JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders

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Alternative Titles

English: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

Synonyms: Dai San Bu Kujo Jotaro: Mirai e no Isan, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3

Japanese: ジョジョの奇妙な冒険スターダストクルセイダース

Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 24

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 5, 2014 to Sep 13, 2014

Premiered: Spring 2014

Broadcast: Saturdays at 00:30 (JST)

Producers: Yomiko Advertising, Warner Bros. Japan, Kamikaze Douga, KlockWorx, Shueisha

Licensors: VIZ Media

Studios: David Production

Source: Manga

Genres: Action, Adventure, Supernatural, Drama, Shounen

Duration: 24 min. per ep.

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Statistics

Score: 8.10¹ (scored by 534,152 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #413²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #126

Members: 776,504

Favorites: 15,650

8.10

Ranked #413Popularity #126Members 776,504

Spring 2014TVDavid Production

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Synopsis

Years after an ancient evil was salvaged from the depths of the sea, Joutarou Kuujou sits peacefully within a Japanese jail cell. He's committed no crime yet demands he not be released, believing he's been possessed by an evil spirit capable of harming those around him. Concerned for her son, Holly Kuujou asks her father, Joseph Joestar, to convince Joutarou to leave the prison. Joseph informs his grandson that the "evil spirit" is in fact something called a "Stand," the physical manifestation of one's fighting spirit which can adopt a variety of deadly forms. After a fiery brawl with Joseph's friend Mohammed Avdol, Joutarou is forced out of his cell and begins learning how to control the power of his Stand.

However, when a Stand awakens within Holly and threatens to consume her in 50 days, Joutarou, his grandfather, and their allies must seek out and destroy the immortal vampire responsible for her condition. They must travel halfway across the world to Cairo, Egypt and along the way, do battle with ferocious Stand users set on thwarting them. If Joutarou and his allies fail in their mission, humanity is destined for a grim fate.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stardust Crusaders, as well as its second season, is a full adaptation of the third part of the JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken manga series. The first season covers the first 69 chapters of the manga. As with the prior season, the opening theme animations were produced by the studio Kamikaze Douga (神風動画).

Episode Videos

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders
Alternative version:	JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Adventure
Prequel:	JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (TV)
Sequel:	JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders 2nd Season

Kojima, Sachiko
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Mizusaki, Junpei

Producer

Tsuda, Naokatsu

Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard

Suzuki, Kenichi

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Iwanami, Yoshikazu

Sound Director

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Opening Theme

"STAND PROUD" by Jin Hashimoto (橋本仁) (eps 2-10, 12-24)

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Ending Theme

#1: "Stardust Crusaders" by Yugo Kanno (ep 2)
#2: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles (eps 3-7, 9, 11-24)

More reviews

Reviews

Sep 6, 2014

24 of 24 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 10

PoppingPills (All reviews)

1021 people found this review helpful

I found myself stuck in the puddle of mediocrity that is 2014 summer season. Akame ga Kill, Tokyo Ghoul, Aldnoah.Zero and SAO II. I was slowly losing my faith in anime and on several occasions I thought that I should try to go outside my room and socialize with other Homo Sapiens. It was that bad.

Then...

Then I saw a pillar.

A pillar of hope.

A pillar of testosterone and manlyness.

A pillar of Jojo.

Story: 10 pillars of hope/10 pillars of hope

"This makes my plays look like Mars of Destruction in comparison" -William Shakespeare

Where do I begin? At the start most likely. It starts with our hero Jotaro read more

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Jul 28, 2019

24 of 24 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 3

Jesswem (All reviews)

208 people found this review helpful

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

I couldn't just stop at the first season, seeing as the Part 5 anime just ended I've decided to look back on the entire Jojo anime, from Dio to Diavolo and tell you why I believe Jojo is the most overpraised anime to have come out so far. Part 3 is without a shadow of doubt the most iconic arc in all of Jojo, when someone thinks of Jojo, they usually think of this, it's what cemented Jojo as a staple of Shounen, it was the first arc to get its own video game, it was the first arc to be adapted read more

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Sep 13, 2014

24 of 24 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 7

TheNeko (All reviews)

146 people found this review helpful

A new season of manliness, a new season of awesomeness, a new season of crazy onomatopoeias, impossible poses and clichéd phrases which are so awesome that will make you forget that they are really cliché. Here it is, a new season of JoJo´s Bizarre Adventures and it will be this Cat´s pleasure to review it.

Welcome to The Neko´s review of JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders.

