JoJoLands chapter 19: Jodio cornered by Bobby Jean and Lulu as Usagi reaches the brink of death

JoJoLands chapter 19 was expected to continue its focus on Jodio Joestar and co as they continue their fight against Howler Co. agents and enemy Stand users Bobby Jean and Lulu. Unofficially released on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the issue did excitingly see the battle continue, but also offered additional key information.

JoJoLands chapter 19 largely did this via an infodump of exactly how Howler Co. came to be, offering a historic retrospective on the Howler family’s origins in Hawai’i. However, the issue did end with a focus on the ongoing hospital battle, which saw protagonist Jodio cornered by Bobby Jean and Lulu as Usagi Aloha’oe reached a critical condition.

JoJoLands chapter 19 teases Usagi Aloha’oe as being past the point of saving given Jodio’s struggles

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JoJoLands chapter 19, titled “Glory Days Part 1,” began with a focus on Howler Co.’s origins. The tale began with Acca’s great-great-great grandfather, who originally had the last name Latrato as an Italian-born sailor. However in 1843, he was involved in an accident at sea and washed up on the Waipio Valley on the island of Hawai’i. He then fell in love with an island girl who helped him, eventually gaining the Hawaiian royal family’s trust and approval.

This led to him starting a farm on the north slope of Hualalai, marrying the girl who helped him as well. However, there were no water sources on the island aside from the jungle in the north. This is due to the soil on Hawai’i being made up of volcanic eruption material, meaning rainwater permeates deep underground and flows into the ocean from there. In other words, no rivers form due to the soil’s makeup.

JoJoLands chapter 19 explained that despite the arid region being averse to farming, Latrato was born with an intuition with respect to terrain. Thus, he chose to dig tunnels horizontally into the slope of the mountain rather than build vertical wells. He believed that the gaps in between the volcanic rocks where rainwater had been accumulating underground. After many months, he finally discovered several underground waterways, which made the area fertile and green.

Jodio and co continue to struggle against Bobby Jean and Lulu in their hospital battle (Image via Shueisha)

When the Hawaiian archipelago joined the United States, the family changed their name to Howler since Latrato meant “howl” in English, starting Howler Farms after that. Shortly thereafter, luxury hotels and villas were constructed, with Howler Farms’ water source being so integral in these buildings’ water supplies that they were given favorable political treatment. This led to them creating Howler Co., a water resource and water-power generation infrastructure company.

JoJoLands chapter 19 then explained that Howler Co. branched out into port rights, transportation, and the munitions industry shortly thereafter. Likewise, although Hualalai's north slope was typically owned by royal family descendants and under the state’s jurisdiction, Howler Co. supplying the land’s water sources effectively made it theirs. Thus, no one, including state government officials or police, can enter the slope without Howler Co.’s explicit permission.

This includes if people died or went missing on the land (a la Charmingman’s brother), or if dangerous substances used in their illegal munitions work are discovered. The north slope belongs solely to the sixth-generation head of the Howler family Acca Howler, and will not be accessed without his permission. It’s then revealed that on top of the company’s 50 billion valuation, they have been trying to extend their reach into the other four islands.

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JoJoLands chapter 19 then shifted focus to the hospital, where Paco Lovelantes was still alive after falling in the elevator shaft, but in bad shape. Jodio, meanwhile, was remembering Paco’s final words and trying to scope out the area for Bobby Jean and Lulu. He noticed Bobby Jean first, eyeing him suspiciously, but was distracted by Lulu dropping her cat bobblehead. As he went to pick it up, focus shifted to Usagi, Charmingman, and Dragona Joestar.

It was revealed that Usagi was now unconscious, and that Dragona already had Smooth Operators heading to his brain. Dragona also confirmed that Usagi was on the brink of death, as his Smooth Operators rushed through his body. Focus then returned to Jodio and Lulu, where the former realized who the latter was as she received a sudden nosebleed. Bobby Jean fired off two shots at Jodio as he realized this, which he countered with November Rain.

As this happened, JoJoLands chapter 19 showed that Dragona’s Smooth Operators had finally caught up to Lulu’s Stand, Bags Groove. Meanwhile, Bobby Jean commented on how the “cleanup” would be pretty rough as he opened fire on Jodio and the general crowd. He was unable to hit Jodio, who escaped, but was seemingly headed to a dead end according to Bobby Jean. Lulu emphasized to Bobby Jean that they want Howler Co.’s assets as he questioned their goals.

Dragona's Smooth Operators Stand is proving integral in JoJoLands chapter 19 (Image via Shueisha)

Lulu also revealed her mission of collecting a Lava Rock from them, calling it vital and emphasizing that he can’t let them get away. Lulu then ranted about how everyone dies while snapping the head off of her cat figure. Meanwhile, Smooth Operators was preparing to destroy Lulu’s Stand, when several more iterations of it suddenly appeared and overwhelmed Smooth Operators.

Charmingman then noticed that pieces of Lulu’s doll were sticking to the MRI machine, realizing after that Lulu attached her Stand to these doll pieces. As he warned Dragona not to touch them, it was revealed Jodio also had Bags Groove on him. Bobby Jean then cornered Jodio to a dead end with two bathrooms, assuming he went in the women’s one to hide. JoJoLands chapter 19 then saw Jodio sneak out of the men’s bathroom and prepare to attack.

However, it was revealed Bobby Jean accounted for this by already shooting in that direction, forcing Jodio to activate November Rain to block these shots and additional ones. Jodio dove into the women’s bathroom as Bobby Jean had to reload, hiding in a stall. The issue ended with Jodio saying he couldn’t breathe, realizing that he was having a pulmonary edema due to Bags Groove as Bobby Jean began searching the stalls for him.

JoJoLands chapter 19: In summation

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JoJoLands chapter 19 seemingly is building towards the climax of this current arc, which will begin with Jodio and Bobby Jean’s final showdown in the bathroom. This is also further supported by the focus on Howler’s origins, teasing that this will be necessary info for both readers and Jodio’s team in the near future. However, with Usagi at death’s door, it remains to be seen whether or not their team can make it out with everyone alive.