Chapter 1

Dio the Invader (Prologue in the JoJonium release) is the first chapter of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga. It is also the first chapter of Part I: Phantom Blood.

Summary
Between the 12th and 16th century, an Aztec ritual takes place in Mexico. A man wearing a stone mask sacrifices a young woman. Her blood spills onto the mask and talons sprout from the mask piercing the man's head. He screams to the audience that he has gained eternal life, and sacrifices a man next to him.

In the year 1881, a thief named Dario Brando, on his death bed, tells his son Dio of a debt that a man owed him. Back in 1868, an accident had occurred involving a carriage that had been carrying a couple and their baby son. Dario and his wife saw the crash and decided to steal valuables from the corpses. The nobleman George Joestar had survived the crash, as did his son, but his wife had died. Thinking Dario had come to save them, George offered Dario a reward for his "help". Returning to the present, Dario tells Dio he had sent word to the Joestars and that he should take a letter with him to their mansion, intending to have George foster Dio in order to pay off the former's debt. Dio is noted to be headstrong and intelligent, wagering meals on chess matches in taverns. Not long afterwords, Dario dies and is buried. As a "goodbye", Dio spits on his father's grave.

In another area, two kids are bullying a small girl named Erina Pendleton by taking her doll. However, a young boy named Jonathan Joestar, son of George, intervenes and helps the girl. Although he gets beaten up by the bullies, he is able to get the doll back.

Soon after, Dio arrives at the Joestar mansion and meets Jonathan. Jonathan's dog, Danny, comes running towards them. Jonathan's good manner and his cordial impression of Dio is soon shattered when he knees Danny in the jaw. It is at this point that Dio resolves to himself to usurp Jonathan of his inheritance and take the Joestar fortune for himself.