JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Novel)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: The Genesis of Universe (titled simply "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure" in japanese, the subtitle present only in the Italian version) is the first light novel released for the series, written by Mayori Sekijima and Hiroshi Yamaguchi, with illustrations by Araki Hirohiko. It tells two original storylines set in Part III: Stardust Crusaders and was released in both Japanese and Italian, the Italian version often with the added subtitle of "The Genesis of Universe". The story in this book recounts events that are completely unknown in the manga that take place in the course of the adventures of Jotaro Kujo and his comrades. Their march to the lair of Dio Brando is interrupted by three powerful Stand users.
Chapter 1: One-Way Trip from Desert to Hell
After their confrontation with N'Dour Jotaro and his comrades are forced to find their way out of the Nubian desert on foot, their jeep having accidentally broke down. The group wanders in the desert for 4 days, with little water and food left and trying to survive the assaults from a mysterious Stand capable of turning mirages into concrete objects. Joseph and Polnareff are particulary sensitive to the scorching beams of the sun and Kakyoin's eye injury is getting worse.
On the forth day, at about 1:00 p.m., the six Stand wielders are caught in a sandstorm. Trying to find a way out of the storm, they eventually come across a diesel locomotive in the middle of the desert, still functioning and ready to leave. In spite of the possibility of a trap, the group soon realise that they have no chance but getting on the train. They decide to take risks and ride the locomotive to reach Aswan.
The locomotive is particularly bizarre, looking like a strange mixture of old and new technology. Absalom, the train driver, politely welcomes Jotaro and group, announcing from his cabin through a loudspeaker that the locomotive (called Satanic Coupler) will reach Hell City at 4:00 p.m.
After having rest for one hour, Kakyoin notices that the sandstorm has finally stop: his comrades however are astonished by the incredible landscape that is now surrounding the train: hundreds and hundreds of mirages all around them, produced by the same Stand who had attacked them in the previous days. Trying to get off the train, the group realise that the doors and window panes won't open and that Satanic Coupler is actually a Stand controlled by Absolom. The evil Stand wielder reveals that he just couldn't have left them dying in the desert: he wanted them to kill them all with his own hands and also wanted them to suffer as much as possible before dying, apparently, because of their crime of being "part of the civilisation".
Satanic Coupler proves to be immune to all of their attacks who bounce off the rubber inner walls of the Stand and get reflected at Jotaro and the others. Deprived of their physical strength, Absolom has them immobilised and forced to be psychologically tortured by the visions of the mirage Stand. Driven by his curiosity concerning the appearance and functionality of modern trains, Absalom decides to suck the information he needs from his hostages and to use the data he has collected to upgrade his Stand. Despite being physically and mentally exhausted, Jotaro and Polnareff come up with an ingenous trick to fool Absalom: they manage to temporarily free themselves and to create an exit by informing the Stand of the existence of openable windows on locomotives. The Stand immediately upgrades its previously fixed windows, unaware of providing an escape route to its prisoners.
Jotaro and Polnareff bounce off the train, but are capable of freeing only Iggy: the others are still trapped inside the locomotive. They escape in the streets of the mirage city created by the mirage Stand, but Satanic Coupler effectively tracks them down. Cornered, Iggy activates The Fool and uses it to attack the window pane of the driver's cabin from which Absalom is controlling his Stand, sitting next to his sister Michal, the wielder of the mirage creating Stand: Dark Mirage. Frightened by The Fool's attack, Michal withdraws her Stand, causing the mirage city to disappear. Iggy manges to temporarily deprive the enemies of their sight by covering Satanic Coupler's window pane with his sand. Jotaro, Polnareff and Iggy hide under Jotaro's uniform while Absalom leaves the battlefield, believing them to have flown away with the dog's Stand.
After the sunset the three Stand wielders are rescued by villagers living in a nearby oasis: the village chief gives them food and water and reveals that Absalom used to live in their village until four years ago. He then tells them Absalom' story: as a kid, he used to believe that the civilized world was the promised land. He was particularly fond of trains and railways, his biggest obsession. Four years ago, while Absalom was visiting Cairo with his sister and his parents, the bus they were riding stopped on a grade crossing and was crushed by a train. His parents died, Absalom broke his legs and Michail had her throat slashed by a steel splinter: the rescuers gave priority to the local residents and wealthy people, meaning that he and his sister were the last to receive assistance. As a result, Michail lost her voice and Absalom developped a strong hatred towards the civilized world. He later met a man called Dio in Cairo who persuaded him to become his servant, after promising to heal his sister's wound and giving them both a Stand.
The following morning Jotaro, Polnareff and Iggy, having being informed on Absalom's whereabouts, leave the village in order to set the others free. Absalom has upgraded his Stand once again and it's now faster than ever. Attempting to kill Jotaro, Satanic Coupler accidentally rushes against a little kid from the village, forcing Polnareff to take the kid back to the village for medical assistance. Jotaro and Iggy are left on the battlefield: coming up with an ingenous scheme, Iggy creates a Jotaro sand clone and use it to fool Absalom while Jotaro manages to board Satanic Coupler, destroy its tow hook and free the prisoners by detaching the wagon from the locomotive.
