Jojos Pose

2003Participatory fan activity / photo fad / cosplay memeclassic

Also known as: JoJo Dachi · JoJo Posing · JoJo's Posing School · ジョジョ立ち

JoJo's Pose is a 2003 Japanese participatory meme featuring exaggerated, anatomically impossible stances from Hirohiko Araki's *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*, popularized by fans recreating them in photos, cosplay, and organized real-life gatherings.

JoJo's Pose (ジョジョ立ち, *JoJo Dachi*) refers to the exaggerated, dramatic stances struck by characters in Hirohiko Araki's manga series *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*, and the widespread fan practice of recreating those poses in real life3. The meme took off in 2003 when a Japanese fan community launched "JoJo's Posing School," organizing meetups where hundreds of fans would gather to mimic the manga's anatomically impossible stances3. The poses became so popular that the term was added to Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* in 2005, and the trend eventually spread worldwide through anime conventions, video-sharing sites, and social media3.

jojos bizarre adventure memesanime mangabody pose memesjapanese internet memes

Overview

JoJo's Pose is any of the highly dramatic, often physically impossible stances that characters strike throughout *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*. The poses feature limbs bent at unnatural angles, torsos twisted in extreme contortions, and a general disregard for how human anatomy actually works2. What makes them instantly recognizable is the combination of high-fashion runway aesthetics with action manga intensity. Characters don't just stand or fight; they look like they're modeling for a magazine while punching a vampire1.

The fan meme side of JoJo's Pose involves real people attempting to recreate these stances, typically in groups at conventions, public spaces, or flashmob-style meetups3. The humor comes from the gap between the impossibly cool manga originals and the awkward reality of actual humans trying to bend their bodies that way2. Fans photograph and share these attempts online, and the tradition has been running for over two decades.

*JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* began serialization in *Weekly Shōnen Jump* in 1987, created by Hirohiko Araki4. While the series always featured dramatic character art, the signature poses became more extreme as the series progressed. Early parts like *Phantom Blood* had relatively grounded stances emphasizing power, but by *Stardust Crusaders* and *Diamond is Unbreakable*, the poses had become full-blown fashion editorial spreads frozen in manga panels1.

Araki's inspiration came from an unexpected place. In a 2018 interview with Japanese fashion magazine *SPUR*, Araki explained: "I like to use women's poses as a reference when drawing. So I often end up drawing male characters by looking at the models in women's fashion magazines"1 (translated from Japanese). This fashion-model influence gives JoJo characters their distinctive gender-bending quality, particularly with later protagonists like Giorno and Josuke1. Araki didn't see this as unusual. In the same interview he said, "I don't distinguish between [drawing] men and women like that. When it comes down to it, I think I'm more concerned about whether I make them stylish or cute"1 (translated from Japanese).

The fan meme originated on April 9, 2003, when "JoJo's Posing School" (ジョジョ立ち教室, *JoJo Dachi Kyōshitsu*) launched on Bungei Junkie Paradise (文芸ジャンキーパラダイス), a Japanese fan community site3. The project invited fans to mimic manga poses, photograph themselves, and share the results online. It was a hit immediately, drawing enough attention to spawn offline meetups later that year3.

Origin & Background

Platform
Bungei Junkie Paradise (Japanese fan community), Nico Nico Douga / YouTube (viral spread)
Key People
Hirohiko Araki, Bungei Junkie Paradise community
Date
2003 (fan meme), 1987 (source material)

*JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* began serialization in *Weekly Shōnen Jump* in 1987, created by Hirohiko Araki. While the series always featured dramatic character art, the signature poses became more extreme as the series progressed. Early parts like *Phantom Blood* had relatively grounded stances emphasizing power, but by *Stardust Crusaders* and *Diamond is Unbreakable*, the poses had become full-blown fashion editorial spreads frozen in manga panels.

Araki's inspiration came from an unexpected place. In a 2018 interview with Japanese fashion magazine *SPUR*, Araki explained: "I like to use women's poses as a reference when drawing. So I often end up drawing male characters by looking at the models in women's fashion magazines" (translated from Japanese). This fashion-model influence gives JoJo characters their distinctive gender-bending quality, particularly with later protagonists like Giorno and Josuke. Araki didn't see this as unusual. In the same interview he said, "I don't distinguish between [drawing] men and women like that. When it comes down to it, I think I'm more concerned about whether I make them stylish or cute" (translated from Japanese).

The fan meme originated on April 9, 2003, when "JoJo's Posing School" (ジョジョ立ち教室, *JoJo Dachi Kyōshitsu*) launched on Bungei Junkie Paradise (文芸ジャンキーパラダイス), a Japanese fan community site. The project invited fans to mimic manga poses, photograph themselves, and share the results online. It was a hit immediately, drawing enough attention to spawn offline meetups later that year.

How It Spread

The Posing School meetups grew fast. Gatherings in 2003 drew reported attendance in the hundreds, and the official meetups had to be shut down by 2004 because the turnout was simply too large to manage. But the cancellation didn't stop the movement. Fans organized their own events, hosting flashmob-style posing sessions in public spaces across Japan. Photos and videos from these gatherings circulated on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube, keeping the trend alive.

By 2005, the term "JoJo's Pose" had enough cultural weight to be included in Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* (現代用語の基礎知識) as a term of internet origin. That's the Japanese equivalent of getting into the Oxford English Dictionary.

Between 2006 and 2007, media attention peaked in Japan. Araki was featured in numerous interviews celebrating his 25th career anniversary and *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*'s 20th anniversary. Reporters asked him directly about the posing phenomenon, and Araki embraced it. He invited the staff from Bungei Junkie Paradise to his anniversary party and to a lecture at Tohoku University, where he participated in JoJo Poses alongside the founders of the Posing School.

The 2007 PS2 game *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood* incorporated posing into gameplay. The TV commercial for the game went all-in on the concept, featuring roughly 100 extras playing the traditional Japanese children's game *Darumasan ga koronda* (a "Red Light, Green Light" variant) while holding JoJo Poses instead of normal frozen stances.

The trend went international in 2011, when American fans organized a JoJo's Posing School event at Katsucon, an anime convention near Washington, D.C.. A fan known as "Joe" (who cosplayed as Jotaro) had discovered the original Japanese Posing School site online and decided to bring the concept stateside. The event attracted cosplayers and fans who'd never tried posing before, and videos of the session spread online. A second U.S. event followed at AnimeNEXT in New Jersey in 2012, with an expanded roster of over 20 different poses. By this point, JoJo's Pose was an expected fixture at anime conventions worldwide.

Celebrity endorsement added fuel. Japanese media personality Shoko Nakagawa, a well-known otaku celebrity, and members of the pop group Perfume were among public figures spotted doing JoJo Poses. When the *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* TV anime adaptation launched in 2012, a new wave of international fans discovered the poses and brought them to platforms like Reddit, Tumblr, and Twitter.

How to Use This Meme

JoJo's Pose works both as a solo activity and a group performance:

1

Pick a pose. Study a specific character stance from the manga or anime. Popular choices include Jotaro's pointed-finger stance, DIO's dramatic lean, Jonathan's heroic flex, or Giorno's wind-swept model pose.

2

Commit to it. The key is full-body commitment. Twist your torso, extend your limbs at odd angles, and lean in ways that feel slightly wrong. Half-hearted poses don't read as JoJo.

3

Photograph or film. Group photos with everyone in different poses are the classic format. Convention meetups often line up 10+ people in coordinated shots.

4

Share online. Post with context. Comparison shots (manga panel next to real-life recreation) tend to perform well because the gap between source and reality is where the comedy lives.

Cultural Impact

JoJo's Pose broke out of the anime fandom bubble in ways few fan activities manage. Getting listed in Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* in 2005 marked it as a legitimate cultural artifact, not just an internet joke. When Araki himself participated in posing events with fans in 2006 and 2007, it gave the practice an official stamp of approval from the creator.

The fashion connection runs deep. Araki has collaborated with luxury brand Gucci, including a 2011 exhibition at the Gucci store in Shinjuku and features in fashion publications. His character design philosophy treats outfits as integral to characterization, with each character's costume hinting at their Stand abilities and personality. The poses exist specifically to show off these outfits, the same way models pose on a runway. As Araki explained, his definition of "stylish" centers on characters who are "loners" who "maintain a strong sense of justice" despite being unrecognized by society.

