Dario Brando (ダリオ・ブランドー, Dario Burandō) is a secondary character featured in the first part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Phantom Blood.
Dario is the father of Dio Brando. An alcoholic and abusive man, he is primarily responsible for Dio's descent into evil. After a tragic misunderstanding, George Joestar I decides he owes him a favor, eventually adopting his son Dio into the Joestar family.
Appearance
Dario is an elderly man with a stocky build. He is balding, save some hair on the back of his head and a white beard. He bears a scar crossing his forehead and is missing several teeth.
Dario has a tattoo on his chest of a cross with the words 'In memory of mother' visible.
Color Schemes
Personality
Dario Brando is portrayed as a corrupt, alcoholic, and abusive father.
Dario is repeatedly portrayed as extremely immoral. Being a petty thief, Dario has no qualm stealing from the dead, notably stealing a then unconscious George Joestar's ring, believing him to be dead. He also told his companion to let George's child die. When George woke up, Dario tricked him into believing he was saving him, hoping to exploit the gentleman's naïveté; when George later covered for him out of kindness, Dario couldn't understand the gesture.[2]
Dario was an abusive husband and father, having presumably forced his wife to work to death. He was hated by his own son, whom he would yell at and beat for the flimsiest reasons. At some point, he asked his son to sell his dead mother's clothes in order to buy more booze. His alcoholic nature was shared with Dio, who hated himself for resembling his father after getting drunk.[3]
Nevertheless, he cared about Dio enough to let him be adopted into the Joestar Family.[2]
History
Phantom Blood
Dario was a poor man in Victorian England who witnessed George Joestar I's carriage crash one day in 1868. He immediately started looting the wreckage on the assumption that there were no survivors, even as a woman from a bar that he brought with him noted that the infant was still alive. George wakes up and assumes that Dario saved his life, feeling indebted to him. Although George later learned the truth about Dario's personality when he was arrested for trying to pawn Mary Joestar's wedding ring, George pressed no charges and asked Dario to become a good man for his family.[4] Even after receiving money from George to start a hotel, Dario soon found himself back in poverty, eventually working his wife to death.[2]
For the next twelve years, Dario took out his frustration on his son Dio, who he grew to hate his father enough to poison him with Wang Chan's assistance.[3] Unaware that his own son was killing him, he tells Dio of the debt George still owes him on his deathbed. Dario gives Dio a letter to mail to the Joestar Mansion, in which he details his condition[5] and asks the Joestars to adopt Dio. Though Dio is adopted into the family, Dario's letter plays a vital role in exposing his attempted murder of George seven years afterward.
OVER HEAVEN
According to DIO, Dario never worked; anything that he "earned" was gained through theft, gambling, and extortion. At the time, this earned him the respect of his young son, as he thought that, in their impoverished, crime-riddled town, his father's way of living was honest and correct.
His wife, in spite of the contempt from her husband and son, would always attempt to steer them in the right direction, only receiving abuse in return. Once, as a result of her husband's beatings, she miscarried. Whenever Dario got drunk, Dio tried to be quiet and get away from him in an attempt to minimize the damage he received.
His wife died abruptly. She was buried in a crude funeral by Dio and Dario, who, even at the time, remained drunk.[6]
To escape Dario's violence, which became much worse after his wife's death, Dio began to work and gamble to buy liquor for Dario in hopes of him drinking himself unconscious. Over time, Dario would hit him less and less as he seemingly prioritized alcohol over everything else.[7]
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 1: Prologue (Death)
- Chapter 6: A Letter from the Past, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2 (Flashback)
- Chapter 9: The Stone Mask, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 11: The Stone Mask, Part 4 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 12: Youth with Dio, Part 1 (Flashback)
Anime Appearances- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 1: Dio the Invader (Death)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 2: A Letter from the Past (Flashback)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 3: Youth with Dio (Flashback)
Novel Appearances Live Action AppearancesQuotes
Quotes- “I'm not long left... in this world... I know that... you're my only concern once I pass on... listen, Dio. *Cough!* You're to mail this letter and head to the place it's addressed to! This man owes me a favor... I'm sure he will look after you and send you to school!”—Dario Brando to Dio, Chapter 1: Prologue
- “Hey! Help me pry this guy's mouth open! We'll pull his front teeth and sell 'em to the dentist to use as replacements!”—Dario Brando, Chapter 1: Prologue
- “This guys an idiot! ...Wa ha ha! Guess I got nothing to lose by telling him my name! I am but an unworthy commoner-- My name is Brando.”—Dario Brando, Chapter 1: Prologue
- “Dio! How in the hell do you have money to buy medicine?!”—Dario Brando in a flashback abusing Dio, Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2
Video Games
Phantom Blood (PS2)
Dario appears on his deathbed in the first cutscenes of the game. Like in the original story, he gives his son a letter that will allow him to live with the Joestars.
Gallery
Close up of Dario
Dario abusing Dio
Dario's grave
Dario's letter to George
Dario Brando "saves" George Joestar
Dario Brando in jail
Dario being ill
Dario's letter to George
Dario's grave
Concept art for the Phantom Blood movie
Dario Brando looting the horse carriage from the Phantom Blood movie
Dario's body perspective model sheet from the Phantom Blood movie
Dario's head perspective model sheet from the Phantom Blood movie
Body perspective model sheet of the woman who was with Dario from the Phantom Blood movie
Character poster
Program Guide
Giving Dio a letter to the Joestars in the Phantom Blood PS2 game
Adventure Battle Card; Dario Brando
Scotland Yard Police Inspector
Trivia
- George mistaking Dario as his savior bears resemblance a similar scene in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables, in which Marius's father mistakes the corrupt innkeeper Thénardiers as his savior and sends Marius to seek aid from him on his deathbed. George also claims that he gave his ring to Dario Brando, who was imprisoned for stealing said ring, resembling the bishop Myriel claiming the same for Jean Valjean, who attempted to steal his silverware.
- Dario's English voice actor would ironically later to go on to voice Yoshihiro Kira, the father of another main antagonist.
- Dario's appearance and alcoholism bears a resemblance to the Lawman from Poker Under Arms, Hirohiko Araki's debut work.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 [citation needed]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Chapter 1: Prologue
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chapter 7: A Letter from the Past, Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 12: Youth with Dio, Part 1
- ↑ Chapter 6: A Letter from the Past, Part 1
- ↑ OVER HEAVEN Chapter 2
- ↑ OVER HEAVEN Chapter 4