JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood
Tsuneyasu Motoyoshi wrote the script, and Ney Hasegawa, director of the Fujiyama Anette theater company, directed the musical. Dove Attia and Rod Janois, known for their work on the LUPIN musical, composed the music.[3]
The musical was originally scheduled to premiere on February 6, 2024. However, on February 4, 2024, it was announced that the performances from February 6 to 8 were cancelled due to delays. On February 8, 2024, it was announced that the performances from February 10 to 11 were cancelled as well.[4]
Pre-orders for the Blu-ray release of the musical were announced in the May 2024 issue of Ultra Jump on April 18, 2024. "Sunlight Yellow" and "Midnight Blue" versions of the Blu-ray are available, each featuring one of Jonathan and Zeppeli's double cast actors. Both versions, as well as a limited-edition box set containing a bonus disc, are planned to release sometime in December 2024.[2]
Synopsis
The story revolves around the mysterious Stone Mask excavated from Mexico and follows the adventurous tale of the fateful destinies of two young men. Set in England in the 19th century, Jonathan Joestar, nicknamed "JoJo", is the only son of the noble Joestar family. His father, Sir Joestar, raises him under strict yet warm guidance to become a "true gentleman". The Joestar household adopts Dio Brando, who was born and raised in the slums, believing that Dio's deceased father, Dario Brando, had saved Sir Joestar's life. Sir Joestar raises the two as equals, and they grow up strong.
However, Dio schemes to take everything from JoJo; his beloved dog Danny, his friends, his first love Erina Pendleton, and even the Joestar family's wealth. Realizing Dio's evil intentions, JoJo heads to the slums of London, Ogre Street. With the help of his new ally Robert E. O. Speedwagon, they drag Wang Chan back to the Joestar mansion because of his involvement in Dio's conspiracy. In a desperate situation, Dio harnesses the power of the mysterious Stone Mask, displayed in the Joestar house, to gain immense strength.
To counter the overpowering Dio, JoJo endures the rigorous training of Will Anthonio Zeppeli to master the "Ripple Technique". Both of them set out on a journey with Speedwagon to settle the score with Dio. Meanwhile, Dio, with the likes of Jack the Ripper and legendary knights under his command, builds an evil empire and awaits JoJo's arrival.[1]
Summary
Act 1
Prologue
An old man named Robert E. O. Speedwagon introduces himself. He announces that the audience have been selected to hear his tale, as his upcoming trip to investigate a cavern in Mexico has him afraid for his life. He elaborates that the Speedwagon Foundation, apparently a nonprofit organization devoted to the fields of medicine and archaeology, is a cover to investigate the origins of a mysterious Stone Mask. In the 13th century, the Aztec tribe would use that mask in ritual sacrifices to gain power and immortality. However, despite their newfound strength, they mysteriously vanished from the face of the earth, for reasons only known to the mask ("Eternal Voice").
The scene then shifts to a carriage accident in 1868, on the outskirts of London. A tramp named Dario Brando, alongside a woman from a bar, comes across the crash. Despite the woman's pleas, Dario begins looting the wreckage, disregarding the cries of a baby whose mother died shielding him from harm. Dario reaches for a ring on one victim's finger, only to be surprised when he suddenly regains consciousness. The ring-bearer, believing Dario had come to save him and his family, introduces himself as George Joestar, and promises to help Dario in return should he ever be in need. Dario is all too happy to play into his deception.
Speedwagon jumps to the year 1880, a time of great upheaval in Great Britain. With the advent of steam trains and the great industrial revolution, an unprecedented ambition for power and riches has awakened in the lower class ("Light and Darkness"). Among that lower class is one Dio Brando, who comes home one day to find Dario, his father, on his deathbed. Dario had started a bar with money given to him by George, but both it and his wife had folded under the pressure of the bubonic plague. Knowing his time is soon, Dario tells Dio of the debt the Joestar family owes him, and hands him a letter addressed to them. Certain that the Joestars will adopt his soon-to-be-orphaned son, Dario urges Dio to become rich and never lose to anyone. Dio, resentful of his father and upbringing, vows to take whatever he can get his hands on ("Dio").
Meanwhile, two other commoners tease a girl named Erina Pendleton after stealing her hat. Jonathan Joestar, still a young boy, bravely confronts the bullies to retrieve the hat, only to be beaten and left bloodied by the two. Nevertheless, Jonathan remains unwavering in his determination to become a gentleman, leaving Erina to admire his courage. As Jonathan comes home, he sees a carriage stop in front of his family's mansion. Out of the carriage leaps Dio, who Jonathan wastes no time introducing himself to. He also introduces his cherished dog, Danny, whom Dio knees in the jaw, supposedly in self-defense. George comes out to greet Dio before Jonathan can retaliate, and introduces Dio to his new life.
