Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is undoubtedly one of the most popular and influential manga series of all time. The creator, Hirohiko Araki, has even somehow managed to get JoJo into the Louvre!
There’s been an anime version of JoJo for quite a few years now, and it’s every bit as amazing, bright, and colorful as the original manga was.
What’s it all about, though? Well, it centers on the story of various members of the Joestar family, originally hailing from England - but over the years, spreading across the globe.
The Joestar family are the stuff of legend - imbued with supernatural forces, they’re some of the toughest characters in any manga or anime series, and their global adventures (and the machinations of the various villains against them) are the setting for the show.
Plot aside though - it’s a riot of fun, with giant men punching and shouting almost constantly!
The Japanese voice actors are some of the best in the business, and are clearly having a whale of a time with all the shouting and grunting going on!
If you haven’t seen it, and were wondering what’s the right place to start, you might be a bit daunted - each season has a different name, and with so many episodes, it can be hard to decide on an entry point! Don’t worry though - this guide will help you get started!
This is where it all started - and arguably where you should too! Originally published in manga form in 1987, this was the starting point for Jojo.
Set in an earlier time period than the rest of the series - 19th century England - it tells the origin stories of both the legendary Joestar family, and the series most iconic villain, Dio Brando.
While it’s slightly different in tone and feel to the other seasons, it still has its fair share of outright craziness, and has some extremely cool characters!
It’s shorter than any other JoJo season too, as it was released with Battle Tendency - the two are generally considered to combine to form the first full season of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Some may suggest that this is the one part that’s skippable, but those in the know understand just how important this short set of episodes is - it forms the context for every single episode that follows after it.
Battle Tendency
This is where it all really kicks off, however - Battle Tendency is a real step up in insanity! The introduction to Joseph Joestar, easily one of the series’ most popular characters, Battle Tendency intensifies the action from the first episode.
It has some of the series best villains too, the lithe, muscular Pillar Men - ancient beings with terrifying powers.
This season is where JoJo really becomes the show that’s so beloved by fans, and is often cited as the best season - but of course, everyone who watches JoJo has their own opinion!
Stardust Crusaders
Containing some of the most iconic moments from the entire JoJo series, Stardust Crusaders is possibly the best known Jojo chapter.
It tells a globe spanning story, crams a new villain into every episode, has some of the best fight scenes, and a cast of main characters that it’s impossible not to fall in love with.
Stardust Crusaders also has possibly the most famous of all JoJo characters as its protagonist, the stoic Jotaro Kujo. And, of course, it’s also easily the most famous season for the memes that arose from it!
Diamond Is Unbreakable
After the global adventure that was Stardust Crusaders, perhaps Araki felt it was time to tell a story on a smaller scale.
Taking place in the fictional Japanese town of Morioh, Diamond Is Unbreakable is a much lower key affair than the two seasons that preceded it - yet keeps the crazy JoJo energy up, despite the change of pace.
Not the best starting point - you’ll have missed a lot of context from earlier seasons, and that tendency just gets stronger as more and more seasons pile up!
Golden Wind
Golden Wind, set in Italy, is a little separate from the other entries - it’s the one season that places a little less focus on the Joestar family. However, without going into spoilers, the main character, Giorno Giovanna, is very much a JoJo, and is linked to one of the JoJo mythos’ most iconic villains.
Golden Wind is very much as frantic and energetic as JoJo fans have come to expect - and proves yet again that having a change of scenery can be a good thing!
It’s one of the features of JoJo that’s stopped it from becoming stale - you’re never entirely sure where it’s going next, only that eventually, someone is going to get shouted at and punched.
Stone Ocean
Stone Ocean isn’t out yet, but JoJo fans have been waiting with bated breath for a long time for this adaptation of the manga. Stone Ocean tells the story of Jolyne, the daughter of Jotaro Kujo - remember him from Stardust Crusaders?
She’s every bit as tough and tenacious as her father - and she’s fighting for survival in prison, where she was sent for a crime she didn’t commit. Stone Ocean is expected to be released in December 2021, and just like the other seasons, is sure to be an unmissable spectacle!
Conclusion
There’s a lot of JoJo to cover, but hopefully this guide will have given you an idea of where to start! If in doubt, the best thing to do - just watch them all, start to finish!