Cornered, Absalom exploits his sister's Stand to create the mirage city and starts chasing them. Meanwhile Polnareff has come back from the village and falls in a flaming trap set by Michail. He however manages to locate her position by closely analizing the situation and stabs her with his Silver Chariot. Jotaro believes he has finally found a way to defeat Satanic Coupler, but needs his Grandfather's help. Joseph uses his Stand cut his mechanical arm off and throws it in between the locomotive's wheels. Now unable to move, Satanic Coupler is hit repetively by Star Platinum's fist barrage directed at his weak spot: the lower part of the locomotive.
The two Stand users are defeated, but Absalom won't give up: as a last resort, he creates a miniaturized version of his Stand and uses it to introduce Abdul's body, threatening to kill him. However, Kakyoin and Jotaro easily handle the situation, miniaturizing their own Stands and destroying Satanic Coupler in Abdul's body.
Jotaro and the others are forced to leave the battlefield in a hurry: the villagers have arrived and believe them to have injured the little kid, as well as their friends Michail and Absalom. A tear falls from Absalom's eyes, who now understands where he and Michail really belong to. The group safely reaches a civilized town and is able to continue their journey.
Chapter 2: The Gravestone of Red-Hot Sand
The second storyline happens after the battle against Hol Horse and Boingo. As Iggy doesn't appear, it probably happens during his fight against Pet Shop, while Noriaki Kakyoin does not appear due to his injured eye.
While visiting some bookstalls in the streets of Cairo, Joseph and Abdul sense the presence of an enemy Stand wielder. In order not to get the local people involved, they attract him in a nearby alley. The enemy introduces himself as The Scribe Ani, a mummy-like old man wielding The Genesis of Universe, a book Stand capable of summoning the historical events written in its pages. While the two are facing hordes of soldiers, Polnareff comes to rescue his friends. The Genesis of Universe summons the giant stone statue of an ancient high priest and makes it crumble, its pieces falling on the Frenchman. Abdul attempts to help his friend, but he is severly injured by an ancient roman soldier's back attack. Using their Stands to communicate, Joseph and Polnareff come up with a scheme to defeat the enemy Stand: attacking from both sides they manage to slightly damage the book, but are overwhelmed by yet another army summoned by Ani.
In exchange of buying a bottle of perfume, Jotaro learns from a merchant that his friends disappeared in a nearby alley and comes to the rescue. Ani decides it's time to show them the post powerful creature hidden in the book's pages: the beast-god Ammit. The creature is so powerful that even Star Platinum can't stand a chance against it. However, the creature suddenly disappears. Joseph and Polnareff, combining their Stands, actually managed to locate and destroy the book's part in which the powerful god Ammit was described. Ani attempts summoning something else to destroy the group, but Jotaro succesfully blinds Ani by throwing at him the perfume bottle he had previously bought. Star Platinum proceeds to destroy the mummified body of the old man, also destroying The Genesis of Universe in the process.
The chapter ends with the characters healing their wounds and commenting on Ani's true identity and nature.
Characters
These is a description of the characters present in the novel (apart from Dio, who never actually appears, but gets mentioned numerous times).
- Dio Brando (The World): he knows the secret of eternal youth. He wants to take over the world. The destructive power of his Stand is immeasurable.
- Joseph Joestar (Hermit Purple): Jotaro's grandfather. They are travelling together in order to defeat Dio. His Hermit Purple is an extraordinary Stand capable of visualising distant events.
- Jotaro Kujo (Star Platinum): He is Japanese and a descendant of the Joestar family. His Star Platinum is an invincible Stand that combines strength and accuracy.
- Mohammed Abdul (Magician's Red): He is a master in the art of astrology and friend to Mr. Joestar. His Magician's Red can manipulate fire at will. He's Egyptian.
- Jean Pierre Polnareff (Silver Chariot): He meets Jotaro while on his quest to find the man who killed his sister. His Silver Chariot's swordmanship is a threat. He is French.
- Noriaki Kakyoin (Hierophant Green): He and Jotaro attend the same school. The destructive power of Hierophant Green's Emerald Splash is incredible.
- Iggy (The Fool): A Boston Terrier found by Abdul. He wields the sand Stand named The Fool.
- Michal (Dark Mirage): She's Absalom's younger sister. Her Dark Mirage, despite being wielded by a shy and cute girl, is capable of creating a mad world.
- Absalom (Satanic Coupler): He wields a Stand that lies in the Nubian desert. His Satanic Coupler, a mad rushing locomotive, obstacles the journey of Jotaro and his comrades.
- The Scribe Ani (The Genesis of Universe): An old man with a mummy-like appearance who wields the Book of Genesis as his weapon. He waits for Jotaro and his comrades in Cairo, Egypt
References
