JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Paperback Edition)

Template:Book JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Shueisha Comic Bunko (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 集英社文庫 コミック版, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Shūeisha Bunko Komikku-ban) is a novel-sized release (commonly referred to as Bunkoban in Japan) of the first seven parts of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga that was published by Shueisha Comic Bunko.

Summary

Each bunkoban volume is 105 mm (4.1 in) by 148 mm (5.8 in) (A6 size), printed on standard quality paper. Though smaller than the standard tankōbon in both height and width, each bunkoban volume contains more pages and chapters than the volumes in the standard release. The release of the bunkoban edition began with the release of Phantom Blood, now compiled into three volumes, on February 15, 2002. The next five Parts were gradually released over the next seven years, with the series reaching 50 volumes in total. The final volume of Stone Ocean was released on February 18, 2009.

On August 31, 2012, all 12 bunkoban volumes of Diamond is Unbreakable were made available digitally as the monochrome line of JOJO-D. the digitally released edition of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga. Distributed under Shueisha's Jump Comics DIGITAL (ジャンプコミックスDIGITAL) product line, the JOJO-D release allows readers to digitally purchase or read volumes through online outlets. Volumes can also be downloaded to mobile devices through Shueisha's own Jump Store app for iOS and Android. Vento Aureo and Stone Ocean were made available in the following weeks, and Parts 1-3 were made available on September 21, 2012.

Steel Ball Run: Shueisha Comic Bunko (スティール・ボール・ラン 集英社文庫 コミック版, STEEL BALL RUN Shūeisha Bunko Komikku-ban) is the bunkoban release of Steel Ball Run. The first two volumes of this edition were released on February 17, 2017, with the remaining 14 volumes again released over time. The final two volumes were both released on January 18, 2018. Unlike Parts 1-6, JOJO-D digitally published the tankōbon release of Steel Ball Run rather than the bunkoban release, a decision that extended to JoJolion.

Volumes

Phantom BloodBattle TendencyStardust CrusadersDiamond is UnbreakableVento AureoStone OceanSteel Ball Run

Volume 1

Phantom Blood Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

February 15, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177849

Chapter Titles

1. Prologue (プロローグ, Purorōgu)
2. Dio Brando the Invader, Part 1 (侵略者ディオ・ブランドー その①, Shinryakusha Dio Burandō Sono 1)
3. Dio Brando the Invader, Part 2 (侵略者ディオ・ブランドー その②, Shinryakusha Dio Burandō Sono 2)
4. Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3 (侵略者ディオ・ブランドー その③, Shinryakusha Dio Burandō Sono 3)
5. Dio Brando the Invader, Part 4 (侵略者ディオ・ブランドー その④, Shinryakusha Dio Burandō Sono 4)
6. A Letter from the Past, Part 1 (過去からの手紙 その①, Kako kara no Tegami Sono 1)
7. A Letter from the Past, Part 2 (過去からの手紙 その②, Kako kara no Tegami Sono 2)
8. The Stone Mask, Part 1 (石仮面 その①, Ishi Kamen Sono 1)
9. The Stone Mask, Part 2 (石仮面 その②, Ishi Kamen Sono 2)
10. The Stone Mask, Part 3 (石仮面 その③, Ishi Kamen Sono 3)
11. The Stone Mask, Part 4 (石仮面 その④, Ishi Kamen Sono 4)
12. Youth with Dio, Part 1 (ディオとの青春 その①, Dio to no Seishun Sono 1)
13. Youth with Dio, Part 2 (ディオとの青春 その②, Dio to no Seishun Sono 2)
14. Youth with Dio, Part 3 (ディオとの青春 その③, Dio to no Seishun Sono 3)

Volume 2

Phantom Blood Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

February 15, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177856

Chapter Titles

15. Youth with Dio, Part 4 (ディオとの青春 その④, Dio to no Seishun Sono 4)
16. Youth with Dio, Part 5 (ディオとの青春 その⑤, Dio to no Seishun Sono 5)
17. The Birth of DIO (DIO(ディオ)の誕生, DIO no Tanjō)
18. Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 1 (切り裂きジャックと奇人ツェペリ その①, Kirisaki Jakku to Kijin Tseperi Sono 1)
19. Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 2 (切り裂きジャックと奇人ツェペリ その②, Kirisaki Jakku to Kijin Tseperi Sono 2)
20. Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 3 (切り裂きジャックと奇人ツェペリ その③, Kirisaki Jakku to Kijin Tseperi Sono 3)
21. Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 4 (切り裂きジャックと奇人ツェペリ その④, Kirisaki Jakku to Kijin Tseperi Sono 4)
22. Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 5 (切り裂きジャックと奇人ツェペリ その⑤, Kirisaki Jakku to Kijin Tseperi Sono 5)
23. Ripple Overdrive, Part 1 (波紋疾走(ハモン・オーバードライブ) その①, Hamon Ōbādoraibu Sono 1)
24. Ripple Overdrive, Part 2 (波紋疾走(ハモン・オーバードライブ) その②, Hamon Ōbādoraibu Sono 2)
25. Ripple Overdrive, Part 3 (波紋疾走(ハモン・オーバードライブ) その③, Hamon Ōbādoraibu Sono 3)
26. Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 1 (タルカスと黒騎士ブラフォード その①, Tarukasu to Kuro Kishi Burafōdo Sono 1)
27. Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 2 (タルカスと黒騎士ブラフォード その②, Tarukasu to Kuro Kishi Burafōdo Sono 2)
28. Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 3 (タルカスと黒騎士ブラフォード その③, Tarukasu to Kuro Kishi Burafōdo Sono 3)
29. Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 4 (タルカスと黒騎士ブラフォード その④, Tarukasu to Kuro Kishi Burafōdo Sono 4)

Volume 3

Phantom Blood Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

February 15, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177863

Chapter Titles

30. Sleep as a Hero (英雄として瞑る, Eiyū toshite Nemuru)
31. The Knights' Ruins (騎士たちの遺跡, Kishitachi no Iseki)
32. The Medieval Knights' Training Ground for Murder (中世騎士殺人修練場, Chūsei Kishi Satsujin Shūren Jō)
33. Pluck for Tomorrow and the Successor, Part 1 (あしたの勇気・うけ継ぐ者 その①, Ashita no Yūki Uketsugumono Sono 1)
34. Pluck for Tomorrow and the Successor, Part 2 (あしたの勇気・うけ継ぐ者 その②, Ashita no Yūki Uketsugumono Sono 2)
35. Pluck for Tomorrow and the Successor, Part 3 (あしたの勇気・うけ継ぐ者 その③, Ashita no Yūki Uketsugumono Sono 3)
36. The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 1 (遥かな国からの3人 その①, Haruka na Kuni kara no 3-nin Sono 1)
37. The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 2 (遥かな国からの3人 その②, Haruka na Kuni kara no 3-nin Sono 2)
38. The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 3 (遥かな国からの3人 その③, Haruka na Kuni kara no 3-nin Sono 3)
39. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 1 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その①, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 1)
40. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 2 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その②, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 2)
41. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 3 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その③, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 3)
42. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 4 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その④, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 4)
43. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 5 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その⑤, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 5)
44. Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 6 (炎(ファイアー)と氷(アイス) ジョナサンとディオ その⑥, Faiyā to Aisu Jonasan to Dio Sono 6)

Volume 1 (4)

Battle Tendency Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

April 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177870

Chapter Titles

1. Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 1 (ニューヨークのジョセフ・ジョースター その①, Nyū Yōku no Josefu Jōsutā Sono 1)
2. Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 2 (ニューヨークのジョセフ・ジョースター その②, Nyū Yōku no Josefu Jōsutā Sono 2)
3. Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 3 (ニューヨークのジョセフ・ジョースター その③, Nyū Yōku no Josefu Jōsutā Sono 3)
4. Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 1 (ストレイツォVS(たい)ジョセフ その①, Sutoreitso tai Josefu Sono 1)
5. Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 2 (ストレイツォVS(たい)ジョセフ その②, Sutoreitso tai Josefu Sono 2)
6. Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 3 (ストレイツォVS(たい)ジョセフ その③, Sutoreitso tai Josefu Sono 3)
7. Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 4 (ストレイツォVS(たい)ジョセフ その④, Sutoreitso tai Josefu Sono 4)
8. Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 5 (ストレイツォVS(たい)ジョセフ その⑤, Sutoreitso tai Josefu Sono 5)
9. The Pillar Man (「柱の男」, 'Hashira no Otoko')
10. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 1 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その①, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 1)
11. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 2 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その②, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 2)
12. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 3 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その③, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 3)
13. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 4 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その④, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 4)
14. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 5 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その⑤, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 5)
15. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 6 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その⑥, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 6)
16. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 7 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その⑦, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 7)
17. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 8 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その⑧, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 8)
18. The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 9 (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その⑨, 'Hashira no Otoko Santana' Sono 9)

Volume 2 (5)

Battle Tendency Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

April 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177887

Chapter Titles

19. Joseph Joestar of Rome (ローマのジョセフ・ジョースター, Rōma no Josefu Jōsutā)
20. The Red Stone of Aja (エイジャの赤石, Eija no Sekiseki)
21. Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 1 (太古から来た究極戦士 その①, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 1)
22. Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 2 (太古から来た究極戦士 その②, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 2)
23. Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 3 (太古から来た究極戦士 その③, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 3)
24. Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 4 (太古から来た究極戦士 その④, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 4)
25. Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 5 (太古から来た究極戦士 その⑤, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 5)
26. An Engagement with Death: The Wedding Ring (死の契約・結婚指輪(ウェディングリング), Shi no Keiyaku Wedingu Ringu)
27. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 1 (波紋教師 リサリサ その①, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 1)
28. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 2 (波紋教師 リサリサ その②, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 2)
29. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 3 (波紋教師 リサリサ その③, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 3)
30. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 4 (波紋教師 リサリサ その④, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 4)
31. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 5 (波紋教師 リサリサ その⑤, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 5)
32. Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 6 (波紋教師 リサリサ その⑥, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 6)
33. Go! Ripple Master (行け！波紋マスター, Ike! Hamon Masutā)
34. Flame Mode Esidisi, Part 1 (炎・流法(モード) エシディシ その①, Honō Mōdo Eshidishi Sono 1)
35. Flame Mode Esidisi, Part 2 (炎・流法(モード) エシディシ その②, Honō Mōdo Eshidishi Sono 2)

Volume 3 (6)

Battle Tendency Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

May 17, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177894

Chapter Titles

36. Flame Mode Esidisi, Part 3 (炎・流法(モード) エシディシ その③, Honō Mōdo Eshidishi Sono 3)
37. The Remains Lurk, Part 1 (忍びよる残骸 その①, Shinobi Yoru Zangai Sono 1)
38. The Remains Lurk, Part 2 (忍びよる残骸 その②, Shinobi Yoru Zangai Sono 2)
39. Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 1 (シュトロハイム隊の逆襲 その①, Shutōrohaimu-tai no Gyakushū Sono 1)
40. Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 2 (シュトロハイム隊の逆襲 その②, Shutōrohaimu-tai no Gyakushū Sono 2)
41. Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3 (シュトロハイム隊の逆襲 その③, Shutōrohaimu-tai no Gyakushū Sono 3)
42. Light Mode Kars, Part 1 (光・流法(モード) カーズ その①, Hikari Mōdo Kāzu Sono 1)
43. Light Mode Kars, Part 2 (光・流法(モード) カーズ その②, Hikari Mōdo Kāzu Sono 1)
44. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 1 (シーザー孤独の青春 その①, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 1)
45. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 2 (シーザー孤独の青春 その②, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 2)
46. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 3 (シーザー孤独の青春 その③, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 3)
47. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 4 (シーザー孤独の青春 その④, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 4)
48. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 5 (シーザー孤独の青春 その⑤, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 5)
49. Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 6 (シーザー孤独の青春 その⑥, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 6)
50. Climb Out of the Fortified Hotel (要塞ホテルを登り切れ, Yōsai Hoteru o Noborikire)
51. The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 1 (風と戦車とワムウ その①, Kaze to Sensha to Wamū Sono 1)
52. The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 2 (風と戦車とワムウ その②, Kaze to Sensha to Wamū Sono 2)

