Author's Note (Diamond is Unbreakable)
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The front folded flap of the dust jacket of most volumes of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure contain a note to the reader, occasionally along with a picture of Hirohiko Araki himself. The following quotes and pictures are from the volumes of Diamond is Unbreakable.
Volume 29
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“
There's a lot to be afraid of out there in the world—here are my top ten personal fears:
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 30
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“
When I was growing up…
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 31
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“
I listen to a lot of music and that sometimes has an unfortunate side effect: a melody getting stuck in my head. The most serious case was a song called "Otoko to Onna" ("Man and Woman"), with its "ba ba da ba da" repeating relentlessly for three days straight. I was in school at the time and I remember thinking, "I can't study like this!"
I also went through a period when I would hear Kiyoko Suizenji's "365 Steps March" every time I started walking, in a Pavlovian sort of response that had me entirely at its mercy. ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 32
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“
Hirohiko Araki's Top 10 Movies That Had Him Squirming in His Seat
(The ten best movies I wished would stop but I kept watching anyway.)
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 33
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“
I've always thought of the Academy Awards as prestigious, but their selections are not always particularly entertaining movies. When Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven won Best Picture, I was as happy as if it were my own movie—so happy, in fact, that I couldn't sleep. I chortled in bed, even though Clint Eastwood was no acquaintance of mine, and I gained nothing personally from the prize. Why was I so happy? Fans are strange creatures.
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 34
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“
For 60 years, my father thought yūbin-uke (mailboxes) were called yūbin-oke (mail buckets). Surely across six decades he had many opportunities to realize his mistake, and it's a small miracle that he managed to persist despite the odds. As for myself, I watched the movie The Day of the Jackal dozens of times mistakenly thinking its title was The Eye of the Jackal, and up until only recently, I thought the manga Dokaben was called Dokabeso.
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 35
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“
I'm pretty worried about environmental destruction. A while ago I visited my hometown, and this mountain I remember from my childhood was completely gone. Turns out they bulldozed it to put up a new housing development. The residents said it'd improve the economy so they didn't mind, but I think anything that changes the basic topography of an area so much is wrong.
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 36
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“
Seeing bicycles stationed under the rain always got to me. But in recent years there is something else that breaks my heart...
The little red light that flashes when you get voicemails on the phone... Like, this one time, when I was gone for a week it kept flashing its signal, all cold and alone in the dark. I mean it could use a little rest when its master is away... I find this kind of undying loyalty really touching. But it is its job, so I understand. Courage, my little light! ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 37
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“
Here's a mystery from my daily life. Every night at 9 and 11 pm, the people who live on the floor under my studio always open the window to the veranda, and bang on something 'wooden' exactly twice (Never three times). "Knock Knock!". Then they slam the window shut again.
This "Knock Knock" sound reverberates through the night sky. What could they possibly be doing? And this happens every night! (To Be Continued in Volume 38) ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 38
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“
Here's a mystery from my daily life. So a female friend of mine has this boyfriend, right, and every time they're out on a date, he always has to leave by 6pm.
What could he possibly be doing that makes him go home so early, every single time? When she asks him (He's 27 by the way) "Don't you like me?" He says, "Yeah, I do." And then when she asks, "So why do you have to leave so early?" He just says "Don't ask about it." I don't get it. Is there some TV show he just has to watch or something? (To Be Continued in Volume 39) ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 39
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“
Here's a mystery from my daily life. Once, when I got out of the pool soaking wet, a friend of mine said, "Man, your hair looks just like Gokuraku-kun!" And fell over laughing. Who the hell is Gokuraku-Kun!? The main character of some manga or something? Now, I know Shinigami-kun, Enma-kun, Akuma-kun and Jigoku-kun, but who is Gokuraku-kun? And what kind of hair does he have? Later, I asked him about it, but he didn't even remember saying it."
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 40
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“
I'm really into "Complete Illustrated Guide to _____" - Style Books, so whenever they release one (Whether it's a picture book of dinosaurs or a dictionary of movie stars), I buy it immediately.
I just get drawn into the little details, like hometowns, birthdates, favorite foods... and I end up reading them over and over. Lately, the two I've been enjoying the most are "The Complete Supermodel Catalog" and "Cats of the World". They're just both so graceful! ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 41
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“
Whenever I have to draw a hospital, or a drug store, or a temple, or whatever, I always try to take pictures for reference. But taking those picture is pretty nerve-wracking. Whenever I ask permission, people always ask back, "What're you using them for?" "You work for a magazine or something?" "Who are you, anyways?" and stuff like that, and then, inevitably, "Well, the manager isn't here today, so come back tomorrow and ask then." Come on, I just want to use them for reference! I'll even give you candy!
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 42
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“
The Many Albums that make me cry
These are my top 10 from the 70's, in no particular order. You might love them or hate them but I guarantee if you listen to them you'll cry. Led Zeppelin - "Physical Graffiti" Chicago - "Chicago VII" "Saturday Night Fever" Soundtrack Curtis Mayfield - "Superfly" Marvin Gaye - "What's going on" Jackson Brownie - "Late for the sky" Pink Floyd - "Dark Side of the Moon" Sex Pistols - "Never mind the Bollocks" George Benson - "Breezin'" Carpenters - "Now & Then" ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 43
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“
Workplace Wildlife Watch Part 1
The Most common bug we see in the studio is the ladybug. It gets through the screen door like it's nothing. It seems like it flies to the door, then climbs up over it somehow. I checked the top of the door, and sure enough, there's a 3mm gap right at the top of the frame. That must be how they get in. They don't sting or anything, so whenever we see them we just shoo them back outside. But then they always find their way back in. ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 44
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“
Workplace Observation Diary Part 2
Out on the Balcony, we have a small flower garden, and all these stray cats keep coming by to poop in it. We were like, "Get the hell out!", and so we decided to use some herbicides in the garden so the cats would go away, but just when I was sprinkling the herbicides, the lady who lives nearby was like "You shouldn't use herbicide, it'll drive away all the cat!" Umm... how did you know what was happening? The balcony is on the second floor! Are you some kind of crazy cat lady who can talk to cats? Scary. ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 45
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“
I frequently get the comment that the "Enemies" in JoJo Part 4 are "Weak." I think my response to this criticism is quite clear from the work itself, but since I've heard the same complaint from the editorial staff, I'll answer it explicitly: I constructed Part 4 around the theme of mental and emotional weakness. The Stands were created by exaggerating the viewpoints of characters consumed by their own flaws. (Continued in Volume 46)
” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 46
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“
I was thinking about how strong enemies show up in manga. After them, an even stronger enemy shows up, and after them, an even stronger one... so what happens at the very end? It's kind of like thinking about the edges of the universe. Once you look about the world, you realize that what it really means to be a "strong" person is not to do bad things.
"An enemy who does bad things" is a person who has "a spiritual weakness," and what's truly scary is when someone takes that weakness and uses it to lash out against others. ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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Volume 47
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“
Apparently, in Italy, they don't use the letter J, except in foreign or obsolete words, so, the name "JoJo" doesn't exist, and would be pronounced something like "yoyo," so for Part 5, starting on Page 71, I stayed faithful to the Italian language and made the main character's name "GioGio."
As a side note, it seems they don't have an "H" sound either, so "Hirohiko" would become "Iroiko." Like, what? Who is that? ” —Hirohiko Araki |
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