Phantom Blood
First story arc of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Hirohiko Araki (artist), Shueisha (publisher) · via Wikipedia: Phantom Blood · Fair use
Phantom Blood (Japanese: ファントムブラッド, Hepburn: Fantomu Buraddo) is a Japanese manga series by Hirohiko Araki and the first story arc of the larger JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series. It was serialized by Shueisha in Weekly Shōnen Jump under the full title JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1 Jonathan Joestar: His Youth, running for over ten months from January 1 to October 26, 1987. The arc was collected in five volumes; a three-volume collection was released in Japan by Shueisha in 2002, and in North America by Viz Media in 2014. It was followed by Battle Tendency.
Set in England during the middle-to-late 1880s, the story follows Jonathan Joestar, heir to the wealthy Joestar family, and his adoptive brother Dio Brando, who schemes to seize the Joestar fortune. Dio uses an ancient stone mask to transform into a vampire, and Jonathan learns the sunlight-based martial art of Hamon to oppose him. Araki described the story's themes as "being alive" and "an affirmation that humanity is wonderful," with characters growing and overcoming problems through their own actions.
The series received mixed to positive reviews, with critics often criticizing the anatomy and character posing in Araki's artwork. During its serialization, Araki was frequently told that Phantom Blood did not fit among the "best of the best" published at the same time, such as Dragon Ball and Fist of the North Star. The arc has been adapted into two anime: a 2007 film by A.P.P.P. and part of the first season of David Production's 2012 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure TV series. A video game adaptation was released by Bandai in 2006, and a stage musical adaptation debuted in February 2024.
In 19th-century England, the impoverished Dio Brando is adopted by the wealthy George Joestar to repay a debt to Dio's father Dario, who died in 1880. George's son Jonathan, who aspires to be a gentleman, becomes Dio's adoptive brother. Dio, however, wants the Joestar fortune and manipulates Jonathan's loved ones into shunning him. After Dio forcibly steals the first kiss of Jonathan's girlfriend Erina Pendleton, Jonathan overpowers Dio in a fistfight. Dio retaliates by trapping Jonathan's pet dog Danny in an incinerator, killing him. Both Jonathan and Dio become interested in a mysterious stone mask that reacted to Dio's blood during their fight. Jonathan learns the mask was used by the Aztecs to grant immortality.
- Creator
- Hirohiko Araki
- First serialization
- January 1, 1987
- Last serialization
- October 26, 1987
- Genre
- Manga
- Publisher
- Shueisha
- Setting
- England, middle-to-late 1880s
- Themes
- Being alive, affirmation that humanity is wonderful
Lore & Background
The story is set in 19th-century England and follows Jonathan Joestar, heir of the wealthy Joestar family, and his adoptive brother Dio Brando, who seeks to take the Joestar fortune. Dio uses an ancient stone mask to transform into a vampire, and Jonathan learns the sunlight-based martial arts technique of Hamon to fight him. Key characters include Robert E. O. Speedwagon, Will A. Zeppeli, and Erina Pendleton.
Araki designed characters with muscular body types influenced by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. The character posing was influenced by a trip to Italy where he saw Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture Apollo and Daphne. The manga was created using a ki-shō-ten-ketsu structure with a rule of rising and falling, where the hero must grow over time.
The series received mixed to positive reviews, with critics frequently criticizing the anatomy and character posing. Araki was often told during serialization that Phantom Blood did not fit with the best of the best published at the same time, like Dragon Ball and Fist of the North Star.
Reader's Guide
Phantom Blood established the foundation for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, introducing key elements such as the stone mask, Hamon energy, and the Joestar family lineage. Its themes of humanity's ability to grow and overcome hardships through one's own strength and spirit became recurring motifs throughout all subsequent parts. The series has been adapted into two anime adaptations: a 2007 film by A.P.P.P. and as part of the first season of David Production's 2012 TV series. It was also adapted into a 2006 video game by Bandai and a stage musical that debuted in February 2024. Despite initial mixed reception, Phantom Blood's legacy lies in its unique blend of horror, action, and family drama, and its influence on later manga and anime. The passing of the torch from Jonathan to future protagonists, a deliberate narrative choice by Araki, set a precedent for the series' multi-generational storytelling.
Did You Know?
- The manga was originally serialized under the title JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1 Jonathan Joestar: His Youth.
- Jonathan dies at the end of the story, which Araki called unthinkable for a shōnen manga but necessary to pass the Joestar lineage to the next protagonist.
More in Characters
Elsewhere in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced