Jojos bizarre advetures

This article is about the manga series. For other uses, see JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (disambiguation). JoJo's Bizarre Adventure(Japanese: ジョジョの奇妙な冒険Hepburn: JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1987 to 2004 before being transferred to the monthly seinen magazine Ultra Jump in 2005. There have been eight story arcs produced to date, and the current and eighth story arc, JoJolion, commenced publication in 2011. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is currently Shueisha's second largest manga series with its chapters collected into 125 tankōbon volumes and counting.

A six-volume original video animation adaptation of the latter half of the series' third story arc was released from 1993 to 1994 by studio A.P.P.P., followed by another seven-volume series covering earlier parts of the arc from 2000 to 2002. A.P.P.P. also produced a theatrical film of the first arc in 2007. In 2012, an anime television series produced by David Production began broadcast on Tokyo MX and covered the first two-story arcs of the manga in 26 episodes. A second 48-episode season covering the third arc was broadcast in 2014 and 2015, a 39-episode season adapting the fourth aired between April and December 2016, and another 39-episode season adapting the fifth premiered in October 2018 and ended in July 2019.

The JoJo's Bizarre Adventuremanga has over 100 million copies in print, making it one of the best-selling manga series in history, and has spawned a large media franchise that includes several novelizations and video games, action figures, a jewelry line, and even snack foods. From 2003 to 2005, Super Techno Arts released both OVA series in North America. Viz Media released a translation of the third part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in North America from 2005 to 2010, but began publishing the series from the beginning in 2015.

Contents

 * 1Plot
 * 2Supernatural powers
 * 3Production
 * 4Media
 * 4.1Manga
 * 4.1.1Spin-offs
 * 4.2Anime
 * 4.2.1Studio A.P.P.P.
 * 4.2.2David Production
 * 4.3Novels
 * 4.4Drama CDs
 * 4.5Art books
 * 4.6Video games
 * 4.7Live-action film adaptation
 * 5Reception
 * 5.1Controversy
 * 6Legacy and collaborations
 * 6.1Gucci
 * 6.225th anniversary
 * 7References
 * 8External links

Plot[edit]
See also: List of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure characters

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure tells the story of the Joestar family, a family whose various members discover they are destined to take down supernatural foes using unique powers that they possess. The manga is split up into 8 unique parts, each following the story of one member of the Joestar family, who inevitably has a name that can be abbreviated to the titular "JoJo". The first six parts of the series take place within a single continuity, while parts 7 and 8 take place in an alternate continuity.
 * Part 1 Phantom Blood (ファントムブラッド Fantomu Buraddo)
 * JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volumes 1 to 5. In late 19th century England, the young Jonathan Joestar meets his new adopted brother Dio Brando, who only wants to usurp Jonathan as heir to the Joestar family. However, his attempts are thwarted and he resorts to using an ancient Stone Mask which transforms him into a vampire. Jonathan, with Italian Hamon master Will A. Zeppeli and former street thug Robert E.O. Speedwagon at his side, uses his newly found affinity for Hamon to stop Dio whose sights are set on nothing less than world domination. With this Hamon, Jonathan has discovered the only power that can kill a Vampire, and thus is especially necessary in his rivalry against Dio, who has tormented him his whole life.


 * Part 2 Battle Tendency (戦闘潮流 Sentō Chōryū)
 * Battle Tendency volumes 1 to 8 (JoJo volumes 5 to 12). In New York City in 1938, Joseph Joestar, grandson of Jonathan, has a natural affinity for Hamon. After hearing of Speedwagon's supposed death during an excavation, Joseph decides to investigate and becomes entangled with the revival of the Pillar Men, ancient humanoids of impossible power who are tied to the creation of the Stone Mask. Joseph ultimately teams up with Caesar Zeppeli, Will's grandson, and Caesar's teacher Lisa Lisa, who is mysteriously tied to Joseph. Under the pressure of poisons implanted in Joseph's body, Joseph must master Hamon as they try to stop the Pillar Men from obtaining the Red Stone of Aja, a mystical artifact in Lisa Lisa's possession that will grant them complete immortality and bring about the end of the world at their hands.


 * Part 3 Stardust Crusaders (スターダストクルセイダース Sutādasuto Kuruseidāsu)
 * Stardust Crusaders volumes 1 to 16 (JoJo volumes 12 to 28). In 1989, Jotaro Kujo, a Japanese high school student, places himself in jail because he believes he is possessed by an evil spirit. His mother Holly calls on her father Joseph Joestar to talk sense into Jotaro. With the help of his ally the Egyptian fortune teller Mohammed Avdol, Joseph reveals that Jotaro has in fact developed a supernatural ability known as a Stand that has run through the family due to a newly resurfaced Dio Brando having fused his head to Jonathan Joestar's headless body. After thwarting an assassination attempt by transfer student Noriaki Kakyoin, who is under Dio's thrall, Jotaro and Joseph discover that Holly is dying from her own Stand. Jotaro resolves to hunt down Dio, and Joseph leads him, Avdol, and Kakyoin to Egypt, using their Stands to battle more Stand-wielding assassins along the way before 50 days elapse and Holly dies. As they progress, they gain allies in the French swordsman Jean Pierre Polnareff, who wishes to avenge the death of his sister, and the Boston Terrier Iggy, who bregrudgingly accompanies the group on the way to Cairo.


