his own emotions, that's a fact. The episode's direction was intended to make the audience doubt Kosaku’s true nature.
The cat-plant that appears in this episode actually has three evolutionary stages. You can differentiate them by the features on its face. I hope you’ll be able to see these differences.Episode 105
This episode is the first in a series of four, linking four arcs of the manga, going from the electric tower to Bites the Dust’s awakening.
The usage of the hour and date visible at the bottom of the screen helps to progressively bring the audience toward the final fight and the appearance of Bites the Dust. It also helps represent the chronological order between the scenes. It was quite a bold directing choice, don’t you think?
The hard part was having several Stand battles taking place simultaneously. That's why Yasuko Kobayashi was responsible for the writing from episode 31 to episode 34. On the other hand, the storyboard and direction were broken up for each individual event. Be it the electric tower, Enigma or the other Stand battles, each event had its own team. It was necessary, since I couldn't bear having the Stand designs change between episodes. At the same time, it simplifies the effort I have to put into explaining every detail for each event to the directors. That said, the editing and voice acting took a lot of time. (laughs) JoJo is one of those rare series that gives us the oppurtunity to work differently than usual.Episode 106
Eri Nagata was in charge of the directing for this part and despite the complexity of the tower itself, she did an excellent job. I love how the tower is visually represented and the fight's overall direction.
Mikitaka’s face is also really cool. We can see that the animation director who was in charge of it loves the character. (laugh) We actually broke some taboos during this part of the series and even the animation directors were busy animating.
The Enigma fight consists of targets being turned into paper and imprisoned. Once again, Mr. Soejima was responsible for the storyboard and the directing, giving us a result worthy of JoJo.
Fungami also returns in this part. Looking back at his face, he really is a handsome guy. I too would like to brag about girls following me everywhere like him! Am I the only one..? Nah, that’s a typical reaction. (laugh). But at the same time, he also really loves his girls, which is part of his charm.Episode 107
In this episode, Josuke confronts one of the few enemies he cannot defeat with brute force alone, Enigma. We also get to see how Fungami fights in this desperate situation, notably how he saves Josuke and Koichi from the shredder. Speaking of which, we slightly changed the way it was represented compared to the manga. Thanks to one of Soejima’s ideas, Fungami uses his Stand to extract the paper from the shredder and, as a result, we have a better understanding of how they were saved.
Meanwhile, the fight between Cheap Trick and Rohan is underway. Truth be told, this section was significantly reduced compared to the manga. We needed to quickly move onto Bites the Dust, so several scenes had to be cut, such as the one where Rohan is asleep and a bunch of delivery people show up.
In the manga, the title, “July 15th (Thursday)” doesn’t exist. We came up with it during a meeting. We were looking on the calendar for the last day before summer vacation and this was it.Episode 108
We originally thought about switching the voice actors for Masazo Kinoto, voiced by Makoto Ishii, and Toyohiro Kanedaichi, voiced by Koichi Tochika. There was alot of discussion about it and we even took the directing into account, but in the end, we made the right choice. Kanedaichi sounds rather classy and Kinoto is very bright, but also a little screwed in the head. Their respective voice actors perfectly nailed their characters.
Speaking of Kinoto, we briefly see him in episode 14 in front of the bookstore and before he’s developed his phobia about showing his back. Some of you may have noticed him.
In regards to the scene where Rohan is surrounded by the cats and dogs, the post-production team did a great job creating an oppressive atmosphere. It'll depend from episode to episode, but they say that, compared to other anime, JoJo is among those that require the most post-production. I sincerely apologize about it and I want to thank the team for their magnificent work on how Satoru and Minako explode, thanks to Kosaku Kawajiri.
Starting with this episode, Hayato becomes a "main character" and is already showing some level of courage. That said, the "father and son" bathroom scene was a little bizarre. (laughs)Episode 109
This is the episode where Kosaku awakens Bites the Dust. It's time for it to enter the fray.
The purpose of this episode was to create a feeling of desperation in the viewers by seeing Hayato trapped inside a time loop after Rohan dies. Toshiyuki Kato’s directing is admirable. Just by repeating the same day-to-day scenes and adding subtle modifications, we realize how terrible Bites the Dust can be.
We also paid a great deal of attention to how Rohan exploded. The directing required emotional impact in the instances directly preceding and succeeding the explosion. By insisting too much on the explosion itself, the audience wouldn’t feel the despair and fear. Thus, we focused on Rohan’s pain, so that the audience would feel empathy. During the editing of the episode we even lengthened this particular section.Episode 110
This is the first time in the JoJo series that Toshiyuki Kato and I worked on the storyboard together, splitting the episode into two halves.
Mr. Kato was absolutely determined to draw Hayato under pressure, particularly when the latter was planning to kill Kosaku Kawajiri, so I took the first half of the episode and left him the second. That said, it was still difficult. I'm hoping Hayato's emotions translated well enough on-screen; I would have liked more time in the episode to show his state of mind more.
Bites the Dust is a terrifying power, and at the same time a power that’s hard to understand. (bitter laughs) Truth be told, I don’t even know how many times time was looped for Hayato. So, we avoided the subject in the anime.Episode 111
This is where the ultimate fight begins. Between Bites the Dust’s cancellation, Okuyasu being wounded, and Josuke and Kira's face-to-face, the episode is just full of twists. I remember feeling very motivated when looking over the storyboard.
In regards to the breaking heart visualization that shows when Bites the Dust is deactivated, I took a bit of inspiration from the second opening, specifically when the hand squeezes the heart until it explodes. I loved this scene and wanted to use it again in the series. Mission accomplished, the circle is now complete.
When we discover Stray Cat in the belly of Killer Queen, the colors veer into mostly red tones to symbolize anger. Regarding Stray Cat, his attack where it launches an air bubble was achieved by displacing the layer and inflating it to show how it approached its target. Had it been required to draw this by hand, it would have taken significantly more drawings. This is especially bad since the drawings were getting more and more detailed now. This is proof that our animators are 100% invested in the series. I should perhaps use them as an example for the character profile art. (laughs)Episode 112
Josuke and Kira are giving it their all in this final battle. The fight initially happens at a distance, but the two eventually duke it out head-to-head, a struggle that the whole production team worked on. Mr. Kato himself checked and corrected the 100 last cuts of the episode, most notably the beautiful scene where Okuyasu dreams of meeting with his brother (was it really a dream though?). We also get explosions, blood spraying everywhere and even an exploding house. Rio, its proprietor, should have a rather big surprise when she comes home. (laughs)
Speaking of Rio, the scene with the panty thief made quite an impression. Although it's useless to the plot, without it the ensuing fight would have been duller. The fact that we added this small comedic moment, which is insignificant at first glance, increases the dramatic side of the battle. In fact, allowing some time for this moment was planned from the start. (laughs) I don’t know if I got lucky, but I worked on and corrected the first 100 cuts of the episode, including this scene. I cannot say why I wanted to draw this panty thief, but characters like him are the ones that give JoJo’s universe its uniqueness.Episode 113
For this final episode, I wanted to conclude with Yoshikage Kira being defeated by all of the town's inhabitants. Basically, there wasn’t any particular hero. That is why in the anime, there’s an original scene where Reimi tells the whole cast that they all saved Morioh. I also wanted to draw an epilogue after Reimi’s departure into the sky, so I asked Yasuko Kobayashi, this episode’s writer, to allot some time for that. I hope that by seeing all the faces of Morioh, the viewer will feel a certain nostalgia for having to leave this place. I think we pulled off a very good finale.
