Bisexual Panic: Analyzing the Queer-Coded Characters of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
No one has ever looked at the characters in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and thought, “Yea, they look like totally normal people.”
These heroes of anime are just not meant to look like they could possibly exist on our side of the universe. It’s their massive physique, gorgeously glimmering eyes with dark eyelashes, dainty jewelry dangling from their sharp features, and hairstyles that could compete with French court members during the Renaissance that single them out so furiously; a Stand User is detectable from miles away.
But don’t get it mixed up, just because they look a little “fruity”, doesn’t mean that the creators behind JoJo are queerbaiting - in principle, their target audience is Japanese young boys and men, and in this context, amassing social points for the inaccurate capitalist version of social justice is not a need nor a want.
The focus on the beauty of the characters falls into traditional femininity. More often than not, anime characters that present as men or males in anime that aren’t targeted at women or queer people are designed simply; they may have thick brows or a toned body, but no more than that. But, JoJo’s heroes and villains are beautiful, oozing with sex appeal, and each has a certain degree of vanity.
They stray from conventionality, and their portrayal with extravagant clothing, expressive personalities, expansive use of color, make-up, and Gorilla Glue hairstyles automatically tags them as queer-coded. Straight cisgender men in Japan don’t look like JoJo characters at all, and if they do, they fall into the stereotype of okama [a slang term for feminine-looking men or gay men].
Though they might not be queer, they make space for traditionally feminine expressions in such a clear-cut hetero-masculine space in anime. And, they are all undeniably gorgeous - perhaps that’s why it’s such a popular anime.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
