JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and the Rise of the AMV

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is so much smarter than you think. High fashion, classic art, and killer music come together in one of the best anime ever made. And then, there's the secret weapon that turned JoJo into a meme sensation: The Anime Music Video, or AMV. (Just what is up with the 'JoJo Pose TikTok Challenge' anyway?!)
This is a story about how, sometimes, the art of the remix isn't just for copycats -- it's a powerful act of expression unto itself.
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Watch / Listen more:
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'I’m a JoeStar' by Open Mike Eagle | Toonami - • “I’m a JoeStar” by Ope...
Read more:
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Celebrating the Art & Fashion of JJBA - www.animenewsnetwork.com/feat...
#jojo #jjba #amv

[@MichaelSaba]

You thought it was another meme video, but it was ME, Michael! Thank you to everyone for your continuing support and encouragement. I meant what I said about going all-in for 2021; there's more on the way very soon.

[@pine-knight1021]

Quick Heads up, your Patreon and Twitch links are not working for me. Probaply because it is in both cases "" instead of ""

[@sheipi9978]

The ones that use manga footage are so much better tbh

[@jamesderepentigny5446]

Bruh

[@BigMoneyB749]

:|

[@alvarengasoso]

How you doing, Michael?

[@LegendsP137]

One of the best advice I was ever give in my media study class was "Everything is a Remix so why not keep the remix flowing"

[@romanticplacebo3693]

Because then there's no clear distinctions to mark time or place?

[@mothmanghost983]

It has always amused me how Araki speaks so politely and poetically, that I have to remind myself that this is the same person that wrote about feeding a baby shit.

[@novelty_thief]

I imagine him telling entire stories with the most bizarre shit in it with the straightest, deadpan Jojo lookin face. And I love it

[@ripdito]

sports max with the doo doo syringe

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

what did we do to deserve receiving 3 videos in under a year 🤔🤔

[@MichaelSaba]

Serious answer time: For me, writing has never been the hardest part of this KZbin thing. Right now I have 5-6 more scripts ready to go for stuff I want to cover on my channel. The hardest part has always been finding the space for video editing, which is incredibly time-consuming. (That, and the struggle against the constant feeling that my work doesn't matter and no one really cares.) It's stating the obvious, but, I have a lot more free time on my hands right now. So I may as well try to put out as many of these essays as I can and see what happens.

[@beybenmici6268]

it would appear that globale pandemics are a sound way to increas artists productivity

[@dannyeckerd9324]

@@MichaelSaba I know I'm just another voice but please know that literally everyone who's coming across your videos cares. And we care a whole lot!

[@xerxoid9331]

@@MichaelSaba Ohhhhh it matters, Jensen. You're helping people understand why they love the things they love (and why the could love it more) and knowing that could benefit someone so much.

[@pinkmatter8488]

@@MichaelSaba Your work matters otherwise I wouldn't have watched your MGS video for the third time at 3 am lol. I love your content bro and I hope you find the solace in its creation

[@Minihood31770]

Came for the Jojos, subscribed for the revolutionary message.

[@kalinag1255]

13:58 It's funny to hear that considering that the events of Golden Wind are literally set in stone

[@joeycasas]

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.”-- C.S. Lewis This video really got me thinking about how silly it actually is to stress over modern art being "derivative" or "unoriginal". Notwithstanding the crisis circumstances that have given you more time to produce videos, I'm so happy you are able to make more now. Have been enjoying your essays since the ones about Kill La Kill and City Pop. Wishing you nothing but good vibes for this year

[@WolfTheTrueKing]

Me today: "Damn, bad day, can't focus. Need something to relax, appreciate and make me think" and then Michael releases a video. *Insert JoJo YES YES YES meme here*

[@celfhelp]

i think my favorite anime parallel to draw when talking about derivative art and "copy vs. steal" is My Hero Academia you can't get anywhere or do anything simply by copying; you do that and you'll be locked into low level "success" with no impact and no purpose. but if instead of just copying what everyone sees, you copy what YOU see, that's when you get into "stealing" territory My Hero was literally just supposed to be a copy of One Piece. Horikoshi wanted Deku to be identical to Luffy, but eventually, he found himself writing Deku identical to HIMSELF (which is pretty much what Oda did with Luffy). when you copy from someone, you're simply recreating their work. but when you "steal" from someone, you are re-creating their work, and that is the astronomical difference that will ultimately prevent art from ever truly going stale, while also preventing the bar from ever getting too low another easy parallel is modern japanese music at large. for the last probably 10-15 years or so, japanese music has generally bounded so far ahead of the curve that you can barely still see it; not because they discovered Quantum music or some wild new thing, but because they've perfected the 'art' (aha) of "copy vs. steal" (in my opinion, of course) p.s. great video. i've never been big on Jojo, but i recall enough Evanescence AMVs on primordial KZbin to fully appreciate what you did with this one. ;)

[@TristanCannon1]

"Nice" - Joseph Joestar

[@Empyre18]

An intellectual channel which criticizes capitalism AND talks about how awesome Metal Gear Solid V, Shin Godzilla, the 1994 Street Fighter movie, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure are? You are my KZbin soulmate, Michael.

[@VinzentoGaming]

Almost a year without a new video. plz. I can't keep rewatching the same ones again and again.

[@joreyd5941]

Miss you buddy, you make me think and feel more introspective than anything I have ever encountered. I am figuratively dieing for more, but please take your time. They say you can't rush art

[@Jupiter065]

Seems like this video is being buried, I didn't even notice it on my homepage until 4 days after it was released

[@lissy_love64]

You ever think about how Araki feels watching the adaptations of his work. Like the incredible mix of nostalgia and appreciation for adaptation you feel all at once. And the surreal nature of that

[@johnnyscifi]

I miss you, and hope you're well, michael

[@npc6817]

Ok that's one weird title but I've never been disappointed before

[@Briqueteries]

Just came from the Kill La Kill video and finished this one. I have to say this channel is criminally underrated and the work you put into them is astounding/inspiring. Personally I don't usually go out of my busy day to write comments like this or even comment at all, but you have my thanks for creating hours of well made, intellectual, and heartwarming content that left me awe struck and wanting more. This was definitely the best way to procrastinate on my UC classes and thank you again for making my night :)

[@AgentMoler]

Fond memories of the early 2000s when I would watch AMVs for anime that I was not able to see otherwise. Fun times talking with people online about new recommendations for fansubs and also imagining what things were like that I could only see still photos of.

[@leosabat4636]

oh yes yes Michael Saba one of the channels where my intelectual side feel that is not losing time in youtube. Even if for some reason 2020 kill my interest in anime for some reason. Awesome video like always.

[@novelty_thief]

My very first introduction to anime was Daft Punks Interstella and One more time when I was 4 years old and since then my brain was primed to seek out similar stuff. To this day I remember and I am glad to have found amazing stuff like Jojo and the like

[@bugfriendz]

hope you're alright, michael. i entrust your next video is a big one.

[@keithybrinson7804]

“Jo Joe is always on my mind” ~Joseph Lennon

[@nikolacatlak9875]

Thank you for crafting together this timely piece. Without going into to much detail in your comment section about my recent struggles in life, just know that it is by fate alone both how much I needed to hear this written perspective -and- the sole act itself of me finding my way here. If there's one thing that JoJo's taught me that I always go back to when feeling blue, it's that the world keeps spinning regardless of negativity, & that by sheer will and resolve alone we can accomplish great things among the stars that shine.

[@middevylest]

Awesome video! Thanks Michael! Love you!

[@robertconde4064]

There’s a certain level of care and love you put into your videos that makes whatever the thing your talking about contagious. Its a sin the amount of subscribers you have.

[@SoapManpv]

Your videos are always a trip, great work!

[@zadig08]

I learned a whole lot. Thanks for all the hard work!

[@TheBBQGoblin]

Honestly, this was the perfect encapsulation of why I love Jojo, absolutely fantastic work

[@NZAnimeManga]

Another excellent video - great to see JoJo getting the Michael Saba treatment, bravo!

[@miraprime474]

Excellent work, dude!

[@irriadin]

Excellent work, this is so high quality. Your reporting style and documentary-like pacing certainly elevate this above similar pieces. I even *learned* things. This content also fits in a very interesting Venn diagram of my life, considering I have made many AMVs (including a meme-y JoJo one), remix culture has literally changed my life, and also hi thanks for playing Trigun in the computer lab at Sem.

[@ggpx1]

Amazing. This video is modern art.

[@MrGanon13]

Wow into 2 min i had already forgotten this was a jojo vid. Love you dude, my fav youtuber.

[@SunShamon]

love your channel. keep it up :)

[@freshprinceza5998]

I’m really a fan of jojo’s bizzare adventure and I feel like this video is a great fresh take at the topic! Keep it up Michael

[@MichaelSaba]

Thank you, I appreciate it. This is really one of the best compliments I can ask for with my videos -- that even people who aren't super-fans of what I'm covering can still get something out of them.

[@OK2BeFat]

That ending had me legit choked up a bit. Thank you :)

[@Longcatcloud]

Instantly favorited this video hell yeah good stuff

[@PodMan26]

YOOO! At 15:52 you showed my favorite JoJo pose!!! Niiiicccceeuuu! Haven't gotten to that part in the anime yet, but I hope the anime did it justice. I'm gonna be high as fuck when I see it though. 😂

[@tolisdrs330]

you hit the nail so hard why I appreciate jojos thx for putting the words I cannot say

[@melvinsattic7527]

Interstella 5555 really was life changing. Thank you for the fantastic video

[@johntitor4010]

Man this is amazing, this should be a course taught in a university man seriously this was amazingly insightful. Good job I'm showing this to everyone I know!

[@EggBastion]

TERMINAL WEEB POISONING _???_ Fan-tastic! Great! I love it!

[@cloudbloom]

I still watch your Nier Automata video occasionally, I've watched it probably ten times now it's fantastic. Love your work man your other videos are just as excellent as the Nier one

[@gustavodias6391]

This made me watch jojo, is really good, thank you.

[@mateusantoni136]

THIS VIDEO WAS PERFECT 😭❤️

[@SerfsUp1848]

Another great vid, you messin round on the shoulders of giants with them red-letter jabs doe lol.

[@snufftbunz]

woo! frequent uploads let's go dude

[@Pine2142]

I miss you man I hope you make more videos. Your video on Metal Gear V really helped me in a dark place. You have a way with words that makes me feel the need to live whether I want to or not.

[@trailblazingfive]

Research spanning such a vast span of time; and you managed to pull it off in less than a month from the previous release. Wow, that's dedication man!

[@ENKUANGTIEN]

Your research is really complete, even mentioned Jojo tachi at NIco!! I have been reading Jojo manga since the 90s and it is a bizarre manga at that time. The "norm" of manga on Jump was DragonBall in the 80-90 and Jojo was never the most popular one. It is so different that people took a lot of time to understand the brilliance of it. The "stand" system is really the first at the time and inspired all the popular mangas later.

[@HCosta1001]

LETS GOOO ENGAGEMENT. Incredible content man.

[@Lunary_Octave]

ah yes finally the awfully specifically niece video I have been waiting for

[@sownheard]

Critics are the worst they can't appreciate the thing that already exists ( Amazing video )

[@StrangerX9]

Incredible video with amazingly deep research! Insta sub, like and fandom!

[@RobbyHuang]

Always a treat!

[@shinyray6927]

HEY YOUR CHANNEL IS LIKE REALLY REALLY GOOD I'M LOVING IT I WAS WATCHING NIER AND KLK VIDEOS AND NOW I'M LITERALLY JUMPING BECAUSE HAPPINESS WOHOOO

[@aroccoification]

Jesus christ your videos are fantastic. I'm so sorry you're only getting like 12 views. May the algorithm gods act in your favor

[@miguelramirez7132]

We miss another production of you!

[@umbraemahwa5675]

Another banger video! Man should you ever do a Castlevania video you should dress up as Alucard, you have the physique for it, I'm jealous!

[@raphaelmarquesdebarros1444]

"Man makes his own history, but he does not make it out of the whole cloth; he does not make it out of conditions chosen by himself, but out of such as he finds close at hand. The tradition of all past generations weighs like an alp upon the brain of the living. At the very time when men appear engaged in revolutionizing things and themselves, in bringing about what never was before, at such very epochs of revolutionary crisis do they anxiously conjure up into their service the spirits of the past, assume their names, their battle cries, their costumes to enact a new historic scene in such time-honored disguise and with such borrowed language." - some german bloke

[@THEDeathWizard87]

And another thing is the color shifts in the anime. Out of nowhere with no explanation you’ll be treated to a refreshing and vibrant new color palette to enhance the mood of the scene. Nothing is set in stone, not even what color Giorno’s hair and outfit are scene to scene, just another thing that makes this show truly one of a kind. And btw if you thought the style and storytelling were great now just wait till you see parts 6-8. It’s really only uphill from here

[@orangepotato2112]

This is an awesme video

[@localloser7415]

I just now stumbled apon your channel and I really hope your ok whever you are or whatever your doing I just hope you know us fans are cheering you on

[@JandraSrikerJayShabazZz]

Okay at 3:56 I've Changed was sampled in Earl Sweatshirt's Knights ft. Domo. Wtf! It's so random to catch that. But it made me really happy!

[@cloudbloom]

1:58 bruh I thought that was David Chase except with hair haha looks just like him

[@LostFutures1]

dude this vid is amazing Greet take on Mark Fisher and Lost Futures/ hauntology in general! Dont know why the jojo fan bois have come in hoards to watch this. ill share it on an anime amino or something. Hope to see more of your content as you have inspired me to make this channel and channel my inner critical theory nerd.

[@jahdielt.9160]

Only thing missing Nerdcore

[@ripdito]

3:49 i was just trying to find this sample the other day for the earl song

[@judsongaiden9878]

The Oingo Boingo Bros. were named after the greatest band of all time! 19:36 The definition of "AMV" was broadened to mean "animated music video." Didn't have to be specifically anime. I used to make WALL-E AMVs back when I had my first channel (2008-2013). Of the 1,835 videos I'd uploaded to that channel as per Chernobyl Day 2013 (the day it got nix'd by ScrewTewb), 48 of them were WALL-E AMVs. Most of the songs I used were by Rush, Styx, and Oingo Boingo. 19:55 / 21:30 Represent! Note: I have a playlist of mashups, though I no longer have the willpower to pour nine or so hours of effort into MVs only to have them get blocked by ScrewTewb despite the fact that "Fair Use has a posse." Most of them involve video game music since that's less likely to get blocked than official songs. Haven't made any anime ones lately, but if I did, you can bet they'd involve Lily C.A.T., Demon City Shinjuku, or the original Vampire Hunter D. I made a Lily C.A.T. one years ago. For part of it, I used a cut and looped riff from the theme song from 'Freaked' by Blind Idiot God featuring Henry Rollins. Here's a link to the playlist if yer interested: kzbin.info/aero/PL3C86UcPO_CZEEW7StM3dyVb8OnU3teG3 Here's a Hellsing AMV (by someone other than me, proving that I'm not the only Oingo fan that still exists) featuring the live Halloween 1988 version of 'No One Lives Forever', my favorite Oingo Boingo song of demented do0m! Ackchyually, the 1985 studio version is muh top fave. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHLLn5R3eLBrZ6c 19:57 Ever see 'Lily C.A.T.', Demon City Shinjuku, the original Vampire Hunter D from 1985, or 'The Mysterious Cities of Gold'? 23:30 Explain that to the ScrewTewb overlords (who probably wear neckties) who screwed me out of my first YT channel 10 years ago. 23:38 "Ordo ab chao," a creed for whores.

[@arcanaobscura3519]

Hey buddy, Just wanted to say that I really enjoy your videos and that I hope you're going to upload some content in the future.

[@DurodematarRM]

Good video mayne

[@TheNahnny]

"set in stone" me: *giggles* oh no he didnt *giggles*

[@ITNoetic]

This channel represents my most problematically-strong parasocial connection with literally anyone on the internet. Michael, you're like an alternate timeline, white version of me. If we knew each other IRL, I'm sure we'd get along famously. So cool to see my name in the video. And shoutouts to those that voted. It's gonna be refreshing to see an analysis of Death Stranding that both takes place during its timeline and respects my time (relative to Tim Rogers, anyway).

[@yeetleslaw8529]

I think all three of us could get along really well. I love Tim Rogers too.

[@caracallaavg]

I saw Rich Evans and I clapped!

[@GaasubaMeskhenet]

I let big headed artist make me anxious about using references so blatantly

[@madhukarg8052]

A video made for a JoJo fan for a JoJo fan ❤️

[@Jupiter065]

I loved the anthologies that AMV groups would make. AMV Hell 3 was a revelation

[@pauldemon1624]

Nice!

[@mayabombanation9914]

Commenting on here for visibility, but I'd love for you to do a deep dive into Nier: Replicant 1.22, especially with the new added Ending E. Just found your channel through the Automata video and will now be binging haha

[@Shadowonshadows]

I appreciate that you got dressed up just for some poses

[@N-HTTi]

“18:03 ...mind....*cells” He forgot to add the cells to that sentence

[@eggsdee9110]

good video brah

[@TainoMoya]

Here because AMVs stayed for the incredibly well written and directed video Edit:subbed

[@kingcrimsonwashere8736]

I feel proud to be a Jojo fan again. Now I wanna read part 5. Again.

[@jackrucinsky6205]

Cool video.

[@N-HTTi]

I just can’t get my mind around wtf made this so popular I tried to force myself through it but I just... I can’t I already lost too many brain cells This video didn’t help solve this mystery but it came closer than any other.

[@PeriapsisStudios2000]

You’ve got to do a video essay on Evangelion. It’s right up your alley.

[@JandraSrikerJayShabazZz]

"Manga Compilation Volumes" Sir we call it Tankobons.

[@kaijew8930]

I really liked the video you make very good points. Im not sure if you where trying to argue against RLM (and others) disdain for self references or if that was just a blanketed jumping off point. Cuz from my point of view the hate about over relying on self referencing (as seen in Rlm clips you showed) and your argument for Recontextualizeing through homage/remixing what has come before are pretty different. As one is to argue a story that uses to many call backs to prior works is creatively lazy.(which this can be argued) The other saying the lifting of ideas or the referencing of art that inspires you is ok.(which i fully agree with)

[@beybenmici6268]

in Architecture school as young people we were convinced that inspiration was cheating , it would go to such lenght as not to use the same structural systeme as your fellow student .. One day we had a confrence by a well known Architect , that we asked what was the soundest way to improve "learn to Copy" still one of the best adviced i received .

[@travisbewley7084]

Surprised you didn't bring up how Jojo's incorporates surrealist body horror so well.

[@JokerJoestar726]

Hey just found your channel your videos are awesome hope you’re well and hope to see some new content soon

[@Marthyn96]

20:30 this was a trip back in time for me.

[@trip_the_deep]

i feel like the paradigm shift from good old internet to current day internet was the moment DBZxLinkin Park AMV's disappeared

[@DoggmaticProductions]

You're the best.

[@Giru]

Your videos are, as always, oozing with quality. Thanks for sharing your work, thoughts and passion, I adored every second of it and look forward to your take on NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...

[@Giru]

Oh, and I tried to reach your Patreon but it seems to be down :(

[@livannal.t.9068]

anime japan's number one export

[@BobLogical]

First comment since the event. Bizarre Summer 2021.

[@calidabrisadeverano]

JoJo is the Ultimate Art Pop creation.