Published May 9, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT

R.I.P. to a true JoBro

Image: David Production

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure opens with a ritualistic killing. In Phantom Blood , the first entry in mangaka Hirohiko Araki’s globe-spanning saga , we’re introduced to a supernatural Stone Mask during an Aztec ritual involving human sacrifice. Phantom Blood also lays the groundwork for the Joestar family legacy through protagonist Jonathan Joestar and introduces series antagonist Dio Brando. In hindsight, however, its 19th-century gothic-horror setting feels limiting compared to the fantastical adventures that follow.

The 2012 Phantom Blood anime is also just one of two entries in the sprawling JoJo saga to predate the introduction of Stands (the physical manifestation of a person’s fighting spirit, which is now a core battle mechanic in the franchise).…