Phantom Blood
Phantom Blood | |
Cover of Weekly Shōnen Jump #1-2 of 1987, depicting (left to right) Dio Brando, Jonathan Joestar and his dog Danny | |
ファントムブラッド (Fantomu Buraddo) | |
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Genre | Action, adventure, supernatural |
Manga | |
Written by | Hirohiko Araki |
Published by | Shueisha |
English publisher | |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Imprint | Jump Comics |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
Original run | January 1987 – October 1987 |
Volumes | 5 |
Other media | |
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Phantom Blood (Japanese: ファントムブラッド Hepburn: Fantomu Buraddo) is the first story arc of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1987 for 44 chapters, which were later collected into five tankōbon volumes. In 2012, it was digitally colored and released as digital downloads for smartphones and tablet computers. A three-volume hardcover re-release under the title JoJonium (ジョジョニウム Jojoniumu) was published between December 4, 2013 and January 4, 2014.[1] This version was licensed and released in North America by Viz Media; beginning digitally in September 2014 and in print throughout 2015.[2]
The arc was originally known as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1 Jonathan Joestar: His Youth (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 第一部 ジョナサン·ジョースター ―その青春― JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Dai Ichi Bu Jonasan Jōsutā -Sono Seishun-), and was followed by Battle Tendency. Phantom Blood was adapted as a 2006 PlayStation 2 video game, a 2007 anime film by Studio A.P.P.P., and as the first part of a 2012 anime television series by David Production.
Characters
Main characters
- Jonathan Joestar (ジョナサン・ジョースター Jonasan Jōsutā)
- The main protagonist of this arc. Nicknamed "JoJo" for short, he is the son of George Joestar whose life turns to misery when Dio enters the household. After his father is killed by the vampirified Dio, Jonathan comes to learn the power of Hamon from Zeppeli and dies on a ship at a very young age.
- Instead of creating a unique character, Araki stated that as the first Joestar he created Jonathan to be "a symbol of purity and dignity." Admitting that this limitation might have resulted in him being "boring." Jonathan's physical transformation during the seven year skip was done with his upcoming battle with Dio in mind and inspired by muscular film actors popular at the time, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. A fan of karate manga as a child, Araki also wanted JoJo to exude an aura of strength like in Karate Master, leading to the character learning the supernatural Hamon technique.[3]
- Dio Brando (ディオ・ブランドー Dio Burandō)
- The antagonist of this arc. The son of Dario Brando, he becomes a member of the Joestar household with the intent of inheriting it for himself. When this ultimately fails after Jonathan catches him in the act, he uses the Stone Mask to transform himself into a vampire.
Jonathan's allies
- Robert E. O. Speedwagon (ロバート・E・O・スピードワゴン Robāto Ī Ō Supīdowagon)
- 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 helps uncover Dio's plot to poison George Joestar, and from that point onward remains 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 story arcs 2-6. In 1952 he dies of a heart attack at age 89. A lifelong bachelor, he leaves no family behind.
- Will A. Zeppeli (ウィル・A・ツェペリ Wiru Ē Tseperi)
- 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, Will travels the world in order to destroy the mask, and sees a man cure someone using the Hamon. Will is then directed to his master Tonpetty, who teaches him to use the Hamon. However, Tonpetty foresees Will's death during his training, warning him that should he complete his training he will surely die. Will 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, Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, is a major companion in Battle Tendency.
- As Jonathan's teacher, Araki modeled Zeppeli after martial arts masters in Jackie Chan movies and Kesuke Miyagi in The Karate Kid, who's "silly" appearances hide their strength. Araki dressed him as a magician and modeled his mustache after those of Salvador Dalí and the character Iyami from Osomatsu-kun. The Zeppeli name is derived from the English rock band Led Zeppelin.[4]
Friends and family
- Erina Pendleton (エリナ・ペンドルトン Erina Pendoruton)
- Erina Pendleton first appears as a small girl, with Jonathan rescuing her from bullies. When she appears again, she and Jonathan are dating, and eventually fall in love. However, after Dio forcefully seizes, kisses, and then brutally beats her, she is humiliated and stays 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 Jonathan finally defeated Dio using the Hamon, they subsequently renewed their relationship and got married. They took a ship to go on their honeymoon to America, but the voyage was cut short by the appearance of Dio. When the ship sinks, Jonathan stays behind, trying to kill Dio. Erina saves an orphaned infant and escapes. Years later, she and her grandson Joseph Joestar are the last of the Joestar family, and they travel to New York City on the invitation of Speedwagon, which sets off the events of the second story arc Battle Tendency.
- Poco (ポコ Poko)
- 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 Peggy (Voiced by: Aya Endō, Junko Hagimori (PS2 Game) (Japanese); Johanna Luis (English)) and Jonathan rescued her from Doobie.
- George Joestar I (ジョージ・ジョースターI世 Jōji Jōsutā Issei)
- George Joestar is Jonathan's father. He lost his wife named Mary Joestar (メアリー・ジョースター Mearī Jōsutā) 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 this was not true but still took Dio in). Eight years later George falls ill from unknown causes. After Jonathan returned from Ogre Street, Dio attacked Jonathan with a knife, which George blocked and got stabbed in the back. George's blood lands on Dio, who is wearing the Stone Mask, turning Dio into a vampire as he dies.
- Danny (ダニー Danī)
- Danny is Jonathan's pet dog, bought by his father while still a puppy when Jonathan was five years old. 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 incinerate the dog. Danny was burned to death and buried in the backyard of the Joestar Estate.
- Tonpetty (トンペティ Tonpeti)
- Tonpetty is a Hamon master who trained Zeppeli, as well as others. He trained the then 25-year-old Zeppeli in the ways of Hamon and eventually revealed to him that he would face a gruesome death. The only other known Hamon students of Tonpetty are Dire and Straizo, both who accompanied him to Dio's town. However, they did not meet with Jonathan and Speedwagon until after Zeppeli had died. During the final battle between Jonathan and Dio, Dire is killed, and Tonpetty and Straizo help kill Dio's remaining zombies. After the battle, Tonpetty is last seen at the docks (together with Straizo, Speedwagon, and others) to say farewell to Jonathan and Erina as they go on their honeymoon.
- Dire (ダイアー Daiā)
- Dire is a Hamon user and a student of Hamon master Tonpetty. 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 Hamon energy to shoot a rose into Dio's eye. For that, Dire's head was turned into ice as well and destroyed.
- Straizo (ストレイツォ Sutoreitso)
- Straizo is another of Tonpetty's followers. He aids Jonathan in the fight against Dio and his minions. However, in the 1930s during part 2 Battle Tendency, he betrays Speedwagon and puts on 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 dies after battling and losing to Joseph Joestar in New York City, overloading his own vampire body with Hamon energy. He is also the adoptive father of Lisa Lisa.
Vampires and Zombies
- Wang Chan (ワンチェン Wan Chen)
- Wang Chan is a mysterious apothecary who provides Dio with the poison to kill George Joestar, the same kind he 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. He serves loyally, and after Dio's penultimate defeat, he takes his master's head on board the ship carrying Jonathan and Erina, where he meets his end.
- Blueford (ブラフォード Burafōdo) and Tarukus (タルカス Tarukasu)
- Blueford and Tarukus are zombies resurrected by Dio to fight Jonathan, Zeppeli, and Speedwagon. Centuries before, they were followers of Mary Stuart, and were beheaded for attempting to rise against and kill Elizabeth I. Blueford 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 soul, and finally Jonathan is able to awaken this nobility. When his soul returns to him, he disintegrates peacefully. Tarukus, however, is not, and is more ruthless in his fight with Jonathan, even going so far as to nearly strangle the young man to death in a tethered match, as Tarukus easily outweighs him. It is only after Zeppeli's interference and his passing on his life force to Jonathan in a Final Hamon (after Tarukus dismembers his body) is Jonathan able to defeat the brute Tarukus.
- Jack the Ripper (切り裂きジャック(ジャック・ザ・リパー) Jakku Za Ripā)
- 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 Hamon techniques (as well as teaching Jonathan different battle tactics on how to defeat zombies). After Zeppeli deals a blow to the head, Jack attempts to escape but Jonathan pursues him, finishing him off with a Hamon overdrive.
- Doobie (怪人ドゥービー Kaijin Dūbī)
- 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.
- Page (ペイジ Peiji) , Jones (ジョーンズ Jōnzu) , Plant (プラント Puranto) , and Bornnam (ボーンナム Bōnnamu)
- Page, Jones, Plant, and Bornnam are four zombies Dio conjures in an effort to defeat Straizo.
- Adams (アダムス Adamusu)
- A resident of Windknight's Lot who Poco has met prior. Unaware to the group, he has been turned into a Zombie who tries to kill Poco and the others until Jonathan stops him.
- Lion King Winzaleo (獅子王ウィンザレオ Shishiō Winzareo) , Lightning Knight Eijkman (イナズマの騎士アイクマン Inazuma no Kishi Aikuman) , and Poison-Eyed Caineghis (独眼のカイネギス Dokugan no Kainegisu)
- Knights who previously underwent the Trial of the 77 Rings. While they only appear briefly in the manga, their roles are expanded in the video game based on the 2005 film. Winzaleo possesses super strength not unlike Tarukus, Eijkman can shoot lightning and control the wind, and Caineghis can release poison from his empty eye socket.
