In every volume of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the front folded flap of the dust jacket usually contains a picture of Hirohiko Araki himself, and more than often a note to the reader. The quotes are always different from each other, and are usually about Araki expressing his opinion on certain subjects. These subjects can be about anything, including information about characters or the story itself. The following notes and pictures below are from the volumes of Phantom Blood.
Put simply, this work is about what it means to live. I want to examine two ways of living through the two main characters. By depicting the conflict between humans and inhuman creatures, I aim to sing an ode to humanity. This work was made for your enjoyment, and I hope you like it. Without further ado...
It was New Year, around 20 years ago. My grandfather and I went to the cemetery to steal bamboo vases used to hold flowers. My grandfather then broke them into long, thin sticks and made me a kite around 60 centimeters wide. On the front of the kite, he painted in ink the character for "fly" (飛). It was a simple but incredible kite, and it survived the strongest winds. I have a lot of respect for my grandfather. Take care always, Grandpa!
I'm often asked by my friends, "If your house was on fire, what would you take?". Let me see... (time passes). Nothing! I wouldn't take a thing. Not my treasures, luxury goods, my Koseki autograph or even regrets. None of them. That's pretty sad. Well, I thought about it and searched for something desperately... There is one thing. What is it? (To be continued in Volume 4.)
My most valuable possession?
That would be the 900 yen notebook, my diary for the two months between June and August 1979. I started this diary after reading the published diary of some writer. When I read this diary now, my past self, my friends from the past are all in there. I find it interesting and am moved to the point of tears.
I really enjoy reading fan letters. Often, they are filled with a whole lot of stuff not at all related to readers' thoughts about JoJo, including things like self-profiles, school life and hobbies.
I've found myself searching for that type of letter first. Just as readers want to know the fate of JoJo, so too do I want to know what kind of people those readers are.
