JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been Araki’s signature series for more than three decades, but it’s incredible to examine how the creator’s interests and talents have become more sophisticated over time.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure often makes radical decisions, some of which work better than others, but it’s this fearless approach to storytelling that guarantees that the series is always entertaining. Ambitious risks usually pay off in JoJo’s favor, but certain choices awkwardly linger many years later.
10 Starting The Series Off With Hamon
There’s a lot of variety with the many different energy sources that fuel characters’ unbelievable attacks in anime series. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has found a lot of freedom through the wildly unique Stands that are used for combat. JoJo doesn’t introduce this defining element of the series until Stardust Crusaders.
It’s instead Hamon that dominates the anime’s first two story sagas. Hamon is a light-based energy source, which fits with the series’ early fascination with vampires. The eventual disappearance of Hamon feels very awkward.
9 The Early Death Of Jonathan Joestar
Death is inevitable in any anime and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure deserves a lot of respect for how it subverts storytelling expectations with the early demise of its first protagonist, Jonathan Joestar. Jonathan’s passing is what pushes JoJo to adopt a generational narrative structure as it chronicles the exploits of the entire Joestar family tree.
Moving away from Jonathan is necessary, but this doesn’t mean that he had to die. There are ways that Phantom Blood could have removed Jonathan from the spotlight, but still kept him around as a supporting presence. Stardust Crusaders figured out how to do just that with Joseph in the long run.
8 The Joestars Adopt An Invisible Baby Stand User And Then Forget About Her
Diamond is Unbreakable is a highly celebrated chapter, but it also makes some particularly strange decisions, like the introduction of aliens, poltergeists, and in the case of Shizuka Joestar, an invisible baby. Joseph Joestar encounters a precocious baby who possesses the curious Stand, Achtung Baby, which renders her invisible.
This discovery leads to some adorable visual gags and cute material for Joseph and Josuke, but the adoptive Shizuka is never mentioned again following Diamond is Unbreakable. Shizuka could have grown up to be a powerful Stand user and surrogate Joestar, but the potential behind this isn’t explored.
7 Josuke And Giorno Don't Return
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure overarching structure where it’s not afraid to hop over to a different part of the world and focus on new characters has helped keep the series feel fresh after such a long time. Audiences are used to the idea that a new JoJo saga will likely feature a fresh protagonist, but there are still instances where old heroes, like Joseph and Jotaro, return and help with the passing of the torch. However, some of JoJo’s most compelling protagonists, like Giorno and Josuke, are abandoned after their respective stories end. There’s still a lot more to say with these characters.
6 DIO Continues To Return As An Obstacle
Compelling villains are one of the most difficult aspects to get right in anime series, both in terms of their motivations and when it’s the right time for their exit. Dio Brando is the first real threat in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and his rivalry with Jonathan kicks off generations of hardships for the Joestar family. DIO properly meets his end in Stardust Crusaders, but his malevolent agenda lives on in Stone Ocean through his illegitimate children and determined zealots. DIO has worn out his welcome by the time that the character “returns” as Diego Brando in Steel Ball Run.
5 The Death Of Bruno Bucciarati
Death is a common occurrence in each chapter of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but it’s extra rampant during Giorno Giovanna’s treacherous mafia adventure in Golden Wind. Giorno and the rest of Team Bucciarati understand that the difficulty of their mission means that not all of them will survive. Abbacchio’s death stings and the audience is manipulated over whether Bruno Bucciarati will also perish.
Bruno is left in a prolonged state of preservation that allows him to keep fighting even though his body is technically dead. There’s still some hope that perhaps Gold Experience Requiem could reverse Bruno’s fatal condition, but he experiences no such luck.
4 Made In Heaven Resets The Universe
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure tells some incredible stories, most of which culminate with suspenseful conclusions that genuinely push the limits of reality. The resolution in Stone Ocean is the most extreme of any of these finales and the series’ villain, Enrico Pucci, ostensibly accomplishes his goal through his evolved Stand, Made in Heaven. The Stand accelerates the speed of time so far that the universe literally ends and begins anew. The subsequent story sagas in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are set in this new parallel world. This twist is exciting, but many fans believe it also means the end of the older characters that they've grown to love.
3 Stands Make Characters Fly
It stands to reason that any series that’s lasted for multiple decades is going to face inconsistencies or forget certain details that in turn question the established canon. JoJo fans have even embraced the “Araki Forgot” meme as a way to have fun with the series’ minor incongruences. The full limits of Stands are still being discovered in Stardust Crusaders, so it’s quite surprising when DIO, and later Jotaro, use their Stands to levitate and even fly around. Flight can be very common in shonen series, but there’s no reason for it to exist in JoJo and thankfully the series doesn’t continue this trend.
2 The Live-Action Movie Advertised Itself As Part 1 When A Sequel Wasn't A Guarantee
Takashi Miike is one of Japan’s most acclaimed filmmakers and his live-action movie of Diamond is Unbreakable is quite accurate and satisfying for fans of the series. The movie was advertised as “Part 1” and ends on the cliffhanger tease of Yoshikage Kira, but a sequel never came to pass. Brazenly advertising as “Part 1” when a follow-up isn’t a guarantee doesn’t always work and it can even decrease urgency since some audiences might want to wait and watch both movies together. Dune is a two-part experience, but it doesn’t bill itself as “Part 1” and tempt fate.
1 The Meandering Nature And Length of JoJolion
The scope of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has only become more grandiose over time. JoJolion is by far the longest chapter of the series and Hirohiko Araki spent a decade writing this narrative. JoJolion is full of series highlights, but it’s also messy in certain spots and there’s a lot of plotting and characters that ultimately become unnecessary. Pacing is a difficult element to perfect while in the middle of writing a story and JoJolion occasionally suffers as a result. A potential JoJolion anime is still years away, but it should be interesting to see if any story or structure elements are radically changed.
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