JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

In this setting, some people are capable of transforming their inner spiritual power into a Stand ( スタンド , Sutando ) , which are psycho-spiritual manifestations of a person's fighting spirit; another significant form of energy is Hamon ( 波紋 ; "Ripple") , a martial arts technique that allows its user to focus bodily energy into sunlight via controlled breathing. The narrative of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is split into parts with independent stories and different characters. Each of the series' protagonists is a member of the Joestar family, whose mainline descendants possess a star-shaped birthmark above their left shoulder blade and a name that can be abbreviated to the titular "JoJo". The first six parts take place within a single continuity whose generational conflict stems from the rivalry between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando , while the latter three parts take place in a second continuity where the Joestar family tree is heavily altered.

Part 1 Phantom Blood ( ファントムブラッド , Fantomu Buraddo ) Volumes 1–5, 44 chapters. In late 19th-century England, Jonathan Joestar, the young son of a wealthy landowner, meets his new adopted brother, Dio Brando, who loathes him and plans to usurp Jonathan's position as heir to the Joestar family. When Dio's attempts are thwarted, he transforms himself into a vampire using an ancient Stone Mask and destroys the Joestar estate. Jonathan embarks on a journey, meets new allies, and masters the Hamon ( 波紋 ; "Ripple") martial arts technique to stop Dio, who has made world domination his new goal.

Part 2 Battle Tendency ( 戦闘潮流 , Sentō Chōryū ) Volumes 5–12, 69 chapters. In 1938, German researchers discover three lifeforms called Pillar Men, powerful humanoids responsible for the creation of the Stone Mask. The Pillar Men awaken and escape in search of the Red Stone of Aja, which will turn them into invincible superbeings. Joseph Joestar , Jonathan's grandson, unites with new allies and masters Hamon to defeat the Pillar Men and their leader, Kars.

Part 3 Stardust Crusaders ( スターダストクルセイダース , Sutādasuto Kuruseidāsu ) Volumes 13–28, 152 chapters. In 1989, Dio Brando (now referred to as simply "DIO") awakens after his coffin is salvaged from the ocean. Because Dio had taken over Jonathan's body, Stands awaken in Jonathan's descendants, including Joseph, his daughter Holly Kujo, and his grandson Jotaro Kujo . Holly, however, is unable to control her own Stand, which begins to slowly kill her.

Jotaro, Joseph, and their allies set out to defeat Dio before Holly's Stand takes her life, fighting off Dio's henchmen along the way. Part 4 Diamond Is Unbreakable ( ダイヤモンドは砕けない , Daiyamondo wa Kudakenai ) Volumes 29–47, 174 chapters. In 1999, the Joestar family learns that Joseph has an illegitimate son, Josuke Higashikata, who lives in the fictional Japanese town of Morioh. While visiting Morioh, Jotaro learns of a mystical Bow and Arrow that bestows Stands upon those struck by it.

As they hunt down the Bow and Arrow, Josuke, Jotaro, and their allies are targeted by Stand-using serial killer Yoshikage Kira and his father, Yoshihiro, who see them as a threat to the former's peace and tranquility. Part 5 Golden Wind ( 黄金の風 , Ōgon no Kaze ) Volumes 47–63, 155 chapters. Set in Naples , Italy, in 2001, Giorno Giovanna , who was conceived when Dio was in possession of Jonathan Joestar's body, seeks to become a mafia boss in order to eliminate drug dealers who sell their wares to children. Finding a powerful ally named Bruno Bucciarati, their team rebels against the boss of the mafia to protect his daughter, Trish Una, whom he intends to kill in order to hide his identity.

Part 6 Stone Ocean ( ストーンオーシャン , Sutōn Ōshan ) Volumes 64–80, 158 chapters. In 2011, near Port St. Lucie, Florida , Jotaro Kujo's daughter Jolyne Cujoh is framed for murder and sent to prison. She works together with various allies to hunt down the person responsible for her framing: prison chaplain Enrico Pucci, a loyalist to Dio who seeks the creation of a new universe shaped to the late vampire's will.

Part 7 Steel Ball Run ( スティール・ボール・ラン , Sutīru Bōru Ran ) Volumes 81–104, 95 chapters. In 1890, United States President Funny Valentine holds a cross-country horse race with a $50 million reward for the winner. Valentine secretly intends to use the race to gather the scattered parts of a holy corpse for his own nationalistic ends. Racers Gyro Zeppeli and Johnny Joestar uncover Valentine's ploy, and must defend themselves from both other racers and hired assassins.

Part 8 JoJolion ( ジョジョリオン , Jojorion ) Volumes 105–131, 110 chapters. In 2011, the town of Morioh is devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . Local college student Yasuho Hirose discovers an amnesiac young man buried in the rubble. She nicknames him "Josuke" and puts him in the care of the Higashikata family.

As Josuke tries to uncover the secret of his past, he is also confronted by a local crime syndicate of inhuman beings dubbed Rock Humans, whose leader, Toru, seeks to use the mysterious Locacaca fruit to rise to the apex of society. Part 9 The JoJoLands Volume 132 onwards.