Volume 4 (7)

Battle Tendency Volume 4

Release Date

ISBN

May 17, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177900

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 1 (8)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

June 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177917

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 2 (9)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

June 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177924

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 3 (10)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

July 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177931

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 4 (11)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 4

Release Date

ISBN

July 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177948

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 5 (12)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 5

Release Date

ISBN

August 9, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177955

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 6 (13)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 6

Release Date

ISBN

August 9, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177962

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 7 (14)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 7

Release Date

ISBN

September 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177979

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 8 (15)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 8

Release Date

ISBN

September 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177986

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 9 (16)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 9

Release Date

ISBN

October 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086177993

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 10 (17)

Stardust Crusaders Volume 10

Release Date

ISBN

October 18, 2002
September 21, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086178006

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 1 (18)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

February 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181679

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 2 (19)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

February 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181686

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 3 (20)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

April 16, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181693

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 4 (21)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 4

Release Date

ISBN

April 16, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181709

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 5 (22)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 5

Release Date

ISBN

May 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181716

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 6 (23)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 6

Release Date

ISBN

May 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181723

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 7 (24)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 7

Release Date

ISBN

June 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181730

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 8 (25)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 8

Release Date

ISBN

June 18, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181747

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 9 (26)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 9

Release Date

ISBN

July 16, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181754

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 10 (27)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 10

Release Date

ISBN

July 16, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181761

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 11 (28)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 11

Release Date

ISBN

August 10, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181778

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 12 (29)

Diamond is Unbreakable Volume 12

Release Date

ISBN

August 10, 2004
August 31, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086181785

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 1 (30)

Vento Aureo Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

March 18, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183017

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 2 (31)

Vento Aureo Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

March 18, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183024

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 3 (32)

Vento Aureo Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

May 18, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183031

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 4 (33)

Vento Aureo Volume 4

Release Date

ISBN

May 18, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183048

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 5 (34)

Vento Aureo Volume 5

Release Date

ISBN

June 17, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183055

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 6 (35)

Vento Aureo Volume 6

Release Date

ISBN

June 17, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183062

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 7 (36)

Vento Aureo Volume 7

Release Date

ISBN

July 15, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183079

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 8 (37)

Vento Aureo Volume 8

Release Date

ISBN

July 15, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183086

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 9 (38)

Vento Aureo Volume 9

Release Date

ISBN

August 10, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183093

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 10 (39)

Vento Aureo Volume 10

Release Date

ISBN

August 10, 2005
September 7, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086183109

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 1 (40)

Stone Ocean Volume 1

Release Date

ISBN

April 18, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187367

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 2 (41)

Stone Ocean Volume 2

Release Date

ISBN

May 16, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187374

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 3 (42)

Stone Ocean Volume 3

Release Date

ISBN

June 18, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187381

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 4 (43)

Stone Ocean Volume 4

Release Date

ISBN

July 18, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187398

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 5 (44)

Stone Ocean Volume 5

Release Date

ISBN

August 8, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187404

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 6 (45)

Stone Ocean Volume 6

Release Date

ISBN

September 18, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187411

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 7 (46)

Stone Ocean Volume 7

Release Date

ISBN

October 17, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187428

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 8 (47)

Stone Ocean Volume 8

Release Date

ISBN

November 18, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187435

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 9 (48)

Stone Ocean Volume 9

Release Date

ISBN

December 12, 2008
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187442

Chapter Titles

Maximum number of allowed loops reached

Volume 10 (49)

Stone Ocean Volume 10

Release Date

ISBN

January 16, 2009
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187459

Chapter Titles

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Volume 11 (50)

Stone Ocean Volume 11

Release Date

ISBN

February 18, 2009
September 14, 2012 (JOJO-D)

978-4086187466

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Volume 1 (51)

Steel Ball Run Volume 1

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

February 17, 2017

978-4086196574

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Volume 2 (52)

Steel Ball Run Volume 2

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

February 17, 2017

978-4086196581

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Extra Chapter

1. ~How the Steel Ball Run Race Got Started~ (～スティール・ボール・ランレース開催のいきさつ～, ~Stīu Bōru Ran Rēsu Kaisai no Ikisatsu~)

Volume 3 (53)

Steel Ball Run Volume 3

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

March 17, 2017

978-4086196598

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Volume 4 (54)

Steel Ball Run Volume 4

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

March 17, 2017

978-4086196604

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Volume 5 (55)

Steel Ball Run Volume 5

FrontBack

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ISBN

April 18, 2017

978-4086196611

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Extra Chapter

2. The Story of F. Valentine (ザ ストーリー オブ ファニー・ヴァレンタイン, Za Sutōrī obu Fani Varentain)

Volume 6 (56)

Steel Ball Run Volume 6

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

April 18, 2017

978-4086196628

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Volume 7 (57)

Steel Ball Run Volume 7

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

May 18, 2017

978-4086196635

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Extra Chapter

3. Untitled Stand Chapter

Volume 8 (58)

Steel Ball Run Volume 8

FrontBack

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ISBN

June 16, 2017

978-4086196642

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Volume 9 (59)

Steel Ball Run Volume 9

FrontBack

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ISBN

July 18, 2017

978-4086196659

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Volume 10 (60)

Steel Ball Run Volume 10

FrontBack

Release Date

ISBN

August 18, 2017

978-4086196666

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Volume 11 (61)

Steel Ball Run Volume 11

FrontBack

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ISBN

September 15, 2017

978-4086196673

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Volume 12 (62)

Steel Ball Run Volume 12

FrontBack

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ISBN

October 18, 2017

978-4086196680

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Volume 13 (63)

Steel Ball Run Volume 13

FrontBack

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ISBN

November 17, 2017

978-4086196697

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Volume 14 (64)

Steel Ball Run Volume 14

FrontBack

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ISBN

December 15, 2017

978-4086196703

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Volume 15 (65)

Steel Ball Run Volume 15

FrontBack

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ISBN

January 18, 2018

978-4086196710

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Volume 16 (66)

Steel Ball Run Volume 16

FrontBack

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ISBN

January 18, 2018

978-4086196727

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Box Sets

After the release of each individual volume, they are bundled together into multiple box sets based on their corresponding parts. Currently, there are a total of 6 box sets.

Box Set 1 - Phantom Blood & Battle Tendency

Release Date

ISBN

June 10, 2003

978-4086179089

7 Volumes (1-7)

Part 1:

1. ISBN: 978-4086177849

2. ISBN: 978-4086177856

3. ISBN: 978-4086177863

Part 2:

4. ISBN: 978-4086177870

5. ISBN: 978-4086177887

6. ISBN: 978-4086177894

7. ISBN: 978-4086177900

Box Set 2 - Stardust Crusaders

Release Date

ISBN

June 10, 2003

978-4086179096

10 Volumes (8-17)

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Box Set 3 - Diamond is Unbreakable

Release Date

ISBN

June 15, 2006

978-4086179140

12 Volumes (18-29)

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Box Set 4 - Vento Aureo

Release Date

ISBN

June 10, 2008

978-4086179164

10 Volumes (30-39)

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Box Set 5 - Stone Ocean

Release Date

ISBN

July 17, 2009

978-4086179188

11 Volumes (40-50)

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Box Set 6 - Steel Ball Run

Release Date

ISBN

January 18, 2018

978-4086189385

16 Volumes (51-66)

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Afterwords

Phantom Blood First Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

“

This work, "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure," runs from Part 1 through Part 6, and although each part is connected to the others by a single bloodline, each story is told by a different protagonist.
In addition, each part was originally supposed to have a subtitle.

Subtitles:
Part 1: Phantom Blood
Protagonist: Jonathan Joestar
Part 2: Battle Tendency
Protagonist: Joseph Joestar
Part 3 Stardust Crusaders
Protagonist: Jotaro Kujo
Part 4 Diamond is Unbreakable
Protagonist: Josuke Higashikata
Part 5: Vento Aureo
Protagonist: Giorno Giovanna
Part 6: Stone Ocean
Protagonist: Jolyne Cujoh

I thought about adding a subtitle when beginning Part 3, but the editorial department told me that if I suddenly added a subtitle, the comic would have two different titles (one without a subtitle and one with a subtitle), which would leave readers impossibly confused. With that instruction from the editorial department, I decided, "Okay, no subtitle," and held myself back.

However, when it came time for Part 6 of the series, the editorial department suggested that I publish it as a new series under the title of "Stone Ocean" in order to bring out the novelty of the series. In other words, the title of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" would no longer be used. As an author, I thought, "Absolutely not." My image of it was "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 6: Stone Ocean." After some discussion, we decided to just make the words "Stone Ocean" bigger. In other words, it's like the difference between "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars." The main title of "Indiana Jones" is larger, while in "Star Wars," the subtitle is larger. That's the difference.

And so, with the release of the paperback edition, I was finally able to add the subtitles I had thought about back then for each part. Moreover, I made sure that each part ends on the last page of a book, rather than in the middle of the book. The theme of the entire work is "an ode to humanity." Whether friend or foe, every character "faces the future." There probably isn't a single human being in the story who has any doubts about life. The main characters must overcome those people as enemies.

And so must the reader.

What is absolutely necessary is "courage."

”

—Hirohiko Araki

“

本作『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険』は第１部から第６部まであリ、各部は血統でつながってはいるのだが、それぞれ違う主人公で物語が語られるよっ構成されている。
そして各部には本来「サブタイトル」が付けられるはずであった。

サブタイトル
第１部「ファントムブラッド」
主人公　ジョナサン・ジョースター
第２部「戦闘潮流」
主人公　ジョセフ・ジョースター
第３部「スターダスト・クルセイダース」
主人公　空条承太郎
第４部「ダイヤモンドは砕けない」
主人公　東方仗助
第５部「黄金の風」
主人公　ジョルノ・ジョバァーナ
第６部「ストーン・オーシャン」
主人公　空条徐倫

サブタイトルは第３部の時点で付けよっかなと考えたのだが、そのタイトルをいきなり付けると、コミックスにおいて付けてないのと「２種類」出る事になるので読者が混乱し不可能である。――との編集部からの指示があり、「なるほどそフなのか」とやめる事にした。
ところが第６部の時点になって、目新しさを出すためタイトルを「ストーン・オーシャン」で新連載しよつと編集部から言って来た。つまり「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険」というタイトルはなくなる事に。
作者的には「それはヤだ」と思った。自分のイメージは『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険６・ストーン・オーシャン』なのだ。で、話し合いの結果「ストーン・オーシャン」の文字を大きくしてという事で、落ち着いた。つまり『インディ・ジョーンズ』と『スターウォーズ』の違いだ。『インディ・ジョーンズ』はメインタイトルの方が大きく、『スターウォーズ』はサプタイトルの方が大きい。その違いというわけだ。
……で、文庫化にあたって、各部にやっと前から考えてあった「サブタイトル」を付ける事が出来た。しかも各部の終了も本の途中にならないようにキチッと最終ページに来るように。
作品全体のテーマは「人問讃歌」。登場人物は敵も味方も全員が「前向き」である。生きる事に疑問を持つ人間はたぶんひとりも出て来てないはずである。主人公たちはそういうヤツらを相手に乗り越えて行かねばならない。

そして読者のみなさんも。

絶対に必要なものは“勇気„だ。

”

Phantom Blood Last Volume Afterword

“

Some memories about the birth of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Recently I stopped thinking about it, but when I was a kid the main question, the center of the conversations between me and my friends was "Out of all the monsters, which one is your favorite?" We would say "Frankenstein is sad like the doctor who created him" or "A werewolf could secretly be hiding among one of us!" We would discuss in such a serious manner that looking back at it now I can’t help but laugh! Anyway, amongst all monsters, my favorite was definitely the vampire. I really loved his dark look, I found it quite fascinating. Also, what I liked even more was the fact that they would live their life in contrast with society’s rules. Just like how good athletes must train hard and follow a balanced diet, vampires must disobey the customs of the civil world. Because of this I thought that, if I followed all the rules, I would always be happy!

Speaking of rules, you need to know that I very much love sport and sports manga, whose stories are articulated based on the rules of the discipline in question. For this very reason I thought that a manga which talks about vampires must be structured following the twisted rules of these creatures of the night. "I think we should concentrate the story on the vampires, on their immense strength…" is what I said to my editor at the time.

"To me it sounds like a B-List movie....But since I myself am much darker than you, we’ll do like you say!", he said. And that was how JoJo's Bizarre Adventure was born!

”

—Hirohiko Araki

Battle Tendency Last Volume Afterword

“

I drew the second part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in the mid-80s. I'm convinced that the period during which a manga is written has a real impact on its draft, and so I started thinking about how those years could have impacted my work. Movies, for example, are the first thing that comes to mind. Great strides in the makeup and special effects technology were made during that time but for some reason I still have the impression that, despite all that, the quality of my beloved horrors has been going downhill ever since. Simultaneously, there was a boom in stories about real life serial killers. Musically speaking instead, in those years I was going crazy for the "black music" made by Prince who, with his songs, transmitted me a sort of exotic feeling. In the field of art and design, and particularly that of fashion, what was once normally considered beautiful or classy was completely turned on its head from the arrival of brands like Versace or Moschino.

In Japan, people would question if these dresses really were elegant (or if they even were clothes in the first place!) and it was really hard to believe that the women in Europe actually dressed like that! Speaking instead of travels, I’ll say something that might sound obvious, but it was only back then that I realized how big the difference between reading something in a book, or seeing it on television, and traveling in person, especially if looking for material, really was. For instance, in Europe there are mysterious gardens and disturbing sculptures perfectly conserved... Having left off imagining God only knows what kind of terrifying atmospheres, I on the contrary came to realize of the peacefulness that permeated those places, and the calmness that grotesque objects could give off. The most bizarre things are perceived as weird or absurd at first glance, but it’s possible that with the passage of time they will go under a revaluation and even start getting considered pretty. I'm positive that to compose a true "Ode to Humanity" the bright and dark sides of human works are equally necessary, and it’s this very same concept that I wish to let on through JoJo's Bizarre Adventure! How far can a human's strength be pushed? In the first two parts I tried to answer this question by basing myself on physical force taken to the extreme, but I decided that in the third part "Stardust Crusaders", the new paradigm will be based on spiritual power.

I started writing with the intention to make sense of the story through 21 battles between the protagonist and his antagonists (as many as the Tarot Cards), but it's not set in stone that it will go just like that...

”

—Hirohiko Araki

Stardust Crusaders Last Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

When I was a child, I used to fight with my younger twin sisters. Whenever I got into a fight with one of them, the other sister would suddenly start crying. Whatever the reason for their tears, it always ended up being my fault, and I always ended up being scolded by my parents. In reality, this was a ploy between my two sisters to place me in a situation where, no matter how hard I tried to explain myself, my parents would find me completely guilty. I still tear up whenever I hear reports of people being falsely imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit... Back then, I wished from the bottom of my heart for those sisters of mine to disappear without a trace.

But things like that happened to me every day. Eventually, I started to wonder I was cursed to forever be misunderstood by others. Whenever an incident occurred at school, the teachers would often include me on the list of suspects. Why? Was my way of life the problem...?

So back in 1988, when I was writing Part 2 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure for Weekly Shonen Jump, I was searching for a new concept to write about. (This isn't the type of thing I'd normally tell people about, but since it's an afterword, it's probably fine if I jot it down as a memory of mine.) I was looking for a way to depict someone's "strength of mind" through something other than their physical body. Until then, supernatural powers had always been something like, "eyes open wide, the sweat pours out, the blood vessels jiggle, and the rock breaks." But in JoJo, the power itself would appear and smash the rock. "Isn't this just a wonderful idea? This way, I can express the strength of a person's soul. It's not really a superpower so much as a psychic power, the power of a concept itself. Can any other art form depict this type of thing?"

My boss gave me the all-clear, so I began to draw Part 3 around the concept... But once I began the project, I only heard comments like, "I don't get it at all!" or, "What's happening in this panel?" And I thought to myself, "It's happening again. This cursed personality of mine... What should I do? No one's ever going to understand me. Maybe there's not enough dialogue, or maybe the pacing is too abrupt... But how else am I going to communicate it through drawings? This is my talent."

After I first moved out of Sendai to begin my new life as a manga artist in Tokyo, my grandmother prayed at the Buddhist altar whenever she heard news of a murder in Tokyo. She told me once that she was praying the murderer wasn't me. "Now why on earth would I be thinking that...?"

I don't think anyone in my family has ever fully understood me. My readers will probably never understand me, either. In my next work, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4, I chose to depict a small town. Of course, that was going to be controversial too. But my boss told me to "draw what you want and draw it with confidence. That's what a manga artist does." Somehow, his words inspired some courage within me.

(I wonder, though... Does he really understand me either? Better dealing with him than my sisters, at least.)

---

[Translated by HudgynS]

ぼくは子供の頃、よく妹とケンカをした。妹は双子なんだけど、片方とケンカしていると、なぜか関係のないもうひとりの妹が急に泣き出したりする。 「なんでおまえが泣くんだよ？」
こーなると理由はどーあれ、完全に悪者は自分の方で親にしかられるのも自分だ。

実はこれは妹二人のチームワークで、ぼくが親にどう弁解しようと完壁有罪になってしまう状況にはまってしまったのだ。無実の罪で投獄された人の報道を聞くと、本当、涙してしまう。こんな妹たちなんかいなくなってしまえばいいのに。いつもそう願っていた。

こういう事が毎日のように起こっていると、自分で人から誤解されるよう呪われているのかな？　などとも思うようにもなっていた。
学校でもなにか事件が起こると、教師たちから容疑者のひとりにぼくが入っていたりする。
「なんでだ？　普段の行ないのせいか？」

というわけで、週刊少年ジャンプに『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険　第2部』を執筆中の一九八八年当時、ぼくは何か新しい「概念」はないかなあと模索していた。（こういう事ってワザワザ自分で言うものではないかもしれないけれど、ま、あとがきなので思い出として書いてもいいかなとも思う。）
なんか肉体ではなく「心の強さ」を絵で描けたり出来ないものかなあ？みたいな事を探していたのだと思う。
今までの超能力は「目を見開き、汗を流し、血管ピクピクいわせて」岩を砕く。ジョジョでは姿がビジュアルとして現れて岩を砕きに行く(・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・)。

「もしかしていいんじゃあないか？　これで心の強さが表現できるかも。超能力というよりも精神の力、という概念なんだ。他にこれを表現できる芸術はあるか？」
そして担当もＯＫし、これを中心に第３部を描き始めたわけだけれども……。
「なんかわからないよ」「何が起こっているんだ？」開始当時、そんな意見ばかりだった。

「………出た。自分の呪われた性格が……。どうしよう？　誰からも理解されないぞ。言葉がたりてなかったり、唐突すぎるのかなあ。でもこれ以外どういう風に描けって言うんだよ？　これが実力なんだ」

ぼくのおばあちゃんは、ぼくが初めて漫画家として仙台から上京して生活を始めたとき、東京で起こった殺人事件のニュースがあると、犯人がぼくじゃあないように仏壇で手を合わせていたという。
「なんでそんな事、思うのかなあ？」

自分は家族の誰からも完全に理解された事はないと思う。ましてや読者に完全に理解してもらえる事なんか一生ないのではないか？
次作、『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険第４部』では「街」を描くんだけど、なんかこれもヤバそうだなあ。
当時の担当は言ってくれた。
「自信を持って自分の好きなものを描きなよ。それが漫画家だよ」ちょっと勇気が湧いて来た。（でもこの担当も、本当、理解してくれてんのかなあ？　ま、うちの妹たちよりましだけど。）

---

Diamond is Unbreakable First Volume Afterword

“

Josuke Higashikata, the protagonist of this part, is one of the characters that I like to draw the most. He's a free spirited individual, and that never excessive sarcasm that he possesses gives him a tough guy vibe. That melancholic aura that stirs in his family, I like that quite a lot!

During my first meetings with my editor, when I told him that I wanted Josuke to have a pompadour hairstyle, he commented on how maybe it was a bit too outdated (in the manga world when pompadours and school uniforms are mentioned we are usually entering a comedy genre of manga). To me though, the very same fact of going around with a pompadour in 1999 introduced an element of originality, and Josuke's figure, with him being so caring of his hairstyle, was a perfect fit to impersonate the hero who wanted to protect his city. The third part, Stardust Crusaders, developed by following the long trip from Tokyo to Egypt, it’s for this reason that I had to use the same scheme, in which the antagonists would start chasing the group to then attack them, for every one of my “villains”. This time around though, I wanted to draw the enemies patiently waiting to lure the protagonists into their trap, like spiders on a web... Because of all these reasons, the idea to have the story of this part set into a single town came naturally to me. Additionally I also wanted to give to the reader the impression of being in a familiar setting, a small town center, in which you can turn a corner and stumble upon a bakery. So to make things easier I decided to let myself be inspired by locations where I lived as a kid, those being in my birth town of Sendai in the Miyagi prefecture. The fields, the woods, the mountains and those places in which I went to play or to ride my bike in as a kid went under a sudden development starting from the mid 70s and during the entirety of the 80s, and in that period around Sendai many new urban conglomerates appeared.

Back then, the streets, the houses and the gardens were all cleaned up and brand new, the people living there seemed very happy, but some neighborhoods were built on terrains which previously housed: a scary (and most likely haunted) bumpy cemetery, the remains of an air-raid shelter from WW2 in which thousands died in, or a swamp in which the body of a suicidal person had floated and so on. Places which were then all buried or drained to make space for the houses. At the time I questioned myself where the ghosts that previously resided there had gone and, not being able to find an answer, I imagined that under that serene and well kept appearance something dark and mysterious was secretly lurking. This is the template that I used when creating Morioh Town, the stage in which Part 4 takes place. Furthermore, Morioh Town symbolizes my personal critique towards the destruction enacted in the name of progress, which deprives people of their past. The feeling of not really knowing what the peaceful inhabitants of the outskirts do inside their homes perfectly applies to those who live in the quiet Morioh!

