Phantom Blood
This seemingly minor character, who only appears briefly, is the first to witness Dio's vampiric transformation--moments before being decapitated.
Who is the drunkard in Ogre Street?
This Pillar Man's breathing pattern was animated at 1.2x speed in Episode 11 to subtly reflect his rising aggression.
Who is Wham?
Polnareff briefly hums this French nursery rhyme while lost in the mirror maze episode--untranslated in the anime.
What is "Frère Jacques"?
Tonio's restaurant has a dish named after this obscure Neapolitan folk hero, listed only on the wall menu in one panel.
Who is Pulcinella?
The boat used in the gang's escape to Sardinia has this Latin phrase carved under the rudder, a reference to fate.
What is "Fatum no ducit" (Fate leads us)?
This historical figure appears in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo during Dio's rampage in London's underworld.
Who is Jack the Ripper?
The name of the lipstick Caesar uses in his first appearance matches the name of an Italian film released in 1959.
What is "La Dolce Vita"?
DIO's book collection in Cairo includes this real-world alchemical manuscript, shown for exactly 3 frames.
What is "Theatrum Chemicum"?
Reimi's ghost alley was based on this real-life Sendai location, which Araki reportedly walked through alone during a typhoon.
What is "Shinmeicho Alley"?
Fugo's stand, Purple Haze, is named after a track that was once banned in Italian airwaves due to this reason.
What is "believed to incite rebellion during 1970s protests"?
This word, etched into the stone mask's inner structure, loosely translates to "ascension" in an obscure form of pre-Colombian Mesoamerican script.
What is "tlalocayotl"?
Lisa Lisa's scarf is said to be made from this rare material, found only in the Himalayan foothills and mentioned only in the Blu-ray commentary.
What is "wool from the Himalayan blue sheep"?
This specific camera brand is used for Joseph's Spirit Photography and was chosen by Araki for its "soul-capturing lens."
What is "Yashica Electro 35"?
This seemingly inconsequential insect that crawls across the street in Episode 17 foreshadows Yoshikage Kira's first kill.
What is a Japanese rhinoceros beetle?
Diavolo's brief reaction to a church bell at noon draws a parallel to this obscure mythological punishment.
What is "being aware of your own execution while silenced"?
Speedwagon references this defunct 19th-centurey surgical method while observing Jonathan's Ripple technique.
What is trepanation?
Joseph Joestar uses this obscure chess opening as an analogy for his strategy against Wham.
What is the King's Gambit?
In the manga, N'Doul references this ancient Egyptian god of silence, not included in any localization.
Who is Harpocrates?
Kira's watch brand, briefly visible, is the same one worn by a serial killer in this 1983 Japanese thriller.
What is "The Beast Must Die" (1983)?
Abbachio's partner's badge number is a palindrome that matches this ancient Roman execution code.
What is "44-448" (a reference to Roman prison codes)?
This specific page in Jonathan's father's medical records contains a misprint, which Dio uses to accelerate his poisoning plot.
What is "Page 4, Line 12 -- arsenic misprinted as aspirin"?
This unvoiced thought by AC/DC (in the manga only) reveals a secret about his prior encounter with Cars that is never elaborated on.
What is "He resents Cars for altering the Pillar Men's destiny"?
The soul of this minor antagonist is seen in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reflection during DIO's final monologue.
Who is Devo the Cursed?
Rohan's unpublished one-shot manga, mentioned only in a magazine insert, is titled after this Shakespearean sonnet.
What is "Sonnet 146"?
This flower, seen in the final scene of the anime adaptation, grows only in volcanic soil and symbolizes "dual identity."
What is the lava poppy (Papaver ignivoma)?