The JOJOLands
The JOJOLands (ザ・ジョジョランズ, Za JoJoranzu) is the ninth and current part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It was announced in the September 2021 issue of Ultra Jump on August 19, 2021, and began serialization in the March 2023 issue on February 17, 2023.[1]
In contemporary Hawaii, Jodio Joestar, a 15-year-old boy living in Honolulu, aspires to become extremely rich by reaching the apex of the world's mechanisms. As for what he plans to do to achieve his goals, an unpredictable story unfolds in the islands woven with light and shadow.[2]
The JOJOLands represents the third part of the series set in the second continuity.
Plot Summary
Daily Life
Jodio Joestar presents the plot as the story of how he will become rich in Hawaii, as he is shown with his older sibling Dragona Joestar on a boat looking at a volcanic eruption.
On a road in Oahu Island, two police officers pull over a pickup truck being driven by Dragona, with Jodio sitting in the passenger seat. One of the policemen eyes Dragona and pretends to arrest them to have a chance of molesting them under the pretense of searching for drugs. The brothers proceed to take out their respective Stands to defeat the policemen, then burn down the patrol car to get rid of the evidence and finally complete a drug deal with local gangsters.
Jodio introduces himself and his family, explaining that Dragona likes girly fashion, and outlines his mother Barbara Ann Joestar's daily routine. He also presents his family ties to the Joestar family and his outlook on life. After a bus ride to school one day, Jodio completes a drug sale with one of his senior, the outgoing Usagi Alohaoe. He then explains his outlook on life based on the concept of "mechanisms" and his dream to become rich. Later that day, Jodio, Dragona, and a thief named Paco Laburantes who is also a Stand user meet with their boss, Meryl Mei Qi. Meryl tells them that a lone Japanese tourist has come to Hawaii with a precious diamond in their possession, and she asks the group to steal it. Surprisingly, Meryl assigns a fourth member to the group, which turns out to be Usagi.[3]
Before going on their mission, Jodio and Paco decide to complete another drug deal. At South King Street on Oahu, a woman approaches Jodio and attempts to purchase from him, but Jodio suspects she's a police officer. She persuaded Jodio so they complete the exchange with Paco pointing out where the drugs are hidden. The woman then immediately pulls out a gun and her police badge from her helmet, revealing that she actually was an undercover DEA agent. She places them under arrest while police officers storm out of a nearby ice cream truck to pin down Jodio and Paco. However, Jodio uses November Rain to destroy the bag of drugs, forcing the police to let him go afterwards since they no longer have evidence.
Jodio recalls when he was forced to pay for mental counseling at his school, where the psychotherapist diagnosed him with antisocial personality disorder. Barbara Ann didn't believe the diagnosis and demanded a refund for the screening. Jodio is sure he can become happy if he works hard, but he hates running into people like those police officers who don't play fair.[4]
The Diamond Heist
The Villa on Hawaii Island
On the day of the heist, Jodio, Dragona and Paco fly together to Hawaii Island and wait for their new ally, Usagi Alohaoe, at the airport. Usagi is late and makes light of it, but the group feels obliged to bring him along. The team drives around Hawaii to the Japanese tourist's villa and Jodio goes to scout the place first. Although the tourist is home, it seems he will swim in his garden pool for a while. This gives the group the opportunity to sneak in. Usagi then uses his Stand THE MATTEKUDASAI which morphs into a second security camera to produce a modified recording of the group with disguised faces when they trespass into the property. Meanwhile, Jodio watches the pool and recognizes the tourist as Rohan Kishibe.[4]
While Jodio stands guard, the rest of the crew searches the house and they discover a laboratory full of cooled lava. A cat also enters the house, prompting Rohan to leave the pool. Jodio warns his teammates and distracts Rohan with light rain. Meanwhile, the crew has found the safe and take the diamond with them, ignoring the other pieces of Lava Rock stored in the safe. As they exit the room, they are attacked by wires that coil around their arms or legs and dig into their flesh.[5] Although the team manages to get rid of the wires, the diamond has somehow fallen out of Paco's backpack and Dragona goes back to pick it up. Rohan appears and uses his Stand Heaven's Door to incapacitate Paco and Usagi.[6]
Thankfully, Jodio intervenes by using November Rain to create a makeshift traphole beneath a carpet, as his rain is heavy enough to make the concrete floor collapse when Rohan steps on it. Jodio can tie up Rohan but the group's escape is still compromised because Rohan has seen their faces and read their identities. Rohan offhandedly mentions that he will not the group's greatest concern in the future but they ignore the warning for now. For his part, Jodio has learned that Rohan has come to Hawaii to study the Lava Rocks and that the samples that the manga artist keeps in his safe are precious to him. By smashing one sample and keeping the remaining one with him as leverage, Jodio forces Rohan to lie to the police about the burglary. Impressed by Jodio's spirit, Rohan secretly tells Jodio that he will be able to become rich if he carefully handles the Lava Rock, but does not give any specifics. Rohan also warns Jodio about the untrustworthiness of his gangmates.[7]
Jungle Warfare
In the jungle, the diamond and a precious artwork Usagi has stolen from Rohan somehow end up near Jodio. Thus, the group realizes that precious items seem to be drawn to the Lava Rock. It is then that the crew is ambushed by a trio of Stand-wielding cats. As, Jodio picks up the diamond, he's caught by a wire that coils around his ankle and pulls him up, which leaves him dangling to a tree branch. Then, a couple of wires sew Dragona and Paco together and dig into their bodies. For his part, Usagi sneaks away.[8]
Paco uses THE Hustle manages to free Jodio's ankle and the latter can fend off one cat, but the remaining two ensnare them in a net made of wires, which is revealed to come from their fur. Finally, Usagi intervenes by crashing the rental car into the tree. He reveals he had fed the cats expensive caviar he stole from Rohan's villa. Usagi has Dragona ask THE MATTEKUDASAI to transform into a net and lures the cats toward the Lava Rock, causing the cats to be drawn toward the rock due to its properties. After Usagi captures the two cats, Jodio reflects on the mysterious nature of the Lava Rock and suspects that a third party is trying to obtain the Lava Rock.[9]
Testing the Lava Rock
Jodio's group winds down after escaping from the jungle. They drive to a café where Usagi confirms that anything of noticeable worth that has touched the rock will invariably return to it. Dragona then suggests a test at a luxury watch store, Diamotch, so they can fully figure out how the Lava Rock's powers work before boarding the plane.
Dragona and Usagi enter the store and attempt to touch one of the $80,000 wristwatches with the rock. Although the watch disappears and the staff accuses the duo of theft, they are soon proven innocent and released.[10]
Meanwhile, Jodio and Paco discover a morbid warning in their food bag: the decapitated heads of the three cats they fought earlier. Jodio surmises that the cats' owner must be an enemy attempting to retrieve the lava rock.[11] Paco suggests they relinquish the Lava Rock to the supposed original owner, but Jodio argues that they probably know more about the Rock than anybody and adds that he doesn't expect the owner to leave them alive anyway. Suddenly, Jodio sees the real Paco returning with food. Thus, the false Paco sheds his disguise and attack Jodio with a knife, slashing his neck.[10]
A New Ally
Paco saves Jodio but the latter is incapacitated for the moment. Paco then engages his opponent in close-quarters combat. While Paco is more experienced and can freely manipualte his muscles, the enemy has a knife and the ability to camouflage, even disappearing into thin air. After a few exchanges of blows, the foe disappears again. Dragona and Usagi return from the store. The power of the lava rock makes it so the expensive watch returns towards Dragona, carried by a seagull, but the enemy reappears, snatches the lava rock and also stabs Dragona in the neck.[12] Thankfully, Dragona can displace the wound onto a bottle to save themself. In addition, Jodio wounds the attacker with November Rain allowing the group to follow the trail of blood.
The crew follow the trail up to a car in a parking lot by the sea where the enemy ambushes Jodio again before disappearing. The group loses the blood trail but since the enemy is carrying the Lava Rock, they use the diamond as a compass to track him down. They follow it down to the shore, where he ambushes Paco this time. Jodio grabs the enemy and drags him underwater with him. Although the enemy pins him down, Jodio is able to breathe in the air leaking from an inflatable raft that Usagi kicks into the water and grabs onto the enemy to force him to stay underwater for longer. While Jodio and the enemy struggle underwater, Paco changes his mind about the enemy because he's seen that the cat heads in the food bag were actually just potatoes that were disguised with the enemy's Stand. Paco decides to save him and make him an ally instead.[13]
The fight thus ends and the crew brings their former foe, named "Charming Man", with them to Oahu. Charming Man is interested in the Lava Rock not because of its properties, but because it comes from the slopes of Mt. Hualalai where his little brother Mauka has disappeared after falling in one of the lava tubes and being taken away by a mysterious water flow as well as someone lurking in the shadows. Charming Man never found his brother and even the rescuers dismissed his case and his remaining lead came when he saw Rohan conducting his research. At the airport, Dragona and Usagi surprisingly retrieve the luxury wristwatch at the airport, though it is broken. They return to Iko Iko after their flight, and the group gives the diamond and other items they stole to Meryl and intend to present Charming Man.[14]
Dragona recalls an absurd moment in their life which led to their family's current situation. Four years ago, Dragona was being bullied by a classmate whose parents were wealthy and influential enough to control the livelihoods of the school employees, making the bully seemingly untouchable. Intending to avenge Dragona, Jodio trapped Dragona's classmates in a bus and set it on fire using his November Rain. Although he stopped short of killing them, around twenty students and the teacher were hospitalized with major burns. Firstly, Dragona guessed Jodio was the culprit but kept it a secret as they knew it was a form of support from their little brother. Discovering Smooth Operators, Dragona transferred the scar on their chest caused by the assault onto a spoon, moving the wound away.