Going back to the scene where Jotaro stops time, this was actually the first time he's activated Star Platinum while every other character was in motion. I was initially afraid we couldn’t reproduce this part faithfully, but the post-production team did a fantastic job. We’re fortunate that they are here. (laughs) Likewise for the part where Kira thinks he’s triggered Bites the Dust, all the animators worked really hard to animate this scene in a magnificent manner. Everyone gave it their best in this last episode. Not to mention, don’t you think the final storyboard and the directing were also really well done? (laughs)1. Meet Giorno Giovanna
Changing things up from the manga, Giorno's first appearance is an anime-original scene that introduces both his kindness and his severity. Chief Director Tsuda also states that he wanted to present a peek into what Giorno and they gang be up against through the lens of the Naples townscape.
2. Koichi at the Airport
Tsuda, who was also a director in Diamond is Unbreakable, fondly recalls, "Koichi's wayward luck is nostalgic, and Echoes is cool no matter how many times I see it." The airport design is taken from present day (instead of 2001 when the story takes place) so that fans who visit Naples are able to see the same scenery as the characters.
3. Enter Gold Experience
Giorno manifests Gold Experience on screen for the first time when he is escaping from Koichi's attack. Gold Experience only appears for a moment, but Tsuda wanted its first appearance to shine more than any other Stand in the franchise thus far.
4. Giorno and Bucciarati's Fateful Encounter
The aim of Giorno and Bucciarati's unrelenting conversation was to create an atmosphere that was both casual and out of the ordinary. The production staff was able to experience the bizarreness of the cable car firsthand during location scouting.Episode 115
1. Giorno's Childhood
Director Takahashi introduces one of Golden Wind's central themes, "sorrow". Sorrow falls with the rain when Giorno reencounters Man X, and again with the last of the day's sun drifting bleakly through the alley where a child points a gun at Man X, who stays protected within the shadows.
2. JoJo Poses
The second episode features many famous JoJo poses. Takahashi recalls that it was a struggle to find a way to animate the poses naturally without hindering the action, but he is proud of how the animation flowed into the final pose of the first half of the episode.
3. This Battle's No Joke!
Compared to previous seasons, Takahashi felt that Golden Wind leveled up with how head-on the Stand battles were, so he incorporated more direct combat. "The action animation director Katayama drew frames with such captivating movement that everything ended up much better than I had imagined!"
4. Giorno's Grand Ambition
The backdrop references a place found during location scouting and was designed with the help of Director Kimura. Giorno's pose as he makes his statement about becoming a gangster was created with Director Tsuda's advice. Takahashi recalls that this scene helped him understand the series on a much deeper level.Episode 116
1. Naples in Light and Shade
The bright sun shines on the beauty of the townscape and accentuates the menace of the shadows-that was the production crew's impression of Naples. The light and shadow on Giorno's face when he steps out of the tunnel into his new world is also a play on this contrast.
2. The Darkness of the Prison
"The blue of the prison brings out frigidity and fear, and the green in the hallway down to Polpo's cell makes everything ominous," states Director Kimura, who emphasized inorganic lighting to create an unsettling atmosphere. The prison guards treat Giorno with contempt, believing that all of Polpo's visitors are trash.
3. Body Inspection
According to Kimura, the body inspection with the female prison guard is drawn out to have the viewers feel Giorno's anxiety. He states, "Managing to get through one crisis after another is what JoJo is all about, so we were extra careful about pacing to make sure viewers felt that sense of emergency."
4. Black Sabbath
As soon as the janitor reignites the lighter, the axis of time distorts and uneasiness fills the air. The battle between Giorno and Black Sabbath is hinted at here. Since shadows are vital to the Stand's abilities, emphasis was placed on showing how Black Sabbath captures its victims.Episode 117
1. Battling Black Sabbath
It was important to make the complexity of the battle easier to understand, so Black Sabbath's behaviors are depicted as robotic, with set phrases and movements. The sequence where Black Sabbath moves with the shadow of a flying bird was not originally planned for the episode, but was added in to showcase the Stand's abilities.
2. MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!
Thanks to the idea of key animator Takeshi Morita, the frames in Giorno's mid-episode muda feature pencil-like brush strokes and gradients, employing a coloring method usually only reserved for backgrounds and print material and rarely used in key animation. The result, however, gives Giorno's rage a visual punch.
3. Back to Polpo's Cell
Giorno appeared overwhelmed by Polpo's presence in episode three, but when he visits Polpo again in episode four, his expression is closer to that of a mafioso. The sound effect for Gold Experience is snuck into the part where the gun transforms into a banana. And Polpo's burp was all due to the power of voice actor Hideo Ishikawa!
4. Carrying the Joestar Spirit
Director Kimura explains that the anime-original scene with Koichi on the phone with Jotaro was created because he "wanted to draw the curtains on Koichi's character properly instead of just fading him out. And having Koichi describe Giorno's heart of gold right before Polpo is murdered by Giorno marks a memorable contrast.Episode 118
1. Bucciarati's Eccentric Famiglia
On the character introduction scene, Chief Director Tsuda explains, "Basically, I wanted to off the rails introducing their quirks. Viewers should get the impression that they're a real bunch of oddballs." The restaurant serves as an example of a mafia-managed service business.
2. Loved by the Townspeople
People greet him on the street, the elderly seek his advice, and the boat shop owner lends him a boat for no charge. Bucciarati's charm as a leader is apparent from the way people treat him. Tsuda surmises that the rental car that Mista and Fugo discuss in the background during Giorno's monologue is also free.
3. Our Destination is Capri
At first glance, it appears as if the gang is just going on vacation, but their eyes change color as the topic of Polpo's fortune is brought up. "Are they past redemption to be so excited over a hidden fortune?" jokes Tsuda. For the record, Italy switched from the lira to the euro in 1999, but the lira was still circulated as currency in 2001.
