Why You Should Watch/Read JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Hirohiko Araki is the author and illustrator of the Japanese comic series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. From 1987 until 2004, it was serialised in Shueisha’s weekly shoujo manga magazine Weekly Shounen Jump, then in 2005, it was moved to the month-seinen manga publication Ultra Jump. There are nine-story arcs in the series, each of which follows a different protagonist known as JoJo. As of September 2021, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure had 131 tankobon volumes of collected chapters, making it Shueisha’s most continuously published manga series by volume count.
Stardust Crusaders, the third chapter of the manga, was adapted into a 13-episode original video anime series that ran from 1993 to 2002. It was created by A.P.P.P. The studio later created Phantom Blood, an anime film that was adapted from the first chapter and shown in Japanese theatres in 2007. Battle Tendency and Phantom Blood were adapted into an anime tv show by David Production that debuted on Tokyo MX in October 2012. The studio completed five seasons totalling 190 episodes in 2022 December, adapting the manga’s sixth section, Stone Ocean. In Japan in 2017, Diamond Is Unbreakable, a live-action movie based on the fourth chapter, was released.
The artwork and stances in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are highly renowned. Battles revolve around Stands, psycho-spiritual entities with distinctive supernatural abilities, as well as numerous allusions to Western popular fashion and music. As of December 2021, the series had sold over 120 million copies, making it one of the greatest manga series in history. It also gave rise to a media empire that included video games, light novels, and one-shot comics. Viz Media, which has created many English-language editions of the series since 2005, holds the North American rights to TV anime, manga and live-action features.
The supernatural powers and creatures that exist in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s universe are a mirror of the actual world. A crucial source of energy in this situation is Hamon, a martial arts manoeuvre that enables its practitioner to direct physical energy into the sunlight through regulated breathing. Some people are capable of translating their inner spiritual strength into a Stand.
Parts of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure story each have their distinct plots and casts of characters. The mainstream descendants of the Joestar family, whose name may be shortened to the titular JoJo, are the series’ protagonists, each with a star-shaped birthmark over their left shoulder blade. The generational conflict in the first six parts is caused by Dio Brando and Jonathan Joestar’s antagonism, while the latter two parts are set in a parallel reality where the Joestar family tree has undergone significant changes.
The action-packed television series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure features many characters, comedy, tragedy, and fight scenes. I’m sure at some time one of you heard me say, watch JoJo. The Joestar Family’s struggle against evil forces is at the centre of the entire narrative. It is advised to watch this fantastic series. There are currently 8 parts in the manga, while there have only been 5 animated parts. Don’t omit any steps. Before going on to the following episode, watch each one in its entirety. Don’t move on to Part 3, Stardust Crusaders, because you believe it to be the greatest.
Here are a few reasons why you must watch the renowned anime and best-selling manga JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
- The Plot - The story is, to put it mildly, rather basic. The first publication of the tale was in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1987. Phantom Blood may be summed up as a combination of Castlevania and Hokuto no Ken, which isn’t always a negative thing. Araki Hirohiko sought to create a strong foundation so that he could develop his work over time, and I believe he did a wonderful job of it by absorbing the work of his contemporaries. The first section is fast-paced, hot-blooded, and the epitome of camp. Dio Brando and Jonathan Joestar are two of the most one-dimensional people you will ever encounter, yet because they were so unlike one another, their conflict was so compelling.
- Epic, Diverse Story Sagas - Despite JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a manga that has been around since the 1980s, Araki’s clever series structure has allowed it to continuously reinvent itself. Essentially, each instalment serves as a stand-alone narrative with both new and recurring characters, new settings, and fresh dangers, objectives, and endgames. For instance, in Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, a group of individuals under the leadership of Jotaro and Joseph sought to disrupt Dio’s schemes and fight the vampire lord in Egypt. Then, in Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable, it would be toned down by concentrating on a little rural hamlet named Morioh and a sinister serial murderer who targets women. Part 5: Golden Wind will change both the setting and the plot, following young aspirant criminals attempting to overthrow the Italian mafia hierarchy. In Part 6: Stone Ocean, we had been transported to a remote jail amid the sea, and in Part 7: Steel Ball Run, we were treated to a cross-country race in the United States. These components are all tangentially related, either through recurring characters or story elements.
