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SPOILER WARNING: Part 1-6 spoiler details may follow.
Originally a man of low birth but peerless ambition, Dio is a cunning villain of little conscience and has an insatiable hunger for power. After becoming a vampire and later a Stand user, Dio has gathered many minions around him and is responsible for many major events of the series. His legacy and influence persists throughout the first six parts of JoJo, with characters either being related to him or inspired by him, such as Enrico Pucci.
Wielding the all-powerful The World, Dio is the first main antagonist to be introduced with a Stand and is among the most well-known characters of the series. He is the father of Giorno Giovanna, the protagonist of Vento Aureo, as well as a handful of otherillegitimateoffspring.
When he first arrives at the Joestar Mansion as a young child, Dio wears a typical formal boys 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 lobule 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.[2]
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 sewn in place). He wears pants with suspenders, boots, shiny cuffs on both wrists, and heart-shaped knee guards. In JoJo's Venture and its revision, his voice is also extra distorted compared to the standard filter used for his other playable version. This form of DIO is commonly referred to as Evil Incarnate DIO (邪悪の化身ディオ, Ja'aku no Keshin DIO) or Shadow DIO (影DIO).
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 latter half of the DIO's World story arc, often called High DIO (ハイDIO) in Japanese media.
Color Schemes
Part 1Part 3
The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Colored MangaPB (PS2)FilmAnimeAll-Star BattleEyes of Heaven
Skin(Light)
Hair(Black)
Hair(Dark Brown)
Eyes(Light Brown)
Childhood Outfit
(Light purple suit and orange vest over beige shirt and purple tie.)
Combat Outfit
(Green and purple shirt under gold suspenders with yellow pants and green shoes.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Brown)
Childhood Outfit
(Burgundy suit and brown vest over light gray shirt and blood-red tie.)
Combat Outfit
(Light yellow and blue suit with gold accessories. Brown shoes.)
Skin(Fair, pale as a vampire)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Blue, Red as a vampire)
Childhood Outfit
(Light brown suit and brown vest over white shirt and dark orange tie.)
Combat Outfit
(White and purple suit with gold trim and accessories. Brown shoes.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Orange)
Childhood Outfit
(Navy suit over white shirt and blood-red tie.)
Combat Outfit
(Crimson and white suit with purple scarf under brown vest. Brown shoes.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Blood-red)
Outfit
(Gold suit with red accessories and purple scarf. Black shoes.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Maroon)
Outfit
(Magenta-red and white suit with purple scarf under brown vest. Brown shoes.)
The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Colored MangaSFC GameOVAHeritage for the FutureAll-Star BattleAnimeEyes of Heaven
Skin(Fair, black lipstick while "high")
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Gold)
Outfit
(Yellow coat and chaps over a black shirt with green accessories, and gold shoes and cuffs. Yellow cape.)
Skin(Slightly Tan)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Brown)
Outfit
(Yellow coat and chaps over a dark gray shirt with green accessories.)
Skin(Slightly Tan)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Red)
Outfit
(Orange coat and pants over a brownish-black shirt with light brown accessories, and brown shoes and cuffs. Orange/red cape.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Orange)
Outfit
(Yellow-orange coat and chaps over a dark gray shirt with green accessories, and bronze shoes and cuffs.)
Skin(Fair, purple lipstick)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Yellow)
Outfit
(Yellow coat and chaps over a dark green shirt with green accessories, and gold shoes and cuffs.)
Skin(Pale, green lipstick while "high")
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Yellow-orange, Magenta while "high")
Outfit
(Orange coat and chaps over a black shirt with green accessories, and brown shoes and cuffs. Red cape.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Yellow)
Outfit
(Yellow coat and chaps over a black shirt with green accessories, and gold shoes and cuffs.)
Personality
“
Isolation makes a man hollow! I'll turn him into a powerless fool!
Dio is consistently manipulative and violently domineering, and has repeatedly shown a lack of conscience and empathy.
DIO is ecstatic when he sees his power growing further
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,[3] Dio set for himself the goal of becoming the richest, then the most powerful being on Earth. To do so, Dio used anything or anyone that he could in order 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 sought to become more and more powerful. Dio enjoys being in a position of power[4][5] and has repeatedly stated how great he felt being in a dominating position. On the contrary, Dio never tolerated that someone could stand up to him or equal him in power, and was enraged and deeply disturbed at the thought several times.
Throughout his life, Dio has tended to surround himself with witless cronies and later minions, who were attracted by his natural charisma. Not thinking much of them at first, he then selected those he deemed as particularly evil, claiming that an evil person wasn't bound by rules such as honor[6] and thus were stronger mentally. This belief culminated 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.
Dio planning to mentally break Jonathan and usurp his place upon meeting him
Naturally, Dio is an incredibly-selfish person, only looking over his own interest and overlooking those of others at best, trampling them on the ground at worst. 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 because he is primarily interested in their capabilities. Dio is the type who is incapable of loving another person wholeheartedly.[7] The only people he can be said to have held some type of affection for were his mother, Jonathan Joestar, and Enrico Pucci; Dio recognizing Jonathan's worth as equal to his own, and having been friends with Pucci. Still, Dio stole the former's body and his friendship with the latter was proven nonetheless beneficial of a grander plan to further himself.
DIO "charming" Kakyoin to his side
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 acted the model son and popular charismatic friend to Jonathan's father and entourage to better isolate him, and as a Vampire, his charisma only increased as he appeared as a charming mysterious individual. However, his natural arrogance would lead him to openly insult and belittle his enemies, notably disparaging their insignificant strength before his vampiric or Stand powers. He is the type who would be comfortable being with a man or woman; however, he will do anything to get what he wants and would "absolutely never pour 100% of his love into a specific person."[7]
Dio approaches obstacles and problems in a number of ways depending on the situation and his mood. When he was human, Dio was careful and methodical in trying to break Jonathan's spirit and slowly poisoned George for a sizeable period of time, only being thwarted due to unlucky twists of fate. As a Vampire, DIO at first let his arrogance get the better of him and took a laissez-faire approach, only sending subordinates to kill the Joestar Group while he rested and recovered. However, his defeat by Jonathan taught him to be wary of the Joestar Family in its entirety, thus he would later ambush Jonathan. During the events of Stardust Crusaders, he would send his minions to delay the Joestars as much as possible to recover strength. During his final battle, his wariness, tactical acumen and arrogance would clash to make Dio alternate between meticulous approach and overconfident attacks.
Phantom Blood
“
I reject my humanity! JoJo! I will 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！, Ore wa ningen o yameru zoǃ JoJoǃ Ore wa ningen o chōetsu suru!)
In Phantom Blood, Dio is ambitious, selfish, arrogant, callous and megalomaniacal, seemingly able to do anything to achieve his aims.
Dio drops all pretense of good
His natural ruthlessness is exposed very early when plans to exploit the Joestar family despite them being kind enough to adopt him.[8] In order to place himself in a better position to replace Jonathan Joestar and obtain the Joestar family fortune, Dio used the most underhanded means to break him mentally. These methods included: humiliating Jonathan in public sport fighting, ostracizing him from his friends,[4] and finally stealing Erina Pendleton's first kiss to drive a wedge in their budding relationship.[9] When he is eventually foiled, Dio opted to slowly poison George Joestar I and kill Jonathan with the Stone Mask to make both deaths seem natural and accidental.[3] Dio has shown a remarkable determination to reach his goal, never losing his drive despite the numerous defeats he suffers throughout Phantom Blood and always tried to find a way to get back at Jonathan for them.
Dio's lack of empathy is also apparent, since despite having lived for years with the kind Joestars, he never thought of them as anything more than obstacles, and is hinted to utterly resent the upper class he frequents. Dio had been maintaining a facade of a charming and agreeable person to everyone save Jonathan, yet never came close to anyone. At the end of the part, the only person Dio appreciated was Jonathan Joestar himself, begrudgingly acknowledging his valor as his archenemy[10] and "granting" him a painless death, and was even shocked to see him die.[11] Overjoyed to have changed into a powerful vampire, Dio spent his battles taunting various humans about their weaknesses and belittling them in favor of the apex predator vampires. Dio also sadistically changed a mother into a zombie just to watch her devour her own 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.[4]
Dio slapping Erina in a fit of anger
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 beat him up, and violently slapping Erina.[5] He was also incredibly cruel to Jonathan's dog, Danny, going so far as kicking him on their first meeting.[8] When Dio was defeated by Jonathan, Dio secretly had Danny incinerated. He is shown to be utterly enraged when someone stands up to him, which is the cause for his outbursts. He himself acknowledged that his anger was a weakness,[12] but would be all his life unable to truly control himself.
Dio's personality could be explained by his poor childhood and the abusive relationship he shared with his father, Dario Brando. Speedwagon, however, rejected this as the cause of Dio's personality, claiming that Dio was simply born this way, and that his poverty had nothing to do with it. True to that, Dio was already an immoral person but then openly relinquishes his humanity in favor of becoming a Vampire upon being cornered by the police.[13] 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 said much to Jonathan that his determination was equal to his own, earning him the dubious honor of serving as Dio's new host, after Dio was reduced by Jonathan to a head.[10]
Dio's potential for empathy is implied in both the manga and the anime, when Dio is shown to have killed his own father out of revenge for the abuse against his mother, rather than as a step in his scheme to rise in society.
Dio has expressed hatred for dogs, considering them vermin.[4]
Stardust Crusaders
“
Everyone survives in pursuit of peace of mind... Aren't you uneasy, preparing to fight me, knowing you may die? If you join me, I will give you peace of mind that will last forever. (安心を求める事そ人間の目的だ。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, Anshin o motomeru koto so ningen no mokutekida. Sokodeda…… watashi ni tsukaeru koto ni nani no fuan-kan ga aru noda? Watashi ni tsukaeru dake de ta no subete no anshin ga kantan ni te ni hairu zo.)
Reappearing in Stardust Crusaders, DIO did not change much since his burial at the bottom of the ocean for one hundred years, as he remained a remorseless and murderous megalomaniac, but nonetheless he had matured a little by recognizing valor in others and being generally more calm and level-headed.