As we know, JoJo is divided into several parts, each with it´s own character, own plot but with similar style. Stardust Crusaders is the third part of the whole Jojo´s Bizarre Adventures franchise and works as a sequel to the first season of Jojo, which included parts 1 and 2, Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency.
The series starts with the revelation of DIO´s comeback to the series, who is after the remaining Joestars heads, and the journey of the new Jojo, Jotaro Kujo, and his companions in order to exterminate DIO once and for all.
This time the series took a more episodic nature and replaced the Hamon by new powers called Stands, a manifestation of psychic powers that takes the form of any given character´s Alter Ego. I can only imagine all the Jojo fans, when this was published in the manga, going "Awww my GAWD, that is soooooooo AWESOME", because even if now it´s not THAT original, when the manga was first published it was a kinda big deal. Now we have things like Persona that do things like that, but Jojo is different in the aspect that here Stands can take ANY form, ranging from an enormous ship to a little insect, each with its own abilities and weaknesses. So this episodic nature that the series took this time is shown in a ‘Stand User of the week’ format. Bad guy appears, Jojo and his friends have to deal with him, they have trouble at first, then they find a way to beat him and then they win in the most awesome way possible...most of the times. While there are some really fun, filled with action and comedy episodes, there are also a lot of episodes that end up being either boring or completely irrelevant, such as The Sun episode. This happens because the author of the manga thought that it would be cool to have the Stands named after Tarot cards, the thing is that then he had to use them all leading to some really unnecessary episodes here and there. The episodic nature of the show can also be bothersome to some people since Part 1 and 2 had a more over arching story. Also, this season is only the first half of Stardust Crusaders with more to come in 2015, so its ending really doesn´t conclude anything, nothing to worry about since its continuation is already announced.
But of course, this is still Jojo so we still have the things that make Jojo what it is, bizarre comedy, lots of action and cool phrases, so if you liked season 1 then you will most likely enjoy this season anyway.

The artwork in Season one wasn´t the best there is because of the short budget, but they still compensated with filters and colour changing to make it look cool enough despite the short budget. This time they have more money and it shows, the animation is more fluid, colours are more vivid and backgrounds are more detailed but they still keep all the things that made the first season´s animation so cool, all the change of colours, all the onomatopoeias, all the style is still here and it looks better than ever. The character designs are still Jojo too, lots of muscles and the cool hairstyles are still here. Jotaro´s design is the one I liked the most, it served its purposed which is to make him look like a badass.

In this part we have a new set of main characters starring the new JoJo, Jotaro Kujo and his friends, Mohammed Avdol, Jean Pierre Polnareff, Kakyoin Noriaki and the old version of Battle Tendency´s Jojo, the fabulous Joseph Joestar, Jotaro´s grandfather. Sadly, Jotaro didn´t live up to my expectations as a protagonist, he was to much of a badass protagonist than anything else, and is a kind of bland character. It seemed as if he was too forced into being a badass and that had it´s consequences. He lacked a lot of the charisma that the previous JoJo, Joseph, had. Still, he isn´t by any means a dislikeable character, but he is far from being one of my favourites.
Speaking of Joseph, he is back as an old version of himself this season, and boy did he make me worry at first. In the first couple of episode he was presented as a mature old man, almost completely different to the original Joseph Joestar, and I was "But...is this really the Joseph that we all know and love?" and it wasn´t until he starred in one episode that this series said "FUCK YES HE IS!" leading to one of the best episodes in the series where we get to hear his old phrases such as "OOOOOOOOH NOOOOOOO" and "Your next line will be...", so yeah, Joseph is still awesome.
On the other hand we got Avdol and Kakyoin as supporting characters who had some moments to shine here and there but there is nothing that stands out that much, they are nice characters, but I wouldn´t say they are amazing. Polnareff on the other hand was the source of most of the usual bizarre comedy and with his joyful personality (most of the time) he ended up being one of the more likeable characters of Stardust Crusaders, at least until now.
Sadly even if DIO came back we still don´t get to see much of him and his fabulousness on screen, he does have a couple of scenes, but for now he doesn´t do much, since he is to cool to go out and kill all the Joestars by himself. We have secondary villains every episode, but the only ones that stand out are Hol Horse and Enyaba, with other less important villains such as The Empress, which are more funny that any other thing.

