JoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis a beloved and critically acclaimed adventure series told across generations, but depending on the person, it can be very hard to find the energy to actually watch it. Thankfully, there is one way to experience just a small part of this universe without a huge time commitment,and it’s the 4-part OVA,Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan.
Based on an ongoing series of one-shots byJoJoauthor Hirohiko Araki, this series is focused on the titular Kishibe Rohan, a manga artist and supporting character fromJoJoPart 4. The series began in 1997 since then there have been 10 stories, four of which have been animated and were released between 2017 and 2019 before hitting Netflix on June 17, 2025.
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A Very Different Kind of Bizarre
Kishibe Rohan’s adventures certainly live up to theJoJofranchise’s standards for weird stories, but what makes this OVA unique is that there is no continuous narrative. As mentioned before, the spin-off is a series of one-shot stories. Each episode takes the viewer someplace new, following new characters who encounter wildly new phenomena that range from peculiar to downright terrifying.
The stories are framed as Rohan looking for inspiration for his own mangathrough the eclectic lives of others. He’ll either search for these stories himself, or come face to face with them by chance, but whatever he finds, it is always captivating. These tales start small but quickly snowball into chaotic horror stories that play out like cautionary tales of ludicrous proportions.
David Production animated these OVAs just as they have the main series, and perhaps no other series is so committed to faithfully bringing a manga’s artwork to life than them. Through every shocked expression and delightfully obtuse frame, the storytelling is expectedly over-the-top and suits the frantic drama of the episodes.
What is especially fascinating is how Rohan is not always the central figure in these stories, but merely the charismatic vessel through which the audience hears a plethora of tales. Quite often,the stories are told through the perspectiveof random people whose stories end up conveyed to Rohan, or perhaps associates of his.
The first OVA, “At a Confessional” is a recount of one man whose cruelty ended another man’s life, and a curse that followed him until the happiest day of his life. Another tells the story of a village full of millionaire estates in the hills that adheres to a strict code of etiquette, with consequences for those that fail to meet the standard. They are as clever asJoJo’s most memorable episodes, but divorced from a larger storyline.
The JoJo Connection
On their own, these short stories have a lot to offer in terms of thrills and chills, but what makes them even cooler is how concepts like “Stands” can arguably explain each of the stories in some way. But, they also don’t need to be explained and by not explicitly stating that these occurrences are the result of powers, it maintains some of the mystique.
Rohan’s stand, “Heaven’s Door,” allows himto open up a person’s body like a book and read the details of their life, even making changes as he sees fit. He uses the power sparingly through the OVAs, which is an effective choice that allows the story not to rely heavily on plot elements fromJoJo, while still making use of it when it comes in handy.
For a franchise as big asJoJo, any new part of the story tends to connect or tie back in some way to a previous part, making it truly feel like one big saga. But what is almost more impressive here is how Araki created something distinct and understated that actually makes the world feel larger. Araki originally meant for the story to be completely original but the prospect of using Rohan was too tempting, and it’s all the better for it.
There is a lot ofJoJoto watch, and the show is so alluringfrom its internet memes alonethat it’s hard to blame anyone for being curious. It’s equally hard to blame one for finding the prospect of bingeing it to be somewhat of a hassle. This OVA won’t change that nor am I suggesting it be the first thing you watch, but it is a really short series that demonstrates part of what makes Araki’s style so enticing.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis - as the title suggests - bizarre, but it’s so committed to its own absurdity, and the genuine humanity behind it, that it glues your eyes to the screen.Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohanis a hyper-condensed dose of the series’ most engrossing storytelling tricks that fans should all check out if you haven’t already. And hopefully, there are more OVAs on the way.
