Phantom Blood
Encyclopedia
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
is a manga written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. Every main character's name in each part can be read as JoJo. The manga, published by Shueisha, first ran in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1987 to 2002, before being transferred to the seinen magazine Ultra Jump in 2004. The current story...
. It spans the first 44 chapters of the series, which were collected in Vol. 1-5 of the Jump Comics tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
editions.
Plot
The story begins in VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with young Jonathan Joestar
Jonathan Joestar
is a fictional character and the protagonist and hero of part one of the manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the son of the wealthy George Joestar. He is an honest, kind and positive young man whose life is fraught with tragedy.-Early life:...
living at his father George's wealthy estate. Another young man, Dio Brando
Dio Brando
is a fictional character from the manga and anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the primary antagonist of Parts 1 and 3, although he is also considered to be the main villain of the entire series, as his actions affect the JoJo universe long after his death...
, is adopted by them having recently lost his father, Dario Brando, whom George, in his generosity, falsely believed to have rescued him and his infant son from the stagecoach accident where his wife lost her life (the scoundrel was actually trying to rob the corpses).
Jonathan, trusting and outgoing as he is, attempts to befriend Dio, but Dio's plan from the start is to drive Jonathan to madness and earn George's trust so that he can become the sole heir to the Joestar fortune. Dio violently beats Jonathan in a boxing match, turns his friends against him, steals his girlfriend Erina's first kiss, and even burns his dog Danny to death in an incinerator. Meanwhile, he gains the trust of Jonathan's father through his etiquette, studiousness and manners.
Seven years later Jonathan's father falls ill. Dio is very attentive and brings him his medicine every day. Jonathan is suspicious as he is certain Dio is up to no good. Jonathan discovers an old letter written by Dario Brando on his deathbed requesting Lord Joestar care for Dio. In his letter, Dario describes his symptoms, which are identical to Lord Joestar's mysterious ailment. Jonathan believes that Dio must have poisoned his own father and is now trying to do the same thing to Lord Joestar. Dio discovers Jonathan with the letter and Jonathan accuses Dio of poisoning Lord Joestar. Dio decides that he must kill Jonathan before he is exposed.
In order for Dio to kill Jonathan, he puts on a cursed mask that transforms its user into a vampire permanently. Fighting ensues and Jonathan is able to burn down their house with Dio inside. However, Dio survives, and takes off to plot his revenge. At this time, Jonathan meets a man called Will A. Zeppeli with a strange power called the , which is most effective against vampires. It is basically a martial arts technique that allows the user to focus bodily energy into other kinds of energy via proper breathing (they focus it into the energy of sunlight, which is effective against vampires). After teaching Jonathan how to use the Ripple they set out, along with Jonathan's good friend Robert E. O. Speedwagon, to seek out and defeat Dio.
Their chase takes them to the village of Wind Knights Lot, where most of the villagers have been turned into vampires by Dio. They fight their way to Dio; Will Zeppeli loses his life in battle on the way. Zeppeli's Ripple master, Tonpetty, and his two disciples Dire and Straizo then show up to help Jonathan and Speedwagon go on. Eventually, a fight between Dio's eye beams and Jonathan's Ripple ends with a loss for Dio, but not before Dire is killed.
However, Dio has managed to tear off his own head before the Ripple's power could reach it. The head is still intact, and when Jonathan is on a cruise ship for his honeymoon with his new wife, he is ambushed by Dio. Jonathan manages to sink the ship and take Dio's head with him to the bottom of the ocean. Jonathan's young wife (already pregnant by then) manages to escape, along with an infant she saves. Her son and the girl she saved (revealed to be Lisa Lisa in the second series of the manga) will eventually marry, allowing the Joestar lineage to continue.
Characters
Jonathan JoestarJonathan Joestar
is a fictional character and the protagonist and hero of part one of the manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the son of the wealthy George Joestar. He is an honest, kind and positive young man whose life is fraught with tragedy.-Early life:...
- The protagonist of this arc.
George Joestar I
- is Jonathan's father. He lost his wife in a carriage accident where he met Dario Brando. After Dario's death, Dio went to live with George and Jonathan at the Joestar Estate (because George thinks Dario saved his life so he takes in Dio as thanks, when in actuality George knew all along but still took Dio in). Eight years later George had caught a disease. After Jonathan returned from Ogre Street, Dio attacked Jonathan with a knife, which George blocked and got stabbed in the back. His blood landed on Dio, who was wearing the Stone Mask at the time, and turned Dio into a vampire when he died.
Danny
- is Jonathan's pet dog and companion. Jonathan's father bought Danny — still a puppy at the time — when Jonathan was five years old. Danny was very afraid of unfamiliar places and strange people. Jonathan and Danny didn't get along for a while, which caused Danny to bite Jonathan. Jonathan, in turn, attacked Danny by throwing stones at him. One day, while swimming in a river, Jonathan started drowning and was saved by Danny, which made them the best of friends. When Dio arrived, he kneed Danny in the jaw and later put him into a box, planning to incinerateIncinerationIncineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as "thermal treatment". Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas, and...
the dog. Danny was burned to death and buried in the backyard of the Joestar Estate. That night, Jonathan cried while lying awake in bed, remembering Danny's death.
Erina Pendleton
- , Aya HisakawaAya Hisakawais a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer born in Kaizuka, Osaka. In addition to releasing various solo CDs, she is well known for her anime voice roles, and has also done some work in video games. She is best known for her role of Sailor Mercury of the Sailor Moon fame and also Cerberus from...
(video game) - first appears as a small girl, with Jonathan rescuing her from bulliesBulliesBullies is a 1986 Canadian action-drama film about a feud between two families in a small town in a similar vein to the story of Romeo and Juliet...
. When she appeared again, she and Jonathan was going out, and eventually they fell in love. However, after Dio seized her, kissed her, and then brutally beat her, she felt humiliated and stayed away from Jonathan for a long time. She did not appear again until after Dio's first near-defeat, when she nursed Jonathan back to health. After that, Jonathan finally defeated Dio using the Ripple. They subsequently renewed their relationship and got married. They took a ship to go on their honeymoonHoneymoon-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
to America, but the voyage was cut short by the appearance of Dio. The ship went down, and Jonathan stayed behind, trying to kill Dio. Erina took an orphaned infant and escaped. Years later, she and her grandson Joseph JoestarJoseph Joestaris a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph is the main hero of Part 2, and also plays a significant role in Part 3 & 4. In his younger days, he had black hair and muscular build, but in his older age, he wears a hat and sports a yellow shirt and khaki pants...
were the last of the Joestar clan, and they traveled to New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on the invitation of Speedwagon, which sets off the events of the second story arc.
Robert E. O. Speedwagon
- first appears as an Ogre Street thug boss attacking Jonathan, but soon realized the young man's worthiness and dedication, becoming his good friend. He helped uncover Dio's plot to poison George Joestar, and from that point onward he remained by Jonathan's side, helping in whatever way he could to defeat Dio. By the 1930s he is the head of the Speedwagon Foundation, a giant oil company, which assists the Joestar family a great deal in Series 2-6. In 1952 he dies of a heart attack at age 89. Speedwagon's first three initials are R.E.O; REO SpeedwagonREO SpeedwagonREO Speedwagon is an American rock band. Formed in 1967, the band grew in popularity during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Hi Infidelity is the group's most commercially successful album, selling over ten million copies and charting four Top 40 hits in the US...
is the name of an American rock band of the 1970s and 80s. Speedwagon was absent in the 2007 animated movie version of the Phantom Blood story arc.
Will A. Zeppeli
- was on a ship with a crew studying Aztec ruins when he was younger when his father put on the mask and killed everyone in the crew but his son. After this horrific event, Zeppeli travels the world in order to destroy the mask, and sees a man cure someone using the Ripple. Zeppeli is then directed to his master Tonpetty, who teaches him to use the Ripple. However, Tonpetty foresees Zeppeli's death during his training, warning him that should he complete his training or he will surely die. Zeppeli doesn't share this fact until the fight with Tarukus, where he afterwards gives his power to Jonathan, whom he trained after the Joestar's house burns down. His grandson is Caesar Anthonio ZeppeliBattle Tendency, initially referred to as , is the second story arc of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It spans chapters 45 to 113 of the series, which were collected in Vols...
.
