Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders S2 – 16
Look at all the friends he’s made!
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When episode 17 of Jojo airs, I’m going to be on an airplane. So yeah, I won’t be able to blog about it until the week after. Just letting you guys know in advance. I’m cursing my timing though, because Jojo is finally getting good again! |
I wanted badly to forget the month of bad episodes I had been subjected to. Like a war victim, I didn’t think I would forget this torture so quickly. But give me a death match via glorified Mario Kart and suddenly I’m the biggest Jojo fan in the world. My convenient amnesia allowed me to really get into this episode – just like old times. I knew right from the beginning this would be good, with the jump camera cuts to create a sense of unease as L’il D’Arby dispassionately monologued about his dead brother. I could feel it in my bones that L’il D’Arby was a monster, just from his body language and the disconcerting jump cuts to different “camera” angles. And boy, was he a monster.
Alright, alright…who peed in the pool this time?!
There’s really no reason for L’il D’Arby (that’s what I’m calling him and I’m stickin to it) to bring his opponents to an island. He could have created an empty room for them to play in – but he goes for the flashy image of an island with a flamingo-pink sky. The whole combination of island + dolls + video games makes for a really zany, ridiculous and fun fight idea. That’s the heart of what I love Jojo for and this battle does all of those things perfectly. Again, there’s no real reason for L’il D’Arby to ramble on as he does about his doll collection of random people, but it adds so much atmosphere. It’s one thing to be told you’ll lose your soul – it’s another thing to actually see what happens to your soul if he beats you. It also shows us what a total nutjob L’il D’Arby is.
After all the conniving and trickery, the boys finally sit down to some F-MEGA. If I haven’t already implied this, I find it hilarious that two men with builds like a linebacker wearing all their padding having to settle their feud with a video game. These hands are clearly made for punching up other dudes and not for delicate motor controls involving the exact timing of pressing A. Hell, I’m not even sure how they hold the controllers without the backs of their shirts ripping clean off. Anyways, they manage to sit down and…use their Stands to play. I’m convinced it has nothing to do with their increased agility, but 100% to do with that fact this gives them one free hand to gesture dramatically with. A battle without posing isn’t a battle at all!
GOTTA GO FAST
As much as these guys look like the complete opposite of gamers, their showdown is pretty intense. Both are experts, so it all comes down to the tiniest of things to give them an advantage in the race. Kakyoin just got out of the hospital and now he’s fighting again, so I really hope he wins. Unfortunately, we see Jotaro playing L’il D’Arby next week so I’m not feeling too hopeful about those prospects. Dammit, will Kakyoin ever get his chance to shine? I was so impressed by his mad Mario Kart (sorry, F Mega) skills and now you’re telling me there’s like a 99% probability of him biting it? Considering the fact his Stand used to be able to possess people, I wonder when he became so weak.
But hey, I’m getting ahead of myself. Maybe he wins and then it’s a “best out of 3” sort of thing. Whatever the case, I can’t be too choosy when poorly rendered CG car racing is this riveting. Great episode, great villain, great Joseph behaving like a rambunctious teenager to throw off L’il D’Arby. I guess I’ll find out what happens to Kakyoin…NEXT next week. Ugh.
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 105 comments
It isn’t JoJo unless your very soul is on the line for something incredibly silly. Also, how was Joseph able to check if the games were bugged? Is he just able to do that now? Whatever, its not like his stand has ever been good.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…The Hermit has l33t game skills. Yeah, that was an odd bit.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I guess since his Stand sucks so much they tried to throw him a bone by letting him do SOMETHING with it.
POWUH: 400-499 with 462 comments
WHY DOES EVERYBODY USE THAT SAME PICTURE FOR THEIR POST ABOUT THIS EPISODE?! It’s disturbing, damn it! It’s not what I want to see when I go to a blog to check out what’s been reviewed lately!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
The one blog I follow that covers Jojo used a different picture so I had no idea. Sorry for the creepiness!
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
I never expected a battle between Stand Users to be a videogame match. This was great, I’m excited to see more games next EP. This D’Arby is also more charismatic than the older brother with his “no cheating” mentality.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
This is a great match-up. The more games, the better!
I like both D’Arbys, but the whole “no cheating” thing to appear as a gentleman when he’s really a scumbag is definitely an interesting touch.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 105 comments
Ok lets all be honest, who here would watch a Lets Play! hosted by Younger D’Arby? I mean how awesome would it be to see his opponent get sucked into a doll after losing!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I would! Who needs Roosterteeth when you can watch souls being transferred into dolls?
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
For what i see, I think they play a beefed up or a Customize version of Megadrive (Or Genesis in a North America)…
Ahhh…I miss that Megadrive so much…
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POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Oh, man. Back in the 90s living in a rinky dink apartment with like five other people, we had a Genesis as our main stay of entertainment. We did (original) Sonic the Hedgehog speed/point competitions, and even set up our own fake season with playoffs playing EA Sports NHL 92. Or we just laughed at Star Control (Launch Fighters!)