Anime to Watch: Stardust Crusaders

It’s been a very long time since my review for Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency, but it’s finally time to tell everyone to watch the next part in the series. Why has it taken me so long?

Easy. The next part, Stardust Crusaders, is my favorite anime, and I have trouble putting into words exactly why I love this show so much. I mean, I have all the manga volumes of this part sitting on my shelf, right next to even more Stardust memorabilia. I totally don’t have more Stardust merch sitting in my shopping carts on various websites…

But back to me telling you why you need to watch this section of the Jojoverse.

Picking up where Part 1, Phantom Blood, left off, Dio returns to wreak havoc on the current Joestar descendants. There’s Joseph from Battle Tendency, now an old man, and his grandson Jotaro Kujo, this part’s main Jojo. Right off the bat, this duo is reason number one to watch this part of the Jojo saga. Joseph is still his loud and boisterous self from Battle Tendency, whereas Jotaro is a stoic badass with a quiet, moody temperament. They’re total opposites with the same goal, so watching them play off each other makes for both hilarious and emotional scenes together.

Personally, Jotaro Kujo is my absolute favorite Jojo. Yes, he has his moments where he’s insanely rude and standoffish, but I like that he’s not perfectly likeable. He lets his actions speak more than his words, so the littlest head nods and occasional smiles are the most you’ll get to show how he’s feeling. He rarely says that he loves his grandfather, or the rest of his travel companions, but he’ll risk his life for them, and have these tiny character moments that let you into his head, and I really liked having to pay attention to him to catch those details. Not to mention, when insane, hilarious things happen to him, his straight-faced attitude make for some of the funniest moments in the show.

Also, along for the ride are more fighters on the quest to end Dio. They include Kakyoin, the smart and honorable Jobro for Jotaro, Polnareff, the goofy, passionate Frenchman, and Avdol, Joseph’s loyal friend with a fierce sense of duty. The group is so amazing. They’re each so different, and their dynamics are always fun to watch every episode.

Another fun aspect to this part that makes it interesting to watch is the new fighting style. While Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency have hamon, Stardust introduces Stands. A Stand is a person’s fighting spirit made physical. For example, Jotaro’s is a buff as hell purple dude named Star Platinum and he punches things WICKED FAST. As in this punchy ghost will literally break every bone in your body if you mess with him. The Stands are so cool. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they have different abilities so that every fight is unique. Some can shapeshift, one can manipulate water, one can invade dreams, and the list goes on. Watching the crusaders figure out the new abilities and work out ways to win was always a joy for me.

To talk about the show’s animation, there’s also the amazing signature look of extremely buff men everywhere you look in Stardust. It’s so stylized, that it’s almost comical to know that Jotaro and Kakyoin are high school students when they look like literal professional bodybuilders. Sure there’s tons of anime with buff men out there, but the way Jojo mixes ultra-masculine physiques with model-esque posing is definitely unique. There’s a reason the anime community is all about Jojo posing, and there’s a ton of iconic and fun poses in this season too. It's always refreshing to watch an anime with an intense, signature style, and Jojo is so distinct, you can recognize it from a single frame of the show.

Overall, Stardust Crusaders is a fun show. There’s tons of nonsensical humor and action to keep you entertained every episode. I forgot to mention, but those voice acting in both the sub and the dub I also must highlight that it’s a perfect, bingeable show, clocking in at 48 episodes. I’ll shamelessly admit that I knocked out the last 24 episodes in one weekend…and then I’ve rewatched it…multiple times…subbed and dubbed...don't judge me.

So yes, this season of Jojo has consumed my life. Stardust Crusaders is a fantastic, action-packed ride for anyone looking for an exciting anime to check out.