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JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 2: Sentou Chouryuu
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 2: Battle Tendency
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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Dai Ni Bu Joseph Joestar: Sono Hokoritakaki Kettou

Japanese: ジョジョの奇妙な冒険戦闘潮流

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 7

Chapters: 69

Status: Finished

Published: Oct 20, 1987 to Mar 14, 1989

Genres: Action, Adventure

Themes: Historical, Vampire

Demographic: Shounen

Serialization: Shounen Jump (Weekly)

Authors: Araki, Hirohiko (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.14¹ (scored by 67,705 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #515²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #131

Members: 109,901

Favorites: 3,449

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Jan 12, 2013

Lindle

Recommended

Any patience you had with the flawed first arc will be rewarded handsomely.

While Phantom Blood was dragged down by an extremely dull protagonist, an overly-evil villain, poor art, and a slow beginning, by the very first chapter Battle Tendency has already done away with half of this. BT picks up 50 years onwards from Phantom Blood, in the 1930s, and now follows the grandson of Jonathan Joestar, Joseph Joestar. While the two are dead ringers for each other in appearance, you would never mistake one for the other - they're polar opposites in terms of personality. Where Jonathan was noble, gentlemanly, and generically heroic, Joseph ...

Jul 12, 2012

WandererRedux

Recommended

As the second Part of the long running series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Battle Tendency finds itself in an interesting position that many other series would not find themselves in: it sits between what some might consider an average first act and a third act where many people say "is where the series becomes really good" and it is thus not unheard of for people to gloss over this part all together. Which is a shame as Part 2 is a great part in its own right and doesn't see half of the praise that it deserves.

While the story of Phantom Blood was difficult to explain ... due to just how bizarre yet oddly linear the narrative was on paper, Battle Tendency's is a case of it being both very weird in nature while also being much larger and better defined in scope. Events take place a few decades after the end of Phantom Blood, picking up in 1930's America when the world was on the edge of a second world war. We are quickly introduced to our protagonist Joseph Joestar, age 18 who is a nigh splitting image of his grandfather Jonathan. Joseph possesses an innate ability to harness the power of the Ripple, an ability that he has inherited from his grandfather before him and can use to great effect, quickly utilising it to rescue a pickpocket named Smokey Brown from a couple of corrupt police officers. Meanwhile we are reintroduced to his "Uncle", the aged Robert Speedwagon (who has managed to strike oil and create an organization in his name between the 50 year gap), where it is revealed that he has discovered ruins which allude to the origins of the vampire-creating stone mask. It is here that he uncovers the true origins of the accursed mask and a promise of a threat that is of a much greater scale: vampire transcending beings simply known as the Pillar men.

In summary it's basically more of the same nonsense that was present in Phantom Blood, but more refined and benefitting from a shift in genre; while it can be said that Phantom Blood's atmosphere was designed to reflect classic horror's like Dracula, Battle Tendency strives to provide a more traditional adventure series like Indiana Jones. This is especially apparent as the series visits multiple countries around the world as the story goes on. Note that while the series is more refined than its predecessor it still falls for similar pot holes that hurt the overall tone of the story (probably the best example of this is how the main characters are aided by the Nazi’s at one point without any sense of irony), which is more of a quirk of Hirohiko Araki’s writing style and continues to pop up throughout the series. In the end the story is what it is: the series is funny when it’s meant to be funny, sad when it’s meant to be sad and you're rooting for the main characters to overcome their enemies around every bend of the story, which is exactly what needed to be done.

In contrast to a majority of the characters in Phantom Blood, the characters in Battle Tendency are all interesting and more complex than how they initially appear. Joseph, despite the strong resemblance towards Jonathan (the previous part's protagonist for anyone unfamiliar) is about as similar to him as night is to day: while Jonathan was more of a stupidly naïve hero who always fought in a gentlemanly manner, Joseph starts out as a rebellious, jerk-ish hothead whom is not above fighting dirty or comically running away from a situation. This immediately makes his character a lot more interesting, as it shows that he's a far cry from Jonathan’s near messianic level of heroism yet maintains a sincere care for those who he makes deep connections towards. This causes him to give his all to protect them and in turn leads him into becoming a better person as a result. Overall he’s a much stronger main character than Jonathan was and the story benefits greatly from it. Supporting protagonists and secondary characters are likewise more interesting than in the previous part, with the important ones possessing a surprising amount of depth behind their surface personality traits. Special mentions go towards Caesar, eventual rival and friend of Joseph and Stroheim, a patriotic Nazi soldier whom Joseph encounters on his journey, as they both provide a great contrast between themselves and Joseph. The only real characters one could take an issue with are Suzi Q who was introduced solely to provide a love interest towards Joseph and the Pillar Men whom make some baffling poor decisions for beings of their age and intelligence level. To top things off they're frankly not as memorable or entertaining a villain as the first parts villain, Dio. Of course these are more nit-picky complaints than anything else and can easily be overlooked when focusing on the more positive aspects of the series.

As was the case with Phantom Blood, the combat is the absolute high point of the series and has matured to be a lot more creative in execution. The Ripple fighting style that appeared in previous series reappears here shockingly enough, but the utilisation in Battle Tendency favours focusing Ripple energy (basically chi mixed with UV rays for those unfamiliar) into other objects than transferring the energy into their foes by punching them. This logical evolution adds a broader range of combat possibilities and strategies that were simply in a state of infancy when the Ripple was used in the previous part and is nearly comparable to the “Stand” abilities that appear in part 3 onwards. The abilities that each of the Pillar Men possess are very entertaining as well (if a bit less creative) and subsequently provide excellent enemies to Joseph and Co.

The art style of the series is essentially more of the same as the previous arc; featuring handsome muscle-bound characters and beautiful women with a liking for uniquely styled clothing. Having said this there is definitely an evolution in Araki’s drawing style as lines appear bolder than what they did in Phantom Blood and panels appear somewhat neater, giving an impression of increased experience. Background art is worth a decent mention as well: this series visits a variety of different countries and is able to capture pure scenic at the best of times. All in all the artwork is something that you may enjoy, though it is hardly the author’s best work.

So is Battle Tendency a good manga to read? Yes, provided that you have read Phantom Blood before reading this part. It’s a superior series in nearly every way and gives a good indication of just what direction the series is heading towards. If Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure was to be compared to a butterfly’s lifecycle; Battle Tendency would be Jojo’s chrysalis stage; in the middle of changing from its Phantom Blood larvae stage and heading towards its emergence from its cocoon (Stardust Crusaders), where it becomes something awe inspiring. If nothing else if you're planning to read this series the way through then this part is definitely worth the time you'd spend reading it.

《TO BE CONTINUED||

Apr 20, 2015

Realhumanbean

Recommended

Following up to the successful Phantom Blood, Hirohiko Araki delivers a perfect example of a good sequel: get everything great about the first and build on it, and get everything bad about the first and improve it. What Araki creates is one of the best direct sequels in manga history.

Story: 8/10
Battle Tendency picks up 50 years after the events of Phantom Blood, around 1940. After the ending of Phantom Blood, Speedwagon moves to America and becomes an insanely rich oil tycoon. He forms the Speedwagon Foundation with the ultimate goal of protecting the Joestar family and killing all vampires. Jonathan's wife, Erina, raises ... her grandson Joseph Joestar, the second true Jojo. Joseph moves to America while Speedwagon discovers frozen vampires in Mexico. However, Nazis led by Rudol von Stroheim kidnap him and accidentally awaken the vampires, known as the Pillar Men. Now they have to team up with Speedwagon, Joseph, Zeppeli's grandson Caesar, and a mysterious martial artist named Lisa Lisa to stop the Pillar Men (Santana, Wham, ACDC, and Kars) from destroying the world. It's a very fun story that never has a slow moment unlike Phantom Blood. Much more comedic than it's predecessor, the dramatic moments still hit hard. The climax, though stupid beyond belief, is nevertheless epic and hilariously over the top.

Art: 8/10
The art has improved greatly since Phantom Blood. Araki is still sticking with the overly macho man style while dealing a little bit better with anatomy. Not much o say here other than it's a great improvement over Phantom Blood, while still retaining its style, a style Araki won't really change until Part 4.

Characters: 8/10
For the most part, the characters are very fun. Speedwagon is pretty much useless, but it fits his character who not only is frail and timid to begin with but is now like 89 years old. von Stroheim, especially when he becomes a cyborg, is simply awesome, and his assertions of Nazi German superiority seem true. Caesar serves a similar role that his grandfather did in Phantom Blood, but he's much more young and hotheaded, making him a perfect counterpart to Joseph. The Pillar Men are pure hype, and Wham specifically is one of the best Jojo antagonists ever. I did not care much for Lisa Lisa or Smokey Brown (A kid that Joseph takes with him when eh tried to pickpocket Joseph) at all.