Dio the Invader
So begins the two boys' shared youth. Dio seems to excel above Jonathan in everything, from his studies to his dining manners. The two disagree even on the lesson to be learned from a tale of a certain two knights. Even in his friends' local boxing ring, where Jonathan enjoys glory and companionship, Dio emerges to beat him down and take everything from him ("Invasion"). Jonathan, all but isolated, takes solace in the company of his canine best friend ("Hey Danny"). However, he soon finds new happiness when Erina leaves a basket of apples for Danny, and the two quickly fall in love ("Fleeting Time"). Meanwhile, Dio hears from George of the time Danny saved JoJo's life and earned his trust, and begins scheming once more.
One day, on her way home after spending time with Jonathan, Erina is stopped by her bullies, now acting as Dio's lackeys. Dio grabs Erina and forcibly kisses her, hoping to ruin Jonathan's budding relationship. Surprisingly, Erina washes her mouth out with muddy water to keep her pride, inciting Dio to strike her in rage. Dio is horrified at his own actions, remembering how Dario used to beat him and his mother in drunken rage ("Voice Calling from the Darkness"). Yet he hardly has time to return to the mansion and compose himself before Jonathan confronts him, seething with rage.
Despite Dio's superior technique, Jonathan gains the upper hand via sheer fury and lands a barrage of bloody punches on Dio, promising to beat him up until he cries. Dio attempts to retaliate with a knife, but both boys stop in their tracks upon seeing the stone mask grow spines and pop out of the wall, having reacted to Dio's blood landing on it ("I Won't Stop Beating You Until You Cry"). George then stops the fight for good and sends both boys to their rooms. Later, Jonathan agonizes over the new distance between him and Erina, unaware that her father's career is forcing her to move away from England. Meanwhile, Danny is accidentally incinerated by the mansion's butler, having somehow been put inside a locked box and left next to the trash. Dio is seen consoling Jonathan over the loss of his best friend.
A Letter from the Past
The year is now 1888. Darkness and terror envelop the streets of London, brought on by a mass murderer named Jack the Ripper. In his shadow, unsavory people like the eastern fortune teller Wang Chan begin to rise in influence, eventually culminating in a certain protest at Trafalgar Square. In a local market, another eccentric named Will Anthonio Zeppeli is told about the current whereabouts of a certain stone mask, the vendor having sold it to a certain nobleman's wife decades ago.
Meanwhile, Jonathan and Dio, now college students and apparent best friends, score the winning try in a game of rugby ("Trembling Era ~ Rugby"). As the two set off to tell their father about the game, Jonathan thinks back on the past seven years and wonders why he still can't bring himself to trust Dio ("7 Years of Friendship"). George has recently fallen ill with what he believes to be the common cold. Nevertheless, he is still well enough to congratulate the two, having heard of their winning play from his friend, a police inspector named Archer. Dio expresses his gratitude to George for giving him a chance to live before the two sons depart.
Later, Jonathan further investigates the stone mask in the mansion library. Distracted by his fascination with the mask's secret, he accidentally knocks a box containing old documents from a shelf. Jonathan begins picking up the contents, but notices the letter Dario sent his father seven years ago. Out of morbid curiosity, Jonathan reads the letter and, to his horror, discovers that Dario had the same symptoms his father suffers from now. At the same time, Dio prepares to deliver George's "medicine" to him, remembering how he killed his father via poison he acquired from Wang Chan ("Voice Calling from the Darkness <Reprise>"). Jonathan confronts Dio, who remains evasive even after hearing the letter's contents read out loud. When Jonathan dares him to swear upon his father's honor, however, Dio lashes out and attacks his adoptive brother, only to be thrown aside. Dio resolves to kill Jonathan in order to complete his plan and inherit his adoptive father's fortune.
As Jonathan leaves to seek out an antidote to the poison, Dio breaks into his study and finds the stone mask, which he intends to kill him with. Jonathan soon arrives at London's Ogre Street, the so-called "source of all sicknesses." Standing in his way, however, are a host of petty thieves led by none other than a younger Speedwagon. Jonathan fends off the crooks, taking out Speedwagon with a single kick, but remains hopelessly outnumbered. Suddenly, Speedwagon tells his cronies to back off. Jonathan had held back when he attacked him and his comrades; recognizing the humanity of his enemies, he had decided to spare their families from the grief that would come from their deaths. Recognizing a gentleman when he sees one, Speedwagon guides Jonathan to the potion dealer as the gang cheers for them ("Ogre Street").