DIO discussing the true nature of happiness with Polnareff
DIO does not appear frequently in Stardust Crusaders except towards the end, but is seen discussing various philosophies with Stand users he wishes to recruit, and with 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 as that he believes what he says, but 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 listened to Enya and was told that she'd already sent agents to deal with them, and quietly rested in his mansion to gain more strength. Furthermore, DIO learned his lesson and stops underestimating his opponents, being particularly careful around the Joestar bloodline. He nonetheless sneered at other Stand Users' efforts to fight him, most notably Kakyoin's, whose discovery ended up being crucial in his defeat.
This time, DIO is far more calm and collected. Maybe due to knowing that his Stand The World is far above anyone's reach, DIO is more tolerant of people resisting him, and didn't react to Polnareff's taunts and insults. He even seems to appreciate Hol Horse's insubordination, which confirms the mercenary's strength, and let him go try to assassinate Jotaro. However, DIO is still callous about human life and killed anyone who would fail him, even Enya—who was, again, his closest adviser. The usually confident and cunning gambler Daniel D'Arby was driven to madness when he couldn't handle the pressure of possibly revealing DIO's Stand ability to Jotaro.
DIO's insanity in full view
True to himself, DIO is enjoying the fact that he is wielding the most powerful Stand in his organization, being unconcerned by the heroes' effort to discover his power as he thinks they are meaningless. 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 was 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 way to win and despises any concept of honor or revenge, ultimately using a cheap trick to blind Jotaro momentarily. However, this was all for naught since DIO would ultimately meet retribution by dying at Jotaro's hand.
Stone Ocean
“
What you can find beyond the powers of my Stand is the way forward for humanity. What you need is a trustworthy friend. Will I, DIO, be able to meet someone like this one day? (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。いつかそのような者にこのＤＩＯが出会えるだろうか？, Waga Sutando no saki ni aru mono koso ga ningen ga sarani saki ni susumubeki michina no dearu. Hitsuyōna mono wa shinraidekiru tomodearu. Itsu kaso no yōna mono ni kono Dio ga deaeru darou ka?)
In flashbacks placed before the events of Part 3, DIO demonstrates a burgeoning ability to be genuinely nice to another person in numerous conversations with Enrico Pucci. Intrigued by Pucci, who let him be despite suspiciously hiding in a church, DIO healed his crooked foot, a kind gesture, and gave him the head of an Arrow, which would grant him his own Stand, Whitesnake. During these flashbacks, DIO is able to open up with him on multiple subjects, and confiding to Pucci that the priest could make him be at peace. Once daring Pucci to steal his Stand, to Pucci's refusal, DIO thanked him for his fidelity, and even admitted that he feared the thought of Pucci betraying him.
It is debatable how good a friend DIO truly was, considering Pucci's good-willed nature during his youth directly opposing his later evilness and zealotry. DIO also seems to have built that friendship to further his ambitions, which calls into question how sincere it was. It is implied that he wanted to use his Stand to create a perfect world for himself and a handful of subordinates. He enlisted Pucci as his living "conscience", in case he would go crazy and veer "off track".
OVER HEAVEN
The information below derives from OVER HEAVEN which was not written by Araki. As such, it may not be considered canon.
JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE 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 to be the real-life interpretation of DIO's 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 tries to devise a plan to use Stand power and human souls to bring about his idea of heaven.
Apparently, all throughout the events of Stardust Crusaders, DIO had been holding meetings with Enrico Pucci as well as devising ways on how to go to heaven. He then comes to the conclusion that in order to achieve true victory and witness heaven, DIO must guide Pucci to heaven, and not the other way around. Spliced between these events are all sorts of entries, such as memories of his past life as a human and later on a Vampire, the intricacies of the Stone Mask, his musings about the generational feud between him and the Joestar Family, the life his parents had in the slums of London, him interacting with his organization, and various philosophical matters.
For what it was worth, DIO appears to have genuinely cared about Enrico Pucci, and even more so about his plan to go to heaven, stating outright that he would sacrifice his organization, his vampiric abilities, his stand, everything - just to achieve his goal of creating his heaven on earth.
Concludes non-canon section.
Abilities
“
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！, Fujimi!! Furōfushi! Sutando pawā! Kore de nanimono mo kono Dio o koeru mono wa inai koto ga shōmei sa reta!)
DIO is one of the most powerful characters in the series. As a human, he was already brilliant but over time he's managed to acquire several powers, becoming a Vampire and then a Stand User.
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.
Anti-Aging
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.[14] 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.
Superhuman Strength
DescriptionExamples
Dio attains massive strength as a Vampire, allowing him to perform incredible feats, such as walking on walls and deflecting powerful attacks such as Hierophant Green's Emerald Splash. After absorbing Joseph's blood, he is powerful enough to pick up and drop a road roller on Jotaro.[15]
Superhuman Speed/Agility
DescriptionExamples
Like all Vampires, Dio is exceptionally agile. He can jump high in the air, make long leaps or hang from the ceiling. On various ocassions he is shown gliding through the air, particularly during his fight with Jotaro, though it is unclear if this is the actual ability to fly or an exaggeration of his superhuman jumping capabilities, either through his Stand or by being a vampire. At one point, Speedwagon compares his speed to a cheetah's.[16]
Superhuman Senses
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.[17]
Blood Sucking
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.
Regeneration
DescriptionExamples
Dio can regenerate his body faster than fire can consume it. His body is able to live even after having vital body parts amputated, and he is even capable of controlling his detached body parts. The extent of Dio's inability to be killed is demonstrated when he appears to Jonathan as just a head.
This ability is used twice, on Jack the Ripper and Poco. In the case of the former, Dio hypnotizes Jack to convince him to become his servant, allowing Dio to drain his blood and turn him into a zombie.[6]Poco was hypnotized to lure Jonathan's group into a graveyard trap, though his consciousness returned after being subjected to Jonathan's Ripple.[18]
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.[19] This ability can be circumvented if Ripple energy is channeled through items or fire.
Having extensive knowledge on the anatomies of organic beings, Dio can graft the body parts of different beings together. At first, he uses this ability to create hybrid animal chimeras that he keeps as pets. Some of his other zombies such as Page, Jones, Plant, and Bornnam may have also been created this way. Dio ultimately utilizes this power to graft his head onto Jonathan's body.
Space Ripper Stingy Eyes(空裂眼刺驚Supēsu Ripā Sutingī Aizu)
Dio is able to pressurize bodily liquid in his eyeballs and then create small openings in his pupils, eventually unleashing two fluid jets. This ability, later referred to by Straizo as "Space Ripper Stingy Eyes",[20] is one of Dio's most lethal abilities, powerful enough to slice through stone.
The information below derives from a source which was not written by Araki. As such, it may not be considered canon.
DIO is able to manipulate his hair to create parasites, which he can then insert into a human's head. These flesh buds pierce through the skull into part of the brain, making the victim compliant to Dio's charisma. As explained by Joseph, the parasite will gradually consume the victim's brain. If anyone attempts to remove the bud, it will sprout tentacles in an attempt to invade the intruder's brain. If necessary, DIO can give permission to someone to activate the spore's tentacles from a close distance. The spores possess another effect in case DIO himself ever dies: according to Keicho Nijimura, DIO's cells mutated his father into a greenish animalistic form upon DIO's death. Presumably, this is a side effect of the flesh buds that all Stand users containing flesh buds suffer from.
The information below derives from OVER HEAVEN which was not written by Araki. As such, it may not be considered canon.
In the light novel OVER HEAVEN, it is stated that flesh buds reduce the host's Stand power.[21]
Dio seems to possess the ability to heal other people's wounds, as he is able to completely cure Pucci's wounded foot by simply touching it.[22] The origin of this power remains unknown, though it could be an extension of his transmutation capabilities or self-healing factor.
Personal Skills
Intelligence
Dio is naturally intelligent, displaying cunning and perceptiveness as well as imagination repeatedly.
As a child and teenager, Dio Brando managed to achieve academic excellence with ease, having planned to graduate from university as a top law student.
Otherwise, Dio is a cunning villain and proficient tactician in combat. Dio almost managed to get away with two murders, biding his time in order to have a perfect alibi and was only discovered by accident. Upon his return from the bottom of the ocean, DIO built in six years a powerful criminal empire spanning over several continents and which brought him many riches. In a fight, Dio is particularly cunning and perceptive, his ruthlessness making him able 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 plain sneak attacks. Dio has the habit of analyzing his opponents and determine quickly a counter to their strengths, such as freezing blood in order to stop the flow of the Ripple or forcing Jotaro's bluff by throwing multiple knives from all direction so that he's forced to act during the stopped time.
Naturally ambitious, Dio constantly seeks to improve himself and meticulously studies his abilities to make the most of them. As such, he developed a freezing power akin to the Pillar Men's Modes in just a month, and in six years, discovered enough about Stands to be able to fuse several together with souls in order to create the ultimate Stand. Arguably his most successful move Dio experimented on how his vampiric powers allowed him to fuse two organisms together and used that knowledge to steal Jonathan's body.
Though he doesn't show it often, Dio has become a natural philosopher, arguing about the human condition with multiple people.
Other
Resilience: All prior to becoming a Vampire, Dio was already an able bare-handed fighter; a skill he says he developed in the slums of London. A good amateur sportsman, during a rugby game as a young adult, he is shown to have developed high athletic ability (as well as fantastic muscle mass).
Charisma: Dio is a cunning and charming individual. In addition to Stand Users, whom Avdol and Joseph suggest he recruits through charm or charisma, he has seduced many women throughout his life.
Knowledge: Throughout both his humble youth and tempestuous maturity, Dio is often seen reading. During his pre-teens, 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.
Spiritual Connection: After stealing Jonathan's body, DIO began to share a spiritual connection with Jonathan's living descendants. He notably was instinctively aware of their presence and their well-being, allowing him to track them across Cairo. Joseph mentions that DIO probably cannot distinguish between him and Jotaro, and only feel their presence.
Weaknesses
Vampiric Body: Dio Brando's powers, however, are all 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-unliving body.
Jonathan's Body (former): When DIO first acquired Jonathan Joestar's body and resurfaced from the ocean, he was unable to use the full power of his Stand, and had to acquire blood from a live Joestar to compensate and fully synchronize with his new form. Once this weakness was negated, he managed to grow significantly stronger, as did his Stand.
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 Brando's Mother: Though she isn't seen interacting with him, it's very clear that Dio loved his mother deeply, and the abuse she was dealt by his father was one of the reasons Dio slowly and painfully killed Dario.
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.[23]
Ungalo, Donatello Versus, and Rikiel: Similar 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
Enrico Pucci: DIO's encounter with Pucci is presumably the most prominent example of humanity displayed by him, having healed Pucci's foot when they first meet. Through the time he spends with Pucci, DIO comes to trust him enough to allow Pucci to inherit control of his plan. At one point, DIO forced Pucci's hand into his head and nearly had his Stand DISC removed to test Pucci's loyalty to him.
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 respected Ice's abilities, refusing to use the blood of someone of his caliber to heal himself.
Wang Chan: While at first a provider of his secret oriental poison that was crucial in killing Dario and attempting to kill George, after becoming a vampire, Dio used 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 threatens him for it.
Pet Shop: While not much is known about their relationship, DIO personally selected Pet Shop as the guardian of his temple while he was in Egypt.
Enya the Hag: Enya was one of DIO's most loyal followers and supporters. Despite her loyalty, DIO secretly implanted her with a flesh bud to insure her secrecy.
N'Doul: DIO was the first person to see N'Doul's worth which caused N'Doul to admire DIO. N'Doul was so loyal to DIO, that he killed himself in order to prevent himself from leaking valuable information.
Johngalli A.: While there is no on-screen interaction between them, Johngalli was highly loyal to DIO, as shown when he framed Jolyne for murder and attempted to kill her and Jotaro to avenge him.
Enemies
Jonathan Joestar: One of the most impactful relationships Dio ever had was with his adoptive brother, Jonathan Joestar. He initially viewed 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 viewed him as more of a threat, feigning brotherly bonds in public, while secretly poisoning George Joestar in order to get his fortune quicker. He intended to kill Jonathan with the Stone Mask, but upon discovering the hidden power to unlock the vampire powers of man, he decided 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 would use Jonathan's body as a host, defining the destiny between him and the Joestar Family for centuries to come.
Will Anthonio Zeppeli: Due to Dio having used the Stone Mask and becoming a Vampire, Zeppeli immediately viewed Dio as an enemy once he learned about the incident at the Joestar Mansion and due to his own father using 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 nothing more than magic tricks.
Robert E. O. Speedwagon: After hearing from Jonathan what Dio was doing to George Joestar I, Speedwagon decided to help with finding the man that sold Dio the poison. Dio openly declares that after killing Jonathan, he would dispose of Speedwagon as well for being involved. After everything that had happened at the Joestar Mansion, Speedwagon went along with Jonathan and Zeppeli to defeat Dio, knowing that he was too dangerous now as a vampire to be left running around.
George Joestar: While George has always treated Dio with kindness and respect, Dio only saw George as a stepping stone in his quest for wealth. Thus, Dio feigned being the perfect ward to George, and even called him father despite having no such views.
Dire, Straizo, and Tonpetty: Being Ripple Warriors, the three knew the dangers of the Stone Mask and viewed Dio as an enemy because of his use of it. Out of the three of them, Dire was the one who really wanted to defeat Dio on his own, due to having been a friend of Zeppeli's for many years and Dio having a role in his death. At the time, Straizo knew that defeating Dio was important; however, many years later, he would admit to the older Speedwagon that he was envious of Dio due to the fact he would never age while Straizo would. This envy became so much that he would later use the Stone Mask on himself just so he could become young again.
Joseph Joestar: DIO needed Joseph in order to complete the merger of his head with Jonathan's body, secretly manipulating his minions to bring him closer and closer in order to drain his blood. At first, Joseph was unaware of his existence due to Speedwagon making sure to keep the secret of the Vampire's existence prior to his battle with Straizo. His hatred for DIO intensified, however, when he learnt the whole truth and that he had stolen the body of his grandfather, Jonathan Joestar, to use as his own. This hatred got to the breaking point when DIO's very existence threatened the life of Joseph's daughter Holy. Figuring out that since DIO was the cause of all the Stands in the Joestar family activating, it was more than likely that killing him would save Holy. That plan in mind, Joseph, along with his grandson Jotaro, his old friend Muhammad Avdol, and new ally Noriaki Kakyoin, decide to go to Egypt where DIO had gone to hide, and kill him.
Noriaki Kakyoin: Having met DIO on a holiday in Egypt with his family and then put under his control with a Flesh Bud, Kakyoin was loyal to him and would do anything he wanted. However, upon having the bud removed by Jotaro and seeing the harm DIO was causing towards the innocent Holy Kujo, who had shown him kindness as he was recovering at the Kujo residence, Kakyoin decided to go with Joseph, Jotaro, and Avdol to Egypt to defeat DIO.
Jean Pierre Polnareff: Like Kakyoin, he too met DIO and was placed under his control. After having the Flesh Bud removed by Jotaro, Polnareff decided to join the team, though at first for his own goals, as Polnareff theorized that DIO would know where his sister'skiller would be. Even after he avenged her sister's death, Polnareff chose to stay with the group to defeat DIO. After the deaths of both Avdol and Iggy, Polnareff vowed to defeat DIO no matter what.
