JoJo: Who Is Jolyne Cujoh? 10 Questions About The Stone Ocean Protagonist, Answered (2023)

There are many exciting anime series that have been able to last for decades and still find ways to push themselves to challenging, new places. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the best examples of this and even though it’s been the same series for over a decade, it’s not unusual for each new chapter in the JoJo saga to have its own distinct flavor.

Related: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: 10 Stands From Stone Ocean That Make No Sense

Stone Ocean is a controversial addition to the franchise and it’s the next up to be animated now that Golden Wind’s anime adaptation is complete. Stone Ocean moves the story over to Florida and it introduces the series’ first female JoJo with Jolyne Cujoh, but there’s a lot to this unusual hero that gets overlooked.

10 She’s Jotaro’s Daughter

Jotaro is a very different protagonist for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and he adds a unique and reckless sensibility to Stardust Crusaders. Jolyne’s introduction in Stone Ocean very much mirrors Jotaro’s, so it’s only fitting to learn that she’s actually his offspring.

Not much is known about the earliest years of Jolyne’s life, but apparently Jotaro wed and had a child with an American lady. Jotaro is largely absent from Jolyne’s life, but Stone Ocean heavily revolves around these two figures getting back in touch with each other and forming a real relationship.

9 She Dislikes The Nickname JoJo

One of the fun quirks to each new chapter of the growing saga of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure pertains to who exactly is the "JoJo" of the story. The earlier seasons of the story chronicle an aging Joseph Joestar, but by the time Stone Ocean comes around the narrative has centered on Jolyne Cujoh.

Curiously, the term “JoJo” is one of affection and an endearing nickname for previous protagonists from the series. However, Jolyne resents the moniker and anyone who calls her that. It’s a special privilege that’s usually reserved for her mother.

8 She Puts Her Own Spin On Her Family’s Catchphrase

It’s a lot of fun to see how recurring touches and traits carry over between different members of the Joestar family. They’re all distinct individuals, but it’s always interesting to see the ways they'reable to rub off on each other. Jotaro popularizes a running phrase throughout the series that he often expresses during moments of exasperation.

Related: JoJo: 10 Araki Forgot Moments From Stone Ocean, Debunked

“Yare yare daze” roughly translates to an incredulous statement in the same vein as the English phrase “give me a break.” As a way of honoring her father, Jolyne adopts the trademark, but puts her own feminine slant on the phrase by changing it to, “yare yare dawa.”

7 She’s First Sent To Prison At 14

When Jolyne is sentenced to her prison term in Stone Ocean, it may be for a crime she didn't commit,but she still has a long history of committing minor crimes and misdemeanors. Jolyne’s first brush with the law happens at 14 when a misunderstanding over a lost wallet attracts the attention of the police. Jolyne panics and tries to escape with a stolen car, which doesn’t get her very far.

Jolyne is let off because of her young age, but this begins her attempts to act out for attention, largely inspired by how she’s grown up without a father figure.

6 Her Powers Are Activated By A Stand Arrow

Stone Ocean begins with Jolyne Cujoh as a reckless teen, but she receives a rude awakening when she’s sentenced to a maximum security prison. However, the event also helps trigger an important change in Jolyne.

A gift for Jolyne, a locket, has been left for her by her mother upon her admittance into Green Dolphin Street Prison. The locket actually comes from Jotaro and upon opening it, Jolyne pricks her finger on what’s inside. The locket contains a piece of a Stand Arrow, which is what activates Jolyne’s powers as she’s thrust into this new situation.

5 She’s 19 Years Old

Jolyne’s fascination with pushing boundaries begins early in her adolescence, but when Stone Ocean begins, the character is 19 years old and already has spent a number of years as a troublesome youth that’s built up a reputation. Jolyne is still young, but her prison sentence promises to keep her incarcerated well into her thirties.

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Stone Ocean is set in 2002, which turns the clock forward a fair bit from Diamond is Unbreakable, thusexplaining how Jotaro’s daughter can nearly be 20. This is actually on the older side as far as new JoJo protagonists are concerned.

4 She Became Deathly Ill As A Child

Stone Ocean largely focuses on Jolyne Cujoh’s time as an adult, with a few pointed flashbacks centered on her earlier years as a mischievous teenager. However, Stone Ocean also mentions that Jolyne becomes deathly ill when she’s only six years old and she nearly passes away.

Jotaro isn’t around during Jolyne’s youth and the fact that he doesn’t even show up during this tumultuous period illustrates just how far removed Jotaro is from his family. It’s possible that this illness could bear some relation to Jolyne’s latent Stand abilities, but it’s not given enough focus to be a guarantee.

3 She’s Skilled In Hand-To-Hand Combat

Most of the characters from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure seem to be gifted fighters, whether they’ve trained to acquire these skills or if they’re just innate in these individuals. It seems like martial arts expertiseis a natural trait of the Joestar family tree, but Jolyne is especially skilled in the field.

Jolyne demonstrates a deep understanding of self-defense and close combat, especially during her fight against Officer Westwood. Jolyne spent time with a motorcycle gang during her teenage years, so it’slikely she picked up at least some of her fighting skills in that environment.

2 She’s Sent To Prison For A DUI Murder

Most seasons of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure begin in big ways, but Jolyne’s predicament at the start of Stone Ocean is particularly suspenseful. A reckless night out leads to Jolyne and her boyfriend, Romeo, running over someone with their car. Romeo convinces Jolyne to cover up the crime and it’s not long until she’s taking the fall for him.

Repeated tricks and manipulations of justice see Jolyne pleading guilty to the murder and she’s sentenced to 15 years in Green Dolphin Street Prison as a result. It’s an event that greatly shapes her character.

1 Her Stand Is Stone Free

There’s always a lot of pressure on the Stands that a new installment of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will bring into the canon, but these expectations are even higher when it comes to the Stands of the series’ main characters.

Jolyne only recently learns that she possesses a Stand, but she immediately takes to it. Jolyne’s Stand, Stone Free, is string-based and its ability allows her to unravel her body, which makes her excellent at eavesdropping and mobility. There are many different clever uses for Stone Free, which Jolyne continues to figure out during Stone Ocean’s run.

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