Phantom Blood (film)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ファントム ブラッド) is a 2007 animated film produced by animation Studio A.P.P.P., who previously handled animation of the earlier OVA series. It is an adaptation of the first arc of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga series, Phantom Blood.

The film was produced to commemorate JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's 20th anniversary, as well as the 25th anniversary of Hirohiko Araki's career as a manga artist. It was given a limited theatrical release in Japan starting on February 17, 2007. The film's home video release was delayed due to controversy surrounding the studio's previous adaptation and has since then been considered.

2004 Tokyo International Pilot
A test pilot doubling as an announcement trailer for the film was shown at the 2004. The animation and character designs are entirely unique to the trailer and were not used in the final product. Some scenes and characters, including Robert Speedwagon, were present but did not make it into the actual film.

Much like the film, the pilot had been considered until September 14, 2019, when a Youtube User named MangoMation uploaded it to his channel with the description: "I found this pilot on an old DVD-RW, with the help of Notelu, who restored and upscaled the pilot: Notelu's Channel. A comparison of the raw file and the restored version of this pilot can be found here: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Pilot"'', which links to a restoration comparison.

Phantom Blood PS2 Event
This event was held on September 13, 2006 to promote the upcoming Phantom Blood PS2 game that was set to release on October 26, 2006.

Hirohiko Araki, Junichi Hayama, Hikaru Midorikawa, Jun Itoda, and Kazuhiro Ozawa attended this event, where it was revealed that the movie was currently being worked on. Hikaru Midorikawa, the voice actor of Dio Brando in the PS2 game, reprised his role in the movie. The comedy duo named Speedwagon, comprised of Jun Itoda and Kazuhiro Ozawa, voiced Wang Chan and Dario Brando respectively.

Those who were present at this event were given a sneak peek of a 47 second trailer as to what the movie was expected to look like. This exact trailer came on a bonus disc for those who pre-ordered the PS2 Phantom Blood game.

Two unused/rare posters were displayed in the hallways of this event, which weren't used for the final movie except in promotional material.

Film to Manga Differences

 * Lots of the story, power element explanations, famous lines, and characters are omitted from the movie.
 * Characters that were removed are: Robert E. O. Speedwagon, Poco, Dire and Straizo.
 * Due to Speedwagon being removed, Will Anthonio Zeppeli's roles in the story are majorly increased.
 * Unlike the manga, the movie starts out with a young Will A. Zeppeli on a mountainside with Tonpetty.
 * Will A. Zeppeli, asks Tonpetty to show him his future which causes a huge explosion of Ripple waves.
 * The Aztec ritual is in the movie, to what extent is unknown asides from production materials.
 * Dario Brando & the Woman from the Bar walk a bit in the rain before discovering the horse carriage.
 * The horse cabin driver that died from a spike protrusion only has his head shown, and not his body.
 * Dario finds a ring within the carriage and keeps it.
 * Dario waves his hand in front of a partially unconscious George Joestar I thinking he's dead, which George then grabs his wrist.
 * A lighting strikes creates a bright flash which shows the Stone Mask.
 * Dario's entire backstory of Dio & his wife is never shown in the movie. It's unknown whether George's story of him is told as the inspector is present in the Movie.
 * The scene changes to a Young Dio Brando standing in front of Dario's grave.
 * George witnesses Dio's arrival from the upstairs window in the Joestar Mansion
 * Jonathan attempts to help with Dio's luggage but gets shouted at by him.
 * Danny doesn't walk up to Dio, instead Dio runs up to Danny and kicks him.
 * Dio takes his own luggage upstairs.
 * Jonathan attempts to formally introduce himself to Dio but is grabbed on the wrist and then elbowed in the stomach
 * Jonathan leaves the mansion after Dio's arrival to talk to his friend's, only for them to not trust Jonathan anymore.
 * Jonathan & Dio's boxing match is never shown.
 * An original scene is added of Jonathan returning to his living quarters after it being ransacked.
 * A smashed photograph of his mother can be seen on the floor.
 * An original scene is added of Dio outside, stomping on the pocket watch he stole.
 * An original scene is added of Jonathan trying to sleep on his pillow, but gets pricked by a needle that was placed under it by Dio.
 * Afterwards, Jonathan gets out of his bed and sadly stares at the moon.
 * Dio's inner monologues and his tormenting of Jonathan are never depicted.
 * Jonathan's desire of wanting to be a true gentleman is never talked about.
 * Dio takes the Stone Mask off the wall to look at, he is approached by George who explains the mask to him.
 * Erina's overall character is toned down and made to look more 'cuter'.
 * Jonathan finds out what Dio did to Erina in a forest rather than in a town, she can be seen running away.
 * Jonathan's line when beating Dio up at the Joestar Mansion has been changed
 * Danny doesn't burst out of the incinerator.
 * Jonathan & Dio's rugby match never happened.
 * To compensate for Speedwagon's removal, Will A. Zeppeli instead visits Wang Chan's shop to investigate him.
 * One of the drunken Vagrant's is removed.
 * When Dio finds the singular Vagrant, he questions himself "is he homeless?"
 * In the movie's theatrical trailer, Will A. Zeppeli can be seen in the bottom left of the screen running towards the light the Stone Mask emitted at the Joestar Mansion.
 * The Police Officers that're waiting for Dio at the Joestar Mansion are shown with more historically accurate British Police outfits.
 * When Jonathan initiates his first fight with a vampiric Dio on the roof of the Mansion, he uses a warhammer to attack him instead of a spear.
 * Wang Chan apparently waits and hide for Dio in an abandoned mine next to the Joestar Mansion. Which can be seen on promotional art.
 * Jack the Ripper is in the movie, though he may be a minor extra zombie.
 * Will A. Zeppeli visits an injured Jonathan at the hospital.
 * There is a flashback scene of an even younger Will A. Zeppeli and his Father.
 * His father might be shown donning the Stone Mask along with the ship crewmates getting killed.
 * Ripple is demonstrated by Will A. Zeppeli, but throughout the movie it as seen as a "power-up".
 * Bruford and Tarkus appear in the movie. They are immediately killed.
 * Bruford giving Jonathan Luck and Pluck never happen.
 * Instead, Will A. Zeppeli picks up a "sword"—presumably Bruford's-- to use it in his fight with Dio.
 * The scene where Will A. Zeppeli, Jonathan & Dio clash under the moon takes place after Jonathan defeats the Dark Knights and is in proximity of Dio's castle.
 * The famous line spoken from Dio about "how many pieces of bread have you eaten in your life?" is omitted.
 * The specifics behind the freezing technique and why it counters Ripple are not explained.
 * Tonpetty appears by himself, this means Will A. Zeppeli gets to see him again whilst he's alive. Unlike the manga.
 * Dio uses his vampiric powers to create Windknight's Lot.
 * When Will A. Zeppeli fights zombies at Windknight's Lot, he takes off his hat to throw at the zombies.
 * Will A. Zeppeli doesn't die to Tarkus instead he dies by Dio's freezing technique, from him creating an ice spike/pillar out of the ground and not flash frozen like Dire was in the manga.
 * The Rose on Will A. Zeppeli's jacket (seen in promotion material) was used in his fight against Dio, similar to how Dire spat a rose into Dio's eye like in the manga.
 * The scene where Jonathan is given Will A. Zeppeli's life energy happens within the Windknight's Lot Castle.
 * Will A. Zeppeli doesn't age, nor does his hair turn grey when he gives Jonathan his Life Energy.
 * Jonathan does not light his gloves on fire to counter Dio's freezing technique. He instead overcomes it by "powering up" during their clash.
 * The ship Jonathan and Erina board sails through the Pacific Ocean instead of the Atlantic Ocean. This is an error as Erina is still rescued near the Canary Islands.
 * The baby Elizabeth is omitted from the movie. Instead, Erina enters the coffin without Jonathan saying anything. In the manga, she chooses to die with Jonathan but is persuaded after he asks her to save the baby.

Promotional Material
Official Merch=

Concept Art & Model Sheets
Jonathan Joestar=

Trivia

 * Despite the character's own lack of involvement in the movie, the Japanese comedy duo "Speedwagon", comprised of Jun Idota and Kazuhiro Ozawa, voiced Wang Chan and Dario Brando respectively.
 * In the Teaser Trailer the music is remixed of 2 tracks from the 1993 OVA's
 * Dio's Dervish OST Vol. 2
 * Going Home - (Dio's Dervish remix) OST Vol. 3
 * In the theatrical trailer, the music is remixed of 2 tracks from the 2000 OVA Soundtrack
 * Polanreff's Feelings
 * Polnareff's Anger
 * During its theatrical release, the prologue cutscene from the PS2 game was played before the movie.
 * However, model sheets have been found that could mean that the prologue scene had been fully animated.
 * The ending credits song was "VOODOO KINGDOM", a single by the group SOUL'd OUT
 * There have been unproven rumors regarding Araki's opinions on the film since its release;
 * Hirohiko Araki "hating" the movie started from a poorly circulated rumour online long before the 16 Minute Workprint surfaced.
 * Him wanting the movie "burnt" stemmed from another defunct rumour with no source to prove his claim.
 * On the movie's poster, Jonathan is modeled after Joseph from the cover of Volume 8. Whether or not this was intentional is unknown.
 * Jonathan's jewellery on the movie poster is referenced from the Cover of Volume 3.
 * Dio is modeled after two poses from the manga: one from Chapter 13 when he is standing on the broken window ledge, and another from a Chapter 36 panel spread.