Muhammad Avdol: Unlike Kakyoin and Polnareff, Avdol recognized who DIO was upon meeting him, due to having heard about DIO from Joseph. As such, Avdol knew the man was an enemy immediately and managed to escape from him before he could be put under his control. With DIO threatening Holy's life due to him activating all the Stands in the Joestar bloodline, Avdol, along with Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin decided to journey to Egypt to defeat Dio.
Jotaro Kujo: Despite DIO viewing Jotaro as nothing but an extension of Jonathan, DIO was fully aware how much of a threat Jotaro was. While Jonathan was an opponent DIO respected, Jotaro was an opponent DIO feared (although just a bit) since Jotaro could move in the stopped time. Jotaro himself however, saw DIO as nothing but a necessary evil he has to defeat in order to save his mother. After DIO had apparently killed his grandfather Joseph right in front of him, Jotaro's hatred for DIO finally intensified to where, for the first time, Jotaro was visibly enraged and acted on anger. After a long and grueling fight with the vampire, Jotaro finally managed to outwit and kill DIO.
Relationships in OVER HEAVEN
The information below derives from OVER HEAVEN which was not written by Araki. As such, it may not be considered canon.
Daniel J. and Telence T. D'Arby: DIO saw the D'Arby brothers as important tools to enter into heaven. While he believed their souls were too impure to enter themselves, he acknowledged their ability to manipulate souls as useful for his own ascension.
Enya the Hag: While the novel doesn't add too much to their relationship, DIO states that he would've considered letting her bear his child if she was younger.
Dario Brando: While their relationship is about as negative as it is in the manga, it is revealed that he 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, and one of the reasons he wanted to get into heaven was to kill his father again, before merely looking at it as a side opportunity.
Dio's Mother: In the novel it is revealed that his 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 casket on the boat where Jonathan died in order to escape the boat's explosion. DIO at first believes that Erina did this in hope DIO may return some day as a better man with Jonathan's body. He quickly dismisses the idea, stating that if it was the case that Erina reminded him of his mother.
Concludes non-canon section.
Relationships in Eyes of Heaven
The information below derives from Eyes of Heaven which was not written and only supervised by Araki. As such, it may not be considered canon.
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.
Mariah: DIO shows absolute faith in Mariah's abilities.
Will Zeppeli: While their relationship is essentially the same as in the manga, when Zeppeli encounters DIO from Stardust Crusaders, he will state 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 since 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.
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！, Ichiban no kanemochi ni naredato? Ā! Natte yarutomo! Omae no 'isan' uketoru ze! Hitoridemoikirareru ga riyō dekiru mono wa nan demo riyō shite yaru!)
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！, Kimi... mō JoJo to kisu wa shita no kai? Mada da yo na. Hajimete no aite wa JoJo de wa nai! Kono Dio da!)
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！, Tetteiteki ni tatakinomeshite yaru! Sore mo seiseidōdō to na! Sō suru koto ni yotte "jibun wa mō kono Dio ni wa katenai"... to iu koto o JoJo jishin no karada de oboeru karada! Kenkademo jinsei demona!)
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！, Ko... kon'na, ko... kon'na! Kon'na kasu mitai na yatsu ni kono Dio ga!)
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！, Ueta yaken no dōkoku ka... Kokkan no fuyu! Yatsura mo ikinukou to hisshina no ka!)
I reject my humanity! JoJo! I will 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！, Ore wa ningen o yameru zoǃ JoJoǃ Ore wa ningen o chōetsu suru!)
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, Saku o rō sureba rōsuru hodo ningen ni wa genkai ga aru noda yo.)
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！, Taitei no ningen wa kokoro ni zen no taga ga aru! Sonotame omoikitta kōdō ga toren! Subarashī aku e no osore ga aru noda! Daga! Goku mare ni zen'naru taga no nai ningen ga iru... aku no erīto! Ore ya… kimi ga sōda… Dōda? Kono dio no geboku ni naranai ka? Kono Dio ni fukujū suru noda, yami no Jakku!)
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」…, Shokumotsu rensa to iu no ga atta na... kusa wa buta ni kuwa re buta wa ningen ni kuwa reru. Wareware wa sono ningen o kate to shi teru wake ka... ningen o shokuryō ni shite koso 'shin no teiō'...)
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！, Ore wa seibutsu-kai no chōten... Mirai o hiraku atarashī seibutsu to natta... Ningengotoki to taitō no ji ni orite ikeru ka! Burei-sha ga!)
Do you remember how many loaves of bread you've eaten in your 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？, Omae wa imamade kutta pan no maisū o oboete iru no ka?)
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！, 'Hamon'? 'Kokyū-hō' dato? Fūfū, fukunara... Kono ore no tame ni fanfāre demo fuiteru no ga ni atte iru zo!)
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!
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.
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[24]. 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.
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！, JoJo... shōjiki iu toda... Ore wa nasakki omae o kono-te ni kaketakunakatta noda. Osananajimi de tomoni onaji-ka de sodatta omae o andeddo ni shite mo omoshiroku mo nantomo nainde na... Dakara ano ni-kishi ni shokei o makasete shimatta... Dagana... saigo no tsume de ore wa amakatta... Ikite iruki sama o mite, sore wa teiō to shite no kono Dio no seishin-teki yowa-sa to satotta yo... Ima! Tamerai mo nakuki sama o zansatsu shokei shite kureyou!)
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〜！, Hinjaku hinjaku... Choito de mo ore ni kanau to de mo omotta ka! Manuke ga!)
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!!, Monki ga ningen ni oitsukeru ka? Omae wa kono Dio ni totte no monkī nandayo JoJo!!)
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！！, JoJo, omae ga inakattara kono Dio ni kamen no chikara wa te ni hairanakattadarou... shikashi omae ga itakara imada sekai wa ore no mono ni natte inai! Kami ga iru to shite unmei o sōsa shite iru to shitara! Ore-tachi hodo yoku keisan sa reta kankei wa arumai! Ore-tachi wa kono yo ni oite futari de hitori! Tsumari... Ore wa konoyode tada hitori sonkeisuruhito-kan no bodi (nikutai) o te ni ire kenrantaru eien o ikiru! Sore ga kono dio no unmei nanoda! Kutsū wa ataen! Sore ga waga kōtekishu e no saigo no reigi! Waga nikutai to natte ikiyo! JoJo!!)
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…
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!
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！！, Shimatsu subeki shukumei, masshō subeki in'nen… Sudeni te wa utta!!)
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！, Tatakai ni yabure hossuru mono ga te ni hairanakatta baai... zasetsu-kan to haiboku-kan o ajiwai kizutsuki... soshite tsuginaru tatakai no toki `kyōfu' o kanjiru koto ni naru... Ore wa 'kyōfu' o kokufuku suru koto koso ga 'ikiru' kotoda to omou. Sekai no chōten ni tatsu mono wa! Hon'no chippokena 'kyōfu' o mo motanu mono!)
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, Seikaku ni iou! Jōsutā ni kyōfu shite iru node wanai! Jōsutā no kettō wa anadoren to iu kotoda! Kono Dio no unmei no haguruma kara Jōsutā o tori nozoku hitsuyō o kanjiru noda.)
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, Fufufufu, hitori chansu o yarou. Sono kaidan o nidan oriro, futatabi watashi no nakama ni shiteyarou. Gyaku ni shinitakereba... ashi o agete kaidan o nobore.)
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, 'Ningen wa dare demo fuan ya kyōfu o kokufuku shite anshin o eru tame ni ikiru'. Meisei o te ni ire tari, hito o shihai shi tari, kanemōke o suru no mo anshin suru tameda. Kekkon shi tari, yūjin o tsukuttari suru no mo anshin suru tameda. Hito no tame ni yakudatsuda toka, aitoheiwa no tame nida toka, subete jibun o anshin sa seru tameda. Anshin o motomeru koto koso ningen no mokuteki da.)
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, Sokodeda…… watashi ni tsukaeru koto ni nani no fuan-kan ga aru noda? Watashi ni tsukaeru dake de ta no subete no anshin ga kantan ni te ni hairu zo.)
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！, Manuke ga... shiru gaī... 'Za Wārudo' no shin no nōryoku wa... masani! 'Sekai o shihai suru' nōryoku da toiu koto o!)
This is The World... Though, since time has stopped for you, you can neither see or 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…, Kore ga... 'Za Wārudo' da. Mottomo 'jikan no tomatte iru' omae ni wa mie mo sezu kanji mo shinai darou gana...)
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…, Saisho wa mabataki hodo no isshun shika tome rarenu nōryoku datta. Shikashi... kono kubi no kizu ga najinde kuru ni tsure, ni-byō... san-byō to nagaku tome rareru yō ni natta. Ima dewa go-byō wa tomete i rareru... Toki ga tomatte irunoni go-byō to kangaeru no wa okashīga. Tonikaku, go-byō hododa... Fufu. Izure wa ichi-bun... juu-bun... ichi-jikan to omoi no mama tome rareru yō ni natte yarou... Tanoshimida... Dandan nagaku jikan o tomeru no wa na...)
Now that we 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, Mō wakatta... Manzoku da... Kokora de asobi no sābisu jikan wa owari da... Jōtarō, ikkini todome o sashite kureru.)
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！, Hyaku-nen mae no in'nen ga aru dake ni Jōsutā no kettō no mono dake wa te-kagen sezu ni ikkini korosu to kimete ita. Todome o sasu no wa yahari 'Za Wārudo' no shin no nōryoku!)
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…, Hō... mukatte kuru no ka... nigezu ni kono DIO ni chikadzuite kuru no ka...)
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, Sekkaku sofu no Josefu ga watashi no sekai' no shōtai o, shiken shūryō chaimu chokuzen made mondai o hodoite iru jukensei no yōna hisshi koita kibun de oshiete kureta to iu no ni)
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！, Kono Dio wa subete no seibutsu ya subete no Sutando tsukai o butchi kiri de chōetsu shita no da! Soshite ima dewa go-byō to dandan nagaku toki o tomete i rareru!)
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…！, Koto moarou ni!... Kono Jōsutā no matsuei ga... "waga... tomatta toki no sekai ni..." nyūmon shite kuru to wa...!)
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！, Fun! Nogareru koto wa dekin! Kisama wa chesu ya shōgi deiu "chekku meito" ni hamatta noda!)
Those automobiles are convenient machines, but the roads are congested when everyone has one. Only one man should move within stopped time... Only me, DIO. (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, Omouni jidōsha toiu kikai wa benrina mono daga daremokaremo ga norukara dōro ga konzatsu shite shimau. Tomatta toki no naka wa hitori... kono Dio dakeda.)
