King Crimson
King Crimson (キング・クリムゾン, Kingu Kurimuzon) is the Stand of Diavolo, featured in the fifth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Vento Aureo.
It grants Diavolo the ability to erase time for up to around ten seconds as well as see into the future using its sub-ability, Epitaph (エピタフ, Epitafu). The Stand can also be used by Diavolo's second-in-command, Vinegar Doppio, should the boss allow it.
Appearance
King Crimson is a humanoid Stand of a height and build similar to Diavolo's, but tends to look much bigger and taller. Its body is covered by a raised diagonal grid; save for its face, neck, shoulder guards, elbows, hands, abdomen, crotch, knees and feet.
Its eyes comprise sharp orifices of a steep inward slant; from which emerge small, round eyes without sclera, with pronounced eye sockets that have the same fragmented pupils that Diavolo himself has. Its crown is flat and from its forehead emerges a raised level that bears a smaller, oval face of the same expression. In earlier depictions, there were two raised levels. It constantly bares its teeth through a small mouth.
The aforementioned second face on King Crimson's forehead is named Epitaph, and is sometimes duplicated in the same position on Doppio's forehead. Epitaph presents itself as a bump on the forehead featuring eyes and a mouth constantly grinding its teeth, often mimicking King Crimson's current mood.
Its design is inspired by the character George/Kuato, from the 1990 science fiction film Total Recall, a mutated human with a smaller twin brother conjoined in his belly.[2]
Color Schemes
Personality
King Crimson embodies Diavolo's personality in its entirety, as he frequently speaks through his stand. Aside from that, its face frequently possesses an angry or irritated expression, though on rare occasions, it also shows a triumphant grin when certain events fall in Diavolo's favor, such as when he gets his hands on the Arrow.
Abilities
King Crimson is one of the most impressive Stands featured in the series. Both physically strong and possessing the ability to erase time and predict the future, King Crimson is said to be an invincible Stand.[3]
King Crimson is a powerful Close-Range Stand that primarily uses swift single attacks that are almost always fatal. It demonstrates first class power and speed, being capable of punching through people's bodies or cleaving them in a single chop with significant ease. Other examples include gripping a concrete pillar hard enough to dig its fingers into it, completely obliterating a fortune teller's upper body in a single punch, and throwing a pair of scissors with such strength that they completely severed Risotto Nero's right foot, among multiple other occasions where it effortlessly severed limbs. It also managed to destroy a large wall with a single punch.
Much like other Close-Range Stands, its weaknesses are poor effective range (about 2–3 meters[4]) and permanence, making it difficult for its user to hide their identity against multiple foes.[5]
Time Erasure
King Crimson's signature ability is to erase a given frame of time lasting up to around ten seconds,[6] starting from the instant the ability is activated.[5][7]
In the erased time frame, other people will be unable to experience anything that happened[7] and will retain no memories of it either.[7][8] After the allotted time frame, they will suddenly find themselves in the situation they were supposed to be afterwards.[5][7]
On the other hand, Diavolo remains fully conscious during the erased time and only he can re-adjust his actions.[8] In the manga, Diavolo sees the erased time as a void filled with juxtapositions of what would have happened during this period in a fashion akin to Nude Descending a Staircase, allowing him to think out the next best action (for instance, when Bruno Bucciarati tried to punch Diavolo during the erased time, Diavolo saw Bucciarati's superimposed positions during his punch).[8] The anime adaptation has Diavolo visualize a ghostly red image of his foe's next move instead.
Diavolo is unable to attack while King Crimson's time erasure is active,[3] instead relying on the ability to avoid attacks and move himself into advantageous positions, such as enemy blind spots. In addition, he is able to propel and adhere his own blood to an enemy, effectively preparing a blinding tactic during the time erasure.[3] Using his Stand's exceptional destructive power, Diavolo then directly attacks them the moment King Crimson's ability concludes.
The anime adaptation portrays King Crimson's time-skip ability with a glitched effect, as if the animation itself has corrupted and skipped forward.
