JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 6: Stone Ocean

Conspiring forces frame Jolyne Kuujou for a reckless crime, landing her in the infamous Green Dolphin Street Jail. Much like her father Joutarou, Jolyne is brash, brave, and just; she rails against her unfair sentence and quickly discovers the sinister circumstances that led to her incarceration.

A gift from her absent father grants Jolyne the power of Stone Free, a supernatural ability known as a Stand that allows her to unravel her body into string. Jolyne uses Stone Free to battle her way through the prison, recruiting new allies—Ermes Costello and Foo Fighters—to assist in her investigation. Together, the fearless women fight to uncover the menace behind Whitesnake, an enemy Stand responsible for the increasingly dangerous prisoners who are after Jolyne's life.

Through Jolyne, the Joestar lineage confronts the legacy of its one true enemy. Jolyne and her friends race to stop a disastrous plot and put an end to a culminating evil.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kuujou, Jolyne Main

Fairouz Ai Japanese

Pucci, Enrico Main

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Foo Fighters Main

Ise, Mariya Japanese

Weather Report Main

Umehara, Yuuichirou Japanese

Costello, Ermes Main

Tamura, Mutsumi Japanese

Alniño, Emporio Main

Tanezaki, Atsumi Japanese

Kuujou, Joutarou Supporting

Ono, Daisuke Japanese

Brando, Dio Supporting

Koyasu, Takehito Japanese

Anasui, Narciso Supporting

Namikawa, Daisuke Japanese

Narrator Supporting

Ookawa, Tooru Japanese

Ozawa, Fumihiro Producer

Dohi, Noriko Producer

Honjoya, Reo Producer

Hayashi, Toshiyasu Producer

Reviews

Jun 6, 2024

negrut

Recommended

*This review will cover part 6 as a whole*
Stone Ocean was definitely a very pleasant surprise followed by a huge disappointment...
Some more than others, but all 5 previous parts of Jojo had ... (among many others) the same big problem: Things just happen, often even contradicting the anime's own rules, all followed by one or more characters in the background shouting as hard as they can without stopping in detail about what is happening.
And it was surprising how Stone Ocean was by far the part that distanced itself the most from this in its first 24 eps. Many of the stands are more direct and solid and therefore many of Jojo's characteristic twists don't sound forced as usual, for example look at how simple Jolyne's ability is and works identically throughout the entire series, she is just learning new uses with each fight, now compare this with Giorno who in each episode does something completely new, forgets previous things and often breaks his own rules.

Unlike, for example, part 3, where most of the "fights" were limited to the enemy stand using an unavoidable power and the heroes just having to deal with the enemy's own game and using stupid logical leaps to win, in Stone Ocean they really were fights where the cards are on the table and the heroes' abilities are as important as the enemy's, it is really a clash between two or more stand users.
A big difference is that this season takes place mostly within a prison wich operation is very well explained and even its mapping is shown, and this scenario is extremely important for the story, it gives advantages and disadvantages to the characters inside and outside the fights, which only adds more layers and possibilities to the story (The final episodes of the first cour are exciting and tense specially because of the whole enviroment). Given the appropriate proportions, it even reminded me of the battles in HxH where everything counts, the fighters, their powers, their psychology, the scenario, all the variables.
Everything was wonderful until the final third began...
Bizarrely, literally everything I mentioned turns upside down. The setting doesn't matter anymore, the stands are too open and one-sided, so the script completely loses its resistance, going down a nonsense and forced path like the old Jojo I know. (For those who have already seen it, look at what THAT GUY has become, both the character and specially the stand...)
To be fair, despite its own merits, one thing that helped the first two thirds be so good was that this story is one of those that pushes things to the end, so the first two cours, instead of already developing and concluding things, push everything to make sense and close at the end.
This in no way gives any justification for the third course, as ideally everything should be good and as it was going it had everything to be, but it just makes the point that if the final stretch wasn't so bad, maybe what came before wasn't so good.
Because everything was pushed to the end, expectations for this ending were higher, and there was still a lot to happen and somehow miraculously everything was closed, but nothing was satisfactory and it makes it even worse to see how much time is wasted with events futile and bad like Bohemian Rhapsody and Versus.

As far as the audiovisual is concerned, I can only add that the music and sounds are competent but not
exceptional or memorable, and the visuals themselves are excellent, but (especially in the first episodes) they consist of static frames and when there is animation it is very hard, from memory. It's the worst of the 6 parts in that sense.

This journey began as a pleasant surprise that unfortunately ended with a bitter taste but that still doesn't erase what it did.
If it started as by far the best i've seen in Jojo, it closed as perhaps still being the best part to date.
After part 5 I definitely wasn't excited with Jojo, so much so that I only went to see the sixth part now. But now I can't deny that I'm curious and even hopeful about the upcoming part 7.
So yeah, even as i particulary is more in the "dislike guys" side of Jojo i still would recommend the whole anime to anyone, its just too important for the industry to be ignored, even if you dislike even more than me its pretty great for study all the bad and good things you can do in a story, and of course this work, with all its immense flaws, touched and still touches thousands of people even after more than 30 years, perhaps you will be one of them. You might not even like all the parts, but maybe at least one will be to your liking, part 6 is especially one of the most divisive among everyone, and now its my favorite, that's why I say, no, don't skip any part. (Even the bomb that is part 5, which I don't know how on earth anyone is capable of liking, but it's even a favorite for some haha)

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Oct 24, 2024

raviwe

Mixed Feelings

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure stands, in my opinion, as the greatest manga I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Stone Ocean is its conclusion in the original continuity as well as in the Shōnen Jump magazine and for the shōnen demographic. It might feel strange to consider, as the battle shōnen genre is so integral to Jojo's, but Stone Ocean presents a shift so profound that it arguably transcends the genre, growing far too complex for the audience of its original publication.