4. Is Everyone Dead Already?
The members are ambushed on the boat. Tsuda wanted to highlight the suspense of an invisible enemy. "And," he adds, "I wanted to make sure the story connected smoothly into the next episode. Here, Abbacchio - we warmed the seat for you!"Episode 119
1. Abbacchio's Past
The station that appears in the episode references the current Napoli Centrale. Keeping tourism in mind, Director Takahashi used the current layout of piazza in front of the station. "But be careful," he warns, "because the tour guide told us that area's a gateway to seedier parts of town!"
2. Moody Blues
Moody Blues does not have much screen time in the series, so Takahashi put special care to its depiction on screen. "Since Moody Blues deals with past events, we wanted that theme apparent as it manifests. Paired with after effects and sound effects, it ended up cooler than I imagined. It's one of my favorite Stands."
3. There were Two Boats All Along!
Soft Machine has one of the most confusing Stand abilities in Golden Wind, so Takahashi and scriptwriter Kazuyuki Fudeyasu wanted to make it as painless as possible. Takahashi recalls, "I had vented to Director Kimura and Producer Nobutaka Kasama while doing the storyboards, but I'm satisfied with the results."
4. The Fly
The sequences with the fly are Director Takahashi's favorite. As he read the manga, he felt that the fly was talking to him. He was entertained by how the post-production staff's improvised colors and effects made Bucciarati seem even more cornered. "Shinya Takahashi, who voices Zucchero, was also terrific, and I'm glad the scene turned out exciting"Episode 120
1. Zucchero's Torture Scene, Part I
In a situation that is both nonsensical and spine-chilling, Zucchero watches his own detached body as it is beaten by Narancia, Fugo, and Abbacchio. Director Kimura notes, "The speed at which Narancia switches moods and Giorno's indifferent attitude really drive the whole gangster thing home."
2. Zucchero's Torture Scene, Part II
Some of the violence was mitigated with abstract imagery. However, Kimura didn't want to run from it completely. because it deals directly with their identity as gangsters. "As a fan, I was looking forward to seeing the dance scene animated, but to think I'd end up directing it! I almost wanted someone else to do it!"
3. Sex Pistols Appears
"I imagined the pistols would sound scary, but once the voices were added, they ended up even cuter!" Kimura's favorite scene is when the bullets come out of the revolver, shouting "It's lunchtime!" Mista carefully prepares a tablecloth and wine to feed them salami, a demonstration of his Italian sensibilities.
4. Sex Pistols, Working Hard!
In the sequence where Sex Pistols work together to shoot Sale's leg, the bullet and its air current are done in 3-D while the Stand itself is done with cels. The Pistols talk quite a bit; therefore, it was a point of focus to make sure the actual bullet still felt like it was moving as fast as a bullet should.Episode 121
1. Mista's Past
Episode eight depicts Mista's revelation and change in his point of view on life, but Mista himself has not changed much from then to now. Note that the area around the movie theater is bright, while the area where thugs loiter is depicted with heaps of trash littered on the sidewalks.
2. The Island of Capri
Some of the violence was mitigated with abstract imagery. The production crew visited Capri during their trip. Director Kimura recalls that it was a scenic resort spot and that the sun's rays were harsh, especially during the summer. They increased the saturation and color contrast for this episode to reflect their experience in Capri.
3. Sale and Kraft Work
The first half of the episode features the truck climbing up a peculiarly shaped rock, while the second half switches to their battle held midway up the rock as the truck overlooks the sea. Kaito Ishikawa shines as he voices Sale's deranged character. In addition, Kraft Work went through many color design adjustments to differentiate it from Tender Machine.
4. The Battle Against Sale, Decided
Plenty of time is spent on the final part of their battle. According to Kimura, he structured the battle like the game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire. "I also really love the scene-specific color design for this part of the episode especially the golden color of Mista's gun."Episode 122
1. Call Me Mr. Pericolo
With a peaceful aura and small stature, it is difficult to imagine Pericolo being a capo. Director Takahashi recalls. the difficulties of making him appear dignified, but his regal words and Bucciarati's deference towards him cements the importance of his position.
2. Trish the Cleaning Crew Member
"Did you all notice that Trish's figure when she's revealed to be the boss's daughter changes from when she first appears?" Takahashi explains that they designed two versions of her in cleaning clothes, one with an androgynous figure and one with a feminine figure.
3. The Car Keys
A Pinocchio doll was added to the keychain. "The doll was added for the match cut to the flashback scene, but you could also say we used it for its cute color design. I'm sure anyone who's been to Italy once can understand, but it's an item that shows up in every gift shop in Italy. It's very memorable."
4. Narancia's Car
One of Takahashi's favorite scenes is the pacing of the sequence where Narancia kicks the car as it explodes. "The tension created by the music, the sound effects, the animation, everything about this scene gets me going. It's what we had in mind during storyboarding, but seeing it go together so well felt great.Episode 123
I had wondered whether Sorbet's scene would be allowed to be aired on television. When I watched it on air, not only was it depicted exactly as-is, each piece of him was lined up slowly and meticulously! It was gruesome, but it emphasized the weight of Formaggio's motivations. The staff really went for
this one!1. Aerosmith
Aerosmith was animated using 3-D CG, which allowed for more movement within scenes. Director Takahashi states, "The sequence at the very beginning of the episode was crafted by 3-D animator Mai Nakazono. Thanks to her, the animation ended up looking awesome!"
2. Formaggio Dives Under the Car
The sequence where Formaggio dives under a car as he's being chased by Aerosmith was spearheaded by action animation director Yasutoshi Iwasaki. Takahashi has high praise: "I love the unique way Formaggio runs. It's so dynamic for a part that's just him running. Amazing!"
3. The Hitman Team
Directors Tsuda, Kimura, and Takahashi decided to put more emphasis on the idea that this was a battle of teams in order to highlight the instability within the syndicate. Tsuda proposed to introduce all the Hitman Team members at once, and Takahashi felt that doing so gave the characters' motivations more depth.
4. Cross-Sectional Sorbet
Sorbet's demise shows the force of the boss's terror. The key frames shocked Takahashi, but he wanted the viewers to see it in full, so he had the help of producers Nobutaka Kasama and Hiroyuki Omori to make sure it aired that way. "Of course, there were a few areas that needed censoring, but here, we have the uncensored version. Enjoy!"Episode 124
1. Give Up on the Chivalry Bullshit
In the manga, Formaggio's recollection of the Hitman Team's humiliation occurs while he steps on Narancia. By moving that recollection to episode ten, the emotions behind Formaggio's words in this episode are clearer. Director Takahashi enjoyed how well Jun Fukushima, the voice of Formaggio, tied the scene together with his performance.