The international spread through anime conventions created a shared ritual that crosses language barriers. A fan in New Jersey and a fan in Osaka can strike the same pose without speaking a word of each other's language. The poses also influenced cosplay photography, where JoJo-style dynamic stances became standard practice for photographing anime characters even from other series.

Fun Facts

Araki's career spans over 40 years, with *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* alone running since 1987 and reaching over 120 million copies in circulation by 2022.

The Bungei Junkie Paradise meetups in 2003 grew so large that organizers had to cancel official events entirely by 2004 because they couldn't handle the crowds.

Araki drew a cover for the scientific journal *Cell* in September 2007, depicting a ligase enzyme as one of his signature Stands.

The *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* franchise has collaborated with Gucci, with Araki creating original artwork for the Gucci store in Shinjuku and appearing in fashion magazine features.

The first American JoJo Posing School organizer traveled over 1,600 km (roughly the length of Japan) just to attend a posing event.

Derivatives & Variations

JoJo Gymnastics

A parody video combining JoJo Poses with Japan's *rajio taisō* (radio calisthenics), the nationally broadcast morning exercise routine[3][6].

"How to Go Downstairs JoJo Style"

A popular video demonstrating descending stairs while maintaining dramatic poses, one of the early viral JoJo Pose videos[3].

JoJo's Posing School USA

The American branch of the posing tradition, organized at conventions like Katsucon (2011) and AnimeNEXT (2012), which adapted the format for Western fan culture[10][11].

"Darumasan ga koronda" Commercial

A 2007 TV spot for the PS2 *Phantom Blood* game featuring ~100 extras playing Red Light, Green Light while holding JoJo Poses[3].

"Is that a JoJo reference?"

A broader catchphrase meme that grew from the same fan culture, used whenever anything in real life coincidentally resembles a JoJo scene or pose[4].

Frequently Asked Questions

Jojos Pose

2003Participatory fan activity / photo fad / cosplay memeclassic

Also known as: JoJo Dachi · JoJo Posing · JoJo's Posing School · ジョジョ立ち

JoJo's Pose is a 2003 Japanese participatory meme featuring exaggerated, anatomically impossible stances from Hirohiko Araki's *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*, popularized by fans recreating them in photos, cosplay, and organized real-life gatherings.

JoJo's Pose (ジョジョ立ち, *JoJo Dachi*) refers to the exaggerated, dramatic stances struck by characters in Hirohiko Araki's manga series *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*, and the widespread fan practice of recreating those poses in real life. The meme took off in 2003 when a Japanese fan community launched "JoJo's Posing School," organizing meetups where hundreds of fans would gather to mimic the manga's anatomically impossible stances. The poses became so popular that the term was added to Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* in 2005, and the trend eventually spread worldwide through anime conventions, video-sharing sites, and social media.

jojos bizarre adventure memes anime manga body pose memes japanese internet memes

Overview

JoJo's Pose is any of the highly dramatic, often physically impossible stances that characters strike throughout *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*. The poses feature limbs bent at unnatural angles, torsos twisted in extreme contortions, and a general disregard for how human anatomy actually works. What makes them instantly recognizable is the combination of high-fashion runway aesthetics with action manga intensity. Characters don't just stand or fight; they look like they're modeling for a magazine while punching a vampire.

The fan meme side of JoJo's Pose involves real people attempting to recreate these stances, typically in groups at conventions, public spaces, or flashmob-style meetups. The humor comes from the gap between the impossibly cool manga originals and the awkward reality of actual humans trying to bend their bodies that way. Fans photograph and share these attempts online, and the tradition has been running for over two decades.

*JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* began serialization in *Weekly Shōnen Jump* in 1987, created by Hirohiko Araki. While the series always featured dramatic character art, the signature poses became more extreme as the series progressed. Early parts like *Phantom Blood* had relatively grounded stances emphasizing power, but by *Stardust Crusaders* and *Diamond is Unbreakable*, the poses had become full-blown fashion editorial spreads frozen in manga panels.

Araki's inspiration came from an unexpected place. In a 2018 interview with Japanese fashion magazine *SPUR*, Araki explained: "I like to use women's poses as a reference when drawing. So I often end up drawing male characters by looking at the models in women's fashion magazines" (translated from Japanese). This fashion-model influence gives JoJo characters their distinctive gender-bending quality, particularly with later protagonists like Giorno and Josuke. Araki didn't see this as unusual. In the same interview he said, "I don't distinguish between [drawing] men and women like that. When it comes down to it, I think I'm more concerned about whether I make them stylish or cute" (translated from Japanese).

The fan meme originated on April 9, 2003, when "JoJo's Posing School" (ジョジョ立ち教室, *JoJo Dachi Kyōshitsu*) launched on Bungei Junkie Paradise (文芸ジャンキーパラダイス), a Japanese fan community site. The project invited fans to mimic manga poses, photograph themselves, and share the results online. It was a hit immediately, drawing enough attention to spawn offline meetups later that year.

Origin & Background

Platform
Bungei Junkie Paradise (Japanese fan community), Nico Nico Douga / YouTube (viral spread)
Key People
Hirohiko Araki, Bungei Junkie Paradise community
Date
2003 (fan meme), 1987 (source material)

*JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* began serialization in *Weekly Shōnen Jump* in 1987, created by Hirohiko Araki. While the series always featured dramatic character art, the signature poses became more extreme as the series progressed. Early parts like *Phantom Blood* had relatively grounded stances emphasizing power, but by *Stardust Crusaders* and *Diamond is Unbreakable*, the poses had become full-blown fashion editorial spreads frozen in manga panels.

Araki's inspiration came from an unexpected place. In a 2018 interview with Japanese fashion magazine *SPUR*, Araki explained: "I like to use women's poses as a reference when drawing. So I often end up drawing male characters by looking at the models in women's fashion magazines" (translated from Japanese). This fashion-model influence gives JoJo characters their distinctive gender-bending quality, particularly with later protagonists like Giorno and Josuke. Araki didn't see this as unusual. In the same interview he said, "I don't distinguish between [drawing] men and women like that. When it comes down to it, I think I'm more concerned about whether I make them stylish or cute" (translated from Japanese).

The fan meme originated on April 9, 2003, when "JoJo's Posing School" (ジョジョ立ち教室, *JoJo Dachi Kyōshitsu*) launched on Bungei Junkie Paradise (文芸ジャンキーパラダイス), a Japanese fan community site. The project invited fans to mimic manga poses, photograph themselves, and share the results online. It was a hit immediately, drawing enough attention to spawn offline meetups later that year.

How It Spread

The Posing School meetups grew fast. Gatherings in 2003 drew reported attendance in the hundreds, and the official meetups had to be shut down by 2004 because the turnout was simply too large to manage. But the cancellation didn't stop the movement. Fans organized their own events, hosting flashmob-style posing sessions in public spaces across Japan. Photos and videos from these gatherings circulated on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube, keeping the trend alive.

By 2005, the term "JoJo's Pose" had enough cultural weight to be included in Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* (現代用語の基礎知識) as a term of internet origin. That's the Japanese equivalent of getting into the Oxford English Dictionary.

Between 2006 and 2007, media attention peaked in Japan. Araki was featured in numerous interviews celebrating his 25th career anniversary and *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure*'s 20th anniversary. Reporters asked him directly about the posing phenomenon, and Araki embraced it. He invited the staff from Bungei Junkie Paradise to his anniversary party and to a lecture at Tohoku University, where he participated in JoJo Poses alongside the founders of the Posing School.

The 2007 PS2 game *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood* incorporated posing into gameplay. The TV commercial for the game went all-in on the concept, featuring roughly 100 extras playing the traditional Japanese children's game *Darumasan ga koronda* (a "Red Light, Green Light" variant) while holding JoJo Poses instead of normal frozen stances.

