In each part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, a new leading JoJo goes on a high-stakes adventure. Each of these protagonists has a Stand ability, though these abilities were not activated until Part 3 of the anime. Whilst physical power has been an effective means of conflict resolution for the Joestar family, their Stands can have a lot more practical and versatile applications. Of the five protagonists introduced in the anime thus far which JoJo actually has the most all-around useful Stand?
Jonathan Joestar
The gentleman Jonathan Joestar never actually used his Stand while he was alive; he was killed by the infamous Dio Brando at the end of Part 1: Phantom Blood. At the start of Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, when DIO awakens his Stand, The World, Jonathan’s body also awakens a Stand ability very similar to Joseph’s Hermit Purple. This stand has semi-precognitive abilities and can similarly to Joseph’s Stand produce psychic photographs. It’s due to the awakening of Jonathan's Stand that DIO is able to track the Joestars and friends by their location and send his Stand user pawns after them. This stand's a lot more useful for the villain than it is for the heroes.
Though this Stand is never named in the anime, the light novel JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Over Heaven calls it “Hermit Purple #2.” It also referred to as “The Passion” in the novel JORGE JOESTAR, where the Stand appears in the form of a crown of thorns and allows Jonathan to see the future of anyone he shares blood relations with.
Joseph Joestar
The second leading JoJo is Joseph Joestar, introduced in Part 2: Battle Tendency. This New Yorker masters the power of Ripple and destroys the powerful Pillar Men in his first adventure. When the fan-favorite JoJo later returns as an old man, almost 50 years later, his Stand named Hermit Purple is introduced and used to track down DIO through its psychic divination ability. Whilst his Stand does have a charm to it, with its powerful vines giving Joseph an Indiana Jones vibe, this Stand proves limited in its versatility.
Jotaro Kujo
Jotaro Kujo is introduced in Stardust Crusaders and is the first leading JoJo to fight with Stand abilities rather than Hamon energy. His powerful Star Platinum punches its way through many trying conflicts and ultimately defeats the menacing DIO's time-stopping Stand, The World, by learning that he too can stop time briefly using Star Platinum. Jotaro's analytical skills along with the physical power of his Stand make him an intimidating opponent.
Jotaro returns in the series’ fourth part: Diamond Is Unbreakable. In the small Japanese town Morioh, he meets and helps Josuke Higashita, his 16-year-old uncle and Joseph’s bastard son, in taking on new evil Stand users. Jotaro's Stand has only become more powerful in the time between Parts 3 and 4, with Star Platinum progressing further in its time-stopping skills.
Josuke Higashikata
Josuke, the fourth JoJo, quickly showcases the strength and range of his Stand, Crazy Diamond (translated officially as "Shining Diamond"). Crazy Diamond’s brute force matches Star Platinum's, but it has a special skill all its own: it's able to reconstruct any material. Josuke can thereby heal others from lethal wounds, turn creeps into stone statues and turn powerful enemies into books. Crazy Diamond's power is near-limitless, but it does have one major weakness: Josuke cannot use his Stand to heal himself.
Giorno Giovanna
Giorno Giavanna, the illegitimate son of DIO and the biological son of Jonathan Joestar, leads Part 5: Golden Wind. Giorno's Stand, Gold Experience (or "Golden Wind" in translation), is a powerful close-range Stand. While it initially lacks the brute force of Star Platinum and Crazy Diamond, its power steadily increases, and its use is far more versatile thanks to its ability to create and manipulate life.
Giorno uses his Stand for life sensors, cloning, life exhaustion, healing, damage reflection and creation manipulation -- and that's just scratching the surfaces. He utilizes the possibility of his Stand to reanimate limbs for his allies and himself, something Josuke is unable to do. Later on, Giorno learns about the powers of the Arrow from Jean-Pierre Polnareff and unleashes an evolved Gold Experience Requiem. The new and improved Stand easily finishes off the powerful Diavolo and King Crimson by unleashing its ultimate ability: reverting an action back to “zero” and thereby both nullifying and preventing the action from ever having happened.
Following Giorno's Stand evolution and the many uses of Gold Experience Requiem, Giorno stands proud as the JoJo with the most useful and versatile Stand. The combined range and strength of his Stand's power make this Gang-Star close to invincible.
