Straizo vs. Joseph (story arc)

Straizo vs. Joseph (ストレイツォＶＳジョセフ) is the second story arc in Battle Tendency.

Summary
After learning of Robert E. O. Speedwagon's apparent death at the hands of Straizo, Joseph Joestar and Smokey Brown were eating out at a dinner after sunset with the former excited of an advertisement covering womens' bras. As Smokey tells him not to believe that "snake oil", Joseph notices a figure watching him from outside and leaves the café to inspect him. The figure is none other but a vampirized Straizo as he declares his intentions to kill Joseph here and now before he becomes a threat. But Joseph, having expected Straizo, was ready as he takes out a concealed Tommy-Gun and blasts Straizo through the café window to everyone's shock. Smokey yells at Joseph that he killed a man, with Joseph hoping that was the case. But the fact Straizo got back up with his wounds healed confirmed that he is not human anymore.

Straizo proceeds to use the same high pressurized blood laser eye attack Dio used to head-shot Joseph, only to learn that he hit a reflection as the real Joseph manages to hit Straizo with Ripple. Though Straizo uses his scarf to negate the attack, Joseph used his cunning to sneak numerous grenades on Straizo's person as he was caught in the resulting explosion that heavily damaged the café. When Straizo's bodyparts begin to reassemble, Joseph tells Smokey that his opponent's legs have not fully healed so he has the advantage with his last resort technique: running away. Once fully regenerated, the naked Straizo takes a reporter hostage as he catches up to Joseph on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Straizo threatens to kill the girl if Joseph runs again, explaining that he is testing the Joestar's character to deem if he is truly a threat or not. Joseph nonchalantly rejects the threat, mentioning that he doesn't even know that "floosie" so he shouldn't care what becomes of her. But when Straizo rips a tooth out of the girl's mouth, Joseph loses it and commences a showdown with Straizo on top of the bridge. Anticipating Straizo would blast him with his eyes, he used Ripple-infused shot glasses to redirect the attack before knocking Straizo off the bridge with a punch to the face. But Joseph catches him, demanding answers concerning Speedwagon's death. Straizo reveals the "Pillar Man" he and Speedwagon found, dumping the bodies into the river to keep the being from revived by the blood. Having inherited his master's foresight, Straizo tells Joseph that he will cross paths with the Pillar Man soon and will know the meaning of evolution. Straizo then releases the Ripple he stored in his body, revealing he has no regrets for his actions and prefers going to hell in his prime. Straizo explodes and Joseph cries out in distress. Soon after a comedic moment with the upset reporter, Joseph decides to find the answers he seeks in Mexico.

Meanwhile, at a hacienda in Mexico, a German soldier named Rudol von Stroheim is harassing one of his female attendants for accidently cutting him during a shave when a subordinate alerts him that the man they retrieved from the river is coming to. The man is revealed to be Speedwagon, who Stroheim wants answers from concerning the Stone Masks and the Pillar Man for the sake of the Third Reich.

Chapters

 * 004 (048). Straizo vs. Joseph (1)
 * 005 (049). Straizo vs. Joseph (2)
 * 006 (050). Straizo vs. Joseph (3)
 * 007 (051). Straizo vs. Joseph (4)
 * 008 (052). Straizo vs. Joseph (5)

Volumes

 * 02 (06). JoJo vs. the Ultimate Life-Form

Anime Episodes

 * 01 (10). New York's JoJo
 * 02 (11). The Game Master