The song is written by Shoko FujibayashiW, composed by Kohei TanakaW, and arranged by Kow OtaniW. Both Fujibayashi and Tanaka are noted for their contributions to theme songs, having previously worked together on "We Are!" for One Piece.[2] Tominaga's vocals and the accompanying brass band were said to give the whole song an "anime song groove" that harkens back to much older and love-theme songs. The lyrics resonated well with the story of Phantom Blood, and Jun Yamamoto for BillboardW said he "could almost feel the passion and ambition that Jonathan Joestar had in his fight against Dio Brando".[3]
"JoJo ~Sono Chi no Sadame~" did moderately well in the charts, peaking at 14 on the OriconW's Weekly Album Charts.[4] On Billboard'sJapan Hot 100W, it debuted at 52[5] and peaked at 19;[6] on the Japan Hot Animation chart, it debuted and peaked at 5;[7][8] and on the Japan Hot Singles Sales it debuted and peaked at 10,[9] and left the charts after the week of February 25, 2013, after a 12-week run.[10] When the subsequent theme song, "Bloody Stream," by Coda entered the charts, "JoJo (Sono Chi no Sadame)" was seen on the Oricon to jump from a ranking of 65 to 41 in one week[11]
The opening serves as an abbreviated version of the part, showing the major highlights of Phantom Blood.
It begins with a quick montage of manga scenes featuring the first six JoJo protagonists shown in reverse order (Jolyne, Giorno, Josuke, Jotaro, Joseph, and finally Jonathan) each animated panel showing at least two of their most memorable moments. When Jonathan appears he emerges from his panel, color filling his body, before smacking the camera, causing the title to appear.
From there the camera moves through a tunnel towards a door, which slams open into a stylized version of the Joestar Mansion. A young Jonathan is seen, framed like a portrait, Dio then jumps out of a painting, like he did when arriving at the Mansion, and the two stare each other down. The scene shifts over to a rotating Statue of the Goddess of Love. A sudden spin of the statue turns it into an arm holding the Stone Mask and another spin turns it into, what is presumably, Jonathan's arm holding a knife, carving his and Erina's name into a tree. Erina is shown blushing and attempts to move in for a kiss from Jonathan, but is surprised and horrified when Dio kisses her instead. The scene then changes to Dio's perspective, as an enraged Jonathan appears and punches the camera, causing its gaze to shift onto the Stone Mask as blood splatters on it. The Stone Mask's eyes glow and the camera rotates behind it, as tendrils emerge from the mask and pull the camera in.
The scene changes to when the police attempt to shoot Dio after he has put on the Stone Mask. Dio flies back after being shot and the window shatters. One of the broken pieces of glass shows the reflection of Jonathan holding his dying father. A moment later, Jonathan's arm points toward the sun. Dio, after gaining his new vampire abilities, is seen walking up the wall of the burning Joestar mansion. The room spins and Dio appears up close holding the Stone Mask. He stabs a knife into the camera and another montage of scenes from the manga, featuring him as a child to an adult, commences.
After a quick worried glance from Erina, a scene starts up with Jonathan staring at the darkness at the top of some stairs. Swinging his arm, the Ripple shoots through his body. Jonathan then proceeds to walk up the stairs. He gradually picks up speed and starts running until his eyes are close up with his pupils filled with the flames of rage. At the top of the stairs, Dio sits on a throne, holding the Stone Mask in front of his face. A quick zoom into a reverse montage of scenes from the manga starts up, including one featuring Zeppeli at his last moments with Jonathan, which starts with the confrontation before their fight and ends with Dio and Jonathan meeting as children. Jonathan is then seen charging his Ripple overdrive and punches Dio. Dio attempts to block it. The camera rotates and zooms out from the battle up a long flight of spiral stairs. A moment later, the Stone Mask is seen falling into the ocean and slowly sinks to the bottom.
Lyrics[]
Japanese Kanji
Japanese Rōmaji
English Translation
(ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
空こぼれ落ちた 二つの星が
Sora koboreochita futatsu no hoshi ga
The two stars that fell from the sky...
光と闇の水面 吸い込まれてゆく
Hikari to yami no minamo suikomareteyuku
...are inhaled into the depths of light and darkness
引き合うように 重なる波紋
Hikiau yō ni kasanaru hamon
Overlapping ripples that draw them together
誇りの道を行く者に 太陽の導きを
Hokori no michi wo yuku mono ni taiyō no michibiki wo
The Sun's guidance for those who walk the path of pride
野望の果てを目指す者に 生贄を
Yabō no hate wo mezasu mono ni ikenie wo
A sacrifice for those who seek the realization of their ambition
(ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
震えるほど心 燃え尽きるほど熱く
Furueru hodo kokoro moetsukiru hodo atsuku
Trembling hearts, hot enough to burn
その手から放て鼓動 体漲る勇気で
Sono te kara hanate kodō karada minagiru yūki de
Release your heartbeats through your hands, with the courage that fills your body
迷い無き覚悟に「喝采」を
Mayoi naki kakugo ni 'Kassai' wo
Let's admire their courage!
