Given that his name can be contracted to JoJo, it should come as no surprise to learn that Joseph Joestar is one of the protagonists of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. Moreover, he is one of the more popular protagonists of the long-running series as well. Something that can be seen in how Joseph is the second most recurring JoJo, beaten out by his grandson Jotaro Kujo. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Joseph Joestar:
1. Grandson of the First JoJo
Joseph is the grandson of Jonathan Joestar, who was the first JoJo to serve as a protagonist in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. Jonathan’s short marriage to Erina Pendleton resulted in a posthumous son named George, who went on to have Joseph.
2. Raised By Erina
It is interesting to note that Joseph was raised by his grandmother Erina. This is because his father was killed by an undead monster, while his mother went on the run because she was caught in the act of killing said undead monster, who was very much a public figure. Due to this, Joseph didn’t know his parents when growing up.
3. Sometimes Misses the Point
Amusingly, Joseph has been known to miss the point from time to time, with the most memorable example being when he was told that the woman Lisa Lisa was the baby that Erina managed to save at the end of Part 1 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. Joseph’s thought was that Lisa Lisa must’ve been in her 50s, but the more relevant part is that said baby grew up to get married to George, meaning that he failed to realize that Lisa Lisa was his mother.
4. Hot Tempered
Joseph is a very different person from his grandfather Jonathan, which did much to differentiate the two from one another. For example, Joseph has a fierce temper in Part 2, so much so that he has been known to start fights when someone upsets his grandmother.
5. Unorthodox Fighter
Speaking of which, while Jonathan put a huge emphasis on fighting fair and square, Joseph is a much more unorthodox fighter. For example, he is perfectly prepared to run when he is outmatched by his opponent. Likewise, he is perfectly willing to use trickery if that will give him the advantage that he needs to win out.
6. Is a Ripper User
The Ripple is a kind of power that can be manipulated by superhuman martial artists in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. It is supposed to be the same as the power of the Sun, which explains why it is so useful against not just vampires but also other undead and otherwise unnatural monstrosities.
7. Is a Stand User
Besides the Ripple, Joseph is a Stand user as well. Here, a Stand means a manifestation of the user’s fighting spirit, which is called thus because it tends to show up standing besides said individual. Joseph’s stand Hermit Purple isn’t particularly good for head-to-head combat, but it makes him an excellent diviner. Moreover, Joseph has shown the power to channel the Ripple through his Stand, which is rare to say the least.
8. Has Three Children
In time, Joseph goes on to have three children. The first is his daughter Holy Kujo, with whom he is very close. The second is his son Josuke Higashikata, who was born of an extramarital relationship. The third is his adopted daughter Shizuka Joestar, who he found as an abandoned baby presumably because she is a Stand user whose Stand can turn her invisible.
9. Long-Lived
Joseph has the distinction of being the longest-lived male Joestar seen in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures, though to be fair, it should be mentioned that male Joestars tend not to live that long because of the dangerous shenanigans that happen around the family. The series has shown Joseph in his youthful prime as well as Joseph as an old, decrepit man who had gone senile.
10. Likes to Joke Around
At the end of Part 3, Joseph had to be saved by a blood infusion because he had been fed upon by the vampire DIO. Upon awakening, his immediate reaction was to pretend that he had been possessed by DIO to screw around with his grandson Jotaro, which almost got him attacked by Jotaro’s famously punch-happy Stand before he very promptly revealed that it was a joke.
