Board Thread:Manga Discussion/@comment-27659575-20171102233127

Simple question: do you think JJBA is a masterpiece?, maybe a dumb but fun series someone can enjoy by turning his brain off? What do you think is the best aspect of the manga?

Personally I think JJBA is deceptively clever.

Yes it has a simple formulaic plot, yes sometimes there are plotholes and retcons. However, the lack of focus on the plot is a conscious artistic choice, Araki instead focuses on microstorytelling, instead of investing any great effort on creating an overarching story, he chooses to make it so whatever he's narrating right now is perfect. If people were conscious about this, I'm sure they would know how good JJBA actually is as a story. For instance there's this post explaining in detail Giorno's introduction: http://jazztronic.tumblr.com/post/112324577648 You see the great attention to how he is introduced, what pieces of information Araki chooses to focus on, the order in which he gives them. Every panel is made so it's from Koichi's POV. Everything is made so the reader thinks "Oh that's interesting. What will happen next?" I could go on on on about how Araki draws too, but let's do it later.

Moreover, JJBA is also profound. You see, in most shonen, it's about becoming the very best, the power of friendship or whatever. When it comes to the themes the series takes on, Jojo is very mature. In its own way JJBA reflects on the human condition, the weaknesses of humanity and thus the evilness displayed by the villains just as its strength and thus the virtues displayed by the heroes, but also the relationship between humans and destiny (even if you don't believe in destiny, Araki sure does and thinks a lot about it). For those who'd like an analysis I've made, here's a link: http://jojo.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Nabukun/What_is_strength%3F

It's definitely worth a reread just to see exactly what every panel focuses on, and how each of its theme is presented and developed as the series advances and Araki progresses as a mangake. See for yourself that Jojo is more than meet the eye 