What Is The JoJo Approach Meme? Meaning, Origin & Why It’s So Dramatic
The “JoJo Approach” meme, born from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, captures a dramatic standoff between DIO and Jotaro with the iconic line, “Oh? You’re approaching me?”
This meme symbolizes bold confrontation and thrives online for its intense visuals and versatile use in depicting rivalries, conflicts, or dramatic escalations.
From its 2015 viral spread to its lasting appeal on platforms like Reddit and TikTok, here’s everything you need to know about its origin, emotional impact, and why it’s a staple in meme culture.
1. What Is the “JoJo Approach” Meme?
What the Meme Depicts and How It’s Used
The “JoJo Approach” meme started from a noticeable panel in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders where the villain DIO taunts Jotaro Kujo, “Oh? You’re approaching me?” while Jotaro confronts him.
This panel is generally buried with Jotaro’s tougher response, “I can’t beat the shit out of you without getting closer.”
The meme itself is a reaction meme and used as a confrontational meme, where the most literal or dramatic “approaching me” outcomes are highlighted. The captions often describe ridiculous rivalries which can be absurd, such as “fandom wars” or “tech wars”.
Is This the Internet’s Most Iconic Scene of Standoff Intensity?
The meme depicts staking a bold confrontation and front-facing melodramatic face-offs with the original JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series aesthetics’ territory.
The framing and exaggerated dialogue is common in its various iterations when depicting any elevated stakes showdown, such as video games unfortunately it has also appeared in human resource drama/ workplace drama situation.
2. Where Did the Meme Come From?
Stardust Crusaders, Chapter 143 (1992) / Episode 46 (2015)
The meme originates in chapter 143 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders in the manga (published on February 24th 1992) and later episode 46 in the anime (airing on June 5th 2015).
It contains DIO taunting Jotaro with the now-famous, “Oh? You think you’re approaching me?” complimented by Jotaro’s rebuttal. Between the dramatic tension of the scene and Jotaro’s bold dialogue, this scene was ripe for meme-ification.
How the Meme Emerged Online
The “JoJo Approach” meme being popular in mid-2015 on Tumblr and other platforms (such as Reddit) with the first edits adding speech bubbles highlighting rivalries or foreshadowed conflict such as E3 game previews.
Later in April 2019, variants of the meme appeared known as “Dio Walk” or “Gamer Dio” which used another panel from the scene of DIO walking with his hands together folded.
3. What Does the Meme Represent Emotionally?
Archetype of Confrontation and Bold Persistence
The “JoJo Approach” meme characterizes bravado, and defiance. It is evocative of someone walking to headlong confrontation instead of retreat. It is a great meme for portraying courageous persistence in the face of rivality or adversity.
Visual Tone of Tension and Showdown
The drama of the meme comes from the ominous “ゴゴゴゴ” (rumbling) sound effect and bold perspective in the manga and anime. The visual drama of it works well to cover tense situations with a sense of humorous or exaggerated high stakes.
4. Popular Meme Formats and Caption Styles
Classic Object-Labeling Edits
The meme is frequently employed in split-panel formats with “Jotaro” and “DIO” being replaced by opposing concepts such as fandoms (Marvel versus DC), and platforms (iOS versus Android). The captions make the absurdity of the confrontation easier to relate to, which adds to the humor.
Visual Variants & Remix Styles
Variants exist such as “Gamer Dio” (photo of DIO with headset) and “Dio Walk”. Mixes exist with unrelated pop culture figures to mimic dramatic standoffs (e.g old Simpsons clips). While these variations remix the meme, they remain stretched for adaptability across contexts.
5. Why the Meme Became So Dramatic
Over-the-Top Visuals and Dialogue
The hyper-stylized artwork, dramatic dialogue, and sound effects of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure contribute to a style of drama matched by very few formats. The exaggerated faces and angles-of-camera provide a cinematic flair to every edit.
Built-in Story and Conflict
It has the classic hero-vs-villain style of story, which provides a basic template for many metaphorical conflicts, from online arguments to personal dilemmas, allowing for virtually limitless adaptability.
6. Fans’ Meta-Use and “Is This a JoJo Reference?” Culture
JoJo References as Ubiquitous Internet Tropes
Fans of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure were exposed to a clear stylistic choice to make everything in the show look similar to existing art styles or even pop culture in real life.
Fans recognized this visual precedent and jokingly started labeling anything at all as a “JoJo reference” which became its own irony, ultimately conceptualizing the “JoJo Approach” meme.
Meme as Inside Joke & Badge of Fandom
The use of the meme communicates fluency with anime culture. Newcomers find the little meme used as shorthand of JoJo fandom, which draws on fandom identity.
7. Comparison to Other JoJo Meme Formats
JoJo’s Poses, “Yare Yare Daze,” & “ORA ORA ORA / MUDA MUDA MUDA”
There are other commonly used JoJo memes, such as distinctive poses, Jotaro’s “Yare Yare Daze” exasperation, or a Stand battle cry like “ORA ORA ORA” or “MUDA MUDA MUDA.” All of these share a similar level of expressiveness but don’t provide as much flexibility as the “JoJo Approach.”
Why the Approach Meme Stands Out
The “JoJo Approach” format of confrontation is more relevant to day-to-day rivalries or confrontations, allowing for more flexibility than a pose or battle-cry based meme.
8. Will the “JoJo Approach” Meme Endure?
Continued Use in Digital Rivalry and Comedic Contrast
As long as internet users are going to rev up rivalries, fandom fights, and audacious comebacks, the meme will persist. Its versatility means it will continue to thrive in a new context.
Cultural Placement
The “JoJo Approach” might be one of JoJo’s most enduring memes, as it is recognizable outside the anime community. Its expansive and universal appeal will uphold its longevity as a staple in meme culture.
Conclusion
The “JoJo Approach” meme, with its roots in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, has become a cultural juggernaut thanks to its dramatic visuals, versatile format, and emotional resonance.
From Reddit to TikTok, it captures the thrill of confrontation with humor and style. Whether you’re a JoJo fan or a casual meme enthusiast, this iconic standoff will likely keep “approaching” your feed for years to come.