Epitaph
Epitaph (エピタフ, Epitafu) is a sub-Stand that assists and completes King Crimson's time erasure. Diavolo and Doppio often use its ability to predict any incoming threat, making sneak attacks ineffective against them.
Precognition
Epitaph gives Diavolo and Doppio the ability to see several tens of seconds into the future by projecting it as an image,[3] usually onto their hair.[9]
The image produced includes the general area with the user as the main focus, allowing either of them to see what happens around them as well as directly at them.[9] However, the visions are incomplete and only show the final result without the steps taken to it and thus can be subject to interpretation. In one instance, Doppio could see himself on the ground with a foot flying, but initially thought that the foot was his when it ultimately turned out to be Risotto’s.[10]
While the predictions seen by Epitaph are unavoidable, they still effectively warn Diavolo and Doppio against incoming danger, allowing them to steer events to minimize the damage done to them. When Doppio realized a pair of scissors would form under the skin of his neck, he tore them out to prevent his throat from being slit.[10] King Crimson itself can prevent the predictions from being completed if it erases the right timeframe. However, Diavolo can only change his own fate with this but not others' fates, as he can't interact with them in erased time (i.e He can't prevent Risotto from getting shot by Aerosmith's bullets, but he can erase time and prevent himself from getting hit). Likewise a Stand affecting Fate like Gold Experience Requiem which returns King Crimson's power to the "zero" state, can simply make the vision false as it steers Fate itself to its advantage.[11]
Chapters / Episodes
Manga Appearances- Chapter 516: The Boss's Last Orders
- Chapter 518: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 1
- Chapter 519: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 2
- Chapter 520: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 3
- Chapter 521: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 4
- Chapter 522: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 5
- Chapter 524: The "G" in Guts (Cover only)
- Chapter 540: Spice Girl, Part 2
- Chapter 541: Storm Warning in Sardinia Island!
- Chapter 542: My Name is Doppio, Part 1 (Arm only)
- Chapter 543: My Name is Doppio, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 544: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 1 (Epitaph only)
- Chapter 545: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 2 (Arms & Epitaph only)
- Chapter 546: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 3 (Arms & Epitaph only)
- Chapter 547: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 4 (Arms & Epitaph only)
- Chapter 548: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 5
- Chapter 549: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 6
- Chapter 551: Pronto! On the Phone, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 552: Pronto! On the Phone, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 569: A Little Story from the Past (Flashback)
- Chapter 570: His Name is Diavolo, Part 2
- Chapter 571: What Lies Beyond the Arrow
- Chapter 572: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 573: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 2 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 574: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 3 (Mentioned only)
- Chapter 576: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 5
- Chapter 577: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 6
- Chapter 578: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 7
- Chapter 579: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 8
- Chapter 580: Diavolo Surfaces, Part 1
- Chapter 581: Diavolo Surfaces, Part 2
- Chapter 582: Diavolo Surfaces, Part 3
- Chapter 583: Diavolo Surfaces, Part 4
- Chapter 584: Diavolo Surfaces, Part 5
- Chapter 585: King of Kings
- Chapter 586: Gold Experience Requiem, Part 1
- Chapter 587: Gold Experience Requiem, Part 2
- Chapter 588: Gold Experience Requiem, Part 3 (Permanently retired) (Death looped infinitely)
Anime Appearances- Golden Wind Episode 19: White Album (Ability only)
- Golden Wind Episode 20: The Boss's Last Orders
- Golden Wind Episode 21: The Mystery of King Crimson
- Golden Wind Episode 21.5: determinazione
- Golden Wind Episode 22: The "G" in Guts (Flashback)
- Golden Wind Episode 24: Notorious B.I.G (Mentioned only)
- Golden Wind Episode 25: Spice Girl
- Golden Wind Episode 26: A Little Story from the Past ~My Name is Doppio~
- Golden Wind Episode 27: King Crimson vs. Metallica
- Golden Wind Episode 28: Beneath a Sky on the Verge of Falling
- Golden Wind Episode 28.5: destino
- Golden Wind Episode 29: Destination: Rome! The Colosseum
- Golden Wind Episode 33: His Name is Diavolo
- Golden Wind Episode 34: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 1 (Mentioned only)
- Golden Wind Episode 35: The Requiem Quietly Plays, Part 2
- Golden Wind Episode 36: Diavolo Surfaces
- Golden Wind Episode 37: King of Kings
- Golden Wind Episode 38: Gold Experience Requiem (Permanently retired) (Death looped infinitely)
Novel Appearances- GioGio's Bizarre Adventure II: Golden Heart, Golden Ring (Mentioned only)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 14: Desolation Row (37th universe) (Mentioned only)
- JORGE JOESTAR Chapter 15: Beyond (37th universe)
Creation and Development
Concept art featured in the JOJOVELLER "History" booklet includes an early design of King Crimson, which lacks Epitaph (but still has the bump on its forehead where Epitaph would normally be) and has a facial structure appearing to be based off of a human skull, as well as what appears to be a hood (possibly inspired by the classical figure of Death).
Video Games
GioGio's Bizarre Adventure (PS2)
In GioGio's Bizarre Adventure, King Crimson's time erasure ability is depicted in Chapter 7-1 and 7-2 as Diavolo teleporting, allowing him to evade the player's attacks and strike them from behind. In Chapter 11-1 and 11-3, time erasure is shown by having the opponent's actions slowed down, while Diavolo moves at normal speed.
All-Star Battle (PS3)
In All-Star Battle, King Crimson acts similarly to The World - through a number of abilities, Diavolo creates an erased time space (a special ability simply referred to as "Erasing Time") in which he is free to move about and the opponent is unable to take action. After a certain amount of time has passed, or as soon as Diavolo initiates an attack or ability, the effect is broken. King Crimson also acts as his dash and Epitaph can be activated to grant Diavolo automatic Stylish Evasion without depleting his Guard Gauge.
Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
In Eyes of Heaven, Diavolo becomes invincible as well as invisible to his opponents within the erased time, causing him to gradually lose stamina. Other characters can still move and act normally but are otherwise ignorant to Diavolo's location. Furthermore, the Epitaph ability Diavolo had in All-Star Battle allowing him to dodge instantly after getting attacked returns in the form of a skill.
Puzzle & Dragons (Android/iOS)
King Crimson was obtainable for a limited time as an Assist Evolution of the Vinegar Doppio unit in the mobile game Puzzle & Dragons.
キング・クリムゾン
Gallery
King Crimson punches Bruno Bucciarati
The time erasure from The Boss's perspective
King Crimson fatally injures Bucciarati
Sucked by Mr.President
Tauntingly sitting in front of Bucciarati
Breaking a computer keyboard
Epitaph is granted to Doppio to defeat Risotto Nero
King Crimson erases half a second to defend against Narancia's attack
King Crimson fatally injures Abbacchio
Killing Polnareff
King Crimson punches Gold Experience's head then severs its arm
Dangerously looming over Mista in Trish's body
King Crimson attacking Trish in Mista's body
King Crimson destroying Chariot Requiem
King Crimson attempts to turn into a Requiem Stand
Epitaph predicts Giorno's death at Diavolo's hands
King Crimson destroyed by Gold Experience Requiem
King Crimson's stats
Chapter 520 Cover
Chapter 524 Cover
Chapter 524 Magazine Cover
Weekly Shonen Jump 1997 Issue #46 (Title Page)
Chapter 571 Cover
Chapter 571 Cover
Chapter 578 Cover
Chapter 579 Cover
Chapter 581 Cover
Chapter 581 Cover
Chapter 582 Cover
Chapter 583 Cover
Chapter 583 Cover
Chapter 584 Cover
Chapter 584 Cover
Chapter 586 Cover
Chapter 586 Cover
Chapter 587 Cover
Chapter 588 Cover
Chapter 523 Tailpiece
Chapter 543 Tailpiece
Summoned by Diavolo to do battle against Jean Pierre Polnareff in the 90s
Appearing behind Polnareff
Attacking Silver Chariot's right eye
King Crimson grabs Sticky Fingers's arm
King Crimson bends Sticky Fingers's arm backwards
King Crimson reveals itself to Bruno Bucciarati
King Crimson's face close up
King Crimson's arm effortlessly pierces Bucciarati's body
Explaining to a wounded Bruno that none shall threaten The Boss's throne
Attacked in retaliation by Sticky Fingers
King Crimson skips time
About to attack Bucciarati yet again
Chopping Bucciarati through the shoulder
Preparing to kill Trish
Moments away from killing Trish as Bucciarati looks on in horror
Sucked into a ladybug pin effected by Gold Experience
Questioning Bucciarati about the identity of the second traitor
King Crimson points menacingly at Bucciarati, preparing to finish him off
Narrowly avoiding a punch from Sticky Fingers by skipping time
King Crimson activating Time Skip, the world replaced by the void from its perspective.
Seeing the actions that Bucciarati's Sticky Fingers will make in erased time.
Seconds away from attacking Bucciarati
Climbing a wall to reach Giorno and Bucciarati
King Crimson prepares to attack Giorno and Bucciarati...
...but the arrival of the rest of Team Bucciarati ruins his plan
Stalking Team Bucciarati as they escape from the church
King Crimson breaks a keyboard out of its master's frustration
King Crimson behind its master
A close-up of King Crimson's enraged face
King Crimson murders a fortune teller
King Crimson with its master behind
- DoppioEpitaph.jpg
Epitaph appears on Doppio's forehead
King Crimson skips time to nullify Aerosmith's bullets
The Boss summons King Crimson against Risotto Nero
Summoned by Diavolo to battle against Polnareff once again
About to strike Polnareff
Watching from behind a startled Diavolo
King Crimson and Diavolo engulfed in a bright light from Silver Chariot's evolution
King Crimson's attack is narrowly dodged by Silver Chariot
Finishing off Polnareff once and for all
Smiling triumphantly
King Crimson's Stats (unknown)
King Crimson's Stats
Second Half visual
Second Half visual
Countdown to the Finale
Tower Records Promotional Render
.jpg)
Diavolo, Doppio, and King Crimson in GioGio's Bizarre Adventure
King Crimson's render
King Crimson in Chapter 7-2's first loading screen
Impaling Bucciarati through the heart
Chapter 7-2's second loading screen
Lamenting Bucciarati's escape from church
Chapter 11-3 loading screen
Standing alongside Diavolo as he faces Gold Experience Requiem
King Crimson render in All-Star Battle
King Crimson's alternate colors
King Crimson taunting
Diavolo and King Crimson upon activation of a Great Heat Attack
Diavolo and King Crimson render, All-Star Battle R
"The passage of time resumes!"
"Epitaph"
"All movement is useless now!"
"If you've seen King Crimson, it's already your time..."
King Crimson vs. Gold Experience
King Crimson render in Eyes of Heaven
King Crimson Normal
Stand-up Icon
Idle
Charging to Attack
Attacking
Win Pose
Stand-up Icon
Idle
Charging to Attack
Attacking
Attacking
Icon
Stand-up Icon
Diavolo with Epitaph on his forehead
Summoned by Diavolo, hidden in the shadows
Charging to Attack
Attacking
Win Pose
![Counterattacking Doppio [Normal]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/1/14/latest/20200430041708/PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppio.png/225px-PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppio.png)
Counterattacking Doppio [Normal]
![Counterattacking Doppio [Shiny]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/2/2f/latest/20200430041708/PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppioShiny.png/225px-PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppioShiny.png)
Counterattacking Doppio [Shiny]
![Time-Skipping King Crimson [Normal]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/4/4c/latest/20210317021800/PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimson.png/225px-PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimson.png)
Time-Skipping King Crimson [Normal]
![Time-Skipping King Crimson [Shiny]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/9/99/latest/20210317021829/PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimsonShiny.png/225px-PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimsonShiny.png)
Time-Skipping King Crimson [Shiny]
![Emperor's Alternate Personality [EX]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/1/19/latest/20210315205250/PPPStickerDoppioEX.png/228px-PPPStickerDoppioEX.png)
Emperor's Alternate Personality [EX]
![Ruler of Time and the Mafia [EX]](https://static.jojowiki.com/images/thumb/f/f8/latest/20210315195842/PPPStickerDiavolo2EX.png/225px-PPPStickerDiavolo2EX.png)
Ruler of Time and the Mafia [EX]
![Counterattacking Doppio [Normal]](/File:PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppio.png)
![Counterattacking Doppio [Shiny]](/File:PPPStickerCounterattackingDoppioShiny.png)
![Time-Skipping King Crimson [Normal]](/File:PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimson.png)
![Time-Skipping King Crimson [Shiny]](/File:PPPStickerTime-SkippingKingCrimsonShiny.png)
![Emperor's Alternate Personality [EX]](/File:PPPStickerDoppioEX.png)
![Ruler of Time and the Mafia [EX]](/File:PPPStickerDiavolo2EX.png)
Event Card - The Mystery of King Crimson
Event Card - The Mystery of King Crimson (Back)
Event Card - Formidable Enemy Passione Boss
Special Step Up Gacha - Diavolo's Domination
Event Card - The Mystery of King Crimson (Rerun)
Super Ora Ora Gacha - The Power beyond the Arrow
Special Step Up Gacha - Neverending Requiem
Awakening Cheering Step Up Gacha - Golden Dream Confronting the Emperor
Event Reprint - The Mystery of King Crimson
Pitter Fest Gacha
Event Card - King of Kings
Pitter Patter Pop; King Crimson alongside an unrevealed Diavolo on a promotional piece of art
Promotional wallpaper
Comeback Login Bonus
1.5 Anniversary Crimsonfest Login Bonus
Default Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Alternate Colors
Soul Chip
Soul Chip
Soul Chip
Profile Card
Ichiban Kuji Special Color ver.
Stands Collection Figure Keyholder Volume 7
Chara Heroes; Part 5 Vol.2 (Karuwaza store exclusive)
Chara Heroes; Part 5 Vol.3
Super Action Statue (Wonderfest)
Super Action Statue Ver. Blue
Adventure Battle Card; Time Skipping Diavolo
King Crimson: Epitaph
King Crimson
Team Bucciarati
Giorno vs. Diavolo
Weiß Schwarz; The World's "Truth"
Erased World, King Crimson
Erased World, King Crimson (JoJo Rare)
"Movements" in the Future, Doppio & Epitaph
Eternal Climax, King Crimson
Eternal Climax (JoJo Rare)
10 Seconds Into the Future
10 Seconds Into the Future (JoJo Rare)
Concept art, JOJOVELLER
Concept art, JOJOVELLER
JOJO A-GO!GO!
JOJO A-GO!GO! (Inside Illustration)
Part 5 Stands
GioGio's Bizarre Adventure (Package)
GioGio's Bizarre Adventure (Poster)
World of JoJo Website Sprite
Trivia
- On some pages of the manga and on the official JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven website, Epitaph's name is sometimes appended with the literal Japanese translation of "epitaph" (墓碑銘, bohimei).
- In the French dub of GW Episode 20, when Diavolo explains his ability to Bucciarati, he incorrectly describes it as being able to stop time.
References
- ↑ Chapter 587: Gold Experience Requiem, Part 2, p.3
- ↑ JOJOVELLER: Araki's Stand Commentaries - King Crimson
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 JOJOVELLER: STANDS, p.192
- ↑ Artbook: JOJO A-GO!GO! - Stands, p.106
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Volume 56, in-between Stand stats; Chapter 522: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 5
- ↑ Chapter 521: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 4
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Chapter 519: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 2
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Chapter 520: The Mystery of King Crimson, Part 3
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Chapter 544: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 1
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Chapter 545: King Crimson vs. Metallica, Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 588: Gold Experience Requiem, Part 3