Others
- Dario Brando (ダリオ・ブランドー Dario Burandō)
- Dario Brando is Dio's abusive and alcoholic father. One day, Dario notices a carriage accident and tries to steal from the corpses inside. There he met George Joestar, who thought that Dario had come to save him instead, at which point George made a debt to Dario for saving his life. He beat Dio and worked his wife to death. Dio then went to Ogre Street and bought oriental poison from a Chinese man named Wang Chan. On his death bed, he then had Dio go to the Joestar Estate to repay the debt.
- Police Inspector (警部 Keibu)
- The police inspector who leads the group in the attempt to arrest Dio Brando. He is decapitated when Dio gains his vampire powers.
- Styx (スティクス Sutikusu)
- A priest who on a missionary trip to Mexico who is on the same boat as Jonathan and Erina as they head for their honeymoon in the United States. In his drunkenness, he unwittingly unleashes Dio and Wang Chan on the unsuspecting passengers.
Chapters
No. | Title | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN | ||
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1 | Dio the Invader Shinryakusha Dio (侵略者ディオ) | August 10, 1987[5] | ISBN 978-4-08-851126-9 | ||
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In 1880 England, a youth named Jonathan Joestar lives at the estate of his wealthy father George Joestar. Known to his friends as JoJo, Jonathan strives to be gentleman as he fought to protect the honor of a young girl named Erina Pendleton. But Jonathan's life was turned upside down when his father welcomes his foster brother Dio Brando to the estate to honor the debt he made to Dio's deceased father Dario twelve years ago. Dio, intent on claiming the Joestar fortune, made Jonathan's life a nightmare while outshining him. But Dio went too far by forcing Erina to kiss him after she and Jonathan fell in love, resulting with Dio being overpowered by a furious Jonathan. Jonathan notices a stone Mesoamerican mask react to droplets of Dio's blood landing on it before George ceases the fight. Dio retaliates by secretly placing Jonathan's pet dog Danny in the incinerator, deciding to change his plan as he feigned friendship with Jonathan. Seven years later, George is ill and bed-ridden with Jonathan believing is more than a simple cold. While studying the mask, Jonathan finds Dario's final letter and realized that Dio has poisoned his father and got his confirmation from a confrontation with Dio. Jonathan leaves his father in the care of physicians while he searches for a cure, Dio deciding to dispose of Jonathan with a freak accident involving the Stone Mask before he is exposed. But Dio soon learns that he may not need to use the mask after learning that Jonathan entered the crime-infested Ogre Street. | |||||
2 | The Thirst for Blood! Chi no Kawaki! (血の渇き! ) | January 8, 1988[6] | ISBN 978-4-08-851127-6 | ||
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Assuming that Jonathan died in Ogre Street, Dio crosses paths with two drunkards in the borough and the resulting scuffle ends with him slitting one's throat to subject the other to an activated Stone Mask. But the mask turned the second drunkard into a vampire that nearly killed Dio before being vaporized by sunlight. Returning to the mansion, Dio is confronted by Jonathan who found his poison supplier Wang Chan with help from the honorable criminal Robert E. O. Speedwagon and received the antidote that George took. As the constables arrive to escort Dio to prison, he makes his move to kill Jonathan with George taking the fatal stab wound. Though gunned down, Dio used the Stone Mask to survive as a vampire and slaughters the constables. After several failed attempts to kill Dio, Jonathan appeared to have won after setting the mansion ablaze. But after Speedwagon takes Jonathan away from the burnt ruins, the latter reunited with Erina as his care taker, it is revealed that Dio survived as he drained Wang Chen of his blood when he attempted to find the mask days later. | |||||
3 | The Dark Knights Ankoku no Kishi-tachi (暗黒の騎士達) | April 8, 1988[7] | ISBN 978-4-08-851128-3 | ||
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After a reunion with Erina, who nursed his injuries, Jonathan encounters an Italian man named Baron Will A. Zeppeli who possess the ability of Hamon (波紋, lit. "the ripple"). Zepelli reveals that Dio is still alive and convinces Jonathan to let him teach him Hamon which can destroy vampires. Jonathan learns from Speedwagon that Dio is at the town of Windknights Lot, where most of the villagers have been turned into zombies by Dio. Once at Windknights lot, after Jonathan dispatches a zombified Jack the Ripper, the group are lured by a brain-washed boy named Poco into a trap Dio arranged for them. Dio overpowers Zepelli before summoning two powerful zombie knights who once served Mary, Queen of Scots, Tarukus and Blueford, to finish the job for him. A duel between Jonathan and Blueford occurs and intensifies as it moves into the depths of a nearby lake. Jonathan uses a pocket of oxygen rich air under a rock to launch a Turquoise Blue Overdrive attack at Blueford. | |||||
4 | Chamber of the Two-Headed Dragon Sōshuryū no Ma e (双首竜の間へ) | June 10, 1988[8] | ISBN 978-4-08-851129-0 | ||
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After Blueford manages to barely avoid Jonathan's attack underwater, their duel eventually comes to an end when a direct exposure to Hamon revives Blueford's humanity as his body begins to dissolve. In his final moments, Blueford gives Jonathan his sword before completely disintegrating. Tarukus then attacks, with Jonathan and Zeppeli managing to get Speedwagon and Poco to safety using a bunch of leaves as a hangglider and ending up at a knight's training ground in order to stand against him. But Tarukus uses the Chamber of the Two-Headed Dragon to force Jonathan into a Chain Neck Deathmatch. But once Poco overcomes his nerves, manages to unlock the door with Zeppeli sacrificing himself to save Jonathan, giving the youth his remaining Hamon before dying. Jonathan's group meet Zeppeli's mentor Tonpetty and his students Dire and Straizo before reach Dio's castle. After saving Poco's sister Peggy from a zombie named Doobie, Jonathan goes on to face Dio. | |||||
5 | The Final Hamon! Saigo no Hamon! (最後の波紋! ) | August 10, 1988[9] | ISBN 978-4-08-851130-6 | ||
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After being forced to watch Dire sacrifice himself while wounding Dio with a Hamon-powered rose, a fight between Dio's vampiric abilities and Jonathan's Hamon ends with Dio defeated as his melting body falls off the castle. With Dio presumed dead, and the Stone Mask destroyed, Jonathan marries Erina and the two succeed a honeymoon trip to America. However, in the middle of the ocean at night, Jonathan discovers that the zombified Wang Chan has snuck aboard and that Dio severed his head to escape being completely destroyed. Dio admits that he had a epiphany, he and Jonathan are bond by fate as he intends to take the latter's body as his own to realize his destiny. Though mortally wounded, Jonathan uses the last of his Hamon to have a headless Wang Chan jam the ship's engine and trigger an explosion. Though Erina resolves to die by his husband's side, Jonathan instead tells her to live on and protect an infant whose mother died during the zombie attack. As Jonathan holds Dio's severed head in his final moments before they are consumed in the inferno, Erina takes the baby into Dio's special coffin to shield them from the explosion. Erina is eventually rescued near the Canary Islands a day later, vowing to tell Jonathan's story to their unborn child and the generations to follow. |
2002 re-release
No. | Title | Japanese release | English release | |
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1 | Part 1: Phantom Blood 1 Part 1 Fantomu Buraddo 1 (Part1 ファントムブラッド1) | February 15, 2002[10] ISBN 4-08-617784-6 | September 2, 2014 (digital) February 24, 2015 (physical) ISBN 978-1421578798 | |
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2 | Part 1: Phantom Blood 2 Part 1 Fantomu Buraddo 2 (Part1 ファントムブラッド2) | February 15, 2002[11] ISBN 4-08-617785-4 | November 4, 2014 (digital) May 5, 2015 (physical) ISBN 978-1421578804 | |
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3 | Part 1: Phantom Blood 3 Part 1 Fantomu Buraddo 3 (Part1 ファントムブラッド3) | February 15, 2002[12] ISBN 4-08-617786-2 | February 3, 2015 (digital) August 4, 2015 (physical) ISBN 978-1421578811 | |
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Related media
A video game based on Phantom Blood was released for the PlayStation 2 by Bandai. An animated film adaptation was released theatrically in Japan on February 17, 2007,[13] although it has yet to see a home video release of any kind. An anime television series, produced by David Production, adapted the Phantom Blood arc between October 5, 2012 and November 30, 2012. Jonathan Joestar, Will A. Zeppeli, and Dio Brando (with his separate incarnation of Stardust Crusaders) appear as playable characters in the PlayStation 3 fighting game, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai Games.
Notes
- 1 2 3 Chapters 45–47 are part of Battle Tendency.
References
- ↑ "コミックナタリー - 「ジョジョ」カラーページを完全再現した「JoJonium」刊行". Natalie.mu. September 19, 2013. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Viz Media Adds JoJo's Bizarre Adventures: Battle Tendency, Requiem of the Rose King Manga". Anime News Network. July 3, 2014. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
- ↑ Araki, Hirohiko (September 2, 2014). JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1 Phantom Blood. 1. Viz Media. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-4215-7879-8.
- ↑ Araki, Hirohiko (November 4, 2014). JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1 Phantom Blood. 2. Viz Media. p. 323. ISBN 978-1-4215-7880-4.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 1". Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 2". Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 3, 2004. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 3". Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 3, 2004. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 4". Shueisha. Archived from the original on June 20, 2006. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Volume 5". Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 3, 2004. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood 1". Shueisha. Archived from the original on 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood 2". Shueisha. Archived from the original on 2007-05-05. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
- ↑ "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood 3". Shueisha. Archived from the original on 2004-08-03. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
- ↑ ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ファントム ブラッド (2007). allcinema.net (in Japanese). Stingray. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2014.