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…, Kono Dio o ansatsu suru koto wa dekin... 'Jōsutā Ejiputo Tsuā Goikkōsama' waki-sama ni todome o sashite zenmetsu no saigo toiu wakeda na...)
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? Being the tourist you are, do all streets look the same? (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？, Kakatta na! Jōtarō! Kore ga waga "tōsō keiro" da... Kisama wa kono Dio to no chie kurabe ni maketa noda! Ore ga futtoba sa rete yuku kono tōri ni mi oboe wanai ka? Ryokō-sha no omae ni wa dono tōri mo onaji ni mieru no ka?)
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！, Sōda, Josefu Jōsutā no chi o suu tame no "tōsō keiro" da!)
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…, Jōsutā no kettō to iu no wa waga unmei to iu rojō ni korogaru inu no kuso no yō ni jamana mon datta ga... Saigo no saigo wa, kono Dio ni riyō sa reru no ga Jōsutā no shukumei datta yōda...)
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！, Fujimi!! Furōfushi! Sutando pawā! Kore de nanimono mo kono Dio o koeru mono wa inai koto ga shōmei sa reta!)
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！, Toruni taranu ningen domo yo! Shihai shiteyaruzo! Waga 'chi' to 'chikara' no moto ni hirefusuga ī zo!)
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, Goku mijikai toki no nagarede shika ikinai ningen no kangaekata o suru…“ato aji no yokunai mono o nokosu” toka “jinsei ni kui o nokosanai”da toka… benjo no nezumi no kuso ni mo hitteki suru sono kudaranai mono no kangaekata ga inochitori yo! Kono Dio ni wa sore wanai… aru no wa shinpuruna tatta hitotsu no shisō dakeda… tatta hitotsu! “Shōri shite shihai suru”! Sore dake yo… sore dake ga manzoku-kan yo! Katei ya…! Hōhō nazo…! Dō demo yoi noda!)
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, Watashi no itteru 'Tengoku' to wa 'seishin' ni kansuru kotoda yo seishin no mukau tokoro... Shine tte koto jānai. Seishin no 'chikara' mo shinka suru hazuda. Soshite sore no yukitsuku tokoro tte imi sa. Kiminara watashi no itteru koto ga wakaru to omou ga... Hontō no kōfuku ga soko ni wa aru... 'Tengoku' e iku koto ga dekireba na.)
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, Kōfuku to wa muteki no nikutai ya, taikin o motsu koto ya, hito no chōten ni tatsu kotode wa e rarenai to iu no wa wakatta iru. Shin no shōri-sha to wa 'tengoku' o mita mono no kotoda... Don'na gisei o haratte mo, watashi wa soko e iku.)
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, Don'na monodarou to, hito ni wa sorezore sono kosei ni atta tekizaitekisho ga aru. Ō ni wa ō no, ryōri-hito ni wa ryōri-hito no… Sore ga ikiru to iu kotoda.)
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？, Hitsuyō na mono wa "watashi no Sutando" dearu. "Za Wārudo". Waga Sutando no saki ni aru mono koso ga ningen ga sara ni saki ni susumubeki michina no dearu. Hitsuyō na mono wa shinraidekiru tomo dearu. Kare wa yokubō o kontorōru dekiru ningen de nakute wa naranai. Kenryokuyoku ya meiyoyoku sanyoku shikiyoku no nai ningen de. Kare wa hito no hō yori mo kami no hō o tattobu ningen de nakute wa naranai. Itsu kaso no yōna mono ni kono Dio ga deaeru darou ka?)
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……, 'Umareta mono' wa mesameru. Shinraidekiru tomo ga hassuru jūyon no kotoba ni chisei o shimeshi tei... "Tomo" wa watashi o shinrai shi watashi wa "tomo" ni naru. Saigo ni hitsuyō na mono wa basho dearu. Hokui nijūhachi-do nijūshi-bu seikei hachijū-do sanjūroku-bu e iki... Tsugi no 'shingetsu' no toki o mate... Sore ga "tengoku no toki" dearou...)
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！？, Kimi wa 'inryoku' o shinjiru ka? Watashi ni tsumazuite koronda koto ni imi ga aru koto o!?)
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!
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!
B.T., the protagonist in Cool Shock B.T., is a basis for young Dio.[25] 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.[26]
Hirohiko Araki considers Dio to be "the true protagonist" of Phantom Blood. Not only did Araki develop Dio's character design before Jonathan, Dio also makes his debut first. 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. Dio was developed with this concept in mind. After this, Jonathan Joestar's 'light' was designed to counter Dio's 'darkness'.[27]
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.[26]
Dio's name in Phantom Blood is written normally, but is later spelled in English as "DIO" (ＤＩＯ) from Stardust Crusaders onward (as well as in one chapter of Phantom Blood[28]). This was probably done to accentuate his metamorphosis as a villain, as well as his more intimidating, fear-mongering, and overall villainous personality.[29]
In Araki's Top Ten Favorite Characters in 2000, DIO ranked as tenth, being the third main villain in the countdown.
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.[30]
Manga Appearances
Anime Appearances
Quotes
