JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Characters & Cast

Initially motivated by a desire to live up to his family's code of honor and protect those he loves, especially his sweetheart Erina. After Dio's transformation into a vampire and the murder of his father, his motivation becomes a righteous quest for vengeance and the eradication of Dio's evil, seeing it as his personal responsibility to end the horror he feels he inadvertently helped create.

Jonathan begins as a somewhat naive but earnest young nobleman striving to be a "true gentleman." His life is a crucible, forged by the relentless cruelty of his adopted brother, Dio Brando. This torment forces Jonathan to develop an "explosive power" and unwavering resolve. He evolves from a privileged boy into a courageous warrior who masters Hamon to protect his loved ones and the world. His arc is one of tragic heroism; he finds strength not for personal gain but out of a profound sense of duty and love, culminating in his ultimate sacrifice, which sets the stage for the entire Joestar legacy.

Dio's primary motivation is to rise above all others and seize ultimate power. He craves control, wealth, and immortality, believing them to be his birthright. His actions are driven by a profound hatred for the Joestar family, whom he sees as naive and undeserving of their fortune. He seeks to create a world where he is the undisputed ruler, a literal god.

Dio's arc is a relentless ascent to power fueled by a deep-seated resentment of his impoverished upbringing and an insatiable desire for dominance. He starts as a cunning and cruel young man who methodically destroys Jonathan Joestar's life. His transformation via the Stone Mask is not a change in character but an amplification of his inherent nature. He "rejects his humanity" to become a being of pure evil and ambition. Across the series (returning in Part 3), his arc is not one of change but of escalation. He goes from a vampire to a powerful Stand user, consistently embodying the ultimate, charismatic, and megalomaniacal threat to the Joestar lineage and the world itself.

Jotaro's initial motivation is simple and deeply personal: to save his mother, Holly, whose body cannot handle the awakening of her own Stand. This singular goal drives him on the perilous journey to Egypt to kill Dio. In later years, his motivation broadens to encompass the protection of his family (including his daughter, Jolyne) and the world from emerging Stand-related threats that Dio's legacy continues to create.

Introduced in Part 3, Jotaro begins as a rebellious, delinquent teenager who is gruff and seemingly uncaring. The awakening of his Stand, Star Platinum, and the threat to his mother's life forces him onto a hero's journey. Throughout "Stardust Crusaders," he evolves from a solitary tough guy into a capable leader and a loyal friend, though he maintains his stoic exterior. In his subsequent appearances in later parts, Jotaro matures into a wise, albeit distant, mentor figure. His arc is about a man who learns to channel his immense power and quiet intensity for the sake of others, becoming the reliable pillar of the Joestar family for a new generation.

Joseph is initially motivated by a desire to protect his family and friends, particularly his grandmother Erina and mentor Lisa Lisa. He is thrust into the fight against the Pillar Men after his friend Speedwagon is captured. His core motivation is often reactive, but he possesses a fierce loyalty and a knack for rising to the occasion, using his cleverness and penchant for predicting his enemy's next line to turn any desperate situation to his advantage.

As the protagonist of Part 2, the young Joseph is the antithesis of his grandfather Jonathan: he is a brash, cocky, and irreverent brawler who prefers to outsmart his opponents rather than overpower them. His journey to defeat the Pillar Men forces him to mature and master Hamon in his own unique, unconventional way. When he returns as an old man in Part 3 and 4, his trickster nature remains, but it's tempered with the wisdom and experience of age. He transitions from the hot-headed hero to the wily, supportive elder, serving as a vital link between the generations of Joestars.