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This shrine is dedicated to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, one of my favourite manga of all time. Here I'll give my opinions on each part, discuss my favourite characters and stands, and maybe share a few spicy takes.
What is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure?
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (JoJo for short) is a Japanese shonen manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki, beginning publication in 1987 and still ongoing to this day. The series is very popular and influential in Japan, and its popularity worldwide has grown a lot in recent years.
JoJo has since become a massive multimedia franchise, with anime adaptations, video games, light novels, and merchandise.
The story is split into 8 different parts, with each part being a mostly self-contained narrative with a new protagonist, supporting characters, and setting. The full story spans multiple generations (and alternate universes).
The protagonist of each part is always connected in some way to the Joestar Family bloodline, and their name can always be shortened to "JoJo" (or some variation).
Different parts are also linked together through characters who return in later parts after their inital introductions, and recurring plot elements and themes.
Below I will give a very brief plot summary of each part (spoiler alert), as well as my thoughts and opinions on each part.
Part1 ファントムブラッド - Published from 1986 to 1987
Click 'Story Summary' below to view a brief summary! SPOILER ALERT, last warning
The story begins with Jonathan Joestar, a young boy living in Victorian era England, whose life goes to shit when his wealthy father George adopts Dio Brando into his family, who is just a huge dick to Jonathan and constantly torments him. Dio wants to win George's trust to become the sole heir to the Joestar fortune.
Through a series of shenanigans that I can't be bothered getting into, Dio becomes a super evil vampire and kills George.
Jonathan is determined to rid the world of Dio, and to do so he gets help from Will Anthonio Zeppeli, a master of the art of Hamon, a power that uses the energy from the sun to kill vampires, which is controlled via breathing. Then Jonathan fights a bunch of Dio's henchman and its kind of lame imo so let's just skip that. Eventually Dio and Jonathan have a final battle, and Jonathan seemingly destroys Dio once and for all.
Months later, Jonathan marries his childhood friend Erina, and the two board a boat to America for their honeymoon. Dio reveals that he is still alive, though only a severed head, and intends to steal Jonathan's body to stay alive. Their fight leads to an explosion, and the ship begins sinking. In a final attempt to kill Dio, Jonathan sacrificies himself and the two of them go down with the ship.
Erina manages to escape, along with her unborn child and an orphaned baby she rescued from the wreckage.
(I told you these story summaries were very brief. If you want the whole story then just go read the manga!!)
Jonathan is determined to rid the world of Dio, and to do so he gets help from Will Anthonio Zeppeli, a master of the art of Hamon, a power that uses the energy from the sun to kill vampires, which is controlled via breathing. Then Jonathan fights a bunch of Dio's henchman and its kind of lame imo so let's just skip that. Eventually Dio and Jonathan have a final battle, and Jonathan seemingly destroys Dio once and for all.
Months later, Jonathan marries his childhood friend Erina, and the two board a boat to America for their honeymoon. Dio reveals that he is still alive, though only a severed head, and intends to steal Jonathan's body to stay alive. Their fight leads to an explosion, and the ship begins sinking. In a final attempt to kill Dio, Jonathan sacrificies himself and the two of them go down with the ship.
Erina manages to escape, along with her unborn child and an orphaned baby she rescued from the wreckage.
(I told you these story summaries were very brief. If you want the whole story then just go read the manga!!)
It's not controversial to say that Phantom Blood was a bit of a rocky start to the series, and a lot of the elements that the series is best known for wouldn't be introduced until future parts. However, I still think that Phantom Blood doesn't get the recognition it deserves. The relationship between Jonathan and Dio is the most interesting hero-villain dynamic in the entire series. Dio is an active part of Jonathan's life since childhood, and seeing their characters develop alongside each other, all the way from their childhood to their fateful deaths is much more compelling compared to other parts, where the main JoJo and the main villain barely have any direct interaction before their final battle.
In a series with 8 main heroes, everyone has a favourite JoJo, and Jonathan is probably the last popular protagonist in the series. I can understand why, out of all JoJos, he's probably the least complex or subtle. Personally I find him really endearing. He is exceptionally sincere with his emotions unlike some later protagonists who are more guarded and aloof. With Phantom Blood starting with Jonathan as just a child, we get to see him develop over the years from a mischievous kid to a resposible adult with a strong moral compass. For these reasons I think Jonathan is a much better protagonist than most people give him credit for, and one of my favourite JoJos.