 * Part 4 Diamond Is Unbreakable (ダイヤモンドは砕けない Daiyamondo wa Kudakenai)
 * Diamond Is Unbreakable volumes 1 to 18 (JoJo volumes 29 to 47). In the fictional Japanese town of Morioh in 1999, Jotaro arrives to tell Josuke Higashikata (the kanji 助 in his name is read in the on'yomi form as jo) that he is the illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar and to warn him that Morioh is becoming filled with Stand users. This is due to a mystical Bow and Arrow that bestows Stands on those struck by the arrowheads. After Josuke takes revenge on a Stand user who killed his grandfather, he agrees to help Jotaro hunt down the holder of the Bow and Arrow. He gains allies in Josuke's friend Koichi Hirose, who is hit by the arrow; Okuyasu Nijimura, whose brother Keicho was using the Arrow until it was stolen from him; Rohan Kishibe, a famous manga artist; and even his estranged father Joseph Joestar. Along the way, the group deals with the various new Stand users throughout Morioh, including several of Josuke, Koichi, and Okuyasu's classmates. Eventually, the death of one of their friends leads to the discovery that one of the new Stand users is the serial killer, Yoshikage Kira.


 * Part 5 Golden Wind (黄金の風 Ōgon no Kaze)
 * Golden Wind volumes 1 to 17 (JoJo volumes 47 to 63). In 2001, Koichi Hirose is sent by Jotaro to Naples to investigate Giorno Giovanna, whom Jotaro has discovered is Dio's son fathered via Jonathan's body before his defeat in Cairo 12 years earlier, to see if the boy has a Stand and if he is evil. Koichi ultimately discovers Giorno's Stand and his pure goals for reforming a mafia organization from the inside out, and Jotaro lets him live his life uninterrupted. Giorno ultimately joins Bruno Bucciarati's squad within Passione, a Stand-using mafia, who leads Giorno, Leone Abbacchio, Guido Mista, Narancia Ghirga, and Pannacotta Fugo on a mission to Capri to retrieve Bruno's former superior's riches. In addition to being attacked by rival mafioso along the way, they are then tasked by Passione's boss to escort his daughter Trish Una throughout Italy and protect her from others in the gang who wish to use her to find out his identity.


 * Part 6 Stone Ocean (ストーンオーシャン Sutōn Ōshan)
 * Stone Ocean volumes 1 to 17 (JoJo volumes 64 to 80). In 2011 near Port St. Lucie, Florida, Jolyne Kujo is arrested and sent to the Green Dolphin St. Prison for murder. Her estranged father Jotaro visits her and reveals that she has been set up in order for one of Dio's disciples to kill her within the prison. After revealing that a gift he gave her has awoken her latent Stand powers to protect her, Jotaro is attacked, and his Stand and memories are stolen from him by the prison chaplain Enrico Pucci, Dio's disciple. Jolyne works with fellow inmate Ermes Costello, who has also had a Stand awoken in her, to retrieve her father's Stand, gaining allies in the boy Emporio Alniño; fellow inmates Narciso Anasui and Weather Report; and the sentient Stand-using plankton colony “Foo Fighters” to save her father and stop Pucci before he can use his Stand to recreate the universe in Dio's image.


 * Part 7 Steel Ball Run (スティール・ボール・ラン Sutīru Bōru Ran)
 * Steel Ball Run volumes 1 to 24 (JoJo volumes 81 to 104). In an alternate timeline in 1890, Gyro Zeppeli travels to the United States to take part in a cross-country horse race known as the Steel Ball Run. His skill in a mystical martial art known as Spin, which he controls with steel balls, garners the interest of former jockey turned paraplegic Johnny Joestar, particularly after a Spin-infused ball briefly restores Johnny's ability to walk. Johnny travels with Gyro on the race to learn the art of Spin from him in hopes he can walk again, but they soon discover that the race is a ploy set up by Funny Valentine, the President of the United States, to search the country for the scattered parts of a holy corpse that imbue their holders with a Stand, so the President can use the entire corpse to his own patriotic ends, even if it means the disruption of other dimensions with his Stand's ability. Gyro and Johnny work together, along with fellow racers Mountain Tim and Hot Pants, and race organizer Stephen Steel and his wife Lucy, to stop the President from achieving his plans, as they threaten the very world, all while dealing with Valentine's hired assassins in the race, including the charismatic racer Diego Brando.


 * Part 8 JoJolion (ジョジョリオン Jojorion)
 * JoJolion is currently being published, beginning with the 105th overall volume of JoJo. In 2012, in the same universe as Steel Ball Run, the town of Morioh has been devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which has caused mysterious faults colloquially known as the "Wall Eyes" to appear in town. Local college student Yasuho Hirose is near one of the Wall Eyes when she discovers a young man buried in the rubble and a strange bite mark on him. She nicknames him "Josuke", as he cannot remember his own name, and after following a lead that he may be "Yoshikage Kira", an attack by a Stand user leads them to find the real Yoshikage Kira's corpse. Josuke is put in the care of the Higashikata family, whose patriarch Norisuke IV seems to know more about Josuke than he initially lets on, but Josuke himself discovers that the Higashikata family and Yoshikage Kira's family are linked due to Johnny Joestar's marriage to Rina Higashikata in the late 19th century. Josuke and Yasuho ultimately discover that Josuke is in fact Yoshikage Kira, mysteriously fused with another person, and Yoshikage Kira possessed the knowledge to cure a curse that has plagued the Higashikata family for centuries. Norisuke IV wants that knowledge back to save his grandchild from the same fate he and his family has suffered, but a mysterious race of rock men and Norisuke IV's own son Jobin seem to be conspiring against them to both prevent Josuke from regaining his memories and from lifting the curse on the Higashikata family.

Supernatural powers[edit]

 * Part 1 Phantom Blood introduces the Stone Mask (石仮面 Ishikamen), an artifact discovered in Aztec ruins that reacts to contact with blood. When it is worn by someone and blood is spilled on it, the Stone Mask produces spikes that drive themselves into the wearer's skull, transforming them into an immortal Vampire (吸血鬼 Kyūketsuki). These Vampires drain people of blood and can heal from most injuries and combine other creatures into abominations. A Vampire can only be killed by destroying the head, or by exposure to natural sunlight or ultraviolet rays. The Ripple (波紋 Hamon) is also introduced as a martial arts technique that allows the user to focus bodily energy via controlled breathing. It is effective in combating vampires, as experienced Ripple users can emulate sunlight. Such energy is also useful in combating Zombies ( Zonbi, also referred to as "Undead" (Andeddo)) created by vampires.
 * Part 2 Battle Tendency introduces the Pillar Men (柱の男 Hashira no Otoko), ancient humanoids whose superhuman abilities enabled them to thrive as apex predators. One of their members, Kars, created the Stone Masks in an attempt to find a way to bypass their species' weakness to sunlight so they may rule Earth. When they are exposed to sunlight, they turn to stone, thus making them susceptible to the energies of the Ripple. Their surviving members seek out the Red Stone of Aja (エイジャの赤石 Eija no Akaishi), a flawless gem that amplifies light into nearly laser precision which is able to perfect the transformation into an immortal being with control over all life's forces. It is for this reason that the Ripple users protect the flawless Super Aja so it will not fall into the hands of the Pillar Men.
 * Part 3 Stardust Crusaders introduces the supernatural power of Stands (スタンド Sutando), so named because the manifestation of the user's psychic powers resembles a spiritual familiar standing next to them. A person may obtain a Stand through bloodlines, rigorous spiritual and/or Ripple training, exceptionally strong willpower, desire and/or passion. A Stand may never manifest itself until it is amplified by certain conditions or factors and not everyone has the ability to control it. Some Stands appear to have a separate and autonomous personality from their users, able to act on their own to protect them or speak to them. Generally, if the Stand user is incapacitated, the Stand will no longer be a threat, and any damage to a stand will be reflected on its user.
 * Part 4 Diamond Is Unbreakable introduces a Bow and Arrow (弓と矢 Yumi to Ya), forged from a mysterious meteorite that made its way to Earth after being drawn in by the spiritual powers of the planet's inhabitants. A Stand can be brought forth after one is pierced by the Arrow; however, the results can be unpredictable, as it could easily kill an unqualified person, and there is no apparent way to know if a person is qualified ahead of time. The Arrows do, however, tend to seek out qualified people on their own if there is someone to guide them.
 * Part 5 Golden Wind introduces a unique Stand-creating Arrow with the ability to create a "Requiem" ( Rekuiemu) Stand. If this Arrow hits the Stand instead of the user, the Stand can completely change form and its powers become a Requiem Stand with increased powers that relate to the control over the souls of living beings. Both Gold Experience and Jean-Pierre Polnareff's Stand Silver Chariot are pierced by this Arrow and given Requiem forms.
 * Part 6 Stone Ocean shows examples of a single person possessing two Stands because of the ability of an extraordinary Stand. Enrico Pucci is able to produce artificial Stand users by stealing others' Stands, transforming them into Discs (ディスク Disuku), and "inserting" them into certain individuals. Part 6 also features DIO's bone (の骨 DIO no Hone), the sole remaining part of DIO which is instrumental in Pucci's Way to Heaven (天国へ行く方法Tengoku e Iku Hōhō). It grants a new and more powerful Stand that ultimately leads to the creation of Made in Heaven (メイド・イン・ヘブンMeido In Hebun), a powerful Stand that can accelerate the universe to the point of a universal reset in accordance with the Big Bounce cosmological model.
 * Part 7 Steel Ball Run introduces the Spin (回転 Kaiten), a technique that incorporates the Fibonacci sequence, golden spiral, and golden rectangle (黄金長方形 ōgon chōhōkei) into a means of manipulating the Magnus effect to the user's benefit, but its true power lies in its destructive effects. Also introduced in Part 7 is the Saint's Corpse (聖人の遺体 Seijin no Itai), body parts of a deceased holy man (hinted to be Jesus Christ) that imbue the user with a Stand if the body part is fused with the user. If the user loses the Corpse part, they lose their Stand.
 * Part 8 JoJolion introduces another method of obtaining a Stand, interaction with the Wall Eyes (壁の目 Kabe no Me), strange fault-like structures that have risen from the ground following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. They disrupt all forms of transportation, communication, and utilities, but all users of Stands have come in contact with the Wall Eyes at some point. A race of Stand-using Rock People (岩人間 Iwa Ningen) also appears in JoJolion. These humans seem to innately possess the ability to turn their body into stone and enter a state of suspended animation. Also introduced in Part 8 is the Rokakaka (ロカカカ Rokakaka) fruit, which is able to "fix" a body part at the expense of taking another away.

Production[edit]
Araki is inspired by western art, such as this piece by Paul Gauguin which inspired him to use unusual colors in his own art.[2][3]

For JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Araki wanted to use a classical method as a base and then introduce modern elements in the singular. As an example, he often draws in a realistic style but then uses surreal colors. Araki has been aiming to draw real spirits in JoJo resulting in him going to the Kappa River in Tōno, Iwate, to get a better understanding of the concept.[4] Araki claims getting inspiration from the art of the 1980s, shading techniques in Western art, and classical paintings; the manga coloring is based on calculations rather than consistency, with Araki citing artists like Paul Gauguin as inspiration.[2] He also claims mystery is the central theme of the manga, as he was fascinated by it as a child. Furthermore, Araki wanted to explore superpowers and energy in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure resulting in various concepts such as the Hamon and the Stands.[2] He said that the supernatural basis of the fights in his series evened the battlefield for women and children to match up against strong men.[5] For Stardust Crusaders in particular, Araki was influenced by role-playing games in designing the characters' skills.[2]

The characters had no models with the exception of Jotaro Kujo who was based on Clint Eastwood. For every part, Araki stated that he wanted to try a different type of main character. For example, whereas Part 1's Jonathan Joestar was a serious and honest person, Part 2's Joseph Joestar was a trickster that liked to mess with people.[6] Although their personalities are different, the two share a physical resemblance in order to have some continuity because it was unheard of at the time for a main character to die in a Weekly Shōnen Jump series.[7] Araki's consistent focus on the Joestar family was intended to give a feeling of pride as well as due to the wonder and mystery there is on the lineage.[6]

Having originally planned the series as a trilogy, Araki thought to have the final confrontation set in present-day Japan. But he did not want it to be a tournament affair, which was popular in Weekly Shōnen Jump at the time, and therefore decided to make Part 3 a "road movie" inspired by Around the World in Eighty Days.[8] With Part 4, Araki said that he moved away from "muscle men" as they fell out of popularity with readers and he wanted to focus more on fashion. When designing his characters' outfits, Araki considers both everyday fashion and "cartoonish, bizarre clothing that would be impractical in real life."[9] For Part 6, Araki wrote a female protagonist for the first time which he found complicated, but also interesting due to the humanity she could possess.[10] He later described Part 2's much earlier supporting character Lisa Lisa as fresh and "unheard of" in both manga and society in general for its time, and said it was exciting to challenge people's expectations with the female warrior-type.[5] Having not specifically set out on creating a disabled character, Araki explained that Part 7's paraplegic Johnny Joestar was a natural result of wanting to show a character who could grow, both physically and mentally, during a race where "he would be forced not only to rely on other people, but horses as well."[9]

Araki uses unique onomatopoeia and poses in the series, which he attributes to his love for heavy metal and horror films.[11] The poses, which are known in Japan as JoJo-dachi (ジョジョ立ち, lit. "JoJo standing"), are iconic on his book covers and panels, and were inspired by Araki's trip to Italy in his 20s and his studies of Michelangelo's sculptures.[12] The poses are so popular that fans often reenact them in homage to JoJo.[13] A reporter for Rocket News attempted to shop at the special 25th anniversary JoJo-themed Lawson in Sendai in a JoJo-dachi in 2012,[14] and in 2014, singer Shoko Nakagawa remarked that she accidentally broke her coccyx after performing a JoJo-dachi during a concert in Nagoya.[15][16]

Manga[edit]
See also: List of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volumes

Written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump in its combined issue #1–2 of 1987, which was published on January 1, 1987.[17] The chapters are collected and published into tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on August 10, 1987.[18] The series is broken into arcs or parts, each of which stars a different descendant of the Joestar family. During Part 5, which takes place in Italy, the series' title was occasionally written in Italian as Le Bizzarre Avventure di GioGio. After volume 63, each parts' tankōbon have started the number count back at one; see Stone Ocean, Steel Ball Run and JoJolion. The series was switched to the magazine Ultra Jump in 2005, during Steel Ball Run, with the chapters now published monthly. JoJolion, the current arc, began on May 19, 2011. A sōshūhen edition that aims to recreate the manga as it was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump with color pages, promotional text, and next chapter previews, began being published in October 2012.[19] That same year, the first three Parts of the series were digitally colored and released as digital downloads for smartphones and tablet computers. A hardcover re-release of the first three Parts, including colored pages from their original serialization, was collected under the title JoJonium (ジョジョニウム Jojoniumu) between December 4, 2013, and March 4, 2015.[20]

Araki makes frequent references to real-life musicians and fashion designers in the series, causing its English publisher to take stricter legal precautions than usual.[21]

In the early 1990s Viz Media had planned to release an English-language version of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in North America as "The Strange Adventures of Jojo", evident by an advertisement in their newsletter at the time, Viz-In.[22]It is suspected the plans were canned after Baoh, another series by Hirohiko Araki, sold poorly. The series was brought up again for talks in 2002, for release as individual monthly chapters.[22] However, by this time, that publication format for manga was becoming less popular in North America.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure finally received a North American release in 2005, in the graphic novel format, similar to its Japanese tankōbon. However, it was only of the series' third part, Stardust Crusaders, which is the most popular and well-known.[22] Originally published bimonthly, the volumes were later reduced to a quarterly release. The first volume was released on November 8, 2005, and the last on December 7, 2010.[23][24] Viz's release changed the names of several characters due to copyright concerns and included some censorship, with scenes of animal violence redrawn by Araki himself.[22] JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has also seen domestic releases in Italy by Star Comics,[25]starting in 1993,[26] in France by J'ai Lu and Tonkam,[27][28] Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing,[29] in Brazil by Panini[30] and in Malaysia by Comics House.[citation needed]

In 2013, Viz revealed that they planned to release the third part digitally and expressed interest in further material of the series, however, they explained the difficulties due to the numerous blatant references to real-life musicians and fashion designers.[21] Viz Media began publishing the JoJonium edition of Phantom Blood digitally in September 2014, with a three-volume hardcover print edition that includes color pages following throughout 2015. They then licensed the four-volume part 2 Battle Tendency, which they began publishing digitally in March 2015 and in print in November 2015.[31][32] Viz began re-releasing Stardust Crusaders in the hardcover format in fall 2016.[33] At Anime Expo 2016, Viz Media announced they will be publishing part 4 Diamond is Unbreakable.[34]

Spin-offs[edit]
See also: Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan

Araki has also drawn several spin-offs of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The first being "Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan. Episode 16: At a Confessional" published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1997, which stars Rohan Kishibe from Part 4 and launched a series, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan. "Deadman's Questions" (デッドマンズQ Deddomanzu Kuesuchonzu) is a three chapter story starring Yoshikage Kira from Part 4 and was published in the magazine Allman in 1999. Both of these were later collected in Araki's 1999 Under Execution, Under Jailbreak (死刑執行中脱獄進行中 Shikei Shikkōchū Datsugoku Shinkōchū) collection of one-shots. Oingo Boingo Brothers Adventure (オインゴとボインゴ兄弟大冒険 Oingo to Boingo Kyōdai Daibōken) was released in October 2002,[35] features the title characters originally from Part 3 and is drawn in the same art style as Boingo's Stand, which is a fortune-telling comic book. Continuing the series starring Rohan, "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe -Mutsu-kabe Hill-" was published in Jump SQ in 2007. "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe ~Episode 5: Millionaire Village~" was published in the October 6, 2012, issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump.[36] "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe ~Episode 6: Poaching Seashore~" was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump on October 12, 2013.[37] A collected volume of Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan was published by Shueisha on November 19, 2013, collecting the stories "At a Confessional", "Mutsu-kabe Hill", "Millionaire Village", "Poaching Seashore", and "Rohan Kishibe Goes to Gucci". "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe ~Episode 4: Mochizuki Family Moon Viewing~" was released for free on September 21, 2014, as part of Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ website debut. The newest part of the series "Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe Episode #07 Monday - Sun Shower" was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump on December 4, 2015.[38]

Studio A.P.P.P.[edit]
Main articles: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (1993 anime series) and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood (film)

A 13-episode OVA adaptation of Part 3, Stardust Crusaders, was produced by A.P.P.P.. The first set of six episodes, which begin during the middle of the arc, were released by Pony Canyon on VHS and Laserdisc from November 19, 1993, to November 18, 1994. The series was released by Klock Worx on Region 2 DVD and VHS from May 25, 2000, to October 25, 2002, starting with seven newly produced prequel episodes adapting the beginning of the arc, followed by re-releases of the earlier episodes renumbered from 8 through 13 to take into account their later chronological placement. Super Techno Arts produced an English-language dub of all thirteen episodes in North America as a six-volume DVD series between 2003 and 2005, with the episodes also arranged in chronological order.[13]

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood, a feature film adaptation of the manga's first story arc, was released theatrically on February 17, 2007, in Japan.[13] The film was produced by A.P.P.P. to commemorate the 25th anniversary of creator Hirohiko Araki's career as a manga artist.

David Production[edit]
Main article: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (TV series)

At a July 5, 2012 press conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the series and promoting an upcoming Hirohiko Araki art exhibition, Araki and his people announced that an anime adaptation of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure was in production and would premiere in October 2012.[39] The 26-episode first season, which covers both the Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency arcs, aired on Tokyo MX between October 5, 2012 and April 5, 2013.[40][41]

Although teased at in the post-credit scenes of the finale,[41] the second season of the anime was officially announced in October 2013 in the November 2013 issue of Ultra Jump and the fifth tankōbon volume of JoJolion.[42] It was broadcast on Tokyo MX in two parts for a total of 48 episodes; the first from April 4 to September 12, 2014, and the second from January 9 to June 19, 2015. At the "Last Crusaders" event for Stardust Crusaders, an adaptation of Diamond Is Unbreakable was announced.[43] It premiered on April 1, 2016 and ended on December 23, 2016. An OVA adapting the Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe manga spin-offs will be made available to those in Japan who buy every Blu-ray or DVD volume of the Diamond Is Unbreakable anime.[44][45]

With the 2014 premiere of Stardust Crusaders, American-based website Crunchyroll began streaming the anime series for viewers outside Japan an hour after it aired in Japan.[46] Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released Parts 1 and 2 in a DVD set on September 22, 2015, with an English dub.[47] In July 2016, Viz Media announced they acquired the Blu-ray rights to the series and released it with an English dub in July 2017. On October 15, 2016, American cable block Adult Swim began airing the anime on its Toonami block.[47]

Novels[edit]
Several light novels based on the JoJo series have been written, each by a different author, but all including illustrations by Hirohiko Araki. The first, based on Part 3, was simply titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, released on November 4, 1993, and written by Mayori Sekijima and Hiroshi Yamaguchi.[48] Le Bizzarre Avventure di GioGio II: Golden Heart/Golden Ring (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 II ゴールデンハート/ゴールデンリング JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Tsū Gōruden Hāto/Gōruden Ringu) written by Gichi Ōtsuka and Miya Shōtarō, was released on May 28, 2001, and based on Part 5. Both of these novels received Italian translations and releases; the first in 2003,[49] often with the added subtitle of The Genesis of Universe, and the second in 2004.[50]

In 2000, it was announced that Otsuichi would be writing a novel based on Part 4. The novel proved difficult to complete; in Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2004, Otsuichi claimed to have written over 2000 pages, but thrown them all out.[51]Intent on writing a novel that lived up to the manga, it took him until 2007 to complete The Book: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 4th Another Day.[52]

In April 2011, it was announced that Nisio Isin, Kouhei Kadono, and Ōtarō Maijōwere each writing novel adaptations of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in celebration of the series' 25th anniversary.[53] Kadono's, titled Purple Haze Feedback (恥知らずのパープルヘイズ Hajishirazu no Pāpuru Heizu), was released on September 16, 2011, and is based on Part 5.[54] Isin's was released on December 16, 2011, based on Part 3 and titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Over Heaven.[55] Maijō's novel, Jorge Joestar, was revealed in July and released on September 19, 2012.[56] It tells the story of George Joestar II, son of Jonathan and father of Joseph, in his childhood growing up on La Palma where he is known as "Jorge Joestar" as well as an alternate version living in Japan named "Joji Joestar" investigating mysteries behind the appearance of a moving island. It features characters from and inspired by nearly every part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Drama CDs[edit]
From 1992 to 1993, a drama CD adaptation of Part 3 was released in three volumes, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 1: Meet Jotaro Kujo (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険第1巻 空条承太郎見参の巻), JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 2: The Death of Avdol (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険第2巻 アヴドゥル死すの巻) and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 3: The World of Dio (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険第3巻 DIOの世界の巻).[57][58][59] They starred Kiyoyuki Yanada as Jotaro, Kenji Utsumi (volumes 1 & 3) and Gorō Naya (volume 2) as Joseph Joestar, Akio Ōtsuka as Avdol, Shō Hayami as Kakyoin, Ken Yamaguchi as Polnareff, Keiichi Nanba as Hol Horse, Shigeru Chiba as J. Geil, and Norio Wakamoto as DIO.

Art books[edit]
Araki has released multiple books containing original artwork he has produced for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. JoJo6251 was released in 1993 and features artwork, story details, and behind the scenes information for Phantom Blood, Battle Tendency, Stardust Crusaders, and Diamond Is Unbreakable. This was followed in 2000 by ''JoJo A-Go! Go! which features original artwork from Golden Wind and Stone Ocean'' as well as the previous 4 parts in Jojo6251. In 2013, he released JoJoveller, a multimedia set that includes a book featuring original artwork for Stone Ocean, Steel Ball Run, and JoJolion; a book detailing the history of the publications; and a book detailing every Stand featured since Stardust Crusaders. The limited edition has two Blu-rays showing the 25th anniversary art exhibition in Tokyo and a behind-the-scenes look at Araki's creative process.[60][61]

Video games[edit]
Main article: List of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure video games

Several video games based on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure have been created. A role-playing video game was released on the Super Famicom in 1993, and several fighting games have been released, including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle for the series' 25th anniversary.[39] Characters from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure have also been featured in various cross-over games with other characters from Weekly Shōnen Jump.

Live-action film adaptation[edit]
Main article: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable Chapter I

In 2016, it was announced that Toho and Warner Bros. were partnering to produce a live-action film based on the fourth arc of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Takashi Miike directed the film that stars Kento Yamazaki as Josuke and which was released in summer 2017. Both studios were planning for worldwide distribution and are hoping to create sequels.[62][63]

Reception[edit]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has over 100 million copies in print,[64] and is one of the best-selling Weekly Shōnen Jump series of all-time.[65] For the 10th anniversary of the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2006, Japanese fans voted JoJo's Bizarre Adventure second on a list of the Top 10 Manga of all time.[66] JoJo ranked 10th in a 2009 survey by Oricon on what manga series people want to see receive a live-action adaptation.[67] The 2013 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, which surveys people in the manga and publishing industry, named JoJolion the 12th best manga series for male readers.[68] JoJolion won the grand prize for manga at the 2013 Japan Media Arts Festival.[69]

The first volume of JoJolion was the second best-selling manga for its debut week, its second volume was number three and its third was number two.[70][71][72] All three volumes were some of the best-selling manga of 2012.[73][74] All three volumes of Viz Media's release of Phantom Blood and all four volumes of Battle Tendency reached the top seven positions on The New York Times Manga Best Seller list.[75]

IGN named the series a "must read", declaring the artwork of "a standard virtually unseen in most manga produced today".[76] Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network wrote that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure "combines a fighting story with a solid emotional background, and will absolutely put hair on your chest." She called Dio an excellent villain that the readers can enjoy hating. However, she criticized the anatomy of characters, saying "bodies are often twisted into impossible positions."[77] Otaku USA 's Joseph Luster called the series "fun as hell" and noted how the beginning is not filled with action like most Weekly Shōnen Jump series, but instead has the tension of horror and thriller films.[78] Heidi Kemps, also of Otaku USA, was mostly positive in her review of Rohan at the Louvre, praising the art for being drawn in full-color by hand, although noted that readers new to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure might not fully understand the ending due to there being only a brief explanation of Rohan's Stand power.[79] Writer Gen Urobuchi noted that in "Part 2" even though Caesar Zeppeli dies, he became "immortal."[80]

The first set of OVAs was given three out of five stars by Eric Gaede of THEM Anime Reviews. He praised the fight scenes as more believable than those from other series such as Dragon Ball and the characters' personalities, although felt the villains resorted to clichés when they are about to be defeated. However, he called the story "disjointed" and the animation "drab and colorless".[81]

The JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime television series was named one of the best of 2012 by Otaku USA.[82] It was added to the list by Joseph Luster, however, in his review he cited David Production having a small budget for several of his problems with the series, stating some portions of the animation are a "butt hair above motion comic standards," but that it usually makes up for it in "sheer style."[83] Michael Toole of Anime News Network had similar views, writing that the show's good writing, art direction, and pacing were "sometimes obscured by grade-Z animation."[13] At the 2013 CEDEC Awards, the anime's opening sequence won in the Visual Arts division.[84] Several critics have credited the success of the anime adaptation for bringing about a surge of popularity for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise amongst Western audiences.[13][85] In 2018, Danni Wilmoth of Crunchyroll included the series on her list of "The 20 Series Every Anime Fan Needs to Watch".[86]

Controversy[edit]
In May 2008, both Shueisha and studio A.P.P.P. halted manga/OVA shipments of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure after a complaint had been launched against them from Egyptian Islamic fundamentalists, after noticing a scene in the OVAs that has the villain, Dio Brando, reading a book depicting pages from the Qur'an.[22][87] This recall affected the English-language releases as well, causing Viz Media and Shueisha to cease publication for a year. Even though the manga did not feature that specific scene, Shueisha had Araki redraw scenes that depicted characters fighting on top of, and destroying, mosques for later printings of the series.[22] Viz resumed publication a year later, with the eleventh volume being published on April 7, 2009. Jason Thompson later included Shueisha's changes to the manga on a list of "The Greatest Censorship Fails" in manga.[88]

