Back to TastiestLunch's Profile TastiestLunch's Profile

This is going to have some spoilers, but nothing too major.

Maybe it's because I read it instead of watching it first like I did for the first five parts. But Stone Ocean felt the most mature and comprehensive out of any Jojo part thus far including Steel Ball Run. It blows the first five parts out of the water with theme, tone, and so on and seriously contends with the later seinens.

Let me start off with a disclaimer that I do not dislike Steel Ball Run. In fact, it feels very similar. I think, though, that this is where the weekly format actually benefits Araki's ... works. Stone Ocean with some exceptions (Dragon's Dream, Yo-Yo Ma, Sky High) was constantly captivating with a wonderful beginning and introduction to Stone Free, yet I couldn't find myself getting into Steel Ball Run until Tusk and Scary Monsters. If I were a reader at the time it was being published, I could imagine myself being turned off by the slow beginning also in a monthly format.

But I have the luxury of reading both parts as a whole whenever I want, and I can honestly say after re-reading both in the span of 3 days that both are deserving of 9's. Let me focus on Stone Ocean now and explain why I could never give it a 10: little time for characterization and rewritten abilities.

I could count on my fingers how many times the group gets to engage in laid-back small talk. I saw someone else mention this, but this might be where a story actually benefits from filler. We see Weather Report in 1 (and a half, I guess?) fight(s) until the countdown. Annasui's proper introduction is during the very long punishment ward arc and escape in the marsh and it is hard to care for him when serious things start happening since we still barely know him. His entire dynamic with FF is during this timespan as well. From a fight to a fight. Hermes has her small arc, then we don't see her until the countdown either. Outside of Jolyne, maybe Hermes/FF it's like the entire characterization is from Emporio describing them or from their memories. Perhaps that's intentional since Whitesnake took what's "human" from them.

Then my other criticism is a little more nitpicky, but the scope of abilities constantly being changed irritated me. Diver Down's storage of a blow is completely written out of the part when it could have prevented so much. Was it just that powerful? Then we have the infamous snails which have an explanation, but it doesn't feel feasible. It's one of those things you just have to accept in a work of fiction. It's annoying, though, when so much else has base in real science and theories.

Jolyne's printer and mobius strip are quite amazing, though. This is where I have to disagree when people say it's thrown into the part like "same type of stand." It's like Sticky Fingers where a simple ability is used ingeniously. Granted Araki wrote the powers of the enemy so that it worked so well, but the mobius strip is the perfect counter. It's the perfect display of getting the best of an opponent with brains. Jolyne and Stone Free absolutely shine in this part with not only her development but the use of her powers. Because she IS her stand, we also see her literally punching and kicking other stands. She fights not only with her stand but with her body (see Planet Waves for another perfect fight).

During this part, it was unique in that I constantly had the impression that Araki always had somewhere to lead the story. Everything feels planned out, and besides the problems I mentioned with the characters and abilities it's nothing like part 5 or 8 where you can sense Araki was struggling with what to do next. From the beginning we have defined goals that develop until the very end. All Jolyne does is develop as a fighter. There's nothing throw-in to power her up.

Finally, the tone. Part 5 was a transition to the darker Jojo parts, but Stone Ocean outside of the fight structures feels so heavy, serious, desperate. Granted serious injuries still disappear and there's no way a normal human would survive these fights but just like the setting of the prison, everything is hardcore. Jolyne, being choked, uses her stand to take the enemy's toenail and pull it up his leg. Hermes kills people without regrets. In fact, so does everyone. At the end, the devastating effects of stands even reach global attention. It feels like this part is what would be in a seinen magazine and not the majority of Jojolion. If the shounen aspect of Jojo was putting you off from giving non-part-7 a try, then look into Stone Ocean. I can't remember what my original expectations were, what with it being popular to be hated on, but I was completely surprised. One day the rating might drop, but for now this is easily my favorite part. A solid 9.