But to make up for that, Joseph. Addressing the complaints that Jonathan was "too dull" and "too one dimensional", Joseph is a colorful character and unlike Jonathan, is a trickster. Rather than fight nobly, Joseph gets enjoyment out of creating master ruses to piss off his enemies. His trademark "You're next line will be..." is hilarious. Pretty much everything about him is hilarious in fact, whether crossdressing to sneak into a Nazi camp or throwing dismembered arms to choke enemies. It's impossible to not be tricked into following this crazy bastard thanks to his endless charisma, wackiness, and flamboyance.

Enjoyment: 9/10
Battle Tendency is a very fun story arc for all the reasons above. It feels much more like a "bizarre adventure" than Phantom Blood did, and it delivers all the goods expected and more. It's very, very dumb, but that's the fun. And even with the comedy, there are still some damn fine dramatic moments, and it's overall very well written as expected of Araki.

Overall: 8/10
Great fights, great characters, great art, Battle Tendency is just lots of fun. A more than worthy follow up to Phantom Blood, it's like the Terminator 2 of manga.

Jun 20, 2015

AmbiguousMonster

Recommended

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency is an appropriately bombastic, artistically successful action series with engaging characters that falls just short of excellence.

The story of Battle Tendency starts 50 years after Phantom Blood in pre-World War II New York. It involves Joseph Joestar, the grandson of Jonathan, and his battles against the creators of the stone masks, ancient vampires named ACDC, Wham and Cars (yes, they are actually called this). One of the most appealing aspects about Battle Tendency’s story is that it spans across several different countries, involves many new and exciting characters and several creative set-pieces. The story is appropriately tense and fast paced ... while still retaining its humour in a way that feels natural and complementary, rather than conflicting. From the beginning until the end, the audience are not faced with the question of what will happen, but rather how it will. This leads to the more tense and engaging action sequences, helped largely by eccentric villains and likable lead and supporting characters.

Joseph Joestar is the most enjoyable part of Battle Tendency, balancing juvenile behaviour with quick, believable wit underpinned by his genuine kindness and awareness of the situation. His amusing running jokes, like guessing the enemies words and making them look foolish before defeating them, and his interactions with his allies and opposition really elevate the reading experience to something much more entertaining than it would first appear to be. Caesar is also an interesting character, appropriately brash and forceful, but he serves primarily as foil for Joseph. Lisa Lisa is memorable in both design and attitude, though is slightly short-changed in interaction and development. The other characters who show up briefly serve their purpose well without overshadowing the main characters, and the larger character cast gives Battle Tendency and overall grander feel than Phantom Blood. The villains are also quite distinct, each having a different attitude and method of defeating the main character, though ACDC is admittedly less compelling than Cars or Wham. They feel legitimately threatening, though at times they do fall into shounen stereotypes.

The art is of slightly higher quality than Phantom Blood’s, though the main reason for the aesthetic improvement lies in the more ambitious designs. Joseph looks much like Jonathan, but is more noticeable because of the unique way in which his body moves. Caesar looks much like Joseph, but a few key changes, such as his hair style and bandana, does prevent the audience from ever confusing the two of them. Lisa Lisa looks quite different to all other females in Jojo’s Bizarre adventure, seeming strong, agile and confident without pride or bombast. The villains’ designs, however, are the most outstanding visual element of Battle Tendency. They appear proud and ancient while still maintaining that distinct Jojo look of strength and durability. The action sequences, without exception, are well-crafted, clearly drawn and never leave the audience feeling cheated or underwhelmed.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency is a sizable step-up from Phantom Blood in many aspects, be it engaging and distinct characters, or well-drawn and executed action or comedy, Battle Tendency is a great shonen action series with a lot going for it, and I certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Phantom Blood.

Dec 10, 2019

Dotanuki

Mixed Feelings

Part 1 was at 19th Centuary England, Part 2 was around late 30s just before world war II and it spaned from America to Italy. Part 1's Jonathan Joester, the 1st Jojo was a noble gentleman, Part 2's Joseph Joester The 2nd Jojo (the grand son of Jonathan) was a hot headed smart and talented kid who could use hamon special tecniques without training and he loved comics, it cought my eyes that he had Superman comics in his hands at a flight travel panel in plane. lol Jonathan and Joseph look visually exactly the same btw. I didn't like the Part 2 as much ...

May 15, 2014

THEAnimeHERO

Recommended

Battle Tendency is Part 2 of the JoJo series so please read Part 1 first.

50 years after the events of Phantom Blood, Joseph Joestar makes his debut as the grandson of Jonathan Joestar. The story begins once Straights uses the stone mask battling Joseph who then later encounters The Wermacht & the series villains; The Pillar Men who created The Stone Masks of Part 1.

This story continues the original message of the importance of family as history repeats itself with the descendants of The Joestars & The Zeppelis having to face Aztec Vampires. Battle Tendency succeeds as a sequel as it vastly improves The Ripple ...

Mar 15, 2019

heartattacks

Recommended

DISCLAIMER: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a currently ongoing series with (at the moment of writing), 7 complete parts and one ongoing one. It's important to first make the distinction that this is NOT one ongoing story split into parts, but rather 8 stories in the same universe following the Joestar bloodline, that share similar elements, plot points, and even motivations in some cases.
Due to that, this and my other JoJo reviews will follow an unique JoJo rating system, since in my opinion it cannot be easily compared to other manga, done in a beginner-friendly way so as to illustrate whether or not it is worth ... it to get invested in the series, and how it compares to other parts of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If Phantom Blood took notes from Fist of the North Star when it comes to the artstyle, Battle Tendency takes notes from it for the story. Despite being barely longer than Phantom Blood, it packs a lot more plot and enjoyable moments.
Picking up 50 years after the events of Phantom Blood, we follow our second Joestar protagonist, Joseph Joestar, as he has to learn the Ripple to combat an ancient superhuman threats awakened by nazis.
Yes you heard that right, similar to PB, BT is also essentially a B-movie in manga form, but this time it's on the higher end of them.

Once again, we follow Ripple/Hamon users as they breathe their way to victory, one puff at a time. However this time the Ripple is utilized to its fullest extent. If you wondered "why don't they just do __" during Phantom Blood, rest assured that this time they most likely will. It's extremely to fun to see the crazy stuff Joseph and Caesar come up with to win, and speaking of crazy things...

Battle Tendency is crazy.
It's just not crazy, it's insane.
The Ripple is utilized in insanely ingenious ways to ensure victory, and the Pillar Men, the villains of this part, are giant, muscular half-naked men with varying powers, including heating up their body so much that throwing their blood at things makes them melt.
And let's not forget Nazis and a Nazi Cyborg are in it as well.

Art is a slight step up from Phantom Blood, easier to understand but due to the previously mentioned insanity of it, the weird artstyle actually complements the series rather well this time around.

Both Joseph Joestar and Caesar Zeppeli are awesome protagonists with amazing chemistry. Joseph always has a trick up his sleeve to adapt to the situation (or run from it), while Caesar is stubborn and tries his best to train and win.
The villains are also extremely charismatic and beloved by the fandom, and they completely deserve that. While not as memorable as Dio, they are essentially Fist of the North Star bosses, with supernatural abilities complementing their martial arts, and the final villain has a breathtakingly amazing fight.

Overall it's a HUGE step up from Phantom Blood in everything, definite recommendation if you want a solid battle manga, and it truly rewards the reader for trudging through Part 1. The finale is one of the most memorable despite it only being 7 volumes long, which deserves a lot of praise.

Oct 25, 2024

TheScarletCutter

Recommended

JoJo part 2 is one hell of a ride. Whether you take this part seriously or not, there’s no denying that this is very fun to sit through. The craziness as well as how it fiddles with exploration in the best ways possible is what makes this part unique. Not only that but it further extends the variety of the franchise’s writing since part 1. While part 1 is a good introduction to the franchise and is far better than what people give credit for, part 2 is on a different level with how it extends the charms part 1 has.

What is Battle Tendency? It’s ... the part that comes after Phantom Blood. Since the death of Jonathan Joestar and the supposed “defeat” of Dio Brando, Erina is now a Joestar and took good care of Lisa Lisa and George Joestar II, both of which eventually took good care of Joseph Joestar until George died which eventually led to Lisa Lisa leaving the family while Erina takes care of Joseph. Speedwagon now owns a company and his goal is to explore the Pillar Men, the inventors of the stone masks. Joseph is kind of left unaware until he faces his first opponent which makes him discover the Pillar Men the same way as the Speedwagon Foundation. This part, again, is more substantial compared to part 1 because whereas part 1 portrays the stone mask as a cursed and mysterious decoration, part 2 finally shows us the answer about how the stone masks are made.

That’s not the only thing that makes part 2 special, though, it also works more on worldbuilding. Going from New York to Mexico to Italy, all while finding clues and battling unique foes in each location adds more to the franchise’s adventure aspect. We get to see how Joseph likes to fool around and still does but also needs to progress from place to place to solve each problem alongside his sidekicks. It gives the progression more life with how it presents how we go and execute each scenario from point A to point B. Even if it’s a battle Shounen, it excels at mystery-solving. Notice how Joseph has Hamon arguably not as potent as Jonathan’s yet is more substantial at fighting with finding more strategy. Not just utilizing Hamon uniquely but also finding the available resources to make up for a lack of strong punch. While some tactics can be off-putting, and I will get to that, it makes for great fight scenes, both in style and in substance.

Another thing the series does a good job at is how it still further extends the Joestar bloodline. How it portrays the bloodline is actually tragic. George II was a great soldier who fought in a war and was married to Lisa Lisa. Both of them were a loving husband and a loving wife respectively to each other, despite Lisa Lisa training hard to master Hamon. Eventually, however, George II was slaughtered by the last zombie made by Dio and Lisa Lisa had no choice but to risk and kill that zombie which temporarily turned her into a wanted person. She was forced to abandon Joseph so as to not give him a weird reputation. Can you imagine how tragic it is? Lisa Lisa wants to be a loving mother yet faces so many consequences that she needs to leave her son to have him protected. Again, there are some problems that I’ll get into but nonetheless, this portrayal is beautiful.

The same probably cannot be said for the Zeppeli bloodline, however. It’s nice that there’s more extension to it, especially with a good backstory, but it felt rather underutilized and we only get to see some substantial moments of it. It’s understandable that the Zeppeli bloodline needs to end right here but give us more of it. There’s no way it was intentionally treated as some sort of plot device for something. It’s kind of disrespectful.

Now, the characters. Starting with Joseph, the second JoJo, and a professional trickster, Caesar, the bubble-making avenger, and Lisa Lisa, the mentor and mother of Joseph. Joseph is a very good character. Not only he is fun to watch, but he’s also a genius when it comes to finding a strategy. He isn’t your typical protagonist who relies solely on powers. He finds other ways in order to win a fight. His chemistry with any character, especially Caesar, also makes him substantial. Just one problem, however. Some of his tricks are absurd and can considered to be asspull. Some examples include the grenade trick and countering Kars in the final fight. Now of course, JoJo is a series that isn’t taken seriously but even for that standard, those tricks can be too ridiculous for their own good. Nonetheless, Joseph is still pretty great.

Caesar, he’s alright. His chemistry with Joseph is the best part about his character but other than that, he’s lacking. He does show his history with his family and how he sets his things but neither of those aren’t explored fully. He also can be a little hypocritical for the wrong reasons. Lisa Lisa is a disappointing character. It’s nice that she has a dark history with the Joestar bloodline with how many consequences she faces and how she contributes as a main mentor but in the later parts of the story, she almost becomes a damsel in distress. She showed little with what she’s capable of which is sad.

The side characters are probably the best part of the cast as they showed more character than the main sidekicks, especially Stroheim, despite his history and troublesome actions. But the Pillar Men are the weakest parts of the cast. Satana is there, even though he introduced us to the concept of the Pillar Men. Wamuu is an exception, though, as he’s an honorable warrior who fights fair and square. While he doesn’t have that much characterization, he’s still a good villain. Esidisi is just annoying. He’s way too expressive with his emotions and doesn’t do much at all. Kars is pretty okay. He has a great backstory but he doesn’t hold the same charm as Dio. Half of the time, he’s almost a Gary Stu. Kars seeks more power and he doesn’t have any unique features for that.

Now, the last main part I want to talk about is the finale of Battle Tendency. It’s relatively weak. Sure, seeing Kars turn into the ultimate lifeform looks hella awesome but that’s more of a spectacular display than an actual part of a story. The plane fight, while great on paper, is nothing too much to talk about. It makes sense that Joseph has to run away from Kars but there aren’t many special contrasts for the two of them to clash with each other besides finding a way to hit a mark nicely. It gets worse when they launch themselves from a volcano, though. How in the world did Joseph manage to brute force Kars out of the Earth? Even for this series’ standards, it doesn’t make any sense, unless you consider the Red Stone as a hyperreactive and unstabled source of energy.

The art, just like part 1, has aged well. It gives more detail and expression to both the environment and the cast. Fashion choices are even better here.