However, Part 1 is really brought down by a fairly mediocre middle sandwiched between a great beginning and end, with Jonathan fighting villains and meeting side characters, most of which aren't that interesting. That's not to say that it's all trash, there is still definitely some interesting stuff in there, but it really doesn't compare to the beginning and end where we get to focus on Jonathan's and Dio's dynamic, which is the most interesting aspect of this part. The elaborate battles with characters with very specific powers that JoJo is known for wouldn't be introduced until much later in the series.
Also, Hamon is just kind of a lame power? That's not to say it doesn't have some cool moments or creative uses (especially in Part 2), but it really did feel like Hamon could just do whatever the fuck the user wanted it to, with some victories feeling a bit unearned.
Overall despite its flaws I still have a soft spot for Phantom Blood. I think Jonathan is an endearing albeit uncomplicated protagonist, and the tale of the two brothers who go down two very different paths in life, but are brought together by fate and eventually die together is almost mythical. Unfortunately, the middle section really brings it down. Even though its definitely the least liked Part, with some people going as far as skipping it entirely, that just makes me want to like it even more.
- Mouse over the names below!
- Jonathan Joestar
- - The main protagonist
- Dio Brando
- - The main villain, a vampire
- William A. Zeppeli
- - Jonathan's mentor who teaches him to fight using the power of Hamon.
- George Joestar
- - Jonathan's father who adopts Dio
- Erina Pendleton
- - Jonathan's love interest and wife
- Robert E.O. Speedwagon
- - A street thug who becomes Jonathan's ally. Is often referenced in later parts.
Part2 戦闘潮流 - Published from 1987 to 1989
Robert E.O. Speedwagon, a street thug who befriended Jonathan in Part 1, has since become a wealthy businessman, and has established the Speedwagon Foundation, which secretly researches supernatural phenomena. 
In Mexico, Speedwagon and the Foundation discover various stone masks (these can turn people into vampires. Dio used these in Part 1. My story summaries are kind of shitty sorry), and a man carved into a stone column. One of the men with Speedwagon, Straizo, (a friend of Will Zeppeli's who I didn't mention because he wasn't that important) betrays the group, badly injuring Speedwagon and taking a stone mask to become a vampire himself. Speedwagon's body is later discovered by Nazis. He is captured, and the Nazis extract the man carved into the stone to research him.
Meanwhile, Joseph Joestar, the grandson of Jonathan, lives with his grandmother Erina in New York City. Outside of a cafe, Joseph is attacked by Straizo. Joseph has natural Hamon abilities, and Straizo intends to kill him before he can develop his abilities further and become a threat to him. After Joseph defeats him, Straizo tells Joseph that the man they discovered in the stone was a "Pillar Man", who are basically like ancient super vampires that are much stronger than normal vampires. Joseph then travels to Mexico and reaches the Nazi Headquarters where Speedwagon is held, along with the Pillar Man. The Nazis, led by Rudol von Stroheim, revive the Pillar Man, who Stroheim names "Santana". Santana is too strong for them to contain, and kills many of the men there. After a difficult battle, Santana is defeated by Stroheim, who sacrifices himself with a grenade. Before the explosion, he reveals to Joseph that there are three more Pillar Men currently in Rome.
Joseph and Speedwagon go to Rome and meet Caesar Zepelli, a Hamon user and the grandson of Will Zeppeli. Joseph and Caesar's personalities clash and the two don't get along at first. Joseph and Caesar confront the three Pillar Men, Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars, under the Colloseum. The two are easily defeated by Wamuu, who's unique abilities allow him to counter their Hamon abilities. Joseph makes a deal to fight them in a month's time so that he can train and become a worthy adversary. The Pillar Men accept his challenge.
To assist with their training, Caesar takes Joseph to his mentor Lisa Lisa, a Hamon master who subjects them to harsh training. Lisa Lisa explains to them that the Pillar Men are after the Red Stone of Aja, a stone that when combined with the stone mask, allows the wearer to become "the Ultimate Life Form". Joseph battles Esidisi, and seemingly manages to outsmart and defeat him. However, before he can be finished off for good, he takes the Stone of Aja and sends it to the other Pillar Men via post to Switzerland, where the remaining Pillar Men are staying. Joseph and the gang drive off to attempt to retrieve the package before it reaches the Pillar Men.
