The 19th-century English setting of Phantom Blood's dramatic saga
In short: Set in mid-to-late 1880s England, Hirohiko Araki's debut manga arc follows the Joestar family's struggle against vampirism. From the dangerous streets of London to a voyage across the Atlantic, the story weaves a tale of light and shadow through a world of martial arts and ancient masks.
Phantom Blood serves as the foundational story arc for Hirohiko Araki's expansive JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series. The narrative is deeply rooted in the social and physical landscapes of 19th-century England, specifically during the middle-to-late 1880s. The plot follows Jonathan Joestar, an heir to a wealthy family, as he battles his adoptive brother, Dio Brando, who seeks to seize the Joestar fortune using an ancient stone mask that grants immortality by turning users into vampires.
The setting is not merely a backdrop but a catalyst for the character's journeys. The story moves from the Joestar mansion to the dangerous Ogre Street in London, where Jonathan befriends the thug Robert E. O. Speedwagon. The conflict reaches a peak in Wind Knights Lot on November 30, 1888, where Dio attempts to build an army of zombies. The arc's tension culminates in a high-stakes maritime setting; following Jonathan's marriage to Erina Pendleton on February 2, 1889, the two embark on a honeymoon voyage to the United States.
The journey ends tragically on February 7, 1889, when Dio mortally wounds Jonathan aboard the ship. This conclusion, while a departure from typical shōnen manga tropes where the hero survives, was a deliberate choice by Araki to allow the Joestar lineage and spirit to pass to future protagonists. The series' themes of humanity's ability to overcome hardship through personal action were influenced by the author's personal experience with his grandfather's death during the manga's serialization.
Artistically, Araki's work was shaped by his travels to Italy, specifically observing Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture Apollo and Daphne at the Galleria Borghese. This influence, combined with the muscularity of 1980s action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, defined the visual identity of the series, setting it apart from contemporary works like Dragon Ball.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Phantom Blood
- Also: Wikidata — Phantom Blood · CC0
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