Dio Brando
- For a similarly named character, see Diego Brando
Originally a man of low birth but peerless ambition, Dio is a cunning villain of little conscience and an insatiable hunger for power. After becoming a vampire, Dio sets out to conquer the world with an army of zombies at his command, bringing a lifelong feud between himself and his brother by adoption, Jonathan Joestar, to a head. He later becomes a Stand user wielding the all-powerful The World, and is responsible for setting many of the series's major events in motion. His legacy and influence persists throughout the first six parts of JoJo, with many characters either being related to him or inspired by his charisma and malice.
He is also the main protagonist of the light novel OVER HEAVEN, the main antagonist of JORGE JOESTAR, and a postmortem primary antagonist in the spin-off manga Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak.
Appearance
Phantom Blood
When he first arrives at the Joestar Mansion as a young child, Dio wears a typical formal boy's attire from that era; a blue coat, white dress shirt, a tie, suspenders, breeches, and a pair of striped socks. He has blond hair and three moles on the lobe of his left ear. When boxing, he wears a shirt with folded sleeves, overalls, and boxing gloves.
Aside from replacing his coat with a vest, as an adult, Dio's attire hasn't changed much. However, his overall physique and height increase significantly. During the events where Jonathan sets out to find the antidote for his father's illness, Dio dons a top hat and a new, flamboyant-looking cloak that has feathers jutting out of the shoulders. However, Dio undergoes drastic physical changes upon using the Stone Mask to transform himself into a vampire. His formerly clean hair becomes messy and unkempt, his eyes become sharper and adopt a darker outline, and he develops fangs. His clothing has changed quite a bit as well after his first battle with Jonathan; most noticeable is the scarf around his neck. He wears an ornate dual-colored shirt and matching breeches, a large pair of boots, vambraces, and two suspenders attached to a band around his waist.
In an interview, Araki describes how the movie Blade Runner had influenced his work back when it premiered. He mentions Dio's blond hair and muscular build in particular as being influenced by the Blade Runner character, Roy Batty.[13]
A formal uniform made up of a dress shirt, suspenders, breeches, striped socks, and shoes. This outfit is seen at the start of Phantom Blood when Dio and his father interact on the latter's deathbed. In the anime this is Dio's main attire as a child, but without the coat and tie.
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Trenchcoat and scarf worn over his previous clothing, Dio wears this while visiting his father's grave.
A typical formal boy's attire from that era; a coat, white dress shirt, a tie, suspenders, breeches, and a pair of striped socks.
Same outfit as before but without a coat and wearing boxing gloves for a ring match with Jonathan.
Similar to his first outfit but without suspenders. The left shoulder gets ripped after kissing Erina.
Dio's first outfit as an adult consisting of a striped shirt, shorts, and striped socks.
Similar to his childhood outfit but replaced his coat with a vest.
A dark coat with feathers on shoulders. Initially seen with a hat. After becoming a vampire he loses the top portion of his suit making him expose his chest.
Clothes with a hoodie, metallic piece on the chest, and metal prosthetics on the right leg.
Ornate dual-colored shirt and matching breeches, a large pair of boots, vambraces, two suspenders attached to a band around his waist, and a scarf around his neck.
Dio's main attire as a vampire in anime. It's a reimagined version of his outfit in his castle from the manga but with a simplified top portion, sleeves connected to wristbands and boots up to his knees.
Stardust Crusaders
At the start of Part 3, DIO doesn't have a visible face as an effect of the shadowy darkness of his mansion. He has shoulder-length blond hair and is often topless, exposing Jonathan's muscular body (on which his head is attached in place). Due to prolonged attachment, Jonathan's body has become pale, so pale that it seems transparent.[14] He wears pants with suspenders, boots, shiny cuffs on both wrists, and heart-shaped knee guards. This form of DIO is commonly referred to as Shadow DIO (影DIO) or Evil Incarnate DIO (邪悪の化身ディオ, Ja'aku no Keshin DIO), the names having originated from its appearances in JoJo's Venture and Heritage for the Future respectively.
Due to his nature as a vampire, DIO is often stated to be a very attractive being, described by Avdol as exuding a bewitching sensuality, speaking with a deeply soothing voice and possessing a piercing gaze.[15] Many of his subordinates describe him as handsome,[16] beautiful[17] or awe inspiring in some fashion. Attacking his visage even severely enrages Vanilla Ice, one of his most loyal underlings.[18] Supernatural charisma helped DIO build his army and despite the fear that his mere presence instills, many of the people who encounter him feel a bizarre sense of calm from it.
Once revealed, DIO dons a jacket with a tight tank-top underneath, as well as chaps with an exposed crotch. His face is now in full-view, and on his head is a heart-adorned circlet to match his knee guards. This is his form during the beginning of the DIO's World story arc. In most depictions of him, DIO's outfit is tinted orange or yellow. He also wears a necklace covering his neck scar and heart motifs above his feet and on his pant legs, but he quickly stopped sporting them after his first stairway confrontation with Polnareff. When pursuing the Joestar group, DIO donned a cloak that he ended up discarding during his confrontation with Kakyoin.
After draining Joseph Joestar's blood, DIO's appearance changes again, but remains similar to his revealed form, minus the jacket and the heart-shaped headband that was destroyed by Star Platinum's attacks. He now sports a deranged and homicidal look and mannerisms, having lost his suave touch. His hair is disheveled and mostly oriented upwards, while his lips are darker and seem adorned with lipstick. This is his main form during the final part of the DIO's World story arc, often called High DIO (ハイDIO) or High-Voltage DIO[19] in Japanese media.
Outfit DIO wore throughout the majority of Stardust Crusaders. Pants with suspenders, boots, shiny cuffs on both wrists, and heart-shaped knee guards. Exposed top and face covered in darkness except in episode 44.
His main outfit but with a choker connecting to his pants.
Outfit primarily during the DIO's World story arc. Jacket with a tight tank-top underneath, as well as chaps with an exposed crotch. After leaving his mansion is seen with a cape up to his fight with Kakyoin.
Color Schemes
Personality
Dio is consistently manipulative and violently domineering, and has repeatedly shown a lack of conscience and empathy. He is described by Hirohiko Araki as essentially being a parasite, concealing his true nature to infiltrate the Joestar family, and taking everything he can while plotting a takeover.[8]
Dio's most recognizable characteristics are his boundless ambition and his love of power. Abused by his father and having lived in the most miserable living conditions,[20] Dio sets for himself the goal of becoming the richest, then the most powerful being on Earth. To do so, Dio uses anything or anyone that he can to further his goals, disregarding any kind of morality that would restrain the range of actions available to him. Using either manipulation, seduction, or plain violence, Dio constantly seeks to become more and more powerful. Dio enjoys being in a position of power[12][21] and has repeatedly stated how great he felt being in a dominating position. On the contrary, Dio never considers anyone to be able to stand up to him or equal him in power and becomes enraged and deeply disturbed at the thought.
Throughout his life, Dio surrounds himself with witless cronies and minions, who are attracted by his natural charisma. He prefers attracting those he deems as particularly evil, claiming that evil people aren't bound by rules such as honor[22] and thus are stronger mentally. This belief culminates in including the absorption of 36 souls of sinners, or, as he claims, particularly strong souls, to unlock a power greater than that of his Stand, The World.
Naturally, Dio is incredibly selfish, focused solely on his own interests—at best ignoring those of others, and at worst, trampling them underfoot. Due to his composed nature, Dio can and will manipulate and take what he can from all sorts of people, using any method, as long as the person suits his present desires or he is interested in their capabilities. Dio is the type who is incapable of loving another person wholeheartedly.[23] The only people he can be said to have held some type of affection for are Jonathan Joestar and Enrico Pucci, as Dio comes to recognize Jonathan's worth as equal to his own and deems Pucci as a friend. Still, Dio steals the former's body, and his friendship with the latter is proven nonetheless beneficial to a grander plan to further himself.
When interacting with someone, Dio will constantly try to manipulate them and sway them into his side, using a veneer of gentleness and his natural charm to make people admire and like him. For instance, he acts as the model son and popular charismatic friend to Jonathan's father and entourage to better isolate him, and as a vampire, his charisma only increases as he appears as a charming mysterious individual. However, his natural arrogance leads him to openly insult and belittle his enemies, notably disparaging their insignificant strength before his vampiric or Stand powers. He is the type who is comfortable being with a man or woman, but will do anything to get what he wants and would "absolutely never pour 100% of his love into a specific person."[23]
Dio approaches obstacles and problems in several ways, depending on the situation and his mood. Before his vampiric transformation, Dio is careful and methodical in trying to break Jonathan's spirit, and slowly poisons George for a sizeable time, only being thwarted due to unlucky twists of fate. As a vampire, Dio at first lets his arrogance get the better of him and takes a laissez-faire approach, only sending subordinates to kill Jonathan's party while he rests and recovers. However, his defeat by Jonathan teaches him to be wary of the Joestar family in its entirety, and so he later ambushes Jonathan and company. During the events of Stardust Crusaders, he sends his minions to delay the Joestars as much as possible to recover strength. In the final battle with Jotaro, his wariness, tactical acumen, and arrogance clash as DIO alternates between meticulous approaches and overconfident attacks.
Phantom Blood
In Phantom Blood, Dio is ambitious, selfish, arrogant, callous, and megalomaniacal, seemingly able to do anything to achieve his aims.
His natural ruthlessness is exposed very early when plans to exploit the Joestar family despite them being kind enough to adopt him.[24] To better position himself to replace Jonathan Joestar and seize the Joestar family fortune, Dio resorts to the most underhanded tactics to break him mentally. These methods include humiliating Jonathan in public sport fighting, ostracizing him from his friends,[12] and finally stealing Erina Pendleton's first kiss to drive a wedge in their budding relationship.[25] When he is eventually foiled, Dio opts to slowly poison George Joestar I and kill Jonathan with the Stone Mask to make both deaths seem natural and accidental.[20] Dio shows a remarkable determination to reach his goal, never losing his drive despite the numerous defeats he suffers throughout Phantom Blood and always trying to find a way to get back at Jonathan for them.
Dio's lack of empathy is also apparent, as despite living for years with the kind Joestars, he never thinks of them as anything more than obstacles, and is hinted to utterly resent the upper class he frequents. As a human, Dio maintains a facade of a charming and agreeable person to everyone aside from Jonathan, and yet never becomes close with anyone. At the end of the part, the only person Dio appreciates is Jonathan Joestar himself, begrudgingly acknowledging his valor as his archenemy,[26] attempting to "grant" him a painless death, and even being shocked at his death.[27] Overjoyed to have changed into a powerful vampire, Dio spends his later battles in the part taunting various humans about their weaknesses and belittling them in favor of the apex predator vampires. Dio also sadistically changes a mother into a zombie just to watch her devour her baby. When in a position of strength, he also tends to torment them further, such as sneakily sticking his thumb into Jonathan's eye during a punch.[12]
Dio shows a lack of restraint in his violence, and is prone to murderous outbursts even as far as his childhood, notably trying to stab Jonathan when he beats him up, and violently slapping Erina.[21] He is also incredibly cruel to Jonathan's dog, Danny, going so far as kicking him on their first meeting.[24] When Dio is defeated by Jonathan, Dio secretly has Danny incinerated. He is shown to be utterly enraged when someone stands up to him, which is the cause of his outbursts. He acknowledges that his anger was a weakness,[28] but remains unable to truly control himself throughout his life.
Dio's personality may be explained by his poor childhood and the abusive relationship he shared with his father, Dario Brando. Speedwagon, however, rejects this as the cause of Dio's personality, claiming that Dio was simply born this way and that his poverty has nothing to do with it. True to that, Dio, already an immoral person, openly relinquishes his humanity in favor of becoming a vampire upon being cornered by the police.[29] He trades his underhanded scheming persona for a more arrogant and hedonistic personality that is dismissive of humanity and revels in evil. Nonetheless, Dio respects determination and sees Jonathan's determination as equal to his own, earning him the dubious honor of serving as Dio's new host after being reduced to a head.[26]
Dio has expressed hatred for dogs, considering them vermin.[12]
Stardust Crusaders
Reappearing in Stardust Crusaders, DIO shows little change since his burial at the bottom of the ocean for one hundred years, as he remains a remorseless and murderous megalomaniac. Nonetheless, he has matured a little by recognizing valor in others, and is generally more calm and level-headed.
DIO does not appear frequently in Stardust Crusaders until the end. However, he is seen discussing various philosophies with Stand users he wishes to recruit and his already-loyal followers, particularly Enya the Hag, who serves as his main adviser. It seems equally likely that DIO does this to manipulate and persuade them as he believes what he says, but he nonetheless acknowledges the power and valor simple humans can have, notably respecting one's willingness to die for his goal. Wishing to quickly dispose of the Joestars, he listens to Enya and quietly rests in his mansion to gain more strength. Furthermore, DIO ceases to underestimate his opponents, being particularly careful around the Joestar bloodline. He nonetheless sneers at other Stand users' efforts to fight him, most notably Kakyoin's, whose discovery ended up being crucial in his defeat.
Perhaps due to knowing that his Stand The World is far above anyone's reach, DIO is more tolerant of people resisting him and does not react to Polnareff's taunts and insults. He even seems to appreciate Hol Horse's insubordination, seeing it as confirmation of the mercenary's strength. However, DIO is still callous about human life and will kill anyone who fails him, even Enya, his closest adviser. The usually confident and cunning gambler Daniel D'Arby is driven to madness under the pressure of possibly revealing DIO's Stand ability to Jotaro.
True to his personality, DIO enjoys the fact that he wields the most powerful Stand in his organization, being unconcerned by the heroes' seemingly meaningless effort to discover his power. When Jotaro reveals himself to be able to move within the stopped time, DIO is initially very distraught but recomposes himself quickly, devising other plans to get rid of Jotaro by exploiting his advantage. The full scale of his insanity is visible when overjoyed to have completely fused with Jonathan's body and being at full power, DIO declares that he is experiencing "the greatest high" and delightfully drills his index finger into his skull.
DIO’s final speech exposes that he is still willing to use any method to win and despises any concept of honor or revenge, ultimately using a cheap trick to blind Jotaro momentarily. However, this is all for naught, as DIO ultimately meets his end at Jotaro's hand.
Stone Ocean
In flashbacks to events before his death, DIO demonstrates a burgeoning ability to form genuine relationships in numerous conversations with Enrico Pucci. Intrigued by Pucci, who lets him be despite him suspiciously hiding in a church, DIO heals his crooked foot and gives him the head of an Arrow, which would later awaken his own Stand, Whitesnake. During these flashbacks, DIO can open up with him on multiple subjects, confiding to Pucci that the priest's company could bring him peace. He even dares Pucci to steal his Stand, and upon the latter's refusal, admits that he fears the thought of Pucci betraying him.
It is debatable how good a friend DIO truly is, considering Pucci's good-willed nature during his youth gives way to a willingness to adopt DIO's skewed morals. DIO's friendship with Pucci also serves him by furthering his ambitions of achieving "heaven," as described in his diary, which calls into question how sincere it was.
OVER HEAVEN
OVER HEAVEN offers an interpretation of Dio Brando's character by mixing elements present in the original material and plot points introduced by the light novel, which serves as the real-life interpretation of his diary.
In the novel, DIO has seemingly matured past his megalomania and, due to his mother's kindness and influence on him during his younger years, developed an extreme fixation on the concept of "heaven"—an idea he revisits when he becomes embroiled in the world of Stands. After discovering the power human souls possess, as well as the possibility that these souls can be harnessed and controlled for one's benefit, DIO devises a plan to use Stand power and human souls to bring about his idea of heaven.
Throughout the events of Stardust Crusaders, DIO holds meetings with Enrico Pucci while devising his plan to go to heaven. Ultimately, he concludes that to achieve true victory and witness heaven, DIO must guide Pucci to heaven, not the other way around. Between these musings and his dealings with his servants are all sorts of tangents, including thoughts of his past life as a human and later on a vampire, the intricacies of the Stone Mask, the generational feud between him and the Joestar family, the life his parents had in the slums of London, and various philosophical matters.
For what it's worth, DIO appears to genuinely care about Enrico Pucci, and even more so about his plan to go to heaven. As DIO states outright, he is willing to sacrifice his organization, his vampiric abilities, his Stand, everything—to achieve his goal of creating heaven on earth.
Abilities
DIO is one of the most powerful characters in the series. As a human, he is already brilliant, but over time he manages to acquire further power, eventually becoming both a vampire and a Stand user.
Stands
The World
DIO's Stand is The World, a close-ranged Stand with comparable if not superior strength and speed to Jotaro Kujo's Star Platinum.
About a year after gaining his Stand, DIO discovered its signature ability of stopping time. At first, he could only do this for a very short amount of time, but by the end of Part 3, he is able to stop time for a maximum of 9 seconds.[30] It is implied that this duration would further increase if not for DIO's death. When stopping time, DIO gives the impression that he is teleporting or otherwise moving at impossible speeds.
The ability is best known for DIO's activation and cancellation phrases, "The World! Time, stop!" (
Mastery
Having had ample time to rest and train with The World, DIO is shown to have been thorough in exploring his Stand's abilities; it was during an experimental session during which DIO sought to test the limit of The World's speed and power that he discovered its time-stop ability.
To give himself an advantage, DIO keeps The World's ability a closely-guarded secret, only using it at key moments to psych out an opponent and perform incomprehensible sneak attacks. He only entrusts his Stand's secret to a few confidants such as Enya the Hag, who he will not hesitate to eliminate as soon as a remote chance of informing his enemies of his power appears. However, as soon as the Joestar group understands his ability, DIO drops his former secrecy and shows a great degree of confidence in the supremacy of his power, ultimately not caring about his secret due to his conviction that no one can overcome it. Thus, he begins to liberally stop time against Jotaro. Thanks to the free time-frame of action granted by The World, DIO is able to instantly reposition himself to avoid attacks or set himself up to attack, kill enemies instantly, or even displace his opponents to toy with them.
DIO demonstrates a high degree of control over The World, using it to battle Jotaro's Star Platinum to a stand-off, but showing superior technique in hand to hand combat by using low kicks and feints to outmatch Star Platinum. However, his vampiric constitution allows DIO to disregard any of The World's defensive uses, as he can easily regenerate any wounds he sustains by sucking the blood of others.
Unlike every other enemy Stand user in Stardust Crusaders, DIO actively seeks to improve his Stand's capabilities. He notably awaits the Joestar group's arrival, eager to suck the blood of a Joestar and fully synchronize with Jonathan's body to bolster his powers further. Araki himself has stated that DIO has the potential to stop time indefinitely.
Moreover, DIO searches for a way to unlock a power even more powerful than The World, using esoteric knowledge to divine a plan to create another, even mightier Stand.
Jonathan's Stand
When DIO awakens The World, Jonathan's body also awakens a Hermit Purple-like Stand power with semi-precognitive abilities.[32] Similar to Hermit Purple, it can produce psychic photographs by striking a camera or a crystal ball, which DIO uses to track the Joestars and their friends' current location to send Stand users after them. DIO is even able to tell when Joseph uses Hermit Purple to take a psychic photograph of him, and instinctively knows that his acquisition of a Stand has also awakened Stand abilities in Jonathan's descendants.
In the light novel OVER HEAVEN, this Stand shares the same name as Hermit Purple and is called "Hermit Purple #2." In JORGE JOESTAR, this Stand is instead named "The Passion". It takes the form of a crown of thorns and also has the ability to watch the futures of anyone related to Jonathan by blood.
By taking over Jonathan Joestar's body, DIO shares a spiritual connection to the Joestar Family and bears the Star Birthmark. After DIO's reemergence, the spiritual power inside the Joestars awakens and causes the living descendants to develop Stand powers. This also means that DIO is able to sense their presence and vice versa, though according to Joseph, DIO can only sense their presence and isn't able to pinpoint their location or tell them apart.[33]
Vampiric Abilities
Becoming a vampire as a young adult, Dio Brando displays a broad range of fantastic, supernatural abilities, explained as expressions of the full, unbound potential of the human body. However, he is consequently severely restricted by his vulnerability to sunlight and the Ripple.
As part of its immortality, the body of a vampire forfeits natural decay, essentially preventing the host from dying of old age. Those transformed at a younger age will naturally preserve their looks, while those who are older will rejuvenate their bodies and take on the appearance of a young adult.[34] This characteristic allows DIO to retain his youth and survive at the bottom of the ocean for a century. Even over 100 years after his birth, DIO continues to appear as though he is in his 20s.
Dio appears to have senses beyond human levels, as demonstrated when he places his head on the ground to hear Jotaro's heartbeat from a few meters away.[37]
All vampires, including DIO, consume the blood of living creatures to sustain themselves. Unlike traditional vampires, they suck their victims' blood with their hands, digging the fingers directly inside the target to suck their blood. Blood consumption will strengthen a vampire and heal them if they were weakened before. In a weakened state, a vampire will instinctively crave blood and may attack any victim to regenerate.
Dio is able to hypnotize living people into obeying his commands, visually represented by beams appearing from his eyes. The effect is shown to wear off if the hypnotized person is struck with Ripple energy. Dio uses this ability to convince Jack the Ripper to become his servant, and later to lure Jonathan's group into a graveyard trap by having Poco steal their luggage.[22][38] Later in his life, DIO develops a supernatural charisma that, when combined with buds made of his own flesh, renders his hypnosis abilities all but redundant.
By vaporizing the moisture in his body, Dio can absorb heat from any living being he comes into physical contact with, freezing them and stifling their blood flow.[39] This ability can be circumvented if Ripple energy is channeled through items or fire.
In the light novel OVER HEAVEN, DIO claims that he is unable to use the technique due to the nature of Jonathan's body, and that he considers it a relic of the past regardless.[40]
Dio destroying Dire's frozen body
Having extensive knowledge on the anatomies of organic beings, Dio can graft the body parts of different beings together. Initially, he uses this ability to create hybrid animal chimeras that he keeps as pets, as well as deformed zombies such as Doobie, Page, Jones, Plant, and Bornnam. Dio later utilizes this power to graft his own head onto Jonathan's body.
Dio is able to pressurize bodily liquid in his eyeballs and then create small openings in his pupils, unleashing two fluid jets with enough power to slice through stone. This ability is later referred to by Straizo as "Space Ripper Stingy Eyes."[41] Dio can also aim this attack to some degree, as he targets Jonathan's brain when he uses it in his final confrontation against the Ripple user.
It is unknown if DIO is able to use Space Ripper Stingy Eyes after taking over Jonathan's body, as he never uses it in Stardust Crusaders. However, he does utilize the ability in JoJo's Venture and the drama CD adaptation of Stardust Crusaders.
DIO is able to manipulate his hair to create parasites, which he can then insert into a human's head, to control even those that he cannot otherwise manipulate. Usually inserted beneath the victim's hair, these flesh buds pierce through the skull into part of the brain, making the victim especially compliant to DIO's charisma. As explained by Joseph, the parasite will then begin to gradually consume the victim's brain.
If anyone besides the victim attempts to remove the bud, it sprouts tentacles in an attempt to invade the intruder's brain as well.[42] The spore's tentacles can also be activated directly to kill its host by any organism capable of manipulating life at a cellular level. The spores come with an additional side effect if DIO himself ever dies: according to Keicho Nijimura, DIO's cells mutate his father into an unkillable animalistic form upon DIO's death.
The parasite does have weaknesses - while the parasite cannot be removed by a normal human, as any inaccuracy can cause irreparable damage to the victim's brain, it can be removed with extreme precision such as that of Star Platinum,[43] though the person operating needs to be wary of the bud's tentacles. Once it is removed, since the bud is made of vampiric cells, it can then safely be disintegrated by either a Ripple user[44] or the sun's light.[45]
In the light novel OVER HEAVEN, it is stated that flesh buds limit the power of their host's Stand.[46]
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Dio possesses the ability to heal other people's wounds, as demonstrated when he completely cures Pucci's twisted foot by simply touching it.[47] The process is shown to be quick and painless, as Pucci does not notice the result until after the process is complete.
Personal Skills
Intelligence
Dio is naturally intelligent, displaying cunning and perceptiveness as well as imagination repeatedly.
As a child and teenager, Dio Brando manages to achieve academic excellence with ease, apparently planning to graduate from university as a top law student.
Dio is otherwise a cunning villain and proficient tactician in combat. Dio almost manages to get away with two murders, biding his time in order to have a perfect alibi and only being discovered by accident. Within six years after his resurfacing from the bottom of the ocean, DIO builds a powerful criminal empire spanning over several continents that brings him many riches. In a fight, Dio is particularly cunning and perceptive, his ruthlessness allowing him to exploit dishonorable and downright inhuman tactics to get ahead, such as leading his enemies into a trap, using hapless civilians as projectiles and sources of energy, or using plain sneak attacks. Dio also has a habit of analyzing his opponents and quickly determining counters to their strengths, such as freezing blood in order to stop the flow of the Ripple or throwing multiple knives to force Jotaro to use up his movement in stopped time.
Naturally ambitious, Dio constantly seeks to improve himself and meticulously studies his abilities to make the most of them. As such, he develops a freezing power akin to the Pillar Men's Modes soon after becoming a vampire, and later devises a feasible plan to fuse several souls with his own Stand in order to create the ultimate Stand. Dio also experiments with fusing two organisms with his vampiric abilities, later using that knowledge to steal Jonathan's body.
Though he doesn't show it often, Dio is a natural philosopher, arguing about the human condition with multiple people.
Other
- Resilience: Prior to becoming a Vampire, Dio was already an able bare-handed fighter, a skill he says he developed in the slums of London. He is a good amateur sportsman as well: during a rugby game as a young adult, he is shown to have developed high athletic ability and fantastic muscle mass.
- Charisma: Dio is a cunning and charming individual. In addition to Stand users, whom Avdol and Joseph suggest he recruits through charisma, he seduces many women throughout his life.
- Knowledge: Throughout both his humble youth and tempestuous maturity, Dio is often seen reading. During his pre-teen years, he is seen playing chess with adults. In Stone Ocean, in conversation with Enrico Pucci, he is shown to have accumulated some wisdom within the world of Stands. Importantly, Dio is able to concoct a plan, contained in his diary, incorporating vast, unknown information as to the deliberate creation of Stands of perfectly specific abilities.
Weaknesses
- Vampiric Body: Dio Brando's powers all come at the expense of having a body sustained by sheer willpower alone, rather than vital energy. A sufficiently powerful force of vitality - specifically sunlight or the Ripple - will negate the sustaining force's presence and disintegrate his long-dead body.
- Jonathan's Body: When DIO first acquires Jonathan Joestar's body and resurfaces from the ocean, he is unable to use the full power of his Stand and heal as effectively as he did before, and thus needs to acquire blood from a live Joestar to compensate and fully synchronize with his new form. Once he negates this weakness by absorbing Joseph Joestar's blood, he, along with his Stand, manage to grow significantly stronger, and become able to stop time for more than 5 seconds and recover from injuries quickly.
Relationships
Family
- Dario Brando: Dio hated his father and saw Dario only as a stepping stone in his path to ascend in society. Dio's hatred stems from the abuse Dario dealt Dio's mother with his alcoholism, as well as Dio himself, to the point where he secretly poisoned to death and tricked Dario into thinking he was sick. He emphasizes this by spitting on his father's grave before leaving for the Joestar mansion.
- Dio's Mother: Though most of his contempt was reserved for his father, he resented his mother as well for devoting herself to such a horrible man.[8][a] However, Dio still showed signs that he cared about her and was upset about her untimely death, as he was brought to tears when his father ordered him to sell her dress for alcohol money.[48] Even as an adult, he responds with rage and attacks a vagrant for mocking his mother.[49]
- Giorno Giovanna: DIO is not shown to have interacted with his son, Giorno, although Giorno keeps a photo of him in his wallet. It is unknown where Giorno got it from or if he knows of the kind of person his father was. Also of note is that DIO would drain Giorno's mother of her blood, had he not been killed himself by Jotaro.[50]
- Ungalo, Donatello Versus, and Rikiel: Similarly to Giorno's case, the mothers of all three men were left alive. However, none of them inherited Jonathan's spirit. All three only learned of their true father's identity after their fated encounter with Pucci.
Allies
- Cabbage and Stark: The two bullies are swayed into Dio's side as part of his plan to ruin Jonathan's life. While Dio has little interaction with them, the two have a high level of respect for him, expressing their admiration of him forcefully kissing Erina.
- Wang Chan: While at first a provider of his secret poison that was crucial in killing Dario and attempting to kill George, after becoming a vampire, Dio uses him as a scout and aide once his head is chopped off. Despite his dependence on Wang Chan, Dio doesn't take his insults to Jonathan lightly and rebukes him for it.
- Enya the Hag: Enya is one of DIO's most loyal followers and supporters, having introduced him to the concept of Stands and giving him his own with the Bow and Arrow. Despite her loyalty, DIO has Steely Dan secretly implant her with a flesh bud to ensure the secrecy of his own Stand's ability.
- Hol Horse: DIO looks down on Hol Horse, viewing him as a coward for failing to kill the Joestar Group twice and threatening to kill him if he does so again. Initially intimidated by DIO, Hol Horse grows to loathe the vampire and attempts to shoot him, only for DIO to use his power to intimidate Hol Horse into submission again, though he is impressed by his courage.
- N'Doul: DIO is the first person to see N'Doul's worth, which causes N'Doul to admire DIO. N'Doul is so loyal to DIO that he kills himself in order to prevent himself from leaking valuable information.
- Pet Shop: While not much is known about their relationship, DIO personally selects Pet Shop as the guardian of his mansion while he lurks in Egypt.
- Vanilla Ice: While the former is fanatically loyal to his cause, even willing to chop off his head to prove his worth, DIO annoyingly notes that Vanilla Ice often forgets about the doors after he uses his Stand, Cream, to travel via making a hole in the wall. Still, DIO highly respects Ice's abilities, refusing to use the blood of someone of his caliber to heal himself.
- Nukesaku: DIO has no respect for Nukesaku despite his loyalty, viewing him as disposable in his battle with the Joestar Group. When Nukesaku attempts to open DIO's coffin, assuming that he will save him, DIO instead uses The World to dismember Nukesaku before placing him in the coffin to intimidate the group.
- Johngalli A.: While there is no on-screen interaction between them, Johngalli is highly loyal to DIO, as shown when he frames Jolyne for murder and attempts to kill her and Jotaro to avenge his master.
- Enrico Pucci: DIO's encounter with Pucci is presumably the most prominent example of humanity displayed by him, with him healing Pucci's foot when they first meet. During the time he spends with Pucci, DIO comes to trust him enough to allow Pucci into his plan to obtain heaven, and later inherit it after his own death. At one point, DIO forces Pucci's hand into his head and has him nearly remove his Stand DISC to test Pucci's loyalty to him, fearing losing him and giving him one of his bones as a sign of apology.
