What comes after daily life and destiny?
The underlying theme of this issue is “2010”.
As in the year 2010?
Yes. As in “Stop fussing over 1999! Think about a more distant future!”.
I see.
Of course, I couldn’t help but think how my beloved JoJo would look like in a future society.
I find the aspect of normal daily life very important, you know. Everyone knows what having a cup of coffee is like, right? Part 5 might take place in Italy, something foreign to my readers, but Giorno and his group still eat spaghetti, like the Japanese, so the manga still manages to connect to an aspect of the readers’ daily lives. This is why I think that a JoJo series placed on a different planet, like Star Wars, where the characters eat something or use devices Japanese readers don’t know about would be rather hard to write…
Huh.
Back in 1993 I did write a manga and set it in 1999, but things people like to imagine will happen in the future, like nuclear warfare, simply won’t happen in JoJo. I just prolonged the normal present of 1993…
It seems that 1999 is not that different after all.
Exactly. There are still murders, but only some vague stuff like “I guess murderers have evolved a little too”.
I see. Speaking of this bizarre adventure: the setting itself is strange, but the events aren’t (laughs).
You’re right, that’s exactly it. We’re still talking about manga though, so I still can’t help but wish for something a bit futuristic.
The bizarre stands out precisely because it happens in normal life. That is the basis of Part 4’s Morioh.
However, the readers also want an exciting story. JoJo isn’t the type of story about daily life that goes on and on like Sazae-san, so there was naturally a moment when I decided to prepare for the final battle. I’d say Part 4 has a lot of side stories.
I wouldn’t like to have that kind of daily life.
Me neither (laughs). Those were extraordinary times, with the Sarin gas attack among other things. People were also saying back then that new residential areas were populated by all kinds of strange individuals.
What about July 1999?
Most likely a peaceful month in Morioh.
Do you have any counterplans in mind?
Have you seen Deep Impact? I thought it had a good plan – the impact of the meteorite would only kill half of the world’s population. I wouldn’t like total destruction, so half sounds just fine (laughs). There’s something refreshing about being unable to save the whole planet. A necessary measure perhaps.
So, now you’re working on Part 5…
Something I came to understand after all these years of work is that humans truly are tied to their destiny. Let’s talk about the way we set up a protagonist; let’s say he arrives in Shinjuku and his future now seems to hold countless possibilities. It’s easy to think that, right? However, the protagonist’s objective and personality have already been decided. If his enemy and love interest are at the Tokyo Station, then that will be the only place he can possibly go to. He will head in that direction before I am even aware. This is how I came to understand there is such a thing as destiny.
That feels paradoxical somehow.
Destiny is still something the protagonist carves out himself. He might die, but he will carve it out himself… When I come up with the past and other details for a character, I realise the most complicated part is their moment of birth. Once I decide on that, the rest, like personality and so on, is easy to write. Even if I don’t think about those things, they simply feel inevitable. This is what makes me think that destiny exists.
What is the endpoint of Part 5’s destiny?
It’s going to end soon, so I would rather you read it first (laughs).
Ooh! This means you already have some ideas in store for Part 6.
Well, only something vague.
Is a future setting the only option for Part 6?
Hmm, it may take place in the future, but not too far from now.
What about the Joestar lineage?
I wonder about that. I haven’t thought about it yet.
But you have to… (laughs)
It really is important! (laughs)
[Translated by Dijeh][2]