Hirohiko Araki's mega-popular anime/manga franchise JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has captivated audiences since 1987, and the story has followed the Joestar bloodline from Victorian England to the present day. And ever since part 3, Stardust Crusaders, stands have dominated this franchise's combat system (an improvement over hamon/ripple). They come in all shapes and sizes, and are often named after musicians for a more exotic flair.

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A franchise like this is bound to inspire some fan art, and indeed, many JoJo lovers have made some wonderful art depicting characters and scenes from the popular arc Stardust Crusaders. Let's browse the gallery and meet Jotaro, Kakyoin, Avdol, and the rest as imagined by these varied artists.

10 School Pals

It's tough to tell from their Schwarzenegger-esque physiques, but Jotaro Kujo and Kakyoin are high school students, aged 17. But these are no ordinary teenagers, and they have much more than homework on their mind. Jotaro sets off to Egypt to slay DIO and save his mother's life, and Kakyoin is ready to back him up.

It's nice to see the boys in chibi form, and we like to think that deep down, Jotaro recognizes Kakyoin as a good friend. He even lent his classmate his trademark hat! Don't forget that warm sunlight effect, either, which really brings this scene, created by @missha_anni, to life.

9 Never Forgotten

Tragically, Avdol, and Iggy sacrificed their lives in the battle against the almighty DIO. Avdol, in fact, gave his life to get Polnareff out of the way of Cream, a vicious stand in DIO's employ. Iggy did much the same, allowing Polnareff to deliver the final blow.

Polnareff will never forget their sacrifice, and now, the three of them have a fun moment together. Polnareff's hair is truly one of a kind, isn't it? It can support your weight! Avdol seems to be rolling his eyes a bit, though.

8 Cowboy

Hol Horse is one of the more memorable stand users who fought for DIO's cause. We first met him in India, where he and J. Geil (the Hanged Man stand user) put up a serious fight against Jotaro's group. Later, he appeared again in Egypt, teamed up with Boingo to try and assassinate everyone. It did not go as planned!

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But still, some fans have a soft spot for Hol Horse, who found his conscious and tried to turn on DIO. In fact, early on, Araki wanted Hol Horse to join the bad guys, until he changed his mind. So, now we've got this lovely fan art, and Hol Horse is in a pretty good mood today. It's just like him to look so gung-ho! Ride on, cowboy!

7 Something on his mind

Now we get a physical drawing of the hero, Jotaro Kujo, the master of Star Platinum. Most often, he's a real tough guy, stoic and stern. He even smokes, despite being only 17, and he's built like a star quarterback.

Jotaro is talented in combat, but he also takes the time to relax and have a quiet moment, like we see here. Just what is Jotaro thinking about right now? It's anyone's guess, and the artist really captured Jotaro's strong and silent attitude. Don't forget that Japanese flag behind him (the red circle on white background) to show his heritage as he tours Asia and Africa.

6 Stardust Crusaders Jr.

Do you remember that heinous villain from later in the arc? Alessi? He was one creepy dude, who used a shadow-based stand to make his victims regress into children and even babies. He was a cruel bully who would then torment and kill his junior opponents.

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On a lighter note, here are Jotaro and Polnareff as kids, and at least they don't have a mad stand user chasing them with an ax! Jotaro even has stars all over his clothes like a wizard, and Polnareff has them, too. And it's just like kid-Jotaro to cuddle up with the canine mascot of the group, Iggy.

5 Falcon tamer

Have you ever had a live falcon sit on your arm? Okay, maybe not, but you've got to admit, falconry is a pretty classy sport even today. DIO indulges in it too, and he entrusted his castle's security to an intelligent falcon named Pet Shop. It has an ice-based stand, which pushed Iggy to the limit in battle.

Now this is one detailed bit of fan art! DIO is taking it easy today, and that soft gold glow matches both his hair color and his sense of nobility and power. And seriously, look at Pet Shop! We swear that this bird looks realistic enough to fly right out of your screen and take to the skies. Well done!

4 Then and Now

Joseph Joestar, the merry prankster, is the first Joestar to appear in more than one art. He was a young man in 1938 during Battle Tendency, and he was an old but tough guy in Stardust Crusaders.

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He's in his sixties by now, but that hasn't slowed him down, and he's packing a stand, too. Meet Hermit Purple, which can create vines and also photograph a variety of subjects from afar. It's cool to see Joseph young and old side by side, and see how well he's aged. Don't count him out just yet!

3 It's Not Easy Being Green

It's time for Kakyoin to get his own piece of fan art, and the artist did him justice. At first, Kakyoin was a villain, and attacked Jotaro at school. But don't hold it against him; a DIO flesh bud compelled him to fight, and with it removed, Kakyoin is now a trusted ally.

We love the details on both Kakyoin and his stand, and it looks like a scene lifted directly from the manga series.

2 Burning Passion

It's Avdol's turn for a solo appearance. This artist opted for a slightly cartoony look of the character, but that serious expression shows us that he means business.

Not only are the colors and details just right, but look at the lighting effect of the flames on Avdol's fingers. It's probably a serious undertaking to achieve a realistic effect like that, but the artist pulled it off. Great work!

1 All chips are on the table

Don't forget this unique villain from Egypt, D'Arby the elder. What does he do? Instead of beating up the good guys with fists or magic, he challenges them... to games of chance! That's right, he's a gambling man, and his tricks are breathtaking.

Joseph fell to D'Arby's ploys, and it took Jotaro's cunning to turn the tables on this gambling master. Now, we get this loving tribute to D'Arby, capturing a classic scene of him where's in total control. Just look at that face. He'll challenge you to poker, blackjack, dice, you name it... and win.

NEXT: JoJo: The 10 Most Memeworthy Dio Quotes