Enemies
- George Joestar: While George always treats Dio with kindness and respect, Dio only sees George as a stepping stone in his quest for wealth. Thus, Dio feigns being the perfect ward to George, and even calls him his father despite having no such feelings. After Dio is exposed by Jonathan and Speedwagon for poisoning George, Dio sees no point in concealing his treachery and prepares to kill Jonathan to activate the Stone Mask, only for George to take the blow instead.
- Jonathan Joestar: One of the most impactful relationships Dio has is with his adoptive brother, Jonathan Joestar. He initially views his adoptive brother as a stepping stone and pest to be driven to despair and abused in order to gain the Joestar family fortune. After being beaten once, he views him as more of a threat, feigning brotherly bonds in public, while secretly poisoning George Joestar in order to get his fortune quicker. He intends to kill Jonathan with the Stone Mask, but upon discovering its hidden power to transform humans into vampires, he instead decides to use it on himself in order to become one. After another failed attempt to kill his adopted brother, due to his ego, Dio decides to have others face him rather than turn Jonathan into a zombie himself. After being bested by Jonathan, he quickly changes his mind, only to be thwarted once again. In their final confrontation, Dio admits he respects Jonathan in a twisted sense (to the point of scolding Wang Chan for taunting him) and is genuinely shocked when Jonathan dies. Dio then uses Jonathan's body as a host, defining the destiny between him and the Joestar Family for centuries to come.
- Erina Pendleton: Discovering that his adopted brother Jonathan has been going out with Erina, Dio decides to steal her first kiss to break Jonathan's spirit, only for his pride to be wounded when Erina washes her face with muddy water, prompting him to angrily slap her. Eight years later, Dio later encounters the newly-wed Erina again during his invasion of the ship to finish off her husband Jonathan, taunting her with the threat of taking over Jonathan's body.
- Robert E. O. Speedwagon: After hearing from Jonathan what Dio was doing to George Joestar I, Speedwagon decides to help the gentleman find the man that sold Dio the poison. Dio openly declares that after killing Jonathan, he will dispose of Speedwagon as well for being involved. After the battle at the Joestar Mansion, Speedwagon tags along with Jonathan and Zeppeli to defeat Dio, knowing that he is too dangerous to be left alive.
- Inspector Archer: Dio thinks lowly of the inspector, seeing him and the police as obstacles in his path to achieve greater power. After failing to convince Jonathan when he calls the police, Dio decides to use the Stone Mask, murdering his adoptive father and forcing the police to gun him down. Upon awakening as a vampire, Dio immediately decapitates the inspector.
- Will Anthonio Zeppeli: Due to Dio having used the Stone Mask and becoming a Vampire, Zeppeli immediately views Dio as an enemy once he learns about the incident at the Joestar Mansion, his own father once having used the same mask to become a vampire himself. Dio himself is dismissive of Zeppeli's hatred towards his vampiric ways and connection to the Stone Mask, only viewing Zeppeli's mastery of the unfamiliar Ripple as magic trickery.
- Poco: While the two never directly interact, Dio saw Poco as nothing but a pawn, and hypnotizes him into luring Jonathan and his allies into a trap. Once Jonathan frees Poco from Dio's clutches, Dio sees no use for the boy and sicced his minions onto Jonathan's group. After surviving, Poco joins the others as they confront Dio, who summons his zombies to attack them.
- Poco's Sister: Upon capturing Poco's sister, Dio initially acts cordially in her presence, mockingly referring to her as "mademoiselle." When Dio offers to grant her immortality by turning her into a vampire, the sister refuses and slaps the vampire, calling him a monster. Amused by her defiance, Dio summons Doobie to kill her before taking his leave. After being saved by Jonathan, she joins the others as they confront Dio, who summons his zombies to attack them.
- Dire, Straizo, and Tonpetty: Being Ripple Warriors, the three know the dangers of the Stone Mask and view Dio as an enemy because of his use of it. Out of the three of them, Dire is the one who most wants to defeat Dio, due to having been a friend of Zeppeli, who Dio had executed, for many years. Though Dire falls at Dio's hands, he posthumously gains Dio's ire by wounding his eye. During the battle, Straizo focuses on defeating Dio; many years later, however, he would admit to an older Speedwagon that he was envious of Dio's immunity to the aging process, driving him to later use the Stone Mask on himself just to become young again.
- Joseph Joestar: Joseph's hatred for DIO, his ancestral archenemy, only intensifies when he learns that the vampire is still alive and has stolen the body of his grandfather, Jonathan Joestar, for himself. When DIO's very existence begins to threaten the life of Joseph's daughter, Holy, the three (and Kakyoin) set out to kill DIO, as his death will save Holy's life. For his part, DIO sees Joseph as an extension of Jonathan's feud with him, and his Stand, Hermit Purple, as the least of his concerns. Nevertheless, requiring a Joestar's blood to synchronize with Jonathan's body, DIO pursues Joseph first after forcing him to flee from his mansion, and eventually succeeds in draining him of his blood.
- Jotaro Kujo: Though DIO views Jotaro as nothing but an extension of Jonathan, he is also fully aware of the threat he poses. Though Jonathan is an opponent DIO respects, Jotaro becomes an opponent DIO slightly fears, especially after Jotaro proves he can move in DIO's stopped time. As such, DIO takes no chances when dealing with Jotaro, even unsuccessfully attempting to detect his enemy playing dead before trying to cut his head off. Jotaro himself, however, sees DIO as nothing but a necessary evil he has to defeat in order to save his mother. After DIO kills his grandfather Joseph and absorbs his blood right in front of him, Jotaro's hatred for DIO finally intensifies to the point that, for the first time, he becomes visibly enraged and acts on his anger. After being cornered by Jotaro in a long and grueling fight, DIO, moments before his death, expresses his hatred of Jotaro, viewing him as an insult to his ego and an obstacle to his desire for victory.
- Muhammad Avdol: Unlike Kakyoin and Polnareff, Avdol recognized DIO upon meeting him, having heard about him from Joseph. As such, Avdol saw him as an enemy immediately and escaped before he could be put under his control. When DIO's power threatens Holy's life due to her inheritance of a Stand, Avdol journeys to Egypt with Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin to defeat him.
- Noriaki Kakyoin: DIO first appeared before Kakyoin on a holiday in Egypt with his family and put him under his control with a flesh bud. Kakyoin is initially loyal to him, committing to anything he demanded of him. However, upon having the bud removed by Jotaro and seeing the harm DIO was causing towards the innocent Holy Kujo, Kakyoin decides to go with Joseph, Jotaro, and Avdol to Egypt to defeat DIO. When facing off against Telence T. D'Arby, Kakyoin remembers how DIO won him over and scorns himself for giving into his fear at the time. Upon confronting Kakyoin again, DIO sees him as a mere obstacle to eliminate, eventually killing him when he attempts to discover The World's power.
- Jean Pierre Polnareff: Like Kakyoin, Polnareff was also swayed by DIO and placed under his control with a flesh bud. After the flesh bud is removed, Polnareff decides to join the team, though at first for his own goals, as Polnareff theorizes that DIO knows his sister's killer. Even after avenging her sister's death, Polnareff chooses to stay with the group to defeat DIO. Upon finally confronting Polnareff, DIO offers him the chance of joining him again while using The World to intimidate him, only for Polnareff to refuse, seeing his former servitude as a fate worse than death and his current mission as a righteous one. Polnareff then attempts to engage the vampire himself, though his allies arrive before either party can attack. During the battle between DIO and Jotaro, Polnareff lunges at DIO to kill him, only to knocked away by The World before he can finish the job.
- Wilson Phillips: DIO thinks very little of Phillips, seeing him as a tool for him to chase after Joseph and Kakyoin while psychologically tormenting him. He repeatedly threatens the senator with death, uses The World to prevent him from escaping, and forces him to run over a crowd of civilians as a shortcut. Initially addressing DIO in a carefree manner, Phillips begins to fear for his life after being pressured by the vampire's threats, eventually snapping when DIO decides to kill him anyway. DIO then disposes of Phillips by throwing him at Joseph and Kakyoin, forcing them to retreat to the rooftops.
Relationships in OVER HEAVEN
- Dario Brando: While their relationship is about as negative as it is in the manga, it is revealed that DIO hated his father for allowing him to enter the Joestar Mansion because he thought that one act of kindness allowed Dario to get into heaven. In fact, one of the reasons he seeks to enter heaven is to kill his father again, though he comes to see it as a mere side opportunity.
- Dio's Mother: In the novel, it is revealed that DIO's mother taught him everything he knew about the world. While DIO is unsure if heaven really exists, he believes that her death saved her from her living hell of a life. It is revealed that the words in his diary are from a nursery song she sung him.
- Unborn Sibling: It is revealed that Dio's mother was pregnant with an unborn sibling, but ended up miscarrying them.
- Erina Pendleton: DIO respects Erina's strength and, in some ways, saw her as a bigger threat than Jonathan. DIO theorizes that Erina Joestar placed both him, herself, and the infant Lisa Lisa in the coffin on the boat where Jonathan died in order to escape the boat's explosion, in the hope that DIO might return some day as a better man with Jonathan's body. The idea reminds him of his own mother.
- Enya the Hag: While the novel doesn't add too much to their relationship, DIO states that he would've consider letting her bear his child if she was younger.
- Daniel J. and Telence T. D'Arby: DIO sees the D'Arby brothers as important tools to enter into heaven. While he believes their souls are too impure to enter themselves, he acknowledges their ability to manipulate souls as useful for his own ascension.
Relationships in Eyes of Heaven
- Will Zeppeli: While their relationship is essentially the same as in the manga, when Zeppeli encounters DIO from Stardust Crusaders, he states that Dio seems even eviler and wonders if the Stone Mask is responsible, while DIO believes Zeppeli is even less of a threat than before he acquired The World.
- Kars, Esidisi and Wamuu: Dio recognizes each of them as Pillar Men and seeks to kill them. Kars says he isn't half bad for a vampire and would make a fine pawn, Esidisi sees him as a lowly vampire fit for nothing more than food, and Wamuu views himself as Dio's master while being intrigued by his Vaporizing Freeze, an ability which he had never seen before.
- Mariah: DIO shows absolute faith in Mariah's abilities.
- Giorno Giovanna: Intrigued that he had a son with such capabilities, he acknowledges Giorno's power if he wins. He has no problems fighting alongside him, as evidenced by their combined attack.
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 1: Prologue
- Chapter 2: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 1
- Chapter 3: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 2
- Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- Chapter 5: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 4
- Chapter 6: A Letter from the Past, Part 1
- Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2
- Chapter 8: The Stone Mask, Part 1
- Chapter 9: The Stone Mask, Part 2
- Chapter 10: The Stone Mask, Part 3
- Chapter 11: The Stone Mask, Part 4
- Chapter 12: Youth with Dio, Part 1
- Chapter 13: Youth with Dio, Part 2
- Chapter 14: Youth with Dio, Part 3
- Chapter 15: Youth with Dio, Part 4
- Chapter 16: Youth with Dio, Part 5
- Chapter 17: The Birth of DIO
- Chapter 18: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 1
- Chapter 19: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 20: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 21: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 4
- Chapter 22: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 23: Ripple Overdrive, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 24: Ripple Overdrive, Part 2
- Chapter 25: Ripple Overdrive, Part 3
- Chapter 26: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 1
- Chapter 27: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 2
- Chapter 28: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 3
- Chapter 29: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 4
- Chapter 30: Sleep as a Hero (Mentioned)
- Chapter 32: The Medieval Knights' Training Ground for Murder (Mentioned)
- Chapter 34: Pluck for Tomorrow and the Successor, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 35: Pluck for Tomorrow and the Successor, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 36: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 1
- Chapter 37: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 2
- Chapter 38: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 3
- Chapter 39: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 1
- Chapter 40: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 2
- Chapter 41: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 3
- Chapter 42: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 4
- Chapter 43: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 5
- Chapter 44: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 6
- Chapter 46: Joseph Joestar of New York, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 48: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 49: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 50: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 62: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 9 (Flashback)
- Chapter 108: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 111: Joseph's Final Gamble (Mentioned)
- Chapter 115: Jotaro Kujo, Part 2 (Cover only)
- Chapter 116: Jotaro Kujo, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Chapter 117: The Man with the Star Birthmark
- Chapter 118: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 1
- Chapter 119: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Chapter 121: The Power Called a "Stand" (Photo only)
- Chapter 122: Head to Egypt
- Chapter 123: Tower of Gray (Mentioned)
- Chapter 124: Silver Chariot, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 126: Silver Chariot, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 127: Dark Blue Moon, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Chapter 128: Dark Blue Moon, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 130: Strength, Part 1
- Chapter 136: Yellow Temperance, Part 1
- Chapter 139: Yellow Temperance, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 141: Emperor and Hanged Man, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 142: Emperor and Hanged Man, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 146: Empress, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 147: Empress, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 154: Justice, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 159: Justice, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 160: Lovers, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 161: Lovers, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 165: Lovers, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 174: Judgement, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 178: Judgement, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 184: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 186: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 188: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 193: Anubis, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 197: Anubis, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 198: Anubis, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 202: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 204: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 210: Shooting DIO?!
- Chapter 211: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 212: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 214: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 216: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 218: Hol Horse and Boingo, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 221: Hol Horse and Boingo, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 222: The Gatekeeper of Hell, Pet Shop, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 223: The Gatekeeper of Hell, Pet Shop, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 225: The Gatekeeper of Hell, Pet Shop, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 227: D'Arby the Player, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 228: D'Arby the Player, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 229: D'Arby the Player, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 231: D'Arby the Player, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 234: D'Arby the Player, Part 8 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 235: D'Arby the Player, Part 9 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 238: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 1
- Chapter 239: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 240: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 241: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 4 (The Fool's ability)
- Chapter 242: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 5 (The Fool's ability)
- Chapter 243: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 244: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 7 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 245: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 8 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 246: Suzi Q Joestar Visits Her Daughter (Mentioned)
- Chapter 247: DIO's World, Part 1
- Chapter 248: DIO's World, Part 2
- Chapter 249: DIO's World, Part 3
- Chapter 250: DIO's World, Part 4
- Chapter 251: DIO's World, Part 5
- Chapter 252: DIO's World, Part 6
- Chapter 253: DIO's World, Part 7
- Chapter 254: DIO's World, Part 8
- Chapter 255: DIO's World, Part 9
- Chapter 256: DIO's World, Part 10
- Chapter 257: DIO's World, Part 11
- Chapter 258: DIO's World, Part 12
- Chapter 259: DIO's World, Part 13
- Chapter 260: DIO's World, Part 14
- Chapter 261: DIO's World, Part 15
- Chapter 262: DIO's World, Part 16
- Chapter 263: DIO's World, Part 17
- Chapter 264: DIO's World, Part 18 (Death)
- Chapter 265: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends (Corpse only)
- Chapter 273: Josuke Higashikata! Meets Angelo, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 276: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Chapter 281: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 8 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 282: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 9 (Flashback)
- Chapter 324: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 7 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 369: Atom Heart Father, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 441: Gold Experience, Part 2 (Photo only)
- Chapter 443: Bucciarati is Coming, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 444: Bucciarati is Coming, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 12: The Visitor, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 48: Torrential Downpour Warning, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 61: The Secret of Guard Westwood, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 90: Whitesnake - The Pursuer, Part 2 (Cover only)(Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 94: Time for Heaven (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 95: New Moon! New Priest (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 96: Jail House Lock!, Part 1 (Voice only)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 103: Three Men Taken to the Hospital (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 110: Bohemian Rhapsody, Part 7 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 111: It's Been a While, Romeo (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 112: Sky High, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 115: Sky High, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 116: Sky High, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 117: Sky High, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 122: Under World, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 124: Under World, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 127: Heavy Weather, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 129: Heavy Weather, Part 5 (Voice only)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 134: Heavy Weather, Part 10 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 143: C-MOON, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 145: C-MOON, Part 5 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 146: C-MOON, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 147: C-MOON, Part 7 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 152: Made in Heaven, Part 4 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Chapter 154: Made in Heaven, Part 6 (Mentioned)
- Steel Ball Run Extra Chapter 3: Untitled Stand Chapter (Mentioned)
- JoJolion Chapter 99: The Wonder of You, Part 16 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 1 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 2 (Voice only)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 3 (Voice only)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 4 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 5 (Mentioned)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 6 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 7 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 8 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 9 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 10 (Flashback) (Pet Sounds's ability)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 11 (Pet Sounds’s ability)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 12 (Pet Sounds's ability)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 13 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 14 (Mentioned)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Chapter 15 (Flashback)
- Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak: Final Chapter (Flashback)
Anime Appearances- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 1: Dio the Invader
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 2: A Letter from the Past
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 3: Youth with Dio
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 4: Overdrive
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 5: The Dark Knights
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 6: Pluck for Tomorrow (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 7: The Successor
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 8: Bloody Battle! JoJo & Dio
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 9: The Final Ripple!
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 10: JoJo of New York (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 11: Master of the Game (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 21: The Hundred vs. Two Strategy (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 24: The Bond That Binds JoJo (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 26: The Man Who Became a God (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 1: A Man Possessed by an Evil Spirit
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 2: Who Will Be the Judge?!
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 3: DIO's Curse
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 4: Tower of Gray
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 5: Silver Chariot
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 6: Dark Blue Moon (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 7: Strength
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 8: Devil
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 10: Emperor and Hanged Man, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 11: Emperor and Hanged Man, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 15: Justice, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 16: Lovers, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 24: High Priestess, Part 2
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 25: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 26: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 31: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 33: "Sethan" Alessi, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 34: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 35: D'Arby the Gambler, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 36: Hol Horse and Boingo, Part 1
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 38: The Gatekeeper of Hell, Pet Shop, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 39: The Gatekeeper of Hell, Pet Shop, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 40: D'Arby the Player, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 42: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 1
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 43: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 44: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 3
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 45: DIO's World, Part 1
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 46: DIO's World, Part 2
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 47: DIO's World, Part 3
- Stardust Crusaders Episode 48: The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends (Death)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 3: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 5: The Nijimura Brothers, Part 3 (Flashback)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 15: Let's Go to the Manga Artist's House, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 25: Atom Heart Father (Flashback)
- Golden Wind Episode 1: Gold Experience (Flashback)
- Golden Wind Episode 2: Bucciarati is Coming (Flashback)
- Golden Wind Episode 33: His Name is Diavolo (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 3: The Visitor, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 4: The Visitor, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 12: Torrential Downpour Warning (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 13: Kiss of Love and Revenge, Part 1 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 15: Ultra Security House Unit (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 22: Time for Heaven! New Moon! New Priest! (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 23: Jail House Lock! (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 24: Jailbreak... (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 27: Sky High (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 29: Under World (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 31: Heavy Weather, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Stone Ocean Episode 32: Heavy Weather, Part 3 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 34: C-MOON, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 35: C-MOON, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 37: Made in Heaven, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Stone Ocean Episode 38: What a Wonderful World (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 1 (OVA): The Evil Spirit
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 2 (OVA): Hierophant Green
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 3 (OVA): Silver Chariot and Strength
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 4 (OVA): The Emperor and the Hanged Man (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 5 (OVA): The Judgement (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 6 (OVA): The Mist of Vengeance (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 7 (OVA): Justice
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 9 (OVA): "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 2 (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 10 (OVA): D'Arby the Gambler (Silhouette)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 11 (OVA): DIO's World: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice (1st full appearance)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 12 (OVA): DIO's World: Kakyoin - The Duel in the Web
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 13 (OVA): DIO's World: Farewell Friends (Death)
Novel Appearances- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Novel) (Mentioned)
- Heaven's Door (Mentioned)
- Iggy the Stray Dog (Flashback)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 3: Wounds (Mentioned)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 5: Box (Flashback)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 11: Gremlin (Mentioned)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 12: Rhinoceros Beetle (Photo)/(37th universe) (Photo)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 14: Desolation Row
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 15: Beyond
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 16: Beyond II
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 1
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 2
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 3
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 4
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 5
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 6
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 7
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 8
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 9
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 10
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 11
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 12
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 13
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 14
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 15
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 16
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 17
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 18
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 19
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 20
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 21
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 22
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 23
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 24
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 25
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 26
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 27
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 28
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 29
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 30
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 31
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 32
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 33
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 34
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 35
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 36
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 37
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 38
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 39
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 40
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 41
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 42
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 43
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 44
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 45
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 46
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 47
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 48
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 49
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 50
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 51
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 52
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 53
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 54
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 55
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 56
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 57
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 58
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 59
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 60
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 61
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 62
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 63
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 64
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 65
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 66
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 67
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 68
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 69
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 70
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 71
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 72
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 73
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 74
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 75
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 76
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 77
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 78
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 79
- OVER HEAVEN Chapter 80
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 1: Dire straits (Flashback)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 2: Dazed date (Flashback)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 3: Dissonance (Voice only)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 4: Descent on (Mentioned)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 5: Disquietude (Flashback)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 6: Double doubt (Voice only)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 7: DIO (Pet Sounds's ability)
- Crazy Heartbreakers Chapter 8: Diamond (Mentioned)
- El Aleph Chapter 4: IV - Peru Arc (Mentioned)
- El Aleph Final Chapter: Epilogo (Mentioned)
Live Action AppearancesQuotes
Quotes- “You want me to be rich? Ha! I'll do it, then! I'll accept your inheritance! I could make it on my own, but I'll take whatever help I can get! (一番の金持ちになれだと？ああ！なってやるとも！おまえの「遺産」受けとるぜ！ひとりでも生きられるが利用できるものはなんでも利用してやる！)”—Dio to Dario Brando's grave, Chapter 1: Prologue
- “So... did you kiss JoJo yet? Probably not. Your first kiss wasn't with JoJo! It was I, Dio! (君…もうジョジョとキスはしたのかい？まだだよなァ。初めての相手はジョジョではないッ！このディオだッ！)”—Dio to Erina Pendleton, Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- “I'll beat you once and for all! Fair and square! I'll teach JoJo so his whole body will remember: he can't beat Dio! In a fight or in life! (徹底的にたたきのめしてやるッ！それも正正堂堂とな！そうする事によって『自分はもうこのディオには勝てない』…という事を ジョジョ自身の体で覚えるからだッ！ケンカでも人生でもなッ！)”—Dio to Jonathan Joestar, Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- “Alright! I'm burning with power! I love this feeling! (いいぞォ！新たな力がわいてくる いい感触だッ！)”—Dio to Jonathan, Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- “H- How? H- How?! How could scum like you do this to me, Dio?! (こ…こんな、こ…こんな！こんなカスみたいなヤツにこのディオがッ！)”—Dio to Jonathan, Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- “The wailing of starving stray dogs... This severely cold winter! They're also desperately trying to survive! (餓えた野犬の慟哭か…酷寒の冬！ヤツラも生き抜こうと必死なのか！)”—Dio, Chapter 8: The Stone Mask, Part 1
- “I reject my humanity, JoJo!! I'll transcend humanity! (おれは人間をやめるぞ！ジョジョーッ!!おれは人間を超越するッ！)”—Dio before donning the Stone Mask, Chapter 11: The Stone Mask, Part 4
- “Rework your strategy all you want. There is a limit to what you humans can do. (策を弄すれば弄するほど 人間には限界があるのだよ)”—Dio to Jonathan and Speedwagon, Chapter 14: Youth with Dio, Part 3
- “Most people have some good in their heart! Therefore, they cannot act all out! They fear the most wonderful evil! However! There are those rare men who have not a strap of good in them... the elite of the evil! Like me... and like you... So how about it? Will you become my servant? Will you submit to me, Dio, Jack of the darkness? (たいていの人間は心に善のタガがあるッ！そのため思い切った行動がとれんッ！すばらしい悪への恐れがあるのだッ！だが！ごくまれに善なるタガのない人間がいる…悪のエリート！おれや…君がそうだ…どうだ？このディオの下僕にならないか？このディオに服従するのだ、闇のジャック！)”—Dio to Jack the Ripper, Chapter 18: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 1
