It's been a few weeks since I last checked in so haven't had the chance to throw in my thoughts on Battle Tendency thus far.
Generally, it's just way better. There's a lot more globetrotting (NYC + Mexico in only a few episodes so far), the stakes are getting raised significantly (ancient intelligent superman), and JoJo is actually likeable. Also how about that music? It's a lot more on the electronic side than Phantom Blood's and quite a bit more dynamic.
As someone who is currently reading the 8th JoJo series, I still say that Joseph Joestar is the best JoJo in the series. His personality is the most interesting of any JoJo in the series. Without going too much into spoiler territory, every JoJo is very clever and able to outsmart their opponent in a bind. While Joseph is not the strongest JoJo, he is by far the smartest. The tricks he pulls in this series are the most brilliant of the series. Plus, he's not afraid of playing a little dirty to win. I think the what's been shown so far shows off that much.
Battle Tendency is where the series starts to shine, people. I hope you enjoy!!
Also, Santana. ;)