JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a beloved shonen series, largely defined by its unique and creative cast of characters. However, one thing that many viewers may be unaware of is that, although Jonathan Joestar is the first titular protagonist of the series, he was never actually the main character of Phantom Blood, with that privilege going to his adoptive brother and archenemy, Dio Brando, instead.
The idea of an antagonist being the main character might seem surprising at first, but more attentive fans are sure to realize just how much more significant of a role Dio played in the story. As revealed by author Hirohiko Araki in a series of interviews included in the special release known as JoJonium, this was fully intended from the start.
Dio Was Always Araki’s Priority
Created by David Productions, based on the original manga by Hirohiko Araki
As per Araki’s own confession, “The title of the series is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but first and foremost, I actually wanted to draw Dio.” It’s clear that establishing Dio’s character and design was always his focus, before even conceptualizing Jonathan Joestar. Naming him after the Italian word for “god”, he always knew that he wanted Dio to be supremely powerful, as well as the ultimate villain – manipulative, controlling, and highly intelligent. In fact, making sure of that was so important to him that he didn’t even think of a weakness for Dio at the time. However, while making him strong did result in a more intriguing and suspenseful story, it also created trouble for Araki himself, who had to think of a suitable death for the character.
Jonathan Was Built On Contrasts
In JJBA Part 1, establishing Dio and Jonathan’s differences drove the central conflict in the story.
While Dio was supposed to be a unique and compelling villain, Jonathan was never intended to be anything more than the first Joestar. He was written as a paragon of dignity and justice, a cookie-cutter hero whose unending courage and kindness could inspire others. Moreover, he was never the one to take the lead in the story’s events either. Instead, he was always more passive, simply reacting to Dio’s choices and actions, finding his own purpose along the way. Even his character design was related to Dio, with Araki only making him unrealistically muscular in preparation for his inevitable fights.
“Perhaps this is linked to me as an author, growing along with my character as I drew him. Just as Jonathan was unsure as to how to live his life, I was unsure where to take the character. Maybe I grew as an author a little with Jonathan as he trudged on through his hardships.”
The fact that Jonathan is a visibly more generic character, with future generations outshining him in every way, did not go unnoticed by fans either, with many considering him one of the weakest JoJo protagonists. On the other hand, Dio Brando, or DIO, as he would later be called, went on to become one of the series’ most recognizable and iconic villains, playing the role of the antagonist not only in Phantom Blood, but also in Stardust Crusaders. Moreover, he is also the one who sent Enrico Pucci, Stone Ocean‘s antagonist, down his villainous path.
Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando were initially designed as a contrasting pair, with one representing justice and the other evil, but their evolution throughout the series differed greatly, with one clearly playing a more significant role in the story than the other. Regardless of who was prioritized by Araki or preferred by fans, though, it’s safe to say that they are both amazing and incredibly memorable characters without which JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure would never have become what it is today.
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