Jonathon Joestar is the heir apparent to the Joestar family and the catalyst for the bizarre adventure that some of his key descendants will take part in. He is just a baby when his mother is killed in a carriage accident, but Jonathon’s father, George, is rescued by a looter who is mistakenly called hero and friend. Years pass and Jonathon is soon joined in the Joestar household by a young man named Dio Brando. Dio is the son of the vagabond who intended to rob George all those years ago. Dio’s father has died and told Dio to call on the favor that the Joestar patriarch gave him in exchange for saving his life. Dio is now a part of Jonathon’s life whether he likes it or not. The two never fully see eye to eye although they have grown close as rivals but never as brothers. When Dio uncovers a dark secret that George Joestar has desperately tried to keep hidden, he unlocks the power and skills to live forever and enslave the human race. Joseph must do everything he can in order to prevent Dio from attaining mastery of his new powers by banding together with several allies and learning a few new skills of his own.
This is an EXTREMELY boiled-down version of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure part 1 Phantom Blood. While parts 1 and 2 are disctinctly different from the rest of the series, they are nonetheless great introductions to the wacky and insane world of JoJo. Do yourself a favor and just give it a chance. Music lovers will soon pick up on the naming style of some of the characters and chuckle when new characters are introduced. The little nods and easter eggs to popular music make for a pleasant watching experience through all the insane twists and turns that the series takes.
As mentioned, parts 1 and 2 are centered around a particular power or skill that the Joestar family possesses, until the whole series is flipped on its head in part 3 Stardust Crusaders. Each part takes the series to new heights introducing yet another seemingly complex but ultimately very enjoyable story arc. The series embraces all of the typical anime tropes and often times cranks them up to 11. With a constant stream of new and interesting characters with varying degrees of impact on their respective JoJo, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure does not disappoint.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure part 1 through 4 is streaming in its entirety on Netflix with half of part 5 currently available as well.