The gang manages to track down and retrieve the Stone following a struggle with Kars, and a reunion with Stroheim, the Nazi leader that helped Joseph fight Santana, who survived by augmenting his body with machinery. Upon arrival in Switzerland, the gang discovers that the Pillar Men are taking refuge in a hotel, and Caesar insists on going there to attack, but Joseph is reluctant as it may be a trap. Caesar leaves the group to fight the Pillar Men without Joseph, but Lisa Lisa convinces Joseph to go after Caesar. Before Joseph can reach him, Caesar fights Wamuu, and is killed. Joseph discovers his body and swears to avenge him.
Joseph fights Wamuu, and manages to defeat him, again due to his ingenuity. Afterwards, Lisa Lisa fights Kars, and is defeated. When Joseph attempts to attack Kars, he uses Lisa Lisa as a shield, forcing Joseph to rescue her, giving Kars the opportunity to take the Red Stone of Aja and become the Ultimate Life Form. It is also revealed that Lisa Lisa is actually Joseph's biological mother.
As the Ultimate Life Form, Kars is shown to possess much stronger abilities and is immune to Hamon and the sun. Joseph, along with Stroheim, manage to lure Kars to a volcano via plane. Just as the two accept their deaths as Kars cannot be defeated, Joseph sends a strong Hamon blast into the volcano, enhanced by the Stone of Aja, causing it to erupt. The eruption is powerful enough to send Kars into space. Despite being immortal, he has no way of making it back to Earth, and is stuck in the vacuum of space.
(Man I tried to abridge this Part as best as I could and i did not do a good job at all this is way too long nobody's gonna read this shit... >_> )
Part 2 was where JoJo began its series staple of villains with distinct and inventive powers and elaborate (and sometimes convoluted) battles - a big step up from Part 1 where most of Dio's zombie henchmen and their battles with Jonathan were nowhere near as interesting.
Like I said in the Phantom Blood section, Hamon is a pretty lame power. Most of the Hamon use in Phantom Blood just made Jonathan's punches stronger and able to hurt vampires, with a few more creative uses such as Zeppeli spitting Hamon-imbued wine through his teeth that's able to fly through the air and cut solid objects. Part 2 is a lot more on that creative side, which the three main Stand users each having their own signature object that they use for Hamon use: Joseph using clacker balls, Caesar using soap bubbles (and pasta), and Lisa Lisa using her scarf. Unlike Jonathan, Joseph uses his wit to trick and outsmart his opponents, utilising his Hamon in creative ways, creating much more engaging battles with many moments of seeming to be defeated, only for Joseph to reveal a hidden ace in the hole.
Joseph is pretty fuckin cool. I don't really got anything to say about him that everyone else hasn't already said before but yeah but yeah he's a pretty great protag. Lisa Lisa and Caesar are pretty cool too
Part 2 is one of the most widely beloved parts of JoJo, and for good reason. Despite the series's signature Stand powers not yet having been introduced, it still manages to have thoroughly engaging battles thanks to inventive use of Hamon, and one of, if not the, most likable protagonist in the series. For me personally, it's not my favourite, but it's definitely up there.
Notable Characters
Stands were a welcome addition into JoJo. Before Stands, the powers of Hamon and vampires were not well-defined and led to a few moments that felt like ass-pulls, or abilities that came up out of thin air. In contrast, Stands had very specific and well-defined abilities (with a few exceptions), and battles became an enemy Stand user with an overwhelmingly powerful, but oddly specific ability, and the heroes having to use their own powers in creative ways to overcome them. This is the formula that would go on to define, and be improved by, later JoJo parts.
That's not to say Part 3 didn't have some major asspulls, like in the final Jotaro vs Dio battle. But that whole battle was so good that I can look past it. While I would consider Stardust Crusaders one of the weaker parts of JoJo, that final battle is definitely up there as one of the most memorable and iconic moments of the series.
