CaeJose

Caesar and Joseph in Battle Tendency promotional art

CaeJose is a ship between the protagonist of the Battle Tendency arc, Joseph Joestar (ジョセフ・ジョースタ *Josefu Jōsutā*) and the deuteragonist of the same arc, Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli (シーザー・アントニオ・ツェペリ *Shīzā Аntonio Tseperi*). Also known as ‘JoseCae’ and commonly abbreviated to CJ/CJC.

## Popularity Level:

CaeJose is popular ship among Jojo fans. According to Archive of Our Own (AO3), CaeJose is the fourth most popular ship in Jojo with over 2360 uploaded fanfics on AO3 as of October 2021. On Instagram, the CaeJose hashtag has over 13,000+ posts. The ship has become somewhat of a cult classic for some viewers and is beloved by many. This ship is commonly known as CaeJose, and also less commonly JoseCae.

In the Japanese fandom, this ship often goes by "*シージョセ" (CaeJose, Caesar on top, Joseph bottom), "ジョセシー"　(JoseCae, Joseph on top, Caesar on the bottom), "可愛らシージョセ" (Wholesome/cute CaeJose),* and "*恐ろシージョセ"* which is *"scary" CaeJose.* However, nothing particularly spooky seems to come out of this name.

## First seen in:

Anime: Season 1, episode 14: "Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times"

Manga: Battle Tendency, chapter 17: "The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 8/The End of a Proud Man!"

## CaeJose Moments

### Relationship Dynamics

The ship between Joseph and Caesar plays into the enemies to lovers trope. When they first meet, they annoy each other and bicker. However, as time passes Joseph and Caesar forge a very strong bond.

### First Mission Together

A little after they got introduced they both go and see the pillar men underground, accompanied by Speedwagon and Caesars German friend Mark. On the way, Caesar boasts that it was all thanks to him that Joseph and Speedwagon were allowed to see the pillar men, ruffling Joseph’s hair as he does so. When they get there, one of the pillar men ends up killing Caesar's friend who went down with them. This made Caesar very mad and he challenged the pillar men to a duel all by himself. He ended up losing but didn't die. After Caesar was defeated, Joseph decided to take a shot at the pillar men. He fought surprisingly well, considering at that time he had no Hamon training. However, he still ends up getting himself into a pickle, in the end, but manages not to die. Eventually, the main cast is able to make it up to the surface again with their lives. After this encounter, Caesar respected Joseph more, Joseph had proved to Caesar that he wasn't a total dunce and could be useful if given proper training.

Shortly after, they had started their Hamon training with Lisa Lisa. With their first challenge, the Hell Climb Pillar, Caesar worried about Joseph. Specifically, he was worried that Joseph might die from the oil blades on the pillar because Josephs Hamon isn't strong enough. So, he pleads with Lisa Lisa to turn them off for Jojo. Showing that even early on in the season, Caesar did care about Joseph. At least enough to beg Lisa Lisa to turn the oil blades off for Joseph; even if they weren't on the best of terms at the time.

Throughout their training, they start to develop a very close friendship. Even to the point where Caesar was able to tell what Joseph is thinking. They get close to the point where Joseph gives Caesar affectionate nicknames, specifically "My little Caesar" in one of the english translations of the manga (no longer present in physical copies) (note the use of the word ‘My’), "Caesarino", and "Caesar-chan". In case you didn't know, the honorific "chan" means cute or little in the form of endearment in Japanese. Later on in the series, when Caesar is being tested by Messina, as soon as he passes, he pulls out his binoculars to look for Joseph and see how he is doing. Messina comments that Caesar "Is bad at making friends but when he does, I guess it is true love" in the anime. In the manga, he says "You may be terrible at making friends but once you do you fall harder than you do with girls". Messina also comments that Caesar seems more worried about Jojo's battle then his own. When Caesar find out that Esidisi killed Jojo's mentor and is now fighting Jojo, Caesar gets worried. After seeing Joseph again alive and safe, Caesar is seen with a smile; and is clearly extremely happy to see Joseph okay; however, he quickly masks his feelings and simply states that Joseph was lucky.

