JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stardust Crusaders

ReBuggy

Just a quick note: this review assumes that you're already familiar with Parts 1 and 2 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency. Consequently, it may contain some light spoilers from those arcs. Stardust Crusaders is by far the most iconic and well-known part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, perhaps because it's the one that truly began to set the tone for all the parts to follow. However, being iconic doesn't necessarily mean it's the best. In a lot of ways, Stardust Crusaders takes one step forward, one step back, and two steps sideways. First, the biggest change from the previous two parts is the introduction of Stands. Stands are a unique variety of physical manifestations of fighting ability, usually taking the form of a humanoid. Basically, they're magic ghosts you use to punch people. These stands manifest in a variety of people (and animals) in a variety of ways. For example, while the protagonist Jotaro has a very straightforward Stand (i.e., it punches people), the Stands encountered in the series do a variety of things, from possessing people to attacking them through their dreams. It's important to set this up now because Stands are vital to explaining the plot of Stardust Crusaders. The Stands only begin to manifest in the Joestar line due to Dio taking over Jonathan Joestar's body, and Jotaro's mother/Joseph's daughter begins to develop a Stand that is slowly killing her because she can't control it. As a result, Jotaro and Joseph are joined by three others (Avdol, Kakyoin, and Polnareff) as they journey to Egypt to defeat Dio. From this point on, the show becomes a series of battles as this group of five, known as the Stardust Crusaders, encounter Stand user after Stand user interrupting their progress on their way to Egypt. The first part sees them fighting their way through all the tarot-based Stands (minus Dio) and ultimately arriving in Egypt. As with the last season, the anime is very well produced, with fantastic art, good music, solid directing, and beautifully hammy voice acting. The introduction of Stands, however, brings a drastic shift in things. For example, Hamon is completely irrelevant, making only one appearance in this first half and failing to be of any use. While it's a shame to lose the magic system we've had for the previous two parts, it's kind of a necessity since Hamon is really only useful for fighting the undead, and having to constantly fall back on that limits the places the series can go. The drawback is that Hamon incorporated the user's entire body and took a lot of training and skill to use, whereas Stands seem to be innate and, until you see a lot of them in action and really start to grasp how exactly the Stands and users are linked, it seems like the Stands do all the fighting and render the users themselves completely irrelevant. The introduction of Stands also allows for much more absurd fights. Yes, Battle Tendency may have had a Nazi cyborg, but the enemies in the first half of Stardust Crusaders includes an orangutan pedophile dressed in an admiral's outfit, an enraged car, and a genius baby. As a result, the series itself takes on a much sillier tone. The voice acting is blatantly over-the-top, which fits the new tone perfectly. Joseph added a bit of levity to Battle Tendency, but in Stardust Crusaders, his exaggerated yells and Engrish phrases instantly steal the scene, in the best way possible. On the flip side, because this arc doesn't take itself near as seriously, it also incorporates a lot more toilet humor. If the idea of our heroes feeding a baby its own poo, peeing in a man's mouth, or being forced to lick a toilet turns you off, well, you're probably not going to be considering this arc one of your favorites. It's also worth noting that this arc fixes a major problem from the previous arcs. While Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency only really had one hero and consequently had to sideline everyone else and have them shout out commentary like they're sportscasters, Stardust Crusaders uses a team of capable people who all get their chances to shine. Finally, the pacing of this arc is absolutely terrible. It's a travel story, and while in some ways that makes it feel more epic, it also turns it into a very episodic show, with they fighting one stand per every episode or two episodes. Most of these fights end up being completely irrelevant. They don't cause character development and they don't advance the plot. All they do is provide another obstacle for the Stardust Crusaders to face. There's a reason why the two halves of this adaptation have a total of 48 episodes while the OVAs from 1993 and 2000 that cover the same arc are able to condense it to 13. While it's exciting when watched weekly, it becomes a pain to watch all in one go. Due to the two halves of this arc being divided into two different seasons, I'm going to have to rate them individually, and the first half is by far the weaker one. It's a few episodes of setup, followed by what is essentially a lot of filler. The episodes may be fun, but they're not as compelling as what came before or what will come in the second half of Stardust Crusaders. On top of that, it's incomplete, so it loses a few points when judging it on its own. Despite that, this season is able to set up the new direction the series starts to take in a satisfactory way, and while it's not the same as Phantom Blood or Battle Tendency, I think it's just about on par with them. In the end, it's just good, pure fun with absolutely no substance to it. But really, isn't that what you're watching JoJo for anyway? Four stars.

Fume

# _Part 3 Season 1 Spoilers and a fair amount of swearing ahead._ So, i'll be talking about the first season of Stardust Crusaders of course, practically just finished it and i'm about 6 episodes in Season 2 but i won't be talking about that. I decided to watch this one instead of reading it like the previous parts, and i'll do the same with Part 4, after that i'll be back to reading like a nerd. So, what makes this an even more bizarre continuation? Battle Tendency gave the show a much more crazier nature, with both the characters and concepts, really left me expecting not being able to expect a thing in future parts, of course, a pretty bizarre adventure, but... _where's Hamon?_ Of course i'd make that god damn question, i guess the power system in Jojo got a sidegrade, some may say it's an upgrade, some others, specially newcomers to the show like myself, might say it's a downgrade, but as for me, i can't really tell, i loved Hamon, it was such a good concept, kind of generic on some aspects but, really charming and they might've been able to squeeze out more out of it, but nope, here you go, the new power system, __SUTANDOS!__ I do like Stands, i will totally get used to not having Hamon around anymore, but it is pretty sudden. Stands give the show a chance to get so much crazier, why? Because there's no limit to possibilities anymore, Stands who punch people to Stands that are literal objects, or even a fucking Sun, i'm sure Araki takes some pretty high liberties with Stands in the future, since some buddies say that these Stands, including the ones from Season 2, are pretty weak compared to those in future parts. Now... Jotaro, oh boy, sorry but i'm not sure about this guy yet. Jotaro is charming in his own way, he knows when to be funny and to stop being an edgelord, but for now, Jonathan is still the side bae, Joseph being the main bae ofc, so i'll give him some time, i do like him, but for now, the weaker MC yet for me. The gang, the Stardust Crusaders, i'm not gonna lie, i love them, Jotaro is ok, Joseph, hell yeah, Kakyoin, i like him he's simple but doesn't let me down, Polnareff... what the fuck, this fucking guy, where's Pol Pol's Bizarre Adventure, i love this man, no homo ofc, Abdul, pretty bland, but he does fill in the role of serious guy in the gang, and he's got some pretty cool moments, what happened to him after getting shot though, dude, __"YES I AM!"__, are you literally Joseph now. And the episodic nature of this Part, it's different, reminds of shit like Ben 10, which don't get me wrong, i like Ben 10, but it's weird seeing it in Jojo, and it does give some crazy possibilities for the next villain of the day, with their wacky personalities and Stands, and it gives the Crusaders a chance to shine individually, it's pretty good and it gives them character development. Honestly, i think this Part will the Part 1's place, and everyone says that Season 2 is so much better, so i'm sure it won't disappoint. Thank you for reading you magnificent bastard!

CryingLad

# [~~~**This review will contain Spoilers for the show!**~~~]()
JoJo Part 3, one of my favourite parts. It introduces many of the amazing aspects of JoJo we take for granted now. [**_(SPOILER AHEAD)_ STORY:**]() JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stardust Crusaders starts off with something that happened all the way back in Part 1, Dio's Casket that has been under sea for several hundred years. This is the villain introduction, I mean we don't see or hear him but we know he's there and the fact that the crew who tried to open his casket vanish adds much more tension and a darker atmosphere to him. Next up we are introduced to the Hero, __Jo__taro Ku**jo**, A delinquent type who quite literally told his mother to Shut the fuck up meanwhile the mother happily complied with his demands. This is also the time we are introduced to Stands after Joseph Joestar and Mohammed Avdol (A friend of Joseph Joestar who knows a lot about stands) enter the scene. We get our first look at just how they work and the fights that are possible. At first I was really off put by that, I mean we just got used to Hamon power in the previous two parts so just why switch it up? Oh boy how naive I was back then, Stands are 1000x better than Hamon, they allow for much more intricate fights especially due to the reason that each stand has its own ability and furthermore weakness. The next few scenes are set ups for the Villain, a tyrant who has been hindering the Joestar bloodline for years...Dio. This season is more of a setting up, it shows us the stands and the characters so its only natural that we'll get to see who the main sidekicks. So, once again, the next few scenes are dedicated to introducing the allies. At first they are infected with Dio's flesh bud which controls their will and makes them hostile though becuase of Jotaro's stand being super fast and precise he is able to remove all the buds for Kakyoin and for Polnareff thus allowing them to join. We are also shown the reason why the whole journey has started to find Dio, Holly Kujo (Mother of Jotaro and Daughter of Joseph) has a stand within her that is activating due to Dio, her body cannot keep withstand this and she will die. The crew has 50 days to find and kill Dio to help her. Polnareff's reason is different (at first), he joined after they set out on the journey and after Jotaro's flesh bud surgery he joined to find the kiiller of his sister and get revenge. This part follow a rule of 2 Episode Fights, this is the pretty much the rest of this season: 1st episode - Introduction to enemy. 2nd episode - Enemy is figured out and defeated. It's not as bad as it sounds but I wish there was a few episodes of breathing room before another fight. The story does advance every time an enemy is defeated and we get more glimpses into just how horrible Dio is so nothing is lost with this rule. We always keep moving closer to our goal. ~~~img420(https://media0.giphy.com/media/4rIDmW8vJH15K/giphy.gif)~~~
[**CHARACTERS:**]() Part 3 of JoJo introduces many new characters, especially this season as I said numerous times in the __Story__ section. First up we have the man himself, __Jotaro__ Kujo. The main character of this part, he acts like a delinquent always rude and shouting to people but as we go along this journey we can see that Jotaro does deeply care about his friends and family. Jotaro's stand is incredibly strong, fast, and precise. So we can expect a lot of fun and fluid fist fights. Jotaro has to be my favourite JoJo, at first I didn't like him cause of that whole delinquent behaviour but my opinion changed as I got to see more and more of his interactions with the crew. __Joseph__, He...is quite different from the Joseph we knew from Part 2. Joseph's behaviour is much more tame and calm compared to his Part 2 self, this probably is due to the reason that Joseph aged. He still does have his wacky moments and jokes but its far from what we got in Part 2, at least we have his "OH MY GODD" and "HOLY SHITTTT" so we're still good. Joseph's Stand is just a bunch of Purple Vines that can also conduct Hamon, good for far range combat and enemies that are weak to Hamon. __Avdol__, basically the backbone of the whole journey. He is the one who introduces us to Stands, he pretty much takes lead in the journey to Egypt, showing the crew around and talking about the Stands of the enemies. His behaviour is super serious, he wants Dio dead and he will go to far lengths to make sure that happens. Avdol's Stand is a fire type, he can melt pretty much anything and is also super strong, it is quite OP. __Kakyoin__ is quite relaxed, though will go all out when he or his friends are in danger. Kakyoin's stand is weak in combat but can go to much further lengths than any other stand. His "Special" move called Emerald Splash is said to be _unavoidable_. Lastly we have Polnareff. Best JoBro in my opinion. Polnareff is tough, funny, and cares about his friends and especially his family. We can often see Polnareff telling some jokes or doing something stupid but when it comes to fighting or detecting if an enemy is around his cheerful mood turns into a deadly super serious one. Polnareff's stand wields a sword, it is incredibly fast just like Jotaro's stand. He is amazing at close combat. There are several enemy characters but there is too many to name since this part follows a rule of introducing a character and every 2 episodes. Most noteable enemies are: -Hol Horse, a gun wielding user who controls his bullets. -Enyaba, super obssessed with Dio. Her stand can turn people into puppets when a hole wound is present. ~~~img420(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/526552056010375188/578928051908378634/unknown.png)~~~
[**ART/ANIMATION:**]() Part 3 still tries to keep true to Part 1 art style, beefy men with square-ish faces and all. In my own opinion it does look better than the last two parts. The Animation did get quite the upgrade though, especially the fights. The fights pack a much better punch to it. ~~~img420(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ShimmeringAssuredHind-size_restricted.gif)~~~
[**MUSIC:**]() Oh lawd, the OST on this one. It's hype! Each moment, each scene is filled to brim with amazing and fitting soundtrack that just adds that much more to the scene. Each fight also has a soundtrack that just builds so much sheer hype within the viewer. [This song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFjE5A4UAJI) in particular is the pinnacle of the season, when it starts playing you know that shit will go down. ~~~img420(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BogusTautAndeancondor-size_restricted.gif)~~~
[**OVERALL OPINION:**]() JoJo Part 3 (Stardust Crusaders) is one of my favourite parts. This season in particular was mostly introductions and all, Season 2 of this Part is where things get spicy but speaking overall combined Part 3 is one of the greatest. The characters, enemies, the OST, and plot are just perfect. Each time I opened up a new episode to watch I remember being hyped because of the OP and the fights. Good times!

KuZkan557

# W końcu... ...udało mi się to obejrzeć xD Tępo oglądania anime w tym momencie nieco u mnie spadło. Ale nie ma co narzekać, najważniejsze że mam to już za sobą. Drugi sezon JoJo's Bizarre Adventure jest niczego sobie i sądzę, że jest wart poświęcenia czasu. img220(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1CQ0HIXXXXXaWXpXXq6xXFXXXb/FREE-SHIPPING-JoJo-no-Kimyou-na-Bouken-Stardust-Crusaders-Movie-Poster-24x36-inches-NIL.jpg_640x640.jpg) #| __Sabaku no ha ore no Stando da! |__ Od razu przejdę do części technicznej. Rewelka! Po pierwszym sezonie Jojo odpalenie "dwójki” jest miłą niespodzianką. Niektórzy mogliby powiedzieć, że wiele się nie zmieniło w kwestii animacji, co jest po części prawdą. Jednak od strony kreski oraz stylistyki drugi sezon Dziwacznych Przygód Jojo wypada bardzo dobrze! Anime posiada 24 odcinki, a mimo to nie uświadczyłem znaczących spadków w jakości. David Production dobrze wyważyło jakość nad ilość, dzięki czemu tytuł ten utrzymuje stałą jakość wizualną. Jest to jeden z najbardziej ikonicznych sezonów serii Jojo i sądzę, że jest to po części spowodowane właśnie dzięki warstwie wizualnej. Postacie są szczegółowe, pełne wyrazu oraz __PoTęŻnE__. Design jak i kolorystyka postaci zostały zmienione w porównaniu do mangi. Z resztą, cała seria Jojo została poddana pewnym ulepszeniom względem oryginału, co zaliczyłbym raczej na plus ze względu na pewną dozę archaiczności w starym stylu rysowania mang. Dla niektórych może być to wadą, gdyż istnieją entuzjaści starych kresek, jednak ja raczej nie zaliczam się do tego grona. Podoba mi się sposób cieniowania postaci, co również jest pewnym ikonicznym elementem dla tej serii. W sytuacjach poważnych oraz humorystycznych stosowany jest zabieg mocnego cieniowania oczu, lub nawet i całego czoła, co wyśmienicie buduje charakter postaci oraz ich ekspresję. Nic nie może równać się z powagą Jotaro Kujo, który tuż przed przyzwaniem Standa pochyla lekko głowę w dół, chwyta jedną dłonią czapkę, cień rzuca się na jego twarz, po czym pada sakramentalne: _„Yare yare daze…”_ Przyjemne są również tła, które nie odstają znacząco od reszty pierwszoplanowych elementów. Warto również poświęcić chwilkę dla nowych umiejętności bohaterów. Jeszcze jakiś czas przed obejrzeniem Jojo miałem świadomość tego, że pojawi się coś takiego jak "Standy" i powiem szczerze, bałem się, że będzie to najgorszy element w serii. Dlaczego? Dziwny, często nie racjonalny deisgn, brak lub szczątkowe wrażenie głębi, brak spójności w wyglądzie. Na pierwszy rzut oka nie różnią się wiele od Pokemonów, które ciągle powtarzają swoje imię. I na całe szczęście _oesu ale się pomyliłem..._ To jasny dowód na to, że słuchanie swoich własnych uprzedzeń nie koniecznie musi wyjść nam na dobre... Po mocy Fali, która była nam prezentowana w pierwszym Jojo otrzymujemy nowy typ tej umiejętności. Okazuje się, że Fala potrafi przybrać formę widmową, lub jak kto woli duchową. Każdy Stand reprezentuje karty tarota, co odbija się na ich wyglądzie oraz umiejętnościach. Każda Fala posiada własne unikatowe moce, to też jedna Widmowa Fala będzie użyteczna w zwarciu, a druga na dystans. Każda ma swoje mocne oraz słabe strony, niezależnie od tego, jak bardzo potężny będzie jej użytkownik. Sceny walki oraz sposób używania Widmowych Fal są bardzo interesujące i co prawda bywały momenty, gdzie niektóre walki wygrywane były poprzez spore naciąganie wcześniej ustalonych zasad, jednak nie ma tego zbyt dużo. ~! Warto tutaj wspomnieć chociażby o walce z 13-stą Śmiercią. Stand, którego użytkownikiem było kilku miesięczne dziecko! I o ile nie przeszkadza fakt tego, kto był użytkownikiem Standu, wszak Jojo jest dobre właśnie dzięki tego typu niekonwencjonalnym motywom, tak nie mogę do końca przeboleć tego, jak ekipa Jojo po tylu wspólnych walkach, tylu rzeczach które widzieli, nie potrafili niekiedy dochodzić do prostych wniosków... _Hmm... wszyscy mieliśmy ostatnio jakieś dziwne koszmary... tak... nie pamiętamy snów... Kakyoin dziwnie się zachowuje... Eee tam! To nic takiego._ Do prawdy? Ekipa "genialnych wojowników", która raz podchodzi śmiertelnie poważnie do każdego najmniejszego elementu na który się natkną, a niekiedy dają się łapać na takie oczywistości? Nie mówię, że powinni od razu domyślić się jaki Stand ich atakuje i jak to robi, jednak sam wątek z 13-stą Śmiercią dobitnie pokazuje pewien dysonans, który niekiedy potrafi mieć miejsce. Raz rozgryzą przeciwnika po samych oznakach jego działania, a za drugim razem nie zwracają uwagi na ewentualne zagrożenia. !~ img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/2c/2f/772c2fdc3c92c2ea385ae670bde332e4.gif) #__ Ło panie, a czy było coś, co się nie spodobało? __ Jak to ja, lubię spojrzeć na każde dzieło z różnych perspektyw i przez to często znajdę jakieś mankamenty. Co nie oznacza od razu, że jedna czy dwie wady czynią dzieło nic nie wartym szrotem. Nic z tych rzeczy! Poza problemem wspomnianym w spoilerze nie doświadczyłem większych wad. Może poza tym, że poważne i w pewnym stopniu istotne dla fabuły wątki nie potrafią budować napięcia, ani nie są szczególnie ckliwe dla widza. ~!_Oj, ktoś umarł. Ten koleś trzymał się z całą ekipą tyle czasu i nagle wzięło go na zdychanie? Hm, trudno._ Mówię rzecz jasna o wątku "śmierci" Abdula. Poważnie, jest to na tyle nie interesująca postać, że po jego "smierci" nawet nie odczuwałem jakiegoś szczególnego braku tego bohatera na ekranie... Swoją drogą, to jak został on uratowany również jest nieźle naciągane... ಠ_ಠ !~ Warto wspomnieć też o niecodziennej, choć nie przeszkadzającej na dłuższą metę metodzie rysowania rami postaci, które mają na sobie ubranie. Wygląda to turbo nienaturalnie, niczym jakaś sztywna bryła, która robi za pancerz, ale w rzeczywistości jest jedynie kawałkiem materiału. Prawie każda postać posiada tak narysowane ramiona, co w pierwszej chwili potrafi lekko odrzucić. W gruncie rzeczy mimo tych kilku szkopułów, sądzę iż Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders wypada lepiej od pierwszego sezonu. Opening wypada przyzwoicie. Lubię motyw animacji 3D w każdej dotychczasowej czołówce, wygląda to oryginalnie oraz dobrze nastraja na oglądanie show. Świetna gitara elektryczna połączona z idealnym głosem wokalisty wprawia w osłupienie. Choć był to jeden z tych openingów, którego trzeba posłuchać przynajmniej kilka razy, aby docenić jego całość artystyczną. Chciałbym wspomnieć więcej o fabule, ale trudno to zrobić bez walenia spoilów, to też ograniczę się do krótkiego komentarza. Uważam, że motyw podróży po niemalże całym globie wypadł rewelacyjnie. Dzięki temu nie zachodzi nas nadto nuda oraz brak wtórności dzięki ciągle zmieniającym się warunkom oraz lokacją. #__ Dobra, pora na podsumowanie, bo właśnie dobiłem do trzeciej strony A4 ;_; __ Drugi sezon Jojo oceniam bardzo pozytywnie. Każdy, kto targnął się na pierwszy sezon powinien zapoznać się z kontynuacją tejże serii. Jak zwykle dobre udźwiękowienie, interesująca fabuła, ciekawe postacie ~! Poza Abdulem ( ಠ ͜ʖಠ) !~ oraz humorek na wysokim poziomie. Lećta oglądać! img220(https://www.speakgif.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/eating-cherries-animated-gif.gif)

Pockeyramune919

**This review contains spoilers for the first half of Stardust Crusaders** *Another long review by that Pockey guy? Yare yare daze...*

[ img20(https://bestanimations.com/Signs&Shapes/Arrows/Left/left-arrow-15.gif) ](https://anilist.co/review/11433)

[ img20(https://bestanimations.com/Signs&Shapes/Arrows/Right/right-arrow-29.gif) ](https://anilist.co/review/12638) img2520(https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/1785786.jpg) Hello and welcome back to my series review of *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*! Last time, I tackled 2012's *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* which adapted both Parts 1 and 2 of the manga, *Phantom Blood* and *Battle Tendency*, respectively. While the show wasn't perfect, it was a lot of fun. I found myself hooked and knew I'd be sticking with *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* for the long haul. I've heard that some suggest skipping Parts 1 and 2. After having watched them, I vehemently disagree with this advice, as the first two parts are great in their own right and from what I can tell, your enjoyment of subsequent parts is enhanced by watching the parts that came before it. Newcomers to *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* absolutely should not feel the need to skip *Phantom Blood* or *Battle Tendency*. That said, I kind of *get* why someone would want to jump straight into Part 3, *Stardust Crusaders*. *Part 3* seems like the epitome of *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*. More than *Phantom Blood*, *Battle Tendency*, *Diamond is Unbreakable*, and *Golden Wind*, when I think *JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure*, I think *Stardust Crusaders* and I'm sure many feel the same. There are a few reasons for this. *Stardust Crusaders* is the first part featuring Stands (a few months ago, if you asked me what I Hamon was, I would have shot you a blank stare), Jotaro is perhaps one of the most iconic and recognizable JoJos (I probably wouldn't have recognized Jonathan or Joseph), and it seems to have the most memes (I think it's telling that *the* JoJo meme subreddit is called r/shitpostcrusaders). While there are debates over which part’s the best, I'm going to go on a limb in saying that Part 3 is the most popular/most iconic part. It was the first part with an [adaption](https://anilist.co/anime/666/JoJos-Bizarre-Adventure/) (releasing in the 90s, 14 years before the movie, and 19 years before the 2012 adaption) and it appears to be the most referenced part, whether that be in other media or among fans when discussing the series. I'll avoid getting too attached to the idea that *Stardust Crusaders* is the most popular, because I'm not an expert on the series, and I could be very wrong (again). Even if it isn’t true that *Stardust Crusaders* is the most popular part, it’s certainly *my* truth. Most of my passing exposure to the series has been through *Stardust Crusaders*. Even though I enjoyed my time with Parts 1 and 2, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't absolutely itching to get to Part 3, to see what all the *real* hubbub was about. More than Parts 1 and 2, this was the one I had been waiting for. With that in mind, did it live up to my expectations? Is it much better than Parts 1 and 2? img520(https://media.comicbook.com/2019/08/silver-chariot-1182307-1280x0.jpeg) Once again, I'm pleased to say that *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* delivered. As I've only seen two-and-a-half of the five animated parts, I can't say whether or not this part is the best, but I can certainly say that it’s my favorite so far. *Stardust Crusaders* took everything that was great about the previous show and improved upon it — from the music, to the fights, to the characters. *Stardust Crusaders* isn't perfect, of course, but its flaws are so minor to that they don't really hamper my enjoyment. *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* really earns its moniker come *Stardust Crusaders*. This isn't to say that the 2012 show was bland, but the insanity of the previous show is kicked up a notch, the dial cranked up to eleven. I'm left with the sense that *now* JoJo features fights, scenarios, and characters that absolutely could only be found in *JoJo*, that could only come from the mind of its awesome creator, Hirohiko Araki. Before I go on, I should briefly touch on how I'm tackling this show. Mind the fact that I specifically stated that I'd seen "two-and-a-half" *JoJo* parts. That's because *Stardust Crusaders* has another weird adaption situation. Parts 4 and 5 are both contained in one show each (and 6 will most likely follow suit, as far as I can tell). Parts 1 and 2 share one show, most likely due to their comparatively short lengths, while Part 3 is split across two differing seasons/shows. The first is simply titled *Stardust Crusaders* and details Jotaro and co.'s perilous journey to Egypt, while the aptly named *Stardust Crusaders — Battle in Egypt* chronicles what you can guess more succinctly than I can describe. As this is one continuous story (there's no "Battle in Egypt" distinction in the manga), it might make more sense to write one review for *Battle in Egypt* covering both parts. I concede that my reasoning for reviewing both is kind of arbitrary — I write a review for *every* anime I watch, and as both halves have different list entries, for the purposes of data entry and review writing, I'm treating them as separate entities. That said, there are benefits to reviewing it this way. If *Battle in Egypt* somehow drops the ball, then my opinion on *Stardust Crusaders* will largely remain unaffected. img520(https://pm1.narvii.com/6771/bbae4462b330dcc3213a694bf2aa36c6f034c099v2_hq.jpg) But with that out the way, let's delve into what exactly this bizarre adventure *is* this go-around. 95 years after his defeat at the hands of Jonathan Joestar, DIO returns! His emergence coincides with the appearance of Stands — mysterious, powerful beings that give their users frightening abilities. One of the Stand users is main character Jotaro Kujo, a seventeen-year-old delinquent in Japan and the grandson of Joseph Joestar. DIO survived by attaching his severed head to Jonathan's body, taking it as his own. This gave him a connection to his rival's descendants, a connection he wishes to use to destroy them once and for all. Three years after DIO's return, Jotaro Kujo finds himself in a prison cell. He has turned himself in to the police and remains in jail for the safety of others. He says he's been possessed by an "evil spirit," but in truth, he has awakened the power of his Stand. As Stands are invisible to those without them, no one knows what's going on until Joseph Joestar and his friend, Mohammad Avdol arrive to investigate. Jotaro is only beginning to understand his powers once tragedy strikes and his mother manifests a stand of her own, one that's slowly killing her. The only way to save her is by killing DIO in fifty days. Jotaro, Avdol, Joseph, and a growing motley crew make their way to Egypt, where DIO is hiding. But the journey will be anything but easy. A bevy of strange assassins with Stands of their own is sicced on the group at every turn. If they want to arrive in Egypt in one piece, they're going to have to give it everything they've got. The journey will be a full-on adventure, a bizarre adventure, if you will. img520(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMGIwNmE1OWEtOTczNy00Zjc2LTlkMGItOGI0OTI1YzIxNzMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDQxNjcxNQ@@._V1_.jpg) My first bit of praise pertains to something that's pretty central to the show — the adventure aspect. Moreso than *Battle Tendency* and *Phantom Blood*, *Stardust Crusaders* really *feels* like a journey, an epic quest. Perhaps it's because we have a concrete destination in mind. Perhaps it’s because we track the group making their way from Japan all the way to Egypt. Perhaps it’s because we really get a sense of the group's trials and tribulations — as this is set in the 80s, the group could logically reach Egypt in less than a day. For Jotaro's crew, everything that *can* go wrong *does* go wrong. Thanks to the Stand-wielding assassins DIO tosses their way, it takes them *thirty-six days* to reach Egypt, and they *still* need to find and beat DIO after arriving. There's a real movement to this show and it makes it very satisfying to watch. Progress is quite tangible here, for with every enemy beaten, the group moves closer to Egypt. This is a bonafide globe-trotter and I love it. Again, my praise of *Stardust Crusaders* isn't meant to put down its predecessors. While Part 1 and 2 both feature journeys, Part 3 improves upon them, blending on the strengths of each. *Phantom Blood*'s journey was quite short and was contained entirely within England. While *Battle Tendency* takes place across three continents, clashes with the antagonists generally occurred after reaching destinations, meaning that the destination mattered much more than the journey. *Stardust Crusaders* makes progress feel earned like *Phantom Blood* while covering a lot of ground like *Battle Tendency*. Given how built-up the battle with DIO is, it’s clear that both the journey and destination of *Stardust Crusaders* matter. The fights are also improved, mostly thanks to the Varied Stand powers. I'd never call the fights of the 2012 anime boring; most of them were pretty imaginative. I *do* think it’s fair to say that some of the excitement could come from how the fights are conveyed rather than the fights themselves. Santana and the initial appearances of the Pillar Men generally weren't topped by anything else in the show save for the insanity that was ultimate Kars; now, thanks to Stands, this chaos is in every fight. As much as I love *Hamon*, Araki must have realized there was only so much more he could do with it, and as a result, he introduced the Stands, which are limitless in their potential. Every fight is different from the last and thanks to their unique skillsets, most fights require a level of strategy that was seldom seen in Parts 1 and 2. The feeling of sitting on the edge of my seat is increased. And, of course, the stylization I loved from the initial show returns here. Once again, it makes for some striking scenes — one that sticks out to me is Kakyoin revealing his trump card to Death 13, with his hair suddenly turning white. It was cool as all get out. img520(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/c7/d9/cbc7d9fbd2dcecdc7dc73bdba4737a48.jpg) Another way that Araki seems to have improved upon the formula he created in Parts 1 and 2 is by having a bonafide team of protagonists that are all on equal footing with one another in terms of strength and spotlight. I enjoyed Jotaro and co. the most out of the protagonists so far. While Joseph circa Part 2 is my favorite JoJo, the individual parts of this group create an entertaining whole that I love seeing time and time again. The members of the crew are defined enough that each could be the sole main character of their own show, but they really shine when they bounce off of one another. It might be a bit of a hot take, but Jotaro in-and-of-himself is kind of boring — he's a delinquent, albeit a very stoic, eternally annoyed ("yare yare daze") one. He works well as the center of the team, anchoring their antics as the straight man and bailing them out of trouble — when Jotaro and Star Platinum show up, you know [shit's about to go down](https://youtu.be/OzHE5q1NGa4?t=22). Polraneff is a comedic character and his more dumb/rash moments are tempered by the fact that they're either funny/lead to interesting battles or they have serious ramifications for other characters that lead to growth. Joseph makes for a surprisingly cool team dad, Kakyoin meshes well with the rest for being the most calm and collected (Araki has stated that Kakyoin is supposed to invoke an honor student to contrast with Jotaro's delinquent), and Avdol is the strategist. My reaction to an apparent character death is a mark of just how much I enjoy these characters. Towards the middle of the show's run, Avdol apparently dies at the hands of antagonists Hol Horse and Centerfold. I absolutely refused to believe in his death. I held hope that somehow, miraculously, he'd come back. Then, much to my utter joy, he returned in episode twenty-two. Normally, I despise death fakeouts because they create emotional reactions that creators are too afraid to commit to and only serve to rob a show of stakes. But through Parts 1 and 2, Araki had earned my trust when it came to stakes. Because of the prior deaths of main characters Zepelli, Caesar, and Jonathan Joestar himself, I know that main characters can die in JoJo. Araki has proven himself to such an extent that instead of feeling cheated when Avdol showed up, I felt *rewarded*. img520(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/99/83/54998395011112198f530ffe7f09da5d.png) But don't go thinking that only the protagonists are noteworthy — the villains are no slouches in this department. They're even odder and more colorful than our protagonists. If you told me after I had finished the 2012 anime that DIO seldom appears in the first half of *Stardust Crusaders*, I'd have been pretty disappointed. Fortunately, the villains pick up the slack in his absence, being *extremely* hammy and memorable. Most of the memes and exploitable from *Stardust Crusaders* come from the baddies — from goo man that shouts "DO YOU UNDERSTAND," a creepy orangutang, an eerie double left-handed monster of a man, an overly maternal hag, a malicious genie that shouts "HAIL 2 U," a punchable weasel of a man, to an unassuming yet deadly baby, the villains of "Stardust Crusaders" are a joy to watch. I'm looking forward to seeing DIO again, but until that faithful day, I know I'm in good hands. img520(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uzOP8UXsSx0/maxresdefault.jpg) The music is also really good. The OP definitely takes a hit, being nowhere near as good as JoJo ~[Sono Chi no Sadame](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQhubYrHWFc)~ or [Bloody Stream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnmH7qQ0AVM), but the ED picks up the slack with the catchy 80s classic, *Walk Like an Egyptian* by the Bangles. I remember being disappointed when I learned that I was mistaken in thinking ["the JoJo theme"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MtOpB5LlUA) was from *Stardust Crusaders* (it's so iconic that it tries stealing other parts' stuff, apparently). However, I quickly found that I loved [Jotaro's theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Spa3dqD4E), which is parts groovy, triumphant, and epic. [Virtuous Pope](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2L4r0Aelvg) is also worth mentioning as another really great triumphant theme. As I arrive at the obligatory "criticism" section, I must admit that there really isn't much I find wrong with *Stardust Crusaders*. I don't really have "gripes" as much as things I wish were there. Let's call this section "hopes for the future," considering we're only halfway done with *Stardust