Shakedown Road
The Shakedown Road (カツアゲロード, Katsuage Rōdo) is a neighborhood in Morioh where the residents are known for extorting visitors. Strange events take place there due to the effects of the Stand Les Feuilles.
Summary
Officially known as the Mutsu-kabe Promenade (六壁遊歩道, Mutsukabe Yūhodō) and also nicknamed Deadman's Curve (デッドマンズ・カーブ, Deddomanzu Kābu), Shakedown Road is a curved hundred-fifty meter car-free street that connects to Hasekura High School in Morioh, S-City, Japan.[1] Along the street's path are Ginkgo biloba trees, whose leaves litter the ground and are the means by which the Stand Les Feuilles causes the neighborhood's unique phenomenon that objects that touch the leaves are moved at imperceptibly fast speeds along them, consciously directed by those aware of its nature. Legends say that the area gained its strange ability back in 1901 when Johnny Joestar brought the Saint's Corpse to Morioh in an attempt to cure his wife Rina Higashikata of a strange illness that turned her body to stone. While Johnny was ultimately successful, his attempts led to his infant son George being struck by the same illness, before he used the Corpse and his own mysterious power to transfer the illness to himself before he died under mysterious circumstances as a large boulder suddenly appeared and crushed his head. In his memory, locals erected a jizō statue that is carefully maintained to the present day, even decorated with a SBR brand hat not unlike the one worn by Josuke Higashikata in the modern day.
As its name suggests, people passing through Shakedown Road are financially extorted by its residents who have all managed to discover the phenomenon caused by Les Feuilles, however none of the residents possess a Stand themselves.[2] It is only during the events of the Shakedown Road story arc that Josuke manages to spot Les Feuilles underneath the leaves after he and Joshu Higashikata are assailed by many of Shakedown Road's residents and they both independently identify that the strange phenomenon exists for themselves, even before Joshu develops his own Stand Nut King Call during the events of the arc. Residents otherwise keep the truth of Shakedown Road a secret, with the open knowledge that anyone unaware is free game to be extorted by those who do know, with even local police aware of the nature of the secret in some form.[2][3]
Shakedown Road is also the home of a stone monument called the The Joestar Shrine near Hasekura High School and the Mutsu-kabe Shrine. The momument was constructed in dedication to the American horseman Johnny Joestar who in the year 1901 returned his wife Rina Higashikata to Morioh to attempt to cure her of the mysterious disease that made her skin turn to stone by praying to the Saint's Corpse at the base of the Meditation Pine. While Johnny was successful, the Corpse instead transferred the strange disease onto their son George. He then took his nearly dying son on horseback away from the Meditation Pine along what would become Shakedown Road in the future and using his power of Tusk in concert with the Saint's Corpse was able to cure George of the disease by transferring it to himself. As he laid dying of the strange disease, he touched the ginkgo leaves on the ground and a large boulder suddenly appeared and crushed his head, killing him instantly. This is all retold to Josuke by the pet shop owner who extorted him earlier, who when pressed by Josuke claims that it is all a legend and the actual historical accounts differ from what he has been told over the years.
Abilities
Stand
When a person steps on or an object is placed on the leaves, a group of countless ladybug-like Stands move them around instantaneously, usually causing the person to accidentally break something.
Residents
Chapters
Manga Appearances- JoJolion Chapter 18: "Shakedown Road", Part 1
- JoJolion Chapter 19: "Shakedown Road", Part 2
- JoJolion Chapter 20: "Shakedown Road", Part 3
- JoJolion Chapter 21: "Shakedown Road", Part 4
- JoJolion Chapter 22: Morioh 1901
Gallery
Entrance to Shakedown Road
The residents of Shakedown Road
Hand off on Shakedown Road
View of the area around Shakedown Road
Josuke discovering the Joestar Shrine
Joestar Shrine
Shakedown Road during the year 1901
Map of the road with Joestar Jizo
Tailpiece featuring the street and Les Feuilles
Trivia
- Araki had the experience of one such road during his youth, although the thugs let him be because of mutual acquaintances at Araki's kendo club.[4]
- The formal name of the road and its shrine is a reference to Episode 2 of Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan, as well as its titular location.
References
- ↑ JoJolion Chapter 18: "Shakedown Road", Part 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 JoJolion Chapter 19: "Shakedown Road", Part 2
- ↑ JoJolion Chapter 20: "Shakedown Road", Part 3
- ↑ Tohoku University (October 2013)
