Anime Hajime Impressions: Benkyou – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episodes 6 to 9

Season One: Phantom Blood / Battle Tendency
Original Run: October 6, 2012 - April 6, 2013
Number of Episodes: 26
Based on the Series Created By: Hirohiko Araki

As A Reminder:  Anime Hajime Impressions: Benkyou is not a review series. Anime Hajime’s LofZOdyssey attempts to watch an anime in Japanese with no English subtitles. Therefore, misinterpretations and misunderstandings are possible.

Feel free to leave comments, clarifications, and thoughts in the comments section below.

Episode 1 to 5 Recap

Jonathan “JoJo” Joestar was once a weak but strong-willed child. He has since grown into a powerful and courageous gentleman. His entire life, JoJo has had to guard against his adopted brother Dio Brando’s scheming nature.

With his father at death’s door, JoJo uncovers Dio’s vile plot to steal the Joestar fortune. However, before he can be apprehended, Dio, in a desperate move, dons an ancient mask. In an instant, Dio transforms into a bloodthirsty vampire.

JoJo and Dio battle and the former barely escapes with his life. Unsure how to face his brother, JoJo meets Will A. Zeppeli, a master of Hamon energy. It turns out that JoJo is naturally gifted with Hamon, and soon, he learns to wield its great power.

With his newfound strength, JoJo heads off to defeat Dio once and for all.

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Episode 6

Japanese Title: あしたの勇気
Romaji Title: Ashita no Yuuki
English Title: Pluck for Tomorrow

Episode Summary

With his new attack, Turquoise Blue Overdrive, JoJo turns the tides on the warrior zombie Bruford. After a bitter struggle, JoJo manages to infuse his Hamon energy into Bruford, reviving the latter’s human soul.

Before vanishing, Bruford gifts JoJo his sword to use against Dio.

At the same time, Bruford’s partner, Tarkus, begins his assault. Through the combined efforts of JoJo and Zeppeli, the party finds a brief respite at an old abandoned stronghold. However, due to a brief moment of distraction, Tarkus grabs JoJo.

Tarkus’ immense strength quickly overtakes our hero. Thus, to save his pupil, Zeppeli steps forward to challenge the unstoppable fighter.

Principle Characters

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Episode 7

Japanese Title: うけ継ぐ者
Romaji Title: Uketsugumono
English Title: The Successor

Episode Summary

In a flashback, we are taken to 1863 Tibet, and Zappeli is training with his master Tonpetti. With a heavy heart, Tonpetti foresees Zappeli’s death.

We return to JoJo’s struggle against Tarkus in the abandoned stronghold. Zappeli realizes this is the place the prophecy spoke of. Knowing he is doomed to die, Zappeli focuses on saving his student.

Despite Zeppeli’s skills, Tarkus proves to be too much. In a single move, Zappeli is sliced in half. With his last ounce of strength, Zappeli transfers his remaining Hamon power to JoJo.

A now grieving and supercharged JoJo, makes quick work of Tarkus, thus avenging his teacher.

A downtrodden party lays their fallen comrade to rest before continuing on their mission. As fate would have it, right outside the village, the group runs into Zeppeli’s master, Tonpetti, and his other disciples. Together, this team readies to bring the fight to Dio.

Principal Characters

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Episode 8

Japanese Title: 血戦！JOJO&DIO
Romaji Title: Kessen! JOJO & DIO
English Title: Bloody Battle! JoJo & Dio

Episode Summary

JoJo and his party confront Dio in his castle.

Dio sets his minions to attack the group while the two brothers face off against each other. Their fight goes back and forth, but in the end, JoJo proves to be the stronger.

With the sword he received from Bruford, JoJo slices Dio down the middle and throws him over the castle wall. The nightmare finally comes to an end.

Or that is what JoJo believes.

At the bottom of the cliff from which he fell, one of Dio’s servants carries their master’s head away into the night.

Principal Characters

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Episode 9

Japanese Title: 最後の波紋!
Romaji Title: Saigo no Hamon!
English Title: The Final Ripple!

Episode Summary

Some time passes since the fight with Dio. Robert E. O. Speedwagon destroys the vampire mask, and JoJo marries his sweetheart, Erina Pendleton.

JoJo and Erina board a boat to take them to their honeymoon in America. However, amongst the celebration, no one notices an ominous coffin be brought on the ship.

With the voyage on its way, the unthinkable happens.

Dio, now only a severed head, attacks the passengers. With everyone turning into zombies, JoJo is soon overwhelmed. During the confusion, Dio manages to inflict a mortal wound on his brother.

Using the last of his power, JoJo succeeds in forcing bringing down the rest of the ship. JoJo pleads with his wife, Erina, to survive. Once she is safe, JoJo secures Dio’s head and dies as the boat sinks beneath the waves.

Having escaped the carnage, Erina vows to tell her husband’s story to the child she is currently carrying within her. Although Jonathan “JoJo” Joestar may have passed, his bloodline continues.  

Principal Characters

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Thoughts and Impressions

With that, we have come to the end of the “Phantom Blood” story arc, and if I could sum up what I watched in a single word, I would use “weird.”

But, like, weird in the best possible way.

I’m not going to lie; this series uses a lot of exposition as one of its central jokes. That makes it incredibly difficult to follow the nitty-gritty details. Luckily, the action and – believe it or not – the absurdity of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure allow the bigger picture to stay crystal clear.

However, I don’t know if that will translate once we start the “Battle Tendency” arc.

Thanks for following along with me. If you’ve seen this series and feel I am wrong in my descriptions, please let me know in the comments below. I wouldn’t want to put this show in an inaccurate light.

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For Anime Hajime, I’m LofZOdyssey, and I’ll see you next week for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episodes 10 to 15.

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