Crusaders* and it's feasible that these things will be in the second half. img520(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SpeedyFewBlackcrappie-size_restricted.gif) First, there's the monster of the week format. *Stardust Crusaders* might be the most oppressively monster of the week anime I've watched in recent memory. After the first episode, the formula is as such: Jotaro and co. attempt to progress in their journey to Egypt, they're attacked by a new Stand whose powers they don't *under*stand, figure out the enemy's ability, defeat them, then continue on their journey. There is very little variation to this formula. If an episode *doesn't* follow this format, it’s most likely because it's the second half of a two-parter confrontation. The thing is that the monster of the week format works — the characters and enemies are both so interesting that it never wears thin. That said, it definitely could grow a bit old in the future. Even if we don't like to admit it, we can have too much of something good. The taste of your favorite food, the sound of your favorite song can both grow bitter if you're exposed too much to it. Dynamism is the name of the game. It's a bit of a conundrum due to the fact that the direness of the gang's situation kind of invites the format. That said, I hope they can manage to switch things up, even as much as I like the villains. After all, the two-parters were the highlight of the show for me; we can stand to stick with some of these characters a bit more. I praise the character and their dynamics, so I hope they can be used in fights a lot more. In the beginning, it felt like Jotaro was somewhat stealing the spotlight, always swooping in to save the day or being the one to engage in the enemy while the rest of the crew could do nothing. Admittedly, this got a bit better. Every character eventually gets what is essentially a day in the limelight. But I'd like to see this taken a step further. The characters have good social dynamics, so why not also show their fighting dynamics. Some of the Stands seem woefully underutilized, most notably Kakyoins. I'd like to see their powers interact with one another more in order to create even more insane fights. Despite being Star Platinum, Jotaro's Stand seems to be held as a gold standard in terms of strength. When he's employed, he's usually a win button. I enjoy when this is toyed with, such as when Jotaro couldn't hurt Steely Dan due to him essentially holding Joseph hostage. What I'd like even *more*, however, is if Jotaro needed to rely on his allies more, fighting side by side to beat a stand. If he's the guy who beats DIO, fine, that feels inevitable, but in that case, make him rely on his friends to get to that point. img520(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e9/14/9d/e9149d58917f2cfcef5d20db7ea971f8.jpg) And that's really about it. JoJo is still not what I'd call "deep," but it doesn't need to be. I can't deny it still does elicit real emotion in me, whether that's excitement, laughter, comedy, dread, or sadness. If a work can make you *feel* something and is enjoyable, that's a mark of art, no matter what the picture looks like. The picture happens to be a very funny, action-filled show that makes me marvel at the bizarreness on display. It's not a show for everyone, but for the ones that it *is* for, it's probably the best option out there. I can't wait to see how this bizarre adventure concludes in Egypt. ~~~img200(https://i.imgur.com/zPKVlty.png)~~~ img520(http://www.funcurve.com/wp-content/uploads/jojo-sc21.jpg)

AwesomzGuy

~~~Review contains spoilers. This review will only cover this particular season alone and will not include Battle In Egypt. [For Battle in Egypt review [link ](https://anilist.co/review/12895)] For the lazy readers, there will be a summary (verdict) at the end of the review.~~~ --- Ah, Stardust Crusaders, the most memed and popular part. Moving on from Part 1 and 2 and taking on a new level of bizarre adventure. But just because it is the most popular, doesn't make it the best part. Now I don't wanna make this a one-sided review so I am going to divide into the good and the bad. ~~~img400(https://media.comicbook.com/2020/11/jojo-s-bizarre-adventure-stardust-crusaders-1246825-1280x0.jpeg)~~~ __POSITIVES:__ - __Introduction of Stands:__ I am sure most of the people started JJBA just for the Stands, and perhaps even skipped Part 1 & 2 for it __(If you skipped parts, I will find who you are and where you live)__. Stands are a unique concept which I haven't seen before. It kind of reminds me of Pokemon except here Stands are just "psychical manifestation of your soul." -Joseph - __Characters:__ Every squad got the 'Mr. Too Much Energy', quiet kid, clown, milf and محمد افدول. Joseph is still energetic as before, Polnareff is a very fun character, Avdol is just "YES, I AM!", Kakyoin is Donut and Jotaro is someone some people may not like much due to his 'boring' character. - __OST:__ The OST is very good in this part, the music choice for OP and ED suits very well. The character themes suit the characters very good too, Jotaro's theme playing as Jotaro critically injures and breaks every bone of a grown man for 3 pages gives a good feeling of satisfaction. ~~~img400(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JXj0qn0DBdQ/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ __NEGATIVES:__ - __Stand Fights/Pacing:__ Most of the Stand Fights have little to no effect on the story at all. During this entire season, out of the 24 eps, around 20 eps are spent fighting these 'Agents of DIO' who try to stop the crusaders but ofcourse, they get beaten to pulp at the end of each episode. Watching the Crusaders battle these agents in every episode with some fights extending to 2 eps just gets tedious and boring. The only fights which actually had a significant affect on Story were J. Geil/Hol' Horse, Enya the Hag, and Cameo fights. - __Antagonists:__ Except the few mentioned above, the other Antagonists are so forgettable to the point that when you meet them constantly, it just becomes "yay look another Stand User, can't wait for the Crusaders to take the entire episode to defeat them then move on their way." - __Episodes:__ Now this might be biased but when I was watching SC, I had no idea Battle In Egypt season existed, so when I saw just 4 eps remaining, I thought "huh so I guess they fight DIO in these eps", 2 eps remaining, "Well do they fight him now?", season ends, "w h a t". In short, I was disappointed when I found out there was another season filled with another 24 eps just to fight DIO. This is something the OVAs did right as they were able to fit all of Stardust Crusaders in just 13 episodes in total (though the eps were 30 mins long so I guess it makes up for it). ~~~img400(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0MOqigXCF8c/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ --- In short, if I were to summarize, Stardust Crusaders introduced some good concepts but they were executed very poorly. The Stand Fights were so disappointing (mentioned in above points) that I wished they kept Hamon and preferred Hamon over Stands. It had good characters and story, but the length of the part with tedious pacing made it very lack lusting. In the future reviews I will mention what Diamond is Unbreakable did right which Stardust Crusaders did wrong. And just as the title suggests, I totally expect this review to be controversial.

