User blog:Nabukun/What is strength?

Decided to drop an old analysis of JJBA I've done quite some time ago. It's still relevant so I take the opportunity to put it here.

Araki began Jojo's Bizarre Adventure with a simple question: "Who is the world's strongest person?" "Who" as in how he would be like, not a name though. With this simple question Araki can explore aspects of humanity that few did. However he began with a fairly simple study of the question but we'll see that it will become a lot deeper.

Phantom Blood
''Who is the world's strongest person? Would he be evil or good?''

As I said, Araki began fairly simple. Phantom Blood isn't much the feud between two men but the clash between two extremes, evil and good.

Araki said it himself Jonathan and Dio are concept and as characters are very plain. Jonathan Joestar is the good guy, no that's too weak he's the greatest guy in the world. Even as a kid, he was saving ladies from bullies, no matter if he was being pounded. Jojo is a pillar of moral fortitude, and he inspires others to do good and be brave themselves. Hence Londonian cutthroat Speedwagon follows him and becomes a respected businessman and Poco risks death in the chamber where Zeppeli dies. Kind, compassionate, all-loving, he won't even bear a grudge against Dio and in his last breaths, implores Erina to say a random baby. Dio Brando is the bad guy, no that's too weak, he's the biggest cunt in the world. Already in childhood, he assassinated his father. Being the epitome of evil, Dio is selfish, greedy, petty, violent. And surround himself with the next biggest cunts, bullies and Jack the Ripper. Even worse he corrupts: Bruford and Tarkus were noble knight he transformed into zombies. Never had he a positive relationship with anyone, hence he wants to kill the one man he respects to hijack his body.

These characters can be considered to be strong:
 * physically first, Araki wishing to illustrate the strength of these men, he draws inspiration from various sources, 80s actions movies, Fist of the North Star, monster tales, martial arts.
 * mentally secondly. Jonathan comes from the upper class, having been raised with the idea of being a gentlemen while Dio is the social climber, hanging to every opportunity to have more status. Both models can be considered to be very strong mentally.

Yet their strenghts are very opposite, another way for Araki to draw a parallel between Jonathan and Dio. Physically Jonathan performs numerous feats of strength, like dragging several men while playing rubgy or pummeling a vampire; on the other hand, Dio is very agile, he catches a rubgy ball while jumping and hangs on the ceiling. Jonathan's mental strength is righteousness, he always think good of everyone and his tenacity comes from his love for others. Dio's mental strength is his ambition, it drives him to do anything for his goals and his tenacity comes from his selfish desires. Both become stronger but while Dio was looking for it, Jonathan was thrust into the Ripple, again Dio is the ambitious one and Jonathan retaliates.

Araki makes Jonathan and Dio clash four times uring Phantom Blood:
 * First as kids.
 * Then Dio becomes a vampire.
 * Their battle at Windknights
 * Their final clash in the boat

And every time Jonathan prevails even if he dies the fourth time. That is Araki's response: The good guy's the strongest. But why?

As kids Dio had the upper hand, their first boxing match showed Jonathan was weaker physically, and moreover, Dio made everything to isolate Jonathan, to crush his spirit as he says. Dio's underlings make the mistake to talk about Erina to Jonathan just to see Jonathan's face. Jonathan battles Dio, but this time he fights for Erina and wins, making Dio back down and change his plans. Here's a good example of why evil loses. The little thugs first informed Jojo for a petty laugh, but did they need to do it? Dio's plan was foiled by his underlings. Moreover Jonathan has a huge morale boost because this time he must restore Erina's honor. We will find this again in the Atlantic, Dio is in a dominating position once again, but Wang Chan's eagerness allows Jonathan to manipulate him, the latter finding himself fighting for Erina's sake. Evil is petty, evil is mental weakness while good is strength and you are never more powerful than when you are fighting for others. Moreover in Dio's castle, Araki illustrates why good is stronger. Good relies on others.

If you look at why Jonathan wins against Dio or even manages to go to him, you see that a great part of why is teamwork between Jonathan's companions. Speedwagon de-ices Zeppeli's arms, Poco crawls into the chamber and open the way for Zeppeli, Will.A passes his Ripple, all to get to Dio, and ironically, one of the instruments of Dio's defeat is Bruford's sword, a gift to Jonathan because he purified him. Even the monks take care of the vampires for Jonathan. All of these people were united by a will to do good. Even Poco, who wants to save his sister. For the greater good, Jonathan's companion cooperate and risks their lives, giving him the edge he needs to overcome the brute strength Dio acquired. Good goes both ways, you fight for others and others fight for you.

Even if we fans put the emphasis on smarts, and guts, was there any moment when Dio lacked those? His and the villains mistakes were all fueled by evil while the heroes' contributions were all due to good.

Other parts to come.