JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood — Complete Manga Reading Order
Phantom Blood is the first storyline of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. It was originally published chapter by chapter in Weekly Shonen Jump — a popular Japanese manga magazine aimed at teen boys — starting in 1987. Those individual chapters were later collected into bound volumes (similar to how a TV season gets collected into a boxed set). Phantom Blood is the shortest of all JoJo parts, which makes it a quick and manageable entry point into the franchise.
In English, Viz Media published Phantom Blood as a hardcover collection. Here’s your reading order — you don’t need to know anything going in, so each description covers just enough to orient you without spoiling the story:
Volume 1 — This is where everything begins. You’re introduced to the Joestar household in Victorian England, the fateful arrival of an ambitious young man named Dio Brando, and the childhood rivalry between him and Jonathan Joestar that sets the entire multi-generational saga in motion. The Stone Mask — a mysterious ancient artifact — makes its first ominous appearance.
Volume 2 — The Stone Mask’s true nature is revealed, and the story shifts dramatically from a tense domestic drama into full-blown supernatural horror. Jonathan’s world is shattered, and his journey as the protagonist truly begins. The Hamon (Ripple) power system — a breathing-based martial art that channels life energy — is introduced here, giving Jonathan the tools to fight back against an enemy that has become something far more than human.
Volume 3 — The final stretch. Jonathan’s quest reaches its climax as he confronts Dio in a series of escalating battles. Without spoiling anything, this volume delivers the emotional and narrative payoff for everything that came before — and it sets up the thematic foundation that every future JoJo storyline builds upon.
That’s it. Three hardcover volumes and you’ve completed Phantom Blood. The entire story is self-contained with a definitive beginning, middle, and end, but it also functions as the prologue to one of manga’s most ambitious ongoing narratives.
Phantom Blood is the definitive starting point for all of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. While later parts feature new protagonists and settings, the Joestar bloodline and the consequences of Part 1’s events echo through every subsequent storyline. Starting here gives you the full picture.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1–Phantom Blood
A Quick Note Before You Buy: Manga or Anime?
If you’re wondering whether to read the manga or watch the anime first, here’s the short answer: both are great, and there’s no wrong choice.
The manga is Hirohiko Araki’s original work, with his detailed artwork and full creative vision. You get the complete experience exactly as the creator intended, including visual details and pacing choices that the anime necessarily condenses.
The 2012 anime adaptation (Season 1, produced by David Production) is widely regarded as a faithful retelling of the source material. It condenses some sequences and adds a memorable soundtrack, color, and voice acting that bring the drama to life in a different way. One important note: Season 1 covers both Part 1 (Phantom Blood, Episodes 1–9) and Part 2 (Battle Tendency, Episodes 10–26) across its 26 episodes — it is not a standalone Phantom Blood adaptation.
If you’re a manga reader at heart, start with the manga. If you lean toward anime, Episodes 1–9 of the 2012 adaptation cover the same Phantom Blood content as these three volumes — and you can always come back to the manga afterward to see Araki’s original artwork. Just be aware that watching the full season takes you into Part 2 (Battle Tendency) as well. The rest of this guide focuses on the manga experience.
Why Reading Order Matters for Phantom Blood and Beyond
You might be wondering: does it really matter where I start with JoJo? The answer is yes, and Phantom Blood is the reason why.
The Joestar–Dio Rivalry Starts Here
The conflict between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando isn’t just a Part 1 storyline — it’s the defining thread of the entire franchise. Dio’s actions in Phantom Blood create ripple effects (pun intended) that directly drive the plots of Part 3 and Part 6, among others. Characters in later parts reference, react to, and are shaped by what happens in these three volumes. Without Phantom Blood, those moments land with a fraction of their intended weight.
Foundational Lore You’ll Need
Phantom Blood introduces two critical pieces of JoJo mythology:
- Hamon (the Ripple) — The breathing-based martial art introduced in Volume 2. It’s the primary power system for Parts 1 and 2, and understanding it enriches your experience of later parts even after the series transitions to a different combat system called Stands — supernatural manifestations of a person’s fighting spirit that become JoJo’s signature mechanic from Part 3 onward.
- The Stone Mask — The cursed artifact responsible for creating the vampires that plague the Joestar family. The mythology around the mask expands significantly in Part 2.
Jonathan’s Tragedy Gives Weight to Everything After
Here’s something that’s easy to miss if you skip ahead: Jonathan Joestar is fundamentally a tragic character. His story doesn’t follow the typical trajectory of endless power-ups and triumphant victories. It’s a gothic tale about a good man pushed to his absolute limits by an evil he never asked for. That tragedy — that specific emotional texture — is what makes the Joestar lineage feel meaningful. Every future JoJo protagonist inherits something from Jonathan, and you feel that inheritance most powerfully if you’ve walked through Part 1 yourself.
JoJo’s Unique Part Structure
One thing that confuses newcomers: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure isn’t one continuous story with one protagonist. It’s structured as a series of distinct parts (or storylines), each featuring a new JoJo — a member or ally of the Joestar bloodline — in a different time period and setting. Part 1 is Victorian England. Part 2 jumps to the 1930s. Part 3 hits the 1980s. And so on.
Each part can loosely stand alone, but continuity threads — characters, bloodlines, villains, artifacts — connect them all. Reading in order (starting with Part 1) is the way to experience those connections as Araki intended.
One thing worth knowing upfront: JoJo is a massive, multi-decade franchise that spans many volumes beyond Phantom Blood. You don’t need to commit to all of it right now. Phantom Blood is a complete, self-contained story in just three volumes — treat it as a standalone experience and decide later whether you want to keep going.
Dark Fantasy Tone Check — What to Expect Before You Read
Phantom Blood earns its place on a dark fantasy manga site. This isn’t bright and cheerful battle manga territory — Part 1 leans hard into gothic horror, and it does so with Araki’s signature flair for the dramatic and grotesque.
Victorian Gothic Horror Atmosphere
The setting is late 19th-century England, and Araki commits fully to the aesthetic. Crumbling estates, fog-choked streets, candlelit chambers, and ancient cursed artifacts set the mood. There’s a strong vampire-fiction influence here — think Bram Stoker’s Dracula or classic horror stories about the undead. This is a vampire story at its core, and it takes that genre seriously. If you’ve enjoyed the atmosphere in series like Castlevania, or if you’re drawn to gothic horror novels, haunted mansions, and things that go wrong after dark, you’ll feel right at home.
Body Horror and Vampiric Transformations
The Stone Mask doesn’t just create elegant, charismatic vampires. Araki’s vampires are monstrous — their transformations are grotesque, their abilities are bizarre and unsettling, and the violence they inflict is visceral. The manga features depictions of bodies being mutilated, absorbed, and reshaped. It’s stylized rather than realistic, rendered in Araki’s ornate, hyper-detailed art style, but it’s intense.
If you’re sensitive to body horror, be aware that Phantom Blood doesn’t hold back. That said, it never feels gratuitous — the horror serves the story’s themes about humanity versus monstrosity.
Content rating note: Phantom Blood is rated T+ (Older Teen, 16+) by Viz Media. The gothic horror imagery, body horror, and intense violence make it unsuitable for younger readers.
Emotional Intensity
Beyond the physical horror, Phantom Blood is emotionally heavy. This is a story about a kind-hearted young man whose life is systematically destroyed by someone he was forced to call his brother. There’s betrayal, loss, grief, and sacrifice woven throughout. Part 1 is fundamentally a tragedy, and Araki plays that for every ounce of emotional weight it’s worth.
Violence Level
The violence is intense but filtered through Araki’s distinctive artistic sensibility. Think dynamic, almost operatic action sequences with exaggerated poses and dramatic compositions. People die in creative and often disturbing ways, but the stylization keeps it from feeling like pure shock value. Readers familiar with dark fantasy manga like Berserk, Claymore, or Devilman will find Phantom Blood’s violence level in a similar range. If you’re brand new to dark fantasy manga, just know that this sits firmly in the mature-themes category — the content is comparable to a hard R-rated horror film in its intensity and imagery.
Which Edition of Phantom Blood Should You Buy
For English-speaking readers, Viz Media is the publisher to look for. Here’s what’s available and how to choose.
Viz Hardcover Edition
The primary English edition of Phantom Blood comes in a hardcover format published by Viz Media. These are handsome volumes — sturdy binding, quality paper, and a presentation that suits the material. The hardcovers collect the story across three volumes, making the complete Part 1 a very manageable purchase. At typical retail pricing, the three-volume set is a modest investment compared to longer manga series.
The translation quality is solid. Viz’s English adaptation — the process of translating and culturally adjusting the original Japanese text for Western readers — captures the dramatic, slightly theatrical tone that defines Araki’s dialogue while keeping things readable. Some Japanese name wordplay and cultural references are adapted rather than translated literally, which is standard for manga and doesn’t detract from the experience.
Physical vs. Digital
Physical hardcovers are the way to go if you want the full experience of Araki’s artwork. His page layouts, dramatic two-page spreads (where a single image stretches across both open pages for maximum visual impact), and intricate detail work benefit enormously from being seen at full size on paper. The hardcover format also makes these great shelf pieces — they look fantastic displayed alongside other JoJo parts.
Digital editions are available through various platforms and are a perfectly fine option if you prioritize convenience, portability, or lower cost. You lose some of the tactile experience and the impact of Araki’s large-format artwork, but the story itself translates to digital without any issues.
