Want to read extra chapters?
Just go to (patreon.com/kurato6180) and read an extra 5 chapters for FREE!
---
Chapter 55. The Final Ripple
---
My heart is Apollo 11!
Though that's what was said, and despite Pucci dragging Akiyuki Shinbo into this risky venture, whether they can successfully land on the moon and obtain the ONE PIECE is still a very worthwhile and question-filled matter.
At least for everyone, including Pucci, their lowest baseline is that even if they truly mess up Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, it has nothing to do with the works themselves.
As long as they can use Jonathan's death in Phantom Blood to open the curtain on the next era and continue this everlasting golden spirit, then they are successful!
This is merely the minimum standard.
"So, how exactly did you persuade President Cujoh?" Akiyuki Shinbo asked resignedly.
After all, despite their previous flattering remarks, the other meaning of opening the curtain is akin to how Roger in One Piece used his own death to usher in the Great Pirate Era.
It's about creating a foundation for future generations through the founder's death. This doesn't seem like something an investor should be doing.
"Of course, I spoke honestly," Pucci said with a smile. "Such a thing wouldn't happen with other investors, but with our President Cujoh... that's another story!"
"After all, she is President Cujoh~~!"
Although he hadn't expected that when he sought Jolyne Cujoh's opinion, she would respond so easily to his request. She allowed him to do as he pleased, even if it meant making a loss. As long as the work he created was the same script he initially showed her...
To be honest, if Pucci weren't confident that he definitely didn't have the Joestar bloodline, he might have really thought that his parents were testing and training him by pretending to be ordinary people. His real name might be Pucci Joestar, and he could be an actual brother and sister with Jolyne Cujoh!
But unfortunately, after carefully inspecting his body, especially the area around his neck, and finding no Joestar-specific star-shaped birthmark, and seeing it was perfectly clean, Pucci abandoned this silly fantasy.
It seemed that Jolyne Cujoh really could have been his mother... cough cough, off-topic. It should be Jolyne Cujoh, who has Joestar blood flowing through her veins, who truly enjoys such golden spirit stories.
Whether it's the death of Zeppeli, which can still find several precedents in the industry, or Jonathan's death, a plot no one dares to write or even to kill off the protagonist while the story is still ongoing. They all allowed for free creation and experimentation.
-- That's actually not bad.
Seeing the look of disbelief on Akiyuki Shinbo's face, which was identical to his expression when he first heard the news, Pucci sighed inwardly.
-- At least we're fortunate to have such an excellent boss, aren't we?
-- It's troublesome. If Phantom Blood really ends up failing, won't I feel guilty and ashamed?
-- Then I'll have to find a way to recover some costs in the final BD sales for Jolyne Cujoh. It can't be helped; there's no way to find a dedicated employee who considers the boss's interests like me.
(PS: Jolyne Cujoh: DAMN IT! Pucci! You better truly be ashamed and die!!)
Hmm, it seems like something is speaking.
It must be an illusion to hear shouting.
Once this thought was confirmed and the entire Phantom Blood crew, along with the entire Green Dolphin Studio and the external support of Junpei Mizusaki's Kamikaze Studio, were united in purpose and belief.
The filming of this final episode progressed even faster than Pucci had anticipated. It was as if this wasn't a special plot none of them had filmed before but a regular plot they all knew how to handle.
But that makes sense.
Just like in martial arts stories, even those claiming to be immune to all poisons are still vulnerable to rare poisons that only yin-yang union can cure. Even such absurd settings are vividly depicted by creators of martial arts works. And related hero saving beauty, or beauty saving hero plots, have become classic elements in every martial arts-related work.
A mere protagonist's death plot couldn't possibly be difficult for them to handle.
Moreover...
"That guy Akiyuki, he was so reluctant to agree to this ending after I persuaded him several times before, but now..."
Seeing that among all of them, Akiyuki Shinbo was the most engaged and active, Pucci couldn't help but feel it was a bit of a delusion that Akiyuki was acting in this way.
Why is he so proficient?
How many times has he filmed this or imagined filming such plots in his mind!?
Thus.
Without any pressure, or even with ease and enjoyment, everyone seemed to be working as if they had always wanted to try this protagonist death plot.
And initially, Pucci used the aliases White Snake and C-Moon to elevate the theme of Phantom Blood. Later, the ordinary viewers, led astray by these aliases, used the misled topic to excessively interpret Phantom Blood.
There was no doubt.
After the broadcast of the eighth episode, where DIO, the seemingly final big boss, was finally defeated by JoJo and his team, this plot not only did not diminish their enthusiasm for continuing the series but actually increased it.
Because DIO's death in the eighth episode was considered by many to be an early end, which in most works would be considered midway or would require fanservice like swimsuits to ease the viewing experience.
No one could believe that Phantom Blood was concluding so quickly.
For JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, it was a story of continuous inheritance, like moving mountains, passing the will and dreams inherited from Zeppeli from generation to generation. People were increasingly convinced of this.
They couldn't wait to see JoJo's new adventures and how JoJo would pass this will and dream to the next person.
After all, this was at least the sixth generation of JoJo.
Just thinking about it makes one wonder how magnificent the story would be?
And so...
-- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, Episode 9.
-- The Final Ripple!!
It finally arrived before them...