Our second article covering the series known for its fast-paced action and charismatic characters displaying iconic poses, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki – is one of the current longest-running manga series. It started in 1985 and has racked up over 130 volumes to date.
While it has long been considered a classic in Japan, it’s only in the last 10 years or so that the series has become a worldwide success, thanks largely to the anime adaptation, the first season of which aired in 2012. The manga is published in the English market by Viz Media in hardcover format.
Our previous article covered parts 1 to 4 of the series. And, as we already discussed there, one of the main characteristics of JoJo is the variety of places and time periods that are featured over the course of the manga. While the author developed the story and the Joestar bloodline in a fairly straightforward way in the first few years of publication, these changes become even more extreme from Part 5 onward. Written over the course of several decades, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is not only a window into the personal development of its author, but also often serves as a mirror to the evolution of our own world. Ironically, some of the later chapters of the series are the best places to start for new readers, as they’re largely self-contained.
Part 5: Golden Wing
Japan: vol.47-63 / US: Part 5, vol.1-9
Naples, Italy. Giorno Giovanna is a young Italian of Japanese descent with a single dream: to become a gangster and rise to the top of the Italian Mafia in order to put an end to the drug trafficking and violence that plagues his hometown. He’ll do anything to achieve his goals, never hesitating to use the power of his Stand to prove himself. One day, Giorno is offered the opportunity to join the gang of Bruno Bucciarati, a member of the Passione Mafia organization, where he meets other young men who are also plotting to dethrone the current boss. Will they be his allies or his enemies?
Gone are the buffed-up men with their massive bodies, as Hirohiko Araki draws almost exclusively androgynous-looking characters in ‘Golden Wing’ which, this time, is set in 2001. He admitted that he wanted to depict “handsome men” having adventures in a world where beauty can only mean tragedy. Indeed, through the portrayal of human relationships, the opposition between friends and enemies, and the allure of betrayal, the story is essentially about sadness and contains many moving scenes. Moreover, as the action moves through the various regions and famous sites of Italy, we also get a glimpse of the often fantasized vision that the Japanese have of the West, which can sometimes be surprising. According to a survey conducted in Japan in 2018, ‘Golden Wing’ is the number one favorite JoJo chapter among Japanese fans.
Part 6: Stone Ocean
Japan: Part 6, vol.1-17 / US: Part 6, vol.1-8
In 2011, Florida resident Jolyne Cujoh is wrongfully sentenced to 15 years in prison for a murder she didn’t commit. Before being transferred to Green Dolphin Street Prison to serve her sentence, she injures her hand with a strange pendant sent to her by her father, Jotaro. On her way to the prison, she begins to develop mysterious powers, then manifests her own Stand. But will that be enough to stand up to the other inmates and escape? And who are these mysterious Stand users who seem to be loyal to Dio, decades after his death?
Once again, Araki challenges the codes of the shonen genre by introducing a female protagonist. Though it ends up being mostly an aesthetic approach – there’s no notable difference in how events would develop with a male protagonist – it brings a breath of fresh air to a series that has so far featured mostly male lead characters. Stone Ocean, which is largely set in prison (years before TV shows like Prison Break or Orange is The New Black were produced), takes on new themes, especially heredity and religion. And the ending is… well, let’s just say you’re probably not ready for it! ‘Stone Ocean’ is the latest to be translated into English and has helped consolidate the series’ success abroad, hot on the heels of the animated adaptation which has just been given an international release on Netflix.
Part 7: Steel Ball Run
Japan: Steel Ball Run vol.1-24 / US: Not yet available
A cross-country horse race from New York to San Diego with a purse of $50,000,000, the Steel Ball Run was organized in the late 1800s by an eccentric promoter. This unprecedented journey across the United States attracts competitors from around the world, drawn by the cash money, fame, or more personal motivations. Among them is the mysterious Gyro Zeppeli, armed with two strange metal spheres, whose charisma alone motivates Johnny Joestar, a young jockey who lost the use of his legs in an accident, to get back on his horse and enter the race. Will they reach the end of the road and find what they’re looking for?
My favorite part! The frenetic pace of the race and the pressure the protagonists are constantly under are so perfectly conveyed that some scenes literally took my breath away! Although “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” didn’t appear in the title when the first chapters were published in the Weekly Shonen Jump, the series was officially announced as the seventh part of the franchise when the publication switched to the Ultra Jump magazine, which was aimed at a more adult audience. This transition allowed the writer to explore more adult themes in his work. As a reboot of the saga and set in a parallel universe, no prior knowledge is required to enjoy it to the fullest, making it ideal for readers who want to settle for a shorter series. And JoJo fans will be pleased to know that there are numerous Easter eggs lurking in the pages of all 24 volumes. This arc has not yet been translated into English, but it should logically be the next to be published by Viz Media.
Part 8: Jojolion
Japan: Jojolion vol.1-27 / US: Not yet available
In March 2011, a massive earthquake is followed by a tsunami which devastates the Pacific coast of Tohoku in northwestern Japan. The small town of Morioh is also hit by the disaster. Strange structures nicknamed Wall Eyes appeared all over the town, literally popping out of the ground. One day, local college student Yasuho Hirose discovers a man half-buried under one of these structures, completely naked, with bite marks, a star-shaped birthmark at the base of his neck, and four testicles. The man has no idea who he is or where he is. Yasuho decides to help him regain his memory and temporarily names him “Josuke“. What secret is Josuke hiding, and could it have something to do with the strange events the town has been experiencing since the formation of the Wall Eyes?
Beginning shortly after the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March 2011, this installment didn’t end until August that year, making it the longest of the entire saga. Since Tohoku is Araki’s home, it was a logical choice for him to set the action of Jojolion there. Araki has matured, and you can feel it in the manga, both in the more personal themes he tackles, and in the relaxed pacing, which often allows the action to take a back seat. This is the first story in the JoJo saga to take place in real-time – setting it firmly in what was our present – allowing for the integration of plot elements such as smartphones, medical equipment, and other modern technology. Although this story arc takes place in the same timeline as Steel Ball Run, it can easily be read independently. It will probably be a few years before we see it translated into English, but it’s an interesting part for those who prefer more mature works.
Part 9: The JoJoLands
Japan: The JoJoLands vol.1-4 / US: Not yet available
Jodio Joestar is a 15-year-old high school student living on the island of Ohau in Hawaii who dreams of becoming extremely rich one day. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to achieve that goal, so he and his brother Dragona don’t hesitate to join a gang led by their school principal. Their first mission – stealing a huge, valuable diamond from a Japanese tourist – turns out to be far more dangerous than they expected…
With only 4 volumes published at the time of this writing, it’s hard to judge the actual qualities of The JoJoLands. After Jojolion, Araki seems to be returning to a more classic style, with plenty of action scenes and a few surprises to keep the fans happy. So far, it’s very promising, at least.
If you’ve read this far, if I’ve managed to convince you to devour the 130 or so volumes that make up the saga, and if you still want more, don’t worry; the JoJoverse extends beyond the pages of the manga, in several spin-off mangas, short stories, novellas, etc, some of which have even been translated into English. Maybe I’ll cover them in a future article…
But, for now, you can visit Viz Media’s JoJo page, or you can explore the official Japanese website!
Manga Spotlight © Omniverse Comics Guide 2024
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