After a close encounter with Kars, we see Joseph and Caesar’s teamwork in action, as Caesar shares an idea with Joseph and saves him from falling to his death, to which Joseph exclaims that Caesar had started to adapt his way of thinking after spending so much time together; and expresses how proud he is of him.

After, with the unfortunate and untimely death of Caesar (after he used the last of his Hamon to give the antidote to Joseph instead of saving himself), Jojo is absolutely devastated and distraught. He promises to avenge Caesar; living with the knowledge that Caesar sacrificed his life for him and claiming throughout his fight with Wamuu that Caesar was with him in spirit as an ally.

There are a few interesting things to note that we see in later parts of JJBA. In part 3, you can see Joseph wearing Caesars necklace on one particular outfit. in Battle Tendency, Caesar is about to give that necklace to a woman before being interrupted by Joseph, he says the necklace is something to remind the woman of him, and he kisses it; claiming that he has put a love spell on it. Considering the history of the necklace, the thought of how Joseph obtained it and why it is a key part of his wardrobe years later is intersting. Also, Joseph ends up marrying Suzie Q after the main events of part 2. Suzie Q bears a striking resemblance Caesar, I would imagine that Suzie Q would look almost identical to Caesar if he was a girl. Then during part 3, Joseph cheats on Suzie Q with Tomoko Higashikata, Josuke's mom. Tomoko has a similar personality to Caesar. Joseph's two confirmed loves interests were similar to Caesar in some way. Which could be a complete coincidence, but is still interesting nonetheless.

Something interesting to note, again, is an unused line used in the game JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven. Where Joseph, dressed up in his ‘Tequila Joseph’ costume, Joseph states that he and Caesar would make ‘the perfect couple’ to which Caesar responds shocked and could be considered to be flustered; stating that he ‘can’t handle this’.

## Js Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven (Young Joseph and Caesar Interactions)

(TEAM INTRO

Joseph: "Time to show em' what we've learned!"

Caesar: "You're coming with me, you moron!"

OR

Joseph: "Match your breathing with mine!"

Caesar: "No, YOU match YOUR breathing with MINE!"

(JOSEPH VS CAESAR)

Joseph: "You know, I'm feeling generous today, so I think it's about time I showed you my brand new super duper secret move!"

Caesar: "What?!"

(JOSEPH + CAESAR)

Joseph: "Caesar, I changed my mind! Let me defeat the Pillar Men with you!"

Caesar: "I don't need your help! This is the Zeppeli clan's battle!"

OR

Caesar: "JoJo, mind your own damn business! I'm going to settle this on my own!"

Joseph: "Caesar...!"

(DUAL HEAT ATTACK)

Joseph: "Here goes!"

Caesar: "I've got this!"

OR

Caesar: "JoJo!"

Joseph: "I got this!"

Joseph: "Feel the beat of my Hamon!"

Joseph: "Caesar! Special move time!"

Caesar: "Oh, that? Okay, let's do it!"

Joseph and Caesar: "Kaaaaa...." (Hamon breathing)

Joseph: "Nice, nice!"

Caesar: "Nice one, JoJo!"

(PARTNER DEATH REACTIONS)

Joseph: "UaaaGGGHHHH!" (dies)

Caesar: "JoJo, you son of a..."

Caesar: "JoJooooo!!"

Caesar: "daaAHHHHh!" (dies)

Joseph: "SHIIIZAAAAA!!!"

(TEAM VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Caesar: "it's only thanks to you that I was able to avenge my bloodline... You have my gratitude, JoJo."

Joseph: "it's weird to see you being this honest, Caesar!"

OR

Joseph: "Nice, Caesar! Nice Hamon work!"

Caesar: "Hmph! It looks like you've finally managed to gain some control over your Hamon, too!"

(JOSEPH VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Joseph: "You fell right into my trap again!"

Caesar: "Very clever, JoJo."

OR

Joseph: "Remember, I'm the first man to cut your forehead. It should be no wonder that I'd get even stronger with little effort!"

Caesar: "I'll help you out with your Hamon training. We both need to grow stronger..."

(CAESAR VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Caesar: "He's as annoying as ever, but he's clearly gotten stronger... I can't let him get ahead of me!!"

Joseph: "What? What are you looking at? You mad, bro?"

## Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven (Tequila Joseph and Caesar Interactions)

(TEAM INTRO)

Tequila Joseph: "Here I come, Caesar! ...Caesar?"

Caesar: "No...never mind. Let's just get started here, JoJo..."

(JOSEPH VS CAESAR)

Caesar: "JoJo... We need to talk..."

Tequila Joseph: "Caesar... Hold on, I'm dressed like this for a reason!"

OR

Caesar: "JoJo... Just when I thought you couldn't possibly get any stupider...you managed to outdo yourself!"

Tequila Joseph: "Wait... Did you just see through my disguise?!"

(PARTNER DEATH REACTIONS)

Caesar: "daaAHHHHh!" (dies)

Tequila Joseph: "Caesar? Caesar... Hey!"

Tequila Joseph: "AAHHHHHHH!" (dies)

Caesar: "You idiot! See what that costume got you?"

(TEAM VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Caesar: "JoJo, that outfit! Ha ha ha ha!"

Tequila Joseph: "Knock it off, Caesar! Stop laughing!"

(JOSEPH VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Caesar: "What on earth?! You must have gone completely mad!"

OR

Tequila Joseph: "Don't interrupt people when they're talking, nimrod!"

(CAESAR VICTORY DIALOGUE)

Tequila Joseph: "I knew you'd be able to see through my disguise, Caesar!"

Caesar: "Of course I did, you moron! Go take a look in the mirror!"

## Reasons for shipping

The two are like yin and yang. Joseph, being the hotheaded, silly and impetuous young man, while Caesar being the hot-blooded, focused and dedicated fighter. They complete each other. Caesar snaps Joseph's focus back into action, and Joseph teaches Caesar to laugh and let loose every once in a while. Despite their constant bickering in the beginning, they show a lot of care for each other. Caesar's care for Joseph is shown to be deeper and stronger than we thought during his death when he takes Wamuu's lip ring and uses one final ripple to encase it inside a blood bubble with his headband. Joseph is obviously show to be deeply distraught by his death, which just further proves that they shared an odd, but deep bond.

## Fanon interpretation

A lot of fans interpret their relationship in fanart and fanfics, in a couple different ways. One of the most popular is that Caesar is secretly pining for Joseph during the events of Part 2 and Joseph is too oblivious to realize. Another way their relationship is portrayed in some media, is that they are like an old married couple. Which is easy to see as they do argue a lot, but deep down it is easy to see that they care deeply for each other. They are often viewed as constantly teasing and flirting with each-other, based on their canon relationship. But also viewed often as quite affectionate.

Some angst fancomics also show a mourning old Joseph reminiscing on his relationship with Caesar before dying and seeing Caesar waiting for him. But there’s also the fan comics that stop at Joseph at Caesar’s grave, showing how the grief has really affected him.

CaeJose is often viewed as a rather bittersweet pairing, the two turning from rivals to close friends, and losing each other without a proper chance to say goodbye. But it seems that Caesar is still kept close in Joseph’s heart, as we can see his necklace in Part 3, kept by Joseph.

## Trivia

* Joseph calls Caesar "Caesar-chan" in the Japanese version, "Caesarino" in the VIZ dub, and "Senhor Caesar" in the Brazilian Portuguese dub.
* The last thing Caesar heard was Joseph screaming for him

## Gallery

Joseph bumping into CaesarJoseph calls Caesar a nicknameCaesar and Joseph in the mangaMessina comments on Caesars relationship with JojoCaesar and Joseph posesNice viewJoseph and Caesar promotional artJoseph and Caesar promotional artJJBA TV Anime Key Frame (1)JJBA: TV Anime Key Frame (3)JJBA: TV Anime Key Frame (4)Joseph and Caesar pose (Concept art)Caesar and Joseph first encounter (Concept art)Caesar and Joseph climbing the Hell Climb Pillar (Concept art)SHIIIIZAAAAAAAAAAA ....(concept art)Joseph dons the Caesar Bandana (Concept art)Joseph and Caesar artAraki's drawing of Joseph and CaesarJoseph, Caesar and Lisa Lisa artworkUnused quote from EOHAnimage IssueBattle Tendency poster