The Stone Mask
Meanwhile, Dio stalks the streets of a nearby port town, having taken to drink out of stress, like his father before him. Two passing vagrants begin to mock him and his mother, invoking Dio's wrath. Nevertheless, he decides to use one of the vagrants as a human test subject, placing the stone mask on him and fatally stabbing the other to activate it. The mask emits a strange light as it pierces the vagrant's skull, but seemingly only succeeds in killing him—until the man rises moments later as a vampire, far more powerful than before and thirsty only for blood. The vampire grabs Dio by the neck and begins to drain his life energy, only to disintegrate and vanish in the light of the rising sun ("Voice Calling from the Darkness - I Can't Help But Drink").
Zeppeli hears about the vagrant's assault from rumors on the street, and reminisces about his past with the mask. Indeed, while at sea, his father had been taken from him by the mask, and he has sworn to pursue it and take back what he's lost ("Zeppeli's Notes"). Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Jonathan brings in the poison dealer, who is apprehended by Inspector Archer. Archer, blaming himself for the incident, remembers arresting Dio's father for stealing George's ring many years ago, but being persuaded by the victim himself to let him go. Archer regrets allowing George to cover for Dario, despite recognizing the former's unshakeable kindness ("Golden Spirit"). Nevertheless, Jonathan cannot allow Dio to get away with what he's done.
Dio arrives at the mansion, only to be told by Jonathan that George has already been given the antidote. Dio attempts to fake regret for his actions, but Speedwagon suddenly appears, having followed Jonathan home from London. Speedwagon rejects Dio's excuse of a poor upbringing, claiming he was born evil, and reveals that George and the police have been listening in the whole time. Dio, cornered, asks that Jonathan put his handcuffs on. Lamenting his useless plans and his wretched blood, Dio suddenly reveals the mask and announces his intent to reject his humanity. Dio pulls out a knife to stab Jonathan, but George takes the blow, nonetheless triggering the mask with his blood. As the mask lights up once more, Dio laughs as the police fire upon him, knocking him through a window ("Born Evil").
Youth with Dio
With all parties believing Dio to be dead, Jonathan cradles a dying George in his arms. George gives Jonathan his wife's ring, content to die in the arms of his beloved son. Heartbroken by the loss of the one he tried so hard to save, Jonathan nonetheless takes pride in the spirit he has inherited from his father ("Courage"). Suddenly, Archer is pulled through the window and killed as Dio re-emerges as an immortal vampire. Despite Jonathan and the officers' best efforts, Dio proves immune to bullets as he effortlessly slaughters the police, reviving them as zombie minions to assault the survivors. Speedwagon's arm is wounded in the crossfire, but Jonathan defeats the zombies with a spear, and the two hide behind a curtain while Dio's back is turned. Dio follows their trail of blood to them, but Jonathan lights the curtain on fire and throws it on top of Dio.
As the fire spreads throughout the mansion and Dio agonizes from the slight damage, Jonathan pushes Speedwagon to safety. He then retreats upstairs, daring Dio to come fight him and settle their shared youth. Dio obliges and easily catches up to him by walking up the wall itself. Jonathan grabs Dio, stabs him with the knife he killed George with, and pushes him onto the Statue of the Goddess of Love, impaling him. Dio, unable to escape, curses Jonathan as the flames apparently consume him ("Youth with Dio").
Act 2
The Birth of DIO
Three days after the fire, Wang Chan sifts through the rubble of the mansion for valuables. He comes across the stone mask, but Dio's arm grabs and zombifies him before he can reach it. Dio, barely alive, calls to Jonathan ("Voice Calling from the Darkness - Dio"). Meanwhile, Speedwagon visits the hospital he left Jonathan at, but is told by a nurse that Jonathan is not accepting visitors. Soon after, Jonathan awakes to find that the nurse treating him is his former lover, Erina Pendleton. Erina had moved to India with her father seven years ago, and had only just now returned to England. The two rekindle their romance; listening in on the reunion, Speedwagon comments on their fated bond before withdrawing coolly ("Fleeting Time <Reprise>").
In the back alleys of London, Jack the Ripper strikes once more, cruelly killing a woman he tricked into going out with him. Before he can finish mutilating the body, however, Dio emerges from the shadows. Though his wounds force him to use a wheelchair driven by Wang Chan, Dio demonstrates his immortality to Jack when the killer fails to cut him to bits. Recognizing Jack as a man unconstrained by goodness, whom he calls "the evil elite," Dio offers Jack unimaginable power and even deeper enjoyment of his murderous passion—in exchange for his eternal servitude as a zombie. Jack, intrigued by the offer to be free from fear, is eventually swayed into taking the offer ("Trembling Era - Darkness in the Back Alley").
