Anime Hajime Impressions: Benkyou – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episodes 16 to 20

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 10 to 15 Recap

Our story has moved to 1938, centering around Jonathan Joestar’s grandson Joseph (a.k.a., JoJo). 

Down in Mexico, a group of German soldiers uncovers a tomb containing the same masks that once turned Dio Brando into a monstrous vampire. Not understanding the danger, the soldiers awaken one of the Pillar Man, an ancient and mighty being. 

JoJo manages to defeat the Pillar Man and learns there are three more in Rome. Upon arrival in the city, JoJo encounters the grandson of Will A. Zeppeli, Caesar. Together, they make their way to where the Pillar Men are just in time to see them awake.

JoJo battles one of the Pillar Men, Wamuu, but is utterly outclassed. However, JoJo demonstrates enough ability to be given a challenge. Wamuu laces JoJo’s blood with poison, which will kill the latter in thirty days.

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Episode 16

Japanese Title: 波紋教師リサリサ
Romaji Title: Hamon Kyoshi Risarisa
English Title: Lisa Lisa, Hamon Coach

Episode Summary

Knowing the two are nowhere near strong enough to face the Pillar Men, Caesar brings JoJo to Venice to train under the Hamon master Lisa Lisa.

With time not on their side, the training becomes intense. Lisa Lisa casts JoJo and Caesar into the Hell Climb Pillar. To escape, the two men must learn to control their Hamon.

The ordeal is grueling and incredibly perilous, but both JoJo and Caesar successfully make it out after a while.

Principle Characters

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Episode 17

Japanese Title: 深く罠をはれ！
Romaji Title: Fukaku Wana o Hare!
English Title: The Deeper Plan

Episode Summary

Lisa Lisa is in possession of the Super Aja, a mystical relic the Pillar Man Kars wishes to use to become the ultimate lifeform. Unfortunately, destroying the object is not an option since it is the only thing that can truly destroy the Pillar Men.

Caesar and JoJo are assigned to undergo the last of their training. When JoJo arrives at his designated location, the Pillar Man Esidisi has already murdered JoJo’s trainer. Enraged, JoJo challenges Esidisi to a fight.

The Pillar Man holds nothing but contempt for the human, but JoJo quickly demonstrates how much stronger he has become. Through superior Hamon and skillful sleight of hand, JoJo successfully defeats Esidisi. 

However, as JoJo is heading back to report what happened to Lisa Lisa, he doesn’t notice Esidisi’s entire nervous system clinging to his back.

Principal Characters

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Episode 18

Japanese Title: シュトロハイム隊の逆襲
Romaji Title: Shutorohaimu-tai no Gyakushu
English Title: Von Stroheim's Revenge

Episode Summary

Back at Lisa Lisa’s mansion, Esidisi possesses Lisa Lisa’s assistant Suzi Q. Before realizing what is going on, the possessed Suzi Q steals the Super Aja and sends it off to where Kars is headquartered.

Upon realizing what has happened, JoJo prepares to finish Esidisi once and for all. Unfortunately, to do so would mean killing the innocent Suzi Q. 

Fortunately, JoJo and a just-arrived Caesar band their Hamon together to free Suzi Q. Now exposed, Esidisi shrivels up and fades under the morning Sun’s rays.

Lisa Lisa manages to extract where the Super Aja is heading – St. Moritz, Switzerland.

JoJo, Caesar, and Lisa Lisa head off to intercept the relic. When they reach their destination, though, a group of German soldiers takes possession of the Super Aja. The company’s mysterious leader heads off to lay a trap at a nearby lodge for Kars, who has since learned of Esidisi’s demise. 

Kars attacks the group’s position. The unknown German commander is revealed to be none other than a rebuilt and mechanized Rudol von Stroheim.

Principal Characters

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Episode 19

Japanese Title: 死の崖へつっ走れ
Romaji Title: Shi no Gake e Tsuppashire
English Title: A Race Towards the Brink

Episode Summary

Since becoming a cyborg, Stroheim has become significantly more powerful. Although Kars proves to be the stronger, the German does manage to push back the Pillar Man. 

However, Kars manages to take possession of the Super Aja. Right before Karscan makes his escape, Stroheim forces the Pillar Man to drop the relic, and it begins sliding towards the edge of a cliff. 

JoJo and Kars rush to reach the Super Aja first, and JoJo successfully grabs it. But Kars, who is also angry over Esidisi’s defeat, hurls JoJo and the relic over the cliff edge. Unfortunately, for the Pillar Man, he underestimates how cunning JoJo can be. 

JoJo uses his Hamon to stop his fall and return to the top of the cliff with the Super Aja. Kars lands at the bottom and retreats to his safehouse as the Sun begins to rise.

Back at the lodge, JoJo and Caesar get into a massive argument over what to do next. In a rage, Caesar heads off to face the Pillar Men alone.

Principal Characters

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Episode 20

Japanese Title: シーザー孤独の青春
Romaji Title: Shiza Kodoku no Seishun
English Title: Young Caesar

Episode Summary

The episode starts with a quick flashback of Caesar’s past. We see how Caesar’s vendetta against the Pillar Men has grown, including witnessing his father’s death.

We return to the story as Caesar arrives at the Pillar Men’s hideout. Before he can enter, Caesar is attacked by the Pillar Man Wamuu.

The two face off against each other. To Wamuu’s surprise, Caesar holds his own and even lands several damaging blows against the Pillar Man. Sadly, it is not enough. Wamuu delivers a critical hit on Caesar.

Caesar uses the last of his Hamon to steal the antidote that can save JoJo from Wamuu. His strength now spent, a defenseless Caesar can do nothing to prevent a large piece of debris crushing him.

Respecting Caesar’s final resolve, Wamuu does not retrieve the antidote, leaving it behind for JoJo. 

The episode ends with JoJo and Lisa Lisa mourning over the fallen Caesar Zeppeli.

Principal Characters

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Thoughts and Impressions

I am surprised by how sad I was over Caesar’s death. I had not realized how much I have grown to care about these characters. Caesar’s grandfather, William, did nothing to me.

Here is yet another reason why Battle Tendency triumphs over Blood Phantom.

Although I am trying to watch this series in all Japanese, I will come back to it once finished. It will be for my own satisfaction, so don’t expect a proper review. I want to enjoy this show to its fullest.  

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 21 to 26.

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