moistmossyroc

**Overview:** After another 50-year time skip from the end of original JoJo to now, we are given an even easier and simpler plot this time around with some new powers. Entire plot is going from Japan to Egypt. Along the way they have several fights. Fight to leave Japan, fight to stay alive on the plane, fight after the plane, in the car, the bathroom, roof, water, toilets at times, it's all over the place. If a fight can happen in a place it does, even in dreams, they dgaf lol. Unlike the first season they essentially drop Hamon but the reason they drop it is more so that it has no effect on the Stands, which is their new powers. The main villain [spoiler, sort of, shown in first ep] Dio is back with a bunch of goons he has probably forced or as some have said, payed to take out the Joestars. Due to his return, it brought about the awakening of these new powers for the Joestar family, more info is described throughout. How he returns is not confirmed, but most likely the coffin had a false bottom. He must have quickly hidden in it as the ship was sinking. When the OG Miss Joestar got saved they left the coffin she was in where it was then found 100 years later. **Visuals/Music:** The visuals only improve off the first season getting more detail and distinctive. The feel of the show still matches very well to the animation styling that was done. CG blends in well, although clearly visible when used, suits the style as well. Entire OST to sound effects are placed well. The heavy art style along with the rupture mic effects, I usually don’t like, worked quite well so no complaints. Opening and ending are comparable to the first season they had given us and have found their way into my ever-growing playlist. The ending still has an older vibe to it and I often ended up listening through it before realizing I should click the next ep. **Final Thoughts:** Overall, it’s good but has its ups and downs. Mirror world guy and questionably gay cowboy are when the show started to hit its low point and feel a bit stale. After a few eps it got better when they fought with Death 13. Main complaint is the Stands, they have the potential to be more complex than Hamon was but was never given the chance. Stands started to get a bit repetitive with the `here is the enemy Stand, now he ded 10 min later`. Few enemies span longer than a single episode which I believe ended up harming the show. If they took more time to flesh out some Stands to give them more depth it would have helped add more variety to their episode template. In the first season of Jojo, Hamon was introduced and slowly built up having more unique ways for how a person could use it. An example of how Stands are more primitive would be Jotaro using his for only brute force. One ep did show they could adjust the size of their Stand through mental visualization but other than that they were stagnate. Joseph still has quite the crazy feeling to him making you laugh quite often with his actions. `OH NO!!!` He has let himself age due to not keeping up Hamon training, but I do like this decision. It means Joseph is not the only focus for another arc. For this generation his grandson, Jotaro, is a calm and collected badass making it hard to hate him. He is smart and thinks things through while analyzing the situation. Each of the main cast does get their time to shine. Characters (main) – 4/5 Characters (sub) – 2/5 Enjoyment – 3.5/5 Visuals – 4/5 Music – 4.5/5 Story – 3/5 ```Overall Ratings - Rec: 3/5 Raw: 70%```

Krankastel

Now that I completed most parts and anticipate Stone Ocean coming tomorrow, I feel occasioned to review some parts, starting with this, somewhat covering both seasons. I've read many times that Jojo is love-or-hate. That's not the case, because if it were true everyone would rate it either extremely low or high, and it would probably have a much lower overall rating on any of its parts. But it does have some elements that might alienate many people, and also has writing issues that might annoy many others. ~~~ I notice this especially in part 3. ~~~ --- ~~~ __[1. First on story...]__ ~~~ Part 3 is an adventure in a "monster of the week" format, where the heroes go from point x to point y and fight some new stand user, until they reach Egypt to fight the vampire Dio. (+) The positives of the story are quite some varied if occasionally crude comedy, frequent scenery changes and quite some originality and variety concerning the heroes' adventures and misadventures in each new location and country they visited. Part 3 is also highly self-aware of its nature as fiction, and frequently turns scenes that would be totally nonsense or even poor writing as part of its kooky charm. ~~~img(https://anime-online.su/uploads/posts/2021-10/1635063191_izobrazhenie_2021-10-24_111231.png) ~~~ (-) Its downsides are tied to the story getting too convenient and too inconsistent. From new abilities appearing out of nowhere (I'm looking at you Jotaro, and you Polnareff and Kakyoin), to characters being used, dropped, and reappearing, and being dropped again. Back and forth. Also, scenes and incidents (e.g. several stand battles) that could be summarized (or even excluded) in half an episode are opened up and extended for one or two, making the series unnecessarily "stretched out" and at times, exhausting (especially in its second season). --- ~~~ __[2. Then on characters...]__ ~~~ The interactions of the heroes' crew with the environment and with each other is the strongest character-related aspect, and they are often key to this part's comedy. Now as for the villains, most are one-dimensional, and only serve the purpose of presenting a new obstacle. Their powers range in originality and coolness. ~~~ img(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NczOevZNw1s/maxresdefault.jpg) ~~~ Several have immense power, but using it unwisely they get defeated too easily. Others have extremely limited or weak powers, but wield them at the right time and place, even if they end up losing. I believe the last users tend to be the most memorable and fascinating. --- ~~~ __[3. Last but not least, on audiovisuals...]__ ~~~ Not much to say on character designs, given how their build is divisive to fans. As for me, I want to note I liked how Araki designed women at first, but then found them too similarly drawn. Animation quality seems relatively consistent, but animation is not too remarkable. It's mostly direction that draws the most out of the scenes. I liked many backgrounds, especially when they involved landscapes, like a city on the banks of the Nile or an Arabian desert. ~~~ img(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/00/aa/4900aaa15798db097e91f720348bd477.jpg) ~~~ I think audio is the biggest asset of this part's production, be it voice acting, choice of sound effects and delivery and timing of lines. The mostly hard rock music didn't leave me with too much of an impression, but often pumped me up for the action and insanity to follow. ~~~ Hope you enjoyed my review! ~~~

AnotherBadger

“The one who will stand at the top of the world is the one who feels no fear whatsoever.” - Dio, Episode 7 There is always a level of scepticism I have when watching a series that can be described with the word bizarre. It can often seem that it is used as a catchall; giving the author some wriggle room for unexplained, nonsensical events or confusing plots. For _Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure_, the word bizarre is nowhere near enough to describe what happens and that is what makes it so fun to watch. _Stardust Crusaders_ is a sequel that works to improve on the earlier instalments of _Jojo's Bizarre Adventure_; revelling in the bizarreness and unafraid to experiment with its original premise. There are, however, elements that this series struggled to make ground on; especially when compared to _Phantom Blood_ and _Battle Tendency_. While _Stardust Crusaders_ is definitely an enjoyable watch, I can't help but feel that this is a case of the series taking two steps forward and one step back. Continuing on from _Battle Tendency_, _Stardust Crusaders_ improves and refines some of the essential elements that _Jojo's Bizarre Adventure_ is known for. This is most noticeable in the main cast who have more developed relationships when compared to the earlier instalments. Watching the two generations interact is fun, with Jotaro's more abrasive demeanour working well with Joseph's larger-than-life personality. The other additions to the main cast also work well; pushing the plot