Too-short Sunday

[petronia]

I like Daylight Saving Time, actually, long sunny summer evenings are what I'm all about (and I hear it's being extended this year), but the switch plays havoc with my sleep pattern. On top of which it's a Sunday, so instead of sleeping in til one I slept in til two. XD Now I'm going to be horribly awake.

Stuff I have read recently (mostly inconsequential):

1) xxxHolic vol.6. I had the scans but was missing the chapters at the beginning. Watanuki flails so predictably. XD (The interactions between the characters could stand more nuance - things happen to deepen and evolve relationships but by the next chapter they're back to the same gags. Then again CLAMP has never been good at gradual development; they prefer long plateaus and steep steps taken at a fall.)

2) Sex Pistols chapter 26, which wraps the arc. I think I'm the only person I know who liked this storyline? Love polygons tend to irritate me but it's one of those narrative elements where my reception depends on the actual plot (like non-con), and I'm a sucker for politics even when wildly improbable. XD I would've preferred reading the last few chapters at a single go, though, I get the feeling Seth is the only character to remain consistent. Meanwhile the "Madara Gossip" extra thing totally cracked me up.

3) JoJo's Bizarre Adventures. What the title says. angrybabble sent me a whole bunch of scanlations I'm rumbling through; am currently midway through volume 4. The first arc of this (vol.1-5) is set in the 1880s, and unexpectedly it actually reads like a 19th-century sensationalist novel...... sort of. With more punches to the face. Maybe if Wilkie Collins was in a bar fight with Bram Stoker and the Shaw Brothers. I guess because there's a straightforwardness about it? Like, gentlemen have honour, evil people are congenital degenerates, and there is nothing Hollywood-schlocky about VAMPIRIC AZTEC DEMON MASKS because this is the Modern Age and investigations into the paranormal are conducted in a spirit of scientific inquiry. That is, for a couple dozen chapters, and then it starts tipping into "Oh wait, this is shounen manga". XD I can buy Will A. Zeppeli (who looks like he stepped out of a copperplate engraving) and his Tibetan monks but not the "English" "history" "infodumps". Though granted it would have been way cooler if Mary Stuart did command knights who could strangle people and wield greatswords with their hair alone.

Anyhoo. The art is kind of fugly in this but it's not bad, just intentional. If that makes sense. XD

Now for your amusement, I will... watch some anime!

Comments

[vonbrigthi.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're going to have fun with Jojo. :x

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

I forgot about Daylight Saving Time! For the first time in like three years I woke up at 6:00am today, guess it didn't count D:

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

wow, you are PLOWING through Jojo! I read really slowly so I'm ashamed. XD If you turn into the like 4th person I've sent the manga to and then been outpaced by I WILL BE ASHAMED. XD XD XD

You should come on AIM or gchat or something when you're home because I love to talk about Jojo. XD Even better, come to our IRC channel where Puu and Nemi and Yosi and I will smother your brain with nonsense! >D Oh, and it's Jonathan's birthday (04/04) so in celebration, we're all drawing pics of him on the joekaki. You should come look. (maybe tomorrow night, I haven't drawn mine yet).

I love hearing your reaction to it though! XD Yosi's a medieval lit grad student or something lame and english departmental like that, so he also was like "what?" to the Mary Stuart thing XD. Araki seems to LOOOOOOOOVE the west, even borking our history... (remind me to send you the short manga he wrote about NICOLA TESLA really, which seems to have some inaccuracies and a strangely homoerotic scene where thomas edison backs young tesla up against a wall to threaten him. >_>) Oh, and Will A Zeppeli (name from Led Zeppelin, of course)... don't forget about his name or his lame circusmaster hat, because they will both reappear in part 2. XD (and then after part 2 you can read the retarded fanfic I wrote, which does have the virtue of being the only jojo fanfic we're aware of in english. XD;;) And how'd you like those Tibetian monks Tom Petty, Dire, and Straits? XD XD Or the vampire Doobie? Or the random Jack the Ripper nonsense? XD Or the horse scene with Jack?! Or the baby scene with the woman and Dio? (That was like my favorite scene in part 1, seriously XD XD XD) Oh, and how do you like the nonsensical posing? Or how that one hair knight totally went gay for Jojo (he is the first in a long, long line of people who will meet a Jojo and go gay for him/her, because basically if you have any good in you at all you'll fall for Jojo, no matter if you're a serial killer or whatever. Unless you're totally evil or just like being bad, in which case you'll fall for Dio. XD XD XD) TELL ME ALL THESE THINGS DAMMIT. XD

oh, and in part two you get to meet the homoerotically-drawn, mostly naked, EXCESSIVELY GOOD-LOOKING AND MUSCULAR quartet of Aztec vampire beings who actually created the stone masks. We call them "the man-train" for short.

[jokersama.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'm glad you're at least amused with the first series, because it can turn off people who don't know how weird the series eventually gets. The ending of part one is kind of sweet, although I tend to get a D: face when I realize how many things CLAMP has "borrowed" from JoJo. XD (Such as fodder for mpreg. No, I'm afraid so.)

As Ka said, part two is when it just starts dissolving into nonsense (Joestars vs. Nazis!) and well, I mean, each of the arcs has its own bizarre charm, I think. But yes, "bizarre" is the operative word here.

And I hope you like Dio, because he's around, or at least referenced, in every single freaking arc except for, uh, the second. (Come on, he promised that lady he wouldn't touch her baby, and he didn't! :D)

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Hmm, should I get into Jojo too? The length scared me, but now I am also curious about its influence on CLAMP. (But I suspect I might like whatever elements CLAMP borrowed just cause it's shounen. Heh.)

[incandescens]

I'm currently being tempted by Jojo myself. The discovery that it's up to around vol 45 in the French translation isn't making things any easier. :)

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

well, if you REALLY want to try it, I posted a link to the first 12 volumes in the comments to my latest entry (it was for sabina, but you can use it also). ^^; Just prepare for old-school shounen, because it was first published in 1987. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Lessons learnt by CLAMP from JoJo (keeping in mind I'm only at the beginning of volume 7):

1) Readers' brains make tasty snacks.
2) Design, design, design.

That is, CLAMP's actual design sense is diametrically polar to that of Araki's but there's a sense of uniqueness and internal coherency that most mangaka don't really have.

Probably out of all the stuff I've read to date it's most like GetBackers - same style of everything-and-the-kitchen-sink-and-a-Thackeray-quote construction. Unlike GB it reads really fast, though.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I'd say you should read it; my guess is that you'd grok it. *g*

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I think Dio won me in chapter 1 (when he arrives at Joestar Mansion and the first thing he does is to KICK THE DOG, just because he can). The baby scene is classic, though. XD

I've started part 2! Actually I find it totally impressive that he would essentially end a 4 1/2 volume long manga like that, and then jump directly into the "sequel" with the next chapter. No punches pulled. XD

Nearly every chapter has its WTF? moment but I revel in the unexpected. :D

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I find it reads really fast! That is, I was in a "get drunk and read manga" mood on Saturday night so I read four volumes and had two large gin and tonics, which may have contributed to my appreciation. XD Then I read two more volumes last night. The story moves, though, none of this one-fight-that-lasts-the-whole-volume shounen gubbins.

Mary Stuart: see, the thing is the mangaka puts in more period detail than you'd normally expect, and most of the time it's more accurate than what you'd normally expect (if you're used to reading Yuki Kaori or whatever XD). But when he diverges he doesn't get it wrong so much as he just heads off into a totally alternate universe of his own invention. So you're sort of nodding along like "Yup, 1938... Hitler, yup... wait what HOW DID NAZIS INVADE MEXICO."

So now instead of being like Bram Stoker, it's sort of like Indiana Jones. It's almost like a recap of shounen manga's storytelling antecedents. XD

The band names are totally awesome, you can pinpoint the five-year period during which this was published by character names alone. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have just (very belatedly) realised that other specific CLAMP tropes may have been gacked from JoJo, though it would be spoilerish to discuss.

It... doesn't explain everything so much as I now just wonder about the vagaries of CLAMP's creative process (unless you posit that they were young and impressionable when they read it so it fucked with their heads permanently, à la Mirage of Blaze -> Kurono Nanae XD;;).

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

mwahaaha, you started part 2? It's strange, but I think part 2 is my favorite overall... though Part 5 is the win so far and I love Steel Ball Run madly and Part 4 had the funniest ending. Part 5 is just SOOOO SKANKY and the art of Jojo is at its best at end of part 4 [he actually learned to draw] and beginning of part 5 [before he got lazy with inking and Giogio still has multiple facial expressions]. Although Steel Ball Run also has a fantastically awesome weird story and gorgeous art [we think due to being monthly now instead of weekly].

But back to part 2... I've thought about it carefully and although I love EVERY SINGLE JOJO VERY MUCH, Joseph's just the best to me, due to being such a hyperactive freak who is at once a genuine genius AND a total idiot. Joseph is madly intelligent, WHEN he bothers to think (but it's just so much effort!). He also does not suffer from low self esteem of any kind, which makes him really fun to write. (My only Jojo fanfic so far stars Joseph and his best friend Caesar, who is the typical guy who doesn't like the hero at first but then is charmed by his awesomeness. XD In fact Caesar is eventually caught saying to another man something to the effect of, "Well, Jojo may SAY retarded things, but really his heart is full of justice and l33tness! *__* Luv 4 him!" and the other man is like, "DUDE! GAY!" but Caesar does not notice. XD)

You've probably already got past some of part 2's many high points: the reflecting-eyebeams-with-shotglass nonsense (he IS smart, and stylish as well!) and also his, er, clever disguise which mysteriously fails to trick any Nazis. XD Part 2 is also when the art (if not the plot itself... oh, who am I kidding) becomes totally homoerotic, with all the mostly-naked manly men running around in loincloths and so on, and way too many acres of exposed manthigh. >_>

Sounds like you need part 3 soon... ask puu for it, she's got it up someplace. XD

As for speed of the series, it starts slowing down a bit (all other parts average 15-20 books each) but the fights don't really get any longer, it's more that there are MORE fights (still all only 4-6 short Jump chapters in length excepting boss fights). Parts 3 & 4 are especially guilty of this formulaic fight-move-fight pattern (part 3 in particular is EXACTLY like a fighting game and in fact Capcom made a very awesome one for it), although the fights are not always solved with actual physical battle and there are lots of random asides about travel and so on, because Araki is a world travel fanboy.

The "boss fights" have become much longer though... in part 4 the final boss fight took 2 whole books, though admittedly the first bit had no fighting in it at all. Actually Jojo is still unique among shounen manga for its percentage of "battles" that are fought without any physical blows being exchanged (other than maybe a victory beatdown). Well, and also, there has never been a battle tournament plotline. :D

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have just (very belatedly) realised that other specific CLAMP tropes may have been gacked from JoJo, though it would be spoilerish to discuss.

what, you mean FOREVER LOVE, FOREVER DREAM? XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

It could've been worse, I think! It could've been the EYEBEAMS. Ponder that. D:

(It didn't click at first because I was too busy going "..." at Dio. Also it was 4AM.)

[petronia.livejournal.com]

Joseph is a total smartass. XD I've gotten to the shotglass! That was ace! Although I was afraid when I saw it that he was going to take a shot of eyebeam juice

[incandescens]

Thanks!

[incandescens]

I've tried vol 3 of the English translation (vol 15 of the whole) and like it a lot so far. Ah, temptation...

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Haha, so that is a rec then? I sometimes think my tastes in anime/manga are fairly catholic, but I'm not really sure if that's true.

Reading fast is good, I think.

[jokersama.livejournal.com]

Part 3 (http://www.chthonian.net/teehee/Part3.zip), if you can't locate the actual releases. I like the official releases; I know that there is an actual JoJo fanboy working for Viz (dunno if he's actually doing the translation, but his very presence is promising!) Also, Araki has changed a few things for the American release: he's put together a 6-page "THE STORY SO FAR" summary of parts 1-2. (Also, if you're interested, in the JoJo OVA DVDs they did a bunch of summary storyboards to recap parts 1-2, which you can look through here. (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/gallery/0000bgp7))

And FINALLY, you have to FEAR Araki when he returns to any of his older works, because then, with his art nowadays, you will have stuff like this (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/0007ycw7) and this (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/0007zz06) and this (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/00080set) (Joseph and his three Aztec buddies)

Or you'll have KA'S FAVORITE PICTURE OF ALL, Jonathan vs. Dio. (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/0007gpq1)

HEE HEE HEE.

[jokersama.livejournal.com]

Well, besides a bunch of plot stuff, CLAMP did a couple of doujinshi, such as this (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/00016k8y) (all of those are Part 3 characters, except for the fellow in green in the lower right, who is CLAMP's fanon mpreg egg-baby of the two guys standing behind him. NO, REALLY.) They also had their fanon JoJo character pop up repeatedly in the CLAMP in wonderland music video, and they've stuck him in other random pieces of art too.

Also, you see the guy with the brown hair sort of center-ish (above the dude with the blond buzzcut). That's Noriaki Kakyoin. If you look at him and the guy to his right that he's leaning on (the third series JoJo, Kujo Jotaro)...

Well, we've got our horrible suspicions. >_> (http://clampartwork.free.fr/wish/image/Angel%20Anniversary.jpg) And then if you look at X's Kakyou when he was first introduced, well... (http://pics.livejournal.com/nemissa/pic/000dda1h/g17)

Also, Kakyoin has the ability to set up a kind of kekkai which he uses to cover several city blocks.

I could go on and on and on and on, but, uh, yeah. XD

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

The sad thing is that I don't even like CLAMP that much anymore, yet I still think that you guys should make a page that will REVEAL TO THE WORLD the sekrit shounen fightin' influence on CLAMP.

Also, yeah. Y'all have sold me, and I'll start reading it too...

[petronia.livejournal.com]

OW WHAT ON EARTH. XD;;;

(I don't understand how at some point it became impossible to tell people's genders in this! I mean they're still damn buff by normal standards, just... uh.

Even the stone mask is pink. :0)

Thanks for the upload! I won't be able to get it before Saturday though. m(_ _)m Will look for the Viz release in the manga shop.

[jokersama.livejournal.com]

HEE HEE HEE, KA, YOU LOVE IT! >3

Also, there's no rush for the zip; it's been up for a while and will remain up! :D

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

oops, deleted gay pink nonsense from the future comment accidentally... but i'm sure you saw it. KURSE U ARAKI

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

I am actually in the midst of making such a page. XD Of course I need the help of people more familiar than me, but I do have a boatload of pictures of mpreg boy, and information from CLAMP's website, and info from a japanese Jojo website about CLAMP HAVING DINNER WITH ARAKI (we're so jealous!!) and also from this BBS where CLAMP rigging some fanart contest so that Jojo would win... XD; Not to mention the things in their stuff that seem like vague references to Jojo ides. XD

[petronia.livejournal.com]

It's not just CLAMP, I'm up to volume 8 and I think I know where Kubo Tite fetched Shiba Kuukaku from. XD

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

Wow, ultimate fan fantasy, dinner with your mangaka idol. XD

Tell me when you make the page! I'll plug it to all the shoujo-loving people on my flist.

[angrybabble.livejournal.com]

?

[jokersama.livejournal.com]

Actually, the thing about CLAMP having dinner with Araki-sensei (he made them homemade pasta???) was from their own blog, wasn't it?

[re-miel.livejournal.com]

Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha.
So I go offline for three weeks, and what do I find when
I come back..? Sabina got into JoJo. :)
All your base belongs to us. :))
I remember once upon a time you calling myself reading JoJo something along the lines of a most incredible aesthetical disharmony.
But now, I hope, you understand. :)

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I don't think I would have understood until 2-3 years ago at most! Out of all series I have associated with you it may be the one that demands the most developed palate. *g* (Or a complete lack of palate, possibly. Either way it's not a condiment for the cosseted digestion.)

I'm only about halfway through, though I've more or less covered the 'classic' era I think.