- “This is what they call the food chain... pigs eat grass as humans eat pigs. And now we eat those humans... I suppose feeding on humans makes us the true emperors... (食物連鎖というのがあったな…草はブタに食われブタは人間に食われる。我我はその人間を糧としてるわけか…人間を食料にしてこそ「真の帝王」…)”—Dio, Chapter 21: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 4
- “The blood of the living is power! To live eternally is what I desire! (生き血こそ力！永遠こそ望みッ！)”—Dio, Chapter 21: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 4
- “The sun has set... It's time for your lives to sink as well! (陽は落ちた…きさまの生命も没する時だ！！)”—Dio, Chapter 24: Ripple Overdrive, Part 2
- “I am biological perfection, a new creature to whom the future is open... Is such a being fit to walk the same ground as a human? How rude you are! (おれは生物界の頂点…………未来を拓く新しい生物となった……人間ごときと対等の地におりていけるか！無礼者がッ！)”—Dio to Zeppeli, Chapter 25: Ripple Overdrive, Part 3
- “Can you remember how many loaves of bread you've eaten in your entire life? (おまえは今まで食ったパンの枚数をおぼえているのか？)”—Dio to Zeppeli, Chapter 25: Ripple Overdrive, Part 3
- “Ripple? Breathing? Heheh... If you're going to blow air... you might as well be blowing a fanfare for me! (「波紋」？「呼吸法」だと？フーフー、吹くなら…このおれのためにファンファーレでも吹いてるのが似あっているぞッ！)”—Dio to Jonathan and Zeppeli, Chapter 26: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 1
- “There is no point for me, Dio, to grace you all with my presence any longer! I shall commence turning all of the residents of Windknights Lot into zombies! It will only take one day and one night! Then, the zombies will spread to all of England!”—Dio Brando, Chapter 28: Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford, Part 3
- “Hmph! As I said, I wouldn't lay a finger on him. You, his own mother, devoured him yourself! A tragedy of your own choosing... This town is mine, and it didn't even take a full night.”—Dio Brando, Chapter 36: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 1
- “Let's say... this flower here... If you were a flower, you'd be about as young as this one. Think long and hard, mademoiselle.[c] If this flower were to continue blooming, it would only do so to dry up and wither away... don't you find that sad? […] How now mademoiselle? Can you make a choice for me? Wouldn't you like to live forever at your current age? Although, I, Dio, am not the type to force friendships on others or anything like that. Utilize your free will-- you decide your own fate.”—Dio to Poco's Sister, Chapter 37: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 2
- “JoJo, speaking frankly... Before now, I didn't want to kill you by my own hand. We grew up in the same house as childhood friends... so turning you into an undead didn't seem like any fun. That's why I sent those two knights to kill you... But it looks like I was being too nice. Seeing you alive makes me realize my inner weakness as emperor... Now, I will rip you to shreds without hesitation! (ジョジョ…正直いうとだ…おれはなさっき おまえをこの手に かけたくなかったのだ。幼なじみで共に同じ家で育ったおまえを
亡者 にしてもおもしろくも なんともないんでな…だからあの2騎士に処刑をまかせてしまった…だがな…最後のつめで おれはあまかった…生きているきさまをみて、それは 帝王としてのこのディオの精神的弱さと悟ったよ…今！ためらいもなくきさまを惨殺処刑してくれよう！)”—Dio to Jonathan, Chapter 38: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 3 - “Weakling, weakling! Did you think you ever stood a chance?! Fool! (貧弱貧弱ゥ…ちょいとでもおれにかなうとでも思ったか！マヌケがァ〜！)”—Dio to Dire, Chapter 38: The Three from a Faraway Land, Part 3
- “Can a monkey reach a human? Compared to me, Dio... you are but a monkey, JoJo! (
猿 が人間に追いつけるかーッ？おまえはこのディオにとってのモンキーなんだよジョジョォォォォーーーーーッ!!)”—Dio to Jonathan, Chapter 40: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 2 - “JoJo... Without you, I, Dio, would not have gained the power of the Stone Mask... and yet, because of you, the world isn't mine yet! If there is a God that controls our fate, there's never been a relationship as calculated as ours! We are one and the same in this world of ours! In other words... I will take the body of the one man I admire in this world, and live gorgeously for all time! That is Dio's destiny! There will be no pain! That is my final courtesy to my one and only rival! Live as my body, JoJo! (ジョジョ おまえがいなかったらこのディオに仮面の力は手に入らなかっただろう…しかし おまえがいたからいまだ世界は おれのものになっていない！神が いるとして運命を操作しているとしたら！おれたちほど よく計算された関係は あるまいッ！おれたちはこの世に おいて ふたりでひとり！つまり…おれは この世で ただひとり尊敬する人間のボディ（肉体）を手に入れ絢爛たる永遠を生きる！それが このディオの運命なのだ！苦痛は 与えん！それが我が好敵手への最後の礼儀！我が肉体となって生きよ！ジョジョー！！)”—Dio to Jonathan, Chapter 42: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 4
- “Hmph... If only he didn't try to dodge. I wanted to shoot him right between the eyes... No pain... A shot that would've killed him instantly.”—Dio about Jonathan, Chapter 43: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 5
- “Your everday life was snatched away and now you're in hell... You can't comprehend what's happening and you can't speak... am I right? Did JoJo not tell you of how I lurked in the darkness? I'm in a pitiful state right now, but you probably remember who I am... Right, Erina Pendleton? Or, it seems you've married, so I suppose I should call you Mrs. Erina Joestar...”—Dio Brando, Chapter 43: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 5
- “Hey, Wang Chan. I won't stand for any humiliation of JoJo! He is the one that put me in this position, and I respect that... so take off his head, quickly and painlessly!”—Dio Brando, Chapter 43: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 5
Quotes- “This fate must be destroyed, this connection must be erased... I've already taken the first step! (始末すべき宿命、抹消すべき因縁…すでに 手は打った！！)”—DIO about the Joestar family, Chapter 117: The Man with the Star Birthmark
- “Jonathan's bloodline... must be eliminated. (ジョナサンの一族は…排除せねば)”—DIO, Chapter 118: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 1
- “When one falls in battle and fails to attain their goals... one feels frustrated and hurt... and when met with a fight in the future, fear takes over the body. I believe that to "live" is to overcome "fear". The one who stands at the top of the world must know no fear! (戦いに敗れ欲するものが手に入らなかった場合…挫折感と敗北感を味わい傷つき…そして 次なる戦いのとき「恐怖」を感じることになる…おれは「恐怖」を克服することこそが「生きる」ことだと思う。世界の頂点に立つ者は！ほんのちっぽけな「恐怖」をも持たぬ者ッ！)”—DIO to Enya the Hag, Chapter 130: Strength, Part 1
- “Let me make this clear! I am not afraid of the Joestars! But they must not be underestimated! I, DIO, feel the need to remove the Joestars from the wheels of my fate. (正確に言おう！ジョースターに恐怖しているのではない！ジョースターの血統はあなどれんということだ！この
DIO の運命の歯車からジョースターを取りのぞく必要を感じるのだ)”—DIO to Enya, Chapter 130: Strength, Part 1 - “Heheheheh... I'll give you one chance. Take two steps down the stairs, and I'll allow you to join me again. On the contrary, if you wish to die, take a step up the stairs. (フフフフ、ひとりチャンスをやろう。その階段を二段おりろ、再びわたしの仲間にしてやろう。逆に死にたければ…足をあげて階段を登れ)”—DIO to Jean Pierre Polnareff, Chapter 248: DIO's World, Part 2
- “Every human being lives to overcome anxiety and find desire peace of mind. Acquiring fame, dominating others, and earning money is done to resolve anxiety. Marriage and friendship serve to resolve anxiety. Helping people, making war and peace... all of this is to resolve anxiety. Seeking peace of mind is the ultimate goal of all human beings. (「人間は誰でも不安や恐怖を克服して安心を得るために生きる」。名声を手に入れたり 人を支配したり 金もうけをするのも安心するためだ。結婚したり 友人をつくったりするのも安心するためだ。人のために役立つだとか 愛と平和のためにだとか すべて自分を安心させるためだ。安心を求める事こそ人間の目的だ)”—DIO to Polnareff, Chapter 248: DIO's World, Part 2
- “So, then... What objection do you have to serving me? You can easily obtain all those things that bring peace of mind simply by serving me. (そこでだ……わたしに仕えることに何の不安感があるのだ？わたしに仕えるだけで他の全ての安心が簡単に手に入るぞ)”—DIO to Polnareff, Chapter 248: DIO's World, Part 2
- “You fool. Know this... The true power of The World is exactly that: the power to dominate the world! (マヌケが…知るがいい…「
世界 」の真の能力は…まさに！「世界を支配する」能力だということを！)”—DIO to Noriaki Kakyoin, Chapter 253: DIO's World, Part 7 - “This is The World... Though, since time has stopped for you, you can neither see nor feel it... (これが…「
世界 」だ。もっとも「時間の止まっている」おまえには見えもせず感じもしないだろうがな…)”—DIO to Kakyoin in frozen time, Chapter 253: DIO's World, Part 7 - “At first, I could only stop time long enough to blink. But as my neck wound healed, I was able to stop time for two, then three seconds. Now, I can stop time for five seconds... It's strange to think of it as five seconds, considering that time itself is stopped. Regardless, it feels like five seconds. Heheh... Soon, I'll be able to stop time for one minute, ten minutes, even an hour someday! I can't wait! I'll gradually be able to stop time longer and longer! (最初は まばたきほどの一瞬しか止められぬ能力だった。しかし…この首のキズがなじんでくるにつれ、2秒…3秒と長く止められるようになった。今では5秒は止めていられる…時が止まっているのに5秒と考えるのはおかしいが。とにかく、5秒ほどだ…フフ。いずれは一分…一〇分…一時間と思いのままとめられるようになってやろう…楽しみだ…だんだん長く時間を止めるのはな…)”—DIO, Chapter 255: DIO's World, Part 9
- “Oh? You're approaching me? Instead of running away you're coming right to me? (ほう…向かってくるのか……逃げずにこの
DIO に近づいてくるのか…)”—DIO, Chapter 256: DIO's World, Part 10 - “Even though your grandfather, Joseph, told you the secret of The World, like an exam student scrambling to finish the problems on an exam until the last moments before the chime... (せっかく祖父のジョセフがわたしの「世界」の正体を、試験終了チャイム直前まで問題を解いている受験生のような必死こいた気分で教えてくれたというのに)”—DIO, Chapter 256: DIO's World, Part 10
- “Now that I know, I'm satisfied... The playtime service is now over... Jotaro, I'll put an end to this quickly. (もうわかった…満足だ…ここらで遊びのサービス時間は終わりだ…承太郎、一気にとどめを刺してくれる)”—DIO to Jotaro Kujo, Chapter 256: DIO's World, Part 10
- “After what happened 100 years ago, I swore I would show no mercy to those of the Joestar bloodline, and kill them with a single blow. The World's true power will finish you off! (一〇〇年前の因縁があるだけにジョースターの血統の者だけは手かげんせずに一気に殺すと決めていた。とどめを刺すのはやはり「
世界 」の真の能力ッ！)”—DIO to Jotaro, Chapter 256: DIO's World, Part 10 - “I, DIO, have far surpassed all living things and Stand users! And now, I can stop time for 5 seconds, and that length continues to grow! (この
DIO は全ての生物や全てのスタンド使いをブッち切りで超越したのだ！そして 今では5秒とだんだん長く時を止めていられる！)”—DIO, Chapter 257: DIO's World, Part 11 - “Damn him... To think that one of the Joestar descendants could enter... my world of stopped time...! (こともあろうに！…このジョースターの末裔が…『我が…止まった時の世界に…』入門してくるとは…！)”—DIO about Jotaro, Chapter 258: DIO's World, Part 12
- “Hmph! You can't escape! If this were a game of chess or shogi, I would call this checkmate! (フン！逃がれることはできんッ！きさまはチェスや将棋でいう『
詰み 』にはまったのだッ！)”—DIO to Jotaro, Chapter 258: DIO's World, Part 12 - “Those automobiles are convenient machines, but the roads are congested when everyone has one. Stopped time is a realm for one man... DIO, and DIO alone. (思うに自動車という機械は便利なものだが誰も彼もが乗るから道路が混雑してしまう。止まった時の中はひとり…この
DIO だけだ)”—DIO, Chapter 259: DIO's World, Part 13 - “I, DIO, cannot be assassinated... And once I'm through with you, your "Joestar Egypt Tour Group" will finally be annihilated... (この
DIO を暗殺することはできん…「ジョースター・エジプト・ツアー御一行様」はきさまにとどめを刺して全滅の最後というわけだな…)”—DIO to Polnareff, Chapter 259: DIO's World, Part 13 - “You fell for it, Jotaro! This is my escape route... You've lost this battle of wits against me, DIO! Don't you recognize the street you've thrown me down? Or being the tourist you are, do all these streets look the same to you? (かかったな！承太郎ッ！これが我が『逃走経路』だ…きさまは この
DIO との知恵比べに負けたのだッ！オレが吹っ飛ばされてゆくこの通りに見おぼえはないか？旅行者のおまえにはどの通りも同じに見えるのか？)”—DIO to Jotaro, Chapter 261: DIO's World, Part 15 - “That's right! My escape route is drinking Joseph Joestar's blood! (そうだ、ジョセフ・ジョースターの血を吸うための『逃走経路』だ！)”—DIO to Jotaro, Chapter 261: DIO's World, Part 15
- “The Joestar Family has always been a nuisance to me, like dog shit on the street... But at the very end, it seems that the Joestar family was destined to serve me, DIO! (ジョースターの血統というのは我が運命という路上にころがる犬のクソのようにジャマなもんだったが…最後の最後は、このこの
DIO に利用されるのがジョースターの宿命だったようだ…)”—DIO to Jotaro, Chapter 262: DIO's World, Part 16 - “This is the greatest high! Hahahahaha! (最高に「ハイ！」ってやつだアハハハハハーッ)”—DIO, Chapter 263: DIO's World, Part 17
- “Invulnerability! Eternal life! Stand power! Here lies the proof that none shall surpass the mighty DIO! (不死身ッ！！不老不死ッ！スタンドパワーッ！これで何者もこの
DIO を超える者はいないことが証明されたッ！)”—DIO, Chapter 263: DIO's World, Part 17 - “Puny humans! I will rule you all! Bow before my power and knowledge! (とるにたらぬ人間どもよ！支配してやるぞッ！！我が「知」と「力」のもとにひれ伏すがいいぞッ！)”—DIO, Chapter 263: DIO's World, Part 17
- “I- I can't move! I- Impossible! (う...動けんッ！ば...ばかな)”—DIO trapped in Time Stop, Chapter 264: DIO's World, Part 18
- “You think like a mortal, with such a short time to live... Phrases like "a bad taste in one's mouth" or "kill without regret"... That reasoning is as compelling as rat shit in the bathroom, and it'll be your demise! I, DIO, don't think like that... All I have is one simple goal... Just one! To win and to dominate! That's it... That's all that can fulfill me! The process... How I do it... doesn't matter at all! (ごく短い時の流れでしか生きない人間の考え方をする…『あと味のよくないものを残す』とか『人生に悔いを残さない』だとか…便所のネズミのクソにも匹敵するそのくだらない物の考え方が命とりよ！この
DIO にはそれはない…あるのはシンプルなたったひとつの思想だけだ…たったひとつ！『勝利して支配する』！それだけよ…それだけが満足感よ！過程や…！方法なぞ…！どうでもよいのだァーッ)”—DIO, Chapter 264: DIO's World, Part 18 - “What?! I- Impossible! I... I am DIO! I am DIO! (なああにィィイイイッ！ば…ばかなッ！…こ…この
DIO が…このDIO がァ〜ッ)”—DIO's last words, Chapter 264: DIO's World, Part 18
Quotes- “There might be a way to go to Heaven. (『天国へ行く方法』があるかもしれない.)”
