Joseph Joestar/History

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Opponents always get confident when they feel like they're winning, when in fact, they've already lost. That's the Joseph Joestar way. I may be getting on in years, but I've still got it!

Joseph Joestar (ジョセフ・ジョースター, Josefu Jōsutā) is the main protagonist of the second part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Battle Tendency, and the second JoJo of the series. He also appears as a primary ally in Stardust Crusaders, and a secondary ally in Diamond is Unbreakable.

As the grandson of Jonathan Joestar, Joseph is a natural-born Ripple user and eventual Stand user, wielding the psychic photographic Stand, Hermit Purple. An exuberant troublemaker with an exceptional talent for trickery, Joseph meets the fantastic threats approaching him throughout his life with initiative and impressive ingenuity, battling vampires, the Pillar Men, and malevolent Stand users.

Joseph is the second most recurring JoJo in the series after his grandson Jotaro Kujo. He is also the father of Josuke Higashikata, the protagonist of Diamond is Unbreakable.

Appearance

Battle Tendency

Joseph Joestar Anime Profile.png

Joseph is 18 years old, tall (195 cm/6'5"), and powerfully built, with light eyes. He has short, dark, and unkempt hair, parts of his bangs shooting outwards in spikes, apart from which he closely resembles his grandfather Jonathan Joestar. Suzi Q finds his mouth weird looking, and an Esidisi-possessed-Suzi Q bizarrely calls him handsome.[10]

Joseph's primary outfit is relatively minimal and pragmatic. He wears a tank top cut above the navel, gloves studded at the knuckles, fitting pants with a leather belt, and knee-high leather boots. In Switzerland, he dons a long, broad, striped scarf; and later, as a posthumous gift from Caesar, a long, thin headband patterned with a row of tessellated triangles.

Initially, he wears a white collared shirt with a tie and suspenders, and a greatcoat chequered across the shoulders. During the fight against Straizo, Joseph uses an M1928 Thompson submachine gun with a 50-round drum magazine. Other articles include an aviator's hat (as motorcycle gear), a knit cap, and a breathing mask designed for Ripple training. After Kars cuts off his left hand, Joseph has it replaced with a mechanical prosthetic, courtesy of Stroheim, which can already convincingly mimic human movements.

Joseph's resemblance to Jonathan was a result of the times, as having the main character die was unprecedented in a Weekly Shonen Jump story so Araki thought it'd be fitting to make the next protagonist resemble the last one to ease readers into the story.[11] Later depictions of Joseph include the aviator hat and goggles, both of which were permanently added to differentiate him from Jonathan and compliment the overall "mechanical feel" brought about by the various planes and motorcycles present in Part 2.[11]

Outfits

Battle Tendency Outfits
Chapters: BT 1 & 3
Episodes: 10 - 11
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A button-up collared shirt with rolled up sleeves, a tie, overalls, a jacket with buckles around the collar, boots, and baggy pants with a belt. Although not pictured, the outfit also includes a flat cap. Joseph wears this in the start of Part 2 while in New York.

Chapters: BT 2 (Flashback)
Episodes: 10 (Flashback)
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A shirt with frills around a popped collar and a bowtie. Joseph wears this at the age of 13 in Speedwagon's flashback. The shirt was a gift from Erina and Joseph bursts into a fit of rage after hijackers get blood on it.

Chapters: BT 3 - 4
Episodes: 10
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This is the same as his initial outfit but without his jacket and hat. The sleeves on the shirt are also unrolled and there is a buckle on the side of its upper arms. He wears this in the restaurant he goes to with Erina and Smokey.

Chapters: BT 4 - 7
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A tee-shirt, a buttoned jacket with a collar, fingerless gloves, and jeans with zippers down the sides. Joseph wears this while fighting Straizo. This is a manga-only outfit; in the anime Joseph wears his initial outfit.

Chapters: BT 7 - 8
Episodes: 11
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Joseph outfit 5 anime.png

During his fight with Straizo, Joseph rips his jacket off in rage, thus this is essentially the same outfit as the prior. Shown in this outfit is Joseph's sleeveless tee. Since the prior is a manga-only outfit, the anime version is the same as the initial outfit but without the jacket.

Chapters: BT 9 - 13
Episodes: 11 - 12
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A tee-shirt tucked into pants, a short-sleeved collared overshirt, fingerless gloves that extend to the forearm, an aviator hat, and goggles. Joseph wears this while searching for Speedwagon in Mexico.

Chapters: BT 12
Episodes: 12
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A patterned dress that buttons in the front, a metallic necklace, dangling earrings, two adjacent hairclips, heavy makeup, and breastpads. Joseph wears this in Mexico for one scene while trying to infiltrate the German occupied hacienda.

Chapters: BT 12 - 14
Episodes: 12 - 13
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A german military outfit with a tee-shirt, an overcoat, military boots, and an army helmet. Joseph wears this after looting German guards and uses it to sneak into Stroheim's military base in Mexico.

Chapters: BT 14 - 18
Episodes: 13
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This is the same outfit as the previous stolen military outfit but Joseph wears gloves and takes off his overcoat. Joseph wears this during his fight against Santana.

Chapters: BT 18
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A collared shirt with a tie, a formal plaid sweater, pants, and suspenders. Joseph wears this while encountering Caesar for the first time in an Italian restaurant. This is a manga-exclusive outfit; in the anime Joseph wears the sweater outfit he wore while first encountering the Pillar Men.

Chapters: BT 19
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A short-sleeved jacket with a stripe design on the left side and the shoulders, fingerless gloves that reach the forearm, and baggy pants with a belt that tuck into laced boots. Joseph wears this in the altercation with Caesar near a fountain in Italy. This is a manga-exclusive outfit; in the anime Joseph wears the sweater outfit he wore while first encountering the Pillar Men.

Chapters: BT 21 - 26
Episodes: 14 - 15
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A formal shirt with rolled up sleeves under a vest, suspenders, a corset, a belt, fingerless gloves with arm cuffs, and pants that tuck into boots. Joseph wears this during his first encounter with the Pillar Men.

Chapters: BT 27 - 29
Episodes: 16
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A tight, high-collared shirt under a crop-top vest that covers the shoulders, cargo pants with a belt, boots, and fingerless gloves with straps around the wrist. In some panels the vest is replaced with a circular backpack. Eventually Lisa Lisa also puts the breathing apparatus on Joseph. He wears this outfit while meeting Lisa Lisa for the first time and during the beginning of his training on Hell Climb Pillar.

Chapters: BT 29 - 38
Episodes: 16 - 18
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During Joseph's time on Hell Climb Pillar, he attempts to climb the pillar with the vest he fashioned into a rope in his last outfit. Essentially this is the same outfit Joseph wears when he first arrives on Air Supplena Island but without the vest. Joseph wears this during his entire training period on the island. Later, during his fight with Esidisi, Joseph also wears a beanie with this outfit.

Chapters: BT 39 - 43
Episodes: 18
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While on the chase for the Red Stone of Aja shipped out to Switzerland, Joseph adds a wide-brimmed fedora and an open jacket to his previous outfit.

Chapters: BT 44 - 53
Episodes: 18 - 21
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A tight cropped tank top under a heavy jacket, jeans with a belt, boots, leg warmers, fingerless gloves with straps around the wrist, a trapper hat, and a striped scarf. Joseph wears this upon arriving in Switzerland.

Chapters: BT 53 - 68
Episodes: 21 - 26
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This is the same as the previous Switzerland outfit but without the hat and jacket. Joseph wears this from the colosseum fight with Wamuu until the final fight with Kars, wherein he loses the scarf. This is the outfit Joseph wears the most in Battle Tendency.

Chapters: BT 69
Episodes: 26
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A tight shirt with buttons on the front, a jacket, pants with a belt, and gloves. Joseph wears this to his own funeral at the end of Part 2.

Chapters: BT 69
Episodes: 26
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A sweater-vest, an overcoat, corduroy pants with a belt, loafers, and a bolo tie. Joseph wears this in the final scene of Part 2 while arriving at the airport in Japan.

Stardust Crusaders

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At age 67, Joseph retains most of his health and muscularity, though his face displays his age. His hair is short and gray, and he sports a thick, well-trimmed beard.

During the group's journey to Egypt, he wears an outfit akin to the one worn by Indiana Jones: a fedora; a light, short-sleeved, buttonless shirt; khaki pants; dress shoes; and white gloves with dark wristbands concealing his prosthetic left hand (a result of his fight with Kars).[12]

At his introduction, he is seen wearing a trench coat and a turtleneck sweater with a red gem on the neck. During the Dark Blue Moon story arc, he wears a striped sailor shirt rolled up at the sleeves. It's shown during the 'Bastet' Mariah story arc that underneath his pants is a pair of polka dot boxers.

Outfits

Stardust Crusaders Outfits
Chapters: SC 2 - 4, 11 - 14
Episodes: SC 1, 3 - 5
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A turtleneck, trench coat, jeans, a bolo tie, a wide-brimmed fedora, dress shoes, and gloves to cover his prosthetic hand. Joseph wears this on and off from his initial appearance in Part 3 until leaving Hong Kong and the crusaders' recruiting of Polnareff. Seemingly, this outfit is meant to resemble what he wears at the end of Part 2 as it's supposed to pick up directly after, but several design changes were made; notably the change of shirt and pants and the addition of a hat.

Chapters: SC 7
Episodes: SC 2 - 3
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A collared shirt under a v-neck sweater, khakis, gloves, and socks. Joseph wears this while staying at the Kujo house in Japan.

Chapters: SC 8
Episodes: SC 3
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A matching set of pajamas with an explosive pattern and gloves. Joseph wears this to bed while staying at the Kujo house in Japan.

Chapters: SC 9
Episodes: SC 3
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A collared shirt, a tie, suspenders, pants, gloves, and a belt. Joseph wears this while staying at the Kujo house in Japan.

Chapters: SC 9 - 10
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A collared shirt with an irregular diamond pattern, a tie, gloves, and khakis. Joseph wears this while on the plane when the crusaders are ambushed by Gray Fly.

Chapters: SC 14 - 21
Episodes: SC 6 - 8
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A striped sailor-style tank-top, cargo pants, gloves, and arm cuffs. Joseph wears this while the crusaders are at sea from leaving Hong Kong until reaching Singapore.

Chapters: SC 21 - 28
Episodes: SC 8 - 10
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A striped shirt, a collared overshirt, cargo pants, gloves, and arm cuffs. Joseph wears this from the hotel in Singapore until the crusaders reach Calcutta, India. In the colored manga this is the same outfit as his sea outfit, but in the anime the colors of his shirt's stripes change from red to blue.

Chapters: SC 33 - 152
Episodes: SC 10 - 48
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A fedora, a short-sleeved buttonless shirt, khaki pants, dress shoes, and gloves with wristbands. Joseph wears this from the crusaders' encounter with Hol Horse and J. Geil in Calcutta, India until the end of Part 3. The hat is not always worn as some appearances feature it while others don't.

Diamond is Unbreakable

Joseph Joestar Part 4 Anime Transparent.png

At age 79, Joseph is now a rather frail old man, having deterred from longevity through Ripple due to a lack of motivation.[13] While his large stature is still apparent, he is hunched over and uses a cane.[14] His sunken face is covered in wrinkles and a properly maintained beard.

Joseph wears a diminutive pair of pince-nez spectacles, and a spotted, brimmed woolen hat with ear flaps reminiscent of a ushanka. His main attire consists of a thick trench coat, a collared shirt and tie, gloves, and baggy pants.

He is typically seen carrying Shizuka Joestar around town after the We Picked Up Something Crazy! story arc.

Color Schemes

The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Purple)
Eyes(Purple)
Main Outfit
(Purple tank-top with brown pants, yellow-striped jungle green scarf, and brown boots)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Brown)
Eyes(Green)
Main Outfit
(Dark green tank-top with blue pants, yellow-striped green scarf, and black boots)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Black)
Eyes(Purple)
Main Outfit
(Light Purple battle attire with dark gray boots)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Dark Green)
Eyes(Lime Green)
Main Outfit
(Turquoise battle attire with red-striped lime scarf, and brown boots)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Brown)
Eyes(Teal)
Main Outfit
(Olive green tank-top with blue pants, yellow-striped light green scarf, and black boots)

The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Gray)
Eyes(Purple)
Main Outfit
(Generally yellow shirt and fedora with brown pants and gloves with purple arm-warmers)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Blue)
Main Outfit
(Light purple shirt with brown fedora and pants, purple gloves, and black arm-warmers)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Gray)
Eyes(Green)
Main Outfit
(Khaki shirt with brown fedora and pants, white gloves, and black arm-warmers)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Light Gray)
Eyes(Light Brown)
Main Outfit(Light Brown shirt with brown fedora)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(White)
Eyes(Blue)
Main Outfit
(Khaki shirt with brown fedora and pants, white gloves, and dark gray arm-warmers)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Gray)
Eyes(Blue-Gray)
Main Outfit
(Bright yellow shirt with brown fedora and pants, white gloves, black arm-warmers, and blue shoes)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Gray)
Eyes(Light Blue)
Main Outfit
(Khaki shirt with tan fedora and brown pants, white gloves, and gray arm-warmers)

The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Skin(Fair)
Hair(White)
Eyes(Purple)
Outfit
(Brown trench coat and shirt, light brown hat with black spots, yellow glasses, and khaki gloves)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Gray)
Eyes(Green)
Outfit
(Maroon trench coat, light pink shirt, light brown pants and glasses, yellow hat with brown spots, and white gloves.)

Personality

He-llo? Could you say that again? More slowly? In a language I understand? Depending on what you said, I might kick your ass!
—Joseph Joestar, Chapter 47: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 3

Battle Tendency

Joseph fighting with a Taxi driver

In Battle Tendency, Joseph is a young, hotheaded, impetuous, and confrontational young man. Quick to violently respond to the slightest provocation, Joseph would often get into brawls growing up; prior to the events of the story, he had been imprisoned seven times and expelled once from school for fighting.[1] Having no respect for authority save of his grandmother's, and later Lisa Lisa's, Joseph has antagonized policemen[15] and mafiosi[16] alike. Furthermore, Joseph is a foul-mouthed individual and regularly taunts his enemies, enjoying aggravating them. He notably taunted Kars when he launched him into space, claiming to have again planned everything from the beginning just to antagonize him one last time.[17]

Joseph is a playful person and prefers fooling around over having any responsibility. By his own admission, his most hated sentences are "hard work" and "work hard",[18] and still had to be pushed to train his Ripple talent despite facing certain death if he didn't meet and fight Wamuu again. Joseph has a fairly goofy side and spends half of his fights enjoying having outsmarted his current enemy with incredibly zany schemes, which take his opponents by surprise by how silly said plans are at first sight. A show-off, Joseph loves being the center of attention and couldn't stand that his rival Caesar had a special technique.[19] With his prestidigitation talent, Joseph's boastful nature coupled with his love of pranks makes him an unpredictable force in battle.

Joseph salutes Wamuu after his death

At the beginning of his adventure, Joseph's one redeeming trait is his devotion to his family and friends. Joseph cares deeply for his grandmother Erina Joestar, and is deeply angered when a gangster has the nerve of mentioning Speedwagon's death before her, which upset her.[20] Joseph also cares for his "Uncle Speedwagon", who he considers like a father, and Speedwagon's disappearance pushed Joseph to go look for him in Mexico. Joseph also has a knack for befriending people. Despite having stolen his wallet, Joseph quickly befriended Smokey Brown and couldn't tolerate discrimination against him.[15] In the same way, Joseph befriended Caesar Zeppeli and Lisa Lisa even though they had difficult starts. Joseph even came to respect the Pillar Man Wamuu, and gave him a last salute as he died.[21]

Throughout Battle Tendency, although he never really lost his overall attitude, he did develop into a strong, focused hero. In accord with his dismissal of any kind of discipline, Joseph believes that trickery and cheating are fair game in a fight as long as it isn't needlessly cruel. This results in him being a rulebreaker and once earned him a scolding when he tried to climb the Hell Climb Pillar using a rope instead of with the Ripple as intended.[22] Joseph possesses a peculiar sense of honor, acknowledging Esidisi's underhanded moves as somewhat noble since he did them for his fellow Pillar Men.[23] However, when Kars backstabbed Lisa Lisa, Joseph was furious since he sullied the memory of his companion Wamuu.[24] Thus it could be said that Joseph values kinship dearly.

Joseph peeping on Lisa Lisa in the shower, unaware she is his mother

Joseph, being the outspoken individual that he is, does have a flirtatious side to him. He regularly comments on women's voluptuousness and was less than subtle with his advancements on his future wife Suzi Q. Joseph's antagonistic behavior toward Caesar when they first met may have been out of jealousy that he could seduce girls so easily. His perverted nature is ultimately revealed when Joseph decides to sneak a peek at a bathing Lisa Lisa, completely unaware that they were related, and was his mother, no less.[25] However, when Lisa Lisa practically revealed herself as his mother, Joseph was more concerned by her actual age.[26] It is stated that Joseph is picky about choosing a girlfriend, although her smarts don't matter as long as she is cute.[27]

It is revealed in flashbacks that Joseph collects comics and was a fan of Superman when he was young.[28] He becomes a fan of Rohan Kishibe's works when he is much older.

Stardust Crusaders

"OH! MY! GOD!"

In Stardust Crusaders, Joseph has considerably mellowed out, having lost much of his aggression and laziness. Still irascible towards the Japanese in general, due to a Japanese man marrying his beloved daughter Holy,[8] Joseph is otherwise nice to his grandson and Noriaki Kakyoin. His self-confidence and penchant for befriending people are still present, notably with the appearance of his new friend Muhammad Avdol, and his tendency to approach the locals first and communicate with them, overall being the one to deal business with them. For instance, he takes it upon himself to order food in Hong Kong,[29] gladly approaches an Indian barman to try sugar cane juice,[30] tries to salute a hotel owner in Pakistan[31] as well as order doner kebab in Karachi.[32]

Joseph telling Kakyoin and Polnareff to stop fooling around

Joseph is much more responsible than in Battle Tendency, being more proactive in his quest to Egypt, and also sometimes reminding his younger companions of their goals when they are distracted. Years of peace and the appearance of the much stranger Stands means that Joseph lost some of his talents at outsmarting enemies, and is often the victim of the Stands he encounters. However, Joseph still has a few tricks left up his aged sleeve and is capable of outsmarting enemies, having successfully cheated against Telence D'Arby,[33] and figuring out The World time stop's limits.[34]

Joseph's goofy side is also still present, and his somewhat frequent failures at blending with the local culture and his struggle at battling Stands are a constant source of humor. Moreover, his boastful nature leads him to occasional goofs, such as misreading Chinese so much he orders dishes completely different from what he figured,[29] or pretending to know how to ride camels only to ridicule himself.[35] At the end of the saga, he demonstrates again his love for pranks, briefly making Jotaro believe that he was a resurrected DIO.[36]

Diamond is Unbreakable

Joseph cuts himself so Josuke Higashikata can find Shizuka

In Diamond is Unbreakable, Joseph's advancing age has weakened his mind and he appears to have become somewhat senile. Joseph is now a pacified and even weak-willed man, even sadly accepting Josuke's demand that he not interact with Josuke's mother.[37] Despite this, Joseph is still a well-meaning old man who is willing to risk his life for others[38] and is nice enough to offer some counsel to Yukako about her crush.[39] Living in Morioh seems to have done him good, and at the end of the part, Joseph is more lively and happier, expressing confidence in the youth of Morioh at protecting the small town.[40]

Abilities

Ripple

Main article: Ripple

Joseph inherited the Ripple and its capabilities from his grandfather, Jonathan Joestar, as well as his mother, Lisa Lisa. In addition, he uses techniques commonly present in stage magic to confuse his foes. After his Ripple training, Joseph frequently combines his Ripple with other objects to perform complex and creative attacks. Later in Stardust Crusaders, he shows that he is able use the Ripple in conjunction with his Stand, Hermit Purple. However, as he grew older, due to neglecting his Ripple training, he became unable to do the same things he was capable of when he was younger and ended up aging at a relatively normal pace.

Attacks

During his battle with the Pillar Men, Joseph had demonstrated several techniques similar to his grandfather's.

Overdrive / Ripple Overdrive(波紋疾走オーバードライブ Ōbādoraibu, lit. Ripple Dash/Sprint)Link to this sectionLink to this section
Overdrive.gif
The most basic application of the Ripple, where the user attacks with either their limbs or an object imbued with the Ripple. Joseph first uses it on a bottle of coke, causing the cap to fly off and break the finger bone of a police officer. He mostly uses it by charging his hand with Ripple and striking with a chop. Joseph uses it against Kars in a duel and shatters Kars's Light Blade which could cut through anything without fail up until that point.[41]
Ripple HypnosisLink to this section
When he's young, Joseph uses the Ripple on a pilot's head while Speedwagon's plane is being hijacked, which knocks the pilot out. He later uses this technique on a pigeon, controlling it to go inside the mouth of a woman that Caesar hypnotized. In his final battle against Wamuu, he controls the Vampire Horses by using the Ripple on their reins.
Ripple Hair Attack(波紋ヘア・アタック Hamon Hea Atakku)Link to this section
RippleHairAttack.gif
Joseph infuses his Ripple into strands of hair to make them hard enough to form a barrier, which blocks incoming projectiles. Joseph uses it to block bullets fired by Santana after ripping a fistful of Stroheim's hair.
Ripple Beat(波紋のビート Hamon no Bīto)Link to this section
RippleBeat.gif
An advanced adhesive technique, Joseph imbues both his fists and feet with the Ripple. To prevent himself from falling down a pillar covered with oil, he flips himself upwards and uses his hands to stick to the blast of oil. He then slides across and propels himself upwards, gaining more distance than he could from normally climbing or jumping.
Ripple Beat Overdrive(波紋疾走はもんオーバードライブのビート Hamon Ōbādoraibu no Bīto, lit. Ripple Dash Beat)Link to this section
RippleBeatOverdrive.gif
Joseph traps the opponent with ropes made of 100% wool, then imbues the ropes with the Ripple. It has enough force to slice through Esidisi's face.
Rebuff Overdrive(波紋肘支疾走リーバッフオーバードライブ Rībaffu Ōbādoraibu, lit. Ripple Elbow Branch Dash)Link to this section
RebuffOverdrive.gif
Joseph charges Ripple into his elbows and delivers a powerful strike. This was used during Joseph's fight with Wamuu to retaliate his falling attack.
Zoom Punch(ズームパンチ Zūmu Panchi)Link to this section
Similar to his grandfather's move, Joseph uses the Ripple to dislocate his shoulder and arm to strike opponents at a longer range.


American Clackers

Main article: Clackers

After pressing himself to come up with his own special attack, Joseph invented a fighting style that involved infusing the Ripple into a pair of normal American clackers. Once infused, the clackers become a lethal weapon, as the user is able to rip through an opponent's skin using them, and from there the Ripple can enter the body, thus inflicting massive damage. Because of their shape and aerodynamic design, someone who is trained in the clackers' use is able to easily maneuver them around their body, even having the ability to make them seemingly disappear by hiding them behind their back.[42] The clackers would end up being unusable after Wired Beck sliced the strings that were connected to both clackers.[43]

Clacker Volley(クラッカーヴォレイ Kurakkā Vorei)Link to this section
ClackerVolley.gif
Joseph chucks clackers infused with the Ripple into his opponent's direction. This can be done a number of ways, but to produce the best and most surprising effect, he can hide them behind his back. From there, Joseph can slingshot them from behind his back at the enemy in all directions.
Clacker Boomerang(クラッカーブーメラン Kurakkā Būmeran)Link to this section
ClackerBoomerang.gif
Joseph throws both pairs of clackers infused with the Ripple into a beam or pillar behind the opponent, fooling the foe into assuming that he missed. One gets stuck onto whatever it was thrown on and starts spinning, latching onto the second pair of clackers. The second pair then flings back towards the opponent from behind, much like how a boomerang works.


Other Equipment

Joseph using a Tommy gun in his fight against Straizo

Other than his Clackers, Joseph has used a number of other weapons and tools in conjunction with the Ripple and his strategic wit.

  • He used Ripple to pop the cap off of a cola bottle at a corrupt police officer and two tequila bottles' corks against a pair of Nazi soldiers, in the form of high speed projectiles.
  • He used a Tommy gun to shoot Straizo and then strike him with the stock charged with the Ripple. This was followed by secretively attaching a grenade to Straizo's scarf, the pin of which was attached by strings to the pins of several other grenades Joseph had managed to plant on Straizo's back.
  • He used the yarn of a wool hat (which is highly conductive of the Ripple) to form a net underneath the spike-filled arena to use against Esidisi.
  • He wielded a large war hammer in the chariot race against Wamuu, which he slathered in oil to improve its conduction of the Ripple. Joseph also used a heavy crossbow to fire a Ripple-charged iron ball at the wall of the arena, where it rode around the entire wall before launching off and hitting Wamuu from behind.

Stand

Main article: Hermit Purple

Joseph's Stand, Hermit Purple, manifests itself as a tangle of thorny vines, which Joseph can wield as both a weapon and a hazardous defense. Furthermore, it has been shown to conduct the Ripple, which makes Hermit Purple one of the more effective Stands against those weak to it such as vampires. Joseph develops the Stand after DIO pierces Jonathan's body with the Arrow, upon which it responded to DIO and Enya awakening The World.

One of its special abilities is to use cameras, televisions and other things to perform a form of fortune telling referred to as spirit photography. When introduced, it was demonstrated that he had to smash an expensive Polaroid camera to do this, and the camera would dispense a picture of DIO. Later on he is seen using televisions for this ability without having to damage them.

Hermit Purple (ハーミットパープル(隠者の紫))Link to this section
HermitPurpleMangaAv.png
PWR
D
SPD
C
RNG
D
STA
A
PRC
D
DEV
E

Hermit Purple is also shown as being able to connect to electronics. Joseph can then check the electronics for tampering, or even control them (such as, he uses Hermit Purple on a TV, and can use it to change channels).

The Hermit card of the Tarot primarily gives a meaning of solitude, introspective, or soul-searching, which could symbolize Joseph's lifelong journey. It also carries a more direct meaning of teaching or advising, which is Joseph's main role in Part 3 on the subject of Stands.

Mastery

Joseph's Stand

Joseph is quite adept at using his Stand, although he does so imperfectly. Joseph notably understands how versatile Hermit Purple's ability is and that it can be used on cameras, TV sets, and even dust to divine information. However during Stardust Crusaders, Joseph brutally breaks cameras to obtain spirit photographies whereas it is demonstrated that a simple tap will grant the same results.

Joseph also manages to exploit the vine-like nature of his Stand to its fullest, using it as a controllable rope to swing from place to place or tie enemies up. By combining it with the Ripple, Joseph also made Hermit Purple an effective but limited defense against DIO.

Familial BondLink to this section
BirthmarkThumb.png
As a part of the Joestar Family, Joseph bears the Star Birthmark and a connection to the supernatural. According to Avdol, the bond shared between DIO and the Joestar family has awakened their spiritual power. In Joseph's case, he developed Hermit Purple, and is capable of sensing DIO's presence.[45]


Acrobatics

Joseph is an exceptionally agile fighter, performing acrobatics on a regular basis.

Being quite athletic, Joseph distinguishes himself through feats of agility, in contrast to his grandfather Jonathan Joestar who performed feats of strength. He can for instance perform an aerial cartwheel when Esidisi grips his fist to escape the lock (all the while setting up a string to slice his arm),[46] has performed impressive jumps, for instance pole vaulting into Wamuu's chariot to escape being crushed[47] or a somersault while sliding underneath a layer of oil,[48] and has managed to perform corde lisse tricks against Kars.[49]

As he aged, Joseph's skills in that regard became less relevant, although he was still in shape and could still swing across rooftops with Hermit Purple.

Wit and Trickery

Joseph Joestar's mind is his deadliest and most valuable asset.

Joseph's favorite strategy is to psych out his opponents. To do so, he notably predicts what his enemies will say next or more commonly provokes them to unnerve them and make them predictable in their next move. Joseph is incredibly proficient in analyzing the personalities of those he faces and guessing information about them by observing small details about them, then shamelessly exploits any character flaw they have in order to return whatever they will be doing next against them, most commonly their overconfidence. Of note are particular quirks such as Wamuu's pride as a warrior or Kars's obsession for the Red Stone of Aja. However, Joseph is unknowingly as susceptible to these tactics as his opponents, leading him to be psyched out himself by Esidisi.

Joseph is a master of trickery and deception

Having great prestidigitation skills, his goofy demeanor serving as the greatest distraction and facade he can rely on, Joseph is able to attack from unexpected angles or make critical moves under the guise of simple stupidity or ignorance; Joseph will often use one obvious strategy hiding another, more advanced one to fool and trap his opponents.

Joseph is maybe the most proficient man in the series at using his environment to his advantage, the Ripple increasing the danger and combative capability of any item he gets his hands on. Among others, Joseph has used mirrors, glass shots, hair, a well, pasta, pigeons, wool hats, icicles, pebbles, and an entire plane as tools and weapons to grasp the upper hand, each use having had applied efficiency and imagination. Joseph also keeps a number of tools handy just in case, concealing weapons on his person for when he expects danger.

When cornered, Joseph can still rely on his particularly quick wits to come up with a viable solution in an near-instant. The most successful instance being Joseph using the Red Stone of Aja to amplify Ultimate Kars's Ripple Attack so as to cause a volcanic eruption and send him into space.

Joseph's tendency to use so many tricks stems from his particular mindset. He considers that in combat, every move is fair-play with the exception of involving civilians and being needlessly cruel. Thus he isn't bound by any code and doesn't hesitate to flee, or cheat if the ends justify the means, as seen against the D'Arby brothers.

  • Near-Death Survival Technique: After he lit his scarf on fire, Joseph told Kars that he was putting his life in danger so he would be pushed beyond his own limits to find a new technique before the flame reached him. This was actually part of a plan to trick Kars, who would be too distracted to notice Joseph's plan to save Lisa Lisa.

Secret Technique

Joseph performing his secret technique

The Joestar family's "secret technique". Usually utilized as a last resort, Joseph invented this move to use when battling the enemy seemed hopeless. It was also used by his grandson Jotaro later in the series during his fight against Rubber Soul.[50]

The secret technique consists of carefully and quickly retreating from the opponent, while keeping a close eye on surroundings for things to use to defeat or assist in defeating them. To the untrained eye, it looks like Joseph is simply running away like a coward, augmented by his panicked shouting when doing so, but in reality it was actually used to stall time in order for Joseph to formulate a plan. He will also use this technique to try to lure an enemy away from others.

Flying

Joseph is a proficient pilot despite having crashed four times in his life. He is able to fly a large range of planes from a small Cessna to a Junker and once saved the lives of his companions and civilians by controlling the crash of the passenger airplane they were on. It is unknown when and where Joseph learned to pilot, though it is possible that he figured it out in the instances where he was forced to control an aircraft.

Relationships

Family

  • Jonathan Joestar: Joseph had no real knowledge of his grandfather prior to his battle with Straizo because of Speedwagon keeping the events of the past secret. However, Joseph holds great respect towards Jonathan due to his relationship with Erina and friendship with Speedwagon. When Caesar insults Jonathan, it enrages Joseph that he brought up the past. Joseph's respect for his grandfather is even more apparent in his later years, as he's shown to be angry that DIO is now using Jonathan's body as his own.
  • Erina Joestar: Joseph and Erina are very close due to Erina having raised Joseph all his youth in the absence of his parents. Erina loves Joseph dearly but is quite severe with him because of his indiscipline. Prior to meeting Lisa Lisa, Joseph only respects her authority and is very attached to her, being angry and becoming physically violent that one would ruin a coat she gave him or that someone would even make her distraught.
Joseph desperately holding on to the rope holding Lisa Lisa
  • Lisa Lisa: Joseph never knew his mother and thought she died in an accident. He meets Lisa Lisa thinking she is an unrelated Ripple user and her severity and prowess in the Ripple quickly shut Joseph's arrogance and belligerence. Joseph respects Lisa Lisa's authority and becomes close to her, getting angry when Kars humiliates Lisa Lisa to get at him. Joseph also finds Lisa Lisa attractive and has opportunistically peeped on her, (unaware of their relation); he is notably dismayed to find that she is 50 years old and makes fun of her for it.
  • Suzi Q: Joseph expresses some attraction towards Suzi Q upon meeting her early on in Battle Tendency, though does show some degree of exasperation at her airheadedness, notably when he realizes that she had not sent a telegram bearing news that he was alive to his family and friends. Both eventually marry and presumably live a happy life. It is shown that they enjoy teasing each other. Fifty years later into the marriage, Suzi Q is shown to trust her husband completely and believes that he had never failed her once. However, in Part 4, she is said to have been enraged when Joseph had an affair with Tomoko Higashikata. Her anger is mentioned again when Joseph brings home an adopted Shizuka, who Suzi Q initially believed to be another illegitimate child.
  • Holy Kujo: Joseph is incredibly attached to his daughter and is shown to be very close to her. Both are comfortable enough to tickle each other in public, and Joseph developed a hatred toward Japanese people in general because of Sadao Kujo taking Holy to live in Japan, where he couldn't meet her or his grandson Jotaro very often. Being her father, he naturally cares for her, becoming angry at Jotaro for disrespecting her (despite the latter's good intentions for doing so) and immediately becoming worried for his daughter's health after seeing her affected harmfully by her own Stand.
  • Sadao Kujo: While there is no on-screen interaction between them since he is the man who made his daughter move to Japan, Joseph presumably greatly disliked his son-in-law. As evidence of this, Joseph basically stated that Sadao was responsible for his hatred for the Japanese (with a few exceptions).
Jotaro and Joseph outwit D'Arby together in video games
  • Jotaro Kujo: Joseph is close to his grandson. Although Jotaro's aloofness makes their relationship difficult, Joseph's friendly nature makes it so they ultimately appreciate each other as family members, and Joseph trusts Jotaro's ability. Throughout the course of the series, he and Jotaro are able to get along more easily and eventually work together to defeat Telence T. D'Arby in DIO's mansion without even a need for words to understand the same plan of action. Joseph's apparent death and desecration by DIO notably enraged Jotaro. By the time of Part 4, Jotaro isn't as cold with Joseph, and Joseph confides more in Jotaro, sharing with him his observation of the spirit and will of the residents of Morioh.
  • Josuke Higashikata: While his relationship with his illegitimate son got off to a difficult start, Joseph understands his son's concerns and follows through with them. He refrains from seeing Tomoko and understands his son's frustrations in keeping him from getting lost in town. Joseph does, however, earn Josuke's respect after risking his life to save Shizuka, and the two are regularly seen hanging out together during the rest of Part 4. Joseph respects his son's sense of justice and trusts that Josuke will protect Morioh. It doesn't stop Josuke from stealing Joseph's wallet.
  • Shizuka Joestar: Joseph initially found Shizuka as a baby abandoned by her parents and decided to adopt her. When issues with Shizuka began to manifest and when Shizuka found her own life threatened by her powers, Joseph took up ways to calm those issues with makeup and slit his wrist to use the blood to find her respectively. Later, he is seen carrying her around as his own child and by the end of Part 4, brings her back to America to raise her as his own child.

Friends

  • Robert E. O. Speedwagon: Despite his cheeky attitude, Joseph cared for Speedwagon, and viewed him as an uncle. When Joseph received news of Speedwagon's supposed death, he becomes enraged and attacks Straizo without a second thought. Similarly, when he receives news that Speedwagon was still alive, he is seen happily tearing up before rushing to the Nazi base in order to break him out.
  • Smokey Brown: Despite having his wallet stolen by Smokey, Joseph bears him no ill will and actually helps bail him from the discriminating actions of the policemen who accost him, in the same manner, that his great-grandfather George Joestar did with Dario Brando. In a time when African Americans faced racial prejudice, Joseph backs up Smokey's rights to sit in a restaurant and beats up the man who insulted him. Smokey becomes grateful to Joseph for saving him and accompanies him throughout New York, and later with Speedwagon at Joseph's showdown with Kars.
Calling Caesar's name in agony
  • Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli: Due to their conflicting personalities, the two did not get along at all during their first encounter. It wasn't until their climb to the top of the pillar where Joseph began to respect Caesar's skills and gradually saw him as a fairly proficient partner during their 26-day training session. Their trust in each other grew to a point where Joseph expected Caesar to finish the missing link to the icicle chain after having fallen off the cliff during their first encounter with Kars. After Caesar's death by the hands of Wamuu, Joseph openly cried out in sorrow and promised to avenge him. After the announcement of the chariot race, Joseph donned Caesar's headband and during the final showdown used it to defeat Wamuu, claiming his reason for victory being that Caesar was with him the whole time.
  • Rudol von Stroheim: Joseph's personality makes it so he judges other people based on their individual actions and "soul". Because of this, he was never prejudiced towards Rudol's occupation as a Nazi, even though he questioned whether he should be happy or not about him coming back from the death due to him being a Nazi and his arrogance.[51] During the battle against Santana, Joseph is shocked by Stroheim's selfless act of self-destruction and briefly mourns his supposed death. He teams up with Stroheim during the final battle with Kars, when Joseph kamikazes a plane into an active volcano. Having jumped out of the plane before then, Stroheim grabs hold of Joseph and sacrifices his own cybernetic legs to cushion the fall, thus saving both their lives. As a final gift to Joseph, he replaces his severed left hand with a mechanical one.
  • Loggins: While the two have had limited onscreen interactions, Loggins personally trained Joseph in the Ripple. Although Joseph admitted to hating Loggins for putting him through hellish training, Joseph was primarily motivated to kill Esidisi to avenge Loggins. After the battle, Joseph thanks Loggins for 'torturing' him.
The Stardust Crusaders
  • Muhammad Avdol: Out of the group, Joseph presumably knew Avdol the longest, having met him in Egypt prior to the events of Part 3. Since then, Joseph has formed a good friendship with the Egyptian and had even trusted him to help Jotaro unlock the full potential of his Stand through force. During their later journey to Egypt, the two fought alongside each other on several occasions, one of the more memorable instances being their battle against Mariah. At the end of the series, alongside Polnareff and Jotaro, he mourns the death of his companion.
  • Noriaki Kakyoin: Having joined them on their journey to Egypt, Kakyoin got along well with the rest of the group. While his interactions with Joseph specifically were minor, Joseph usually went to him to crack jokes and express his comedic nature (due to Kakyoin being able to tolerate it the most). Towards the end of the series, Kakyoin's last act before dying was shooting the clock tower with his Emerald Splash, in order to help Joseph discover the secret behind The World's ability to stop time. Joseph, whilst hiding his grief, responds by treating the message with upmost importance and swearing that Kakyoin's death would not be in vain.
  • Jean Pierre Polnareff: Meeting as enemies, Polnareff joins the group during their journey to Egypt and gradually becomes good friends with everyone. At the end of Part 3, Joseph and Polnareff along with Jotaro mourn the loss of their friends. Joseph knew that Polnareff had no one in France, so he offered for him to come with him to America. Polnareff refused the offer, stating that despite being alone, France was his homeland. Joseph also mentions that it'd be lonely if Polnareff didn't come with him. Before leaving, the group embraces one last time, throwing out friendly insults, and promising to meet each other again sometime in the future.
  • Iggy: When first introduced, Iggy acted much like a stray and initially hated everyone in the group. After the fight with N'Doul, he would willingly tag along with them, but during fights, he'd usually disappear. It wasn't until his fight with Pet Shop where his inner thoughts came to light; at this point, he seemed to understand Joseph was the leader of the group. While the interaction between the two was fairly minor, after sacrificing himself for Polnareff to defeat Vanilla Ice, Joseph and the group acknowledged his heroism and mourned his death along with the others.
  • Tomoko Higashikata: Despite Joseph's dislike of the Japanese in his late 60s due to his daughter marrying one, Joseph had an affair with Tomoko in 1983 when he was 62 years old and had an illegitimate son with her, although he was unaware of his son until several years later. Joseph later respects Josuke's wishes to not talk to Tomoko and he only sees her from far away.

Enemies

  • Straizo: Due to him claiming to have killed Speedwagon himself as well as trying to kill him and his grandmother, Joseph bore a great hatred toward Straizo. Straizo underestimated Joseph as a warrior, but at the end respected him enough to warn him about the incoming danger of the Pillar Men and reveal that Speedwagon was alive.
  • Santana: The first of the Pillar Man Joseph encountered. It was him that allowed Joseph to prepare for the other three's defeat. Santana thought little of Joseph, but was intrigued by his Ripple ability and annoyed by his general demeanor. For his part, Joseph wanted to leave Santana alone, while teasing him and even entertaining the idea that he was neutral if not for the Nazis actions against him. However, Joseph's indifference transformed into belligerence when Santana attacked Speedwagon, using everything in his power at that time to defeat the Pillar Man.
  • Donovan: During Joseph's journey through Mexico to find Speedwagon, he first encountered Donovan, who planned to capture him, after foiling a surprise attack. During their fight, Donovan seemingly had the upper hand on Joseph, only to be incapacitated by an exploding cactus. After interrogating him and having him confirm Speedwagon's status, Joseph tied the Nazi to a cactus to prevent him from escaping.
  • Wired Beck: During Joseph and Lisa Lisa's search for the Pillar Men in the hotel, Wired Beck was sent by Kars to kill the two. Despite being startled by the vampire's abilities, Joseph looked down on Beck, finding his posturing annoying. After Lisa Lisa unceremoniously finished the fight, Joseph mocked the confused Beck moments before he disintegrated, proclaiming that he's done for.
  • Wamuu: Ironically, one of the closest and most meaningful relationships Joseph shared was with Wamuu, whom he vowed to slay to avenge the death of Caesar. Though he already admires the Pillar Man's skill and cunning as a warrior, he truly comes to respect his nobility upon finding Caesar's blood bubble of antidote left intact by Wamuu to honor his opponent's bravery; and graciously returned the respect the ancient warrior afforded Caesar by easing the pain of his death with his own blood. The two men parted in warm mutual respect, and Joseph notably regards Wamuu as a friend enough to be enraged by Kars's ambush of Lisa Lisa, the sheer cowardice of which spat in the face of everything the proud and honorable warrior stood for in life.
  • Esidisi: Initially, Joseph viewed him as an enemy for implanting a Wedding Ring of Death in his neck. After killing one of his masters, Esidisi was engaged in a duel by Joseph and fought him. Esidisi thought little of him and more than anyone else, proved a match for his wits. In the end, Joseph successfully outsmarted Esidisi and destroyed his body. Joseph became enraged when he possessed Suzi Q, and with help from Caesar, destroyed him. He eventually came to respect the Pillar Man for the extremes he went to in order to procure success for his comrades.
Kars vs Joseph
  • Kars: Kars was initially just one of the Pillar Men to defeat in Joseph's eyes. Likewise, Joseph merely was a Ripple user to kill to Kars's own. The former was annoyed by the latter's tendency to use unpredictable tactics until the former cheated in his duel with Lisa Lisa, dishonoring the pride of his comrades in the process. Joseph then came to intensely hate him for his underhanded methods and once he became the Ultimate Thing, Joseph made great efforts in order to defeat him, including trying to send him into a volcano at the cost of his own life. Kars responded by cutting off Joseph's left arm and their fight ended in Joseph unintentionally sending Kars out into space, but not before mocking him one last time.
  • Nena: Nena is one of many Stand users sent by DIO to kill him, Nena would constantly mock Joseph for his age and was shocked when he outsmarted her, allowing him to once again use his trick of predicting an opponent's next line.
  • Steely Dan: Dan and Joseph first met in a haggling contest (which Dan won), but after Dan's identity is revealed, he infected Joseph with his Stand and used him as a hostage so the others wouldn't attack him. Through his Stand, Dan unknowingly though not unintentionally embarrasses Joseph in public, forcing him to attract a crowd. After Kakyoin and Polnareff free Joseph of his control, Jotaro gets revenge for him.
  • Mariah: Mariah is one of many Stand users sent by DIO to kill him, during their confrontation, Mariah magnetized Joseph and Avdol using her Stand ability, then tried to kill them using their resulting handicap. Despite their antagonism and wide age gap, Mariah finds the older Joseph attractive and states she might've become his lover if she didn't find DIO more attractive.
  • DIO: At first, Joseph was unaware of his existence due to Speedwagon making sure to keep the secret of the Vampire's existence prior to his battle with Straizo. He eventually learned the whole truth and came to despise the villain for using his grandfather, Jonathan's body as well as causing his daughter Holy to become deathly ill due to his presence. He embarked on a mission alongside his grandson, Jotaro to find DIO and kill him in order to save Holy.

Chapters / Episodes

Book Icon.png Manga Appearances
Chapters in order of appearance

TV Icon.png Anime Appearances
Episodes in order of appearance

Book Icon.png Novel Appearances
Chapters in order of appearance

  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 12 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 16 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 21 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 50 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 59 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 62 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 63 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 64 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 65 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 71 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 72 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 73 (Mentioned only)
  • OVER HEAVEN Chapter 78 (Mentioned only)

TV Icon.png Live Action Appearances
Episodes in order of appearance

Quotes

Quote.png Quotes
Show AllEnglishJapaneseRomaji
  • Er... I think you have the wrong idea. You see, that wallet... was a gift from me to him.
    —Joseph Joestar's first line, Chapter 45: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 1
  • Joestar. Joseph Joestar. But just call me JoJo.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 45: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 1
  • You guys! You're riding a plane so you're prepared for the possibility of a crash, right?!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 46: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 2
  • He-llo? Could you say that again? More slowly? In a language I understand? Depending on what you said, I might kick your ass!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 47: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 3
  • Your next line is... (次におまえは...)
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 47: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 3
  • Straizo! I've been waiting for you! Not that I expect you to die from that but... I will avenge Uncle Speedwagon!!!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 48: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 1
  • Run away, Smokey! Move it, rubbernecks! (逃げるんだよォ!スモーキーーーーッ!!どけーッ ヤジ馬ともーッ!!)
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 50: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 3
  • My name is JoJo, I came from New York. This may be rude since we just met but bring me food and gasoline in the next 3 minutes, got that?!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 53: The Pillar Man
  • God, I think I got some cavities from all that sweet-talking!
    —Joseph about Caesar Zeppeli's womanizing, Chapter 62: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 9
  • Bastard, are you messing with me?! I like making fun of people but I hate being made fun of!!!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 63: Joseph Joestar of Rome
  • Spaghetti nero looks bad but tastes great. Why don't you experience the true power of this attack before you boast!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 68: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 4
  • Well, I was just thinking about how you're going to have to live your long life always thinking about how you were injured by a human... The only way to get over that... would be to win a fight against a properly me, is what I was thinking. If I do serious Ripple training, I'll have the talent to surpass you in a month. Since the only one to put a 5cm cut in your head was a piece of trash like me! Though, you know... it's probably better for you to kill me before I get stronger!
    —Joseph manipulating Wamuu, Chapter 70: An Engagement with Death: The Wedding Ring
  • The phrase I hate the most is "hard work" and my second most hated phrase is "work hard"!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 71: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 1
  • The domineering Loggins... it was 3 weeks of hell listening to you yelling, I really hated you, you were so awful... and I was going to get you back for all of that!... Well instructor... watch from up there. You can see the results of all you put me through!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 77: Go! Ripple Master
  • You may have lived a long time, but you're not nearly as smart as me when it comes to coming up with plans!
    —Joseph to Esidisi, Chapter 78: Flame Mode Esidisi, Part 1
  • You see, humans progressed little by little, bit by bit over those thousand years... It's nothing major but in the 18th and 19th centuries, magic and other illusions became popular entertainment... and I really love a good illusion!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 78: Flame Mode Esidisi, Part 1
  • Hmph! My mouth may be weird... but if you and I were to fall in love... it'd be all the better to kiss you with!
    —Joseph to Suzi Q, Chapter 81: The Remains Lurk, Part 1
  • I am to wait 30 minutes, and that's what I'm going to do! And the best place to wait... is right in front of Lisa Lisa's door! And while I'm waiting...would it be so terrible of me to keep an eye on this keyhole?! Woooaaahhh! NICE!
    —Joseph Joestar peeping on his own mother, Chapter 81: The Remains Lurk, Part 1
  • If one girl's life... has to be taken to save the entire world... then it's a sacrifice that has to be made. That's how I feel.
    —Joseph bluffing to Esidisi, Chapter 82: The Remains Lurk, Part 2
  • Caesar... you've got it backwards. I know it because I fought him in battle... He lived for his comrades and to get the Red Stone, no matter what―even if it meant casting aside his own pride. I don't know how many thousands of years he's lived, but he fought for survival in his own way... Regardless of his morality, I respect his will to live!
    —Joseph about Esidisi, Chapter 82: The Remains Lurk, Part 2
  • Bye for now, Suzi Q! But I'll definitely be back in Venice again! [...] So in the meantime, you'll be sure to heal up that beat-up body of yours, right? [...] You might be an old hag by then, though! Maybe you'll be in worse shape than you are now! GWAHAHA!!
  • Sh-should I be glad? He's a Nazi and a prideful little bastard... but I don't really hate him as a person. I suppose I am a little happy to know he's okay.
    —Joseph about Stroheim, Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3
  • Nice one! Very nice, Caesar-ino!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 87: Light Mode Kars, Part 2
  • I don't care about some stuff I "inherited" from an ancestor I've never met, you dumbass! You're a fool if you'd die for something like that!
    —Joseph to Caesar, Chapter 88: Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 1
  • If you're heading in there, knowing that there have to be traps, then you definitely have a plan to take out Kars! I changed my mind! If you want the battle to happen this afternoon, then I'll head in with you as well-- Caesar Zeppeli!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 89: Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 2
  • Lisa Lisa is the teacher... I suppose she's trying to keep me focused on the task at hand. She's acting cold on purpose. She has to want to cry and scream even more than I do. Caesar cared for her dearly, and she knew him for much longer than I did... She wants me to keep it together... and this is enemy territory... so I will! Caesar―you always called me selfish and inconsiderate of other people's feelings, but look at me now. Maybe I've grown up a bit...? But I will show no mercy to them! I've got that heart of yours right here with me!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 92: Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 5
  • CAESAAAAAR! (シィィザーーーァァァ)
  • I played a dirty trick on yoooooou!!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 98: The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 4
  • Wamuu... as a warrior you were tremendous... but the fact is that, until the end, I've had one powerful ally in Caesar.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 103: The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 9
  • Pity? Did you say pity? In that case, why did you leave that soap bubble containing Caesar's headband and his last gift, the antidote ring, alone? Was it pity?
    —Joseph to Wamuu, Chapter 104: The Warrior Returns to the Wind
  • Exactly! Wamuu! Fighting is one thing, my grievance for Caesar's death is another... I also felt that strange need to show you my respect... That my blood is my homage to the warrior that you are!
    —Joseph paying respect to Wamuu, Chapter 104: The Warrior Returns to the Wind
  • You may be 10,000 years old, but when it comes to the "art of deception", you need a little more time than that, Kars!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 107: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 1

Quote.png Quotes
Show AllEnglishJapaneseRomaji
  • Indeed Jotaro, what you have called an "evil spirit" is but a powerful vision created by your own life energy! And since it stands next to you, it is called a Stand!
    —Joseph Joestar introducting Stands, Chapter 116: Jotaro Kujo, Part 3
  • Did you see it? The thorns from my hand? That is my Stand! It can reveal faraway visions and place them on film. Of course, I gotta bust a 3,000 yen camera every time I use it...
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 117: The Man with the Star Birthmark
  • Jotaro... this is the third time I've been in a plane crash! Am I cursed?
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 124: Silver Chariot, Part 1
  • I'll have you know. I, Joseph Joestar, have much more fighting experience than you do. (I can talk up a good game, but can I back it up? Damn it!)
    —Joseph Joestar to Empress, Chapter 148: Empress, Part 3
  • Opponents always get confident when they feel like they're winning, when in fact, they've already lost. That's the Joseph Joestar way. I may be getting on in years, but I've still got it! (「相手が勝ち誇ったとき、そいつはすでに敗北している」。 これがジョセフ・ジョースターのやり方。老いてますます健在というところかな。)
  • I don't like it myself... but kids can't always rely on their parents. Now that they're all grown up... you have to take care of yourself!
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 149: Empress, Part 4
  • I've run away in the middle of a fight before, but that was all part of my strategy! Joseph Joestar never admits defeat.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 203: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 5
  • Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh my God!
  • We have encountered The World before, but we have no idea what it does. If you climb a mountain without where the summit is, you'll run into trouble! You absolutely will! Like how you burp when you drink a cola, it's inevitable.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 250: DIO's World, Part 4
  • Jotaro... this trip was a lot of fun, wasn't it? We had quite an adventure together... right Jotaro? The last 50 days... were a lot of fun...
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 262: DIO's World, Part 16
  • HmhmhmhmhahahaHAHAHA! You're a fool Jotaro! Thanks to you, I live again!
    —Joseph Joestar pretending to be DIO after his revival, Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends
  • Wauuugh! Hold on Jotaro! I was just making a joke! Sorry!
    —Joseph Joestar after Jotaro almost beats him for pretending to be DIO, Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends
  • DIO has stolen many things from people. Everything he had was stolen from others over the course of the last century... The things we've lost can't be compared to the importance of the Earth. But because of them, we're still alive.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends

Quote.png Quotes
  • Josuke...I...I might die here. So, if I do, please tell your mother I said hello.
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 317: We Picked Up Something Crazy!, Part 3
  • I just wanted to look cool in front of you.
  • After seeing Josuke and his friends in this incident in Morioh, there's one thing I can say... the youth of this town... have a golden spirit. Just like the ones I saw when we headed for Egypt. A golden spirit, blessed with the radiance of justice. I saw it within Josuke and his friends... as long as it's there, they'll be fine. That spirit that they embody will naturally course into others without a word, even those who know nothing about what happened with Yoshikage Kira, and into the next generation as well...
    —Joseph Joestar, Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart

Trivia

  • Araki designed Joseph Joestar by mixing the wits of his older character B.T. from Cool Shock B.T. and the muscles of Sylvester Stallone. He says he also added some cheerfulness to make Joseph more playful compared to B.T.[11]
  • In Araki's top ten favorite characters in 2000, Joseph ranked in sixth place.[52]
  • In the anime’s French dub, Tarkus and Old Joseph Joestar share the same voice actor, Frédéric Souterelle.

Notes

  1. Stated when the setting of Part 3 took place from 1987-1988 rather than 1988-1989.
  2. Originally corrected to 78 in the anime but contradicted in a later episode.

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Chapter 73: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 3 P.1.
  2. JoJo 6251
  3. Chapter 267: Jotaro Kujo! Meets Josuke Higashikata, Part 2
  4. Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 11: Red Hot Chili Pepper, Part 1
  5. Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends P.10.
  6. Chapter 45: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 1
  7. Chapter 115: Jotaro Kujo, Part 2
  8. 8.0 8.1 Chapter 113: The Man Who Crossed the Atlantic
  9. Weekly Shonen Brackets 100Q (April 2003)
  10. Chapter 81: The Remains Lurk, Part 1 P.9.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 JoJonium Volume 4 (Joseph Joestar) - Special Interview
  12. Chapter 115: Jotaro Kujo, Part 2 P.13. Jotaro steals Joseph's pinky
  13. ジョセフが老けこんだのは何故? → 荒木先生の回答「気の持ちよう」
  14. Chapter 314: Red Hot Chili Pepper, Part 8 P.2. Okuyasu mentions Joseph's size and use of cane
  15. 15.0 15.1 Chapter 45: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 1
  16. Chapter 47: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 3
  17. Chapter 112: The Man Who Became a God
  18. Chapter 71: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 1
  19. Chapter 65: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 1
  20. Chapter 48: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 1
  21. Chapter 104: The Warrior Returns to the Wind
  22. Chapter 73: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 3
  23. Chapter 82: The Remains Lurk, Part 2
  24. Chapter 106: The Bond That Binds Lisa Lisa and JoJo, Part 2
  25. Chapter 81: The Remains Lurk, Part 1
  26. Chapter 97: The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 3
  27. Chapter 72: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 2 tailpiece
  28. Chapter 46: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 2
  29. 29.0 29.1 Chapter 124: Silver Chariot, Part 1
  30. Chapter 151: Wheel of Fortune, Part 2
  31. Chapter 154: Justice, Part 1
  32. Chapter 160: Lovers, Part 1
  33. Chapter 237: D'Arby the Player, Part 11
  34. Chapter 255: DIO's World, Part 9
  35. Chapter 166: Sun, Part 1
  36. Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends
  37. Chapter 315: We Picked Up Something Crazy!, Part 1
  38. Chapter 317: We Picked Up Something Crazy!, Part 3
  39. Chapter 348: Yukako Yamagishi Dreams of Cinderella, Part 1
  40. Chapter 439: Goodbye, Morioh - The Golden Heart
  41. Chapter 107: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 1
  42. Chapter 67: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 3 and Chapter 68: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 4
  43. Chapter 94: Climb Out of the Fortified Hotel
  44. JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.104
  45. Chapter 251: DIO's World, Part 5 P.11.
  46. Chapter 77: Go! Ripple Master
  47. Chapter 99: The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu, Part 5
  48. Chapter 74: Ripple Teacher Lisa Lisa, Part 4
  49. Chapter 108: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 2
  50. Chapter 138: Yellow Temperance, Part 3
  51. Chapter 85
  52. JOJO A-GO!GO!

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Battle Tendency

Joseph (age 18) as seen in Battle Tendency, introducing himself after saving Smokey Brown.

Joseph is introduced as Jonathan's grandson having moved to New York with his grandmother Erina and seems to have naturally inherited the power of the Ripple (波紋, Hamon). When an old family friend Speedwagon is reported dead in Mexico, Joseph takes it upon himself to go check it out. His curiosity is piqued when he is attacked in New York City by Straizo, an old friend-turned-vampire. After being led on a wild chase in which his prepared attacks ultimately prove to be futile, he witnesses Straizo's suicide by the Ripple.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

The Pillar Men

Joseph goes to Mexico in search of Speedwagon, revealed to be alive in a secret underground Nazi facility where the Nazis are trying to revive a man who seems to have been trapped in a stone pillar for 2,000 years. Here Joseph meets the Nazi Stroheim. Unfortunately, the Nazis are successful in awakening the man, who is christened "Santana" before he kills most of them. Joseph and Stroheim battle Santana and manage to defeat him, though Stroheim is fatally wounded. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

The Wedding Rings implanted in Joseph's body after his first encounter with the Pillar Men.
Joseph then heads to Rome, where three more "sleeping pillar men" have been discovered underneath the Colosseum. In Rome, Joseph meets Caesar, a trained Ripple user near his age who is supposed to show Joseph the ropes. At first, they are unable to do anything but argue; Caesar blames Jonathan Joestar for causing the death of his grandfather Will A. Zeppeli through his incompetence. Caesar brings a Nazi named Mark to drive them to the Colosseum, where they find the three pillar men, Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars, awakened. Mark is casually killed by Wamuu, enraging Caesar and causing the pair to fight him.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many Unfortunately, even with his American Ripple-Infused Clackers, the untrained Joseph is unable to stand a chance. Luckily, he manages to talk them out of killing him promising to train for a whole month for a rematch.


To ensure that Joseph does not chicken out, Wamuu and Esidisi both end up inserting a "wedding ring" inside Joseph's heart and throat. They explain that the rings are internal time bombs set to release poison into his blood if he does not defeat them and retrieve the antidote they carry within a month.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many Joseph realizes that he will have to train or die, and Caesar introduces Joseph to his master Lisa Lisa, who also reveals that the motives of the pillar men are to seize the Red Stone of Aja to become perfect life forms.

Ripple Training

Along with Caesar, Joseph begins his training under Lisa Lisa. She immediately forces Joseph to use a modified mask to alter his breathing, enough for him to be able to keep it in control when using the ripple. She then puts both students in the 'Hell Climb Pillar', a pillar covered with oil that requires expert control of the ripple to climb. Without experience in the use of the ripple, Joseph has trouble to climb, but finally manages to do so thanks to Caesar´s help. In the next weeks Joseph trains under the harsh Loggins, who teaches him how to breathe in for 10 minutes straight and how to breathe 10 times in one second. As his last test test, Joseph needs to defeat Loggins in battle,
Joseph fights Esidisi
Before the month is up, however, Esidisi finds out that Lisa Lisa has the Red Stone of Aja and comes to take it. After learning that Loggins has been killed, Joseph uses his new skills and clever strategy involving his wool hat to defeat Esidisi, thus earning the wrath of Wamuu and Kars (who had previously thought of him more as amusement rather than a threat). Joseph does not notice that Esidisi's brain had latched onto his back and the brain weaves itself into Suzi Q's body, mailing the Red Stone to Kars in Switzerland. By using their combined ripples to neutralize each other Joseph and Caesar force Esidisi out of Suzi Q's body, destroying him. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Road to Switzerland

Joseph and Lisa Lisa cry over the death of Caesar
While pursuing Kars and Wamuu, Joseph is reunited with the supposedly-deceased Stroheim, who has been rebuilt as a powerful cyborg by Nazi science. However, Stroheim's machine body is quickly cut in half by Kars' "Light Mode." In Switzerland, the group discovers the location of the remaining two pillar men. Knowing the remaining pillar men's vulnerability to sunlight, everyone is eager to face them during the day, sans Joseph. Caesar, unable to accept this, gets into a fight with Joseph and heads to battle Wamuu alone, coming remarkably close to defeating him if not for his own vengeance. Caesar is, however, able to rip off the latter's lip piercing, containing the antidote to Joseph's poison ring. Before dying from his wounds and being crushed by a stone slab, Caesar uses his final ripple to make a bubble out of his blood containing the antidote ring. Wamuu sees this but, respecting Caesar as a valiant warrior, allows the bubble to float to Joseph. Joseph and Lisa Lisa arrive too late and Joseph finds the bubble but vows not to drink the antidote until he has personally beaten Wamuu.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Skeleton Heel Stone

Joseph against Wamuu in the Chariot Race
Joseph and Lisa Lisa, overwhelmed by Kars´s vampires, threaten to destroy the stone if they are attacked. The Pillar Men agree to dispute it in one fair, final one-on-one showdown at the Skeleton Heel Stone arena. Joseph´s match is against Wamuu in a deadly Roman chariot race-battle. Wamuu initially gets the upper hand, but Joseph still manages to counter his dangerous attacks and destroys Wamuu´s body, leaving only his head slowly suffering with the ripple. Joseph, in a sign of honor to the warrior, gave him some of his own blood to ease his pain.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Final Battle

Kars proves to be less honorable than Wamuu and breaks his promise to fight Lisa Lisa one-on-one and sacrifices one of his weaker vampires in order to defeat her. Angered by Kars' treachery, Joseph then challenges Kars, who looks upon him as a weak ripple user and not even worth fighting seriously.

All seems to be over in this fight against Kars until a newly rebuilt Stroheim and his Nazi soldiers, Speedwagon, and Smokey arrive to help Joseph. Though it is revealed that Lisa Lisa is Joseph's biological mother, Joseph is constantly prevented from hearing about this. The ultraviolet light seems to have killed Kars and saved the world, but Kars had placed the stone mask on his face and fused it with the powers of the Red Stone of Aja to become an ultimate life form.[1]

Joseph and company frantically try to devise strategies to defeat Kars and Joseph manages to crash Kars into a volcano with a plane. However, Kars is able to cover himself in an armor of bubbles to protect himself from the molten lava. Right when all hope appears lost, Joseph defends himself from Kars' enhanced Ripple with the

Red Stone of Aja, which causes the volcano to erupt and throws Joseph into the sea and Kars into space. Joseph apparently then dies with his strength exhausted.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

The Aftermath

File:JosephF.png
Joseph shows up to his own "funeral"
Weeks later, a funeral is held for the presumably-dead Joseph, but Joseph himself crashes the event and reveals that after he fell back down from the sky, he ended up in Italy where he was helped by some local fisherman and nursed back to health by Suzi Q and later marries her. Joseph then returned to America to find his friends bewildered and shocked; he comes to the realization that Suzi Q had evidently forgotten to telegram them reassuring his survival.
Joseph and his new wife Suzi Q

Years later, Joseph, at the age of 67, bumps into a Japanese man in an airport. Joseph promptly punishes the man and subsequently explains his hatred of Japanese due to one marrying his daughter. In contrast, Joseph is content with his Japanese-made Sony Walkman and after putting his headphones on, he boards a plane to Japan.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many


Stardust Crusaders (1987-88)

Oh! My! God!
—Joseph Joestar's catchphrase for the majority of Part III

Joseph's daughter, Holy had apparently called him to Japan to help her son Jotaro, who had landed himself in a holding cell and refused to leave - claiming to be possessed by an evil spirit. Joseph arrives at the compound and at first, demands Jotaro to leave his cell. The latter ignores the request and uses the evil spirit to tear the little finger off Joseph's prosthetic hand. With no other choice, Joseph, in conjunction with his Egyptian companion, Muhammad Avdol, force Jotaro to unleash his "Stand" and trick him out of his cell. Jotaro admits his loss, and the group returns home where Joseph explains the manifestation of their stands is due to the recent awakening of the Joestar Family's arch-nemesis, Dio Brando.

Joseph (Age 67) visiting his grandson in prison.
When Holy develops a Stand which starts to leech away at her life, Joseph spearheads the effort to help her. Utilizing Hermit Purple, he tries to discern Dio's location (believing that by killing Dio, Holy's stand would disappear) - and is successful, thanks to Jotaro's Star Platinum noticing a fly in the background of the resulting photograph. Joseph, Jotaro, Avdol and newly joined companion, Kakyoin soon leave for Egypt by plane. During the flight, the group is attacked by an enemy stand user whom is defeated fairly easily, but manages to kill the plane's pilots. Joseph is forced to take wheel (despite having crashed a plane twice before) and manages to successively land it 35 km off the coast of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong

Arriving in Hong Kong, the group discussed their status over a meal. With Joseph's suggestion, the group decides to take a sea route through the Indian Sea that should get them to Egypt within 50 days. After inviting a random French tourist to their table, Joseph ordered the group some strange delicacies by mistake due to his inability to read Japanese Kanji. The french tourist, named Jean Pierre Polnareff, ends up impaling Joseph's prosthetic hand and quickly revealed himself to be one of DIO's men. At the Tiger Balm Garden, Avdol faced off against Polnareff's Stand, Silver Chariot. After defeating him, Avdol recognized Polnareff's chivalrous ways and chose not kill him. Jotaro then quickly removed Polnareff's flesh bud, just as he did with Kakyoin. At the dock, Polnareff asks Joseph about his prosthetic hand and decides to joins the group on their quest soon after.[2]

At sea

The Joestar Group takes a private boat manned by men from the Speedwagon Foundation, however although Captain Tennille, who commands the ship, is discovered as an impostor and working for DIO, the impostor manages to sabotage the boat, forcing Joseph, his companions and the crew to evacuate. They then encounter a deserted ship on which they go aboard, but the ship begins to attack them all, disabling Joseph and the rest of the Joestar Group save Jotaro who defeats the user of the ship Stand, an urang-utan.

Singapore

The group is eventually rescued and arrives in Singapore, where they go rest at a luxurious hotel. In his room, Joseph receives a phone call from Polnareff who warns him about a Stand user which Avdol explains could be Rubber Soul, a mercenary working for DIO. Although Joseph tries to gather everyone to stay safe, the threat is dealt with before everyone can meet. Joseph takes the opportunity of using the television set in his room to gather more information about their enemies, he only manages to receives a warning against Kakyoin and briefly spies on DIO before DIO psychically spots him and shoos him away.

Terror In India

Joseph and his companions arrive in Calcutta, India, where Joseph discovers that his preconceptions are actually true, as he is swarmed by beggars and the dirty street are full of of the diseased and the homeless. Polnareff separates from the group in search for his sister's murderer. Joseph and Jotaro search for him across the town, but when they learn that Avdol was wounded, decides to keep his survival a secret in order to operate more freely. Joseph and Jotaro then stumble upon a fleeing Hol Horse, one of DIO's henchmen. Although Hol Horse is surrounded, the timely intervention of a girl named Nena who pins Polnareff down allows Hol Horse to escape. Joseph is splattered with a drop of Nena's blood on his arm during the struggle. However a strange swelling appears where his arm was splattered. In Varanashi, Joseph's swelling grew so much that he decides to have it treated. However the swelling is revealed to be the Stand Empress which grows into a miniature humanoid attached to its arm. Empress kills a doctor and makes Joseph appear as the culprit, forcing him to flee across the town. However Joseph manages to dispose of Empress with his Hermit Purple and kills Nena. [2] The Joestar Group then buy a car in order to travel to Pakistan. On their way, they are attacked by a car, revealed as the Stand Wheel of Fortune, but Jotaro manages to defeat the enemy Stand and its user.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, the Joestar Group enters a foggy village where everyone is unwelcoming and unsuspicious. Joseph, trying to jump on his car in order to drive away, finds himself falling on the spikes of a barrier and nearly impales himself. However Enya the Hag, disguising as a gentle hotel owner, welcomes the group in their hotel. Enya eventually reveals herself but is swiftly defeated. However Joseph decides to keep Enya in order to interrogate her later. The group eventually arrives in Karachi, where Steely Dan kills Enya before she can reveal anything and subdues Joseph by having his Stand Lovers infiltrate his brain. Thus Joseph perceives tenfold whatever pain Steely Dan feels, and the group cannot harm Steely Dan. Joseph flees alongside Polnareff and Kakyoin while Jotaro is humiliated by Steely Dan, but Kakyoin and Polnareff shrink their Stands in order to fight Lovers directly inside Joseph's brain while Hermit Purple allows them to see inside it. Lovers and Steely Dan are eventually defeated.[3]

Arabia

In Arabia, Joseph decides to cross the desert with camels. However their attempt to cross it is thwarted when they are attacked by the Sun Stand. Jotaro manages to make a shelter against the Sun, but everyone is trapped. Joseph, trying to find a solution, sees his companions laugh maniacally and thinks that they are suffering from dementia. It turns out that Joseph was the last to spot their enemy's ridiculous hiding spot. Arabia Fats is swiftly defeated.

Joseph and his companions stop by a village and buy a Cessna in order to fly across the desert, with a baby. However, Kakyoin has a nightmare in the middle of the flight and becomes so agitated Joseph crashes. Although everyone survives, they are stranded in the desert. Kakyoin, suspicious of the baby, is knocked down and everyone goes to sleep, where they are attacked by Death Thirteen. Fortunately, Kakyoin manages to defeat the Stand as he summoned Hierophant Green.

The Red Sea

Joseph and his companions reach the Red Sea, where they go meet Avdol's father, in fact Advol who was secretly disguised in order to buy a submarine. The Joestar Group now reunited use the submarine to cross the sea. They are attacked by High Priestess, and forced to evacuate the sinking submarine, but High Priestess fuses with the bedrock and transforms into a gigantic face which swallows everyone. However Jotaro destroys High Priestess and everyone reaches Egypt.

Egypt

In Egypt, Joseph and the Joestar Group meets with men from the Speedwagon Foundation who provide supplies, give them the Stand user dog Iggy, and inform them of the Egypt 9 Glory Gods, nine other henchmen DIO kept up his sleeves. The first of the Egypt 9 Glory Gods, N'Doul, manages to injure Kakyoin and Avdol. However the combined efforts of Jotaro and Iggy manages to prevail.

Kakyoin is given to the care of local doctors, and although Jotaro is acting strange, nothing unusual happens.

Joseph is attacked by Mariah and her Stand Bastet and becomes magnetized alongside Avdol. Having every metallic object attracted to them is a huge handicap, but Joseph manages to surround Mariah with Avdol and uses her power to his advantage by having himself and Avdol collide with each other, crushing Mariah.[4]

After receiving a call from the Speedwagon Foundation, Joseph informs everyone that Holy had only four or five days left to live. In order to speed things up, they then take a train from Luxor to Cairo.[5]

The Genesis of Universe

(The information in this section derives from a Light Novel not written by Araki. As such, it may or may not be considered canon.)
Joseph appears in the Genesis of Universe novel in both chapters, where he is kept captive in Satanic Coupler with Avdol, but when he is rescued by the rest of the group, Joseph helps defeat the locomotive stand. He throws his metallic hand in Satanic Coupler's way, stopping it on its tracks. He also saves Jotaro from The Scribe Ani, damaging his stand, Ptah.

Egypt: Cairo

In Cairo, Joseph has taken a photograph of DIO's Mansion, but everyone he interrogates doesn't recognize it. One man named Daniel J. D'Arby lures the Joestar Group into a gambling session, where he steals Polnareff's soul. Determined to save Polnareff, Joseph challenges D'Arby to a game where each have to put coins into a glass nearly full of liquor and whoever makes the glass spill loses. Although Joseph tries to cheat, he is outsmarted by Daniel, and loses his souls. Fortunately, Jotaro manages to win everyone back.[6]

During several days, Joseph's search continues, but it is Iggy who guides everyone toward DIO's Mansion.

Battle in DIO's Mansion

The Joestar Group is welcomed by Telence T. D'Arby, the butler of the mansion, who forcibly drags Jotaro, Joseph and Kakyoin into a void. The trio finds themselves on an island in the middle of the sea where Telence challenges them to video games. Kakyoin loses the game and his soul, but Jotaro and Joseph cheat together in order to win the second round. When Jotaro pummels Telence, Telence is propelled through the fake sky of the underground room.[7]

Not out of the cellar yet, Joseph, Kakyoin and Jotaro notice that another battle is taking place as they try to escape.

Joseph, Jotaro and Kakyoin meet Nukesaku, a vampire, and bully him into indicating where DIO is. They decide to flank DIO from the outside of the building, breaking through a wall to enter a second time, and interrupt Polnareff and DIO's clash. Joseph alongside everyone follows Nukesaku to the room where DIO sleeps, but Nukesaku somehow is teleported inside a the coffin in the middle of the room, and Joseph, sniffing an ambush, flees through a window witlh the rest of the party. As the sun sets, Joseph decides that they flee because fighting the vampire without the slightest hint of his power is suicidal. He and Kakyoin flee first whereas Polnareff and Jotaro wait in ambush in order to follow DIO.[8]

Joseph, after having his blood drained by Dio

The Final Battle

DIO pursues Joseph and Kakyoin, who have bought a truck and are trying to drive away from him. At the same time, Kakyoin tries to attack DIO, without results, but notices that DIO's Stand The World is similar to Jotaro's. DIO sends a bystander crash into the truck, forcing Joseph to stop driving and instead hop across the roofs of Cairo.

However Kakyoin devises a plan to force DIO to use his power openly. DIO stops time, taking everyone by surprises and punches through Kakyoin. However Kakyoin manages to tip off Joseph about the true nature of The World. Joseph manages to decypher the cryptic message Kakyoin leaves in regards to Dio's power and even figures out some of The World's weaknesses, but DIO is too strong anyway.

Joseph is stabbed through the throat and taken out as he meets with Jotaro and warns him against The World. Later DIO sucks the entirety of Joseph's blood to power himself up, and Joseph seemingly dies, his specter talking one last time to Jotaro, who manages to kill DIO.[8]

The Long Journey Ends

Jotaro and Polnareff's injuries were dealt with by the Speedwagon Foundation. Since DIO had taken much of Joseph's blood, Jotaro asked for a blood transfusion from DIO's body to Joseph's. After using Star Platinum to restart Joseph's heartbeat, the transfusion began. The shriveled-up body that Joseph had after losing so much blood began returning to his normal muscular figure and Joseph fully revived. Joseph uses the opportunity and plays a joke on Jotaro, claiming to be Dio possessing Joseph's body which nearly causes Jotaro to attack him. Luckily Joseph is spared a beating by claiming it was a joke.

Later, Jotaro and Joseph took the remainder DIO's body outside, where it evaporated with the rising sun. They then gave one final moment of thought for Kakyoin, Iggy, and Avdol.[9]

At the airport, Joseph and Jotaro gave a final goodbye to Polnareff, who was finally ready to return to his home country of France. Joseph asks Polnareff to come with him to America, knowing that the latter had no one waiting for him back home. Polnareff refused the offer, stating that despite being alone, France was his homeland. The trio gave their final goodbyes and left, promising to see one another again someday. In Japan, Holy awoke fully healed and freed from the curse. Even miles away, she knew her son and father were coming home.[9][9]

Diamond is Unbreakable (1999)

File:Elderly joseph.jpg
Joseph (age 79) as seen in Diamond Is Unbreakable, holding Shizuka

Jotaro travels to Morioh upon discovering that Joseph has an illegitimate son there named Josuke. Joseph ultimately also ends up traveling to Morioh to help localize Akira Otoishi, though he has aged, can no longer walk without a cane, wears spectacles, is hard of hearing, and isn't nearly as athletic as he used to be. He seems to have lost the use of his Ripple abilities, though this may be due to his age causing him to be incapable of sustaining the required breathing techniques for it. He is still able to use Hermit Purple, however. Joseph serves a supporting role as a result, and isn't involved in the majority of battles in this part.

At one point, he discovers an "invisible baby" which turns out to be the stand user of Achtung Baby. When the baby's carriage becomes invisible as well and rolls down a hill to land in a pool, Josuke panics about not being able to locate the baby in the water. Joseph, however, cuts himself to stain the water with his blood, thus allowing Josuke to find the baby. He says he did it because he wanted to make Josuke proud. By the end, Joseph adopts the baby and named her Shizuka - this, however, leads to further conflict with his wife Suzi Q, who believes the baby to be another "secret child."

Stone Ocean (2012)

In an interview with Eiichiro Funakoshi, Araki describes Joseph to be "likely still alive, albeit a little dumber."[10] Though he does not appear in Part 6, this would put him his 90's during its events.

Steel Ball Run

His counterpart is not seen as of yet in JoJolion, however, on the Higashikata family tree, his name is seen as the father of Holy Joestar-Kira, and the son of George Joestar II. His name is also shown without a death year, showing that he might be alive as his original counterpart was in the same year as well.


References

  1. Chapter 105-108: Treachery at the Temple of Sacrifice and Episode 23-24: The Warrior Returning to the Wind
  2. 2.0 2.1 Chapter 146-149: Empress (story arc) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "C146-149" defined multiple times with different content
  3. Chapters 160-165: The Lovers
  4. Chapters 199-204: "Bast" Mariah
  5. Chapter 210: Shooting Dio?!
  6. Chapters 211-216: D'Arby the Gambler
  7. Chapters 227-237: D'Arby the Gamer
  8. 8.0 8.1 Chapters 247-264: Dio's World
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Chapter 265: The Long Journey Ends, Goodbye My Friends Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "C265" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "C265" defined multiple times with different content
  10. Weekly Shonen 「」 (JOJO冒險 荒木飛呂彥100問專訪); Q75, April 5, 2003