In the second half of the part the killer which plays the role of the antagonist will appear, but I'll hold off on talking about him for later down the line... Be that as it may, out of all the parts of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure that I drew so far, Diamond is Unbreakable is the one that has been more successful between family and friends alike. Everyone was pleased, they asked me if I based myself off on someone for a character, or they implored me not to use their name, or they accused me of stealing one of their lines! In this part more than others I had fun inserting my own memories of food, clothes or shops that I love and I never had to cool my heels like this time around as to not drown the story with my personal interests! If I had the opportunity I would love to create and illustrate an even more detailed Morioh Town, describing all the places of the city that I omitted and designing new characters. I know that I shouldn't get too attached to this small town of the 21st century and its people, but I love these folks so much!

”

—Hirohiko Araki

Diamond is Unbreakable Last Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

“

For what reason do people decide to draw manga? I began drawing manga when I was a child. Ever since my first work was published in a magazine 20 years ago, this question may have been in the back of my mind. Why do I draw manga?

Sometimes I think I do it just because it's my job, but whenever I draw manga, my shoulders and hips ache, and I seem to get sick to my stomach. (Also, do you know about "tight glutes"? I sit in a chair for too long, which causes stiffness and fatigue in my hip muscles, as if they were a stiff neck.) Anyway, when I draw manga, there are always times when I put myself in physical pain. During those times especially, I think to myself, "Why do I draw manga? There must be an easier way to live. I can't keep doing this unless there's some meaning to it." If the idea or the work is very well-received, the problem might not be so serious yet. On the other hand, when the physical pain is overwhelming and the work isn't good enough (when you work every day, times like those are inevitable), it really makes me stop and ask myself, "Why do I draw manga?!"

There may not be a definite answer, but it reminds me of a story. Orson Welles, an American filmmaker and actor, performed a radio program in either the 1940s or 1950s. It was a science fiction story about aliens coming to and invading Earth by the title of "The War of the Worlds." When the program was broadcast as a faked news report, people listening to the radio believed that aliens had really arrived, and entire cities started to panic. The confusion was so great that it became a social problem, and Orson Welles was ultimately forced to formally apologize on the air and in the papers, saying "of course, I'm terribly sorry now." But when I heard this story, I immediately imagined the following: when Orson Welles bowed his head and apologized, he definitely stuck out his tongue at an angle where people couldn't see it... No doubt about it! I swear he was laughing in his heart! (I know he was!) This part of the story seems to hold the answer to the question of why I draw manga. It's hard work, but there's a kind of fun to it that no one else knows about... That's what I think.

I'm aware that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable is a work that took a creative stance on many of its aspects. (I'm not saying I cheated the readers. I mean that I drew it in a way that people don't understand and enjoy.) There's no end to the number of specific examples I could give, so I'll leave it up to the reader to imagine what they want to see explained, but I'll tackle the biggest portion of it here: the character of Josuke Higashikata. I had wanted to draw a dumb character for a long time (because I had never drawn such a character before), and I imagined that the intelligent storyline and dumb character would contrast each other perfectly.

I began drawing Part 4 with a promise in my mind: "My older brother, who's a bit of an idiot but has a kind heart, happens to be a Stand User." The first reaction of my editors and readers was: "Huh? A pompadour? What a stupid hero! And do people like that even exist in 1999? Are you sane?!" In short, he was unpopular. I would respond with, "I did it! I really hate to be unpopular, but I'm also a little glad that it wasn't accepted from the beginning." I thought that the perfect contrast would reveal itself later as the pages piled up. Moreover, I had a lot of fun during the creative period designing the character of Josuke. (By the way, Okuyasu Nijimura and Shigechi are also dumb characters...) I felt as if he was a real friend by my side. "This is what creating manga is all about," I thought to myself. Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable ended up being the period in which I learned that lesson.

Even though they were antagonists, Yoshikage Kira and Rohan Kishibe were also characters that I enjoyed creating. They were murderers and unforgivable villains, but (though I don't want to say too much) I found their lives enviable. They must have had difficult childhoods, but they have a positive outlook on life, always affirming themselves without playing the victim, and the strength of their spirit was enough to get them through difficult crises. If you ignore the fact that Yoshikage Kira kills people, I feel like he's the very image of my ideal hero, and drawing him made me feel ecstatic.

But stories and encounters with people always have to come to an end. When I approached the end of the story, I felt really lonely. I didn't want to leave everyone. That's how I really felt. Josuke Higashikata. Yoshikage Kira. Koichi. Okuyasu. Rohan Kishibe. Reimi Sugimoto. Hayato Kawajiri. "Goodbye, Morioh," I said with a tear in my eye.

”

—Hirohiko Araki

“

漫画を描くという行為はいうたい何のために行われるのだろうか？
子供の時に漫画を描き始めて、そして初めて作品の雑誌掲載が決まってから二十数年、その事をずっと考え統けてるのかもしれない。
自分はなぜ漫画を描くのだろうか？
仕事だからって思う時もあるけれど、漫画描いていると必ず肩とか腰とか痛んできて、胃まで気持ち悪くなったりするし（あと、おシリがコる(・・)ってわかる？　イスに長時間座りすぎているので、屑コリみたいにおシリの筋肉がコって疲労がたまったりする）。

とにかく漫画描いていると、肉体的に苦痛のある時がしょっちゅうなのだ。そんな時など特に「自分はなぜ漫画を描くんだ？　もっと楽な生き方だってあるはず。なにかの『意味』がないとこんな事やってらんないぜ」と……強く考えてしまう。アイデアや作品の出来が大好評ならまだ問題は浅いかもしれない。だが肉体的なダメージが深い時に、作品の出来もいまいちだったりすると（毎日仕事してると、誰にもそういう時が絶対にある）本当にさらに深く、なんで漫画って描くんだッ!?って考えこんでしまう。

確かな答えなんてないのかもしれないが、ある話を思い出す。
オーソン・ウェルズといつアメリカの映画作家兼俳優が、一九四〇年代だか五〇年代だかに、ラジオの番組をやったそうだ。
タイトルは『宇宙戦争』というＳＦで、内容は宇宙人が地球を侵略しに来るという話。これをニュース番組の演出形式で放送したら、ラジオを聴いていた人が本当に宇宙人がやって来たと信じ込んでしまい、街中がパニックになってしまったらしい。あまりの混乱で社会問題にまでなって、ついにオーソン・ウェルズは放送やマスコミを通して謝罪せざるを得なくなり、正式にあやまった。「本当に申し訳ない事をしました」…と。

だけど、ぼくはこの話を聞いた時、次の事をただちに想像した。
オーソン・ウェルズは頭を下げてあやまった時、人から見えない角度で絶対にべロを出したなー……と。間違いない！　心の中では絶対笑ってた！……と（ぼくにはわかる！）。
このエピソード、ここ(・・)の部分にこそ(・・・・・)、いったいなぜ漫画を描くのか？の答えが隠されているように思う。
「とてもつらいんだけど、誰にもわからない楽しみもある」………と。

『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険Ｐａｒｔ４ダイヤモンドは砕けない』は、そんな部分が多い創作姿勢をとった作品だと認識している（読者をだましたって事ではないよ。人にはわからない楽しみ方をして描いたという意味）。
具体的にどこがどうと細かく例をあげていくとキリがないので、まあ読者に勝手に想像していただくとしてだが、大きいところを解説すると、やはリ東方杖助のキャラクターだろう。ぼくはこの時期、どうしても頭の悪いキャラを描きたくて描きたくて目標としてかかげ（今まで描いた事のなかったキャラだから）、知的なストーリー展開とその頭悪キャラは必ずや絶妙なコントラストを奏でるだろう……と想像した。
「頭はバカだが心はやさしいお兄さんがスタンド使いなんだよ」と心に誓ってＰａｒｔ４を描き始めた。すると編集と読者の反応がまず「え？　リーゼント？　ダせぇ主人公！　しかも１９９９年には、そんなヤツもういないんじゃあないの？　大丈夫？」みたいな不評。

「やった！　不評なのはイヤだけど。でもなんか最初から認められないのも、ちょっとうれしい」。絶妙なコントラストってのは、のちのちページが重ねられると出てくるものだと思ったからだ。しかも杖助のキャラを創ってる間は本当に楽しい創作期間だった（ついでにバカ頭キャラは虹村億泰とか重ちーもいて…）。いつしか杖助は本当に自分の側にいる仲間のように思えてきた。漫画の創作とはこうゆう事のために行われる事なのだと思った。
『Ｐａｒｔ４ダイヤモンドは砕けない』はこの事を学んだ時期だった。

敵ではあるが吉良吉影と岸辺露伴もキャラを創っていて楽しい登場人物だった。
殺人鬼でとても許せない悪党だが、（人にはあまり言えないが）とてもあこがれる存在となった。
つらい少年時代を送っているに違いないが、人生には前向きで、常に自分を被害者づらなど決してせず、肯定している所、つらい危機的な状況をなんとか切り抜ける精神の強さなどだ。吉良吉影は殺人を犯している所をのぞけば、本当にぽくのヒーロー像そのものだと感じ、描いてる間はとても幸せだった。

しかし物語と人との出会いには必ず終わりがあるものだ。ラスト近くなった時、描いていて本当にさびしい思いがした。みんなと別れたくなかった。これは真実の気持ちだ。
東方杖助。吉良吉影。康一くん。億泰。岸辺露伴。杉本鈴美。川尻早人。
さよなら杜王町、って感傷にひたった。

”

Vento Aureo First Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

About the Beginning of Part 5: Vento Aureo

Recently, I've calmed down quite a bit... or maybe I've just settled on the idea that I should go with the flow for now, since causing trouble will only tire me out. This is regarding the "self-censorship" of artistic expression within shonen manga ("Self-censorship" here refers to things like discriminatory language, racially insensitive depictions, violent scenes, abuse of the weak or animals, scenes resembling actual crimes, or immoral actions like nudity, smoking, or drinking. The editorial department decides by themselves whether these scenes are problematic and asks the artist to either omit or tone them down to avoid complaints). During the time I was writing Part 5: Vento Aureo, I, Hirohiko Araki, was internally grappling with a "raging storm" related to this issue.

Before I proceed, I want to make it clear that what I intend to write here is not a criticism of the editorial department or a commentary on "self-censorship." It's just a fact that I, Hirohiko Araki, was feeling this way while creating Vento Aureo.

With Part 5: Vento Aureo, I wanted to depict themes such as deep human grief and sorrow over one's very birth into the world, more so than I had previously in JoJo. Depending on the environment one is born into, some people find happiness from the very beginning. Then, what should those who are born into the worst situations do? The characters in Part 5: Vento Aureo are all cast out of society for one reason or another, finding themselves in situations in which the most they can do is survive. But in a world draped by evil, where the law of the jungle reigns supreme, will they be able to carry out their sense of justice?

When I try to depict a confrontation between good and evil within that theme, the influence (or should I say, the force) of "self-censorship" in shonen manga suddenly opposes the realistic expression of evil in the work. Evil smokes, shows no mercy to the weak, sexually harasses others, stabs people with knives, beheads people, rapes both women and men, plucks out eyeballs, eats brain matter, and it is assumed that even the "evil" people who don't discriminate are easily capable of doing so. If one wants to express true evil and the dark side of human nature, it is crucial that they go as far as possible to express the cruelest and most terrible aspects without hesitation.

In any case, I experienced something that had never happened to me before in my entire writing career. As soon as I started working on Part 5: Vento Aureo (which would have been around 1996), I suddenly received so many orders from the editorial department to "fix this page," "change that line," "correct this image," and so on. I'd like to go into detail about which pages they were, but there's no end to them, so I'll have to refrain. In addition, not much explanation was offered as to why they were inappropriate. Some of the requests didn't offer a clear and convincing reason at all, but they would say, "Well, in any case, it's practically a rule, and the deadline's coming up, and that's just how publishing is these days. Just hurry up and fix it. You can figure out the rest by yourself later." Again, I want to stress that I am not criticizing the editorial department in any way, nor am I implying that the editorial department was overbearing or careless (really, I always feel grateful toward my editors). I'm merely sharing my personal feelings about how I, Hirohiko Araki, perceived things while working on Vento Aureo.

And at the time, I felt a great crisis in attempting to express the themes of Vento Aureo, and I began to wonder. Had some kind of wall been set up to limit freedom of expression? Had manga itself reached the limits of its evolution? Or, perhaps ambition and profit-seeking were out to nip art in the bud? These questions had me quite distressed. Even now, I haven't found a definite answer to these questions, having, again, calmed down quite a bit. Nonetheless, my feelings at the time are naturally reflected in the personalities and actions of the protagonists.

The main characters of the work, Giorno and Bucciarati, betray the organization they belong to for the sake of their own righteousness. The organization is a symbol of power and gratitude, and acts as the "home" that raised them. And yet, the protagonists decide to fight there in order to live under justice. I found myself very encouraged by that scene, despite being the one who wrote it. I still cry when I think about how the protagonists must have felt. They could have lived safely and comfortably under the aegis of power, but instead the protagonists chose justice, no matter how dangerous it was. They believed in the value of their own existence under justice.

Despite the cool Italian fashion, unique Stand battles, and suspense depicted in Part 5: Vento Aureo, as its author I regard it as a very dark work. But even though it's a dark work, it is also a very profound work that I harbor a bit of pride in. I would be honored if you were to enjoy reading it as much as the other parts. In the afterword to Part 5's ending, I'd like to write about the things I had to remove.

---

[Translated by HudgynS]

第5部『黄金の風』はじめに

最近やや落ちついて、…というか、もめ事を起こしても疲れるだけだから、とりあえず従っておくかって風に定着して来たかな？という感じがする。少年漫画内の作画的表現に対する「自主規制」であるが――（「自主規制」とは、例えば、差別用語だとか差別的絵画表現｟人種の皮膚の色の描き方｠だとか、暴力シーンとか弱者や動物に対する虐待シーンだとか、実際の犯罪に似てるシーンだとか、不道徳的なシーン｟裸体とか喫煙とか飲酒など｠を編集部が自主的にマズいと思うかな？と判断して、作家に描くのをやめてもらうか、もしくは誰にも文句を言われないように表現を弱くしてもらう事）。―――この第5部 『黄金の風』を執筆期間のこの荒木飛呂彦の心の中では、実はこの問題について「大嵐」が吹き荒れていました。
これから書く事は初めに断っておきますが、編集部に対する批判だとか、「自主規制」に対する意見だとかそういう事ではなく、荒木飛呂彦はそういう(・・・・)事を感じながら『黄金の風』を執筆していたっていう事実です。

第5部『黄金の風』になって、ぼくは以前の『ジョジョ』よりも、もっと人間の深い悲しみだとか、この世に生まれて来る事の悲しさだとかといったものをテーマに描きたくなって来ました。
人間は生まれる環境によって最初から幸せな人もいるし、もし最悪な状況の場所に生まれて来たらそういう人は、いったいどうすればいいのだろう？
第5部『黄金の風』の登場人物たちはみな、理由があって社会から外にはじき出され、そこでしか生きて行けない状況におかれてしまっています。しかし、そこは完全に弱肉強食の世界で、「悪」によって包囲されていたとしたら、彼らはその場所で「正義」を貫けるのだろうか？

そういうテーマで「善」と「悪」の対決を描こうとすると、リアリティある「悪」の表現に対し、あの少年漫画の「自主規制」の「権力」っていうのか、「暴力」っていうのかが、突然作品を攻撃して来ます。「悪」っていうのは、タバコも吸うし、弱者に対し容赦ないし、セクハラするし、ナイフで人刺すし、首はねるし、女だって男だって犯すし、目玉くり抜くし、脳ミソ食べたりするし、差別してなくても「悪」いヤツだから差別してるっていわれるし。「悪」や「人間の闇」の部分の表現には、酷い部分とか残酷な部分の表現がギリギリまでというのが不可欠になってしまいます。とにかく、今までの自分の執筆活動ではあまりなかった事なのだが、この第5部『黄金の風』に突入した途端（1996年頃）、突然編集部から「そのページ直せ」「あそこのセリフを変更しろ」「絵を修正しろ」という注文がものスゴく多くなったのだ。具体的に細かく作品のこのページのこの部分って示したいが、際限ないのでここでは省略するけど。しかもなぜダメなのかだのの説明があまりなく、中には納得いく理由があまりハッキリしていないのに、「とにかく規則みたいなものだから、〆切も近いし、そういう最近の出版状況なの。さっさと直してよ。後は自分で考えてね」的態度で指導があるのだ。もう一度断っておくけど、編集部に対する批判ではいっさいなく、編集部が、高圧的でいいかげんな態度をとっていた、とかそういうのでもいっさいなく、（実際、編集者にはいつも感謝している）当時、荒木飛呂彦は『黄金の風』を描いている時「そう感じた」という個人的感想にすぎない事を述べているだけですからね。

そしてぼくは当時、『黄金の風』のテーマ性を表現するのに大きな危機を感じ、表現の自由に限界の壁が設けられたのでは？とか、漫画としての芸術的な発展がもうないのでは？とか、「権力」とか「利益追及」の思想が芸術の芽を抜き取ろうとしているのでは？とか、とても思い悩んだ。現在も確実な答えがないまま、少し落ち着いた状態ではあるが、当時のぼくの気持ちが、当然ながら主人公たちのキャラクターとか行動にも思い入れとして表れている。

「ジョルノ」と「ブチャラティ」という主人公たちが、自分たちが所属していた「組織」を「正義の心」のために裏切る所である。「組織」は「権力」と「恩義」の象徴で、自分たちを育ててくれた「故郷」。しかし、主人公たちは「正義」の下で生きるために、そこに闘いをいどむ事を決意します。そのシーンには作者であるぽくが、描いていながら、ぼく自身がとても勇気づけられました。主人公たちの気持ちを考えると、今でも涙が出て来ます。
彼らは「権力」の庇護の下に生きていれば、安全に楽に過ごせたかもしれません。でも主人公たちは、危険でも「正義」を選択したのです。「正義の中」にこそ自分たちの存在価値を信じて。

第5部『黄金の風』はカッコいいイタリア的ファッションや、より独特となったスタンド戦の中にサスペンスが描かれていますが、作者としての思い入れとしては、とても暗い作品だと位置づけしています。暗い作品ではありますが、とても重厚になったとも、ひそかに誇りに思う作品でもあります。
他のパート同様、楽しんで読んでいただければ光栄に思います。『第5部終わり』のあとがきでは、「カットせざるを得なかった部分」について書きたいと思います。

---

Vento Aureo Last Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

The main character in Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, Jotaro Kujo, accepts the karma he inherits from his grandfather, the karma of six generations (counting from Jonathan's father), and sets out on a journey of battle. In that situation, the main enemy, Dio Brando, also represents "fate" or "destiny" itself. Of course, no one can really tell what kind of person their ancestors from six generations earlier were. In the case of Jotaro, it's impossible for him to know what good deeds or sins his ancestors committed, but the fate of his ancestors has befallen him nonetheless. And yet, he stands up to it with the pride he inherits from his bloodline.

During the process of drawing Part 5: Vento Aureo, I thought to myself: What about those who regret being born at all? What are those people to do? People can't choose where they are born. Some are born into happy families, while others arrive in terrible circumstances. If "fate" or "destiny" is already determined, like some kind of law written by God or the movements of the stars, what are they to do? That is the theme of Part 5: Vento Aureo, as well as the protagonists and enemies who appear within it.

Giorno, Bucciarati, Fugo, Narancia, Abbacchio, and Mista. From the very beginning, they grew up being shunned by their families and by society at large. Or rather, it'd be more accurate to say that they were forced to grow up. I think the same holds true for Trish, the boss's daughter. Can they face their "destiny" and "fate" and change it somehow? That question was on my mind while drawing Part 5. Due to certain circumstances, I found myself in a bitter and dark mood at the time. What should I do? If "fate" or "destiny" could be changed just by putting in effort or courage, it'd be much too easy to do so, and we wouldn't be able to call it "destiny" at all. Then, how will the protagonists break free?

The protagonists themselves showed me the answer. They didn't try to change their "fate" or their "destiny," but refused to abandon their sense of righteousness, no matter what situation befell them. They believed that happiness dwelled within hearts of justice. It came naturally to them. Even I, as the author, was inspired by the lessons the characters taught me while I was writing the work. In that sense, when I think back on the characters in Part 5, I feel as though, instead of simply being the creations of an author, they became my own companions.

And, in light of that, let me tell you the story behind the way the work was written. In Part 5: Vento Aureo, there was one part I had to cut... or rather, an episode I could never have drawn. The setup for it was that one of the four allies (Mista, Narancia, Fugo, and Abbacchio) would be revealed as a spy for the boss who "betrays" Giorno and Bucciarati. I felt that Fugo would probably have been the "traitor," but I couldn't bring myself to draw it no matter how hard I tried.

The dark mood I was in at the time seemed to be turning my story darker and darker, and I began to despise it from the bottom of my heart. And when I thought how Bucciarati and the others would feel, I truly felt sorry for them. I had never considered that any of my own trusted friends would betray me, and the thought of it made me feel sick to my stomach. Scold me for not having enough courage as an author if you want, but I began to feel that I truly hated my profession. And to reinforce the boundary between right and wrong, I probably would've had to include an episode where Giorno would have to execute Fugo, even though I knew it would make the young boys and girls reading it feel awful.

For that reason, I instead drew the farewell scene at the landing of San Giorgio Maggiore on the Grand Canal of Venice. Essentially, I asked Fugo to disappear. (Later, for a novel adaptation of Vento Aureo, I met with the author and asked him to write a side story in which Fugo helps everyone from the shadows of the organization.)

To conclude, as the author, I would like to say one thing to my characters:
Thank you all so much. In times of hardship and pain, you are the golden wind that blows in my heart.

