JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a titanic manga series to read and process. Spanning 8 different parts, each containing a plethora of volumes, it is not surprising that many people disagree on what the best volumes or arcs are. Depending on who is asked or which metrics are used, the answers vary greatly. However, database sites provide insight on what a larger group's consensus might be.
Goodreads is one of the most popular database sites for literature, including comics. Their users rate the JoJo volumes, giving fans a clue on which might be the best. The highest rated volumes reveal that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is unanimously considered the best part.
10 Steel Ball Run Volume 10 Gives Johnny's Backstory (4.74)
The 10th volume of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run starts the A Silent Way arc. The 4th stage in the race ends with Gyro and Johnny scoring behind Diego Brando, Hotpants, and Sandman in terms of points. The next corpse part reveals its location to Johnny. Diego furthers his partnership with Funny Valentine, teaming up with one of Valentine's subordinates to take on Gyro and Johnny.
The volume's strength lies in Diego Brando and Johnny Joestar. It is this volume that shows Diego's resiliency and greed, affirming to fans that he is still rooted in the original Dio. Johnny gets some backstory, fleshing his character out past his jerk image.
9 Steel Ball Run Volume 15 Reveals Regret In Confusing Ways (4.75)
Civil War is a relatively difficult Stand to comprehend. It uses guilt against its enemies, having their regrets manifest into people and objects that directly harm them. Like a curse, the confusion comes with how to escape it. Hotpants, Gyro, and Johnny find themselves in Axl RO's trap, where their pasts torment them.
Fans get to see the regrets that bind the main characters down. What really makes the volume shine is seeing Johnny rise past his limits. The volume tackles his regrets the most, but he stops wavering. This allows him to evolve his usage of the Spin, and defeat Axl RO. This is one of the many moments that strengthens Johnny's claim as the best Joestar.
8 Steel Ball Run Volume 17 Asks Who Shot Johnny Joestar (4.76)
Every JoJo villain reveal serves as some of the most exciting scenes in the series. Every villain hides the true nature of their Stands until they are forced to play their hand. This happens with Funny Valentine in the D4C arc. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap has one of the best Stand debuts across the franchise.
The volume invites the reader into its mystery, making them guess who attacked Johnny. Without the context of Valentine's D4C, both Wekapipo and Diego's perspectives are confusing to the reader. This creates an incredible amount of intrigue that is punctuated by Valentine's Stand reveal.
7 Steel Ball Run Volume 11 Brings A Silent Way To A Close (4.76)
This is a crucial volume when it comes to the newest ability in the JoJo universe, the Spin. In order to defeat Sandman and A Silent Way, Gyro gives Johnny a crash course on the Golden Rectangle. By incorporating its Golden Ratio, the Spin user gets closer to integrating infinity into their attack.
Readers get to see how deep Gyro's mentorship is. It plays into the claim that Gyro and Johnny are the best duo across the whole franchise. Their friendship is deep enough that Gyro can rely on Johnny, even if the latter is inexperienced.
6 Steel Ball Run Volume 21 Shows Gyro Zeppeli At His Best (4.77)
For most of Steel Ball Run, Gyro Zeppeli has gotten by without a fully formed Stand. While facing the full might of D4C Love Train, Gyro develops the Spin further. Using the combined twisting from his horse and his body, he multiplies the power to infinity. The attack manifests itself as Gyro's Stand, Ball Breaker.
This is the only attack capable of damaging Funny Valentine's defenses. By showing Johnny how to execute it, Gyro gives him the blueprints to defeat Funny and D4C Love Train. He sacrifices his life in the process, evoking Will Zeppeli from Phantom Blood, but with higher stakes. It is one of the greatest moments in the franchise.
5 Steel Ball Run Volume 18 Solves The Mystery Of D4C (4.77)
The mystery of who shot Johnny Joestar reaches its peak. Funny Valentine fully explains his Stand's ability to interact with different dimensions. Fans can piece together the events with the understanding that they do not all happen within the same universe. Johnny manages to survive the encounter, but is badly hurt.
The tension between the parties escalates now that Funny Valentine is an active combatant. This arc in the manga is one of the most confusing moments in JoJo, as well as one of the most iconic. It is a joy to revisit as the misleading elements become clear in retrospect. It is an intricately complex introduction for D4C.
4 Steel Ball Run Volume 23 Replaces A New Villain With An Old One (4.78)
Funny Valentine's death kicks off the volume, but the story must continue. Ultimately, Steel Ball Run is about a race, and Funny's death does not halt that race. In one final spiteful move, Funny recruits a new villain from a parallel world. He brings in Dio, the version most fans probably have a stronger connection to. This Dio has The World, rather than inheriting Scary Monster.
The final stretch of the race involves the most classic binary opposition in the franchise, the Joestar bloodline versus Dio. It feels like the culmination of everything JoJo has been leading up to. All the evolution and experimentation has brought things full circle, and it is perfect.
3 Steel Ball Run Volume 22 Evolves Tusk And Breathes In Hope (4.79)
Gyro is dead, Funny Valentine has near omnipotent powers, and only Johnny Joestar stands in his way. After listening to Gyro's dying words, Johnny fights to realize his friend's instructions. The new Spin pushed his Stand to reach its final stage, Tusk Act 4. Johnny's new ability allows his shots to seek out their targets no matter where they go.
With this, Johnny is now on even footing with Funny. Readers get to witness Johnny overcome the impossible. In a way, it is similar to how Golden Wind ends, but the cost feels far more personal. The victory is also more bittersweet. The combination is cathartic, but heartbreaking.
2 Steel Ball Run Volume 24 Ends The Legendary Race (4.79)
Steel Ball Run's ending needed to resolve two things, the race and the hunt for the corpse parts. In the final volume, both were answered. Johnny had to stand against Dio's immense hunger and brutality. The ending was able to subvert some expectations by proving that Dio's tenacity was strong enough to overpower the adversity. He was clever, determined, and ruthless.
However, he was careless by the end. Lucy Steel manages to outsmart Dio. This allows Steel Ball Run to subvert expectations. Dio's demise is brought onto him by an outside party. The story denies him victory, complicating how readers feel about the ending. Steel Ball Run refuses to be a straightforward installment.
1 Steel Ball Run Volume 2 Sets The Tone For The Adventure (4.79)
The second volume of Steel Ball Run does something no other JoJo volume could, it makes the reader forget this is a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga. Instead of the bloodline fighting, the Stands, and the other zany antics in the series, this volume is purely about the race. Somehow, it is every bit as thrilling as it needs to be.
There are no partnerships yet. There is no quest for the corpse part. The only Stand that shows up is Pocoloco's, but Hey Ya! is just there for moral support. The focus is squarely on the 5-way fight for first place between Diego, Gyro, Johnny, Pocoloco, and Sandman. It is effortlessly fun.