"Kishibe Rohan Doesn't Move" is a spin-off work featuring Kishibe Rohan, a character who appears in Part 4 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, "Diamond is Unbreakable," as the protagonist. Kishibe Rohan Doesn't Move has been published irregularly in Jump, published online, and in girls' manga magazines, but in January of this year it also became a hot topic as a live-action drama. We would like to introduce you to Hirohiko Araki, the author of "Kishibe Rohan Doesn't Move" and the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series!
When did Hirohiko Araki make his debut?
Rohan Kishibe made his debut in 1980 with "Busou Poker," which was a runner-up in the 20th Tezuka Award. He began submitting his work at the age of 16, due to the fact that his same-age collaborator, Yudetamago, had made his debut in Jump, a similar reason to "Bakuman." After short serializations of "Magical Boy BT" and "Baoh: The Visitor," he began serializing "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" in 1987, which has continued to this day with eight parts.
A one-of-a-kind work!! What is Hirohiko Araki's style?
His style is reminiscent of Renaissance art, with unique maneuverability and sound effects that are unparalleled. Even poses like the famous JoJo pose were heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance art. Character development is something he places the utmost importance on when drawing manga, and he carefully considers details like family structure, organizations he belongs to, and hobbies to ensure the characters and story remain consistent.
A Style Emphasizing Intellectual Battles
While it's not unusual now, at the time, works incorporating intellectual battles, where characters outwit their opponents with their wits, were considered revolutionary. At the time, many works focused on simple, straightforward strategies, such as simply overpowering enemies with sheer brute force. JoJo's innovative approach, featuring tactics and tricks to outwit their opponents, had a major impact on the manga world. "Liar Game" is so well-influenced that it's immediately obvious.
JoJo's Roots in Ability Battles?! A Pioneer of Stand-Based and Other Supernatural Power Battles
While it's not uncommon these days, this work can be considered the root of supernatural power battles, where each character possesses their own unique power. While there are many games and manga that feature individual supernatural powers, such as Stand-Based abilities, it was extremely rare at the time. Even works like "Yu Yu Hakusho" and "One Piece" may have been influenced by JoJo. However, there are also works that clearly resemble the original, such as Rose from the "Street Fighter" series.
A Ripple User? The Ageless Hirohiko Araki
Araki turned 60 in 2020. However, it's said that his appearance hasn't changed since he was 25. Looking at actual photos, it's hard to believe he's 60. In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part II, a character named Lisa Lisa appears as the protagonists' mentor. While she appears to be a beautiful woman in her late 20s, she's actually 50 years old, and it's said that she maintains her youthful appearance thanks to her mastery of the Ripple Breathing technique. As a result, rumors are circulating that Araki is also a "ripple user" or a "vampire."
The Regular Araki
Araki is famous for not changing his appearance even as he gets older, but he himself is aware of his age, and he leads a disciplined life that's hard to believe for a manga artist. While staying up all night is a given for manga artists who publish weekly series, and some even end up in poor health and unable to recover, Araki maintains a consistent routine and never stays up all night. Despite this, he has apparently never missed a manuscript.
An introduction to Hirohiko Araki's JoJo series!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood
The first episode of JoJo. It marks the beginning of a three-generation battle between the Joestar family and their nemesis, Dio Brando. This is the story of the feud over the Stone Mask between Jonathan Joestar, the son of British aristocrat Lord George Joestar, and Dio Brando, a boy from the slums. The story depicts the deadly battle between Dio, who has been transformed into a vampire by the Stone Mask, and Jonathan, who has mastered Ripple in order to defeat Dio.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency
The second JoJo work. The protagonist is Joseph Joestar, the son of Jonathan and Erina. Set in 1938, 50 years after Phantom Blood, the story begins with Speedwagon, who also appeared in the previous work, discovering a large number of stone masks and the "Pillar Men." The story depicts the battle between the Pillar Men and Joseph and his companions, who have inherited the Ripple. 50 years after the end of the battle, the setting shifts to Japan.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "Stardust Crusaders"
This is the third JoJo work. It is arguably the most famous of the series, and it was also the first to introduce the concept of Stands. The story revolves around the feud between JoJo and Dio, spanning three generations of father and son, and stars Joseph's grandson, Jotaro Kujo.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
This is the fourth JoJo series. Rohan Kishibe also appears in this work, which is set in Morioh Town, S City, M Prefecture, Japan. The protagonist is Josuke Higashikata, Joseph's illegitimate son born from an affair. Koichi Hirose, an ordinary high school student, serves as the narrator, and the protagonist can intentionally increase the number of Stand users. The story depicts a "bow and arrow" and a confrontation with a serial killer lurking in Morioh Town.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
The fifth JoJo work. The protagonist is not a member of the JoJo family, but rather Giorno Giovanna, the son of their nemesis, Dio. Set in Italy, the story depicts the exploits and conflicts within the gang organization Passione as he pursues his dream of becoming a gangster.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "Stone Ocean"
The sixth JoJo series. The story revolves around the escape of Jotaro Kujo's daughter, Jolyne Kujo, and her companions after being imprisoned for a crime they did not commit, and the conspiracy that lies behind it. It brings an end to the feud between the Joestar family that has continued even after Dio's death.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "Steel Ball Run"
Set in late 19th-century America, this work depicts the grueling race and human drama of the participants in the "Steel Ball Run," a 6,000km transcontinental race across North America. It is said to be set in a parallel world to previous works.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "JoJolion"
120 years after the events of Steel Ball Run, a boy named Josuke Higashikata is discovered in the "Wall Eyes" created by the crustal movement of the March 11, 2011, earthquake. The story then unfolds as a battle over the Rokakaka fruit, a fruit believed to be a panacea.
[Rohan Kishibe Doesn't Move] A Summary of Hirohiko Araki, the Author
Here's a summary of Hirohiko Araki, the creator of the JoJo series! JoJo is a work shrouded in mystery, but perhaps the greatest mystery of all is the author himself!
