Rods (ロッズ, Rozzu),[b] also known as Skyfish (スカイフィッシュ, Sukaifisshu), are a group of tertiary characters featured in the sixth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Stone Ocean, specifically the "Sky High" story arc.
They are a mysterious species that absorb body heat. Under the influence of Rikiel's Stand Sky High, they are led into battle against Jolyne Cujoh, Ermes Costello, and Emporio Alnino.
Appearance
The rods are long, worm-like creatures of small size. They usually have a total of eight propeller-like wings, four on each side. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, though both sexes seem to look alike and only experts can discern the differences.[1] Rods have a cavity, presumably their mouth, located in their center, where they absorb other organisms' nutrients. Like cacti, the rods absorb water through the pores of their skin.[1]
When a rod dies, their body immediately decomposes to nothing, making any discovery of a rod almost impossible.[1]
Color Schemes
Personality
The rods are parasitic, as they feast on other organisms' body heat. They live in remote locations and travel in swarms.[2] Under the influence of Sky High, they act on Rikiel's will, though these mechanisms are theorized to be more of a trust relationship.[3] Whenever Rikiel loses his confidence, the rods either suspend in midair[2][4] or turn against him. After Rikiel's defeat, the rods simply leave their master.[5]
The males procreate with the females via an organ similar to a snail, and the females lay their eggs in midair.[1]
Abilities
Super Speed
The rods can travel at remarkably high speeds, up to 200 km/h (120 mph).[1] Because of this, they are nearly impossible to be seen by the naked eye, and can only be reliably captured through cameras and video recordings.[2] Moreover, they are especially nimble and can slip through small openings[6] and evade Stone Free's punches.[4]
Super Strength
The rods are surprisingly strong despite their small size. This is demonstrated by their ability to twist ankles just by flying past them.[7]
Enhanced Senses
Each rod has an enhanced sense of smell. They also have an organ that detects heat.[1]
Body Heat Absorption
The rods' most notable ability is being able to absorb body heat as sustenance. Just by flying past an organism, the rods can absorb their body heat as food and use it as fuel. The effects of body heat dramatically decreasing brings about a variety of severe diseases and effects, ranging from eyelids being forced shut[2] to making entire muscles shut down or even decompose. At one point, they even demonstrate the ability to manipulate one's hand gestures and speech.[4][7]
History
Background
The rods have descended from a species called Balanoglossus. The species existed 3 to 4 hundred million years ago, probably during the Jurassic period, and is believed to have targeted other aquatic dinosaurs.[1]
In the spring of 2000, a group of skydivers filmed themselves parachuting down the pit cave Sótano de las Golondrinas in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. However, they inadvertently filmed the rods as well.[2] Later, Japanese reporters tried to capture them but failed.[2]
Prior to discovering Sky High, Rikiel would be constantly attacked by the rods. The heat absorbing abilities of the rods left Rikiel with a variety of ailments, ruining his life.
Stone Ocean
After discovering his Stand, Rikiel is sent to eliminate Jolyne Cujoh. One of the rods is sent to attack Jolyne, Ermes Costello, and Emporio Alnino in a helicopter, causing their eyelids to force shut. They jump out, and Ermes finds multiple rods swarming around them. She uses her Stand Kiss to punch one of them, killing it.[6]
When the group lands, Rikiel confronts them and sics the rods on them. However, he momentarily loses his confidence, and the rods linger in the air, with some even attacking him, but he eventually regains confidence and continues to sic the rods at the group. The rods inflict a variety of diseases upon the group, such as Ermes's fingers decaying and falling off and Emporio urinating his own blood. However, Jolyne lights herself on fire so that the rods can't absorb her body heat. She eventually manages to defeat Rikiel, and the rods fly away.[5]
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Stone Ocean Chapter 112: Sky High, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 113: Sky High, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 114: Sky High, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 115: Sky High, Part 4 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 116: Sky High, Part 5 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 117: Sky High, Part 6 (Flashback)
Anime Appearances- Stone Ocean Episode 27: Sky High (Flashback)
Novel Appearances- The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (Mentioned only)
Creation and Development
In reality, rods are merely the distortion of flying insects being captured in photographs or in video with certain exposure times or recording speeds, respectively. The insect flapping its wings and flying through the frame creates the illusion of a cylindrical shaped creature with multiple wings or sometimes depicted as two undulating membranes along the side of the body. The optical illusion was picked up by pseudoscientists such as cryptozoologists and ufologists who believe that rods are previously unidentified animals or extraterrestrial creatures. The debunked theory's presence in popular culture was the subject of a television show that Hirohiko Araki said he once watched, although he could not remember its title.[8]
Gallery
SO Chapter 114 Cover
SO Chapter 115, Cover A
SO Chapter 115, Cover B
SO Chapter 116, Cover B
Rods first captured on camera
Rods being controlled by Rikiel for the first time
Rods zipping past Ermes at unnoticeable speeds
Rod shown up close
Rod destroyed by Kiss
Rods flying close together
Rods overwhelm Ermes by their sheer number
Rod broken apart by Kiss's punch
Rods suspended in mid-air while Rikiel is panicking
Rods encircling around Jolyne in the air
Rods summoned behind Rikiel
Rods all together behind a burning Rikiel
Rods entering inside Jolyne's mouth to sap heat from her thalamus
Rods preparing to attack the back of Jolyne's neck
Rods fleeing the scene after Rikiel is defeated
Rods sapping the heat from an unknown biker somewhere else
Chara Heroes; Part 6 Vol.2
Adventure Battle Card; Rods
Notes
- ↑ SO Chapter 116 spells the genus wrong as Palanoglossus (パラノグロスス, Paranogurosusu) instead.
- ↑ Initially referred to by Enrico Pucci with the kanji 竿 and read as
竿 (Rozzu).
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Stone Ocean Chapter 116: Sky High, Part 5
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Stone Ocean Chapter 112: Sky High, Part 1
- ↑ Volume 76, in-between Stand stats, Stone Ocean Chapter 116: Sky High, Part 5
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Stone Ocean Chapter 114: Sky High, Part 3
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Stone Ocean Chapter 117: Sky High, Part 6
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Stone Ocean Chapter 113: Sky High, Part 2
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Stone Ocean Chapter 115: Sky High, Part 4
- ↑ JOJOVELLER: Araki's Stand Commentaries - Sky High