Every “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” Part Ranked Worst To Best (Anime)

I would’ve never guessed in a million years that “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”, one of the weirdest animes around, would end up being one of my favourite shows in recent times.

I love the format of a new JoJo and story every season, and as a result there’s a distinct vibe to each Part. That being said, some were definitely better than others … so let’s rank them all!

Meh

6 – Phantom Blood (Part One)

I’ve seen a lot of die-hard JoJo fans defend “Phantom Blood” with all of their might, with some even claiming it to be one of the best Parts of all. Those people are wrong. Very wrong.

You can absolutely tell this was early days for Araki and his writing skills. Characters are very one-note, the conflict isn’t built up in the slightest, and the action scenes failed to grab my attention. These early days of Hamon powers are so hard to get invested in.

Are there any positives to “Phantom Blood”? Well, Araki’s bizarre style is prevalent straight away. And Dio is a decently fun villain. And it’s over blissfully quickly.

Good

5 – Battle Tendency (Part Two)

I enjoyed the second Part “Battles Tendency” leagues more than the first, but it still had its flaws. Most characters are still pretty lifeless, and the Hamon battles run out of creative steam very quickly.

The good news is that Joseph is a much more likeable and multi-faceted protagonist than Jonathan, so all of his scenes are far more enjoyable to watch. The Pillar Men also make good foes – there’s a real sense of progression as Joseph learns the skills of Hamon and uses it to save the world.

Great

4 – Stone Ocean (Part Six)

To be clear, there’s an enormous jump up in quality for the remaining Parts. It’s not that I didn’t like the Hamon saga … but the Stand era of JoJo is clearly what people come to see. Oh, and Araki’s writing got better and better over time.

“Stone Ocean” is the most controversial of all the JoJo Parts due to its female lead and crazy ending. I didn’t mind Jolyne as the protagonist at all, and I thought the ending was pretty cool, so both of these points work in the Part’s favour.

It definitely dragged at points, however – especially when it came time for the Stand fights. The Maximum Security Ward arc in particular was about five episodes in a row that didn’t hold my interest. Having a Part set in mostly one location – namely Green Dolphin Street Prison – was a neat idea on paper but it got stale in practice.

Also (last complaint, I promise) “Stone Ocean” had the weakest main cast in a long time. Individually they were all interesting, but I never got the impression they were close friends or worked well as a team.

3 – Stardust Crusaders (Part Three)

“Stardust Crusaders” was the first JoJo Part I fell in love with. The episodic “Stand of the week” format hooked me immediately, and the bonds between the titular Crusaders made even the most filler of interactions fun.

The highlight is clearly the climactic fight against Dio … and the rest of the Part kinda blends together. The main drawback of “Stardust Crusaders” is that the cast bounce from Stand battle to battle with no plot to keep things engaging.

Amazing

2 – Golden Wind (Part Five)

Araki cooked up a storm when he envisioned “Golden Wind’s” plot – a disenchanted sect of the Italian Mafia going after the elusive boss? Sign me up!

What makes “Golden Wind” so engaging from start to finish is all the mini-arcs and checkpoints throughout, like saving Trish and overcoming the Hitman Team, and it makes the final battle with Diavolo one of the most satisfying in the series.

1 – Diamond Is Unbreakable (Part Four)

“Diamond Is Unbreakable” was the first time Araki attempted an overarching plot in one of his Parts. In my opinion, it’s the best story and Part as a result.

People complain about the first half being aimless, but I think it perfectly sets the scene and tone for Morioh and its wacky inhabitants. When the charismatic Kira is introduced, spurring the cast into stopping a deranged killer on the loose in a cozy town, I was glued to the screen.

Time will tell if “Steel Ball Run” becomes my new favourite once it’s animated …

Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: