Should You Watch It?: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a long running anime series from the creative mind of Hirohiko Araki. While it was originally little more than a rip off of Fist of the North Star, one of Shonen Jump's more popular publications, JJBA would eventually develop the rich lore and flamboyant art style that many people recognize to this day. Because JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has multiple parts, with some parts being drastically different from others, I'll be going over each part individually.

Before reading on, please be aware that there may be minor spoilers. With this in mind, I will do my best to keep each section as spoiler free as possible.

The Overview:

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure follows the adventures of the Joestar family, with the main character of each part being referred to as that part's JoJo. The series spans 8 separate parts, 5 of which have been turned into the popular anime series. Originally making it's manga debut in January of 1987 (with the first anime adaptation coming out in July of 2012), the series has come a long way in every sense of the phrase. Having come from the being the rip off of one of Shonen Jumps' more popular anime, JJBA has since become a force to be reckoned with. With a unique art style, extremely obvious musical tie-ins, and the internet at it's back, it's safe to say that JJBA evolved into a show that almost nobody can mistake for anything else.

Part 1: The Phantom Blood

The Phantom Blood is the first part of the JoJo's Bizarre adventure series, and it's also where it can be most heavily compared to Fist of the North Star. The most obvious comparison is the art style, and it wouldn't be until after Phantom blood that we saw a shift towards the art style JoJo is know for today. While the story is somewhat cliché, The Phantom Blood is one of the most important parts in the entirety of the JJBA series. The JoJo in this part, Johnathan Joestar, is the very epidemy of good while the antagonist is the very epidemy of evil. This makes the show a cliché "pure good vs pure evil" format, which shifts later on to be a show about hunting vampires. This said, Araki does a fantastic job making all the characters in these stereotypical roles genuinely likeable. The Phantom Blood suffer, however, from a rather slow start. The first several episodes of the anime focus entirely on character and lore building. While this isn't necessarily bad, it can make some people who want more action sequences and flashy fights to turn away from the show. After the opening episodes, however, the overall tone. Action starts becoming a bit more common, and you follow Johnathan and his friends on their quest to hunt vampires and thralls throughout Victorian era England using magic sunlight breathing called Hamon. Overall, I would say that this part is worth watching. Though it can be slow at times, it's still entertaining and worth giving a chance.

Part 2: Battle Tendency

Battle Tendency is the second part in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series. This part is often seen as a favorite among fans, and follows the adventures of Joseph Joestar (this part's JoJo) right before the outbreak of the second world war. While it follows the same vampire hunting premise that The Phantom Blood left off on, it does an excellent job of standing out from the previous part due to both setting and tone. While The Phantom Blood often feels drab and serious, Battle Tendency felt more light hearted and often colorful overall. The prominent characters also exhibited more character flaws than the previous part, giving the them far more depth than the previous "I'm good/I'm bad" structure that Phantom Blood was written with. Battle Tendency also does a fantastic job elaborating on questions left by The Phantom Blood, giving origin information on certain key elements as well as explaining what happened to various characters we came to know and love throughout the events of previous part. Overall, Battle Tendency is an amazing part. It's also considered part of the first season of the anime, as both it and Phantom blood are lumped together. After Battle Tendency, the show as a whole shifts dramatically, making Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency stand out all the more. While it's not my favorite part, Battle Tendency is still phenomenal to watch.

Part 3: Stardust Crusaders

Stardust Crusaders, the third part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, is the point when JoJo's Bizarre Adventure truly became the show that everyone knows today. Stardust Crusaders wastes no time in reinventing the series as a whole, doing away with the powers previously used by the main characters to replace them with the now iconic Stands. Stands are explained as being a physical manifestation of one's will, but it's easier to say they're ghosts. Stands were originally named after Tarot cards, which lead into Egyptian gods and finally the music references that many fans are familiar with today. Stardust Crusaders also marks the first time a previous JoJo has made a return. Set nearly 40 years after the end of Battle Tendency, an aged Joseph Joestar returns as a supporting character. However, Stardust Crusaders focuses prominently on Jotoro Kuju (Joseph's grandson), who is tasked with stopping a returning antagonist from Phantom Blood. With so much of what drives the story for Stardust Crusaders built directly off of Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, I would argue that this part is not a good part to start watching the show. That said, this part is fantastic overall. With great action sequences stemming amazing new powers, viewers are sure to be entertained.

Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable

Diamond is Unbreakable serves as another big turning point for the JoJo's Bizarre adventure series. Much like how Stardust Crusaders introduced the now iconic Stands, Diamond is Unbreakable introduced the art style many people are now familiar with. Characters looked more flamboyant, the show was move colorful overall, and everything seems more sleek than the previous parts. Unlike the previous parts, however, Diamond is Unbreakable takes place in a singular location. Previous parts saw our JoJos traveling on their quest to defeat their antagonist, part 4 stays put in the town of Morioh, Japan. Part 4 also doesn't introduce its main antagonist until later on, adding to how the part feels like a murder mystery novel. Diamond is Unbreakable is very well written overall, generally being more lighthearted than the rest of the series. The part is also more like a slice of life style anime than any other. With a likeable cast of characters and truly phenomenal storytelling, Diamond is Unbreakable is absolutely worth a watch.

Part 5: Golden Wind

Golden Wind is arguably the most well liked part in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series. Being the most recent anime adaptation, Golden Wind shot JoJo into the mainstream when it came to anime. Golden Wind sports the best of everything from the previous parts, and wraps it all into a story told so well that you can't help but be vested. The characters are likeable, the story is an emotional rollercoaster, and it's the most stand alone part since Phantom Blood. While Golden Wind pulls some story elements from the first four parts, much of the returning characters have very little screen time. Instead, you follow Giorno Giovanna on his quest to be come a mafia boss. Golden Wind also has some of, if not the best fights in the entire series. If you want to see JoJo at its prime before staring the older parts, this is where you go.

Manga Only: Parts 6, 7, & 8

Since this article is about whether or not you should watch the series, I'm only going to gloss over the last three parts as they're only available as manga. Part 6: Stone Ocean picks back up with reoccurring characters taking up more prominent roles. Part 6 also features the first and only female JoJo protagonist, Jolyne Kujo. Part six is my favorite part, and the anime adaptation is rumored to be in production. Part 6 is also the last part in the main continuity of JoJo, as all parts after take place in an alternate universe.

Part 7 is Steel Ball Run, and it's set in 1890s America. It reimagines characters such as Johnathan, since it's set in an alternate universe, and tells an entirely new version of the Bizarre Adventure. Steel Ball Run is arguably the most bizarre part in the series, as the whole plot is Johnny Joestar collecting parts of Christ's corpse from various places in the US.

Part 8 is Jojolion, and it's the longest running part in the series. Starting back in 2011, Jojolion has ran all the way into 2020, and while nowhere near as bizarre as part 7, it's still a wild ride. Part 8 takes a lot of inspiration from Diamond is Unbreakable, much like part 7 did with Phantom Blood, this time following a reimagined Josuke Higashikata. I would say both this part and part 7 are worth reading even as a stand alone if you're a fan of reading manga.

All things considered, I would absolutely say that JoJo's Bizarre adventure is worth watching. With unique art, rich story, and unmistakable characters and powers, JoJo is a unique experience that you'll be happy you gave a chance. I hope that this article helps those of you on the fence decide whether or not you'd like to watch it, and I thank you for reading.