Notable Characters
Notable Characters
Notable Characters
Notable Characters
Notable Characters
Unfortunately I haven't read JoJolion yet!! I will update this section once I have
While I love stands with very specific and bizarre powers, some of the stands in Part 8 are honestly a bit TOO convoluted. It's fun to imagine how some Stands could be used practically or in combat, in creative ways that they were never used in the story, but the stands in Part 8 have such specific powers, and such specific conditions that they need to be used in, that they just aren't very fun powers (with some exceptions, such as Soft and Wet). The actual battles can still just as interesting as the rest of JoJo, but there's few Stand abilities that you would ever actually want. If I got hit by the Stand arrow and got an ability like Fun Fun Fun, California King Bed, or Born this Way, I would be pretty bummed out!
Notable Characters
In Mexico, Speedwagon and the Foundation discover various stone masks (these can turn people into vampires. Dio used these in Part 1. My story summaries are kind of shitty sorry), and a man carved into a stone column. One of the men with Speedwagon, Straizo, (a friend of Will Zeppeli's who I didn't mention because he wasn't that important) betrays the group, badly injuring Speedwagon and taking a stone mask to become a vampire himself. Speedwagon's body is later discovered by Nazis. He is captured, and the Nazis extract the man carved into the stone to research him.
Meanwhile, Joseph Joestar, the grandson of Jonathan, lives with his grandmother Erina in New York City. Outside of a cafe, Joseph is attacked by Straizo. Joseph has natural Hamon abilities, and Straizo intends to kill him before he can develop his abilities further and become a threat to him. After Joseph defeats him, Straizo tells Joseph that the man they discovered in the stone was a "Pillar Man", who are basically like ancient super vampires that are much stronger than normal vampires. Joseph then travels to Mexico and reaches the Nazi Headquarters where Speedwagon is held, along with the Pillar Man. The Nazis, led by Rudol von Stroheim, revive the Pillar Man, who Stroheim names "Santana". Santana is too strong for them to contain, and kills many of the men there. After a difficult battle, Santana is defeated by Stroheim, who sacrifices himself with a grenade. Before the explosion, he reveals to Joseph that there are three more Pillar Men currently in Rome.
Joseph and Speedwagon go to Rome and meet Caesar Zepelli, a Hamon user and the grandson of Will Zeppeli. Joseph and Caesar's personalities clash and the two don't get along at first. Joseph and Caesar confront the three Pillar Men, Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars, under the Colloseum. The two are easily defeated by Wamuu, who's unique abilities allow him to counter their Hamon abilities. Joseph makes a deal to fight them in a month's time so that he can train and become a worthy adversary. The Pillar Men accept his challenge.
To assist with their training, Caesar takes Joseph to his mentor Lisa Lisa, a Hamon master who subjects them to harsh training. Lisa Lisa explains to them that the Pillar Men are after the Red Stone of Aja, a stone that when combined with the stone mask, allows the wearer to become "the Ultimate Life Form". Joseph battles Esidisi, and seemingly manages to outsmart and defeat him. However, before he can be finished off for good, he takes the Stone of Aja and sends it to the other Pillar Men via post to Switzerland, where the remaining Pillar Men are staying. Joseph and the gang drive off to attempt to retrieve the package before it reaches the Pillar Men.
The gang manages to track down and retrieve the Stone following a struggle with Kars, and a reunion with Stroheim, the Nazi leader that helped Joseph fight Santana, who survived by augmenting his body with machinery. Upon arrival in Switzerland, the gang discovers that the Pillar Men are taking refuge in a hotel, and Caesar insists on going there to attack, but Joseph is reluctant as it may be a trap. Caesar leaves the group to fight the Pillar Men without Joseph, but Lisa Lisa convinces Joseph to go after Caesar. Before Joseph can reach him, Caesar fights Wamuu, and is killed. Joseph discovers his body and swears to avenge him.
Joseph fights Wamuu, and manages to defeat him, again due to his ingenuity. Afterwards, Lisa Lisa fights Kars, and is defeated. When Joseph attempts to attack Kars, he uses Lisa Lisa as a shield, forcing Joseph to rescue her, giving Kars the opportunity to take the Red Stone of Aja and become the Ultimate Life Form. It is also revealed that Lisa Lisa is actually Joseph's biological mother.
As the Ultimate Life Form, Kars is shown to possess much stronger abilities and is immune to Hamon and the sun. Joseph, along with Stroheim, manage to lure Kars to a volcano via plane. Just as the two accept their deaths as Kars cannot be defeated, Joseph sends a strong Hamon blast into the volcano, enhanced by the Stone of Aja, causing it to erupt. The eruption is powerful enough to send Kars into space. Despite being immortal, he has no way of making it back to Earth, and is stuck in the vacuum of space.
(Man I tried to abridge this Part as best as I could and i did not do a good job at all this is way too long nobody's gonna read this shit... >_> )
Part 2 was where JoJo began its series staple of villains with distinct and inventive powers and elaborate (and sometimes convoluted) battles - a big step up from Part 1 where most of Dio's zombie henchmen and their battles with Jonathan were nowhere near as interesting.
Like I said in the Phantom Blood section, Hamon is a pretty lame power. Most of the Hamon use in Phantom Blood just made Jonathan's punches stronger and able to hurt vampires, with a few more creative uses such as Zeppeli spitting Hamon-imbued wine through his teeth that's able to fly through the air and cut solid objects. Part 2 is a lot more on that creative side, which the three main Stand users each having their own signature object that they use for Hamon use: Joseph using clacker balls, Caesar using soap bubbles (and pasta), and Lisa Lisa using her scarf. Unlike Jonathan, Joseph uses his wit to trick and outsmart his opponents, utilising his Hamon in creative ways, creating much more engaging battles with many moments of seeming to be defeated, only for Joseph to reveal a hidden ace in the hole.
Joseph is pretty fuckin cool. I don't really got anything to say about him that everyone else hasn't already said before but yeah but yeah he's a pretty great protag. Lisa Lisa and Caesar are pretty cool too
Part 2 is one of the most widely beloved parts of JoJo, and for good reason. Despite the series's signature Stand powers not yet having been introduced, it still manages to have thoroughly engaging battles thanks to inventive use of Hamon, and one of, if not the, most likable protagonist in the series. For me personally, it's not my favourite, but it's definitely up there.
- Joseph Joestar
- - The main JoJo of Part 2. Much goofier and mischievous compared to his grandfather.
- Caesar A Zeppeli
- - The grandson of Will Zeppeli. Rival and ally of Joseph.
- Lisa Lisa
- - A Hamon master and the mentor of Joseph and Caesar.
- Rudol von Stroheim
- - A Nazi major and ally to Joseph.
- Santana
- Esidisi
- Wamuu
- Kars
- - The Pillar Men, ancient vampires and the main villains of Battle Tendency, each with their own unique powers.
Part3 スターダストクルセイダース - Published from 1989 to 1992
Stands were a welcome addition into JoJo. Before Stands, the powers of Hamon and vampires were not well-defined and led to a few moments that felt like ass-pulls, or abilities that came up out of thin air. In contrast, Stands had very specific and well-defined abilities (with a few exceptions), and battles became an enemy Stand user with an overwhelmingly powerful, but oddly specific ability, and the heroes having to use their own powers in creative ways to overcome them. This is the formula that would go on to define, and be improved by, later JoJo parts.
That's not to say Part 3 didn't have some major asspulls, like in the final Jotaro vs Dio battle. But that whole battle was so good that I can look past it. While I would consider Stardust Crusaders one of the weaker parts of JoJo, that final battle is definitely up there as one of the most memorable and iconic moments of the series.
Part4ダイヤモンドは砕けない - Published from 1992 to 1995
Parte5 黄金の風 - Published from 1995 to 1999
Part6 ストーンオーシャン - Published from 1999 to 2003
Part7 スティール・ボール・ラン - Published from 2004 to 2011
Part8 ジョジョリオン - Published from 2011 to 2021
Unfortunately I haven't read JoJolion yet!! I will update this section once I have
While I love stands with very specific and bizarre powers, some of the stands in Part 8 are honestly a bit TOO convoluted. It's fun to imagine how some Stands could be used practically or in combat, in creative ways that they were never used in the story, but the stands in Part 8 have such specific powers, and such specific conditions that they need to be used in, that they just aren't very fun powers (with some exceptions, such as Soft and Wet). The actual battles can still just as interesting as the rest of JoJo, but there's few Stand abilities that you would ever actually want. If I got hit by the Stand arrow and got an ability like Fun Fun Fun, California King Bed, or Born this Way, I would be pretty bummed out!