Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is well known for its powerful and terrifying villains, such as the legendary Dio himself. The anime managed to drive home the true power and danger of these villains in a unique and interesting way, and the way in which they did that also suggests that one Jojo hero is truly on their level.
For the most part, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's villains wield the same kind of power that its heroes do: the spiritual ability known as a Stand, a manifestation of one's soul with special powers that can range from punching really fast to poisoning wide areas to outright stopping the passage of time. Stand abilities can vary greatly in their power levels, but the biggest villains, unsurprisingly, possess astonishingly powerful Stands which often have the capacity to alter the very fabric of time and space. It can be difficult to truly convey that level of power, however, so the anime's creators had a brilliant idea of how best to do that.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's Villains Break the Fourth Wall
The Anime Drives Home the Villains' Power With a Metafictional Punch
Beginning with the final episodes of Stardust Crusaders, the opening credits sequence is modified as the final battle between Jotaro and Dio begins. In this altered version, Dio disrupts the opening sequence by stopping time with The World, and paces around a frozen Jotaro until he gets behind him and begins to unleash an attack. The screen shatters, the music stops, and the added sequence takes exactly 9 seconds--the length of time that Dio is able to use The World's time stop ability. It can be quite surprising to fans who've grown accustomed to the ordinary opening.
The same is true of Episode 36 of Diamond is Unbreakable, where Kira is shown rewinding time at various points through the opening sequence, causing some segments to repeat themselves while skipping others entirely. It also shows the heroes, who previously had their back turned to Kira, now facing him, ready for their final battle. For Golden Wind, another modified version is played, this time showing Doppio transforming into Diavolo, with evidence of King Crimson's time erasure throughout the credits, and a threatening monologue in Italian. Even Stone Ocean has a similar effect for the final episode, with Pucci disrupting Jotaro's time stop, with time moving increasingly faster.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure boasts some of the most intelligent characters in anime, and these are the all-time smartest among them.
By having the villains disrupt the opening credits sequence like this when at the height of their power, it really drives home just how strong the enemy is, and how difficult that Jojo's fight will be. The implication of having the villain break even the title sequence makes them feel even more powerful, as if they're transcending their fictional nature, and that not even the viewer is safe from the threat that they pose. Fans began to look forward to these modified credit sequences once it became apparent this was a pattern, and they absolutely succeeded in making the villain threatening (and very cool).
Only One Hero Broke the Credits Sequence
Just One Jojo Had the Power to Break the Fourth Wall
However, it isn't just the villains who have been shown to have this power. In episodes 38 and 39 of Golden Wind, yet another modified version of the credits sequence is played. It begins like the Diavolo version, but as Diavolo attempts to use his time erasure, Giorno's stand, Golden Wind Requiem, becomes active, cutting the sequence off. The screen zooms into Diavolo's eye repeatedly before showing him in an infinite line of other Diavolos, foreshadowing his eventual fate. The sequence cleverly uses the same scenes from the opening in a different order, showing a new chain of events that will lead to Diavolo's loss.
The villains of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure are all strong and entertaining, but which ones stand out in this flamboyant crowd?
The fact that Giorno is the only Jojo protagonist to break the fourth wall in this manner emphasizes two facts about the character. One is that Giorno is, ultimately, Dio's child, and he even strikes a pose like that of his estranged father in the credits sequence to help drive that fact home. The other, however, is to show that Giorno's power after being pierced by the Stand Arrow is on a whole new level--Giorno now unquestionably has the power to stop Diavolo, if only he can use it properly. Golden Wind Requiem is just as seemingly unstoppable as the Stands of the villains.
Most Jojo fans would likely agree that among the main Jojo protagonists, Giorno's final Stand is the absolute strongest, so it makes sense that if anyone were able to break reality in a meta manner, it would be him. After all, Giorno doesn't just break the credits sequence, he interrupts Diavolo's attempt to break the credits sequence, showing that his power now trumps Diavolo's. If Giorno's actions in the series itself didn't prove his power, then this hijacking of the opening absolutely does.
Jojo's Fourth-Wall Shattering Openings are Brilliant
The Modified Credits Sequences Are Highly Effective
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure isn't the only anime to have variants of its opening sequence to emphasize some aspect of the story. It's not uncommon for opening credits sequences to change as new characters are introduced--Jojo does this as well, particularly in Diamond is Unbreakable as new characters appear and unlock their Stand abilities. Jojo is, however, one of the only (non-comedic) anime to utilize a fourth-wall breaking element to its title sequence, and that makes it all the more effective, since fans are not expecting such a disruption.
The surprising element of an opening credits sequence, which the viewer has been exposed to repeatedly, suddenly changing is easily attention-grabbing. The fourth-wall being shattered by the villain's power (or in one case, the hero's) emphasizes the extreme strength which they possess, suggesting that they pose a threat to even the viewers. Combining these two ideas was a stroke of genius on the part of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure anime's creators, and makes its villains even more terrifying than they already are with only a small amount of added effort on their part, proving just how dedicated the studio was to making Jojo the best it could be.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Hirohiko Araki. It follows the adventures of the Joestar family, spanning generations, each with unique abilities and battling supernatural enemies. Known for its eccentric characters, distinctive art style, and creative battles, it includes manga, anime, games, and merchandise.
Created by Hirohiko Araki
TV Show(s) JoJo Bizarre Adventure
Character(s) Will A. Zeppeli , Jonathan Joestar , Giorno Giovanna , Jotaro Kujo , Joseph Joestar , Jolyne Cujoh , Johnny Joestar , Josuke Higashikata , Gyro Zeppeli
Video Game(s) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure , JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
English (US) ·