Zeppeli the Eccentric
The next morning, Jonathan and Erina fail to find the stone mask in the ruins of the mansion, and conclude that it must have been destroyed. At that moment, Zeppeli appears and pierces Jonathan's diaphragm with his pinky finger, rendering him unable to breathe. The effect is only temporary, however, and soon Jonathan finds that his wounds from the battle have healed. Zeppeli explains that he wields a bizarre technique known as Sendo, which utilizes "Ripple" energy to heal wounds and disintegrate the undead; thanks to his "attack" earlier, Jonathan now holds this power as well, and his latent talent is already beginning to show. Zeppeli also warns Jonathan that Dio is still alive and in possession of the mask, and that he is already destined to fight the vampire ("Resolve of the Ripple"). Jonathan, recognizing his duty, tells Erina that he will return shortly. Alone again, Erina nonetheless feels confident that the two of them are destined to meet again ("Stars Drawn Together").
Jonathan and Zeppeli confront Wang Chan as he is about to assault Speedwagon, under orders from Dio to kill anyone who knows of the mask. Wang Chan attacks the duo, but retreats after being wounded by Jonathan's Ripple energy. Though Jonathan is still unsure about his new power, Zeppeli reassures him that they are different from Dio, in that their energy comes from embracing their pain. He then further explains how he suffered because of the mask: after Zeppeli himself discovered the mask on an expedition, his father donned the mask and murdered his entire team of 58 before disappearing in the sunlight. Recognizing their kindred pasts, the two warriors renew their conviction ("Pain").
Ripple Overdrive
Speedwagon tracks Wang Chan to Windknight's Lot, a small town south of London ("Windknight's Lot"). He accompanies Jonathan and Zeppeli as they travel there by carriage, the group having the advantage while the sun is up. When the carriage suddenly stops in a tunnel, the group is horrified to discover that Jack the Ripper has killed the horses and driver. Jack confronts the group, but Zeppeli easily drives him off, calling him little more than a flea without the courage of humanity.
The group chases Jack as he flees to Dio, who is busy reviving the town's buried knights in a bid to create an army ("Dio's World"). Just as the group reaches him, Dio decides to sic his new zombie army on the group alongside Jack. Zeppeli suddenly gives Jonathan a glass of wine, tasking him with defeating his foes without spilling a drop. Though the request seems unreasonable, Jonathan realizes that the wine is a challenge, in the same way the Vikings were challenged by the northern winds of Scandinavia. Feeling his Ripple flow through the wine and the ground, Jonathan unleashes a Sunlight Yellow Overdrive attack on the zombies, destroying Jack in the process ("The North Wind Made the Vikings").
Tarkus and the Dark Knight Bruford
Dio finally deigns to appear before the group himself. He announces that his wounds are almost fully healed, though he is himself unsure how many lives he took to do so. Angered by his callousness, Zeppeli attacks the vampire, but his Ripple proves ineffective: by freezing his own arm, Dio is able to stop his adversary's blood flow, and by extension his Ripple energy. Jonathan steps in to help Zeppeli, but both are defeated. Even Speedwagon can only back away from Dio's intimidating power. Confident in his superiority, Dio proceeds to summon the dark knights Bruford and Tarkus, whom he and Jonathan learned about from George's lessons. The two knights had served Mary Stuart, who was accused by Elizabeth I of murdering her own husband in a bid for the throne of England. Elizabeth's armies captured Mary, but were unable to defeat Bruford and Tarkus, who alone fought on to save Mary. In order to defeat them, Elizabeth offered to ensure Elizabeth's safety if they surrendered. The two knights accepted the agreement, but learned at their execution that Mary had already been killed. The two knights, filled with rage, cursed Elizabeth as they died. Now serving as Dio's enforcers, the two knights swear to unleash their fury upon the world ("Knight's Pride, Gentleman's Heart").
Bruford, intrigued by Jonathan, is given permission by Dio to fight Jonathan in a one-on-one duel. Meanwhile, as Dio retreats, Zeppeli is attacked by Tarkus alongside a horde of zombies, leaving Speedwagon to watch from the sidelines. Sick of his own gutlessness and indecision, Speedwagon works up the courage to help Zeppeli deal with the zombies and thaw his frozen arm ("Tomorrow is Now"). At the same time, Jonathan deals a decisive blow to Bruford. Bruford gets back up and goes for a final strike, but Jonathan refuses to flinch, correctly anticipating that the knight would stop his sword short. The Ripple has revived Bruford's chivalrous human soul, even as it continues to destroy his body. Saluting his foe's courage, Bruford offers Jonathan his sword, Luck, which he renames to "Pluck" in his honor before passing on.
As Jonathan is left distraught by the short-lived friendship, Dio reappears to taunt him. Before Dio can act, however, Zeppeli tosses a Ripple-imbued flower into his eye, forcing him to retreat. Tarkus suddenly attacks Jonathan with a set of chains, gravely injuring him. Zeppeli attempts to fight Tarkus, but is wrapped up in the chains and mortally crushed. Despite his condition, Zeppeli is able to grab Jonathan's hand and initiate his ultimate technique, Deep Pass Overdrive, transferring all of his remaining life energy into his pupil. Revived and stronger than ever, Jonathan summarily kills Tarkus before bidding a tearful farewell to his master ("Golden Spirit <Reprise>").
Bloody Battle
Alone with his own thoughts, Dio struggles with his father's memory once more, and with the question of what he truly wants besides domination ("Dio's World <Reprise>"). Just then, Jonathan appears. Confronting Dio over his world of corpses, Jonathan accuses Dio of being afraid of being human, and vows to kill him to avenge his fallen friends. Speedwagon tosses Luck & Pluck to Jonathan, and the two engage in battle. Though Jonathan splits Dio in two, Dio freezes the sword before it can conduct Ripple energy and grabs Jonathan's carotid artery. Jonathan frees himself by twisting Dio's arm, and decides to set his own arms ablaze to conquer Dio's freezing technique. Remembering their shared youth, Jonathan and Dio make their final stands, with Jonathan's heat ultimately winning out and striking Dio in the chest. As his body is vaporized, Dio desperately fires beams of fluid from his eyes as he falls from an opening to his all-but-certain demise. Despite everything, Jonathan still sheds a tear for his brother ("Fire and Ice").
The Final Ripple
The news reports that on December 4, 1888, 73 residents of Windknight's Lot disappeared in the middle of the night, with faint moaning being heard from underground. On December 15, two men were seen smashing a stone mask to pieces with a hammer. Three months later, on February 2, 1889, it is reported that Jonathan Joestar has married Erina Pendleton, and the two intend to set sail for America for their honeymoon. Speedwagon makes it to the dock just in time to see them off, unaware at the time just what fate would befall them.
Jonathan and Erina enjoy their honeymoon, happy just to be in each other's arms—until Jonathan suddenly spots Wang Chan aboard the ship. Warning Erina to stay in her room and lock the door, Jonathan pursues Wang Chan to the ship's engine room, where the zombie opens a coffin to reveal Dio's self-decapitated head, "alive" and intact. Dio explains that he has chosen to appear before Jonathan because their fates are one and the same, declaring that Jonathan's body is the only suitable host for his head. Before Jonathan can respond, Dio uses his eye fluid beams to pierce Jonathan in the throat, preventing him from creating Ripple energy and condemning him to a slow death.
Erina stumbles across the scene, pursued by a newborn horde of zombies. The thought of harm befalling her stirs Jonathan into action: as Wang Chan moves to cut off his head on Dio's command, Jonathan releases all of the Ripple energy in his body at once, knocking Wang Chan's body into the engine and beginning a chain reaction that will cause the ship to explode. Erina pleads Jonathan to let her die together with him, but Jonathan asks her to save a nearby orphaned baby, remembering how his mother did the same for him. Taking a hairpin from Erina, Jonathan bids her happiness before stabbing Dio in the neck with it. Jonathan grips his brother's head in his arms as he silently passes away. The ship then finally explodes, taking the two with it into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean ("A Story Told Even in the Next Universe").
Jonathan's life disappears into oblivion, his fate having become one with that of his archnemesis. Erina and Speedwagon, the only survivors, pledge to tell Jonathan's story to future generations and keep his golden spirit alive ("Phantom Blood").
