I've read parts 1-5 of Jojos Bizarre Adventure, and I was impressed by how creative and intelligent the series' battles are. It's not quite like anything else; there are a few Shōnen series that I consider better (such as Full Metal Alchemist), but most of them downplay their own shonen-ness. Jojo is, as another troper has noted, "Gross. And campy. And bizarre," and it knows it.
A big part of the fun of Jojo is the the author's ability to rescue his characters from seemingly unwinable situations in ways that actually make sense (although there was one Ass Pull near the end of the third part). No matter how obvious it is who will win a fight, Araki can keep you guessing how they win until the last second.
Now I'm beginning the sixth part, Stone Ocean, the last part of Jojo to run in Shonen Jump (the seventh and eighth parts are classified as Seinen). It's unpopular with some fans, although this may be simply because of the ending (which has already been spoiled for me, although I don't know much about the rest of the Stone Ocean story).
I'm using the style I adopted midway through the last liveblog, where I comment without summarizing (because if you're reading this, you're probably either reading the manga at the same time or have already read it).
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-1
The lack of a mother listed for Jolyne is rather strange.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-4
Is that a corpse? Is the butterfly symbol an armband or a tattoo?
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-5
Even by shonen standards, that's a pretty ridiculous outfit.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-7
Is Jolyne attempting suicide? Just venting her frustration?
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-8
...Oh. The "I'm Defiled Forever because someone kissed me/accidentally saw me half-naked/washed my underwear" gag always strikes me as Dude, Not Funny!.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-11
Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode that had this plot?
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-13
I can't help but get the impression that Jolyne is fapping to her own birthmark.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-15
The translation here seems a bit off somehow.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-18
This explains Jolyne's family situation, I guess.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-19
Araki loves High-Pressure Blood.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-25
Not to be confused with 2011 BC.
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-28
Does Hermes have a goatee, or does she just have a tattoo on her chin or something?
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-29
Gross!
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-37
Gross! Bizarre!
http://www.mangarush.com/manga/jojo39s-bizarre-adventure-stone-ocean/1/p-46
Gross! Campy!
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