Best Value for First-Time Readers
For a first-time reader, the hardcover volumes are the straightforward recommendation. Phantom Blood is only three volumes long, so the total investment is modest compared to longer series. You get a complete, self-contained story in a format that does justice to Araki’s art.
If you’re unsure whether JoJo is for you and want to minimize risk, grabbing just the first volume is a perfectly reasonable approach. Volume 1 establishes the tone, introduces the core conflict, and gives you a clear sense of whether Phantom Blood’s gothic drama appeals to you. If it clicks, volumes 2 and 3 will be waiting.
Tips for First-Time Phantom Blood Readers
Going into Phantom Blood with the right expectations makes a huge difference. Here are some things worth keeping in mind.
The Art Style Reflects Its Era
Araki began JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure in 1987, and the art in Part 1 reflects that period of manga history. Characters are massively muscular, with broad shoulders and chiseled features that reflect the hyper-masculine aesthetic common in 1980s action manga. Jonathan Joestar looks like he could bench-press a horse.
This is dramatically different from Araki’s later style, which becomes progressively more elegant, fashion-forward, and androgynous as the series continues. If Part 1’s art feels dated or overwhelming at first, know that it’s a snapshot of a specific era — and that Araki’s artistic evolution across the JoJo parts is one of the most fascinating journeys in all of manga.
Let the Pacing Breathe
Phantom Blood takes its time building tension, especially in its opening chapters. Araki deliberately establishes the Joestar household, the social dynamics between Jonathan and Dio, and the emotional stakes before the supernatural elements kick in. Some readers expecting immediate action may find the early chapters methodical.
Stick with it. That deliberate pacing is building the gothic atmosphere and character relationships that make the later payoffs hit hard. The tension between Jonathan and Dio in those early domestic scenes is arguably more unsettling than any vampire battle that comes later — and that’s by design.
Watch the Jonathan–Dio Dynamic Closely
The thematic contrast between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando is the emotional engine of the entire JoJo franchise. Jonathan represents nobility, self-sacrifice, and inherited goodness. Dio represents ambition, cruelty, and the rejection of every moral boundary. They’re two sides of a coin forged in the same household, and their dynamic is what elevates Phantom Blood from a simple good-vs-evil story into something more resonant.
Pay attention to how Araki frames their interactions — the visual parallels, the dialogue callbacks, the way each character defines himself in opposition to the other. This dynamic reverberates through every JoJo storyline that follows.
Each JoJo Part Reinvents the Series
One more thing worth knowing: Phantom Blood is the foundation, and it’s worth reading for its own merits — but each subsequent part reinvents the series in tone, setting, art style, and power system. Part 2 is a globe-trotting action-comedy. Part 3 introduces Stands (those supernatural fighting manifestations mentioned earlier) and becomes a road trip adventure. Part 4 is a small-town murder mystery. Part 7 is a cross-country horse race set in an alternate-universe 1890s America.
The range is enormous, and many readers who were lukewarm on Part 1 became lifelong JoJo fans once a later part clicked for them. So if Phantom Blood’s gothic tone isn’t quite your speed, the franchise has a lot more variety waiting beyond these first three volumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip Part 1 and start with a later JoJo part?
Technically, yes. Each JoJo part has a new protagonist and enough context that you won’t be completely lost. Many fans started with Part 3 or even Part 5 and went back to read earlier parts afterward.
But you lose critical context — especially for the Joestar vs. Dio conflict that spans multiple parts. Dio’s presence in Part 3 carries infinitely more weight if you’ve experienced his origin in Phantom Blood. And certain emotional beats in Part 6 are built entirely on the foundation laid here.
The short version: you can skip it, but Phantom Blood is only three volumes long. The time investment is minimal and the payoff for your understanding of the larger saga is significant.
Is Phantom Blood really dark fantasy?
Absolutely. Vampires created by a cursed ancient artifact. Body horror transformations. A power system rooted in life energy used to combat the undead. A fundamentally tragic hero set against Victorian gothic horror. Phantom Blood checks every dark fantasy box.
Phantom Blood’s dark fantasy elements are actually more pronounced than in many later JoJo parts. Some later storylines lean more toward supernatural mystery-thriller territory. But Part 1 is gothic horror through and through.
How long does Phantom Blood take to read?
Phantom Blood is one of the shortest JoJo parts — significantly quicker to read than later storylines. At three hardcover volumes, most readers can get through the complete story in a few dedicated reading sessions. It’s very manageable even if you’re not used to reading manga.
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Phantom Blood is where one of manga’s most ambitious sagas begins. Three volumes, one gothic tragedy, and the rivalry that launched a multi-generational epic. Pick up volume 1 and see where the Joestar legacy takes you.