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Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1-Phantom Blood, Vol. 1 by Hirohiko Araki
20 reviews
wouterk's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is a review for the whole Phantom Blood Arc. A great series with a great start. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, is exactly that, Bizarre. In this first series we learn about the origin of Dio and his intrinsic evilness. We see how the feud with the Joestar family starts, a battle between good and evil over generations.
The Drawing style from the 80s is really recognizable and these volumes have very awesome panels. The story is great as well. The hype that the Anime had makes you almost forget how dark this series is. Trigger warnings for bullying, animal cruelty, violence against infants, psychological and physical torture, blood and gore. Still if you can handle this, The story and world building are equally fascinating and engaging. I loved the forms of vampirism, including freezing powers, versus the literal breath of love, light and heat called Hamon.
A great series, on to Battle Tendency!
The Drawing style from the 80s is really recognizable and these volumes have very awesome panels. The story is great as well. The hype that the Anime had makes you almost forget how dark this series is. Trigger warnings for bullying, animal cruelty, violence against infants, psychological and physical torture, blood and gore. Still if you can handle this, The story and world building are equally fascinating and engaging. I loved the forms of vampirism, including freezing powers, versus the literal breath of love, light and heat called Hamon.
A great series, on to Battle Tendency!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Violence, Bullying, and Gore
ambenicole418's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
JoJo: *simply existing*
Dio (for no reason whatsoever): “Hmm 🤔 what can I do to make JoJo’s life a living hell today?”
How do you come straight out the gate kicking someone’s dog???? What ever happened to “Hello. How are you? My name is…..” 😭
Dio (for no reason whatsoever): “Hmm 🤔 what can I do to make JoJo’s life a living hell today?”
How do you come straight out the gate kicking someone’s dog???? What ever happened to “Hello. How are you? My name is…..” 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
scoobygirl93's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Murder
pomegranate_muse's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Murder, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Violence
seriouslybookedup's review against another edition
dark
2.5
From the first few pages, it's apparent that this is one of those mangas that was A Product of Its Time. Everything about it screams 1980's. Right in the beginning we get an egregious characterization of Aztecs as murderous cannibals in possession of magical objects. Then, we go right into a fever dream of a plot that should have ended with Dio being spectacularly KO'd after he kicks JoJo's dog. I know we're supposed to think JoJo is a forgiving, stand-up guy for attempting a relationship with Dio after that incident, but I just thought he was a pathetic idiot.
I wanted to read this because I'm newish to manga and this seemed like a seminal piece of work that kept cropping up - I wanted to be in "in the know." I can admit, there's a certain appeal. The art style is so bizarrely cartoonish, it's hard NOT to keep turning the pages to see these figures warped and expanded in some truly outlandish proportions. I kept having to remind myself that these beefy, grotesque dudes are supposed to be young boys in the first half of the volume and not roided-up swolbros.
The story is manic. I literally laughed out loud when JoJo, in a fit of despair, rolls himself down a hill and into a creek. Or when he was sobbing in bed, thinking about his dead mother then abruptly stops crying when he spots a chocolate bar on his nightstand and eats it like the Cookie Monster - apropos of absolutely nothing. So clearly, this manga is not taking itself too seriously.
I can't help but want to know what happens next but I can't say I'm enjoying myself or see myself sticking with the series long-term. There are at least two graphic depictions of dog abuse that I didn't think would bother me but it did. (Edit: I'm coming back after watching episode one of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure on Netflix to point out that the graphic scene of the dog jumping out of the furnace is conspicuously missing from the anime. Ah, so I wasn't alone in thinking it was a bridge too far...).
Plus, Dio is an obnoxious villain who I hope dies soon. And JoJo, so far, is a real wimpy twit of a protagonist. The dialogue and story assume the audience has the mental reasoning of an 8-year old boy with characters loudly and declaratively stating every thought or action that's taking place. But the violence also assumes the audience should have the emotional intelligence of at least a teenager. There's absolutely no nuance.
I plan on getting the second volume to see if it improves (or at least get some satisfaction if Dio dies) but I may just move ahead to a newer story arc and hope that I've learned enough lore for it to make sense.
I wanted to read this because I'm newish to manga and this seemed like a seminal piece of work that kept cropping up - I wanted to be in "in the know." I can admit, there's a certain appeal. The art style is so bizarrely cartoonish, it's hard NOT to keep turning the pages to see these figures warped and expanded in some truly outlandish proportions. I kept having to remind myself that these beefy, grotesque dudes are supposed to be young boys in the first half of the volume and not roided-up swolbros.
The story is manic. I literally laughed out loud when JoJo, in a fit of despair, rolls himself down a hill and into a creek. Or when he was sobbing in bed, thinking about his dead mother then abruptly stops crying when he spots a chocolate bar on his nightstand and eats it like the Cookie Monster - apropos of absolutely nothing. So clearly, this manga is not taking itself too seriously.
I can't help but want to know what happens next but I can't say I'm enjoying myself or see myself sticking with the series long-term. There are at least two graphic depictions of dog abuse that I didn't think would bother me but it did. (Edit: I'm coming back after watching episode one of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure on Netflix to point out that the graphic scene of the dog jumping out of the furnace is conspicuously missing from the anime. Ah, so I wasn't alone in thinking it was a bridge too far...).
Plus, Dio is an obnoxious villain who I hope dies soon. And JoJo, so far, is a real wimpy twit of a protagonist. The dialogue and story assume the audience has the mental reasoning of an 8-year old boy with characters loudly and declaratively stating every thought or action that's taking place. But the violence also assumes the audience should have the emotional intelligence of at least a teenager. There's absolutely no nuance.
I plan on getting the second volume to see if it improves (or at least get some satisfaction if Dio dies) but I may just move ahead to a newer story arc and hope that I've learned enough lore for it to make sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Animal death, Violence, Blood, Bullying, and Cultural appropriation
maxor76's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I like Jonathan, sure he might be a little boring but. In seriousness i dont mind his character, he does what he needs to do and is a good starting point for the series. He is simply a gentleman dealing with his abusive brother.
I like the added story you get here too, like the reason why Diokilled Danny
The art is also just charming to say the least.
I like the added story you get here too, like the reason why Dio
The art is also just charming to say the least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
bopancakes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Violence
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Alcoholism and Murder
bohboh's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I bought into the hype surrounding this series and tried really hard to enjoy it. I did find myself liking some parts of it. Unfortunately the characters fell so flat and uninteresting. Every emotion they displayed felt so forced and disingenuous.
The art is hit-or-miss; Araki cites the musclehead culture of the time ('80s) inspiring the evolution of JoJo and Dio's design. This was not well executed, however, with some of the body frames just ridiculously out of proportion and off-putting.
I did try to like this, and may try the second book to see if the series gets better, but I was unenthused with the content of this book.
The art is hit-or-miss; Araki cites the musclehead culture of the time ('80s) inspiring the evolution of JoJo and Dio's design. This was not well executed, however, with some of the body frames just ridiculously out of proportion and off-putting.
I did try to like this, and may try the second book to see if the series gets better, but I was unenthused with the content of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
ana_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Parts of this book feels so so silly and I love it so much for that. The characters just constantly outright stating their intentions leaves no room for subtly and in any other story that might be frustrating, but combined with the often exaggerated physicality of the art style and earnestness of the characters, it comes across as very charming. There are a lot of darker/intense moments, but because so much else felt so cartoonishly over the top, I think the heavier/darker aspects did not hit me as hard as they maybe could have if the overall tone felt darker/heavier. Dio is so cartoonishly evil that it feels almost like a parody character at times.
All that aside, overall it's a pretty good read and I'm excited to finish the rest of the Phantom Blood arch.
All that aside, overall it's a pretty good read and I'm excited to finish the rest of the Phantom Blood arch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Body horror
kaitieg97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
That was in fact bizarre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Gore, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent