What’s going to happen to JoJo Fridays? A look back into their importance to the fandom

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a series that is marked by it’s very…er, devoted fanbase. That is to say, the rampant classic rock video takeovers, the endless spam of memes that burned out their lifespan the moment they hit the screen (was kono dio da ever funny?), the honestly impressive cosplays and posing proves the community is based on just that; community. The catalyst for one of the largest hallmarks of this community, however, was the success of the anime adaptation in the early 2010’s. Rising out of relative obscurity in the west, Jojo’s memetic status shot up like a highway star as more fans came on board with Hirohiko Araki’s sense of style, gore, and just damn weirdness.

The way he just poses with his own creations is incredible

One of the largest aspects that brought the community together for a glorious day was the friday that new episodes dropped. I know this is hardly specific to Jojo’s in any way, though I find it is the most effective way for old and new fans alike to pour over every individual frame and draw direct comparisons to the manga. God forbid Bebe Rexha’s classic stand Strawberry Fields gets changed to Fruit Factory in fear of the Beatles wiping David Productions off the face of the Earth or something. But that’s the fun in it. In a very meta way, the guesswork of what David Pro will swing towards with each new episode led to a source of entertainment not found in the episode itself. Though many shows find the weekly model also harbors discussion with each new episode, I think it’s a unique mix of Jojo fans being wholeheartedly devoted to this 30+ year old manga series and also hoping to show the wildness of the series to new fans that sets a Jojo Friday aside from say, a Disney+ release date.

However, amid the excitement that Part 6: Stone Ocean was getting an anime release, there was a very concerning translation that did not go unnoticed during the rush.

Not this part. Although here’s hoping they keep it in

The translation in question arose from how Netflix would be handling the release in December. You know, the company whose business model revolves around dumping an entire series at once like a bucket of chum in a feeding frenzy? There were some accounts on Twitter and the like that stated Part 6 would be just the same, meaning an end to Jojo Fridays as we know them (at least, for the foreseeable future. We’re getting part 7 right? Right??). Instead of the casual conversation that we’ve grown comfortable with at the end of the week coinciding with the release of an episode, instead that conversation would be relegated to the end of a 12 episode span (or worse, the entire series). Though this does mean that you’d be able to experience the highs and lows of part 6 as a whole, something is lost in that transition.

Not to mention how dropping an entire part come December would be a gargantuan, almost impossible task. Part 5 had somewhat often recap “breather” episodes in order to lighten the strain on the animators’ wrists (animation is tough, man). A greedy fan might welcome this alternative in order to binge the part to “check off the box”, but at that point, are you even watching it for enjoyment? David Pro has done such an excellent job of adapting the series thus far, I would much rather wait for a polished outcome than not.

You want Deadly Queen? Cause that’s how you get Deadly Queen

It’s similar to how Part 8: Jojolion is ending, bringing the part’s 10 year run to a close. Jojolion fans are losing that once a month rush of discussion, fan theories, and meme material. As a huge fan of both outlets of the series, I was really looking forward to how part 6 would catapult my interest in the series to an all-time high again as I felt first joining the fandom. If this is truly the case, it’s not the worst avenue as far as handling the release, but I also feel it’s too foreign compared to what we’ve come to expect. I will say this though; Part 6’s insanity is best swallowed in short bursts. I mean hey, they are in Florida after all. 

If you liked things with an intricate storyline, my friend Skeith wrote a piece on the importance of story-gameplay integration in Kingdom Hearts that’s worth a read. Or if you want more of my own works based on Jojos, I wrote a piece that has my thoughts on the franchises future anime adaptations. It’s a good series, I promise.