JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable - Chapter 1 (film)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable - Chapter 1 (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ダイヤモンドは砕けない 第一章) is a live-action movie adaptation of Diamond Is Unbreakable of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga series.

The film was directed by Takashi Miike, and co-produced by and. It was officially announced on September 28, 2016 and released in Japanese theaters on August 4, 2017.

Story
In 1999, a mystical Arrow, which can manifest latent Stand abilities, travels throughout Morioh, Japan. A high schooler named Josuke Higashikata and his friends are thrust into a new world they never knew existed, having to face off against deadly Stand users whilst trying to uncover the mysteries of the Arrow itself and how to stop its wielder.

Production
Initial rumors in July 2016 of a movie adaptation of Stardust Crusaders being in production began to circulate only for no official confirmation to validate the authenticity of the claims. Eventually on September 28th 2016, at a panel to promote JoJo's Bizarre Adventure the film was revealed to the public, instead being an adaptation of Diamond is Unbreakable. producer Takashi Hirano explained that the staff decided to adapt the manga's Part 4 storyline since it features a Japanese protagonist in a Japanese setting. He then further clarified that the cosmopolitan nature of the manga offers a chance for Japanese cinema to expand across the world; including actors of a particular Part (such as English or Italian characters) to be played by their appropriate race.

In regards to the film's subtitle of "Chapter I", Hirano explained that due to the complexity in the plot and characters of Part 4 it would be impossible to adapt its entirety into a two-hour film. Hirano then said that if the film is a commercial success, he'd love to adapt the remainder of Part 4 through more films. Director Takashi Miike decided on the Spanish city of as the shooting location after looking through options worldwide. He acknowledged that the original manga's setting is loosely based on the real Japanese city of Sendai, but determined Sitges was the closest match to Morioh's fictional setting.

On August 4th, 2017 it was released on 325 screens nationwide in Japan, opening with a gross of 166 million yen. Its opening weekend attracted 164,496 people and ultimately grossed 226.316 million yen.

Manga/Film Differences

 * Some of the characters in the film (notably Jotaro and Josuke) have had their costume designs simplified and/or changed when compared to their manga counterparts.
 * Yukako Yamagishi's character appears earlier than in the original material.
 * Josuke Higashikata's confrontation with the street thugs at the beginning takes place in a small alley, as opposed to near the bus stop, in front of Koichi Hirose and Jotaro Kujo.
 * Josuke is either a Junior or a Senior at Budo-ga Oka Middle & High School, two years above Koichi, as evidenced by his female admirers referring to him as Senpai. In the manga/anime, he and Koichi are in the same year.
 * Jotaro uses his Time Stop at Josuke's house to save him from Aqua Necklace.
 * Keicho Nijimura and Angelo are shown interacting together, meeting at a restaurant.
 * Animal cruelty (such as Angelo killing a man's dog) is omitted.
 * Ryohei Higashikata is in his civilian clothes rather than in his police uniform when he dies.
 * During Angelo's fight against Josuke, he doesn't try to take a kid hostage or insult Josuke's hair.
 * Echoes hatches into its ACT1 form during the fight against Bad Company, rather than during Koichi's confrontation with Tamami Kobayashi.
 * DIO is never mentioned in the film.
 * Jotaro encounters Koichi after school while reading a book, rather than at the bus station while looking at a map.

Trivia

 * Director Takashi Miike revealed that he did not sleep for three days after receiving the offer to direct the film project.
 * The film's premiere was held at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Switzerland on Sunday, July 2. It was later shown again at the 21st Fantasia International Film Festival (FIFF) in Montreal, Canada between July 13 to August 2.
 * At the film's premiere at the 21st FIFF, a live violinist performed renditions of the anime's opening songs, including chase.