The soundtrack in this part is composed Yugo Kanno who, as redundant as it may sound, isn´t Taku "God" Iwasaki, the composer of Battle Tendency. As such the only track that really stood out was the Main Theme, Stardust Crusaders, with the rest of the soundtrack being kinda forgettable. In the other hand the voice acting is still great for the most part, every seiyuu did a grat job with it´s character, the only complain I have is with Jotaro, voiced by Daisuke Ono, since his voiced lacked some emotion, even in moments where Jotaro gets hit, it´s not really his fault but is still weird see Jotaro getting damaged and still not showing any sign of emotion, not even in his voice.
This season features only one Opening and one Ending, the opening being "Stand Proud" by Jin Hashimoto, a song that, as always, captures almost perfectly the essence of the Part, is a hit-or-miss song, but for me it was a really cool theme. The ending is of course an 80's song, "Walk like an Egyptian" by the Bangles, is a nice song, but I still prefer the opening one.

As always Jojo´s Bizarre Adventures is still a really enjoyable instalment of the franchise, with some boring episodes here and there, sure, but enjoyable indeed. If you liked season one then there´s probably no reason why you shouldn´t watch this one, because even if it´s not as good as the first one in my honest opinion, at least not yet, it still has most of the things that made Season one so great.

Disappointed? Maybe a little since I was hearing so much things about this being the best part of Jojo´s Bizarre Adventures, and I still prefer Battle Tendency over this one, but this still provided me with lots of fun every week, more than what can be said about other series this season, and it is still Jojo, with its poses, its phrases, its over the top action and its bizarre comedy it will surely be enough to satisfy anyone who is looking for some MANLINESS this year. Now the second half is coming out on Winter of 2015 and I am not planning to miss it.

This has been The Neko and I wish you have a nice day/night.

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Sep 12, 2014

24 of 24 episodes seen

Overall Rating: 8

Stark700 (All reviews)

118 people found this review helpful

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders is more than just a classic adventure filled with bizarreness. Taking a journey into this show is an experience like no other when it comes to creativity. It’ll be like riding a roller coaster that will leave you with the impression of giddiness and “oh what the bloody hell”. But if you think that now, just wait until you find out what our heroes has to blaze through. It’s more than just hell as they become crusaders in this adventure to fulfill their destiny.

Continuing from where Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012) left off, Stardust Crusaders adapts Araki Hirohiko’s manga of the same name. The series takes place in the year of 1989 where we meet Jotaro Kujo, the grandson of Joseph Joestar. After discovering that he is possessed by a mysterious psychic force, Jotaro comes to realize that this manifestation is dubbed as “Stands”. The story gets more complex as Jotaro’s own mother, Holly develops a Stand of her own (due to family origins) that threatens her very own existence. Realizing that Dio Brando is responsible for such development, Jotaro starts the crusade to rid of his influence.

An important element to take notice from Stardust Crusaders is the introduction of Stands. The concept becomes a prominent device for progress as we witness how they function and adapt to present a credible story. Essentially, Araki experimented with the idea of these Stands as manifestations. The first Stand we see in the series, the Star Platinum, becomes a pivotal figure. What originally seemed like a mad idea becomes enveloped with creativity as witness the diversity of the Stands presented throughout the series. Characters who develop Stands utilize them for a variety of purposes. But what’s more important is that some of them even reflect a side of their persona. The show succeeds with this concept by connecting the idea of Stands with its characters and story to bring about a Jojo pantheon. It does seem like a gamble at first but the risk pays off. The show colorfully depicts Stands through their powers and inspirations that are thought provoking. No Stand looks alike and all of them possess a different power. It creates a thrilling atmosphere of eccentricity as it will make you curious. It will make you wonder and evoke a process to dissect what Araki does with his idea. And honestly, this idea is pure genius.

Like the previous series, Stardust Crusaders also follows the adventure of Jojo and his experiences. Joining him includes Joseph Joestar from its prequel as well as new characters. What’s important about these new characters is that they all have their own Stand. But even more so is the way they develop over as the story progresses. Nothing is really complex about their persona and is fairly straightforward. Perhaps it could be even colored bizarre such as some of the habits of our main characters such as Kakyoin or Polnareff. The show also offer a fair chance for each of the main characters to get their spotlight. This is justified by some of the reasons why these characters join Jotaro on his journey. For instance, Polnareff brings himself along in order to deliver vengeance against a man that took the life of his dear sister. The show intertwines sub-plots during the journey to provide a closure to various story driven plots.

