The Jojo's Bizarre Adventure anime has now adapted six of its eight completed parts over the course of 10 years, finally bringing many of the greatest moments of the popular long-running series to life in animated form. With all this already animated, though, exactly which episodes of the series have turned out to be among the best of the best?
It's a little difficult to rank episodes of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, if only because story arcs often run for more than one episode, meaning that individual episodes are likely to only contain part of a beloved manga storyline. Still, individual episodes can and do stand out for a variety of reasons, including incredible moments, outstanding animation, and superb voice acting. What follows are ten of the absolute best episodes of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and as a result, there may be some discussion of spoilers.
10 D'Arby the Gambler, Part 2 – Stardust Crusaders episode #35
The D'Arby the Gambler story arc sees Jotaro up against the eponymous D'Arby in the most high-stakes game of Poker ever to be featured in anime. Rather than gambling money, D'Arby's stand ability allows them to wager the souls of Jotaro's companions, and with Dio breathing down his neck, D'Arby is willing to do anything it takes to win, including cheat. The episode is really just Stardust Crusaders at its best; Jotaro is tough and no-nonsense, even with the pressure mounting, while D'Arby himself folds like a house of cards when the pressure gets too great. The best part is when Jotaro reveals he was bluffing all along, stunning the gambler and driving him mad.
9 Under A Sky That Could Come Falling At Any Moment – Golden Wind episode #28
This episode of Golden Wind features the death of an important character in Giorno's crew, Abbacchio. Abbachio was sent to discover the identity of the Boss of Passione, the gang which Bucciarati and friends are all members of. Abbachio's death is handled beautifully and tragically in the anime, with both the music and voice acting bringing a new level of heartbreak to the scene. Despite his death, though, Abbachio still completes his mission, offering Giorno, Bucciarati, and the rest an impression of the Boss's face and fingerprints, a critical clue they'll need to track him down.
8 Goodbye Morioh – The Golden Heart – Diamond is Unbreakable episode #39
The final episode of part four, "Goodbye, Morioh" sees the climax of the battle with Yoshikage Kira after several time loops and some significant losses on the heroes' part. The episode sees some awesome moments from Koichi, Jotaro, and Josuke, who work together to finally defeat Kira. Perhaps best is Kira's ultimate fate, his soul ripped to shreds by the ghosts of Hell as one of his murdered victims watches on. It's incredibly satisfying after all that Kira has gotten away with to finally see him get his comeuppance, and getting one last Star Platinum beatdown in is enough to boost any episode's rating over the top.
7 The Long Journey Farewell, My Friends – Stardust Crusaders episode #48
The final episode of part three sees Jotaro and iconic JoJo villain Dio's ultimate battle come to a head, with the vampiric overlord empowered by draining old man Joseph's blood. Things are looking grim, with Jotaro effectively the only hero still on his feet, but Jotaro isn't the kind of man to give in under dire circumstances. Like with Kira, it's unbelievably satisfying to watch the smug Dio get his face pounded in by Jotaro, particularly since Jotaro turns the tables on him by using his own time-stopping ability against him. Joseph is ultimately revived, and while he, Jotaro, and Polnareff are the only survivors, their fallen friends can rest easy knowing that their sacrifices to stop Dio weren't in vain.
6 Bites the Dust, Part 1 – Diamond is Unbreakable episode #35
This episode offers fans a look at the popular JoJo side character Rohan Kishibe and star of his own spinoff, at his very best. Rohan has discovered the identity of the serial killer Yoshikage Kira, and is desperate to get this information to his allies, even at the cost of his own life. While Rohan has had some questionable behavior in the past, this episode proves that above all else, Rohan really is a hero, willing to die if it means Jotaro can put a stop to Kira's rampage. Kira is at his smuggest here as well, making his upcoming fall all the more enjoyable when it actually happens.
5 Maiden Heaven, Part 2 – Stone Ocean episode #37
The penultimate episode of part six, Maiden Heaven sees the passage of time continue to accelerate as the heroes flee to the ocean, desperate to stop Pucci and his ultimate Stand, but completely at a loss as to how to do so. One by one, each of the heroes must sacrifice themselves to buy time, until young Emporio is the only one left, and suddenly finds himself back at Green Dolphin Street prison once more. The time shenanigans are at their absolute peak in all of Jojo here, and it's truly heartbreaking to watch these characters the audience has grown to care about forced to sacrifice themselves to save the world. While it may all work out in the end, this episode is truly the bleakest things could be.
4 Golden Wind Requiem – Golden Wind episode #38
The penultimate episode of part 5, this episode reveals the true power of Giorno's upgraded Stand, Golden Wind Requiem. Diavolo is struck by the Stand's ability and placed into an endless hell, where he materializes in random locations, only to die immediately under bizarre circumstances, all beyond the bounds of ordinary reality, where no one could possibly save him. It's one of the most diabolical punishments a villain could ever receive in fiction, and Diavolo certainly earned it. The episode also includes an extended flashback to before the series began, revealing the events that led to Giorno and Bucciarati's fateful meeting at the start.
3 Emperor and the Hanged Man, Part 2 – Stardust Crusaders episode #11
This story arc marks the first appearance of beloved recurring villain Hol Horse who eventually got his own spinoff manga, where he starred alongside part 4's Josuke. The episode opens with Avdol's presumed death, and only escalates from there. Much of the episode is focused on the confrontation with J.Geil, master of The Hanged Man Stand, which jumps between reflective surfaces, including the reflections in people's eyes. Like D'Arby the Gambler, this episode is simply an example of the series doing what it does best: a terrifying enemy Stand, a dash of body horror, and memorable characters, all just another day for the Stardust Crusaders crew.
2 Green Tea and Sanctuary, Part 2 – Golden Wind episode #31
"Green Tea and Sanctuary" features one of the most legendary scenes from the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure manga: "the seven-page Muda." As animated, this scene shows Giorno Giovanna delivering one of the most epic beatdowns in anime history, wailing on an especially depraved villain for upwards of thirty seconds of non-stop punching. The episode also features a return appearance by Stardust Crusaders' Polnareff, who's about to play a big role in the finale of Golden Wind. Either one by itself would make this episode a good one, but both together ensures it a place near the top.
1 Dio's World, Part 2 – Stardust Crusaders episode #46
The third-to-last episode of Stardust Crusaders sees Dio at the peak of his abilities. Battling against Kakyoin, Dio is rapidly able to kill the Stand-wielding warrior, but not before Kakyoin sets a trap for him that will ultimately reveal the true capability of his Stand, The World. It also sees Joseph finally going face-to-face with Dio, and while things don't go great for him, the seeds are sown here for Dio's final demise. The episode ends with one of the most famous scenes of all time: Dio and Jotaro walking towards each other, ready for their last confrontation, one which will settle a century-old family feud.
There are dozens more episodes of Jojo that are worthy of a spot at the top, but these ten represent some of the best of the best. Many of them involve climactic moments for their entire storylines, which is naturally a bit more exciting than a one-off adventure, while others are simply perfect executions of the standard Jojo formula, with terrifying stands, awesome battles, and bizarre characters. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is the rare anime that will almost never let its viewers down, and these episodes happen to be the finest the series has to offer.