- “The Heaven I'm talking about pertains to the soul, and where it goes... I'm not telling you to die. The power of your soul should evolve along with it. And I'm talking about where it ends up. I think you understand what I'm saying... True happiness lies there... if one can get to Heaven. (わたしの言ってる「天国」とは「精神」に関する事だよ精神の向かう所…死ねって事じゃあない。精神の「力」も進化するはずだ。そして それの行きつく所って意味さ。君ならわたしの言ってる事が わかると思うが…本当の幸福がそこにはある…「天国」へ行く事ができればな)”—DIO to Pucci, Stone Ocean Chapter 48: Torrential Downpour Warning, Part 1
- “I know that happiness cannot be attained by having an invincible body, or earning a lot of money, or even being the ruler of the human race. The true victor is the one who sees Heaven... I will get there, at any cost. (幸福とは無敵の肉体や大金を持つ事や人の頂点に立つ事では得られないというのはわかったいる。真の勝利者とは「天国」を見た者の事だ…どんな犠牲を払ってもわたしは そこえ行く)”—DIO to Pucci, Stone Ocean Chapter 48: Torrential Downpour Warning, Part 1
- “No matter who it is, each individual will always end up in the right place for their individual traits. Kings have kingly skills, cooks have cooking skills... That's what it means to live. (どんな者だろうと、人にはそれぞれその個性にあった適材適所がある。王には王の、料理人には料理人の…それが生きるという事だ)”—DIO to Pucci, Stone Ocean Chapter 61: The Secret of Guard Westwood, Part 2
- “What I need is my Stand: The World. What lies beyond my Stand is the way forward for humanity. What I need is a trustworthy friend. He must be a man who can control his desires. A man without a lust for power, honor, or wealth. He must be a man who puts the laws of God before the laws of men. Will I, DIO, meet a man like this someday? (必要なものは『わたしのスタンド』である。『ザ・ワールド』。我がスタンドの先にあるものこそが人間がさらに先に進むべき道なのである。必要なものは信頼できる友である。彼は欲望をコントロールできる人間でなくてはならない。権力欲や名誉欲金欲・色欲のない人間で。彼は人の法よりも神の法を尊ぶ人間でなくてはならない。いつかそのような者にこの
DIO が出会えるだろうか？)” - “Whatever is born will awaken. It will recognize the 14 phrases that my trusted friend will utter... I will trust my friend and become his friend. Finally, what I need is an appropriate location. Go to 28 degrees 24 minutes north latitude, 80 degrees 36 minutes west longitude... Wait there for the new moon... That will be the time for heaven... (「生まれたもの」は目醒める。信頼できる友が発する14の言葉に知性を示してい…『友』はわたしを信頼しわたしは『友』になる。最後に必要なものは場所である。北緯28度24分西経80度36分へ行き…次の「新月」の時を待て……それが『天国の時』であろう……)”
- “Do you believe in gravity? That there might be a reason why you tripped over me, of all people? (君は「引力」を信じるか？わたしに 躓いて転んだ事に意味がある事を！？)”—DIO to Pucci, Stone Ocean Chapter 127: Heavy Weather, Part 3
Quotes- “Wa ha ha ha ha! I can eat him! I can eat the ultimate being and make his flesh my own! Blood! I just have to make the blood agree with me! Ha ha ha! Blood is everything! Becoming a vampire was the best decision I ever made! He's delicious! Cars is the best meal I've ever had! Ha ha ha ha! Hahh ha ha ha ha ! I've never felt better! WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!”—Dio, JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 15: Beyond
- “Your species has worn the crown long enough. It's time to meet the new boss, Kars.”—Dio, JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 16: Beyond II
- “Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I am the true emperor! I am the pinnacle of all creation! Everything in this world, no matter which loop of history, no matter which parallel world, all of it is Dio's to control!”—Dio, JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 16: Beyond II
Creation and Development
Dio was created as an extension of B.T., the protagonist in Cool Shock B.T., though Dio is much more evil.[51] When writing Dio, Araki was inspired by wondering about the motivations of serial killers and also because FBI psychological profiling was a popular topic during that time.[1]
Hirohiko Araki personally wanted to draw Dio the most and developed his character design first, with Jonathan created as the character that would counter him. Dio's visual design and family background were also created to contrast with Jonathan. Since Jonathan has black hair, Dio was made to have blond hair. Moreover, since Jonathan was the son of a nobleman, Araki made Dio be raised in a poor, miserable family.[8] He wanted to depict Dio as someone who always surpasses Jonathan. The first thing he thought of was to make him embody the "attractiveness of evil", as it was a shonen manga tradition to have attractive villains. He took inspiration from foreign singers to design how Dio looked like, making him a "beautiful, attractive young man."[8]
Dio's name was chosen to contrast with "JoJo", going for letters that didn't make a rounded sound and using many voiced consonants. The name carries the nuance of "god" from Italian, but also felt familiar to Araki because of Ronnie James Dio.[8] In Phantom Blood, Dio's name is written normally in Japanese. From Stardust Crusaders onward (and occasionally in Phantom Blood[26][52]), he abandons his last name and his first name is spelled in English as "DIO" (
While Phantom Blood was being serialized, Araki hadn't actually prepared a weakness for Dio and had difficulty coming up with a way for him to be defeated.[1]
Araki pondered in deciding what would be the scariest factor Dio would have, and decided that "evil from the past" coming to get the present descendant would be the most frightening thing.[51] When DIO returned in Stardust Crusaders, Araki was eager to finally be able to draw him again. However, his editor, Ryosuke Kabashima, advised against it. He warned Araki that if he were to reveal DIO too soon, then readers would solely focus on the final boss, rather than the enemies in front of them. Consequently, Araki chose to have DIO's face remain in shadow until the Joestar Group reached Egypt, where the final showdown takes place.[53] Araki stated that if he were to depict DIO in the modern era, he would likely delve deeper into what made him so evil, including more of his upbringing and family relationships.[54]
Casting
Takehito Koyasu is the voice actor for Dio Brando in various media. He's also voiced Diego Brando (as well as Parallel World Diego) and Heaven-Attained DIO in All-Star Battle and Eyes of Heaven.
When reading the Phantom Blood manga, Koyasu reads it from Dio's point of view instead of Jonathan's. He mentions that he barely read the script and would read the manga instead. He also mentions that recording the lines for Episode 3 felt a bit unusual for him, as he experienced an illusion which he never felt in his 26 years of voicing. He actually felt as if the studio was engulfed in flames and that he had become Dio fighting Kazuyuki Okitsu who had become Jonathan. He felt a rush of adrenaline during these scenes, mentioning that he had a runner's high.[55]
Name Variants
| Language | Name | Usage
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Romanization Japanese
Latin American Spanish
Chinese
Croatian
Czech
Finnish
Norwegian
Swedish| Language | Name | Usage
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Thai
Korean
Russian
Arabic
Greek
Hebrew
Hungarian
UkrainianTrivia
- In Araki's Top Ten Favorite Characters in 2000, DIO is ranked at number 10, being the third main villain in the countdown.
- In Eyes of Heaven, Dio Brando and Diego Brando's themes are remixes of each other. This is also the case for DIO and Parallel World Diego.
- DIO's outfit design in Stardust Crusaders appears to be taking inspiration from an outfit singer David Bowie wore during the Glass Spider Tour in 1987 that includes a golden bolero jacket, a shiny black top, golden chaps, a colorful belt with straps and golden cowboy boots. The way DIO appears to Polnareff on top of the stairs in Chapter 247 is also very reminiscent of the scenography of Bowie's first appearance in that specific costume during the concert.
Notes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Information from the Character Profile sheets may or may not be considered canon if they didn't appear in the manga. According to Araki in Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques - Chapter 1: What Can Be Changed and What Should Stay Consistent, "the Character Profile is like a sketch—a rough outline of the character. Characters grow and evolve as they live out their lives within the manga. As the story progresses, certain aspects of the profile may no longer align."
- ↑ Initially Dio's voice was stated to be "Soft" in his character sheet published in JOJO magazine 2022 WINTER.
- ↑ "Mademoiselle" is a French word meaning "miss," an unmarried woman.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 JoJonium Volume 3 (Dio Brando) - Special Interview
- ↑ Phantom Blood PS2 (October 2006)
- ↑ The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice - Vol.9 "Shueisha Jump Remix Stardust Crusaders Edition" P170 The Secret of JOJO Characters
- ↑ JoJo 6251, p.103
- ↑ JJBA Artbook: JoJo 6251, page 151
- ↑ Stone Ocean Chapter 152: Made in Heaven, Part 4 (Note: Originally 1988; Changed in later chapters)
- ↑ Hirohiko Araki refers to Dio as a man throughout the series and in external media such as his books, but this symbol is used in his Character Profile sheet in Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques Chapter 2 and JOJO magazine 2022 WINTER pg. 42-43.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques Chapter 2 - "This is Dio Brando's Character Profile!"
- ↑ Stardust Crusader Model Sheet No.SC-MC000-00
- ↑ Chapter 440: Gold Experience, Part 1, p.11
- ↑ Chapter 1: Prologue, p.9
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Chapter 2: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 1
- ↑ Kotoba (March 2018)
- ↑ Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3 P.8.
- ↑ Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3 P.8-9.
- ↑ Chapter 204: "Bastet" Mariah, Part 6 P.7.
- ↑ Chapter 188: "The Fool" Iggy and "Geb" N'Doul, Part 6 P.11.
- ↑ Chapter 242: The Miasma of the Void, Vanilla Ice, Part 5 P.9.
- ↑ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Last Survivor PV3
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Chapter 4: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 3
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Chapter 18: Jack the Ripper and Zeppeli the Strange, Part 1
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Eureka (November 2007)
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Chapter 1: Prologue
- ↑ Chapter 3: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 2
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Chapter 42: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 4
- ↑ Chapter 44: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 6
- ↑ Chapter 5: Dio Brando the Invader, Part 4
- ↑ Chapter 11: The Stone Mask, Part 4
- ↑ JoJo 6251 Stand Encyclopedia, p.124
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO!: STANDS, p.104
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO! appendix note
- ↑ Chapter 251: DIO's World, Part 5 P.11.
- ↑ JoJo 6251, p.105
- ↑ Chapter 263: DIO's World, Part 17
- ↑ Chapter 39: Fire and Ice, Jonathan and Dio, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 260: DIO's World, Part 14
- ↑ Chapter 24: Ripple Overdrive, Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 25: Ripple Overdrive, Part 3
- ↑ OVER HEAVEN Chapter 69
- ↑ Chapter 50: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 3
- ↑ Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3 Pages 12-16
- ↑ Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3, p.15
- ↑ Chapter 120: Noriaki Kakyoin, Part 3 Page 16
- ↑ Stardust Crusaders Episode 5: Silver Chariot
- ↑ OVER HEAVEN Chapter 10
- ↑ Stone Ocean Chapter 127: Heavy Weather, Part 3
- ↑ Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2 P.2.
- ↑ Chapter 9: The Stone Mask, Part 2 P.14.
- ↑ V Jump Games Series - The Complete GioGio's Bizarre Adventure Interview
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 JoJo Could Have Ended with Part 4 (October 2012)
- ↑ Chapter 17: The Birth of DIO
- ↑ Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques - "About the Enemies of JoJo Throughout History"
- ↑ Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Techniques - "On the Timeless Nature of Villains"
- ↑ JoJo raDIO Episode 11
- Part 1 Characters
- Part 3 Characters
- Part 6 Characters
- Main Antagonists
- Primary Antagonists
- Agents of DIO
- Deceased Characters from Part 3
- Vampires
- Stand Users
- Brando Family
- Joestar Family
- Male Characters
- Part 1 Antagonists
- Part 3 Antagonists
- Part 6 Antagonists
- JORGE JOESTAR Characters
- Main Protagonists
- Live-Action Characters