JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (OVA)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Japanese DVD cover for the first volume of the second series.
ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 (JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken)
Genre	Action, Adventure, Supernatural
Original video animation
Directed by	Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Produced by	Kazufumi Nomura Tetsuo Daitoku
Written by	Kenichi Takashima Takao Kawaguchi
Music by	Marco D'Ambrosio
Studio	A.P.P.P.
Licensed by	NA Super Techno Arts
Released	November 19, 1993 (1993-11-19) – November 18, 1994 (1994-11-18)
Episodes	6
Original video animation
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Adventure
Directed by	Hideki Futamura Takashi Kobayashi
Produced by	Kazufumi Nomura Tetsuo Daitoku
Written by	Kenichi Takashima Takao Kawaguchi
Music by	Marco D'Ambrosio
Studio	A.P.P.P.
Licensed by	NA Super Techno Arts
Released	May 25, 2000 (2000-05-25) – October 25, 2002 (2002-10-25)
Episodes	7

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken) is an original video animation adaptation of Hirohiko Araki's manga series of the same name, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Produced by A.P.P.P. (Another Push Pin Planning), it was adapted from the series' third part, Stardust Crusaders. Originally only six volumes were released that started in the middle of the arc, but six years later, seven more volumes adapting the beginning were produced and released by the same staff.

A six-volume series, released from 1993 to 1994, begins with Jotaro Kujo, Joseph Joestar, Jean Pierre Polnareff and Noriaki Kakyoin in the Egyptian desert on their quest to find Dio Brando (volume 20 of the manga). The series offered very little exposition, assuming the viewer already knew the back-story, and takes several liberties with the events of the original manga.

A prequel seven-volume series, titled JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Adventure (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ADVENTURE, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Adobenchā), was released almost six years later, from 2000 to 2002, using almost the entire same staff. It offered an explanation for those unfamiliar with the story in the previous series, starting with Joseph coming to Japan to explain Jotaro's strange behavior (volume 12 of the manga). It would not be until May 25, 2007 that both series were released together in Japan in a DVD box set, which included a soundtrack CD and a set of 31 tarot cards illustrated by Hirohiko Araki.

Both series were released together as one in North America by Super Techno Arts. It was released on six DVD volumes 2003 to 2005, dubbed in English and put in its fictional chronological order (series 2 before series 1).

Episode list

Episodes listed by their English dub titles and in order of their fictional chronology (series 2 before series 1, as used in the English release).