Battle Tendency is just fun in a lot of ways. It’s crazy yet it’s enjoyable enough to not be annoying to watch… for the most part… Both the story and the worldbuilding are great and the characters are charming. But if we’re being honest, this part is far from a masterpiece. Even if it intentionally isn’t serious, there are some inconsistencies that tend to be a flip-off. Some characters are underdeveloped and some strategies could at least be elaborated a little more. But until then, if part 1 isn’t good enough then part 2 is a well-deserved step up.

Jun 11, 2017

butthurtbrigade

Recommended

It's.... roughly the same in quality as Phantom Blood. Quite fun but still awkward in places and certainly not a masterpiece in any area. People say biggest improvement is probably in the MC department but I'm not too sure about that, I mean sure Joseph has more attitude than his grandfather but he's just your typical rash and stubborn shounen portagonist archetype. I think I actually prefer Jonathan for being more subdued actually. Also the villains are worse.

Better side characters though. Stronheim, Caesar and Lisa Lisa were a fun band and Speedwagon is ever present (I'm guessing it is a theme in this series for ...

Sep 8, 2020

Wyatt

Recommended

The universally beloved Battle Tendency is a big contrast to the sincere but awkward Phantom Blood. It's the Part that introduced to the world how much variety JoJo's Bizarre Adventure would truly have, and to Araki's unique charm. Despite a comparatively much less loaded, impactful story than the previous part, Battle Tendency has managed far more success and critical acclaim. Its complexity and humor, I believe, is the root of this difference.

Joseph Joestar is the polar opposite of his grandfather, a constantly lucky (his running joke is that he keeps surviving plane crashes) and brilliantly street smart brawler. He comes into his heroism instead of ... starting with it, and even then is more of an old school "anti-hero" like Spider-Man, Bilbo Baggins or Mrs. Brisby. He's not as physically strong, either, which leads him to rely on frequently ridiculous strategies and psychological warfare to win his battles. This is a major aspect of the JoJo series moving forward, and will soon be perfected to a much finer state than it is in here. Still, these intellectual twists are mostly funny and sometimes exhilarating, with the occasional downside some of Joseph's plans feeling borderline nihilistically flawless. It appears sometimes that Joseph Joestar is the smartest man in the entire world, judging by how quickly and consistently he thinks of plans that actually work (he outsmarts a villain who canonically has an IQ of "at least 400"). This is all a part of Joseph's arc, and is funny and unique, so it is not too big of an issue, but there are moments where it feels lazy and takes the tension out of some battles.

The side cast is much stronger here than in Part 1, though, which helps plenty. Beautiful friendships and fun, memorable side characters are a JoJo staple that is introduced in Part 2. It makes the Part feel more confident and gives it more of a unique identity than its predecessor. It is especially important here, however, because in addition to fate (Araki's perennial theme) there is a major theme throughout Battle Tendency of empathy. Sincere connection between superficially different people, be it in demeanor, race, or species, is the backbone of Battle Tendency. This is noticeable on a large scale certainly, but becomes even clearer in the minutia, as the story is filled with small, incidental moments of people overcoming their prejudices or speaking through their perceived differences. This conceit would not work nearly so well without such likable and distinct characters.

Some of the flaws of Phantom Blood carry over to Part 2. Araki does not have a traditionally expressive artstyle, and his paneling and artwork has not nearly reached its peak yet. There are also some hiccups unique to Part 2. Joseph looks terribly similar to Jonathan, something that Araki himself has expressed regret over. The main villain is generally forgettable. The basic story is less resonant than Phantom Blood (the strength of Battle Tendency is in the details). These shaky elements seem to be wiped away by the first of Araki's legendary escalating climaxes, a thing so frankly special and inspired that spoiler-free explanation simply does not do justice.

The weight of the franchise is not carried on Part 2's back, as opposed to Part 1, but the definition of its cultural identity certainly begins with it. It's lovely, really.

Nov 18, 2020

BropixWuff

Recommended

Battle Tendency is the 2nd part of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga, covering chapters 45 - 113 (volumes 5-12), written and illustrated by Araki, Hirohiko.

Set in 1939, 50 years after the events of Phantom Blood, we follow Jonathan's grandson the beloved Joseph ''JoJo'' Joestar. After the events with DIO and the stone mask, the latter's creators, the Pillar Men awaken from their 2000-year slumber and seek to become “Ultimate Life Forms”.

Battle Tendency from my view is outstanding. It is an immensely enjoyable adventure while fixing the faults of its predecessor. Having a much more interesting and funny new main character, better side characters, larger scope, ... great threatening villains, and some intuitive fight scenes. It is an epic spectacle of absurdity that reaches a climactic finale.

The new JoJo is the highlight of part 2, while a far cry from the gentleman like persona that Jonathan had, he is an intelligent and creative fighter with an immature/comedic personality. Joseph is an exciting character to follow through the events of the story and the many battles, being a tactician he tries to outwit his opponents, carefully thinking of plans or bluffs, while also using an assortment of varied objects that could help him out. His fights are enjoyable, epic, and manages to include solid humor within them.

Generally speaking, almost all the fights in Battle Tendency are fabulous and climactic. The fight between Joseph and Wamuu is arguably the best one, an epic deadly chariot battle with vampire horses. A mind battle between two fighting geniuses, keeping you guessing who will outwit the other first and come up top. Part 2 is also the last part to focus on Hamon as the main superpower, before switching to Stands. While Hamon was certainly short-lived, it did reach its peak in Part 2 and would have become stale in continued parts.

Araki’s art has not evolved much from Phantom Blood. His art is still superb, but I believe he improved with the designs of his characters. The Pillar Men in particular have fantastic designs and the number of poses have been increased. It’s also exciting to see JoJo in various different settings such as Mexico, Italy, and Switzerland.

The side characters of part 2 are great, they have a lot more screen time and more characterization than part 1s side characters. Lisa Lisa fills the mentor role, and she stood out when the series was in publication since it was uncommon for female characters to fight.
Cesar A. Zeppeli is a womanizer, rival, and best friend of Joseph, the two build great chemistry. Being part of the Zeppeli family gives off the implication that it is truly their destiny to close the chapter of the stone masks, to finish a battle their grandfathers partially closed.
Stroheim is an eccentric cyborg nazi, need I say more? And while the Pillar Men aren't as great as DIO, they are each their own character with their own fighting styles.

Battle Tendency is one of the most enjoyable manga I have read, the adventure, the fights, and the characters are all great. It an enjoyable journey worth reading. If you wish to read Battle Tendency I highly recommend it, the alternative option would be to watch the amazing anime adaption by David Production. I am giving Battle Tendency a 9/10.

Oct 15, 2024

Mara2463

Recommended

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures Part II: Battle Tendency – Spoiler Free – Recommended

TLDR
Story – 6/10 – 6 x 0.275 = 1,65
Art – 7/10 – 7,5 x 0.2 = 1,4
Characters – 8/10 – 8 x 0.225 = 1,8
Enjoyment – 6/10 – 6 x 0.3 = 1,8
Total: 6,65 -> 7

Story – 6/10
The story of the second instalment of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures is less well-developed than the first part. The sorry is less interesting, and although it is not confusing (the plot is straightforward), it doesn’t have the same allure or the charm of its predecessor. The story is, however, truly international – the story happens in multiple countries ... and continents, such as Mexico, Italy and Switzerland – ending up developing a storyline of the stone mask’s power of the race of immortal vampires that arose thereof. We also see a continuation of the Hamon fighting style, which reaches its apex (and also its saturation). Verily, we see multiple action scenes that not only add to the overall story but are a joy to read, thanks to Hirohiko Araki’s unique art style. There are also some very epic moments throughout the manga, especially in the second half. Plus, if you like the theme of the Second World War, there are also nazis!

Art – 7/10
The art is once more unique, following closely what Hirohiko Araki did in the first instalment of the series. The character design, although funky and sometimes over the top (both in a good sense), is technically well done and typical of JoJo’s. The fight scenes are very well executed and not confusing at all. The panels have a good fluency and rhythm to them, which helps the overall readability. The landscapes of the various sites they visit also have personality and are quite detailed. There are also some quite good panels.

Characters – 8/10
The characters, as in any JoJo, are charismatic and very well done. It is impossible not to think of Battle Tendency and not remember Speedwagon, Zeppeli, Lisa Lisa, and (of course) Joseph Joestar, the grandson of Jonathan Joestar – the protagonist of the first instalment. The villains are, however, more average, and definitely, no Dio Brando, being more common in their abilities and simple plot. Unfortunately, Joseph Joestar is not Jonathan Joestar. The characters are generally slightly worse than in Phantom Blood.

Enjoyment – 6/10
As with any JoJo, enjoyment isn't lacking whatsoever. It's a funny and thrilling story with some good and epic moments, as well as fight scenes that are worth reading, especially in the send half. The enjoyment isn't as high as in the first instalment of the series, but it is not bad. Again, although not as good as Phantom Blood, it still deserves a recommendation.

Sep 24, 2024

raviwe

Recommended

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is, in my opinion, the greatest manga I've experienced, and this is part of its beginning. It may not be as great as it would become, but much of it is already present. I feel like its fame as a meme series gets in the way of how people perceive the series as a whole. It is very 'memeable,' yes, but it is much more than that.

Okay, that said, we will start with what this manga is about and what kind of themes it is trying to explore. I’ll discuss whether the start is misleading, and then we’ll delve into how it ...

Oct 9, 2023

mordziaty

Recommended

This is an upgrade compared to the first installment of the long-running series - Phantom Blood. The protagonist is funnier the story fights are on way higher level and overall the world that was built is more interesting. We travel a bit around Europe to see Italy and Switzerland but also other places like US and Mexico. There is a lot going on in all of this places. The way Nazis were portrayed is very funny, too. Stroheim is one of my favorite characters of this part.

The story about stone mask and becoming the strongest being in the world isn't that particularly complicated or ...

Nov 26, 2024

Matthappy

Recommended

"Battle Tendency" is a piece of shit manga that is a mental trick of Araki after chapter 18 and is a 1/10 for sure... But... What about the chapters that are made artisanally by Araki? Those chapters are the best thing of manga and second best thing of literature thanks to how: Fun, unique, bizarre, complex, dense and good they are... Yeah, reading those chapters is the same as reading one of those classic literature books. And you know what? IS BETTER... Why? Because aside from those stupid classic books of literature...This thing is WELL-DONE and you will have quality enterteinment with them and ...

Jul 29, 2024

21kkn

Recommended

Grandson of a true gentleman, Joseph is one of the spunkiest Jojos to grace the pages of Jump Magazine. Joseph Joestar brings the classic quirkiness of JoJo's for all to see for the first time. Bold, brash, and not afraid to pick a fight whether it be petty play with a cat, or standing up for someone facing unjust treatment.

Battle Tendency shows the first spark of the Joestar name travelling across the continents, silently fighting the local big bad with the help of new comrades made in some of the strangest places.

Araki's tendency to play tricks and reveal shocking new lore has had it's chance ...

Dec 13, 2020

DeltaWDarko

Recommended

Coming off Jojo part 1, part 2 of Jojo, known as Battle Tendency, is when Araki really started to define what the series was. While there are no stands in Battle Tendency, this is much closer to later parts than part 1. It's also an improvement on part 1 of Jojo in nearly every way.

I'll only go over the essential characters. Joseph Joestar is nearly identical to his grandfather Jonathan in physique, but far from him in personality. Joseph is brash, goofy, and clever, and he acts in a way that makes watching his antics an experience that is both exciting and hilarious. His teammates ...

Feb 28, 2022

Edge_Havoc

Recommended

JoJo’s bizarre Adventure Part 2
Battle tendency
Story: The story this time was a big improvement from the previous part. Like Phantom blood, this part also revolves around HAMON and vampires but this time rather than the old plain blood sucking vampires, Araki-sensei decided to introduce piller men. The story also uncovered the mystery behind the stone mask that the piller men created it to make vampires.
Art: Just like the previous part the art was the same. So, no big change there.
Characters: Unlike the Artsyle, the cast of characters had a big change. This part introduced Joseph Joestar the grandson of Jonathan Joestar, Caesar Zeppeli, Lisa Lisa, ...

Oct 25, 2020

CPsyche3_

Recommended

Battle Tendency was one of the manga I thought lived up to be better after Part 1, Enter Joseph Joestar who is a charming, funny, and clever/creative MC. Joseph in Battle Tendency is without a doubt, one of the funniest characters I've seen in Manga/Anime alike, he's so enjoyable and so charismatic and it makes him enjoyable to watch and still will forever be enjoyable to rewatch, when I first got into JJBA I thought that Joseph was a character I could truly relate too. The plot of the Manga using elements of going into different countries and the characters returning and being essential to ...

Feb 3, 2020

Kauandal

Recommended

Story - 9

It's an incredible sequence
In addition to having a new narrative style, this style is completely well done and well put together.
And of course, everything is placed as a sequence, a bigger and better version of part 1.

Art - 10

JoJo, at his best. Super charismatic dated lines, with almost no poorly made or disproportionate pictures.
It's incredible.
...