---

[Translated by HudgynS]

第3部『スターダストクルセイダース』での主人公、空条承太郎は、彼のおじいさんのそのまたひい(・・)おじいさんの――つまり6代も前（ジョナサンのお父さん）の――因縁を承（うけお）って闘いの旅に出ました。この場合、敵、ディオ・ブランドーは「運命」だとか 「宿命」の象徴でもあったという事になります。 普通、6代も前の先祖なんて、どんな性格の人だったかわかる人なんていません。
承太郎かり見ればその先祖がいい事をした人なのか、間違った事をしたのかもわからないわけです。その因縁が承太郎の身の上にふりそそいで来ました。しかし彼はその血統を「誇り」に立ち向かいました。

この第5部『黄金の風』を描く時にぼくは考えました。では「生まれて来た事自体が悲しい」場合、その入物はどうすればいいのだろうか？　人は生まれる場所を選べません。幸せな家庭に生まれる人もいるし、最初からヒドイ境遇に生まれる人もいます。
で、もし「運命」とか「宿命」とかが、神様だとか、この大宇宙の星々が運行するように、法則だとかですでに決定されているものだとしたら、その人はいったいどうすればいいのだろうか？　そのテーマがこの第5部『黄金の風』の設定であり、登場する主人公たちや敵たちです。
ジョルノ、ブチャラティ、フーゴ、ナランチャ、アバッキオ、ミスタ。彼らは始めっから、社会とか家庭からつまはじきにされて育ちました。育たざるを得ないという言い方が正しいと思います。ボスの娘、トリッシュもそうだと思います。
彼らは「運命」「宿命」に立ち向かい、それを変えていく事なんてできるのだろうか？
その事をずっと考えながらこの第5部を描きました。執筆した時期とか状況もあって、とても苦しく暗い気分になりました。どうしよう？　「運命」とか「宿命」とかが、そんなに簡単に人間の努力とか根性とかで変えられたら、そんなの最初から「運命」なんて言わないと思うし、軽々しすぎる。そう思いました。
じゃ主人公たちは、どうやって脱出すればいいんだ？

その答えをぼくにくれたのは誰あろう、主人公たちでした。主人公たちは「運命」や「宿命」を変えようとはせず、彼らのおかれた状況の中で「正しい心」を捨てない事を選んだのです。正義の心の中にこそ「幸福」があると彼らは信じて。自然にそうなったのです。
（作者であるぼくは）登場人物たちに逆に教わる事が執筆中出てきて、本当に勇気づけられました。そういう意味で思い返すと、第5部の登場人物は作者にとって愛着があるという感じよりはなにか、ぼくが仲間にしてもらったかのような錯覚を覚えます。

そして、その事をふまえた上での執筆の裏話をしましょう。
この第5部『黄金の風』では、どうしてもカットせざるを得ない部分があって――というよリ、どうしても描く事ができないエピソードがありました。
それは、ミスタ、ナランチャ、フーゴ、アバッキオの４人の中の誰かが、実はボスのスパイで、ジョルノとブチャラティを「裏切る」という設定でした。感覚の中ではたぶん、フーゴが「裏切り者」なんだろうなと思って描こうとしたら、これがどーしても描く事が出来ませんでした。
あの時の暗い気分がますます暗い話になっていきそうだし、実際「嫌ー」な気持ちがぼくの心の中に芽ばえてきて、しかもブチャラティとかの気持ちを考えると、本当に気の毒で、気の毒で。信頼していた仲間が裏切るなんて、ぼくの概念にはなくて、生理的に嫌な気分になりました。「作者としての勇気がたりないぞー」と叱られればそれまでなのですが、本当、絶対描くのは嫌だ、と思ってしまったのです。しかもケジメをつけるために、たぶんジョルノがフーゴの処刑に行くようなエピソードになったでしょうね。絶対に少年少女読者をヤバイ気分にさせると思い込んでしまったのです。

そういう理由で、ヴェネツィア大運河のサン・ジョルジョ・マッジョーレの船着き場での、別れのシーンです。フーゴに消えてもらったのです（のちに小説版『黄金の風』では、作家さんとの打ち合わせで、フーゴは組織の中で陰ながらみんなを助ける、という裏話を書いてもらいました）。

最後に登場人物たちに作者からひとこと言わせてください。
「本当にありがとう。君たちは、苦しくつらい時に吹いてくれる『黄金の風』なのだ」と。

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Stone Ocean First Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

About the Beginning of Stone Ocean...

Even if I don't usually care about something, when certain periods of time come around, I find it strange and get weirdly angry at it. Angry seasons exist within me, but these "angry seasons" are balanced by "seasons of being attacked."

Once, I shared the following story with my relatives: there's a traffic light on the street in my neighborhood that turns red even when there are no cars passing through. I used to just ignore it and cross the street if I didn't see any cars, but it always felt like a bad idea to me, so lately I've decided not to cross until the light turns green. And then, suddenly, a barrage of criticism began. "Who would even do that these days?" "Aren't you just such a good boy? Jackass." "Because someone saw you doing it and wrote about you on 2ch, you hypocrite?!" Oh no. It seems my "season of being attacked" has arrived.

It's one thing to be attacked for doing or saying the wrong thing, but I hadn't even done anything. I didn't even cross the street at a traffic light. Such is the "season of being attacked." We find ourselves under attack without knowing the reason why. When such a season comes, trying to fight back only leads to further aggression and pain. The only thing you can do is wait for the season to end, like how a person with hay fever has to wait for pollen to stop flying. This season is one where the best defense is not a good offense.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure finally finds its sixth protagonist, Jolyne Cujoh, in the midst of such a "season of being attacked." She has lived in Florida since she was a little girl. Her father was very busy in Morioh back then, so she longed for his affection above all. But she would spend her entire childhood without a father. Despite her tough and cool bloodline, she somehow found herself going down a path filled with anxiety. All she ever received from her mother was nagging. When she fell in love with a boy, Jolyne came to believe in her boyfriend's love. From him she received the love and trust that her father never gave her. But that feeling of love dragged Jolyne into a world of misery. Can Jolyne unravel the thread that binds her and escape that place? And will she grow as a person in the process? That is the background of the protagonist in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean.

In the 80's, I drew a short story named Gorgeous Irene with a female protagonist, hoping to take her on a unique adventure. But at the time, I had the impression that women wouldn't feel very comfortable reading my work, so I decided not to make it a full series. It's been almost 15 years since then, and I feel like times have changed. The impression has shifted to the point that girls can get punched, have their fingers blown off, or be pushed off a building, and still be tough enough to go on.

It's all because of her father, Jotaro Kujo. He comes to save his daughter and, in turn, she goes to save her father's life, and her heart grows as a result. A protagonist like her is someone worth challenging in the span of a full-length manga. After all, a bloodline and its legacy are passed down, regardless of whether their recipient is male or female. The title of Stone Ocean symbolizes Jolyne's stone will, as well as the femininity of the ocean. It can also refer to an ocean of stone, the image of the prison in which the story takes place.

While working on Stone Ocean, I visited a prison in Florida on a research trip. The prison was divided into four areas: the juvenile ward, the female ward, the male ward, and the ward for the dangerous or condemned. In America, where punishment is a commercial enterprise, prisons are often privately owned. We were allowed to enter three of the four areas; with the exception of the kitchen where the model prisoners worked, we were not allowed to visit the male ward, which we were told was a dangerous place. It wasn't the kind of large-scale prison Jolyne finds herself in, but rather a high-tech prison building like Roppongi Hills.

Upon entering the prison, we were searched for belongings and had to pass through metal detectors. After that, we took an elevator, walked down a corridor, took another elevator, went down another corridor, and so on, again and again. And each time, a steel door with an electronic lock opened and shut and opened and shut as I entered with the warden and guards. None of us mentioned it, but every time the door closed, the realization sank in that I would never be able to leave on my own free will ever again. I felt claustrophobic, and I became so nervous that I started to hyperventilate and had trouble breathing. The prisoners would call out to us, "I'm from Tokyo," or, "Please let me have a Korean Bible." One of them was a small lady sitting next to a much larger woman, as though the larger one were her boss in a scene from a movie. The larger of the two asked me how old I was through her henchwoman. I eventually told the guard frankly, "I'm so nervous, and it's so hard to breathe in here," to which they replied, "I feel the same way every day. It's always a relief when I get to go home."

Jolyne Cujoh... For the entire time I worked on Part 6 of the series, I wondered if she was going to be okay. If I were in Jolyne's shoes, I would've broken down and cried within three hours of being put in there. Out of all of the protagonists in JoJo, I really feel that she might be the toughest, and the one I wanted to be happiest. Especially since she's found herself in the middle of a "season of being attacked."

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[Translated by HudgynS]

―――『ストーンオーシャン』の始まりに……

普段は別にどうでもいいと思っているのに、何か急にある時期がやってくると、同じ物事に対して「やっばりおかしい！」と妙に怒りがわいてくる。「怒(ど)の季節」というのが自分の中にあるんだけど、「怒(ど)の季節」に対して「攻撃される季節」というのもある。
この問、親戚の前で、『近所の道路に信号があるんだけど、車のほとんど通らない時間帯でも「赤」になるのね。で、かつては「ま、いいやノ」って、車が通らないからヒョイって無視して渡ってたのね。でも、そういうのって良くないかなと思って、最近はボケーっと「青」になるまで無視しないで、渡らない事にした。』って話を軽くしたら。突然。「今時そんなヤツいないだろッ！」とか「ムカつく、いい子ブってんじゃあないの！？」だの「目撃されてて2ch(ちゃんねる)で書かれるからだろ偽善者！」とまで非難の集中砲火をあび始めた。やばい。
　　「攻撃される季節」がやって来た。

間違った事をしたり言ったりで攻撃されるのはしょうがないってのがあるが、なにもしてないのに。ていうか信号さえ渡ってもいない。これが「攻撃される季節」。なぜかわけがわからず攻撃されてしまうのだ。こういう時期がおとずれた時は、反撃なんかしようものなら、ますます攻撃されて痛めつけられてしまうので、ひたすら季節が終わるのを、花粉症の人が花粉が飛ばなくなるのを耐えしのぶように待つしか方法はない。この季節は「反撃する事は最大の防御にはならない(・・・・)のだ。」

「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険」もついに6人目の主人公―「空条徐倫」も―こんな「攻撃される季節」の中にあった。
彼女は小さい頃から、アメリカ合衆国のフロリダに住んでいたのだが、父親が日本の杜王町でとても忙しかったため、父親の愛をとても欲しがった。でも、父親は不在の少女時代。もともとタフでクールな血筋は受け継いではいるが、なんとなく不安でいっぱいの道を歩み始めた。母親からは小言ばかり。男の子に恋をし、「徐倫」はボーイフレンドの愛を信じた。父親からもらえなかった愛と信頼を。だが、その愛する気持ちがとんでもない世界へ徐倫を引きずり込んでいく。空条徐倫はそこから「糸をほどくように」脱出できるのか？　そして、成長して行く事ができるのか？　それが「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険Part6ストーンオーシャン」の主人公設定である。

以前、80年代に「ゴージャス☆アイリン」という「女性が主人公」の短編を、創作的冒険の動機で描いた事があるんだけれども、その時なんか妙に、こう………女性が自分の作品にしっくりとハマらない雰囲気がただよったので、長編にするのをやめにした事がある。
15年近く過ぎて、時代がなんか変わったような気がする。女の子でもパンチくらったり、指が吹っ飛んだり、ビルから突き落とされても、タフに行けそうな雰囲気の時代になって来た。全ては父―空条承太郎の責任。そして娘を救いに向かい、逆に娘も父の命を救出に向か う事によって、娘の心は成長していくのだ。マンガの巾でそういう主人公にチャレンジする価値はありそうだ。
血統とその志(こころざし)は男であろうが女であろうが受け継がれるものだから。
「ストーンオーシャン」とは「石(ストーン)」は徐倫の意志、「海(オーシャン)」は女性を象徴的に意味する。もしくは「石でできた海」、この舞台である牢獄のイメージを意味する。

「ストーンオーシャン」を描くにあたって、フロリダの刑務所へ見学取材に行った。そこは、「少年監房」「女子監房」「青年男子監房」「死刑囚、および異常犯罪系監房」の４地区にわかれており、許可をとって中に入れてもらった。アメリカには「民営」の刑務所があって、刑罰が営利事業にもなっている。3区域は入れてもらい、青年男子エリアは危険との事で、模範囚の働く厨房以外は入れてもらえなかったが、空条徐倫の入った広大な敷地にあるタイプの刑務所ではなくて、なんか六本木ヒルズのようなハイテクビルの刑務所だった。
入る時に持ち物検査と金属探知検査をされると、エレべーターに乗り、廊下を歩き、またエレべーター、廊下、と繰り返し中へ入っていく。その度に電子ロックの鋼鉄のドアがドーンドーンと開いては閉じられ開いては閉じられしながら看守長や看守さんたちと一緒に入って行く。言葉はないんだが扉が閉まる度に、「もうおまえは決して自分の意志では外には出れないんだぞ。」と実感として体にしみ込んで行く。閉所恐怖というか、すごく緊張して過呼吸気味になって息が苦しくなって来た。囚人の人達が「ぼくは東京から来た」と言ってるのに「韓国語の聖書、プレゼントしてくれよ。」とか言って来る。本当、映画みたいにボスがいて、体格のいい女性の横に小柄な子分みたいな女の人がチョコンと座ってて。「おまえ歳いくつ？」ってその子分を通じてぼくに質間して来る。看守さんに、「すごく緊張して呼吸が苦しいです。」と感想を率直に言ったら、「わたしも毎日だよ。帰宅で外に出れた時、いつもホッとする。」そう、コメントしていた。

「空条徐倫」―第6部を描いてて本当、彼女「大丈夫かな？」っていつも思っていた。ぼくが徐倫の状況だったら、おそらく入れられて(・・・・・)3時間で壊れていた(・・・・・)と思う。
実感としてジョジョ歴代主人公の中でも、一番タフかも。そして一番幸せになって欲しい。と思った主人公だ。しかも彼女、今「攻撃される季節」のまっただ中にいるのだから。

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Stone Ocean Last Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

To tell the truth, I don't have much to comment on in this afterword.

In terms of Stand abilities (speaking from my own perspective), it felt at the time like I had drawn all that I needed to in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean, and I felt a sense of creative satisfaction at the thought that, perhaps, I had reached the pinnacle of my ideas. Time itself was getting faster and faster and outpacing human senses, approaching infinity itself, or at least as close to infinity as possible. I thought to myself then that no Stand ability could ever surpass it. There was nothing more incredible I could draw. My ideas had indeed reached their pinnacle.

I've always believed that a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment is a dangerous feeling. To put it bluntly, speaking as a human being and a manga artist, the situation that arises from thinking that everything's turned out alright and nothing more needs to be done is a dangerous thing, for the development of society and civilization, for science, for philosophy, and especially for art. It's like a love that has burned itself out, an Ashita no Joe with no more battles to fight. We all work to achieve something, to find satisfaction, but what do we do after that? That was the contradictory feeling I had when I finished Stone Ocean.

The protagonist, Jolyne Cujoh, lacked the love from her father that she so desperately sought, which led to her involvement in a car accident and her incarceration. But then, by trying to save her father, she grows as a woman. The story of her growth as a protagonist is complete. What do we do now? I felt much the same way about the process of creating the manga itself. In other words, there's nothing left to draw. It's over. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has reached its peak. That is Stone Ocean. The end.

No, it still doesn't feel quite right. Maybe I'm just conceited, but this is still no good. That feeling of having accomplished something is a problem in and of itself. The red light's flashing. What can I do? What can I possibly do? And then it hit me.

We'll go back to the root. The Italian Renaissance was inspired by a return to ancient Greek and Roman concepts. The French painter Gauguin created a new painting by returning to nature in Tahiti. We'll make the Stand ability of the main villain, Father Pucci, even more powerful. That way, time, the protagonists, and the bloodline itself can make a full cycle of the universe and return to their origin. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure will abandon modern civilization and return to nature.

That is the end of Stone Ocean, which was changed and redrawn at the last minute. Moreover, it also brought out a sense of nostalgia. Jolyne Cujoh's memories are different, but her love and affection will remain and become eternal, and she will surely continue to grow and move forward. Speaking of which...

As I finished Part 6, I had a thought: the protagonist of the next part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Part 7, should be a protagonist who fights against nature, but also learns from nature and grows as a person as a result. Would Steel Ball Run (tentative) be a good title? Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't have said or written any of this. But it's an afterword written by the author. The afterword is what it is.

---

[Translated by HudgynS]

このあとがきのコメントは実をいうとあまりありません。
この『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険Part6ストーンオーシャン』でスタンド能力としては（作者自身の感覚としては）――けっこう描ききった感が当時あって、アイデア的に究極に達してしまったのかな？　と創作的な満足感を味わってしまったのです。
「時間」が、どんどん人間の感覚より速くなって行って、無限に、考えうる限りの無限に――近づいて行く。―――これ以上のスタンド能力ってもうないだろう。凄いのなんて、もうないな。アイデアは究極へ達した。そう思ってしまったのです。

「満足感」とか「達成感」という感覚は、けっこう危険な領域の感覚なのでは？　と常日頃思っていて、つまり「全てOKしちゃって、もう何もいらないや」という状態は人間としても漫画家としても、あるいは社会や文明の発展としても科学としても哲学としても、芸術としてもきっとヤバイ事に違いない。
燃え尽きる恋愛。もしくは闘い終わった〝あしたのジョー〟。人間はきっと何かを達成したり満足するために行動するのだろうけど、満足したらそのあとどうする？　それがこのストーンオーシャンを描き終わった時の矛盾した感覚でした。

主人公の空条徐倫は、求める父親からの愛情の空虚さが心の底にあって、それ理由(ゆえ)、交通事故を引き起こし、投獄されました。
そして、逆に父を助ける行動で、ひとりの女性として成長して行く。主人公の成長物語としては達成してしまった。そのあとどうする？　………漫画制作的にそうも思ってしまいました。
つまり描く事はもうないな。終わったな。「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険」はもう究極に達してしまったな。それがこの「ストーンオーシャン」です。―――――以上。………………

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……………………………………………………………………いや、やっぱりヤだな。それはなんか、うぬぼれなのかもしれない。かなりヤバイ。達成感とか思う事。それ自体がヤバイような。赤信号が点滅しました。どおしよう？　本当どおしよう？　「そうだ！」そう思いました。
原点に返ろう。イタリアのルネッサンスは古代ギリシャやローマ時代の概念に返ったから起こったんだ。フランスの画家のゴーギャンは、タヒチという原始に返って新しい絵画を生みだしたんだ。
ラストのボス・プッチ神父のスタンド能力をさらにパワーアップさせよう。そうすりゃあ、時間も主人公たちも血統も宇宙一周して原始に返れる。ジョジョの奇妙な冒険は――現代文明を捨てて自然に返ろう。

それが当時、終了直前に変更して描いた、「ストーンオーシャン」のラストです。しかもノスタルジイの感覚も出せた。空条徐倫の記憶は別のものだが、愛と情は残って永遠のものとなり、きっと成長して行くでしょう。

そして――――――――
ジョジョの奇妙な冒険の次の第7部の主人公は、自然と闘い、自然から学んで成長して行く主人公にしよう。タイトルは「スティール・ボール・ラン（仮）」か？
そう思いながら、当時、この第6部を描き終えました。本来なら、こういった事は言ったり書いたりすべき事ではないのかもしれない。でも作者本人のあとがきですからね。そういうあとがきです。

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Steel Ball Run First Volume Afterword

TranscriptionTranscript

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run, which I began drawing in 2004, is the story of two protagonists, Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, as they participate in a horse race across the North American continent from San Diego on the West Coast to New York on the East Coast. I would like to write down some memories regarding the creation of this story.

Part 1: The Protagonists

The main characters each have their own family troubles. Johnny has his relationship with his father to deal with, and Gyro has his family's legacy. It's as if their very births were contradictions. And yet, they challenge the race hoping to overcome it. All of the other characters look forward as well; to bide their time concealing their Stand ability, they must have a certain degree of confidence. But only looking forward is a harsh way to live. And in any case, the only respite for a person who only looks forward is to either drop out or arrive in New York.

Part 2: Stands

In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, I set out to use Stand designs to depict things that, while they cannot be seen, exist in this world nonetheless. Anyway, my goal was to draw the existences of all creation and all kinds of physical phenomena. I would try to turn fire into a character, or time into an image, and so on. My previous work, Part 6: Stone Ocean, left me with a sense of satisfaction, or perhaps the sense that I had drawn all there was to draw...? I felt a small sense of accomplishment. So what do I do now?

At the time, there was something in my drawings that I was very interested in, and that was rotation (or, to use the proper term, spiral rotation). When I draw flames, I draw them in a twisting motion, like the twist of a splash of water. The twist of the bending joints of a human body. The twist of a growing lock of hair. I draw the branches of plants and trees twisting as they connect to the trunk. I draw petals as if they were whirlpools. I add shading to rocks and stones as if they were rotating, and so on.

Drawing in such a way led me to believe that all the phenomena in the world could be explained by rotation and spirals. If this were a Stand ability, it might just be the most powerful of all. And if rotation is rebirth, then perhaps the story can return to its origin. I decided to set Steel Ball Run during the same time period as Part 1: the dawn of modern civilization.

Part 3: Research

I am very fond of stories where the characters mature during their travels, and I think there's a certain universality to them. In recent years, a lot of information has been made available on the Internet, so there's no need to actually go on a research trip anymore. But I was curious as to how open the enviroment was, and I wanted to experience the sense of distance it gave off. The environment also provides an underlying feeling of inequality, even envy, and some places really made me think about what it would be like to live there, what I would do if I ran out of milk here, or other things like that. I wanted to feel that, so my first trip was to the deserts in the western part of North America by Cessna and by car. This isn't related to Steel Ball Run, but I was overwhelmed by the aircraft storage area (the boneyard?) in the desert.

I also decided to walk the Kumano Kodō in the mountains of Wakayama Prefecture for five days and four nights. I walked the trail because I wanted to see what would happen to me if I walked around 20 kilometers every day. This particular incident might be somewhat related to Steel Ball Run. A beautiful forest landscape becomes darker than you can imagine after 4:00 PM, with dark shadows growing in the mere blink of an eye. One lone elderly traveler told me as they left the dark forest, "If I hadn't met that kid, I would have been totally lost!" (Now where do I find that kid?) My muscles ached terribly after the second day of walking, and my cell phone felt really heavy when I had to wait in places without any signal, so I thought about throwing it out every day. That's the contradiction of a convenient invention.

