JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Beauty in the Bizarre

If you have been anywhere near pop culture recently, then you’ve seen a resurgence of the fandom of one of the longest-running and most successful franchises in manga, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The cause of this return to prominence is the release of the first episode of part 7, Steel Ball Run.

A popular series returning is nothing new, but this was different. The first episode immediately jumped to number 1 on Netflix’s charts, and not just in anime, but among all of Netflix’s content. It currently has a 9.6 out of 10 on IMDB and originally started at 9.9, which made it the highest-rated anime episode ever.

How does an anime adaptation of a manga that ended over 15 years ago and is the seventh major story arc in a franchise do this well? Usually, by the time you reach the seventh of any series, the franchise is either self-sustaining or there is a dip in quality. 

Steel Ball Run is considered by manga fans as the best-written part of the franchise.

I believe this comes from how much JoJo embraces its own bizarreness. To explain JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to the uninitiated is to sound like you’re recounting a fever dream. It is a world where a Frenchman’s ghost inhabits a turtle and a teenager’s birthright is a gauntlet of supernatural villains dressed in high fashion. But the strangest thing about it isn’t the plot, it’s how deeply it cares about the people caught in the middle of it.

JoJo has several concepts that are at play. The one that is easy to catch is a multi-generational story of heroes. Like in Castlevania, where there is always a Belmont to fight evil, there is always a JoJo. While noble, it is portrayed as a curse that falls to each successive JoJo to suffer as they fight against Dio, his minions, or his zealous disciples wanting to succeed where Dio failed. 

Another recurring theme is villains raging against fate. Dio, hating his abusive father and low ranking in 19th-century England, sinks to any low needed to achieve his dream of being the most powerful. This morphs in Stardust Crusaders (part 3), where he wants to rule the planet and has become the abuser. Other villains, like Father Pucci, believe human suffering, anxiety, and guilt (especially his own) could be removed if he could accelerate the world to a “reset,” which would give everyone complete knowledge of their life and their inevitable end.

While the villains rage against fate, the heroes push back against their destiny. They accept their fate as predetermined, but they will go about it on their terms. This is seen with Bruno Bucciarati in part 5, Golden Wind. He discovers he is fated to be killed and, in fact, is killed quickly after the main villain is introduced. 

Despite this, Bruno, through sheer force of will, manages to keep his body together (don’t ask, it will be easier to understand if you watch it) long enough to give Giorno (the JoJo of that part) an opening to win. He reasons that although his death was predetermined, he has control over how he handles it. So while he can’t change destiny, he can still live with purpose. 

These concepts are at play during all of the over-the-top antics happening. This is the greater appeal to not just me, but to a lot of the fandom that has endured for decades.

This genuine earnestness to tell a story with all of that at play can only happen if you are completely bought in and have a plan in place. Compare this to what has happened with the Star Wars sequels. J.J. Abrams admitted that there was never an overall plan with the movies. So when major moments occurred with major implications for the entire franchise, they often left fans scratching their heads.

It quickly became obvious there was no greater plan in place to show these moments were building towards something. Rian Johnson went in with the goal of subverting expectations (a phrase despised on the internet now) with Luke Skywalker and the surprise death of the villain, Snoke. 

Since there wasn’t a bigger plan, these felt out of place, which would only be made worse with the now infamous line of “Somehow, Palpatine returned.” 

Combine this with irreverent humor that served to undercut any sincere or serious moment (even Deadpool knows when to rein in the jokes), and for many fans, it felt like the sequel trilogy didn’t care about what was happening. If the characters don’t care about the stakes, then why should the viewer? 

JoJo’s characters, on the other hand, deeply care about the story unfolding. Of course, there are characters that are more comedic, like the cowardly cowboy Hol Horse and not every fight is a super intense duel to the death, but at no point do the characters pull back and start doing fourth-wall-breaking commentary to look “cool.” And unlike Game of Thrones, JoJo won’t sacrifice entire character arcs or plotlines to rush to a finale. The manga is currently on part 9 (The JoJolands) and Steel Ball Run is part 7, so the current story being adapted has a beginning, middle, and an actual ending already mapped out.

This is why I suggest giving JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure a chance if you like over-the-top, but earnest stories. Does it require viewers to suspend disbelief? Absolutely, but I believe it is worth it. Steel Ball Run is considered by manga fans as the best-written part of the franchise, so while we eagerly await new episodes (hopefully Netflix saying Fall means September and not Thanksgiving), now is a great time to see for yourself why so many people love this series. But be warned, once you’re in, you are IN. Before you realize it, you won’t bat an eye at bizarre moments like a gun coming out of a piece of paper, a baby attacking people in dreams like Freddy Kruger, or a kid who has a ghost room in a prison he uses. You will also find yourself with a whole new catalog of classic rock to appreciate, as you realize half of the cast is named after musicians and songs.