2. Narancia and the Spider
The scene with Narancia inside the bottle was originally much simpler, but key animator Kai Shibata proposed to make the action more exciting and elaborate. Takahashi thanks him. "Episode Director Shinji and I are grateful to animators like him who raise the quality of animation."
3. Narancia vs Formaggio
It is common for the color design to change between scenes, but episodes nine, ten, and eleven kept any changes to a minimum until the climax. Takahashi states, "We made the right choice. We wanted Aerosmith to be light blue and purple, so we adjusted everything else around that. The purple flames also gave the scene a good punch."
4." Helico"
In the Japanese, Narancia shortens the word "helicopter" to "helico," much like how English speakers might say "copter." According to Takahashi, he was planning to cut the line out. but Chief Director Tsuda wanted it to be kept in. "Looking back, Takahashi states, "we did need that word in there. I'm totally going to use it from now on."Episode 125
1. Fugo's Childhood
Illuso simply reads Fugo's history out loud in the manga, but the anime makes sure to flesh it out visually. The staff spent time contacting Hirohiko Araki for details to create the scenes. Tsuda recalls, "This was where we spent the most time going back and forth with Araki Sensei. I hope it lived up to everyone's expectations!"
2. Purple Haze
Purple Haze is known for its aberrant, frenzied behavior and vicious abilities. Tsuda states, "I'd be happy if Purple Haze's sinister character got through to fans. But its impish side is creepy-cute, don't you think?"
3. The Abbacchio-Giorno-Fugo Trio
Episode twelve splits Bucciarati's team in two and features the newbie Giorno with Abbacchio, who still has reservations about him, and Fugo, who seems to be constantly annoyed at him. "Their ways of thinking will connect directly to what happens next in the story." "Tsuda points out, "so keep your eyes peeled!
4. Illuso from the Hitman Team
Illuso's Stand, Man in the Mirror, drags its opponents into its mirror world. Stardust Crusaders also featured a Stand that moves within reflections, but Man in the Mirror is much more direct. "It's really easy to mess things up when animating a flipped world, so there might be some mistakes if you look for them... On second thought, please don't look for them."Episode 126
1. Moody Blues Dukes It Out
One highlight is that Moody Blues, a Stand not really suited for battle, ends up in a brawl with Man in the Mirror. It was a memorable moment for Chief Director Tsuda. "I'm happy that Moody Blues seemed like it was having so much fun!"
2. The End of Illuso
We see Illuso's grand demise as he melts away after being infected by Purple Haze's virus. His grotesque death shines a spotlight on the danger of Purple Haze's abilities. "Since this is the only time we see Purple Haze in action, I'm glad it ended up looking great. I enjoyed the intensity of those frames, recalls Tsuda.
3. You Have My Eternal Respect!
Giorno, Abbacchio, and Fugo's mission ended up with each one understanding the other on a deeper level, despite their conflicting ways of thinking. Tsuda believes that it is an interesting episode that intertwines each of their ideas, tact, and determination.
4. At the Train Station
In the anime-original scene of the train station at the end of the episode, a mystery being picks up a scrap of paper lying near a dead body. For this scene, Tsuda and the rest of the staff read between the lines of a later scene in the manga where Ghiaccio is speaking on top of the car that Giorno and Mista is driving.Episode 127
1. Big Bro Prosciutto and Pesci
With one striking line after another, Prosciutto is a fan favorite. Director Kimura jokes, "I want to use them in my daily life!" He also enjoyed drawing Pesci. "We prepared more faces for him than any other character. I'm sure the character designer Takahiro Kishida also had fun." As an aside, the train station is based off of Milano Centrale, not Napoli Centrale.
2. From the Enemy's Eyes
These next three episodes narrate from Prosciutto and Pesci's perspective; Bucciarati and gang are seen inside the turtle only after Prosciutto finishes searching the area. Kimura is fond of the scene where Bucciarati panics about not being able to find the right keyhole.
3. This Turtle's Like a Spaceship!
The boss prepared the turtle to transport Trish safely. The inside of the turtle can be seen from the outside, but the outside is made to be only visible at times from the inside. "We didn't include a television like in the manga, but the staff pored over various Italian drinks for the refrigerator, so check it out! Man, I really want a turtle like this!" says Kimura.
4. Why Do You Look Like a Freakin' Grandpa?!
Kimura loves Mista's honesty when he notices Narancia's withering features. The music in this episode also pushes the suspense forward. "The voice actors were so good at voicing the aged characters. By the way, Abbacchio's hair is already pretty white, but it becomes whiter when he's aged."Episode 128
1. Pesci's Beach Boy
Director Kimura states, "The pink color of the fishing line is cute." The ripple effect when the line touches various surfaces is done with a time-consuming postproduction technique, but the result makes it so that Beach Boy appears free to move through objects, much like a fishing line in water.
2. Mista Calmly Corners Pesci
Mista coolly observes a panicking Pesci from the shadows after Sex Pistols breaks the glass filled with ice. Viewers may have also been surprised at Mista's appearance. Kimura also recalls the scene, "Mista's facial expression paired with the wrinkles made him look quite scary."
3. They Cannot Escape the Inevitable!
The tides turn over and over in this scene where Prosciutto blends in as a normal passenger. The pool of blood that flows after Mista is shot by Prosciutto makes it seem like he has died, but thanks to Sex Pistols' Number Five, the bullet doesn't pierce his brain. Kimura observes. "That probably hurts like hell."
4. Can You Say the Same?
Bucciarati's rush of famous lines begins with, "A mission must be completed. And I'll protect my crew." Kimura notes that they did not add highlights to characters' noses for this season, but a rare highlight was added to Bucciarati's nose in the scene where he grabs Prosciutto's arm. The detailed frames add even more impact to his already impactful lines.Episode 129
1. The Climactic Beginning
Episode sixteen begins with Prosciutto hanging on to the train as it runs 150 kilometers per hour. Director Kimura wanted Bucciarati to appear almost like a villain as he tries to kick Prosciutto off the train. Tatsuhisa Suzuki, the voice of Prosciutto, provided some amazing shouts here.
2. The Grateful Dead
Battered and beaten. Prosciutto activates The Grateful Dead to aid Pesci. Kimura states, "We created episodes fourteen through sixteen from Prosciutto and Pesci's point of view to build up to this moment. I'd be happy if even the smallest part of you wanted to cheer them on. Seeing Prosciutto all beaten up still hurts me."
3. A Battle of Resilience
Pesci becomes stronger once he truly understands Prosciutto's words. The battle then becomes not one of tides turning, but one of resolve and resilience. Director Kimura had high praise for Pesci's voice actor, Subaru Kimura, as he expertly navigated Pesci's growth from a mammone to a true gangster.
4. Arrivederci!
The "Arrivederci" subtitle was not originally planned, but Kimura had a change of heart before the video went to editing. "I'm glad we added it. We used 'Cinema Font' for the Japanese subtitles in Golden Wind, and set against that sunset, it looked like a foreign film! Also, since this is one of Bucciarati's famous stills, we spent a lot of time on the zipper details."Episode 130
1. The Production Staff Loves Melone
With his eccentric looks and various Italian phrases peppered into his speech, Melone was especially popular with the female animation staff. Sanetoshi recalls. "They were all raising their hands like, 'Please let me draw some of Melone, even if it's only a few frames!"
2. Cars Turn into Frogs
Giorno punches the cars in the parking lot one by one and uses Gold Experience to turn them into frogs. With so much to move in each frame, Sanetoshi recalls this scene as one of the more difficult scenes to create. "But the jumping frogs ended up looking adorable."
3. Bucciarati the Airhead
Inside Coco Jumbo (the turtle). Trish declares that she needs to use the restroom, to which Bucciarati responds by using Sticky Fingers to create a makeshift toilet inside the closet. The staff began to consider him a real airhead from then on. Sanetoshi muses, "I wonder just how serious he was about that as a real solution..."
4. The Piranha
On the piranha that jumps out from Babyhead, Sanetoshi admits, "We made the piranha gold to match Gold Experience's color design, but it ended up looking more like the golden Shachihoko that sit atop the Nagoya Castle..." Nevertheless, it was an important scene that showcased Gold Experience's new capabilities.Episode 131
1. A Restructured Scene
Portions of this episode were changed significantly from the television broadcast to the product version. Director Takahashi states, "It was unfortunate that we had to cut those frames for television. I'm glad we were able to put what episode eighteen is truly supposed to look like on the disc product!"
2. Ghiaccio on the Road
Almost all key frames for Ghiaccio's action sequence were drawn by action animation director Yasutoshi Iwasaki, with only character detail adjustments made by the animation directors. Takahashi was highly satisfied with the results: "We were able to see Iwasaki's captivating lines in action!"
3. The Car Chase
Takahashi and staff researched by watching car chase scenes from various movies where action scenes were not the main focus. "Since we were going to use 3-D for our car, I watched a certain famous street racing anime while doing the storyboards. Before I knew it, I had Eurobeat running in the background."
4. Ponte della Libertà
The manga depicts the car crossing the bridge and driving through the bus terminal, but with Chief Director Tsuda's insight, the scene was changed so that it just dives into the canal. Takahashi: "The simplicity made the scene look great, but when I showed the storyboard to Tsuda, he told me, "The idea was to make things easier, not more elaborate!"Episode 132
1. All Thanks to the Staff
Director Takahashi points out a few stars: "Taizo Yoshida created a nice, balanced storyboard. Shinji Osada is someone who knows which spots to emphasize, so he was perfect as this episode's director. And thanks to production coordinator Shugo Tsuneoka's tenacity, we ended up with a solid episode!"
2. Mista's Past, Continued
Takahashi thought about what would make Mista unable to bear two years in prison. His conclusion was food. "We contrasted the prison food against the food of the restaurant. I think part of what drew Mista to Bucciarati was that experience of good food." The bruschetta was something the production staff enjoyed during their location scouting tour.
3. Scene-Specific Color Design
Color designer Yuko Sato was requested to use a monotone base for the sequences leading up to the daybreak scene. Takahashi explains, "We wanted to make the light of dawn really pop, so we basically went without color altogether. It ended up looking more tasteful than I imagined! The violet tones on Mista are beautiful."
4. Daybreak
The production staff matched the direction of the sunrise to the actual location, which they went to check in person. Takahashi tells viewers, "When you go to Venice, make sure to do two rounds of touring-one for the manga, and one for the anime!"Episode 133
1. The Beginning of Trish's Growth
This episode finally openly shows how Trish feels about her current situation. Takahiro Kamei is fond of the noticeable changes in Trish's psychological state. "I'm sure she has been feeling insecure or angry and upset at her changing environment, but she becomes more independent after this scene. It marks a turning point for her."
2. Bucciarati's Childhood
Visually, Bucciarati's past is depicted from young Bucciarati's perspective. Kamei explains, "I wanted the viewers to feel strongly for the increasing unhappiness that Bucciarati gets wrapped into during his childhood, so we purposely decided to leave out delving into his parents' perspectives."
3. The Boss and King Crimson
Plenty of room was left to animate the boss and King Crimson properly, which visually heightened the anxiety and mystery of the scenes. Action animation director Kanta Suzuki handled the key frames for the last sequence with Bucciarati and King Crimson. "I'm grateful to him, because it ended up being powerful and intense," says Kamei.
4. Bucciarati's Right Eye
The staff had several discussions about whether Bucciarati's right eye is open or not when he takes the phone out from his face. Kamei states, "At first glance, his eye does appear to be closed, but we went with the interpretation that his eye is open. After we added color and effects, we decided that having his eye open had more impact."Episode 134
1. Into King Crimson's World
In the manga, the collapse into King Crimson's world is drawn meticulously over three pages. Producer Nagai feels that the despairing music, the Stand activation sound effect, and animation did the oppressive feeling of the manga justice. "I watched it over and over after the scene was finished in post."
2. Editing King Crimson's World
It may feel like Bucciarati and Sticky Fingers's sequence contains more in-between frames, but it is actually the same as any other shot. Nagai says, "The cinematographers worked some real magic on King Crimson's world. I cannot thank them enough for what they do."
3. Colorful Emotions and Varied Expressions
Nagai points out that this episode features more varied expressions than any of the other episodes. The first half is all Bucciarati - with well-paced expressions and lines, despair turns to hope and determination. In the second half, the animation directors and chief animation directors worked hard to spotlight the team's distress, conflict, and sorrow.
4. Bucciarati's Smile
One shot in particular that Nagai cherishes is Bucciarati's smile after Narancia announces that he is joining him. "Shunichi Ishimoto did the layout edits himself. I got chills seeing the finished shot. He said that he struggled with it, but what an expression... I still have the file saved in my collection."Episode 135
1. Venice in the Afternoon
The previous episodes took place around dawn, but by this episode, the sun has risen and the streets of Venice are in full view. Producer Kasama explains the color of the water: "I pictured Venice as a beautiful city on the water, but after actually going there, I saw that the water is really a murky green."
2. Narancia Backed into a Corner
Talking Head forces Narancia to say the opposite of what he means. The manga portrays the whole ordeal more comically, but Kasama decided to reinterpret the mood by shifting it to Narancia's point of view, adding suspense to the scene.
3. The "G" in Guts
The title references a chapter from volume 56 of the manga. The "G" formed by Giorno and the others was memorable, and the staff initially wanted to add it in the anime. "It never made it past the brainstorming phase, but in a different timeline, the first shot of the second opening might have featured that 'G' shape..."
4. Squalo and Tizzano Appear
Bodies pressed against each other, Squalo and Tizzano left quite an impact. "We based it on the manga panels, but with the addition of Maeno and Tsuda's voices and the slow, deliberate animation, it immediately felt suggestive." Kasama recalls that amongst the female staff, Melone stands heads above the rest, but this duo was also a staff favorite.Episode 136
1. Enthusiasm for Episode Twenty-Three Production
Coordinator Takahashi was elated to be responsible for two of Narancia's main battle episodes, the other being episode eleven. He worked fervently on Squalo and Tizzano's charm and Narancia's “vola vola” scene. “Since this is the only time we get to see Narancia's vola vola, I knew the fans were also excited.”
2. Squalo and Tizzano's Charm
Takahashi personally asked the animators to put effort into the shot where Tizzano trails his fingers down Squalo's chest. It was also used for the sponsor screen, which made him happy, but also made him laugh. The shot for the sponsor screen is chosen during video editing, so Takahashi muses, "Someone on that team must really love these two!"
3. The Death of Tiziano
Tizzano's death scene is one Takahashi recommends watching over and over. “The animators, and the animation director in particular, worked their butts off to create this scene. I think it's just as beautiful as his death in the manga?
4. "Volare Via"
Narancia's signature phrase is voiced quietly and full of power by Daiki Yamashita. Takahashi has only praise for his performance: "Because of the previous games, I had envisioned him shouting this line, but he drew from the manga, which was wonderful. Watching this scene as a fan, I truly thought it turned out amazing.”Episode 137
1. Carne Appears
Daisuke Sakaguchi voices Carne, a member of the Boss's elite guard. Director Kimura states, “I know he doesn't have many lines, but I think his eeriness definitely came through." Kimura also focused on maximizing the horror and suspense by minimizing the use of music.
2. The Handwriting of a Local
Kimura reveals that he asked an Italian acquaintance of Chizuru Horikoshi, the coordinator in Italy, to do the writing that Giorno scribbles inside the plane. He explains that letters written by a Japanese person simply would not give off the same feeling as those written by a local, and that using a font would clash with subtitles.
3. Notorious B.I.G
Notorious B.I.G is an indestructible Stand that absorbs moving objects. The grotesque visuals are achieved by pasting capillaries as a layer of texture on top of tumorlike flesh. Kimura is satisfied with the outcome, stating, “I'm glad it turned out so gross!"
4. Notorious B.I.G Returns
There is a brief pause as Trish breathes a sigh of relief, until Notorious B.I.G reappears on the window - a peak horror setup. Kimura says, “I'm sure people knew something was up with the negative space created by the window, but even if they anticipated it, I think they were surprised anyway. The sound is so loud, it gets me every time.”Episode 138
1. "Soft, yet even more durable than diamonds!"
Spice Girl finally makes its appearance. The heading refers to Spice Girl's explanation of its power to a confused Trish. “We put extra effort into this scene by adding lighting effects on her eyes," Director Kimura recalls. Indeed, Spice Girl's eyes create a powerful impression, lit up against the backlight.
2. Notorious B.I.G Punches Soft Things
The sound effect when Notorious B.I.G punches the softened clock is comical, like that of a rubber toy. The shot was also used in the billboard after the opening sequence, and the punch was timed with the rhythm of the song. Notorious B.I.G torments the crew during the episode, but it may even look cute here.
3. “Arrivederci"
Trish says this line as she watches Notorious B.I.G crash into the sea. Kimura remarks, “Trish is particularly cool here. This shot is one of the key shots of the episode, so I asked the animators and postproduction crew to take special care drawing and processing it."
4. The Boss's Room
While Trish battles against Notorious B.I.G, the Boss is in a hotel room researching Bucciarati's crew. On Bucciarati's blown-up photo on the wall, Kimura notes, “It looks like he printed it himself, which makes me feel like the Boss is a Bucciarati groupie! The contents of his laptop are also organized, reflecting his meticulous nature."Episode 139
1. Scenes of the Boss's Birth
Director Kamei reflects on various details about the scenes: “There were things that were never made clear in the manga that I had to interpret. After much thought, I decided he was born with both personalities between which he could switch freely. Doppio is pure and good, so his world is painted beautifully, but it's interspersed with madness. Considering Diavolo's twisted sense of love, the hair placed by his buried mother is intentional, like a talisman that means he's always by her side. If he was careless and left a single hair, it would just be hard to see. But with this, his twisted worldview is clear as day. Also, Doppio picks up the pickax that the priest puts down.
2. "Torurururururururururururururu"
Kamei was struck hearing Soma Saito's rendition of the ringtone and vowed to animate the shots with equal fervor. “I made sure the switch between his states were instantaneoushe's in a trance when he's voicing the ringtone, he's tense when he's searching for a phone. The taxi driver sort of speaks on behalf of the viewers, sensing his dangerous aura."
3. Risotto Appears
"We made Risotto look extra cool when he realizes that Doppio is a Stand user," notes Kamei. The storyboards laid out Risotto's pursuit and Doppio's increasing sense of crisis, interjected by super close-ups of Aerosmith. “To make sure the peak arrived at that close-up, I had the staff edit three frames at a time, and I also made many requests during sound mixing."Episode 140
1. Enemy vs. Enemy
Production Coordinator Tsuneoka highlights the battle between Risotto and Diavolo. “Both of them battle with expressions, intensity, and Stand abilities that you don't get to see elsewhere. The outcome is unpredictable because it is the only instance of an enemy vs. enemy battle in Golden Wind. Enjoy it all unfolding!”
2. Risotto Disappears with the Power of Metallica
Tsuneoka recalls that Risotto was going to be more transparent, and had gone ahead with that until he heard staff say that it would be a shame to not see more of him. “We edited his lines to be more prominent. If they hadn't spoken up, Risotto's cool pose may have not been visible.”
3. The Colors Pay Tribute to Risotto
Similarly, the colors in the scene where Risotto is shot were changed due to Director Shinji Osada, who proposed a dramatic exit for the final Hitman Team member. “Nagata's vision was 'a funeral'. We had Hiroko Sato, the color designer, create a palette. Sear Risotto's majestic end into your mind, and maybe hate the Boss for it."
4. Animation Director Hironori Tanaka
Viewers may have noticed a difference in the shadows and lines in this episode. This is because Hironori Tanaka was the animation director. Tsuneoka reveres his work: "As you can see, he's incredibly skilled. I got emotional every time I looked at his frames. He includes so much detail into every frame! I hope viewers take their time watching this episodeEpisode 141
1. Directing and Re-Staging
Director Hideya Takahashi knew the importance of preserving one of the best moments of the manga. However, he supplemented two spots that would have been awkward when animated:
A. The Moment Abbacchio Recognizes His Partner: Having conversation continue after the policeman's face was revealed would have been unnatural, so the table hides his face and the scene is monochromatic until Abbacchio recognizes him. "The rest is for Abbacchio's emotions to process."
