Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has consistently subverted stereotypes and grown into one of the craziest and most ambitious series of its kind. An ongoing narrative continues to unfold throughout JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but the series is atypical in the sense that each new saga will shift to a new generation of the Joestar lineage. JoJo’s sixth installment, Stone Ocean, is an important turning point for the series in a number of ways, especially once the thrilling saga has come to an end.
There’s a lot to appreciate in Stone Ocean, and it also happens to feature one of the most unique protagonists for the series, the female Jolyne Cujoh. Stone Ocean’s anime has finally become a reality and it’s never been a better time to examine some of the harsh facts that plague Jolyne’s life.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
10 She’s Framed For A Crime That She Didn’t Commit And Is Falsely Imprisoned
The Joestars are no strangers to getting into trouble, and several have faced incarceration at one point or another. Jolyne Cujoh’s journey is such a fascinating change of pace because Stone Ocean largely revolves around her wrongful incarceration for DUI manslaughter charges. Accordingly, the bulk of Stone Ocean takes place within the confines of Florida’s Green Dolphin Street Prison. This labels Jolyne as trouble to her captors and sets her on a dangerous path despite her innocence. Jolyne eventually seizes the day and becomes master of her destiny, but she faces one of the roughest lots of any “JoJo.”
9 She Has A Bad Relationship With Her Father
One of the biggest joys of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is the generational aspect of the Joestar saga and how former protagonists sometimes accompany their progeny and help them transition over into the new hero. Jolyne Cujoh is the daughter of Jotaro Kujo, but their relationship is anything but healthy. Jolyne hasn’t seen Jotaro for years prior to their reunion in Stone Ocean. In fact, most of Jolyne’s teenage rebellion and trouble with the police is the result of her acting out and wanting to receive attention from her father.
8 Her Boyfriend Was Just Using Her
Stone Ocean doesn’t waste much time before Jolyne is locked away in Green Dolphin Street Prison, yet the glimpse of her free and reckless life becomes quite tragic in retrospect. Jolyne has a very passionate and public romance with her boyfriend, Romeo Jisso, who’s actually the one responsible for the car accident and manslaughter charges that fall upon Jolyne.
Jolyne remains loyal and goes to jail for Romeo's crime, but as time goes on, it’s revealed that all of this is part of a larger plan to manipulate Jolyne. Romeo is left wracked with guilt, but Jolyne’s relationship remains tarnished.
7 She Doesn’t Have The Same Group Support as Other JoJo Leads
Jolyne manages to befriend Ermes Costello, Emporio Alnino, Narciso Anasui, and eventually Weather Report, but a lot of these relationships come across as very tangential due to the segregated nature of prison. Jolyne does have support every now and then, but this feels more like a solo journey than previous JoJo chapters, and most of Jolyne's allies come across as passing help and not permanent friendships. Jolyne is left to do most of the heavy lifting, whereas Golden Wind, Diamond is Unbreakable, and Stardust Crusaders frequently showcase the supporting cast and allow them to shine.
6 She Doesn’t Get Properly Prepared About Being A Stand User
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has presented many different perspectives on Stand users, with some seemingly born with these powers while others don’t acquire them much later in life, and through unnatural means. Jolyne is completely oblivious to the significance of her lineage and the existence of Stands, and she only triggers her own, Stone Free, after pricking her finger on an amulet that contains a fragment of a Stand Arrow. It would have been possible for Jotaro to prepare Jolyne for this inevitability, but instead, she’s left to learn on her feet.
5 Her Teenage Years Are Robbed From Her
The various leads in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure have been a wide range of ages, and Stone Ocean’s Jolyne returns to a protagonist who’s in her late teens. Most of JoJo’s teenage protagonists have carefree existences, but Jolyne has been getting in trouble with the law since she was 14.
This culminates in Jolyne’s 15-year prison sentence (with an additional five years added on for her attempted jailbreak), which would consume not only the remainder of her teen years but also dominate her twenties. She practically loses her adolescence once she becomes a teenager.
4 She’s Preyed Upon By Men In Prison
Stone Ocean rejuvenates JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure with both its new female protagonist as well as the oppressive prison setting that surrounds Jolyne. There are some very heavy gender dynamics that are in play, especially with how many of the guards and authority at this prison are men. Admittedly, Jolyne is very comfortable with her body, but she still experiences shame and embarrassment due to the extra focus that the male guards place on her. Jolyne also has a bevy of assassins sent after her, courtesy of Enrico Pucci, all of whom force her to be constantly looking over her shoulder.
3 Her Stand Is Temperamental And Takes Time To Properly Master
Araki has done phenomenal work when it comes to the hundreds of diverse Stands that have been introduced throughout JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. There’s an extra level of detail that’s applied towards the Stands that belong to the different members of the Joestar family and Jolyne Cujoh has one of the more complex powers. Jolyne’s Stone Free Stand uses an unraveling power and string-type ability that can be quite versatile for both battle and escape. However, Stone Free is a very abrasive experience that causes Jolyne’s body to unravel with it, which is traumatic for someone who is unfamiliar with Stands.
2 The Protective Brotherly Relationship That She Forms With Emporio
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure can sometimes prioritize style over substance, which has resulted in some very unusual character designs throughout the series' run. Emporio Alnino sports an old-fashioned baseball uniform, which makes him seem even more out of place in a prison. An odd connection forms between Jolyne and Emporio, and she begins to feel a desire to protect him like he's an unofficial younger brother. Jolyne's need to keep Emporio safe runs so strong that she's even willing to sacrifice her life and trusts that Emporio can carry on her cause.
1 Her Entire Reality Gets Reset
Each installment of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure ends with an absolutely huge climax and there are some truly unique ways in which the series’ villains ultimately get defeated. The series has no shortage of surreal material, but the conclusion of Stone Ocean is especially transformative. The exceptional Stand, Made in Heaven, ostensibly resets the universe and begins a whole new timeline for the larger JoJo series. An alternate version of Jolyne, as well as the rest of Stone Ocean’s characters, gets teased and seems to be happy in this new reality. However, she still has to see this experience through.