Unfortunately, the incident caused Jodio and Dragona's father to lose his job at the insurance company for being cornered by Dragona's bully's influential parents into agreeing to pay an exorbitant sum to their bus company. The father left Hawaii and his family behind, forcing the family into difficult times. Thankfully, Meryl Mei picked the Joestar brothers up and offered a "win-win" proposition to them. Thus, the Joestar siblings became gangsters working for Meryl in exchange for the protection and even prestige being in a gang brought to the Joestars.
Back to the present, Dragona and Paco present Charming Man to Meryl and explain the story around Mt Hualalai, the Lava Rock and Mauka. The main obstacle to the gang is the owner of the slopes on Mt. Hualalai, a land development company named "HOWLER". Meryl hatches a grand scheme to claim the rights of the entire mountain.[15]
The Land Registry Heist
Jodio, Dragona, Paco, Usagi and Charming Man are sent the Hawaii state's land registry office. There, Dragona, Usagi, and Charming Man head inside the building to reach the original land deeds proving that HOWLER Company owns their land in Hawaii. Using their Stand abilities, the trio manages to fake their identity while Charming Man makes a request to consult the deeds. The staff brings the group to the archive where the clerk presents the original land deeds to Usagi and Dragona on a table. They manage to make the rock touch all 48 land deeds and then quickly exit the office.
However, as Jodio and Paco arrive to pick them up, Usagi suddenly feels sick. He collapses on the floor while vomiting and choking. Charming Man even sees that Usagi's neck is covered in rock-like scabs.[16] For a while, the group is puzzled about the true nature of the situation. Usagi suffocates and has to get Dragona to request THE MATTEKUDASAI to turn into a straw, pierce his own lung then puts the straw in to breathe before he's brought inside the van. After arguing about whether Usagi is under attack or merely suffering from a withdrawal, the crew sees that the clerk who helped them earlier is being carried away into an ambulance, affected by the same mysterious illness. Charming Man decides to check inside Usagi's lung, using Bigmouth Strikes Again to insert his eyeball in Usagi's body. He sees a Stand damaging Usagi's blood vessels and tries to drag the enemy Stand out but becomes sick as well, developing a tumor around his eye. At the same time, Dragona also starts to become sick as another of the same Stand attacks her.[17] Thankfully, Dragona sends Smooth Operators inside their body to catch it and Jodio's November Rain destroys the Stand using a raindrop sent into Dragona's mouth, allowing Dragona to breathe again. However, Charming Man has failed to catch the enemy Stand in Usagi's body and indicates that the Stand must be headed for Usagi's brain. Jodio thus tells Paco to head for a hospital so that they can use a MRI scanner to locate the Stand and save Usagi.[18]
Unbeknownst to the crew, at the Hawaii State Land Registry Office, a man named "Agent" Bobby Jean and a young girl named Lulu are investigating the incident on behalf of Howler. They notice a discrepancy between the group who's consulted the land deeds and the group who's being attacked by Lulu's Stand, Bags Groove. Thus, they decide to follow the heroes' trail to eliminate them.
Jodio and his team eventually arrive at the hospital but mistakenly go to the ICU, where they see the clerk from the registry office, unconscious. Her grieving father, Congressman White, is present and believes HOWLER poisoned her. Thus, he plans to seize HOWLER's land, showing a document on his tablet but his assistant warns him not to. The woman's ECG monitor suddenly flatlines and in his panic, the congressman leaves his tablet behind as he rushes into Sophie's room. Witnessing this scene, Dragona and the others seize the opportunity. They use White's tablet to submit the document, using Smooth Operators to drag his fingerprint onto the sensor.[18]
As soon as the land is seized, Acca Howler, the CEO of HOWLER, is informed about it by his banker, Mack from Dolphin Bank. Virtually ruined, Howler immediately guesses that such a turn in luck means the Lava Rock is involved and he calls Lulu to tell her to retrieve it. Lulu and Bobby Jean eventually find the group and Bobby Jean opens fire on them, using his Stand Glory Days.[19] Bobby Jean and Lulu have headed to the front lobby, expecting to have killed their targets, but Lulu insists on returning to the basement level. However, the gang has evaded major injuries from the bullets by using their Stands to defend themselves. Meanwhile, Usagi successfully creates an MRI with THE MATTEKUDASAI, but his mental and physical states continue to deteriorate. Dragona and Charming Man take photos of inside Usagi's brain using the MRI, while Paco and Jodio stand guard by the elevator. Bobby and Lulu exit the elevator while Paco enters it to check out the first floor. Suddenly, several bullets are headed toward Paco while he is alone inside the elevator, allowing him to realize their enemies were the two who just exited. Meanwhile, Mack is headed to the hospital to pick up stomach medicine, when he is instantly shot in the head by a bullet from Glory Days.[20]
Characters & Stands
Locations
The JOJOLands currently takes place throughout Hawaii.
Reception
According to the Japanese Oricon sales charts, the first volume of The JOJOLands lasted in the top 50 physical manga sales for a month and a half, selling around 243,067 copies as of September 24, 2023. It debuted with an estimated number of 93,918 copies sold within two days, ranking in 1st place overall on the week of August 14, 2023 to August 20, 2023.[21] The second volume lasted in the top 50 physical manga sales for about a month, selling around 214,917 copies as of January 14, 2024.
| Volume | Date | Rank | Physical Copies Sold | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volume 1
|
August 14, 2023 – August 20, 2023 | #1 | 93,918[21] | 93,918 |
| August 21, 2023 – August 27, 2023 | #2 | 78,484[22] | 172,402 | |
| August 28, 2023 – September 3, 2023 | #8 | 30,307[23] | 202,709 | |
| September 4, 2023 – September 10, 2023 | #30 | 16,192[24] | 218,901 | |
| September 11, 2023 – September 17, 2023 | #35 | 12,902[25] | 231,803 | |
| September 18, 2023 – September 24, 2023 | #41 | 11,264[26] | 243,067 | |
Volume 2
|
December 18, 2023 – December 24, 2023 | #2 | 131,437[27] | 131,437 |
| December 25, 2023 – December 31, 2023 | #5 | 44,259[28] | 175,696 | |
| January 1, 2024 – January 7, 2024 | #13 | 27,232[29] | 202,928 | |
| January 8, 2024 – January 14, 2024 | #41 | 11,989[30] | 214,917 | |
Volume 3
|
April 15, 2024 – April 21, 2024 | #4 | 89,029[31] | 89,029 |
| April 22, 2024 - April 28, 2024 | #7 | 48,891[32] | 137,920 | |
| April 29, 2024 - May 5, 2024 | #15 | 26,810[33] | 164,730 | |
| May 6, 2024 - May 12, 2024 | #26 | 15,160[34] | 179,890 | |
| May 13, 2024 - May 19, 2024 | #40 | 8,912[35] | 188,802 |
Creation and Development
Araki previously mentioned in an interview at the start of Steel Ball Run that he had already planned out the general outlines for each part up to Part 9.[36] When asked what country he would be interested in depicting in the future, he stated that he would like to go to Northern Europe or the Scottish Highlands.[37] He has also mentioned wanting to depict Morioh in Part 9 as well.[38] When receiving the Iwate Hometown Special Manga Award for JoJolion on December 19, 2021, Araki stated that Part 9 of JoJo was in the works.[39]
When the part was first announced, it was originally named simply "JOJOLANDS" (ジョジョランズ, JoJoranzu). However, the name was altered to The JOJOLands (ザ・ジョジョランズ, Za JoJoranzu) when it was later revealed in both Ultra Jump and JOJO magazine on December 19, 2022.[40][41] Some other proposed titles were "JOJOLANDS 9" (ジョジョランズ９, JoJoranzu 9) and "MADE IN JOJOLANDS" (メイド イン ジョジョランズ, Meido in JoJoranzu). The stylization "The JOJOLand(s)" was also proposed.[42] Noriko Narumi designed the logo based on a "traffic sign" motif because of the feeling she got after seeing the scenery of Hawaii in the first chapter. She added arrows because of JoJo's iconic "To be continued" arrow, volcanoes erupting vertically, and the upward aspirations of young people. The triangular edges to the letters represent a traveling vibe with tickets, airplanes, passports, and such.[42]
Gallery
Hirohiko Araki - New Year's Card (2023)
Ultra Jump February 2023 Next Issue Preview
Wall Mural in Shibuya Station
Illustration card released with Ultra Jump April 2023
Illustration card released with Ultra Jump April 2023
Spine Art
Ultra Jump March 2023 Cover
Ultra Jump June 2023 Cover
Ultra Jump September 2023 Cover
Ultra Jump January 2024 Cover
Ultra Jump May 2024 Cover
Ultra Jump March 2023 Back Cover
Ultra Jump April 2023 Back Cover
Ultra Jump May 2023 Back Cover
Ultra Jump August 2023 Back Cover
Ultra Jump September 2023 Back Cover
Clean reveal artwork (Ultra Jump January 2023)
Clean reveal artwork (Ultra Jump February 2023)
TJL Chapter 1 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 2 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 3 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 5 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 6 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 8 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 9 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 10 Tailpiece
TJL Chapter 11 Tailpiece
Release date announcement in JOJO magazine 2022 WINTER
Reveal artwork in Ultra Jump January 2023
Reveal artwork in Ultra Jump February 2023
Poster Advertising the Ultra Jump March 2023 Issue
Ultra Jump March 2023 T-Shirt
Banner in the Ultra Jump webpage
Parts 1-9 Mural at Shibuya Station
Parts 1-9 Promo at Harajuku Station
Parts 1-9 Promo at Shinjuku Station
Parts 1-9 Promo at Shinjuku Station
Ultra Jump November 2023 Stickers
Videos
See also
References
- ↑ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 9: The JOJOLands Begins In February 2023
- ↑ Official Site
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 1: Departure
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The JOJOLands Chapter 2: South King Street
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 3: The Villa on Hawaii Island, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 4: The Villa on Hawaii Island, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 5: "Rise Up"
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 6: Hualalai - Cat Size, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 7: Hualalai - Cat Size, Part 2
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The JOJOLands Chapter 9: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 8: Hualalai - Cat Size, Part 3
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 10: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 11: Kailua-Kona - Flight Waiting Time, Part 3
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 12: Charming Man
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 13: Joestar Brothers
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 14: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 15: Aim for That Fifty Billion Dollars, Part 2
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 The JOJOLands Chapter 16: Lulu's Bags Groove, Part 1
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 17: That Girl's Bags Groove, Part 2
- ↑ The JOJOLands Chapter 18: That Girl's Bags Groove, Part 3
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年08月14日～2023年08月20日" (Archived), Oricon News, August 28, 2023.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年08月21日～2023年08月27日" (Archived), Oricon News, September 4, 2023.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年08月28日～2023年09月03日" (Archived), Oricon News, September 11, 2023.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年09月04日～2023年09月10日" (Archived), Oricon News, September 18, 2023.
- ↑ "Oricon Sales Chart - September 11 to 17, 2023", on Twitter, September 22, 2023.
- ↑ "Oricon Sales Chart - September 18 to 24, 2023", on Twitter, September 29, 2023.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年12月18日～2023年12月24日" (Archived), Oricon News, January 1, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2023年12月25日～2023年12月31日" (Archived), Oricon News, January 8, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2024年01月01日～2024年01月07日" (Archived), Oricon News, January 15, 2024.
- ↑ "Oricon Sales Chart - January 8 to January 14, 2024", on Twitter, January 19, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2024年04月15日～2024年04月21日" (Archived), Oricon News, April 29, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2024年04月22日～2024年04月28日" (Archived), Oricon News, May 6, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2024年04月29日～2024年05月05日" (Archived), Oricon News, May 13, 2024.
- ↑ "オリコン週間 コミックランキング 2024年05月06日～2024年05月12日" (Archived), Oricon News, May 20, 2024.
- ↑ "Oricon Sales Chart - May 13 to May 19, 2024", on Twitter, May 24, 2024.
- ↑ Aomaru Jump (February 2004)
- ↑ Rurubu Moriohcho (March 2016)
- ↑ Jump Square (December 2007)
- ↑ Araki Reveals New Rohan Kishibe One-Shot Releasing Early 2022
- ↑ Ultra Jump, January 2023
- ↑ JOJO magazine 2022 WINTER
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 MdN (September 2023)
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