JoJo’sBizarreAdventurehas a great variety of characters, and many of them are famous within the anime community. A lot of these characters became popular because of the memes that they made famous, while others were just eye-catching. However, when it comes to popularity, not many characters come close to DIO, who isone of the best villains in the series.
Ever since his introduction, DIO has been a fan favorite for many reasons, including his twisted yet entertaining personality. There are many things that separate DIO from the rest of the antagonists inJoJo’sBizarreAdventure. He has played a key role throughout the series, but what makes him truly stand out from others?
RELATED:JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Why The Series’ Format Works So Well
DIO And His Past
In Part 1, DIO was known simply as Dio Brando. After the death of his obnoxious father, Dio made his way into the Joestar mansion. He and Jonathan immediately resented each other and formed a rivalry that would encompass their relationship. Dio was obsessed with Jonathan,who was the protagonist of Part 1and he tried to ruin his life in every possible way.
After being bested by Jonathan, Dio gave up his humanity and turned into a vampire. It was at this time that Dio Brando truly became a malevolent individual. Dio would commit a number of monstrous acts both on and off-screen, illustrating just how twisted he was. For the majority of the series, Dio only had plans to hurt Jonathan. However, towards the end of Part 1, Dio openly showed respect to his rival. When Jonathan died, Dio was shocked that he’d actually died while holding him in his arms. Afterward, Dio took Jonathan’s body for himself, which allowed him to awaken his Stand, The World.
RELATED:JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean Anime Will Debut December 1st
Return In Part 3
After the ending of Part 2, fans wondered what direction the series would take, especially in regards to its main antagonist. To their delight, Dio Brando returned inStardustCrusaders, but this time he was known as DIO. After taking shelter in Egypt, DIO awakened his Stand and made him one of the strongest characters in the series. His revival led to Holly Joestar falling critically ill, forcing Joseph and co. to go on a worldwide journey that once again pitted DIO against the Joestar bloodline.
DIO sent countless goons after the group, but they didn’t succeed to stop the group from achieving their goal. During the group’s encounter with DIO, they ended up losing Kakyoin and temporarily losing Joseph. However, Jotaro managed to crush DIO with help from his Star Platinum, which developed into one of thestrongest Stands in the seriesthanks to his confrontation with the immortal vampire.
Involvement in Parts 5 And 6
DIO’s involvement inJoJo’sBizarreAdventuredidn’t end with his death. In Part 5, his half-son, Giorno Giovanna was at the center of things. Unlike his father, Giorno had noble goals and he eventually managed to accomplish those after awakening Gold Experience Requiem. However, Giorno does have DIO’s ruthlessness, and it was evident on several occasions where Giorno simply killed anyone who dared to oppose his goals.
RELATED:JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Things Only Manga Readers Noticed In The Stone Ocean Trailer
In Part 6, DIO played a crucial role. He had met Enrico Pucci, who is the main antagonist ofStone Ocean, during the events of Stardust Crusaders. DIO told Pucci about a lot of things including the true nature kinds of Stands, and how to create the strongest Stand in existence. Pucci was heavily influenced by DIO and held him in very high regard. He eventually managed to follow all of DIO’s instructions and evolved his Whitesnake into Made in Heaven. Because of Made in Heaven, Pucci becamethe strongest character inStoneOcean. In addition to Pucci, DIO’s presence lingered a little longer in Part 6 with the inclusion of some of his illegitimate children. Like their father, they were a massive thorn in the Joestar’s side and possessed ridiculously powerful stands.
DIO And Diego Brando
In Part 7, DIO didn’t appear as a vampire but instead was interestingly integrated into the narrative withinSteel Ball Run’sgreat fresh start. Diego Brando and DIO have a lot of similarities, with the most important being that both of them only care about their own self. They are only loyal to themselves and will go to any lengths to reach their goals.
Both Diego and DIO seemed to respect or at least have some affection for their mothers. In Diego’s case, he absolutely adored his mother and only started to resent the world when she burnt her hands to feed him. DIO’s relationship with his mother is unknown, but it is plausible to assume that he cared for her because DIO resented his father for how he treated her. The resentment led to DIO poisoning his father, bringing out the worst qualities that ended up engulfing his personality.
DIO’s demeanor didn’t change throughout the series. At times, he acted as he cared about Jonathan, but most of the time, DIO behaved like the heartless maniac that he was. DIO’s goals were pretty clear since the beginning, as he only strived to become richer and more powerful than anyone else. His manipulative nature led to the deaths of many people, making him one of the most devastating antagonists in the series. Though he haunted the Joestar family generations, it seems as though Araki finally decided to wrap up his story.