#	Title	Writer	Release date
1	"The Evil Spirit"/"Stand" "Sutando" (悪霊 -スタンド-)	Ken'ichi Takashima	May 5, 2000
Seventeen-year-old Jotaro Kujo refuses to leave his jail cell, believing that he is possessed by an evil spirit. When Jotaro's mother, Holly, his grandfather Joseph Joestar, and the mysterious Mohammed Avdol come to try to coax him out, a battle erupts between Avdol's "evil spirit" Magician's Red and Jotaro's Star Platinum, revealed to be psychic manifestations known as Stands.
2	"Hierophant Green" "Haierofanto Gurīn" (法皇の緑 -ハイエロファントグリーン-)	Ken'ichi Takashima	August 25, 2000
Jotaro learns the secret of his Stand power and about his family's enemy, the vampire DIO. Later, Jotaro is attacked by Noriaki Kakyoin and his Stand Hierophant Green, an assassin controlled by DIO. When Holly falls into a Stand-induced coma, Joseph, Jotaro, and the others embark on a dangerous journey to Egypt to save her life and end the 100-year battle between DIO and the Joestar family.
3	"Silver Chariot and Strength" "Shirubā Chariottsu to Sutorengusu" (銀の戦車＆力 -シルバーチャリオッツ＆ストレングス-)	Takao Kawaguchi	October 27, 2000
When the private jet carrying Jotaro and his companions to Egypt suddenly bursts into flames, the plane is forced to land in the ocean. As the party drifts in a lifeboat, a large freighter pulls alongside and they climb aboard. To their shock, there is no crew to be found—and the only passengers left aboard are an orangutan and enemy Stand user Jean-Pierre Polnareff, user of Silver Chariot. However, Polnareff is another one of DIO's unwilling victims, and soon joins the group as they face off against the orangutan Forever and his Stand Strength.
4	"The Emperor and the Hanged Man" "Enperā to Hangudoman" (皇帝と吊られた男 -エンペラーとハングドマン-)	Takao Kawaguchi	April 27, 2001
At a stopover on the way to Egypt, Polnareff is attacked by the Stand known as the Hanged Man, an enemy Stand who has two right hands and can only be seen in reflections. Realizing that it must be controlled by the same Stand user that had killed his younger sister, Polnareff breaks away from the rest of the group to seek his revenge. Polnareff is lured into a trap set by J. Geil, user of the Hanged Man and his partner, Hol Horse. When some of the party come to his aid, Avdol is killed by Hol Horse's Stand the Emperor.
5	"The Judgement" "Sabaki" (裁き -Sanction-)	Takao Kawaguchi	July 27, 2001
Kakyoin and Polnareff desperately seek a way to defeat the Hanged Man, who can strike out at them from within reflections while remaining invulnerable to their attacks. They must figure out a way to fight a Stand that can move at nearly the speed of light and can attack from anywhere.
6	"The Mist of Vengeance" "Hōfuku no Kiri" (報復の霧 -Vengeance-)	Ken'ichi Takashima	September 28, 2001
A thick fog envelopes the group as they travel towards Egypt, so they seek refuge in a nearby town. There, the companions stumble across a strangely mutilated dead body lying on a street corner. An old woman arrives on the scene with the police, and offers to let them stay at her hotel for the night. In the hotel bar, Polnareff encounters Enya, a beautiful and mysterious young woman on a deadly quest of revenge of her own as Polnareff has killed her son J. Geil.
7	"Justice" "Jasutisu" (正義 -ジャスティス-)	Ken'ichi Takashima	January 25, 2002
Polnareff becomes a living puppet under the control of Enya and her incredible mist of death Stand Justice. The group battles its way out of the hotel, only to find themselves surrounded by legions of the dead. All seems lost when Jotaro falls prey to a bizarre sneak attack, leaving him vulnerable to Enya's control as well. However, he soon comes up with a way to reveal the true identity of their foe.
8	"Iggy the Fool and N'Doul the GEB (Pt. I)" ""Za Fūru" no Igī to "Gebu-shin" no Ndūru -Zenpen-" (「愚者」のイギーと「ゲブ神」のンドゥール -前編-)		November 19, 1993
Jotaro and his companions finally reach Egypt. There, they are met by a Speedwagon Foundation helicopter that delivers a new addition to their group—a dog named Iggy who is actually the user of The Fool Stand. When the helicopter crashes just a short time later, the group investigates, only to find themselves pitted against another of DIO's assassins—N'Doul and his deadly Stand, the Egyptian god Geb.
9	"Iggy the Fool and N'Doul the GEB (Pt. II)" ""Za Fūru" no Igī to "Gebu-shin" no Ndūru -Kōhen-" (「愚者」のイギーと「ゲブ神」のンドゥール -後編-)		December 17, 1993
Jotaro and the others find themselves stranded and at the mercy of N'Doul's incredibly strong and mercurial Stand Geb. Faced with almost certain death, Jotaro makes a desperate gambit and forces Iggy to help him strike back at N'Doul, but Iggy has other plans. He betrays Jotaro at a critical moment, offering him to Geb in order to save his own life.
10	"D'Arby the Gambler" "Dābī Za Gyanburā" (ダービー・ザ・ギャンブラー)		July 21, 1994
The companions search the huge Egyptian capital of Cairo, showing everyone they meet the photo of a mysterious building where they think DIO resides. In an odd café, they encounter a gambler named D'Arby who claims to have the information they need. The catch is, they have to beat him in the ultimate wager—one where their very souls are at stake thanks to the use of his Stand Osiris. After Polnareff and Joseph fall victim to D'Arby's cheats, Jotaro must come up with a way to out gamble a gambler.
11	"DIO's World: The Warrior of the Void: Vanilla Ice" "DIO no Sekai -Akū no Shōki Vanira Aisu-" (DIOの世界 -亜空の瘴気ヴァニラ・アイス-)		August 9, 1994
Jotaro and his companions finally arrive at DIO's lair and find their way to the room where his coffin resides. Just as they prepare to strike the fatal blow, DIO's mysterious Stand powers, coupled with that of his finest assassin, Vanilla Ice, slay Avdol before their horrified eyes. Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin go after DIO, hoping to kill him before the sun sets when he will have free rein over the city, while Polnareff and Iggy get revenge for Avdol's death against Vanilla Ice.
12	"DIO's World: Kakyoin - Duel in the Barrier" "DIO no Sekai -Kakyōin: Kekkai no Shitō-" (DIOの世界 -花京院 結界の死闘-)	Satoshi Kon	October 21, 1994
DIO pursues Joseph through the streets of Cairo, leaving an incredible swath of death and destruction in his wake. Kakyoin comes to Joseph's aid, only to be crushed by the power of DIO's Stand The World. As Kakyoin lies alone and dying, he realizes in the last moments of life the true nature of DIO's Stand, and he attempts to send them one final message to reveal that The World can stop time.
13	"DIO's World: Farewell, My Friends" "DIO no Sekai -Saraba Tomo yo-" (DIOの世界 -さらば友よ-)	Hiroyuki Kitakubo	November 18, 1994
The century-old blood feud finally comes to a close in the final battle between Jotaro and DIO. The World seems invincible as Jotaro is struck time and time again with murderous blows. If Jotaro cannot discover the secret of DIO's Stand and find some way to counter it, the Joestar line will come to an abrupt and bloody end.

Controversy

In May 2008, both studio A.P.P.P. and Shueisha halted OVA/manga shipments of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure after a complaint had been launched against them from Egyptian Islamic fundamentalists, after noticing a scene in the OVAs that has the villain, Dio Brando, reading a book depicting pages from the Qur'an. This recall affected the English-language release of the manga as well, causing Viz Media and Shueisha to cease publication for a year. Even though the manga did not feature that specific scene, Shueisha had Araki redraw scenes that depicted characters fighting on top of, and destroying, mosques. Viz resumed publication a year later, with the eleventh volume being published on April 7, 2009.

External links

• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (OVA) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia