Part 5 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – “Golden Wind” – sees Giorno Giovanna joining the Italian Mafia in order to dismantle the insidious Passione organization from within. Already an intriguing premise … so how do the individual episodes fare?
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
OK
34 – Find Polpo’s Fortune (Ep 5)
Early “Golden Wind” episodes like “Find Polpo’s Fortune” were always going to be amongst the lowest ranking – we’re still in the process of new squad introductions, and the plot hasn’t properly started yet.
What makes this episode come dead-last, I think, is the slow action of people disappearing one by one as well as the contrast between this and the much more exciting previous episode.
33 – The “G” in Guts (Ep 22)
A shark Stand that teleports between water sources is a cool idea, and Narancia having a Stand on his tongue that forces him to lie adds an extra layer of urgency, but both Stands together make for a weird combo.
I don’t particularly like “boy who cried wolf” story archetypes either, so nobody believing Narancia made me tear my hair out.
32 – Meet the Gangster Behind the Wall (Ep 3)
Giorno meets Polpo, one of Passione’s Capos, who tells him to keep a flame lit in order to be inducted. Giorno tries to keep said flame lit. That’s all that happens for the twenty minutes.
31 – Moody Jazz’s Counterattack (Ep 6)
“Moody Jazz’s Counterattack” immediately follows “Find Polpo’s Fortune”, and I found it to be a lackluster payoff to a boring setup.
Abbacchio’s backstory is interesting, but his rewind Stand ability and the twist that there were two ships all along were underwhelming.
30 – Babyhead (Ep 17)
I hope Araki came under some serious scrutiny when he first unveiled his new Stand creation Babyhead to his audience.
The killer baby is an odd premise that will eventually lead to a cool fight next episode, and Giorno shows hints of being able to create body parts, but otherwise this episode is forgettable.
Good
29 – Express Train to Florence (Ep 14)
The gang boards a train to Florence, now with a Stand-wielding turtle added to their arsenal, but they’re being pursued by two memorable foes.
Pesci and his Fisherman Stand don’t do much yet, but Prosciutto’s Stand Thankful Death makes a much better first impression when it forces everyone to age.
28 – Head to Venice! (Ep 18)
Another travelling episode, this time seeing Giorno and Mista in a car to Venice.
Babyhead gets defeated in a flash, but White Ice comes along to cause some serious damage.
27 – Mirror Man and Purple Smoke (Ep 13)
“Mirror Man and Purple Smoke” had all the makings of a great episode, but I think it fell flat in places.
Abbacchio losing his hand and Giorno poisoning himself / using the snake for an antidote were great moments, but the mirror powers ended up being too confusing to follow.
26 – The First Mission From the Boss (Ep 9)
The gang are tasked with protecting the boss’s daughter, Trish, and the plot can now truly begin.
Narancia also gets attacked by Formaggio’s shrinking Stand and so is forced to unveil his Stand Li’l Bomber – a good setup episode overall.
25 – Spicy Lady (Ep 25)
There was a lot of anticipation building for what Trish’s teased Stand would end up being, and her unique power is … making things elastic? Bit of an anticlimax.
At least Notorious Chase got a cool comeuppance.
24 – Narancia’s Li’l Bomber (Ep 11)
We see Narancia’s backstory, and he finally takes down Formaggio. Good stuff.
The spider in a bottle scene was too freaky for my tastes, though. I still shudder thinking about it.
23 – Crush and Talking Mouth (Ep 23)
Another episode where Narancia takes center stage, except this time he solos two Stand users at once.
Him ripping out his tongue and replacing it with Giorno’s creation was pretty dope.
22 – The Second Mission From the Boss (Ep 12)
“The Second Mission From the Boss” is all about Fugo – we see his backstory, and we’re also introduced to his awesome poison Stand.
The mirror Stand / realm is well teased, but the action is saved for the next episode.
21 – Six Bullets Appears, Part 1 & 2 (Ep 7/8)
The torture dance overshadows any action for the rest of the episode.
“Six Bullets Appears” is Mista’s time in the spotlight – we see how his Stand works, discover his backstory, and his battle with the suspended animation Stand is entertaining.
20 – Get to the Colosseum in Rome! (Ep 29)
“Get to the Colosseum in Rome!” is just pure setup on paper, but it still manages to be cool in its own right.
An unknown caller with a familiar voice reveals Diavolo’s name, and we see Cioccolata and Secco’s evil doctor / patient backstory as well as how Green Tea makes deadly mold whenever someone moves to a lower location.
19 – The Sleep Slave (Ep 39)
The final episode of “Golden Wind” is an almost random story about a fortune-telling boulder. A bit weird, but this is JoJo’s BIZARRE Adventure after all.
In the past Mista stops Bucciarati from touching the boulder and arguably seals the fate of two others as a result, and in the present Giorno becomes head mafioso.
18 – Notorious Chase (Ep 24)
Is it controversial to say that Notorious Chase’s setup was better than the resulting episode’s payoff?
The Stand’s user dies and yet it still pursues them on a plane, and Giorno losing both arms makes everyone panic. Slight plot hole considering Golden Wind can still heal through its toes, but oh well …
17 – White Ice (Ep 19)
Not gonna lie, the “White Ice” fight might be the most overrated in the series. I still enjoyed it, but apparently it’s a fan favourite!
Ghiaccio getting impaled through the neck was pretty gnarly, but a lot of the fight consists of planning and half-blows rather than full action.
16 – Hitman Team (Ep 10)
Narancia starts shrinking, and it’s revealed that his Stand can detect breathing. But that’s not why “Hitman Team” has ranked in the top half.
The Hitman Team have such a cool backstory, and the scene where Gelato and Sorbet’s corpses are displayed as a warning to the others is one of my favourites from the season.
Great
15 – Golden Wind (Ep 1)
JoJo Parts tend to start slow while they build up characters and Stands, but “Golden Wind” wasted no time at all getting to the action.
The Napoli setting is gorgeous, Koichi visits Giorno fearing him to be Dio’s son, Golden Wind reflects Leaky-eye Luca’s attack, and Bucciarati begins his interrogation.
14 – Golden Wind Requiem (Ep 38)
Golden Wind Requiem reveals its true power – it curses Diavolo to die an infinite number of deaths. Remind me not to get on Giorno’s bad side …
The episode takes a left turn when it flashes back to events prior to the story – a troubled flower shop owner visits Bucciarati, and Mista is bothered by a persistent stone.
13 – Diavolo Surfaces (Ep 36)
While pursuing Chariot Requiem, Giorno comes to a startling realisation – Diavolo is hiding within one of their team. This tension is palpable all throughout the first half of “Diavolo Surfaces”.
The second half sees the race come to its climax, where Diavolo punches Trish (and therefore himself) in order to propel himself towards the arrow.
12 – Bucciarati Is Coming (Ep 2)
Bucciarati and Giorno have the first big fight of “Golden Wind”, and it doesn’t disappoint.
We also see Giorno’s backstory, and are clued in to his motivations of taking down the crime syndicate from within.
11 – The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 1 & 2 (Ep 34/35)
Everyone swaps bodies, and Polnareff (now a turtle) reveals the secret of the Stand arrow.
What makes “The Requiem Quietly Plays” rank highly is Narancia’s death scene – it comes out of nowhere, is borderline unceremonious, and it hits that much harder as a result. It’s a crushing realisation that we’re in the endgame and nobody’s safe.
10 – The Final Mission From the Boss (Ep 20)
The gang finally escort Trish to the boss, but all is not as it seems.
The world shifts in weird ways, Trish vanishes, and we finally see Bucciarati’s backstory. The horror of Emperor Crimson is yet to come.
9 – Gang Initiation (Ep 4)
The best of the early “Golden Wind” episodes by a country mile.
Giorno and Koichi fight Polpo’s Shadow Stand, and the scene where Giorno remotely murders Polpo with a gun banana is one of the best in the series.
8 – Green Tea and Sanctuary, Part 1-3 (Ep 30-32)
Polnareff’s back! Bucciarati has been dead all along! Green Tea’s deadly mold is decimating the entire city of Rome!!!
“Green Tea and Sanctuary” definitely peaks in part two when Giorno fights Cioccolata on the helicopter, but the final part with Secco’s earth-swimming Stand versus Bucciarati is awesome too.
Doppio being held hostage right at the end was also such a great twist.
7 – Emperor Crimson vs Metallic (Ep 27)
The Doppio-Risotto fight is in full flow, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Doppio’s cool ability “Eulogy” lets him see ten seconds into the future, and Li’l Bomber killing Risotto caught me off-guard.
6 – His Name Is Diavolo (Ep 33)
Bucciarati mistakes Doppio for Trish during his delirium, and so leads him to the Colosseum to meet Polnareff. This calamitous mistake sets up the final string of episodes.
Diavolo reveals himself to Polnareff, and Polnareff dies in the resulting battle. I was sad to see one of my favourite characters go, but he did it in style.
5 – The Mystery of Emperor Crimson (Ep 21)
Bucciarati takes the fight to the boss, and it becomes abundantly clear that Emperor Crimson is nigh-on invincible.
Emperor Crimson deletes segments of time, Bucciarati dies and revives (I’m still not clear on the how, but whatever), and everyone except Fugo chooses a life of exile in order to betray the boss.
4 – Thankful Death, Part 1 & 2 (Ep 15/16)
I thought “Thankful Death” would be another run-of-the-mill Stand battle, but it ended up being one of the coolest set-pieces in JoJo’s so far.
Mista’s fake-out death was truly shocking, Bucciarati has never been more badass, and Trish shows hints of possessing a Stand.
Amazing
3 – King of Kings (Ep 37)
Everyone’s souls return to their bodies, but Bucciarati dies for good in the process. His send-off is aptly bitter-sweet.
Also, in one of the most hype moments of “Golden Wind”, Giorno uses the Stand arrow on himself. It’s unclear what Golden Wind Requiem’s power is at first, but we know it spells disaster for Diavolo.
2 – A Little Story From the Past -My Name is Doppio- (Ep 26)
“A Little Story From the Past -My Name is Doppio” is a huge pivot from what came before, which made its reveals all the more shocking.
Doppio’s backstory is horrible, his multiple personality disorder is intriguing, and I was genuinely taken aback when he was revealed to be the fearsome boss of Passione. As soon as Risotto attacked I knew we were about to hit the high point of the season.
1 – Under a Sky That Could Fall at Any Moment (Ep 28)
JoJo deaths have always been heavy, but none have hit me as hard as Abbacchio’s.
He wasn’t even one of my favourite characters, but the way he was duped by Doppio posing as a kid – and his conversation with his cop ex-partner in the afterlife – almost broke me.
But once Narancia broke down, I was gone too. Definitely one of my favourite JoJo episodes so far.
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