Tonpetty
- , Osamu SakaOsamu Sakais a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Wheeljack in the Japanese dub of , as well as Seitaro Sakaki , Jotaro Honma , and Daisuke Aramaki .-Anime:* Noah Van Hellsing in Blade* Dr...
(video game) - Named after Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, is a Ripple master who gave training to Zeppeli, as well as many others. Tonpetty trained the then 25-year-old Zeppeli in the ways of Ripple and eventually revealed to him that he would face a gruesome death. Nevertheless, Zeppeli continued with his training. The only other known Ripple students of Tonpetty were Dire and Straizo, who both accompanied him when they went to Dio's town. However, they did not meet with Jonathan and Speedwagon until Zeppeli had died. During the final battle between Jonathan and Dio, Dire was killed but Tonpetty and Straizo still helped kill Dio's remaining zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s. After the battle, Tonpetty was last seen at the docks (together with Straizo, Speedwagon, and others) to say farewell to Jonathan and Erina while they went on their honeymoonHoneymoon-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
. Tonpetty's whereabouts after this is unknown.
Dire
- is a Ripple user and a student of Ripple Master Tonpetty. Not much is known of his past, except that he is a good friend of Zeppeli's. He first properly introduced himself after a short match against Jonathan. Before Dio and Jonathan had their last fight, Dire fought Dio to avenge Zeppeli. However, even Dire's best attack, the Thunder Split Attack, didn't stand a chance against Dio's Freezing Attack, which completely turned his body into ice and then shattered it. Dire, now only a head, was able to use his last ounce of Ripple energy to shoot a rose into Dio's eye. For that, Dire's head was turned into ice as well and destroyed.
Straizo
- is another of Tonpetty's followers. He aided Jonathan in the fight against Dio and his minions. However, when SantanaBattle Tendency, initially referred to as , is the second story arc of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It spans chapters 45 to 113 of the series, which were collected in Vols...
was discovered in the 1930s during Part 2, he betrayed Speedwagon and donned one of the newly discovered Stone Masks. He explained that he had always envied Dio's strength and beauty and, as a result, desired to stop his aging process. He died after battling and losing to Joseph JoestarJoseph Joestaris a fictional character from the Japanese manga JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph is the main hero of Part 2, and also plays a significant role in Part 3 & 4. In his younger days, he had black hair and muscular build, but in his older age, he wears a hat and sports a yellow shirt and khaki pants...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, overloading his own vampireVampireVampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
body with Ripple energy. He is also the adoptive father of Lisa LisaBattle Tendency, initially referred to as , is the second story arc of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It spans chapters 45 to 113 of the series, which were collected in Vols...
. He, along with Dire, were named after the band Dire StraitsDire StraitsDire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
.
Poco
- is a young boy who lives in the village of Windknights. He fell in with the heroes after unsuccessfully trying to steal from them. His chief contribution was crawling through a narrow hole into the room where Tarukus and Jonathan Joestar were having their "chain match", so that the door could be opened and Zeppeli could help Jonathan. Dio Brando later captured his sister and Jonathan rescued her from Doobie. He is named after the 70s rock group PocoPocoPoco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
, which was formed from ex-members of Buffalo Springfield.
Poco's sister
- Poco's unnamed sister, who was captured by Dio Brando and taken to his castle. She has rescued Poco from bullies many times in the past.
Dario Brando
- , Kōji YadaKoji Yadais a Japanese voice actor currently represented by Aoni Production. Kōji Yada is also his birth name, but it is written with different kanji .-TV anime:*Arrow Emblem Hawk of the Grand Prix *Space Battleship Yamato Series...
(video game) - is Dio's abusiveChild abuseChild abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
and alcoholic father. One fateful day, Dario noticed a carriageCarriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
accident and tried to steal from the corpses inside. There he met George Joestar, who thought that Dario had come to save him instead of rob him, at which point George made a debt to Dario for saving his life. He beat Dio and worked his wife to death. As Dio recounts: "My father was a bastard, he worked my mother to death!" At one point, he even made Dio sell his deceased wife's dress. Dio then went to Ogre Street and bought oriental poisonPoisonIn the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
from a ChineseChinese peopleThe term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
man named Wang Chan. On his death bed, he then had Dio go to the Joestar Estate to repay the debt. After he died and before leaving, remembering his deceased father's past wrongs and wretched behaviors inflicted upon him, Dio, in hate, spat on his grave.
