Cradle of Love

Fvck power of friendship

What is this novel about I still don't understand it after I read the synopsis

Please update the last chapters also... Many are waiting

Overall I found the book very enjoyable. It did feel like the ending was rushed as there were many unanswered questions about key things that were related to the MC, like why was given a second chance and where that chance came from?

Vento Aureo. I believe this is one of the parts that fans praise the most, and I do understand why—there are very good moments and epic fights—but it's not the best work Araki has ever produced.  
  
[A little observation: This is my first review, and I'm not really skilled at writing this kind of text. Also, English is not my first language, so if you notice any silly mistakes, I apologize.]  
  
Story - 7  
  
The story revolves around Giorno Giovanna, a 15-year-old teenager who aspires to become a "Gang-Star." The intriguing aspect here is that Giorno is the son of Dio, but since he was in Jonathan's body, Giorno can be considered an official Joestar. Well, the story follows the typical structure of most Jojo parts, where there's a foundation and numerous epic battles are layered on top of it. Here, we have Giorno joining a mafia gang named Passione. Giorno meets a man named Bruno, who disagrees with the boss's actions, and together they begin trying to approach the boss to uncover his identity.  
  
This is one of the Jojo parts (along with Parts 2, 3, and 4) where the plot isn't the most crucial element; it's a character-driven story. All you want to see are cool Stand users, epic fights that take your breath away, and how Giorno and his friends will manage to defeat their enemies.  
  
The story can be divided into two major parts: the battles against La Squadra di Esecuzione, a group of Stand users who betrayed the boss, and the battles against the underlings of the boss. The first part is really strong; all the fights are engaging, and you get to see all the characters working together. The second part, however, isn't quite as impressive, for reasons I'll mention later...  
  
Art - 8  
  
Araki's art isn't at its peak here. I mean, it's still good, but if you compare the art from Parts 5 and 3, you'll see what I mean. He still excels at drawing backgrounds, and his characters are also well-designed, but his realistic art from Part 3 and his pitch-perfect style from the later Part 7 represent his artistic zenith.  
  
Character - 7  
  
The main characters receive decent development, particularly Giorno and Bruno. Additionally, the boss's daughter, Trish, is one of the most well-developed characters in the entire series. However, the villains lack proper development, and the main villain of this part is one of the weakest in the series. The entire final arc wasn't as good as it should have been, largely due to the shortcomings of the main antagonist. Araki wasted some truly great characters with fascinating Stands, and by the end, there were no memorable villains apart from the main one.  
  
Enjoyment - 9  
  
The reading experience is so thrilling and exciting that you'll breeze through two or three volumes without even realizing it. That's Araki's magic. Moreover, Araki pours all his creativity into this part, so all the Stands have incredibly cool powers, like Bruno's Stand, which can create zippers, or Giorno's Stand, which can create life. All of them are highly interesting. But where it truly shines is in the exciting moments Araki creates without relying on fights. There's a pivotal moment between the two big arcs where Buccellati reveals something to his group and delivers a heartfelt speech. I think this is one of the greatest moments I've ever experienced in any medium.  
  
Overall - 8  
  
Overall, Vento Aureo was a solid read. It was exciting, featured some fantastic battles, and included several standout moments. Even with the weak villain and minor flaws in the story, it surpasses much of what's out there.  
  
The truth is, if it's Jojo, it can't really be bad.

Yeah, yeah—worst part of all, worst protagonist of all, the plot is strange and straightforward, battles lack originality, etc., etc.  

But you know what? I have a different take—yes, the plot is indeed very simple, but so far, this is the best storyline in the entire series. Finally, there are significant developments in the narrative—characters actually have reasons to fight or embark on their journeys.  

Giorno—sure, he isn’t the most iconic or the greatest JoJo, but... I kind of like him. His Stand looks fantastic, his design is genuinely "nice." However, his character feels underdeveloped. He reminds me of the Assassin's Creed III protagonist, Connor. That said, Giorno can still be likable.  

The battles remain at the "JoJo level." More intense than in Parts III and IV, here Stands can kill with just a single touch. There are only a few "Muda Mudas" and "Ari Ari's," but when one "Muda Muda" lasts for SEVEN pages, it’s the most incredible elimination I’ve ever witnessed. Oh, there was also "Wryyyyyy." And "Ari Ari"—transforming into "Arrivederci" and "Vola Vola"—becoming "Volare Via" were truly exceptional moments.  

Perhaps this is the weakest part of JoJo so far, but that doesn’t mean Part V is lacking. It’s still an awesome manga filled with remarkable characters, a diabolical antagonist, and breathtaking fights.  

But the English scans... well, they’re hit or miss.

(Beware, spoilers)  

Oh boy, part 5.  

I'm actually a fan of this part, even though it's one of the most controversial in Jojo, with opinions split between love and hate. This isn't my favorite part, but it was still pretty great in my opinion. Now, enough chit-chat—let's dive right into the review!  

Story: 7/10  
"I, Giorno Giovanna, have a dream!"  

Not the best story, but not terrible either! The main character of this part is Giorno Giovanna (Giorno meaning "day" in Italian). This guy, Giorno, has a dream to become a Gang-Star! How fabulous, right? Not only that, he's also the son of DIO, who has Jonathan's body, so Giorno can be considered a Joestar. With the blood of a Brando, Giorno carries the spirit of a Joestar. He soon joins the gang, Passione, becoming part of Bruno Buccelati's crew. The group is then tasked with helping escort the boss's daughter to her father, and thus, their adventure begins.  

Do you notice some similarities here? A group traveling across the country, battling enemies along the way, until finally facing off against the big boss for an epic showdown finale. Doesn't this sound like... Stardust Crusaders? And now that you mention it, it kinda does... BUT who cares!? Despite the two parts having roughly the same storyline, they are both unique, and their stories are enjoyable reads (provided you find a decent English translation or take Japanese classes).  

The reason I gave the story a 7 is because I really didn't... enjoy the ending. It had a good boss fight, but the conclusion felt rushed to me.  

Art: 10/10  
Bruh. Of course I'd give this a 10. Jojo art is love, Jojo art is life. Araki's style and creativity always make for an engaging read. Watching the characters pull off amazing poses or witnessing some of the fight scenes is always such a... golden experience. (I'm sorry.) The art style of this manga is just so incredible that I couldn't give it anything less than a 10.  

Characters: 8/10  
One of the best casts of characters in this part. Despite one of them being cut short due to their overpowered Stand ability (Fugo), this part had a fantastic set of characters. Giorno's personality fades as the part progresses; at the beginning, he was a pretty cocky taxi driver, but as I kept reading, Bruno took charge of the series while Giorno gave him a great supporting hand. It was fun seeing how these characters reacted to all the crazy situations they found themselves in.  

Enjoyment: 9/10  
It was a great part. In my opinion, this part had the best, if not one of the best, fights in the entire series. Keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering how they would escape the bizarre predicaments they got into.  

Also, the posing here was spot-on. (:p)  

I would give this part a 10 for enjoyment, but I'd be lying to myself. It's a great part, but there are so many things that stop me from giving it a perfect score—the ending, the hard-to-find scans, Giorno's dull personality, etc.  

So yeah, a pretty great part.  

Overall:  
8/10 from me. I was debating putting it at 9 but decided to drop it slightly to 8. 8 is still a pretty fantastic score, and Vento Aureo is in my top three Jojo parts.

The experience of reading Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind is excruciating, leading readers to question what they ever found appealing about JoJo in the first place. This grim, ominous narrative is positioned between two truly remarkable works—Diamond is Unbreakable and Stone Ocean—which only serve to highlight its seemingly endless runtime filled with lackluster action sequences.

Despite unfolding in the beloved setting of Italy, it appears that Araki derived little enjoyment from writing Part 5. There is somehow less appreciation for Italian cuisine and architecture here than in Parts 2 and 4, which take place in America and Japan, respectively. The frequent references to The Godfather feel more like textbook metaphors rather than heartfelt or meaningful quotations. The portrayal of the mafia as a demonic cult, while accurate and intriguing, is delivered with such neutrality that one wonders if the manga even perceives this as a negative aspect.

Metaphors are a central element of Part 5. Traits like Mista's superstition resemble literary foreshadowing more than the whimsy of prior character quirks, and the Stands themselves are more metaphorical than ever before. While the concept of Stands representing a character's heart was present in Parts 3 and 4, it becomes a core component in Part 5, with nearly every character possessing a clear symbolic meaning tied to their Stand's design or power. These meanings range from unsettling and peculiar to genuinely profound, though most occupy a relatively neutral space. Although this may sound complimentary, it often comes across as cold rather than intelligent or insightful. The characters seem as if they have strings above their heads.

The characters themselves are not entirely unlikable, however. Bruno's crew is a mixed bag with a high average, featuring Trish and Mista as consistently engaging characters with distinct arcs. Narancia and Abbacchio stand out as truly beautiful souls with memorable arcs and detailed character traits. Certain events involving Narancia in the story feel quite disturbing and sadistic, tarnishing his earlier sincerity and dedication to Bruno in my mind. These four characters are the highlights of Part 5, carrying its weakest moments.

Unfortunately, the main protagonist and antagonist of Part 5 could arguably be no worse. Giorno Giovanna, our expressionless Christ figure, transitions from a tender, brilliant, hotheaded genius to psychotically violent without ever altering his blank expression. If Giorno possessed only the former Mary Sue qualities, he would be no more frustrating than Part 3's Josuke, but the latter traits are alarming in ways I struggle to articulate. Is Araki's vision of Jesus genuinely a stone-faced Freemason who screams "USELESS USELESS USELESS" as he bludgeons people to death with his tulpa? Is this personality split meant to symbolize Giorno having both Dio and Jonathan's blood within him? That notion seems plausible and might be due to poor translations, but I believe Araki missed the mark in this regard. He explores this idea much more effectively later in the series.

In contrast to Giorno, we have a Satan-themed antagonist. On the surface, this is something I'd typically support as a Christian (after all, he is the villain), yet the treatment of this antagonist is so sadistic and eerily flat that I find it difficult to view it favorably in any capacity. The villain of Part 5 and the eventual climactic confrontation remind me of King Hu's Dragon Inn in an unfavorable way. I feel as though I'm missing some philosophical depth in both instances, and I'm uncertain whether discovering it would impress me.

Ironically, despite being so dull, Part 5 is also grotesquely violent. Araki has always had a penchant for the macabre, but nothing in the previous parts matches the monotonous insanity of the battles in Part 5. The villains come across as pitiful and bewildered (though extremely malevolent), and the fights drag on endlessly, making the entire part a deterrent from reading shonen battle manga altogether. I will concede, however, that the kindness displayed by Bruno's crew members offsets this somewhat. There are inventive and touching moments in some of these battles, particularly those involving Trish, but the predominant emotions I experienced while reading Part 5 were boredom and revulsion. In comparison to other shonen battle manga, these fights are still more thrilling than average, but I expect more from Araki.

It may simply be the scans I read, but the artwork appears to be a noticeable step down from the charming, sweet panels and facial expressions of Part 4. Part 5 serves as a transition from the more lighthearted, uplifting, and sincere Parts 1-4 to the increasingly literary, religious, and mature Parts 6-8, but it's a harsh transition. It loses much of what made Parts 1-4 great without yet attaining the poetry and complexity of Parts 6-8. There are metaphors, allusions, interludes—all those intellectual elements—but they often lack grace and heart. Even moments and revelations that should be invigorating and enjoyable strike me as thinly veiled "sugar to help the medicine go down."

I dislike being overly critical of JoJo, and there are aspects of Golden Wind worth appreciating, but over time it has never grown on me. Considering the likable characters and patches of creativity, Part 5 might have garnered much higher praise from me had the ending been decent. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. At least it's over.