Legacy and collaborations[edit]
The September 2007 issue of Cell had a cover drawn by Hirohiko Araki with a ligase represented as a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stand.[89] He also contributed artwork towards the restoration of Chūson-ji following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[90] Araki contributed JoJo-inspired art for Sayuri Ishikawa's 2012 album X -Cross-, where she performs one of the series' iconic poses and is drawn wearing jewelry from the manga.[91] JoJo-style artwork has also been produced for other literature, such as for a 2008 collection featuring Yasunari Kawabata's short story "The Dancing Girl of Izu"[92] and a 2012 reprint of Tamaki Saitō's Lacan for Surviving.[93]

In 2009, Araki's artwork for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure was one of five artists featured in the Louvre's Le Louvre invite la bande dessinée ("The Louvre Invites Comic-Strip Art") exhibition. To commemorate this honor, he wrote Rohan at the Louvre (岸辺露伴 ルーヴルへ行く Kishibe Rohan Rūvuru e Iku), a 123-page full color story starring Rohan Kishibe visiting the Louvre and discovering a cursed painting tied to his family.[94][95][96] The following year it was published in France and ran in Ultra Jump, and in February 2012 was translated and released in North America by NBM Publishing.[97]

From July 19 to August 18, 2019, the Tower Records store in Shibuya held an exhibit celebrating the finale of the 5th part of the series, Golden Wind, and to promote the release of two games, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Pitter Patter Pop!and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Last Survivor.[98][99] The exhibit showed various concept art pieces from the series' artists, as well as scripts from the show. Visitors could receive free items such as stickers, folders, and cards upon completion of various tasks, such as answering a quiz or buying a certain amount of items.[100] Each floor of the Tower Records building had a character on display, as a cardboard cutout and on the elevator doors. On August 14th, 2019, a panel was held with directors Hideya Takahashi and Yasuhiro Kimura, and producer Kasama.[101]

Several video game characters, such as Street Fighter 's Guile and Tekken 's Paul Phoenix, were inspired by JoJo 's Polnareff.[102] The song "Don't Bite the Dust" by heavy metal band Lovebites was influenced by and named after a Stand from Diamond is Unbreakable.[103]

Gucci[edit]
A Gucci store display in 2013, featuring JoJo's Bizarre Adventurecharacters.

From September 17 to October 6, 2011, the Gucci store in Shinjuku hosted the Gucci x Hirohiko Araki x Spur "Rohan Kishibe Goes to Gucci" Exhibition, a collaboration between the luxury Italian clothing brand, Araki, and the Japanese fashion magazine Spur.[104] The exhibit celebrated the 90th anniversary of Gucci and featured a life-size figure of Rohan Kishibe, as well as numerous illustrations by Araki; including actual pieces of the brand's own 2011–2012 fall/winter collection and his own original fashion designs.[104] The October 2011 issue of Spur featured another one-shot manga titled Rohan Kishibe Goes to Gucci (岸辺露伴 グッチへ行くKishibe Rohan Guchi e Yuku), in which Rohan goes to a Gucci factory to discover the secret behind a magical handbag with the characters wearing and using Gucci products.[105][106] This was followed by another collaboration in the February 2013 issue of Spur with Jolyne, Fly High with Gucci (徐倫、GUCCIで飛ぶ Jorīn, Gutchi de Tobu), starring Jolyne Cujoh from Part 6.[107][108] A free English translation of the latter was previously available on Gucci's Facebook page. Again, Araki's artwork was featured in Gucci's storefront displays around the world.[109][110]

25th anniversary[edit]
There were several art exhibitions in 2012 in Japan for the manga's 25th anniversary. The first was in Araki's birthplace of Sendai, which included a Lawson store remodeled to look like the "Owson" store that appears in Diamond Is Unbreakable and JoJolion.[111][112][113][114] The store was opened from July 28 to September 30, and contained exclusive goods with the Owson name. The second exhibition was held in Tokyo from October 6 to November 4 and hangouts were held on Google Plus to allow fans to view the gallery at night through the lens of Remote Romance (リモートロマンス Rimōto Romansu), an original "Stand" Araki and his team created for the event.[115][116] The exhibit was taken to Italy from June 28 to July 14, 2013, and shown at the Gucci showroom in Florence.[115][117]

The October 2012 issue of Ultra Jump contained a special booklet titled 25 Years With JoJo, also in celebration of the anniversary, featuring messages and tribute art from well-known manga artists such as Akira Toriyama, Yoshihiro Togashi, Eiichiro Oda, Clamp, and 18 others.[36][118] During the 25th anniversary celebrations, a special smartphone with a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure inspired UI was released.[119]

To celebrate the release of the All Star Battle video game, created for the 25th anniversary, a special JoJo-themed train traveled the Yamanote Line in Tokyo from August 29 to September 9, 2013. Illustrations and advertisements of the series littered the interior, with videos of the game shown on displays, while the exterior had 33 characters as livery.[120]

References[edit]

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External links[edit]

 * Anime and manga portal
 * Official website (in Japanese)
 * JoJo's Bizarre Adventure at Viz Media
 * JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (manga)