Anime Hajime Impressions: Benkyou – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders Season 1 – Episodes 21 to 24

Original Run: April 5, 2014 - June 20, 2015
Number of Episodes: 48
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.

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Team Joestar makes it to the Arabian peninsula.

The massive desert proves to be an extremely difficult challenge for the Stand Users. From the brutal Sun to a particularly horrifying Dio-sent assassin, the closer JoJo and his comrades come to their goal, the harder the journey becomes.

But having faced endless trials, Egypt is now within sight.

However, before the team can take their final step, Joseph tells the rest they must make one quick stop.  

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Japanese Title: 審判 その1
Romaji Title: Jajjimento Sono 1
English Title: Judgement, Part 1

Episode Summary

While on route to Egypt, Joseph quickly detours to a small, seemingly deserted island. However, the island is not uninhabited. Instead, waiting for them appears to be the father of the group’s fallen friend Muhammad Avdol.

With the memory of Avdol’s death still fresh in his mind, Polnareff blames himself for what happened. Feeling down, he separates from the group. While on the beach, he comes across what looks to be a stereotypical genie’s lamp.

After rubbing the lamp, to Polnareff’s surprise, a genie-like creature appears and offers the Frenchman three wishes. Obviously skeptical, Polnareff asks the “genie” for gold, and, sure enough, the apparition delivers.

Now willing to believe, Polnareff contemplates reviving his deceased sister and Avdol. However, the genie takes these as actual wishes. And unbelievably, Polnareff is reunited with his beloved little sister, Cherie.

Unfortunately, this Cherie turns out to be a flesh-eating monster. This zombified Cherie attacks Polnareff, who tries to use his third wish to send his sister away.

At this moment, the genie reveals its true identity, a Stand known as Judgement. Also, Judgement refuses to grant Polnareff’s because it had already been given. The Stand had already brought back Avdol.

Principal Characters

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Japanese Title: 審判 その2
Romaji Title: Jajjimento Sono 1
English Title: Judgement, Part 2

Episode Summary

To Polnareff’s horror, a zombie Avdol appears and immediately attacks. Combined with a zombie Cherie, Polnareff is terribly outnumbered and is soon brought to the ground.

Riddled with guilt for the death of both Avdol and Cherie, Polnareff is close to giving up and succumbing. However, he is saved at the last minute by a most unexpected hero – a fully alive and healthy Muhammad Avdol.

It turns out that Judgement does not revive the dead but rather can only make bastardized copies.

Overcome with joy and bewilderment, Polnareff cannot believe Avdol is alive. The Egyptian explains how he actually survived Hol Horse and J. Geil’s attack and has been in hiding to recuperate. With the friends reunited, they easily turn the tables on Judgement and locate its Stand User.

With the fight over, Polnareff and Avdol return to the rest of the group. But to Polnareff’s annoyance, apparently, everyone else already knew about Avdol being alive.

After some friendly ripping, the team prepares for its final crossing of the Red Sea by submarine.

Principal Characters

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Japanese Title: 女教皇　その１
Romaji Title: Hai Puriesutesu Sono 1
English Title: High Priestess, Part 1

Episode Summary

With the team now stuck below the ocean surface, JoJo wonders what might happen if an assassin attacks them while in the sub.

Midway through the trip, Joseph calls his wife, Suzi Q, in New York. Having kept their daughter’s condition a secret from her, Joseph wants to ensure his wife doesn’t make an unexpected trip to Japan.

A few more hours pass, and at long last, the team can see the Egyptian coast.

Outside the sub, something attaches itself to the vessel. Having failed to notice this, the team celebrates, and Kakyoin prepares a pot of coffee with five cups. Then, when he goes to serve, a mysterious sixth cup appears.

As Joseph goes to drink, his cup transforms into a Stand, knocking him unconscious. Avdol identifies the Stand as High Priestess, a particularly nasty enemy.

The team has trouble with the Stand, and in the middle of the struggle, Suzi Q calls back. With Joseph out of commission, JoJo picks up the phone. Not knowing her grandson was with her husband, Suzi Q wonders what is going on. Although JoJo continues his grandfather’s lie, Suzi Q decides to head to Japan.

JoJo hangs up the phone just as High Priestess successfully strands the sub on the bottom of the ocean.

Principal Characters

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Japanese Title: 女教皇 その2
Romaji Title: Hai Puriesutesu Sono 2
English Title: High Priestess, Part 2

Episode Summary

With the sub sunk, the team has no other choice but to escape to the outside.

High Priestess obstructs the group’s progress every step of the way until they eventually make it to an underwater cave entrance. However, High Priestess takes the form of the cave and sucks JoJo and his friends inside.

In the chaos, JoJo becomes trapped between the High Priestess’ teeth. At first, it looks as though our hero is crushed, but that is not the case. JoJo uses his Star Platinum to shatter all the teeth within High Priestess’ mouth, thus, incapacitating the Stand.

The team makes it to the surface and finds High Priestess’ Stand User, Midler, disfigured due to JoJo’s attack.

With the battle over, Team Joestar, after everything, has made it to Egypt. Unfortunately, their true test has only just begun.

Principal Characters

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Thoughts and Impressions

And with that, we come to the end of Star Crusader’s first season, and what a ride it has been.

I am so happy that the whole team has made it to Egypt, and I cannot wait to see what comes next. More importantly, next season promises a beefed-up Dio, and that can only be awesome.

Despite how difficult this show’s Japanese is, it has been an insanely fun watch. Here’s hoping it continues.

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 Stardust Crusaders Season 2 Episodes 1 to 5.

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