The trend went international in 2011, when American fans organized a JoJo's Posing School event at Katsucon, an anime convention near Washington, D.C.. A fan known as "Joe" (who cosplayed as Jotaro) had discovered the original Japanese Posing School site online and decided to bring the concept stateside. The event attracted cosplayers and fans who'd never tried posing before, and videos of the session spread online. A second U.S. event followed at AnimeNEXT in New Jersey in 2012, with an expanded roster of over 20 different poses. By this point, JoJo's Pose was an expected fixture at anime conventions worldwide.

Celebrity endorsement added fuel. Japanese media personality Shoko Nakagawa, a well-known otaku celebrity, and members of the pop group Perfume were among public figures spotted doing JoJo Poses. When the *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* TV anime adaptation launched in 2012, a new wave of international fans discovered the poses and brought them to platforms like Reddit, Tumblr, and Twitter.

How to Use This Meme

JoJo's Pose works both as a solo activity and a group performance:

1

Pick a pose. Study a specific character stance from the manga or anime. Popular choices include Jotaro's pointed-finger stance, DIO's dramatic lean, Jonathan's heroic flex, or Giorno's wind-swept model pose.

2

Commit to it. The key is full-body commitment. Twist your torso, extend your limbs at odd angles, and lean in ways that feel slightly wrong. Half-hearted poses don't read as JoJo.

3

Photograph or film. Group photos with everyone in different poses are the classic format. Convention meetups often line up 10+ people in coordinated shots.

4

Share online. Post with context. Comparison shots (manga panel next to real-life recreation) tend to perform well because the gap between source and reality is where the comedy lives.

Cultural Impact

JoJo's Pose broke out of the anime fandom bubble in ways few fan activities manage. Getting listed in Japan's *Encyclopedia of Contemporary Words* in 2005 marked it as a legitimate cultural artifact, not just an internet joke. When Araki himself participated in posing events with fans in 2006 and 2007, it gave the practice an official stamp of approval from the creator.

The fashion connection runs deep. Araki has collaborated with luxury brand Gucci, including a 2011 exhibition at the Gucci store in Shinjuku and features in fashion publications. His character design philosophy treats outfits as integral to characterization, with each character's costume hinting at their Stand abilities and personality. The poses exist specifically to show off these outfits, the same way models pose on a runway. As Araki explained, his definition of "stylish" centers on characters who are "loners" who "maintain a strong sense of justice" despite being unrecognized by society.

The international spread through anime conventions created a shared ritual that crosses language barriers. A fan in New Jersey and a fan in Osaka can strike the same pose without speaking a word of each other's language. The poses also influenced cosplay photography, where JoJo-style dynamic stances became standard practice for photographing anime characters even from other series.

Fun Facts

Araki's career spans over 40 years, with *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* alone running since 1987 and reaching over 120 million copies in circulation by 2022.

The Bungei Junkie Paradise meetups in 2003 grew so large that organizers had to cancel official events entirely by 2004 because they couldn't handle the crowds.

Araki drew a cover for the scientific journal *Cell* in September 2007, depicting a ligase enzyme as one of his signature Stands.

The *JoJo's Bizarre Adventure* franchise has collaborated with Gucci, with Araki creating original artwork for the Gucci store in Shinjuku and appearing in fashion magazine features.

The first American JoJo Posing School organizer traveled over 1,600 km (roughly the length of Japan) just to attend a posing event.

Derivatives & Variations

JoJo Gymnastics

A parody video combining JoJo Poses with Japan's *rajio taisō* (radio calisthenics), the nationally broadcast morning exercise routine[3][6].

"How to Go Downstairs JoJo Style"

A popular video demonstrating descending stairs while maintaining dramatic poses, one of the early viral JoJo Pose videos[3].

JoJo's Posing School USA

The American branch of the posing tradition, organized at conventions like Katsucon (2011) and AnimeNEXT (2012), which adapted the format for Western fan culture[10][11].

"Darumasan ga koronda" Commercial

A 2007 TV spot for the PS2 *Phantom Blood* game featuring ~100 extras playing Red Light, Green Light while holding JoJo Poses[3].

"Is that a JoJo reference?"

A broader catchphrase meme that grew from the same fan culture, used whenever anything in real life coincidentally resembles a JoJo scene or pose[4].

Frequently Asked Questions