forwards while being distinct enough to balance each other out. This is a big improvement from _Phantom Blood_ and _Battle Tendency_ which struggled to fully flesh out the characters who fought alongside the Joestars; instead choosing to wait until their final moments. Even the more frustrating decisions that characters made felt like they were grounded in how the character has been acting up until that point. This meant that they remained likeable despite their eccentricities and we get to know more about them. The voice acting is also great, managing to convey the moods needed without being too distracting which can be tricky in a series like _Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure_. The plot of _Stardust Crusaders_ is a clear example of the journey being pushed to the forefront of the narrative with the destination only being brought up now and again as a reminder that it exists. For some, this will be understandably frustrating but _Jojo_’s has always been a series that relishes in the journey and it is pushed to the extreme here. While I have my issues with the use of the villain of the week format, it is really fun to see how each stand will be used and what ability it will have. The animation works well in conveying the mood and definitely heightens the more bizarre elements of the series; especially when paired with the colouring which often uses a striking colour palette for emphasis. There are, however, a small handful of times where it feels that style is pushed over narrative; such as when Jotaro talks underwater. These are few and far between, but they can be a little bit distracting. It is actually the introduction of the Stands which has the biggest impact on the quality of _Stardust Crusaders_. On the whole, they are a great addition as they create a new dimension for the series to operate in; heightening the fights and being visually appealing. They also introduce a new fighting mechanic that is easy to understand while having a large amount of potential and the stand character sheets give the audience a general idea of each Stand's strength which is a helpful addition. However, by introducing them through a tarot card format, the series is written into a corner where the audience expects each of the Major Arcana to be referenced. On the surface the tarot format allows the audience to have a better grasp of what stands are and how they work but this leads to a ‘villain of the week’ format which is a distinct shift from _Phantom Blood_ and _Battle Tendency_. It is this format that causes the two biggest problems in Stardust Crusaders; inconsistent pacing and forgettable antagonists. The most memorable characters, outside of the main cast, are the antagonists who either re-appear in _Stardust Crusaders - Battle in Egypt_ or have extensive interactions with the cast. Unfortunately, these instances are few and far between which is a shame. The villains were some of the strongest elements in _Phantom Blood_ and _Battle Tendency_ so it is definitely a disappointment to see the series take a step backwards in that department. It often feels like there is a revolving door with each antagonist leaving as quickly as they arrived. This means that they are undeveloped and struggle to create tension since the episode structure becomes a bit repetitive. While they have interesting designs and abilities, they can feel more like an afterthought rather than as characters which makes them easily forgettable. This leads to noticeable pacing issues throughout _Stardust Crusaders_; especially with some of the Stands not providing enough substance to act as solo antagonists. It makes the series feel like it is meandering from plot point to plot point. While the plot is, as I have said before, one that privileges the journey over the destination, when this is combined with forgettable villains, _Stardust Crusaders_ can become a little difficult to watch. Overall, _Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders_ is a sequel that improves on a number of elements that its prequel parts struggled with but can’t quite overcome its own problems with pacing and minor antagonists. Despite its flaws, however, _Stardust Crusaders_ is an anime about a bizarre journey that is really enjoyable to watch and stays with you long after you finish.

iAmApiano

The first half of _JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders_ is already a step up. Sure, weird things happen in Parts 1 and 2, but this is where the show goes from weird to Bizarre. The introduction of Stands is a much-needed refreshing of the magic system; they do interesting things with Ripple energy (or Hamon, if you prefer), but it felt like they were running out of creative ideas by the end of Part 2. Naming them after Tarot cards is an easy way to create a wide variety of crazy characters with unique Stands and powersets. In true JoJo fashion, they establish concrete rules that the magic system obeys, then proceed to take a jackhammer to them with every passing episode. From rules that are slightly broken to using powers that we never see again, this is part of the charm of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. We saw it to a lesser degree in Parts 1 and 2, and now they've tipped into the deep end, and I love it. At first, I didn't connect with the OP, but it grew on me the more I watched it (though I didn't watch it with every episode). The guitar riff at the beginning and end is fantastic, and the sort of downtempo chorus actually works well in this one. The visuals are great, too. The CGI is the best we've seen in a JoJo Opening at this point. That being said, it's my least favourite JoJo OP so far, but that's not necessarily a bad thing considering it's still in my Top 3. Speaking of which... __TOP 3 BEST EPISODES:__ 1. __Lovers__ Contrary to the title of the show, Jotaro doesn't actually participate in a lot of the fights; out of all the Stand battles, Star Platinum fights in just under half of them. Granted, he doesn't fight any Stands in this one either, but this episode is all about him. There are a ton of great character moments for him, and I hope he gets more like this later in Part 3. 2. __The Emperor and the Hanged Man__ Despite how utterly absurd this show is, it manages to masterfully pay off an arc for one of the main characters. The emotional stakes feel real, and as much as I enjoy JJBA's contrived resolutions, the resolution in this one is genuinely clever, especially considering how deadly The Hanged Man is. 3. __Empress__ This episode boasts one of the most unique Stands in this half of the show, and even though the characters are consistently in mortal peril, Joseph is in serious danger when he's separated from the group. Plus, it was super cool to see Ripple Energy again! In the beginning, I'd assumed Stands and Ripple were somehow linked, but I guess this disproves that. (Honourable mention to Strength for having my favourite combination of Stand and User. If it weren't so perverted, it would probably make my top 3. Also to Yellow Temperance for giving us the cherry eating scene.) __TOP 3 WORST EPISODES:__ 3. __Sun__ It goes on for far too long without doing anything, and at one point, you can clearly tell they're padding for time. Meaningless and unmotivated shots make the tension slip away. And it has the poorest excuse for a Stand fight, resolving the issue in a matter of seconds in a very anticlimactic way. 2. __Tower of Grey__ I liked how we get to see Hierophant Green's power where his tendrils secretly flank the enemy, but the rest of it is not interesting. A pretty underwhelming Stand battle, especially for the first one after the journey begins. 1. __Dark Blue Moon__ This one is very take-it-or-leave-it. We get introduced to the little girl who tags along for a while afterwards, and the resolution of the episode is very "JoJo", but it's nothing impressive. It was honestly really tough to pick these six episodes because, for the most part, they're all 7 out of 10 across the board. They're all pretty good to some degree. Except Sun. If I had anything bad to say, it would have to be that a handful of the episodes focused too much on the Stand to the point where some episodes either don't show the User until the Stand is defeated, or they refuse to show the User at all. But overall, it's pretty consistently good. I suppose the pacing is pretty slow considering they feel the need to have a Stand User for every card in the deck show up every 500 feet, but it's a monster-of-the-week type show, so I don't fault it.