When ArtPlay unveiled the first Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night demo for its Night Backer Kickstarter tier level, many keen-eyed anime fans noticed a few references to another vampire-centric piece of entertainment, JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure. Now that the full game has released, we have made it our mission to find as many references to the series as possible.
Here is every JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure reference we have found in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (so far).
Stone Mask
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night features plenty of different pieces of equipment that players can add to Miriam, the main character, that provide a range of different buffs, including accessory pieces like masks. One such mask that can be found is called the Stone Mask.
With a horn protruding from the top of its stoic gaze, this mask is intimidating enough, even without the extra 1 DEF, 2 MND, and 1 LCK it provides. The item is described as a stone mask once used by a tribal chief during ritual sacrifices, but JoJo fans know what it really does.
Anyone who has watched JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure knows how important Stone Masks are to the series. This powerful ancient artifact is the basis for which the show’s antagonist, Dio Brando, turns into a vampire, extending his life and influence over the series as a result.
Stone Masks also play a central role in the second part of the series, as the Pillar Men and their leader are given the ability to manipulate their bodies and become near-invincibility when wearing them.
Considering the prominence of Vampires and gothic themes to each of these pieces of entertainment, it only seems right that Miriam has a choice to reject her humanity and put on the Stone Mask herself.
Poses
JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure is all about pomp and circumstance. Whether it is the characters’ brash personalities, dialogue, or even their overall designs, everything about the series is over the top.
Nothing is more overly dramatic than the poses that accompany most attacks and celebrations in the series though. Whether it is the main characters or the antagonists, everyone has to flaunt their stuff.
While it may not do the same level of physical or mental damage that it does in the bizarre anime, Miriam enjoys striking a pose as well in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. After holding up on the d-pad, she will perform a pose.
A couple of the poses that Miriam performs are ripped from the anime, including ones straight from the Star Crusaders arc.
Johannes
Near the beginning of Arvantville, players will run into a character named Johannes. When interacting with him, he’ll offer upgraded weapons, items, and shards in exchange for collected materials.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because the main protagonist of the first arc of JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure is Joseph Joestar. Now the name itself could be a coincidence, but the fact that Johannes is voiced by Ben Diskin certainly isn’t.
Alongside voicing the English version of Sai in Naruto Shippuden and Char Aznable in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Diskin is best known for voicing Joseph Joestar in the Phantom Blood portion of JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure. This could simply be all part of the plan for ArtPlay to integrate Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night into the Jojo universe.
Impaled Dio
Gothic tradition is all about impaling people on spikes, so it isn’t entirely surprising that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has a few here and there. At one point in the game though, there is an area that players will come upon that is most certainly a reference to the ending of the first act of Phantom Blood.
While traversing the ceilings in one area of the castle, Miriam finds a creature impaled upon the sword of an angelic statue. This death mirrors Dio Brando’s impalement in Phantom Blood, as Jonathan kicks off the wall and pushes him upon the guardian angel of the Joestar family.
Though it may have simply been the spike of the angel’s helmet in the anime, the fact that the statue looks like a guardian angel and the creature looks similar to Dio’s end transformation points toward it really being a reference.
Silver Chariot and Stands
As JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure grew throughout the years, so did the powers and abilities its characters relied on. Instead of simply turning into vampires and harnessing the power of Stone Masks, Stands were born in the Stardust Crusaders arc.
In the show, Stands are a visual manifestation of the user’s fighting spirit. These manifestations hover over the user and prove to exhibit the supernatural powers they have that go beyond the ability of normal humans.
Bloodstain Ritual of the Night doesn’t necessarily follow this same template, but it does throw a reference toward it through its familiars; creatures are summons that assist Miriam in battle throughout the game.
At one point, Miriam comes upon a familiar known as the Silver Knight. While he doesn’t necessarily look like him, this seems to be a reference to Silver Chariot, the Stand of Jean Pierre Polnareff from Stardust Crusaders.
While this might seem like hearsay, the fact that this familiar is located right to an armor piece known Crusader armor piece is enough to prove otherwise.
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