No question: this has been the series most requested for this column. Why’s it taken so long for me to get around to
watchin’ and learnin’ from it then? Well, I don’t think the honorable George
Joestar would’ve approved of me seeing the show by… * AHEM *… collecting Dragon
Balls, so I’ve patiently abstained until an official release arrived.
[Much thanks to Takashichea for alerting me about this steam, by
the way].
Even with more than a year of anticipation behind me, I really wasn’t prepared
for this. The show makes good on what’s promised in its title - - for damn
sure - - delivering nothing but a bizarre adventure
here.
Surrealism comes in every stripe, texture and flavor, to be sure. After
seeing all the JOJO games, I was prepared for the weirdness of fabulous strongmen
and their colorful assortment of giant avatars (or whatever they were). I was not prepared for what seems
to be a Dickensian melodrama jacked the f*** up with shonen kickass. Color me blindsided.
A period piece that could’ve very well have been written by Upton Sinclair, and
then recast with the FIST OF THE NORTH STAR ensemble players, was the absolute last
thing I expected.
It’s absolutely compelling to watch - - if only just for the fact that
I’ve never seen any anime quite like this.
Of course, what elevates all this above a gimmick, and weird for weirdness’
sake (as I’ve been bring up a lot lately), is that the conflict between
Jonathan and Dio is rooted in the human condition. Even at its most overwrought,
this story’s about characters with true frailties - - envy, jealousy,
insecurity, alienation, loneliness. The fact that it cycles through all those
foibles so quickly in just one episode was... kind-of exhilarating to watch.
I’d guess what’s coming in episode two, but I suspect I would be proven
wrong. Woefully wrong. Only one way to find out...
Watch "Dio
the Invader" and decide for yourself.
About the Author
 | Tom Pinchuk’s a writer and personality with a large number of comics, videos and features like this to his credit. Visit his website - - tompinchuk.com - - and follow his Twitter: @tompinchuk |
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