JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 (JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (TV))
- Action
- Adventure
- Supernatural
- Historical
- Vampire
- Episodes
- 26
- Duration
- 24 min per ep
- Aired
- Oct 6, 2012 to Apr 6, 2013
- Status
- Finished Airing
Synopsis
In 1868, English aristocrat George Joestar and his son Jonathan believe they owe their lives to Dario Brando after a carriage accident—unaware that Dario only approached them thinking they were dead and ripe for robbery. Twelve years later, with Dario gone, George attempts to honor that perceived debt by taking in Dario’s son, Dio, bringing him into the Joestar household.
Dio presents himself as a devoted new son, but his real aim is the Joestar fortune. He works to undermine Jonathan and secure his own standing, escalating their rivalry until Jonathan finally confronts him head-on. Though time passes and their relationship looks cordial from the outside, tensions resurface when George becomes gravely ill, and Jonathan begins to suspect Dio’s involvement—hinting at darker schemes still in motion.
Otaku Consensus
David Production’s 2012 adaptation is widely celebrated as the long-awaited weekly breakthrough for Hirohiko Araki’s classic, earning strong scores (MAL 7.87; AniList 77) and massive reach (MAL Popularity #60). Critics and fans consistently single out its audacious style, memorable cast, and strategy-forward supernatural action as the reason it feels like a “triumphant return” of old-school, hyper-masculine shounen energy. Detractors most often point to its deliberately exaggerated melodrama and tonal whiplash as a barrier—what devotees call “bizarre,” skeptics may call too much.
Why You Should Watch
If you want an action-adventure that commits to operatic intensity—big emotions, bigger poses, and supernatural combat that prizes clever tactics as much as brute force—JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012) is essential. It’s a rare shounen that embraces horror-tinged gothic atmosphere and historical flavor, then pivots into globe-trotting pulp with absolute confidence. The show’s appeal is in its identity: bold visual direction, unapologetic theatrics, and a cast that turns rivalry, legacy, and willpower into spectacle. Watch it if you love stylish anime that takes risks, enjoy supernatural lore (vampires included), or want a foundational modern classic with a huge fan footprint and long-running legacy.
Key Characters
- BBrando, Dio(VA: Koyasu, Takehito)
A charismatic interloper whose charm masks ruthless ambition, Dio is the kind of antagonist who turns personal rivalry into a generational curse.
- JJoestar, Jonathan(VA: Okitsu, Kazuyuki)
An earnest aristocrat driven by honor and resolve, Jonathan anchors the series’ early drama with sincerity that clashes violently with betrayal.
- JJoestar, Joseph(VA: Sugita, Tomokazu)
A larger-than-life Joestar who thrives on improvisation and bravado, Joseph embodies the franchise’s love of outsmarting danger with personality to spare.
- LLisa Lisa(VA: Tanaka, Atsuko)
A formidable mentor figure with an imposing presence, Lisa Lisa adds discipline and mystique to the show’s supernatural training and combat ethos.
What Makes It Stand Out
- 1
A two-part narrative structure across 26 episodes that shifts eras and tone while keeping the Joestar legacy at the center, giving the season a distinctive “anthology within a lineage” feel.
- 2
Stylized direction from David Production that leans into theatricality—bold framing, heightened expressions, and deliberate melodrama—to make every confrontation feel mythic rather than merely physical.
- 3
A genre cocktail that blends historical setting, vampire horror, and super-powered shounen escalation, reinforced by frequent body-horror and gore elements (as reflected in common tags).
- 4
Character-driven conflict where rivalry and inheritance matter as much as power systems, turning family, identity, and pride into the real engines of the action.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- Fun fact 1
- This TV series is widely regarded by fans as the first truly sustained weekly TV anime adaptation of JoJo after earlier adaptations like OVAs and a Phantom Blood film, which is often cited as a major reason for its celebratory reception.
- Fun fact 2
- The anime adapts material from Hirohiko Araki’s long-running original manga and helped cement JoJo’s modern global popularity, reflected in its huge MAL vote count (over 1.18 million) and high popularity ranking (#60).
- Fun fact 3
- Takehito Koyasu’s performance as Dio is frequently highlighted by viewers as a defining element of the adaptation, helping make the character’s charisma and menace instantly recognizable.
- Fun fact 4
- As of 2026, the franchise has expanded to six seasons in animated form, and the 2012 series is commonly treated as the modern starting point of that ongoing adaptation run.
Studios
- David Production
