Jumping into the world of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure might be startling for some. If you’re not into the fantastical, men that aren’t all masculine, queerness, etc. then it’s not an anime for you. For some, it might be startling due to the focus being on men up until part 6: Stone Ocean. Otherwise, it’s the perfect anime about family lineage, legacy, and what it means to endure.
Though there are certainly women in the JoJo’s universe that are important and individualistic. Whether they be an antagonistic female character to Stone Ocean’s JoJo, Jolyne Cujoh, or fulfill a different role, each part has its female characters that are worth mentioning, even if they may play a small part in the grand scheme of things. A huge chunk of the ladies I’m about to mention are women of color, too!
Considering only a portion of part 6: Stone Ocean anime has come out, I won’t be mentioning any women that appear past the Flash Flood Warning story arc.
Lisa Lisa (Part 2: Battle Tendency)
For a woman in the ‘30s, Lisa Lisa had such agency that it makes you forget she was existing in that time period. She held her own around men and was respected by them (for the most part). She also happens to be the mother of Joseph, part 2’s JoJo. If you’re a fan of the series, you already know the important role she plays in him realizing his full potential as a Hamon user. And her overall personality absolutely falls into the bad bitch category, okay! She’s certainly the main lady you think about where part 2 is concerned.
Anne (Part 3: Stardust Crusaders)
Maybe a smart-mouthed kid isn’t your favorite type of character. Regardless, Anne is one of those kids that’s entertaining. She doesn’t serve a huge purpose to Jotaro (part 3’s JoJo), his grandfather Joseph, or the rest of the group. She’s just a character that you wish would stick around for comedic purposes. No, she’s not super layered as a character, but Anne’s one of the better female characters in part 3. Therefore she just had to make the list!
Reimi Sugimoto (Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable)
Sweet-looking women who don’t take anyone’s shit make for some excellent characters. They turn your expectations right on their head. Reimi is very much that type of character, and she’s an important one throughout Diamond is Unbreakable. She lingered around as a spirit alongside her dog (who is also a spirit), rather than transitioning to the other side, in order to help save others from dying by Kira’s hands, which is a huge part of why she makes this list in the first place!
Tomoko Higashikata (Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable)
Moms aren’t always characters we go hard for in shows. But who wouldn’t go hard for Tomoko? She had an affair with Joseph before the events of Stardust Crusaders, but that led to her getting pregnant with Josuke. While she may not be a character that has a lot of screentime, you certainly remember her—especially since, during her introduction, she kicks some creep’s ass. Ultimately she does her best to raise her son, deal with the grief of her father’s death, and grapple with her lingering love for Joseph. She’s imperfect and very real, which contributes to the slice of life nature of part 4.
Honorable mentions for Part 4:
- Yukako Yamagishi
- Shinobu Kawajiri
Trish Una (Part 5: Golden Wind)
Having a parent (who is incredibly complex due to having dissociative identity disorder) who is head of the mafia that wants to kill you is truly something else. To say Trish went through it during the events of Golden Wind is putting it lightly. She endured quite a bit of violence, trauma, and major developments (such as realizing she has a stand ability) in a short amount of time, I might add. And still maintained who she was throughout all of it. The realizations about her parentage didn’t destroy her. Plus, she knows what she wants. How many teenage characters can you say that about? In the end, Trish is the one likable female character in Golden Wind, so there was no choice but to include her.
Jolyne Cujoh (Part 6: Stone Ocean)
It’s pretty impactful to the JoJo’s universe that Jolyne is the only female JoJo as of right now. She serves as an interesting pivot in focus, and quite frankly, part 6: Stone Ocean is when everything changes. Immediately, her personality is recognizable, because she’s so much like her dad, Jotaro. She’s also just as courageous as the rest of her lineage. While the release of Stone Ocean anime wise has been a mess, it’s safe to say that Jolyne’s not a forgettable female character. Almost everything she does has a purpose, even her most flawed or imperfect of actions, and you can’t help but love her as a main protagonist. She pulls at the strings (this is totally a good joke that involves her stand) of many hearts.
Ermes Costello (Part 6: Stone Ocean)
It’s not every day you can talk about a female character who cleverly hides money in their breast implants. Ermes is quirky, outspoken, and has 0 qualms about letting you know what she doesn’t like. She has a whole episode practically dedicated to her dealing with her acquiring a stand ability, and by the end of the episode, she gets the hang of it. Her character is just an overall badass that has a softness to her. The anime hasn’t fully dipped into her character, but from what I’ve seen (including spoilers), she continues to be great.
Honorable mention for Part 6:
- Gwess
(featured image: Netflix)
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