Whether this transition was well done or not is hard to say, but this is where Jojo's truly begins to surpass its initial form. However, it ... is undeniable that the constraints of being serialized in a shōnen magazine somewhat weaken it, limiting its potential in significant ways.

With that said, let’s delve into what Stone Ocean is about and the themes it explores. We'll also discuss whether the beginning is misleading, how effectively it tackles its thematic elements, and how it compares to other parts of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, as well as its anime adaptation.

So, what is this show about?

Each part of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure revolves around a central theme: a love for humanity, often tied to the concept of karma—how actions shape fate, family, and community. While each part introduces its own thematic elements, they all fit within this overarching framework. Stardust Crusaders concludes the first trilogy by focusing on the idea of heroism.

The second trilogy, which concludes with Stone Ocean, takes the concept of heroism for granted and expands on a new aspect of the human experience: karma. Part 4, Diamond is Unbreakable, shows the rippling effects of our actions within a community, while Part 5, Golden Wind, explores how community influences the individual. Stone Ocean brings this exploration to a close, focusing on how fate shapes our lives and how we, as the heroes of our own stories, should confront it.

First things later, let’s talk art direction.

The animation is a little weaker than previous seasons and the sound design is also quite a lot less impressive than Vento Aureo, but honestly that is to be expected. It is still very good, though, and within the great quality you'd expect from David Productions. The opening is great as well and overall, an impressive and praiseworthy adaptation.

I have to say that I think the manga does a better job, but that isn't really anything to DP's discredit, the source material is simply that good.

So, how does it start?

The start is solid. Jolyne Cujoh, the new protagonist, is instantly compelling, managing to capture our attention without needing previous characters to pass the torch. The prison setting is unique and intriguing, and the introduction of stands feels fresh, despite the familiarity of the concept.

However, the prison setting is a bit misleading. While it’s crucial to the plot and themes, it doesn’t affect the characters' day-to-day battles as much as one might expect. In reality, the characters could likely escape at almost any time if they truly wanted to, so the limitations of being imprisoned aren’t deeply felt during most of the narrative.

What about the characters?

The characters in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure are often hidden gems, bringing a sense of realism and depth that many might not initially notice. They come and go in the narrative, sometimes without fully completing their arcs, leaving the impression that they’re part of a larger, unseen world. This lends an authenticity to Araki’s storytelling, as though he’s recounting a real tale where people enter and exit at their own pace.

Stands enhance this, offering a glimpse into both the inner and outer selves of the characters. Stand battles, particularly in Stone Ocean, are more like puzzles that reveal the characters' deeper complexities rather than simple fights. This dynamic reaches its peak with Jolyne. Her growth in confidence and capability is masterfully woven into the story and battles. While we’ve seen stand evolution before, such as Jotaro’s Star Platinum or Koichi’s Echoes, Jolyne’s development feels seamless, and it stands as one of the best examples of how character progression can be integrated into the action.

What about the story itself?

Like previous parts, Stone Ocean follows an episodic structure, though it's tighter than Part 3 (Stardust Crusaders) and Part 5 (Golden Wind). Each villain serves a purpose, contributing to both the plot and the thematic exploration of fate and karma. However, the complexity ramps up, both in the stands that Jolyne and her allies face and in the overarching plot.

Then, what did I think of it as a whole?

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is very effective in blending its philosophical musings with complex battles in a way that sometimes obscures the core messages. While this depth is what makes Jojo's a masterpiece, the earlier chapters don’t effectively hint at the layers of meaning required to understand the ending, making it a work that almost demands a second reading to fully grasp.

That said, these starting episodes are in my opinion the best bunch in the sense that they have no glaring flaws. Unfortunately, the lows being not that low has cost us the highs, which also aren't that high. Quite alright for a first bunch of episodes, but not a masterpiece by any means.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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May 19, 2023

ma1kawa11

Not Recommended

Jojo is an anime which is known for its eccentric art style, it's over the top characters, and overall bizzareness. Sadly, Stone Ocean experienced what I call getting "Netflixed". What do I mean by this? Well, in essence, getting Netflixed means getting watered down to a diluted version of its former self. Like many Netflix shows, Stone Ocean relies on an overabundance of poor CGI in addition to bad animation. It is hard to believe, given the extremely slow release date and batch release of this show when compared to previous Jojo parts, that it somehow was released at a lower animation quality than perhaps ... even part 1 had. Compared to the absolutely stunning visual style and animation of part 4, and the extremely detailed art of part 5, part 6 is a shell of its former self. The abundance of cut corners when it comes to production even results in creating several minor plotholes during the first 12 episodes. In the first few episodes, there is a minor scene of Jolyne who is exiting a vent. Later in that scene she gets in a fight. This fight is resolved because Jolyne breaks a pipe that was coming out of the vent, which is shown to us in the form of a 'flashback'. The main issue is, that if you look back to the origional scene there is nothing showing the audience that she broke a pipe (intentionally or not), and it was not until that flashback that we see any evidence of a pipe being broken, or the fumes that ended up coming from that pipe. While this is only a minor plothole, it could have been easily avoided had the animation team just animated her breaking that pipe instead of resorting to a flashback that contradicted earlier events. The reason why I only include one example here is mainly so that the length of this review does not get too long.

Ultimately, while the anime does have a few good things about it, especially the voice acting, it is dragged down by the visual quality to the point where I just was unable to relate to the characters and the plotpoint. Except for Part 4, Jojo has never been strong on plot, so the visual hit shows much more than it would in other shows. It's a real shame, and hopefully we don't see this issue in the adaption of part 7.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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