Cast
Actors:Yuya Matsushita
Shotaro Arisawa
Actor:Mamoru Miyano
Actress:Miisha Shimizu
Actor:YOUNG DAIS
Actors:Yoshihisa Higashiyama
Yusuke Hirose
Actor:Yamato Kochi
Actor:Jumpei Shimada
Actor:Kong Kuwata
Actor:Tetsuya Bessho
Actor:YOUNG DAIS
Actress:Maaya Egami
Actors:Reina Okada
Miki Furusawa
Shodai Moriuchi
Actor:Masaki Kamada
Actress:Misaki Machiya
Actor:Hiromu Kudo
Actor:Yamato Kochi
Actress:Tomone Kase
Actor:Masaki Kamada
Actor:Youichi Imamura
Actor:Ryo Ikeda
Actor:Shodai Moriuchi
Actor:Ryo Ikeda
Actor:Keisuke Sugiura
Actor:Sho Ito
Actor:Sho Ito
Actor:Shyuto Chen
Actor:Maaya Egami[5]
Actor:Miki Furusawa[5]
Actor:Go Ozaki
Actor:Natsumi Amano
Actors:Natsumi Amano
Ryo Ikeda
Sho Ito
Hiroaki Ito
Youichi Imamura
Keiya Kuramoto
Misaki Machiya
Shodai Moriuchi
Actors:Natsumi Amano
AYUBO
Ryo Ikeda
Hiromu Kudo
Keisuke Sugiura
Reina Sumi
Maya Nishizawa
Actors:AYUBO
Youichi Imamura
Maaya Egami
Masaki Kamada
Hiromu Kudo
Keiya Kuramoto
Reina Sumi
Maya Nishizawa
Misaki Machiya
Actors:AYUBO
Go Ozaki
Maya Nishizawa
Rin Mochizuki
Actors:Sho Ito
Youichi Imamura
Keiya Kuramoto
Actor:Hiroaki Ito
Actor:Hiroaki Ito
Actors:Hiroaki Ito
Go Ozaki
Misaki Machiya
Actors:Maaya Egami
Reina Okada
Go Ozaki
Tomone Kase
Marina Hanaoka
Actresses:Maaya Egami
Reina Okada
Marina Hanaoka
Actor:Masaki Kamada
Actress:Tomone Kase
Actor:Keiya Kuramoto
Actor:Shyuto Chen
Actor:Shyuto Chen
Actor:Keisuke Sugiura
Actor:Keisuke Sugiura
Actors:Reina Sumi
Miki Furusawa
Rin Mochizuki
Actress:Marina Hanaoka
Actor:Rin Mochizuki
Actor:Jumpei Shimada[5]
Actors:Natsumi Amano
Reina Okada
Tomone Kase
Hiromu Kudo
Shyuto Chen
Maya Nishizawa
Marina Hanaoka
Miki Furusawa
Rin Mochizuki
Shodai Moriuchi
Actress:Kurumi Toji
Band
Musician:Chung-Ho Sai
Musician:Shonen Yoshida
Musician:Ryuhei Koike
Musician:Yuji Tanaka
Musician:Hironobu Umemoto
Musician:Tom Takahashi
Schedule
Musical Numbers
Act 1
Act 2
Manga/Musical Differences
- The story is framed as an older Speedwagon's recorded retelling, and original narration is provided by him throughout the musical.
- Dario Brando becomes a recurring character who haunts his son Dio throughout the story after his death, appearing whenever the latter's dark nature rises to the surface. He first appears after Dio hits Erina for "Voice Calling from the Darkness," and serves a similar role in the first two reprises of the number. In "Dio's World <Reprise>," Dio turns on and metaphorically strangles his father's memory just before being confronted by Jonathan.
- Inspector Archer is a close friend of George's, and frequently visits the mansion. He is also shown to be the friend who tells George about Jonathan and Dio's rugby game.
- Poco, Dire, Straizo, and Tonpetty are entirely cut from the story.
- The Aztecs do Zeppeli's "Memetaa!" pose from the "Resolve of the Ripple" number towards the end of the sacrifice scene, facing away from the audience.
- Dario's discovery of the Joestar family's carriage accident is shown immediately after the Aztec sacrifice scene.
- Dio is shown being teased on his way home before his final conversation with Dario.
- Dio's visit to his father's grave is replaced by the number "Dio," though the grave is shown later during "Voice Calling from the Darkness <Reprise>."
- Dio now kicks Danny instinctually when the dog jumps toward him.
- Several of Dio's early internal monologues about claiming the Joestar fortune for himself are removed.
- George's teachings toward Jonathan and Dio include a brief history lesson about two dark knights named Bruford and Tarkus.
- Jonathan defeats the champion of his friends' boxing ring prior to his match with Dio, instead of being slated to face champion Mark Watkin before Dio enters.
- The scene where Dio "borrows" Jonathan's watch is removed.
- Erina leaves a basket with apples in addition to grapes and Jonathan's handkerchief. Apples are not poisonous for dogs, unlike grapes. She also praises Danny later for being able to separate the core and the flesh of the apple on his own.
- Dio and George's conversation about the Stone Mask is shortened, and the scene of Jonathan finding out about Dio's kiss with Erina is cut.
