‘JoJo Part 3’ × ‘Shimamura’ Apparel Items Released! ‘Jotaro Kujo’ and ‘DIO’ Coolly Designed
In Japan, on December 16, 2023, popular anime ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’ and fashion center Shimamura released their collaboration products. This collaboration features apparel items designed with popular characters like Jotaro Kujo and DIO. The product lineup includes men’s long-sleeve T-shirts, pullovers, tote bags, drawstring bags, mini towels, and bag charms, offering unmissable items for character enthusiasts. Especially notable are the products designed with the characters’ stands, ‘Star Platinum’ and ‘The World’. These goods are available at Shimamura stores nationwide and online. For anime fans, such limited collaboration items from Japan are highly attractive.
What is Shimamura?
Shimamura, established in 1953 as Shimamura Drapery in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, changed its name to its current form in 1972. Known as the second-largest clothing chain store in Japan, it operates stores in all prefectures nationwide, including overseas expansions like Taiwan. Since starting its chain store expansion in 1961, as of December 2023, Shimamura operates 1,359 stores. Its primary target is families, especially housewives aged between 20 and 50, offering everyday clothing. Shimamura is a retail business that sources and sells products from suppliers such as manufacturers and trading companies.
What’s in the ‘JoJo Part 3’ × ‘Shimamura’ Apparel Collection?
Prices:
- Various Long-Sleeve T-Shirts: ¥1,639 (tax included)
- Various Pullovers: ¥2,420 (tax included)
Prices:
- Various Tote Bags: ¥1,639 (tax included)
- Various Drawstring Bags: ¥759 (tax included)
- Various Pouches: ¥979 (tax included)
Prices:
- Various Men’s Caps: ¥1,639 (tax included)
- Various Coin Cases: ¥759 (tax included)
- Various Mini Towels: ¥539 (tax included)
- Various Bag Charms: ¥759 (tax included)
Prices:
- Various Long-Sleeve Loungewear: ¥2,970 (tax included)
Available from December 16! Online sales start at 3 PM on the same day The ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’ apparel items will be available at Shimamura from December 16. Online sales will start at 3 PM on the same day.
Release Date: Sequentially from December 16, 2023 (Online from 3 PM)
What is ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’?
‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’, the third part of ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ by Hirohiko Araki, is a Japanese manga series. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1989 to 1992, it consists of a total of 152 episodes. Set 50 years after Part 2, in Japan in 1989, the protagonist is Jotaro Kujo. The anime adaptation, ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable’, broadcast over three cours from April to December 2016, depicts this third part.
‘Stardust Crusaders’ introduced the concept of ‘Stands’ as a new element to the series. Consequently, the main characters are deeply involved in the story as Stand users. This part is included in volumes 12 to 28 of the ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ manga.
The subtitle ‘Stardust Crusaders’ was added later, as the original subtitle during its Weekly Shonen Jump serialization was ‘Part Three: Jotaro Kujo – Heritage for the Future’. Initially, in the early art collection ‘JOJO A-GO!GO!’, it was titled ‘Stardust Travelers’, but this was corrected to the current title in later budget editions. This third part is particularly popular among fans of the entire series.
Synopsis of ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’
The story of ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders’, Part 3, begins in Japan in 1988, about 50 years after Part 2, ‘Battle Tendency’. In the prologue, the protagonist Jotaro Kujo confines himself in a detention center, possessed by an ‘evil spirit’. His grandfather, Joseph Joestar, and friend Mohammed Avdol visit and reveal that the ‘evil spirit’ is a ‘Stand, a manifestation of psychic energy.
The backdrop of the story involves the resurrection of the vampire DIO. DIO, having taken over the body of Jonathan Joestar, survived for 100 years under the sea. With his revival and acquisition of Stand abilities, DIO aims to increase his underlings and dominate the world. Joseph and Jotaro develop Stand abilities as a result of DIO’s influence.
In the early stages, Jotaro battles a Stand user under DIO’s control, Noriaki Kakyoin, in the infirmary, defeating and freeing him from mind control. However, Jotaro’s mother, Holy Kujo, also manifests a Stand but is unable to control it, endangering her life. The only way to save her is to find and defeat DIO. Jotaro and his companions set off for Egypt, joined along the way by Jean Pierre Polnareff.
In the middle of the story, DIO sends Stand users, named after Tarot cards, to eliminate the Joestar group. The group chooses to travel by sea and land due to the dangers posed by these assassins. Upon reaching Egypt, they are joined by a Stand-using dog, Iggy, enhancing their strength.
In the final part, as Holy’s condition worsens and time runs short, the group discovers DIO’s hiding place in Cairo. Despite losing Avdol and Iggy to DIO’s close associates, they confront DIO. In a fierce one-on-one battle, Jotaro ultimately defeats DIO, rescuing Holy and ending the century-long feud between the Joestar family and DIO.
‘Stardust Crusaders’ is especially popular for introducing the concept of Stands, setting the stage for global adventures, depicting various countries and cultures, and featuring characters with unique personalities and Stand abilities.
Visit Anime Treasures jp’s ‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ store on eBay→
Source Cited:
