Anime Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Vento Aureo
Giorno Giovanna never knew his father. Given that his biological father was the vampiric supervillain known as DIO, this is probably for the best. His mother named the product of her one-night fling Haruno Shiobana, but after she married and settled down in Italy, Giorno changed his name to fit in. Giorno’s stepfather was abusive. After Giorno first used his Stand Gold Experience to help out a friendly gangster, that gangster leaned on stepdad to make him stop abusing Giorno. As a result, Giorno decided that when he grew up, he was going to become a “Gangstar!”
This is the fifth installment of the wacky events that happen to members of the Joestar family (DIO was using Jonathan Joestar’s body at the time of Giorno’s conception) based on the manga series by Hirohiko Araki. To provide contrast to the previous installment “Diamond is Unbreakable”, the scene switches from Japan to Italy.
Giorno is a student in Naples at the beginning of the story, committing minor grifts to get pocket money. This attracts the attention of mob enforcer “Leaky-Eye” Luca. In the ensuing confrontation, Giorno inadvertently ends up killing Luca with the power of Gold Experience, which instills life in objects for various effects. While it wasn’t his plan to do that, Giorno is not particularly upset.
The mysterious boss of Passione, the organized crime syndicate that rules Italy, is rather more upset, and orders Bruno Bucciarati to investigate the death. Bucciarati, whose Stand Sticky Fingers allows him to create zippers on any surface, quickly figures out that Giorno is responsible, and battle ensues.
The two young men gain each other’s respect during the fight, and we learn that both Giorno and Bucciarati hate the fact that Passione is involved in selling addictive drugs to children. They believe that gangsters should protect the weak, and form a plan to overthrow the current boss. One big problem: the boss operates through numerous cutouts to the point no one knows who he actually is!
After Giorno passes an initiation test, Bucciarati introduces him to the rest of Bruno’s elite team. Abbacchio, a former cop whose Moody Blues allows him to recreate past events; Mista, a slacker whose Sex Pistols allow him to control bullets and make impossible shots; Narancia, a runt whose Aerosmith Stand summons a tiny fighter/bomber plane; and Fugo, a genius with a temper problem and the deadly Purple Haze Stand that releases a flesh-eating virus.
In short order, Bucciarati becomes capo of Naples, and then is given a new and highly dangerous assignment. It appears that unknown to everyone including the boss, the boss has a daughter named Trish who recently lost her mother. The team must deliver her safely to the boss, battling other traitorous elements within Passione who believe that capturing Trish will give them a hold over the boss in some way.
And just as the team thinks they’ve accomplished that mission, there’s a new twist!
The Good: While the plot structure of this part is a lot like Stardust Crusaders (have battle, travel to new location, have another battle, travel until the final boss is found), Araki has tightened it up considerably with much less padding–each encounter accomplishes a goal that moves directly forward. This makes the series feel more cohesive.
Lots of interesting battles with the unique powers that are one of the highlights of the Jojo series. There’s a feeling of suspense as the protagonists’ numbers are whittled down one by one. (Including the first Jojo character to just quit in the middle of the story.)
Less good: Most of the main characters are obnoxious people. Okay, they’re gangsters, we knew going in they aren’t nice guys. (There’s a scene where the squad dances while torturing a defeated enemy.) But I never really warmed up to any of them.
Most of the costume choices are atrocious. We are told in the narration that Italian gangsters dress to blend in with the civilian population. Apparently this is best done by wearing clothing that makes them look like models that have just walked off a photo shoot of a fashion line that has already bombed. (The names are also pretty silly as most of them were taken from the menu of an upscale Italian restaurant.)
The final boss is kind of enh once he’s actually on screen instead of hiding behind his King Crimson Stand.
The Ugly: Three clip episodes. Three! Skip them all.
Other Things: Because of trademark issues, many of the music-related names are changed in the English. For example, “Gold Experience” (a Prince album) is changed to “Golden Wind” which at least fits with the name of the manga/anime. This is worst with the Stand Notorious B.I.G., which only shows its true power after its owner is killed. It’s renamed “Notorious Chase” which ruins the joke.
I like the second opening theme, which is very James Bond in feel.
Oh, and just after the climactic battle with the final villain, the story flashes back to events happening during the first episode that Giorno wasn’t present for. It’s…a bold narrative choice.
This is my least favorite Jojo part, but still well worth a watch if you like the other parts.
