
These elements were, however, only added later. Of course, we’re talking about the way characters fight, first using the Ripple and then Stands…. In addition to this revolutionary idea, other elements also proved key for JoJo’s success. Fortunately, I was right, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been continuing its success since 1987… Next year, we’ll be celebrating our 10th anniversary! But I kept on insisting that we do it this way, mostly because I didn’t want to get bogged down drawing the same character for years, and because I wanted to progress the story through specific historical periods without resorting to gimmicks like time travel. If readers took the news badly, it could’ve ended in a total disaster. This meant that I was already aware of the fact that I would need to make three different JoJo’s, who would – in some sort of way – all be descendants of each other, and that their lives would be linked by a common curse.Īnyway, I have to say that the editors at the time weren’t keen on the idea of switching protagonists, especially for a popular series. Let me explain: I originally only planned for the series to be three parts, ending with the final confrontation against Dio Brando. I think it’s safe to say that this series is the only “generational saga” to come from Japan. I was born on June 7, 1960, in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. (Edited by Andrea Baricordi with special thanks to Naomi Okita and Tiziano Capelli)īefore we start the interview – can you tell us a bit about yourself? A Stand For A Friend - Interview with Hirohiko Araki