- It’s Bizarre - Whether you like it or not, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has had a significant impact on mainstream culture in the present. The series’ trademark craziness has inspired an incredible number of memes and allusions. But that’s all there is. By many definitions, JoJo’s is weird, and that bizarreness has been one of, if not the greatest, of its selling points. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is broken up into numerous sections, or classic shounen sagas, each of which follows a new generation of the Joestar family, telling the tale of the Joestar family lineage. One intimidating character serves as the unifying thread among all of these tales: Dio Brando, a spoiled youngster who joins the Joestar family and later develops into the series’ major nemesis.
- Stands and Their Strange Names - One of the most distinctive anime and manga styles is Araki’s for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Araki emphasises character action and designs in his artwork by using a strong style. His personality may be understood just by looking at them. You can usually tell a lot about a JoJo character by looking at them, including their personality and/or talents. This is a testament to Araki’s amazing character design, in which you can learn a lot about a character without ever hearing a word they say. Araki’s designs evolved throughout the series, becoming more extravagant but still maintaining that distinct JoJo look. But it’s not simply the fantastic looks of Stands that set them apart, their names are also distinctive. Since the show’s creator Hirohiko Araki loves music so much, most of the Stands have names that are either small versions of artists, bands, or songs.
- The Soundtrack - The music selection is outstanding. Nothing else can be said to describe it. The music is excellent, catchy, and enjoyable to listen to. The vacancies also apply in this case. Some of the finest openings I’ve ever heard in an anime are Openings 1-2. The majority of the music is readily accessible on YouTube and is excellent.
- Bold Art Style - One of the most distinctive anime and manga styles is Araki’s for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Araki emphasises character action and designs in his artwork by using a strong style. His personality may be understood just by looking at them. You can usually tell a lot about a JoJo character by looking at them, including their personality and/or talents. This is a testament to Araki’s amazing character design, in which you can learn a lot about a character without ever hearing a word they say. Araki’s designs evolved throughout the series, becoming more extravagant but still maintaining that distinct JoJo look.
- The Humor - JoJo doesn’t mind making an occasional joke in between the combat and the dramatic soundtrack that goes with it. In fact, during Part 2, Joseph Joestar, the star of Part 2, constantly cracks jokes. Joseph is a fantastic character because he behaves just like the class clown would. One of my favourite characters in the series is him since he isn’t always sombre like the other characters.
- The Cool Factor - As has already been established, not everyone will find JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to be compelling. Its ludicrous idea alone is enough to turn you off the show, yet it does appear to naturally flourish in the cool factor. The Matrix, whose popularity was largely based on the rule of cool, is credited with starting this trend in popular culture. It also applies to JoJo as well, with austere Clint Eastwood-like characters providing fan-pleasing moments and, on the other end, crazy and flamboyant characters bringing the humorous heat or distinguishing out in their unique ways.
- The Memes - JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure features some fantastic and bizarre comedy, whether on purpose or not. The insane concept of the series allows it to quickly give humorous relief while yet taking itself seriously. JoJo’s has developed into its distinct kind of comedy that surprises viewers with perfectly timed humour that curiously complements the seriousness of its more serious circumstances and settings. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has therefore made for great internet memes. Without comprehending the strange roots of the memes, you will inevitably encounter a few JoJo’s memes throughout your career.
- Enjoyment - When you watch anime or any other type of entertainment because you want to have fun and be amused. If you watch this programme with no expectations and only a pure, innocent desire to be delighted, I can nearly promise that you won’t be let down. Do not forget that JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a 25-year-old series, and this is only the beginning. It is without a doubt one of my favourite manga series, and this much-anticipated anime adaptation does it right. I beg you to start reading manga if you watch it and like it, which I think you will.