For decades, manga artist Hirohiko Araki has been forging the stories surrounding the Joestar bloodline in the pages of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Earlier this year, JOJO Day had some big news for anime fans as David Production confirmed it will return to adapt the long-awaited Steel Ball Run. As fans wait for the animated adventures of Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, the country of France has celebrated Araki himself as the manga artist celebrates his 65th birthday. Even with Araki getting older, the mangaka has stated in the past that he would like nothing more than to work on the series forever, meaning we could still be in for years of Joestar stories.
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France’s Japanese embassy shared a message celebrating Araki’s birthday, coinciding with the recent release of Rohan At The Louvre, “Today, June 7, is the birthday of manga master Hirohiko Araki. Beloved even in France, Araki-sensei participated in the Louvre BD project, in which the Louvre Museum invites artists from around the world to create collaborative works. There, he depicted a one-of-a-kind story set in the Louvre, infused with his unique aesthetic sensibilities. In France, comics are referred to as the ‘ninth art.’ We extend our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to Araki-sensei, who helped build a cultural bridge between Japan and France through this medium. Happy birthday, Master Araki!”
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Hirohiko Araki’s Story Continues
Currently, the franchise’s manga is following the story of Jodio and Dragona Joestar in The JOJOLands. Taking place in Hawaii, the series has followed the protagonists attempting to score enough money to keep their mother afloat and financially taken care of. Shockingly, the recent arc brought in Joestar favorite Kishibe Rohan to encounter the siblings as the protagonists attempted a diamond heist to make sure their bank accounts were taken care of. While The JOJOLands has plenty of heroes that make up the Joestars’ crew, many readers are still wondering who the main villain of the story will turn out to be. Considering the franchise has had some worthy antagonists such as Dio Brando, Diavolo, Pucci, Kars, and more, Dragona and Jodio’s main foe will have some big shoes to fill to live up to their predecessors.
While the manga has released new chapters on a steady clip, The JOJOLands is most likely years away from hitting the small screen. As of the writing of this article, Steel Ball Run has yet to reveal a release date and since the anime is stringently following its source material, Jodio and Dragona’s anime arrival is quite far away. With so many anime franchises having recently ended or steering toward their grand finale, the Joestars will seemingly remain a fixture in the medium for years to come.
Want to follow along with the story of the Joestars? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime or hit us up in the comments.
