How serial killers control their victims through psychological manipulation interested Araki as well, a trait similar to how Dio uses his charisma to ensure his followers to do his bidding.

[1] Araki intended to characterize Dio as unapologetically baleful in his pursuit of power, with his literal abandonment of his humanity reflecting his figurative and emotional one.

[1] According to Araki, Dio's physical appearance is inspired by Rutger Hauer's character Roy Batty from the 1982 film Blade Runner.

Jonathan is sought out by Will A. Zeppeli, a master of an ancient martial art called Hamon, which can kill vampires and zombies.

He and a surviving zombie, Wang Chan, attack Jonathan on a steamship during his honeymoon with Erina in an attempt to claim his enemy's body for his own.

As he is dormant in the sunken ship, Dio Brando does not appear in Battle Tendency, but the aftermath of his apparent death at the hands of Jonathan Joestar affects the plot.

It is ultimately revealed that Jonathan and Erina's son George Joestar II, a famed pilot of the Royal Air Force in World War I, was murdered by one of Dio's zombies who survived the battle at Windknight's Lot and had infiltrated the RAF.

Now known mononymously as "Dio", he soon meets the mystic Enya Geil who awakens his Stand, The World (世界, Za Wārudo), which is named after the tarot card and allows him to temporarily stop the passage of time.

This spurs Jotaro and Joseph to track down Dio along with their friends Mohammed Avdol, Noriaki Kakyoin, Jean-Pierre Polnareff, and Iggy the Boston Terrier to kill him once and for all, freeing Holly from the curse the Stand has trapped her under.

During his battle with Jotaro, Dio is severely hurt and resorts to draining Joseph of his blood, not only healing himself but also finally completing his unification with Jonathan's body.

Dio's influence on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure returns in Stone Ocean, where it is revealed that he met the story arc's main antagonist, Father Enrico Pucci, shortly before the events of Stardust Crusaders.

He manipulates events to frame Jotaro Kujo's daughter Jolyne Cujoh for murder in order to trap her in Green Dolphin Street Prison, where he serves as a chaplain.

He encounters the protagonists Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli and is controlled by Dr. Ferdinand's Stand Scary Monsters (スケアリーモンスターズ, Sukearī Monsutāzu), which transforms him into a dromaeosaurid dinosaur.

[2] It is when Jonathan Joestar defies his expectations, defeating him in battle and thwarting his deliberate machinations, that Dio dons the Stone Mask that grants him the power of a vampire.

He attains superhuman speed, regeneration fueled by sucking blood through his fingers, and strength insofar as he can lift a road roller with ease - a frequent source of references in popular culture.

Once he returns 100 years later with Jonathan's body, Dio developed his signature Stand, The World, after being struck by the Bow and Arrow.

Dynamic vision provides Diego with excellent eyesight; however, he can only see objects that are moving, similar to that of the Tyrannosaurus Rex in Jurassic Park.

He was first voiced by Norio Wakamoto in the 1993 drama CDs, followed by Nobuo Tanaka in the OVAs and Isshin Chiba in the 1998 video game.

He is voiced by both Kenji Nojima and Hikaru Midorikawa in the Phantom Blood video game and 2007 animated film as the younger and older incarnations, respectively.

[12] Dio Brando has appeared in many video games related to the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, usually as a player character or a boss.

Dio learns of alternate realities from Funny Valentine, seeking to control all universes through the Saint's Corpse, and uses his more advanced powers over time to revive fallen heroes and villains to either serve him in preventing Jotaro Kujo and the other Joestars from obtaining the complete Saint's Corpse or use them to gather the parts so he can steal them and achieve ultimate power.

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network notes that his far-reaching influence throughout the entire series works especially well as a stark contrast to his humble origins.

[18] Jun Yamamoto for Billboard said he "could almost feel the passion and ambition that Jonathan Joestar had in his fight against Dio" when listening to the first opening of the TV series.

[21][22] Starting in June 2014, Dio began appearing on cans of Japanese java Georgia coffee, as part of a promotion of their Emerald Mountain Black flavor.