Joco

Joco, known in the Japanese versions as Chocolove McDonell (チョコラブ・マクダネル "Chokorabu Makudaneru"), is one of the main characters in "Shaman King".Infobox animanga character
name = Joco (Chocolove McDonell)
series = Shaman King


caption = Joco (Chocolove) by Hiroyuki Takei
age = 15
born = October 2, 1985 [Takei, Hiroyuki (2004). Shaman King Official Fanbook: MANKIN. Tokyo, Japan: Shueisha, page 34.]
gender = Male
species = Human, Shaman
occupation = Former Gang Member, Comedian, Shaman
divider = yes
aux1 = Seirei-class Shaman
197,500
aux1 name = Current Rank & Furyoku
aux2 = The Ren
aux2 name = Team Affiliation
aux3 = Tao Ren
Horo Horo
aux3 name = Teammates
aux4 = Mic Jaguar, Jaguar Spirit (presently)
Pascal Avaf, Seirei-Class Human Spirit
Spirit Of Wind
aux4 name = Spirit Allies
aux5 = Metal Claws
aux5 name = Shamanic Mediums

Joco is an African American who came from New York. This shaman was raised by his mentor, Orona, who died of an illness. He may have been an orphan who was adopted by his mentor. He was born on October 2, 1985.

History

Joco met his mentor, Orona, on a snowy night when he was young. Orona was among the crowd of people who circled around a victim who was being robbed. The police had the robber surrounded, but he threatened everyone by threatening to kill the victim. Orona stood out from the crowd and asked the police to give him a chance. Joco was watching him, and before he knew it, the robber was laughing his head off and was being carried off by the police.

In the manga, the circumstances between Orona and Joco's first meeting are different. After killing a man on Christmas with his gang members from Shaft (the name of the gang, not a specific person or place), Joco walks alone on the streets, reflecting on the horrible murder of his parents on Christmas day years ago (this resentment of the day and humankind is why he shot the man mentioned earlier). After making a little comment, a stranger (Orona) appears and makes a pun with a sight gag using fake blood. After telling him to go away, Joco shoots his gun, but Orona dodges all his shots. Saying that he could not use laughter to help Joco, Orona uses his oversoul with Mic to punch him. The fact that Joco laughs at Orona's comment about using laughter to save the world and that Joco sees Mic forges a relationship between the two.

His former master used to own a power spirit named Mic Jaguar (a takeoff from Mick Jagger), who was passed down to Joco when he died. In the manga, he gains a second spirit guardian named Pascal Avaf. With the power of Pascal Avaf, Joco creates his armor oversoul, Jaguarman. Joco killed Redseb's and Seyram's father (the man he killed on Christmas) before he repented under his teacher. He went blind in order to atone for his sins. He also became the strongest of the Five Elemental Warriors, and gained the Spirit of Wind.

Character

Joco likes to tell jokes to his companions a lot; the only draw back is that his jokes/puns are corny (at times involving mistranslation/mispronunciation of Japanese words and phrases) and make no sense most of the time. The others have the tendency to run after him or beat him up after telling a joke (or in Ren's case, poking his nose with one of his weapons). Typically, he gets on people's nerves with his jokes; however, the anime has shown there are a few moments where people enjoyed his jokes. Yoh occasionally let off a light chuckle to them, and both Tamao and Pirika laugh hysterically (Pirka takes some time to understand the jokes, and Tamao had her spirits explain it to her before she cracks up). One time, Ren states that he is jealous of Joco's courage to tell an obviously corny joke.

His goal in life is to be the Shaman King and a great comedian because he was inspired by his master. Both of them believe that laughter is the best medicine, so even if people do not believe that his jokes are that funny, he does not give up and he tries even harder to achieve his goal to give the world what it needs the most, laughter.

One of his jokes saves his friends. While in his oversoul, he tells a joke which only the spirits seemed to understand (the other shamans responded with an ellipsis...). Most of his techniques involve making spirits (and very rarely, humans) laugh, making them a vulnerable target to attack.

Joco's joke differences in the US and Japan

Joco's jokes differ between the Japanese and American versions.

Typically, the Japanese Joco makes jokes based on puns between Japanese words and uses some visual effect to enhance it. (ex: The word for "impossible" in Japanese is pronounced "bakana". As a play on words he would hold up a banana). Since the jokes cannot make sense when translated to English, the English manga and anime have new jokes made in English.

Joco's Oversoul

Joco's medium to make his oversoul are metal claws that he always has with him named "Shaft". He gains black markings all over his body that increase his speed and agility and makes his a similar resemblance to that of a Jaguar, hence the name "Black Jaguar".

In the anime, after training using the Cho Senji Ryakketsu, Chocolove oversoul evolved into a giant Mic with wings. In the manga, after Joco dies (the first time) in hell he obtains a new spirit ally, Pascal Avaf, and when he fuses Mic and Pascal Avaf into "Shaft", his oversoul evolved into an armor oversoul, Jaguarman. In this oversoul joco gains a new attack called "Jaguar Shaft".

Editing of Joco's lips

The U.S. manga edits Joco's lips so that they match that of the other characters. This was to avoid a blackface stereotype. His lips remain unedited in the 4Kids version of the anime and the credits for the game "Shaman King: Master of Spirits".

References