Part 4: The Enemy

President Valentine, a character that appears in the second half of Steel Ball Run, is the main antagonist, the greatest enemy, the villain. The ultimate evil. But I'd like to point out that this character is primarily a villain from the perspectives of the protagonists, Johnny and Gyro. President Valentine uses the transcontinental Steel Ball Run race to find a treasure that will make his country the greatest in the world. In other words, he intends to win the people's trust and support through sports. President Valentine knows that the future is moving away from the age of the horse and into the age of the machine. He is also keenly aware that democracy is equal to capitalist economic self-empowerment. Moreover, his selfless motives make him both powerful and utterly terrifying as a character.

In other words, our protagonists—Johnny, Gyro, Mr. Steel, and their allies—are outclassed in the justice of their perspective by President Valentine. And yet, in Steel Ball Run, the president attempting to lead society on the right path is the ultimate evil. Within President Valentine exists a contradiction between justice and evil. He is a paradox. What exactly is happiness, then? If happiness is true victory, will the coming era bring victory? Did Johnny and Gyro win after all?

Part 5: Scope

Serialization moved from Weekly Shonen Jump to the monthly publication Ultra Jump. This was partly because my age was making the weekly schedule difficult, but I also felt that the scope of what I could draw increased (due to the number of pages in each chapter). The rhythm of the manga's progression and the scale of the drawings of landscapes and characters just felt right. Steel Ball Run was well-suited for a monthly magazine indeed.

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[Translated by HudgynS]

2004年から描き始めた「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 第7部―スティール・ボール・ラン」（SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)）は北米大陸を西海岸のサンディエゴから、東海岸のニューヨークまで、馬で横断するレース大会に参加する主人公―「ジョニィ・ジョースター」と「ジャイロ・ツェペリ」たちの物語です。
――創作にあたっての思い出を書いてみたいと思います。

その①「主人公たち」
主人公たちは、それぞれ家族の問題を抱えています。 「ジョニィ」は父親との関係だし、「ジャイロ」は家系の事。まるで、彼らは『生まれた事』そのものが矛盾であるかのように。
しかし、それを克服したいと願ってレースに挑みます。他のどのキャラも「前向き」で、スタンド能力を隠し待っているなら、それなりの自信もあるって事でしょう。
でも、「前向き」って、かなり厳しい生き方ですよね。とにかく前向きの人がのんびりするには、脱落するか、ニューヨークに到着してからなのです。

その②「スタンド」
「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険」はこれまで、この世の目に見えないけれども『存在するモノ』を「絵」にしようと『スタンド』というデザインで描いて来ました。とにかく、あらゆる物理現象や万物の存在を「絵」にする事を目標にしました。「炎」をキャラ化しようとか、「時間」を絵にしようとか、そういう事です。
それが前作「第6部―ストーンオーシャン」で、満足感というのか、一通り描いてしまったかな…。という、ちょっとした達成感がありました。
ではどうする？
この頃、絵を描く時の事なのですが非常に興味のある事があって、それが「回転」です（正しく言うと「螺旋状の回転」）。炎を描く時、ねじった様に描く、水のパシャッというしぶきをねじる様に飛ばす。人体の関節をねじるように曲げる。髪の毛をねじるように生やす。植物、木々の枝をねじるように幹に接続して描く。花びらをうずまきの様に描く。岩や石のタッチの陰影も回転しているようにつけていく。などです。そんな事をして描いていると、この世の現象は全て、回転や螺旋で説明がつく、などと思い込んでしまいました。
これをスタンド能力としたなら、もしかすると最強な事かもしれない。そして回転とは再生なら、ストーリーも原点に戻れるのかもしれない。
「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」の設定も、近代文明の幕開けである「第1部」と感じ頃にしようと思い立ちました。

その③「取材」
旅を通じて、登場人物たちが成長していくという形式をとった物語が非常に大好きで、普遍性があると思います。
近年はネットで調べれば何でも情報があるので、実際に取材旅行に行かなくて良い訳ですが、「どのくらい広いのか？」とか地形の距離感が観たいのです。それに地形には「羨ましい」とか「不平等」とかいった裏の感じ方があって、そういう場所に住んでみたいなあとか、ここでは牛乳とか切らした時にどうするんだろうと、行ってみて考える場所がある。それを感じたくて、まず北米の西の方の砂漠をセスナとか車で取材しました。「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」には直接関係ない事ですが、砂漠にある使われなくなった飛行機置き場（墓場？）には圧倒されました。
それと日本の和歌山県にある熊野古道を4泊5日、山の中を歩いてみる事にしました。毎日20kmくらい連続で歩いたら、自分はどうなるのかを試したかったので歩きました。これは「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」にちょっと関係あるかもしれないエピソードです。
美しい森の風景も午後4時過ぎると、暗い影の部分がアッという間に増えて想像を超えた闇になる。「あの子供に会わなかったら私、迷ったきり遭難してたわッ！」と独り旅行者のおばさんが暗い森から出て来た（その子はどこの子？）。それと歩き始めて2日目からヒドい筋肉痛で電波の無い所に待ってきた携帯がマジ重く感じて毎日捨てる事を考えた。便利な発明の矛盾です。

その④「敵」
「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」後半に出てくるキャラクターのヴァレンタイン大統領は「ラスボス」である。つまり、最大の敵であって、悪役。超悪い人。しかしながら、このキャラクターは主人公ジョニィやジャイロの視点から見て『悪役である』という事を説明したい。
ヴァレンタイン大統領は、祖国を新しい時代に向かって世界一の偉大な国にする為に、そしてその為の「宝」を探し出す為に「大陸横断SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)レース」を利用する。つまり、スポーツを通じて人々の気持ちと権利を得ようという訳だ。ヴァレンタイン大統領は将来の流れが馬の時代から機械の時代に向かう事を知っていて、民主主義がイコール資本主義経済の権利取得である事を知っている。しかも、『私利私欲では無い』という動機はキャラクターの性格としては強くて怖ろしい。
つまり、私たちの主人公たち―
「ジョニィ」や「ジャイロ」や「スティールさん」たちの考えている事よりも、ヴァレンタイン大統領が考えている事の方が「正論」なのである。
しかしながら、「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」では、この社会にとって「正しい道」を行こうとしている大統領を「最大の悪役」とした。ヴァレンタイン大統領には「正義」と「悪」の矛盾が存在する。彼はパラドックスなのだ。
「幸福」とはいったいどういう事を言うのだろうか？
真の勝利が「幸福」の事ならば、時代は勝利に向かうのだろうか？
果たして、「ジョニィ」と「ジャイロ」たちは勝利できたのだろうか？

その⑤「面積」
掲載誌は「週刊少年ジャンプ」から月刊「ウルトラジャンプ」へ移った。
年齢面で週刊スケジュールが辛くなったという事もあるのですが、この事は作品にとって描ける「面積」が増えたと感じました（一つのエピソードのページ数の事です）。風景や人物の絵画的スケール感もそうなのですが、マンガ進行のリズムがとにかく、しっくり来たと感じ、「SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)」は作品の性質として本当に月刊誌向きです。

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Steel Ball Run Last Volume Afterword

TranslationTranscript

I already wrote about my memories of this work at the end of the first volume of this paperback edition of Steel Ball Run, so here I would like to talk about the end. It might not be exclusive to manga production, but when I begin a new serialization, choosing a setting, doing research, and worrying the entire time makes it quite difficult. But I think the most difficult part is when it comes time to end the series.

Depending on the work, the editorial department might say, "It's about time to finish the story." Or the author might want to finish the story, but the public won't allow them to end it. The author has to part ways with the characters who have decided the story's trajectory and with whom they have been intimately interacting every day, and abandon the setting and perspective in the process. And furthermore, they can't just throw out the answers to the mysteries and the fates of the characters that they've been dragging out. They have to get it right.

Will the readers be satisfied with this outline for the last part of the story? I get so nervous. And once I finish drawing, there'll be nothing left for me to do. I end up thinking to myself, "What am I going to do now?" This is the situation that comes at the end of a manga series.

Though such severe ending situations do exist, in the case of both Steel Ball Run and JoJo Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, the premise sets the readers up to believe that the end is when the inevitable goal is reached. I felt no hesitation or anxiety, and my only concern during the ending was how to end it. It ended exactly how it was supposed to. When the work finally reached the goal, only one feeling arose within me: "Well done. You did an excellent job. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

I think my favorite scene to draw was near the end of Steel Ball Run, the scene where Gyro and Johnny share their personal secrets with each other. Gyro shares his real name, and Johnny shares his fetish. That personal information itself is rather trivial, but will those secrets be secrets forever? Or, if they survive, will the secrets live on in their hearts? When I was drawing it, I couldn't help but cry.

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[Translated by HudgynS]

この文庫版『SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)』の第一巻巻末で本作品の想い出はそれなりに書かせて頂いたので、ここでは〝おわり〟について。
漫画の制作とは限らないのかもしれませんけれど、連載を始める時は設定やら取材やら不安やらで相当大変だけれども、〝おわる〟時はそれ以上に大変な気がします。
作品によっては、編集部から「もうそろそろ完結にしましょうか…」とか言われたり、もしくは描いている作者がもう完結にしたいのに、世間の要望で逆に〝おわり〟にさせてくれないという場合もあります。
それまで話の軌道にのって、想い入れ親しく毎日、大切に付き合い続けてきたキャラクターたちと別れなくてはいけないし、設定や世界観も捨てなくてはなりません。しかも引っ張っていた謎の答えやキャラクターの運命もすべて、放り出すわけにはいきません。
ちゃんとしなくてはいけないのです。
こんなラストの形で読者は満足してくれるのだろうか？　不安で仕方ない気分になります。
そして描き終わった後、自分には何も残らなくなってしまうのだ。「どうしよお!?」と想い込んでしまうのです。
これが連載漫画の〝おわり〟の状況。
こうした厳しい〝おわり〟の状況もありますけど、本作品『SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)』とJOJO第3部『スターダスト クルセイダース』、この二つはラストがゴールの時と読者も思っているに違いない設定なので、〝おわり〟の時は必然、ゴールの時でした。迷ったり悩んだりとかがなく、ラストのアイデアは着地の仕方のみで、決まるべくして〝おわれ〟ました。
作品がゴールに辿り着けた時は「お疲れ様。よくやってくれた。心からありがとう」、そういう気持ちだけでした。
本作品『SBR(スティール・ボール・ラン)』のラスト付近で、描いていて特別に好きだったシーンは、ジャイロとジョニィが自分の秘密の個人情報をお互い言い会うシーンでしょうか。ジャイロは「本名」を教え、ジョニィは「フェチ」を教えるところ。その個人情報は軽くてくだらないものだけれど、秘密は永遠の秘密となるのか？　それとも、もし生き残るなら秘密は心の中で生き続けるのだろうか？　自分で描いていて泣いてしまいました。

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Gallery

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  Postcard released alongside the Stone Ocean box
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  Phantom Blood's logo
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  Stardust Crusaders' logo
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  Stone Ocean's logo
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  Steel Ball Run's logo

Trivia

• The box sets for the first three parts have the same number of volumes as the JoJonium releases.
• Bunko releases for Cool Shock B.T., Baoh the Visitor, Oingo Boingo Brothers Adventure, Under Execution, Under Jailbreak, Gorgeous Irene and The Lives of Eccentrics were released alongside the series.
• Unlike it's tankōbon counterpart, this version has been mildly censored, removing only a few phrases that would now be considered homophobic, sexist, or demeaning to the intellectually disabled.
• This version has been fully published in Italian by Star Comics and serves as the basis for the Spanish, Argentinian, Mexican, German, Polish and Indonesian editions of the series.