Hump Day Husbandos: Joseph Joestar (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
After two generations of chaos in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, there is a sudden shift. In parts one and two, the Joestars’ power was based on Hamon, a magic breathing technique, and the enemies were undead monsters. Part three introduces Stands and the outlandish psychic abilities that come with them. Only one character, Joseph Joestar, bridges the gap between these two completely different sets of powers.
He is the main JoJo of part two of the manga, and somehow grows into the mentor figure for his grandson when part three comes around. He’s my personal favourite JoJo and that certainly qualifies him for a Hump Day Husbando celebration. Buckle up, because the next thing you’re going to say is, “Is this some sort of JoJo’s reference?”
Yes. Yes, it is.
Who is Joseph Joestar?
The second JoJo in the series stands in stark contrast to his grandfather. Joseph Joestar is young, brash, and cocky. He doesn’t seek to portray himself as a gentleman as Jonathan did. Instead, he is cast into the role of trickster, using his wits and cunning to overcome enemies who possess far more power and strength than he does.
While he eventually becomes a master of Hamon like his grandfather, Joseph Joestar’s greatest weapon was always his ability to read his opponent and get into their heads. Even before he’s had proper training in the ways of Hamon, he manages to hold his own against the likes of the Pillar Men, immortal super-vampires who threaten the world once again, because he can guess what they are going to do before they even know it. His habit of predicting what they are going to say next baffles his enemies and gives him the opening he needs to save the day.
Why we love him
Where all JoJos have had to deal with chaotic disasters, Joseph is the one who does it with a smile on his face. There is an element of slapstick to him, such as when he tries to sneak past a group of German soldiers by dressing up as a woman despite being six and a half feet tall and built like Arnie in his prime. Joseph Joestar never stops scheming and planning, even when he is out of energy and at the mercy of the most dangerous opponent the series has ever known, Kars.
With his mentor defeated and his own body giving out, JoJo lights his own scarf on fire as a distraction to keep Kars from noticing the sleight of hand he is using to put his next plan in motion. This sense of chaos is what makes him the most interesting JoJo in the series. You literally never know what silly thing he is going to come up with next.
Why you’ll love him
After saving the world by launching Kars into space with a volcano, Joseph Joestar earns a bit of rest. He mellows out a bit due to age and becomes the mentor that his grandson needs when Dio rears his ugly head once more. However, while his Hamon skills are lacking, he manages to hold his own against many of the series’ most ridiculous villains because of his goofball tendencies and ability to plan ahead. Jotaro becomes the main character of Stardust Crusaders, but it is his grandfather, Joseph, who brings the group together and gives him the guidance he needs to save his family.
Joseph Joestar sees JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure through its biggest transition, with Hamon becoming a thing of the past and Stands being the new and unique power that people wield. He is the bridge that takes fans on this strange journey, and his over-the-top reactions become something of a stand-in for the reader’s sense of wonder when things like a perverted orangutan on its psychically enhanced ship show up. The entire series doesn’t work without Joseph Joestar standing there, assuring the reader and the viewer that yes, this is all indeed very strange.
The next thing you’re going to say is “Where can I get caught up on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?” and I can tell you that you can read through most of the manga on the Shonen Jump app or get the animated version on Netflix if that’s your jam.
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