Shameless queerness and queer masculinity in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is among the most popular anime series, especially within queer communities, and creator Hirohiko Araki hasn’t shied away from queerness in his characters.

There’s no hiding from how the characters are brought to life, especially the men, who are usually the most drenched in androgyny, whether confirmed queer or not. 

(Spoilers ahead.)

Phantom Blood (Part 1) isn’t as queer as other chapters in the anime, but it introduces one of its most queer-coded characters: Dio Brando, one of the series’ most menacing villains. 

While having a villain be queer or queer-coded isn’t always the most positive representations, Dio’s well-confirmed queerness isn’t the root of his villainy. 

Instead, trauma and an abusive father drove him to embrace a destructive destiny ­–linking to how many queer people are seen as weak until they claim their power. 

Dio most certainly does so when he becomes a vampire and, by the end of Part 1, uses the body of Jonathan Joestar – series protagonist and his adoptive brother – to carry on.

Battle Tendency and Stardust Crusaders (Parts 2 and 3) also have a degree of queer elements, with more queer-coded villains than protagonists. 

Dio reappears in Part 3 as the core antagonist and by the end of the season is almost unbeatable, while sporting a new look that any drag performer would be proud of. 

Diamond is Unbreakable and Golden Wind (Parts 4 and 5) feature the queerest characters and atmosphere. 

The main characters are assumed queer, the villains are together in visible relationships, and queer masculinity is in complete motion. 

These chapters of the series feature men with highly fashionable and androgynous clothing, mannerisms that aren’t heterosexual, and even life energy Stands that aren’t always masculine. 

Diamond is Unbreakable’s main antagonist, Kira Hoshikage, is a manifestation of a toxic cis man’s ownership issues – outsmarted by the queer-coded central protagonist Josuke.

Golden Wind has a plethora of both queer-coded and explicitly queer characters. 

Its main and complex antagonist, Diavolo, looks incredibly androgynous in his mesh-wiring top that doesn’t leave much to the imagination, tight purple pants, long pink hair, and makeup.

Diavolo is complex – the same person as Vinegar Doppio.

Though Doppio came first, both physical forms are androgynous.

Central protagonist Giorno Giovanna is notable as the biological son of both Dio and Jonathan (due to Dio attaching his head to Jonathan’s body).

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has plenty to unpack and pick apart as far as queerness goes. 

It’s worth diving into or even revisiting to see what you may not have before.