- George happens upon Jonathan and Dio's battle just when Dio pulls out his knife, and merely orders both boys to their rooms instead of berating Jonathan about his ungentlemanly behavior.
- Dio is briefly shown comforting Jonathan regarding Danny's death.
- Jonathan does not suspect Dio to be the cause of Danny's death.
- An original scene shows Zeppeli seeking the stone mask in a secondhand merchant's shop.
- A flashback shows Dio's mother, still alive but bedridden by sickness. An alcoholic Dario is shown beating both her and his own son.
- After being thrown down the stairs by Jonathan, Dio falls to his knees to beg Jonathan to stay and reconsider before resolving to murder him.
- The scene of Dio discovering the mask's spikes is shortened, with the details of his plot left implied.
- Dio's live test subject is no longer shown punching a crater in a nearby wall, though it is mentioned later by Zeppeli. His death is visually represented as the Aztec tribe pulling him into darkness.
- An original scene of Jonathan's return to the mansion has been added, with Inspector Archer apprehending Wang Chan and telling Jonathan about the time George forgave Dario for stealing his ring, rather than telling it to Speedwagon after George's death.
- The number "Zeppeli's Notes" forms an original scene where Zeppeli explains his history with the stone mask and his resolve to destroy it.
- Dio delivers his climactic line in "Born Evil" with hesitation, briefly remembering his mother in some performances.
- One of Archer's officers notices the disappearance of Dio's corpse rather than Speedwagon.
- Jonathan is shown hiding Dio's knife prior to their confrontation. Instead of moving toward the roof, the two fight while Jonathan is climbing a wall, and Jonathan ultimately kicks Dio off the wall rather than himself.
- Speedwagon's two visits to Jonathan in the hospital room are combined. Speedwagon's arrival with his friends is not shown, and Jonathan's reunion with Erina occurs just after she turns Speedwagon away.
- Dio's seduction of Jack the Ripper becomes more and more visually extreme as the show's run continues,[6] eventually being represented as him groping his new servant.
- Zeppeli's introduction no longer involves him mysteriously changing positions or jumping with his legs crossed. When he strikes the "Memetaa!" Frog, instead of splitting the rock beneath the frog, he causes the frog's limbs to briefly extend.
- Zeppeli sticks one of the flowers Jonathan grows on a tree branch to his jacket.
- Jonathan tells Erina that he's leaving to take care of business instead of saying nothing.
- The number "Stars Drawn Together" forms an original scene where Erina expresses her confidence in Jonathan's return.
- Wang Chan is now introduced chasing Speedwagon before Jonathan and Zeppeli come to his aid. After Jonathan punches him, Wang Chan briefly taunts Jonathan before beginning to feel the heat of the Ripple. Speedwagon chases him as he runs off.
- Zeppeli telling Jonathan about his father's fate now takes place after Jonathan's battle with Wang Chan, rather than on their first day of training.
- Although the battle with Jack is stated to take place within the tunnel to Windknight's Lot, the town itself is never seen. The setting does not change from the second battle with Jack until after Zeppeli's death, and the location of Jonathan and Dio's "final battle" is not described.
- Later, during "A Story Told Even in the Next Universe," it is mentioned that residents of the town heard moaning from underground, implying that the entire battle took place in the underground catacombs branching off from the tunnel.
- Jonathan and company's first confrontation with Dio is changed dramatically: rather than Jonathan entering the tunnel labyrinth to defeat Jack alone, the group now follows him back to Dio, who sics his zombies on the group and escapes. Jonathan then defeats Jack with a Sunlight Yellow Overdrive. Dio then faces Zeppeli as he does in the manga.
- After Dio pushes Jonathan and Zeppeli back, Speedwagon attempts to attack him with a knife, but is intimidated by his glare and retreats back to his friends.
- Dio's summoning of Bruford and Tarkus is preceded by the number "Knight's Pride, Gentleman's Heart," in which George gives a lesson on the full history of the two knights to his sons in a flashback.
- Zeppeli begins fighting Tarkus while Jonathan fights Bruford, and both fights occur mostly off-stage. Speedwagon, sick of being on the sidelines, sings the number "Tomorrow is Now" as he works up the courage to assist Zeppeli with his knife and the heat of his chest. The hammer Speedwagon uses in the manga is cut entirely.
- The name of Bruford's sword, Luck, no longer appears on its hilt. As such, Bruford only rechristens the sword as "Pluck" verbally, being unable to inscribe it with his blood.
- After Jonathan receives Pluck, Dio briefly reappears to taunt Jonathan's newfound empathy for his foe. Zeppeli imbues the flower he plucked earlier with Ripple and throws it into Dio's eye, forcing him to retreat.