B. The Moment Narancia Accepts Abbacchio's Death: Takahashi decided to clarify this moment so that the voice actors could switch gears emotionally. Abbacchio's face is not revealed until the sun shines through, echoing Narancia as he finally accepts his death. "We had to map the clouds, too, which was surprisingly difficult."
2. The Anguish of the Famiglia
"I wanted crying as the crew walked away, so we amped up Narancia's crying. I loved Daiki Yamashita's crying performance when we worked together before, so I knew he'd pull it off," says Takahashi. Yugo Kanno composed a piece exclusively for this scene. "I made him a reference video where I voiced all of them. I think I did a pretty good Narancia!"
3. The Flowers
After discussion with Producer Takamitsu Sueyoshi of Shueisha, the flowers in the last scene were added to pay tribute to Abbacchio. "The yellow sultan means strong will.' Production Coordinator Shiori Yamaguchi chose the flower. It was a perfect choice!"Episode 142
1. Enter The Mystery Man
Giorno and the gang may have lost Abbacchio, but they did not lose hope. Before them appears a mystery man who had been waiting for them. His symbol was called an "icon" amongst the staff. Director Kubo thanks the 3D and post-production teams for their work on the icon.
2. The Origins of the Arrow
The mystery man informs the team of the arrow's origins. The arrow's ominous presence looms over the flashback scene, embellished with an old film effect and a different art style. "The animator Yuta Shinohara created a beautiful layout by making full use of pencil-like brush strokes."
3. The Two Monsters
The Boss explains Cioccolata's past in the manga, but the anime fleshes it out further. Kubo was told by Director Hideya Takahashi that the key to this episode was how horrific this scene could be made. And Cioccolata's repulsive, electrifying madness came to life in the hands of Chief Animation Director Shunichi Ishimoto.
4. "Right where I want it!"
Mista and Narancia are attacked by Green Tea's mold. Kubo thanks the animation team, including Action Director Kanta Suzuki, Yasutoshi Iwasaki, and Firearms Animation Director Yukitoshi Houtani, for the completed second half. Kubo particularly loves the end, when Mista shoots at the boat.Episode 143
1. "Gracious! Three whole treats?!"
Cioccolata and Secco look upon Mista and the others as they desperately escape from Green Day's mold. The sugar cube scene was Director Kimura's favorite scene to create within the series. "I made sure to vary the rhythm to simultaneously bring out their comical and dangerous sides."
2. Oasis Swims Below Ground
Secco closes in on the gang from below using Oasis's ability to turn the ground into his personal mud pool. Kimura recalls struggling with both the portrayal of the ground sinking and Secco swimming through it. "I at least hope that the viewers felt unsettled watching it."
3. "I trust you'll keep this matter between us."
In the car going from the fishing village towards Rome, Bucciarati speaks to Giorno about the changed state of his body. Bucciarati's straightforward acceptance of his fate invites deep sorrow into viewers' hearts. Kimura says, "As they approach Rome, the streetlights shine warmly on Bucciarati's profile, and their long journey is nearing its end."
4. "You can't know for sure until you try!"
Kimura asked the Action Director Takahito Katayama to pour his all into this sequence, which features Giorno and Mista firing the gun together. "When Mista shoots, the bullet trail is blue, but with the addition of Giorno's abilities, the trail turns yellow."Episode 144
1. MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA
Everything was poured into Golden Wind's top scene; each of the six "muda muda" shots was handled by a different action animator. It is worth rewatching to see their unique touches. "It might be fun to guess which animator did which shot, since they've all had a hand in previous episodes," Production Coordinator Tsuneoka suggests.
2. The Best Enemy, Cioccolata
Cioccolata, Golden Wind's most despicable. Tsuneoka says, "On top of making him more expressive, we added more mouth movement and darkened everything but his eyes to up the scum factor. Animating Cioccolata was a lot of work, but many of the staff enjoyed drawing him. He's one of Chief Animation Director Ishimoto's favorites!"
3. Appreciating the Action Scenes
The "muda muda" is the episode's highlight, but the other action scenes don't cut any corners. "The ground softens at the beginning of the episode, Sex Pistols fly everywhere, and Giorno grows trees from the bullets as he falls from the helicopter... All of these were incredibly tough."
4. Manga Content, and Then Some
As with the other episodes, content from the manga is fleshed out further. Secco was made to appear stronger and more threatening. "I hope you saw that Oasis is stronger than Sticky Fingers," says Tsuneoka. "And we loved Giorno's broken bone, because it reminded us of the Jotaro vs. DIO battle from Stardust Crusaders!"Episode 145
Episode 146
1. Colosseo
Director Takahashi reminisces that the first place the staff visited in Italy was the Colosseum. "I was hesitant about starting with the location of the final battle, but as we traced the steps of Giorno and the gang, I knew we were getting closer to the world of Golden Wind."
2. Jotaro and Polnareff
The staff debated whether to replicate the character designs from Stardust Crusaders for the flashback scene, but decided to go with Golden Wind's art style. Chief Animation Director Shunichi Ishimoto, who also worked on Stardust Crusaders, redesigned the duo. Takahashi remarks, "Their redesigned, fitted look is as cool as the older style!"
3. When Doppio Becomes Diavolo
Polnareff not noticing that Doppio and Diavolo were one and the same became a subject of debate in the screenplay meetings. Chief Director Naokatsu Tsuda's answer, "It was probably King Crimson," settled everyone. Takahashi says, "This is why we show King Crimson's world here. I think it made the scene more striking."
4. Doppio, Voiced by Soma Saito
From his "torururururururu" ringtone to his impersonation of Trish, Doppio really shines in this episode. Takahashi was impressed by Soma Saito's acting range. "Soma Saito's high-pitched ringtone made me laugh during the recording session. But his performance of Doppio's 'This is a test' gave me chills."Episode 147
1. A Respite During Battle
The story becomes heavier as it nears its end. Director Takahashi aimed to have this episode be a rest stop for viewers before the highs and lows of the following episodes. "We hope this episode prepares viewers for the tragedy ahead. If the interactions amongst the gang in the first half make you laugh, then I'd call it a success."
2. Acting After the Switch, Part 1
Takahashi reveals that most of the recordings were done in one take. "They had all grasped the others' characteristics, so I had no complaints. It was all thanks to the cast members themselves, who had guided each other along on line delivery." Takahashi had nothing but respect watching the cast members aim higher.