~その血の運命~ ジョジョ
~Sono chi no sadame~ JoJo
~The fate of that blood~ JoJo
賽 は投げられた 進むしかない
Sai wa nagerareta susumu shikanai
The die was cast, he has no choice but to advance
奇妙な螺旋の中 転がり続ける
Kimyō na rasen no naka korogaritsuzukeru
He keeps on spinning in in a bizarre spiral
永遠を彷徨う冒険者
Eien wo samayō bōkensha
A adventurer wandering eternity
恐怖を認め立つ者に 黄金の魂を
Kyōfu wo mitome tatsu mono ni ōgon no tamashī wo
A golden soul for those who acknowledge their fears...
そして出会った二人のために 戦いを
Soshite deatta futari no tame ni tatakai wo
...and a battle for the two who met
(ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
幕が開いたような 終わりなき物語
Maku ga aita you na owarinaki monogatari
An endless tale, like the curtain had just risen
命がぶつかる火花 青春の日々を照らせよ
Inochi ga butsukaru hibana seishun no hibi wo terase yo
The clashing sparks of life cast light on the days of your youth
君という未来に「幸運」を!
Kimi to iu mirai ni 'Kōun' wo!
Good luck on your future!
~その血の運命~ ジョジョ
~Sono chi no sadame~ JoJo
~The fate of that blood~ JoJo
二度とほどけない 絡み合った運命
Nidoto hodokenai karamiatta sadame
Intertwined fates that can't be untangled
全てはここから始まっていたのさ
Subete wa koko kara hajimatteita no sa
It all began right there
震えるほど心 燃え尽きるほど熱く
Furueru hodo kokoro moetsukiru hodo atsuku
Trembling hearts, hot enough to burn
その手から放て鼓動 体漲る勇気で
Sono te kara hanate kodō karada minagiru yūki de
Release your heartbeats through your hands, with the courage that fills your body
迷い無き覚悟に「喝采」をッ!
Mayoi naki kakugo ni 'Kassai' wo!
Let's admire their courage!
幕が開いたような 終わりなき物語
Maku ga aita you na owarinaki monogatari
An endless tale, like the curtain had just risen
命がぶつかる火花 青春の日々を照らせよ
Inochi ga butsukaru hibana seishun no hibi wo terase yo
The clashing sparks of life cast light on the days of your youth
君という未来に「幸運」をッ!
Kimi to iu mirai ni 'Kōun' wo!
Good luck on your future!
~その血の運命~ ジョジョ
~Sono chi no sadame~ JoJo
~The fate of that blood~ JoJo
(ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!ジョジョ…ッ!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
(JoJo! JoJo! JoJo!)
Opening Sequences[]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Op 1 Sono Chi No Sadame
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OP1 Sono Chi no Sadame SFX
Full Song[]
Jojo Sono Chino Sadame
Tracklist[]
JoJo ~Sono Chi no Sadame~ (ジョジョ~その血の運命~) Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi / Composition: Kohei Tanaka / Arrangement: Kow Otani
JoJo ~Sono Chi no Sadame~ ~ORIGINAL KARAOKE~
Credits[]
M-01 - TV Anime "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" Opening Theme
Composer: Kohei Tanaka
Arranger: Kow Otani
Lyricist: Shoko Fujibayashi
[Musicians]
Dr: Noriyasu "Kasuke" Kawamura
Bass: Chiharu Mikuzuki
Gt: Hiroshi Imaizumi
Tp: Luis Valle, Yuma Takemura (竹村悠馬)
Tb: Kanade Shishiuchi
A.sax: Masato Honma
T.sax: Ryouchi Daigou
B.sax: Naoya Takemura
All Synth & Program: Kow Otani
Trivia[]
The sinking Stone Mask into the ocean foreshadows what ultimately happens to Jonathan and Dio: sunken to the bottom of the ocean and not to be heard of until the events of Stardust Crusaders.
In the US airing of Phantom Blood on Toonami, the opening was edited down to 30 seconds to fit American television guidelines for several more commercials than Japanese television broadcasts.
The second verse from the full song was used as the background music for the final battle between Kars and Joseph Joestar in part 2, which makes it the only opening song that was used in multiple parts.
It is the only opening to reveal characters that wouldn't be revealed until future parts (Jolyne, Giorno, Josuke, and Jotaro are all shown in manga form before the title card).