JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood: The appeal of the original and modern appreciation

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood - Movie Review and Details

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

February 17, 2007 - January 1, 2000

■Distribution company

・Distribution: Clockworks

■Frequencies

90 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work by Hirohiko Araki

■ Director

・Director: Junichi Hayama

■ Production

・Animation production: APPP
Produced by: JoJo Phantom Blood Production Committee ^{, Clockworks, APPP, Shueisha, Asmik Ace, Sumitomo Corporation, TV Tokyo, Sony PCL, Bandai}

■Works

©2007 Hirohiko Araki/Shueisha, JoJo Phantom Blood Production Committee

■ Story

In late 19th century England, the aristocrat Lord Joestar adopts Dio Brando, who saved his life, and gives him generous support. However, Dio, who has a strong desire to rise in the world, pushes aside the Lord's only son, Jonathan Joestar, and plots to take over the Joestar family. Jonathan, who senses the plot, tries to thwart Dio's ambition.

■Explanation

"Phantom Blood", the first part of Hirohiko Araki's "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure", which has been creating enthusiastic fans since it began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1987, has been made into a theatrical animation. The film focuses on the origins of the endless battle between Jonathan Joestar, a gentleman with the power of "ripples", who has been facing off against each other throughout the series, and Dio Brando, the Emperor of Darkness, who has been transformed into a vampire by the power of the "Stone Mask". The intricate designs, unique poses, and distinctive dialogue that are popular in the original work are also worth watching.

■Cast

Jonathan Joestar/Katsuyuki Konishi/Dio Brando/Hikari Midorikawa/Will A. Zeppeli/Rikiya Koyama/Erina Pendleton (Erina Joestar)/Nana Mizuki/Lord Joestar/Tsutomu Isobe/Tonpetty/Yosada Sakaguchi/Wang Chen/Jun Idota/Braford/Toru Nara/Tarkus/Yoshinori Sonobe/Dario Brando/Kazuhiro Ozawa

■ Main staff

・Director, character design, chief animation director / Junichi Hayama ・Screenplay / Mitsuhiro Yamada ・Art director / Satoru Kuwabara ・Director of photography / Hideo Okazaki ・Color design / Mieko Seki ・Editor / Shigenari Nishi ・Sound design / Tom Myers SKYWALKER SOUND A Division of Lucas Diginal Ltd.
・Music composed & arranged／Marco d' Ambrosio
・Animation production: APPP
Produced by: JoJo Phantom Blood Production Committee (Clockworks, APPP, Shueisha, Asmik Ace, Sumitomo Corporation, TV Tokyo, Sony PCL, Bandai)

■ Related works

・JoJo's Bizarre Adventure・JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders・JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders Egypt Arc・JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable・Escape from JoJo's Bizarre Amusement Park・Escape from JoJo's Bizarre Mansion・Rohan Kishibe Does Not Move

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・VOODOO KINGDOM
Lyrics: Diggy-MO', Bro.Hi
・Composition: Diggy-MO', Shinnnosuke
・Arrangement: Shinnnosuke
・Song／SOUL'd OUT

Movie Review

"JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood" is an animated feature film based on Hirohiko Araki's classic manga, and is the first part of the series. The film centers around the epic battle between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando, bringing out the best of the original work.

First, let's talk about the story. Set in late 19th century England, the film depicts the conflict between the Joestar family and Dio Brando. Starting with the scene where Lord Joestar adopts Dio, the film draws the audience in as Dio's ambition and Jonathan's sense of justice clash. In particular, the scene where Dio transforms into a vampire using the "Stone Mask" is visually shocking, heightening the tension of the story.

The character portrayals are also superb. Jonathan Joestar is portrayed as a gentleman with a strong sense of justice, and his growth and fighting spirit are inspiring. Dio Brando, on the other hand, is portrayed as a ruthless and ambitious character, and his presence is overwhelming. The voice actors' performances are also superb, with Katsuyuki Konishi's Jonathan and Hikaru Midorikawa's Dio bringing out the best in each character. Additionally, supporting characters such as Will A. Zeppeli and Erina Pendleton are also unique, enriching the story.

The film also received high praise for its visuals. It faithfully reproduces the original's unique designs and poses, while adding the movement and colors that only animation can provide, enhancing the visual impact. In particular, the scenes showcasing the power of ripples and the battle scenes with vampires are visually stunning, yet terrifying. The attention to detail in the backgrounds and art also realistically recreates the atmosphere of late 19th century England.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this film. SOUL'd OUT's "VOODOO KINGDOM" is a powerful song that symbolizes the theme of the story, and livens up the battle scenes. Marco d' Ambrosio's music also stirs emotions as the story unfolds, drawing the audience into the world of the story.

However, this film does have some issues. First of all, it is difficult to depict everything from the original work in a short 90-minute running time, so some episodes and characters may feel insufficiently explored. Also, fans of the original work may be concerned about differences from the original work or omissions. However, these issues are unavoidable when considering the limitations of the film medium.

Overall, "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood" is a great movie that brings out the best of the original work. The fierce battle between Jonathan and Dio, the unique characters, and the beautiful visuals and music draw the audience into the world of the story and leave them in awe. This is a movie that is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for people who love action and fantasy.

Recommendation

If you enjoyed "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood," we also recommend the following works:

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

"JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" is an anime series based on the original work by Hirohiko Araki, and you can enjoy the entire series, including not only "Phantom Blood" but also the later parts. In particular, the unique characters and stories of each part, such as "Stardust Crusaders" and "Diamond is Unbreakable", are a must-see for fans.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders

Stardust Crusaders, starring Jonathan's grandson, Jotaro Kujo, is a story that revolves around a new ability called Stands. Jotaro and his friends' journey to Egypt is a mix of tense action and deep human drama, making it a worthwhile watch.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Diamond is Unbreakable

"Diamond is Unbreakable," starring Jonathan's great-grandson, Koichi Hirose, is a story about fighting mysterious phenomena that lurk in everyday life. It is full of heartwarming episodes depicting the growth and friendship of unique characters.

Rohan Kishibe Doesn't Move

"Rohan Kishibe Doesn't Move" is a spin-off of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" and is a short story series that focuses on the character Rohan Kishibe. It has strong mystery and horror elements and you can enjoy a unique world view.

Through these works, you will be able to experience the charm of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" even more deeply. Please enjoy the entire series.