Like its main character cast, the antagonists of the series offer a complex mixture. It’s like a theatrical showdown every time as our heroes deal with threats throughout their journey. They meet antagonists with diverse personalities, some with definite purpose while others treats our crusaders like a game. I think it’s safe to say that the hunters become the hunted. Furthermore, the man pulling the strings behind the scenes (Dio) is often portrayed as a mastermind. And as a man of complex nature, the show crafts its story carefully as Dio’s arsenal of militias goes to work at the most strangest of places. The antagonists’ Stands are also named after tarot cards with some incredible powers to really push the limits of our heroes. Their unique nature and complexity of their powers bring about Araki’s creativity. His ideas comes to crucial play here as each Stand find their niche in this adventure. It expands more than just inventiveness though as some of the Stands also provoke laughter and emotions. For what it’s worth, the Stands and antagonists are like a pair of column that holds the story in place. They not only test the wits of the crusaders where they must think outside the box to prevail but also stimulate emotions. As the story progresses, we find out more about the true nature of some of the main characters as well.

Starring protagonist Jotaro remains the most prominent cast member of the crusaders. Even to this date, he is perhaps the most well-known Jojo from the franchise. On the surface, he may be seen as a cold figure with an indifferent outlook on life while displaying his delinquent-like personality. Yet deep down, he truly does care about his friends and family. This is clearly shown throughout the journey with his words and action with characters such as Ann. Similarly, other main characters show their selfless nature. While some shows it differently than others, it’s evident that they truly care about their comrades. It becomes a highlight reel once you stay with the focus involving the main characters because of their personalities. Each of them may come from different backgrounds but their union together as crusaders is like a brotherhood. It has the feelings, bonding, and is amazing to realize that a journey can bring some strangers together in full circle.

With its adventurous mood, the show also explores a variety of territories featuring all sorts of terrain. The show covers a decent amount of ground in the first half as they journey towards Egypt to stop Dio. Throughout this journey, the wonders of the adventure can be felt with what characters discover involving different cultures. And despite its supernatural conventions, the show also has bits of realism and can even be relatable when it comes to culture. It can be easily indulged to fulfill elements of creativity through Araki’s concepts. Although the story itself sometimes may feel like a “Monster of the Week” formula with limited development, it’s also important realize the experiment that the author is bringing into his work. In retrospect though, the series isn’t very well written when it comes to explaining certain points. The series has many plot holes that perhaps will never be explained and is left to the imaginative minds of the viewers. While this may seem like a backstabber at first, the show instead cleverly delivers its dynamics and entertaining factors. With or without the bizarreness, Jojo SC’s plot isn’t one that strives to achieve logic. It aims to achieve its purpose to deliver bizarreness. This might come as a mixed bag for some people as the oddball humor could get out of control. The ‘monster of the week’ formulation might not also be suitable for some viewers through its context.

The artwork of Jojo SC is formidable when it comes to visual presentation. Character designs reflects the classic style of the franchise while retaining its purpose. Every Stand in the show looks different with emphasis on their design and the bizarreness. The fights are also well coordinated that explodes onto the screen with energy. To add to the flavor are humorous gimmicks and dialogues coming from the heart of our characters. And similar to the previous season, trademark phrases such as ‘ORA ORA ORA’ are timed fabulously to grab a viewer’s attention. As discussed before, the show’s settings have a variety of backgrounds and each of them convey it well when it comes to delivery. Ranging from mountainous terrain, to foggy ghost towns, or even aboard an aircraft, the show achieves its adventurous tone. David Production surely deserves some praise for their superior animation quality here.

Similarly, soundtrack plays a strong role throughout the show. The OP song "STAND PROUD" by Jin Hashimoto envelops itself with a fast paced coordination with decorative montages of the main characters with hints of foreshadowing. On the other hand, the ED song "Walk Like an Egyptian" delivers its theme of Egypt to the core. OST is also impressive especially during climatic scenarios. Even when the mood seems to be calm, the OST creates a feeling of thrilling experience to show that our heroes are always in danger during their journey. Characters voices are impressive to say the least on most parts whether it’s Jotaro’s stoic mannerisms, Kakyoin’s outgoing personality, or Joseph’s wisdom. Oh and of course, don’t forget that ORA ORA ORA on the door to the way out.

An epic journey is perhaps what Jojo Stardust Crusaders should be essentially known for. But it expands more than that with the characters, gimmicks, and overall clever writing. While it’s not one of the smartest adventure tale with the history books, Jojo SC is a blockbuster with its exceptional creativity. I’m not just referring to the Stands or characters but also the humor it strives to deliver. It doesn’t go diehard mode with its comedy but instead scales the performance of the characters to bring them at their best during the journey. Perhaps the story plot holes can be a bit frustrating to deal with at times. However, mincing it down is silly when a show with this amount of bizarreness. If for some reason that you decide to go full Sherlock Holmes and try to find these plot holes, then the experience of this show would not suit you well. You’ll be missing out the entertainment as Stardust Crusaders elevates bizarreness in a fashionable way like never before.

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