You Said You Would Make a Bad Movie, But You Made JOJO?

Want to read extra chapters?

Just go to (patreon.com/kurato6180) and read an extra 5 chapters for FREE!

---

Chapter 41. Nothing Left to Fear

---

To put it in RPG terms, Akiyuki Shinbo in this world is like a Lv. 5 adventurer who has just left the beginner's village. Compared to a fully-leveled hero who could challenge the great demon king, Hideaki Anno, Shinbo still had a long way to go.

Of course, likening Tatsunoko Productions, a powerhouse studio in the industry, to a beginner's village might seem strange.

But at this point in time, Shinbo was only beginning to showcase his unique style, a style that was so avant-garde it resulted in a chaotic visual mess that left audiences bewildered rather than impressed.

Unable to balance art and commerce, Shinbo was like an adventurer who had just drawn the "best sword in the village." After gaining substantial experience in the adult animation industry, much like the significant growth one experiences in their first job, Shinbo would return to mainstream animation, using his newfound maturity to create exceptional works.

Upon his return, he would be recognized for his contributions to the magical girl genre, a thought that might sound odd but was true. This was the growth path that awaited Shinbo in Pucci's past life.

However, in this parallel world, Shinbo had been recruited by Jolyne Kujo to Green Dolphin Studio before he could gain this experience.

Consequently, he missed out on the substantial experience that would have fostered his growth, as well as the creation of "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha," a work that would define his unique style and link his name to the magical girl genre.

But on this alternative path, he met Pucci. Despite Pucci being less experienced in the field, having not yet graduated from university, his mind was filled with countless classic works, many of which were creations of Shinbo's matured style.

To Shinbo, this was akin to encountering a wise old mentor in a martial arts novel, eager to impart their lifetime of knowledge.

This almost directly allowed Shinbo to bypass the growth phase, absorbing this foundational experience flawlessly. In other words...

"There's nothing left to fear."

"...Huh?"

"This is Pucci's way of describing this expression," Shinbo explained with a smile. "Though I don't fully understand what it means, it sounds intriguing, so we've adopted this fun term internally."

Inspired by Pucci, Shinbo successfully gleaned insights from his future self. He incorporated a highly iconic scene familiar to Pucci into this episode, a scene that was about 90% inspired by a certain blonde senior's famous moment.

"..."

So, what are you even talking about?!

Jolyne, observing Shinbo's enthusiastic explanation and Pucci's nonchalant demeanor, began to question whether summoning the entire team was a mistake. While she couldn't quite grasp all of Shinbo's words, she understood that her directive to follow the original script of "Phantom Blood" had been implemented.

Great!

For now, everyone seemed content. In the story, inspired by Speedwagon's encouragement and Poco's courageous actions, Zeppeli found himself filled with newfound courage. Like a snake charmer controlling a serpent with his flute, Zeppeli, having overcome his fear and seemingly defying fate, felt lighter and more agile, playfully evading Tarkus with various nimble maneuvers.

With the technical support from Kamikaze Studio, the Ripple's powerful effects were perfectly showcased through cool action sequences. Tarkus's frustrated expressions of helpless fury told the viewers that Zeppeli, as an experienced Ripple warrior, couldn't possibly lose to a mere zombie.

They were confident that Zeppeli and JOJO would soon defeat the fallen dark knight, Tarkus, and send the mastermind, DIO, to face the sunlight.

Then, Tarkus's grotesque face suddenly filled the screen, accompanied by rattling chains that quickly ensnared Zeppeli, suspending him in midair.

"...?!"

Neither Zeppeli nor the audience saw it coming. In a close-up shot of Tarkus tightening his grip, the screen froze with an intense "ドドドドドド——————!!"

This moment, though brief, felt elongated, as if DIO's power, "The World," had prematurely awakened, halting time and giving viewers the illusion that a long duration had passed.

No background music, no sound—just Speedwagon's terrified wide eyes, seemingly staring at the scene and the audience.

Then, it broke.

Not a metaphor, nor a simile, but Zeppeli's body, bound by chains, was ripped apart like a snapped twig. Sharing the same fate, JOJO, also strangled by the collar, felt his neck being crushed, blood spurting as he fell limply from midair.

"As per Lord DIO's command, I've successfully dealt with them."

"….."