3. Acting After the Switch, Part 2
Not wanting to lose to the voice performances, the staff put effort into the characters' movement and poses. Takahashi explains, "We went slapstick for Mista's pose as Trish, while we had Trish walk crudely bowlegged as Mista. Giorno was made to look a bit younger as Narancia. The animators brought out exactly what I was aiming for."
4. Polnareff's Retirement
According to Takahashi, Polnareff had retired to southern France after losing to Diavolo the first time. "We decided he sets himself straight after that battle, and the book on his desk shows him researching the arrow. Of course, he's drinking house red."Episode 148
1. Narancia's Sudden Death
Viewers may have noticed that in the events leading up to Narancia's death, some sequences are placed in a different order than in the manga, and new lines and elements have been added in. Director Kubo explains that he wanted to magnify Narancia's loss with Fugo's appearance, drawing on the many interactions between the two that showed their close relationship.
2. Staff Sentiment
Narancia's death comes as a shock in this series. "The main staff, the many animators who have worked on JoJo's thus far, and the background artist Reki Taki all worked to paint the best shot possible," Kubo says. The passionate emotions of the staff emanate from the finished shot. "I hope viewers are able to feel their emotions as they take in Narancia's final moment.”3. Narancia, Blanketed by Flowers
Episode 149
1. Living Things Turn Into Something Else
Chariot Requiem's true abilities unleash abominations on living beings. Production Coordinator Kanamori explains, "I asked an animator who was skilled in the grotesque to do these, and had the shots specially edited. It's one of the appeals of JoJo's, and it lends tension to later events."
2. Respect (Love) for the Late Narancia
There are several lines that refer to Narancia during this episode. For instance, Giorno mentions that his body was empty when Narancia died. These lines were included at Director Takahiro Kamei's request to properly mourn the death of Narancia. "It was Director Kamei's way of respecting and loving the character."
3. Clarifying Chariot Requiem's Shadow
Depicting Chariot Requiem's "shadow" was a difficult task. Because both the Stand and the shadow are dark, it was difficult to see when it moved. Then, Director Yasuhiro Kimura pointed out, "It's JoJo's - the shadows don't have to be black!" Kanamori says, "Thanks to his idea, we applied JoJo-esque reds and purples, and the shadows are easier to see.”
4. The Fury of King Crimson (Diavolo)
Kanamori had a skilled animator draw Diavolo as he reaches the peak of his fury in the last scene. "The impact of the art struck the sound staff, and the music struck Kimura, who wanted even more. So the key animators drew additional frames. This thrilling scene was born from the punch that different teams gave one another!"Episode 150
1. Colors of the Soul
Previously, the traded souls were transparent, but a pale blue "soul color" and blue aura were created to differentiate them from Bucciarati's final scene. "The Stands are also blue, since they're physical manifestations of the essence. We reused Giorno's shot with the arrow from the second opening, but we recolored it for this episode," Director Kimura elaborates.
2. King Crimson Panics
The tide of the battle shifts after Bucciarati destroys Chariot Requiem. Kimura loves the scene where King Crimson is sweaty and panicked, but still manages to patronize Bucciarati. "Golden Wind's Stands are all pretty personified, but King Crimson's human-ness really stands out."
3. Bucciarati Ascends into the Heavens
Kimura says, "The shots reflected in Bucciarati's eyes as he speaks to Giorno are: Naples before he meets Giorno, Giorno after he joins the famiglia, and the crew on the boat after they desert the syndicate. His hands fuse into the clouds, but his face remains intact, hidden by the clouds. And that gold is the same shade used in Stardust Crusaders.
4. Reverse Playback
Gold Experience Requiem's world operates in reverse playback. Kimura elaborates, "King Crimson's world is mostly filled with red stars. For Gold Experience Requiem, I had the art team create nebulae and galaxies with more color. I asked the cinematography team to finish it like the final battle in Final Fantasy IV. The finished product bowled me over!"5. The Struggle for the Arrow Concludes
Episode 151
1. The Cold-Open Restaurant Sequence
"The episodes I've worked on tend to feature food, and I remember checking the frames thinking, 'Man, that looks good," muses Director Takahashi. Mista, Abbacchio, and Fugo eat steak while Narancia has pumpkin soup. "Narancia also has soup in episode twenty-two. He must really love soup! How cute."
2. Diavolo's Never Ending Death
Gold Experience Requiem causes Diavolo to experience infinite deaths. Each death scene uses a different palette, marking it as one of the episodes with the most color filter changes in the entire series. Takahashi says, "The lettering of Diavolo's last scream in the manga is so memorable, we almost put lettering in that shot in the anime."
3. Mista Talks Meat
"This is the scene we had at Mista's audition," reveals Takahashi. "So this scene is how we chose Kohsuke Toriumi. Hearing him say the lines again for this episode really drove home how far we'd come." The cow, chicken, and pig were drawn cute and comical in the storyboards, so Takahashi asked Director Sho Sugawara to redraw them in Araki's style. "The eyes especially turned-out Araki-esque."
4. Bucciarati and the Flower Shop Owner
The Passione exudes a violent, fearsome image, so why is Bucciarati, one of its members, so trusted by the townspeople? The conversation between Bucciarati and the florist illustrates why. "For families whose emotions are forsaken by the law, Bucciarati, their last resort, is what eases them. I read this part of the manga to solidify my image of a true mafioso."5. One Day in the Life of Bucciarati's Famiglia
Episode 152
1. Scolippi
Scolippi is the pillar of this prologue-epilogue. Director Kimura requested him to be portrayed mysteriously, a fragile college student who at times speaks with powerful conviction. "I think the metal elements on his clothes are chisel tips, a must-have for any sculptor. And as you can see from the holes in his hands and his crucified pose when Mista pins him down, he's based off of Jesus Christ."
2. The Daughter's Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones that appear in the scene with Scolippi and the daughter of the flower shop were designed exclusively for the anime. Kimura says, "I asked the episodic director Yasutoshi Iwasaki to draft a stone in the form of the daughter with bleeding feet, and asked the background artist Reki Taki to render it."3. Golden Wind
According to Director Takahashi, the shot of Giorno stopping to feel the golden wind after storing the arrow inside the turtle links back to the golden wind at the beginning of the season. The older, more mature Giorno of the finale contrasts with the youth eating ice cream that viewers met in the first episode.
4. The Post-Credits
The story ends with a man kneeling before Giorno, now head of the syndicate. Takahashi compares it to the florist kneeling before Bucciarati: "It was the perfect foreshadowing. And now, Bucciarati's will resides within Giorno." The penultimate shot brought about disagreement amongst the three directors. They ended up following the manga, but showing the streets free of drugs and having Fugo and Trish appear were ideas that came to the table.5. "Let's Go... To the Colosseum"