- Adams, Doobie, Page, Jones, Plant, and Bornnam are cut from the musical. Instead, Jonathan confronts Dio immediately after Zeppeli's death.
- Wang Chan is present for the entirety of Jonathan and Dio's battle at the castle. After Dio falls off the balcony, Wang Chan jumps after his master.
- The narration explaining that Jonathan can reject Dio's vampiric extract is entirely absent.
- Jonathan no longer passes out after Dio's apparent death. Dio decapitating himself is not shown.
- Speedwagon is the only character present to see Jonathan and Erina off on their honeymoon.
- Father Styx is cut from the musical entirely.
- Instead of being attacked by Dio's veins and stabbing him with shrapnel, Jonathan pushes Erina to safety before running up to Dio to stab his neck with her hairpin.
- The explosion of Jonathan's honeymoon ship is not shown. Jonathan and Dio are shown plummeting into the sea.
- Jonathan and Dio's spirits are shown reuniting after Jonathan's death, both accepting that their fates have become one.
Cast Comments
Yuya Matsushita (Jonathan Joestar)
Shotaro Arisawa (Jonathan Joestar)
Mamoru Miyano (Dio Brando)
Miisha Shimizu (Erina Pendleton)
YOUNG DAIS (Robert E. O. Speedwagon)
Yoshihisa Higashiyama (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yusuke Hirose (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yamato Kochi (Jack the Ripper)
Jumpei Shimada (Wang Chan)
Kong Kuwata (Dario Brando)
Tetsuya Bessho (George Joestar I)
Interviews
Gallery
Logo
First visual
Poster
Vertical composite poster
Art by Hirohiko Araki
Blu-ray advertisement from Ultra Jump May 2024
Yuya Matsushita (Jonathan Joestar)
Shotaro Arisawa (Jonathan Joestar)
Mamoru Miyano (Dio Brando)
Miisha Shimizu (Erina Pendleton)
YOUNG DAIS (Robert E. O. Speedwagon)
Yoshihisa Higashiyama (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yusuke Hirose (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yamato Kochi (Jack the Ripper)
Jumpei Shimada (Wang Chan)
Kong Kuwata (Dario Brando)
Tetsuya Bessho (George Joestar I)
Yuya Matsushita (Jonathan Joestar)
Shotaro Arisawa (Jonathan Joestar)
Mamoru Miyano (Dio Brando)
Miisha Shimizu (Erina Pendleton)
YOUNG DAIS (Robert E. O. Speedwagon)
Yoshihisa Higashiyama (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yusuke Hirose (Will Anthonio Zeppeli)
Yamato Kochi (Jack the Ripper)
Jumpei Shimada (Wang Chan)
Kong Kuwata (Dario Brando)
Tetsuya Bessho (George Joestar I)
Full stage ("Light and Darkness")
Full stage (Joestar Mansion)
Danny prop, animated by an ensemble member ("Hey Danny")
Burning Danny prop
"Memetaa!" Frog prop ("Resolve of the Ripple")
Ensemble simulating the Ripple hold Zeppeli in mid-air
Statue of the Dark Knights
Closing walls simulate Heaven Hell Snake Kill
Jonathan wielding Luck & Pluck ("Fire and Ice")
Projected lasers mimic Space Ripper Stingy Eyes
Goods advertisement from Ultra Jump February 2024
Program Guide
Clear Files (11 types)
Acrylic Stands (11 types)
Acrylic Card Keychains (3 types)
Canvas Boards (3 types)
Metal Charm Collection (6 types)
Mobile Sticker Set (2 types)
Pin Badge
Cafe Sleeve Keychain
Smartphone Ring
Tote Bag
Pouch
Hand Towel Set
T-Shirt (graphic design by Yoshio Kubo)
"Do you remember how many slices of bread you've eaten?" Rusk
Trailers
Trivia
- Ney Hasegawa was previously involved in the production of the Under Execution, Under Jailbreak play performed in 2015 starring Mirai Moriyama.
- Composer Dove Attia gave an interview regarding the musical in April 2024 in France, in which he stated that he already knew JoJo's Bizarre Adventure before working on it, and that he really loved the manga. His favorite character is Dio.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Official Site
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vish (April 18, 2024), "Phantom Blood Musical Blu-ray Announced", JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Vish (June 1, 2023), "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Gets Stage Musical Next February", JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia.
- ↑ "Imperial Theater February Performance Musical "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood" Notice of cancellation of some performances (February 6th to 8th)", Toho Co., Ltd. Imperial Theater, February 4, 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Maaya Egami on Twitter
- ↑ Mamoru Miyano's blog
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