Summary
In December 1999, a brand-new part of Hirohiko Araki’sJoJo’s Bizarre Adventuredebuted. And Shōnen Jump readers were met with a shocking surprise for the time: the new protagonist JoJo, was a girl. Stone Ocean’s protagonist was Jolyne Kujo, the daughter of Stardust Crusaders' Jotaro Kujo. In 1999, having a female protagonist for a Shōnen magazine was unthinkable. Stuck in their old ways, editors at the magazine believed readers, who were predominantly teenage boys, did not want to see a girl as the main character of their series. Especially not one with such resounding male leads likeJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Jolyne’s creation was Araki’s daring approach to shaking things up at Shōnen Jump. He was met with backlash from his editors and readers. However, Jolyne was a massive stepping stone for female leads in manga and anime.
Legend Inspired by a Legend, Jolyne’s Creation
“Stone Free, I Do What I Please”
It is no secret that Hirohiko Araki is amassive fan of Western music, particularly Rock & Roll. JoJo’s is filled with references to artists, bands, and songs Araki enjoys. Sometimes, these references are not simple namesakes, but the music influences Araki’s creative process, crafting his characters inspired by these works. Fans know of Ronnie James Dio’s “Holy Diver”, the song that inspired Stardust Crusaders' setting and DIO’s new form. But for Stone Ocean, the inspiration wasn’t simply for design purposes, but Araki’s personal feelings.
Jimi Hendrix is a legend like no other, known as the greatest guitarist of all time. But he was more than that. “Stone Free” was Hendrix’s scream of freedom. Freedom from the racist and judgmental eyes that were always on him as an African-American artist in the 1960s. Hendrix’s lyrics describe his rebellion against the system and his free spirit.
I’ll call it Stone Free, I shall break free from this sea of stone
When Araki came up with the idea for Jolyne, his editors at Shōnen Jump immediately spoke against it. They said it was unthinkable to have a female lead for a male-focused magazine. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was first known for its main characters being the definition of action star macho heroes. But, halfway through Diamond is Unbreakable, Araki’s art style and sensitivities shifted, depicting his characters in softer ways. This was even more true with the release ofGolden Wind, a manga filled with non-hetero-normative, beautiful men. The cast of Golden Wind showed Araki had decided to blur the lines between genders.
Stone Ocean was to take place in a women’s prison, meaning most of its characters were going to be women, and just like the men of Golden Wind, these women were not the typical hyper-feminine and sexualized type you’d often see in Shōnen. Araki rebelled against Shōnen Jump, taking his manga into new directions, and setting himself free from their male-focused rules.The main Stand of the part, Jolyne Kujo’s shades-wearing, blue fighter, was named “Stone Free”.
Women Can Lead
How Jolyne Changed Things
After the release of Stone Ocean, female characters in important roles were seen more frequently in anime and manga. Anime likeKill La Kill, Burst Angel, Violet Evergarden, Vivy’s Fluorite Eye Song, Blood + and Blood C, Claymore, Carole, and TuesdayandNanaare just some examples ofsuccessful series with female leads. And even without being protagonists, there is a plethora of strong female characters in Shōnen. Rukia Kuchiki fromBleach, Mikasa Ackerman fromAttack on Titan, Maki Zen’Nin fromJujutsu Kaisen, Shinobu Koucho fromDemon Slayer, Makim fromChainsaw Man, and more.
Jolyne was certainly not the first female lead. Before her, Motoko Kusanagi had made a breakthrough inGhost in the Shell. But Jolyne’s role as the lead for a mainstream Shōnen series inspired many more characters like her. Showing the traditional heads above that boys can root for and love strong, badass women just as much. With Jolyne, Hirohiko Araki and many other authors broke free from a sea of stone.