Dio Brando
Dio Brando
is a fictional character from the manga and anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. He is the primary antagonist of Parts 1 and 3, although he is also considered to be the main villain of the entire series, as his actions affect the JoJo universe long after his death...
- The antagonist of this arc.
Wang Chan
- , Kazumi TanakaKazumi Tanakawas a male voice actor from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the younger brother of Ryouichi Tanaka and was affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of his death. He was best known for his roles in Dragon Ball Z , Galaxy Cyclone Braiger and Zawazawamori no Ganko-chan...
(video game) - is a mysterious apothecaryApothecaryApothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
who provides Dio with the poison he needs to kill George Joestar, the same kind used to kill his own father Dario years ago. Later, he gets brought back to the Joestar Estate and narrowly escapes the flames. As Wang Chan searches for the Stone Mask in the rubble, Dio emerges and turns him into his zombie servant. In that regard, he serves loyally and for a considerable time, and after Dio's penultimate defeat, he takes care of his master and gets him aboard the ship carrying Jonathan and Erina, where he meets his end. Wang Chan is named after 80s popPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
duo Wang ChungWang Chung (band)Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
.
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
- A renowned serial killer in London, who later becomes one of Dio Brando's servants as a zombie. He confronted Jonathan and his group while they were on their way to the Windknights City in a cave. At first, Zeppeli fights him, overwhelming Jack with his many ripple techniques (as well as teaching Jonathan different battle tactics on how to defeat zombies). After Zeppeli deals a blow to the head with an attack, Jack attempts to escape but Jonathan pursues him, finishing him off with a Ripple overdrive.
Bruford and Tarukus
- , Nobutoshi CannaNobutoshi Cannais a seiyū who was born on June 10, 1968 in Tokyo. Canna is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Tasuki , Ban Mido , Nnoitra , Basara Nekki , Kabuto Yakushi , Guts , Knuckles the Echidna Lee...
(video game) - , Daisuke GōriDaisuke Goriwas a Japanese voice actor, narrator and actor from Kōtō, Tokyo. Throughout his life, he was attached to TV Talent Center Tokyo, Yoshizawa Theatre School and then Mausu Promotion; he was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was...
(video game) - and are zombies resurrected by Dio to fight Jonathan, Zeppeli, and Speedwagon. Centuries before, they were followers of Mary Stuart, and were beheadedDecapitationDecapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
for attempting to rise against and kill Elizabeth IElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Bruford is able, as a zombie, to use his hair to attack or entangle foes using his "Danse Macabre Hair" attack. He is, despite being haunted by revenge, a noble soulSoulA soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
, and finally Jonathan is able to awaken this nobilityNobilityNobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. When his soul returns to him, he disintegrates peacefully. Bruford gets his name from Bill BrufordBill BrufordWilliam Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, member of Anderson Bruford Wakeman HoweAnderson Bruford Wakeman HoweAnderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was a project of four progressive rock musicians, vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and guitarist Steve Howe . They had played together in Yes in the early 1970s...
(ABWH), who were integral members of the 70s band YesYes (band)Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. Tarukus is named after the album TarkusTarkusTarkus is the second album by the British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1971.In 1993 the album was digitally remastered by Joseph M. Palmaccio...
, by 70s progressive rockProgressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
.
Doobie
- is a zombie who serves Dio Brando. His head is infested with snakes. Dio leaves Poco's sister to his tender mercies, but Jonathan takes care of him before he has a chance to do any real harm. Musical reference is the Doobie Brothers.
Page, Jones, Plant, and Bornnam
- , , , and are four zombies Dio conjuresConjurationConjuration is used in many video games, mainly RPGs, where it is usually referred to as summoning.* A notable example is the Final Fantasy franchise which incorporates summoning of monsters to fight alongside the characters....
in an effort to defeat Straizo. They are named after Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
, Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
, and John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
, from the band Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
.
Chapters
Related media
This arc was made into a video game for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
. An animated film version of Phantom Blood was released theatrically in Japan on February 17, 2007.