Now that the boss has issued a second order, Team Bucciarati moves further into the plot. We also learn more about Fugo and are introduced to the second member of La Squadra.
This’ll be another two-parter, so there’ll be a lot to cover. Let’s jump in!
Shortly after receiving their second order from the boss, Fugo, Giorno, and Abbacchio make their way to Pompei to find a key hidden in the Cave Canem mosaic. Tensions are already high within the trio as Giorno is still treated like the newbie (which he is, in all fairness). But upon arriving at Pompei, the situation already becomes alarming.
After spotting a random mirror and a man walking in it, Fugo tries to alert Giorno and Abbacchio. Unfortunately, Giorno and Abbacchio can’t see him. What’s worse, he’s quickly revealed to be a Stand user. Eventually, Fugo is pulled into the mirror and meets the second member of La Squadra, Illuso, and his Stand 「Man in the Mirror」 (called 「Mirror Man」 in the dub). Now trapped in an alternate mirror world, Fugo has no choice but to use his Stand 「Purple Haze」. However, when he summons his Stand, it’s nowhere to be seen. That’s because Fugo’s body was ripped away from 「Purple Haze」, which now manifests outside Illuso’s mirror world. Abbacchio and Giorno quickly pick up on this as 「Purple Haze」 appears very agitated.
We then get another interruption—backstory. This time, it’s Fugo’s.
Born into a wealthy family and highly intelligent, Fugo had everything he could ever want. However, the pressures placed on him by his family caused him to develop a nasty temper. When he enters college at age thirteen, an inappropriate professor learns about this temper the hard way when Fugo beats his head in. And while his family manages to keep him out of prison, he’s cast out of the family. Left to his own devices, he turns to shoplifting to get by. Eventually, he’s discovered by Bucciarati, who invites him to join his crew. Given his inner rage, Fugo is hesitant at first, but Bucciarati accepts him in full. Fugo then joins Passione and gains 「Purple Haze」.
We then cut back to the outside world where 「Purple Haze」 is out of control. Lashing out at anything it can swing at, including the mirror. This causes unique effects in the mirror world as a few dead crows fall from the sky. That’s when Abbacchio explains 「Purple Haze 」’s ability. It contains a lethal virus that dissolves victims from the inside out. This virus is released when capsules on its knuckles are broken. Focused on the key, Abbachio decides to leave Fugo for now. Giorno chooses to stay, believing 「Purple Haze 」’s lashing out isn’t random and that taking Illuso out is the best option. The two argue, leaving Giorno behind and Abbacchio after the key.
Once arriving at the Cave Canem, Giorno is proven right as Illuso attacks Abbacchio. However, Abbacchio figures out how Illuso attacks and uses 「Moody Blues」 to counterattack. But the battle starts to turn, leading Abbacchio to cut off his hand with the key inside to deliver it to Giorno. This act works, but Giorno doesn’t move.
Illuso goes after Giorno, who is then surprisingly infected with 「Purple Haze 」’s virus. Giorno infected himself with the disease, knowing Illuso would come after him at some point. Illuso takes a lesson from Abbacchio and chops off his own infected hand to escape his mirror world. But Illuso finds a little surprise on the other side. Before the attack, Giorno turned a brick into a snake to help track down the assassin. This works, also allowing 「Purple Haze」 to find him. While plotting another escape, one of the capsules from 「Purple Haze」 breaks, infecting Illuso completely, with 「Purple Haze」 beating him to a literal bloody pulp as a deadly finish.
Fugo and Giorno return to the real world, but Giorno is still infected with 「Purple Haze 」’s virus. Giorno, however, had a pretty clever precaution. Giorno creates a cure using the venom from the brick snake he made, which was created from a virus-infected brick. This works to painful results on Giorno’s end. Amazed by his quick thinking, Fugo shows gratitude and respect for Giorno. But Giorno claims that Abbacchio was the true hero in the situation with his dogged determination to get the key. Everyone is exhausted from the fight but manages to retrieve the key.
But in an end credit scene, we cut to the train station in Napoli, where we see a dead body at one of the stations. We also see Risotto Nero retrieve a piece of burnt paper as the episode ends.
While not the most iconic of Golden Wind fights, it is good. 「Man in the Mirror」 is a unique ability to create a pocket dimension it can pull unsuspecting victims into. Believe it or not, according to Meti Not the Bad Guy, some Buddhist mythology went into this concept. It also causes a lot of suspense when 「Purple Haze」 gets thrown into the mix.
Overall, these are two good episodes with a pretty decent fight, but I did have one problem with it. No surprise, it’s the backstory, but not for the reason that you think.
Yes, Fugo’s backstory bogs the action down here. Still, it shows one crucial aspect of Fugo’s character-his temper- and how that affects him. My complaint is that the spinoff novel Purple Haze Feedback did Fugo’s backstory better, particularly in the incident with the professor. In that story, the professor made a rude comment about Fugo’s grandmother, whom Fugo was close to, and that’s what set him off. The horny professor’s approach in the anime was really off and very uncomfortable to watch.
Anyway, inappropriate teachers aside, this was a great set of episodes. We got a cool new Stand, but some time was wasted on more backstory. Still, it’s all-around good Jojo fun. Tomorrow, it’s all aboard with the next episode!
Until then, enjoy the rest of your duwang!
-Hanime on Anime
Hanime on Anime 