Hirohiko Araki's iconic shonen manga, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, is easily one of the most recognizable and popular series today. First launched in the mid-1980s, JoJo's has enjoyed decades of popularity and exposure, owing much to its quirky, unique, and unforgettable presentation. Araki derives inspiration from several real-world, recognizable sources, from fashion to historical events.
Factual historical events have been sprinkled throughout JoJo's long manga run with a healthy dose of Araki's imagination to spice things up and leave his mark. Historical references are most obvious in older installments of JoJo's, but even recent installments have managed to include bits of factual historical events here and there.
8 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Battle Tendency: Nazi Germany Strengthens Its Hold On Europe
Taking place in North America and Europe during 1938-9, the events of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency briefly touch on Adolf Hitler's rise to power. At one point, the series references escalating anti-Jew discrimination in September 1938. More specifically, the Munich Agreement was completed in September 1938, a pact that forced Czechoslovakia to give its outer territories to Nazi Germany in exchange for peace. Hitler's goal here was to unite the German people and strengthen his power, and approximately three million "ethnic" Germans were living in Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland.
7 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Battle Tendency: Nazi Germany Fully Occupies Czechoslovakia
At the same time Battle Tendency mentions the events of September 1938, it also references Nazi Germany breaking the terms of the Munich Agreement. Less than a year after the Agreement had been made, in March 1939, Nazi Germany invaded locations of Czechoslovakia that weren't included in the Munich Agreement.
While Sudetenland became part of the German Reich proper, the Czechoslovakian provinces of Bohemia and Moravia were treated as a Protectorate and subjugated to Nazi rule. By the end of 1939, Czechoslovakia was completely invaded and temporarily erased from Europe's map.
6 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood: Jack The Ripper Murders Are Mentioned In Passing
The first part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure takes place during the early-to-late 1880s in England and references the murder spree of Jack the Ripper. In the series, Dio Brando turns Jack into one of his zombie thralls, offering an alternate history as to what happened to the infamous murderer. In contrast, the historically accurate Jack the Ripper remained an unidentified serial killer who mysteriously vanished as quickly as they appeared. Jack the Ripper's unsolved murder spree continues to enthrall audiences decades later, as evidenced in JoJo's.
5 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean: Frogs Fell From The Sky, A Bizarre Real World Phenomenon
The sixth part of JoJo's, Stone Ocean, takes place in 2011, but the manga was released from 2000 to 2003, meaning it's impossible to find a factual historical event. Stone Ocean does, however, mention a historically factual phenomenon that has happened in several worldwide locations. In Chapter 49 of the Stone Ocean manga, poison dart frogs rain from the sky due to the Stand Weather Report. Although no such event happened at the same time and location, there are recorded incidences of frogs and other flightless animals inexplicably falling from the sky due to being sucked up by naturally occurring waterspouts.
4 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind: The Mount Vesuvius Eruption Is Referenced
During the mission to escort Trish Una safely to Passione's boss, Giorno, Abbacchio, and Fugo are ordered to extract a key from Pompeii. Golden Wind makes sure to point out the historical significance of Pompeii, which was once an ancient city that was located by Naples.
In the autumn of 79 AD, a nearby active volcano called Mount Vesuvius experienced a deadly eruption that completely buried Pompeii under ash and other volcanic matter. The city was impeccably preserved as a result and has become one of Italy's most popular tourist attractions.
3 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood: Tarkus & Bruford Are Related To The Execution Of Mary Stuart
While the knights Tarkus and Bruford aren't historically accurate people, their beloved master certainly was. Mary Stuart was once the Queen of Scotland and ruled from December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. As far as JoJo's Phantom Blood is concerned, Tarkus and Bruford were executed after their queen met her end. Mary Stuart's execution is a factually accurate piece of history, although it's questionable as to whether her execution was warranted. There's no concrete evidence that she committed the crimes she was accused of.
2 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Battle Tendency: Kars Was Hiding Out In Albrecht Gessler's Mansion
While there doesn't seem to be a trace of Kars' infamous hideout in the real world, Araki nevertheless references a real-life legend when the hideout is first introduced. There's no hard evidence that the legendary standoff between Albrecht Gessler and William Tell ever actually took place, but Tell's fabled and impressive marksmanship has stood the test of time. A thorough investigation into the centuries-old story suggests that the altercation between Tell and Gessler was purposefully fabricated as an origin story for the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy.
1 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders: Avdol & Polnareff Fight At The Tiger Balm Garden
Upon his introduction in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, Jean Pierre Polnareff invites Avdol to a gentlemanly fight at Hong Kong's Tiger Balm Garden. Also known as the Haw Par Villa gardens, the Tiger Balm Gardens are indeed real sites that were built by the Aw family in the 1930s to promote their topical analgesic product, Tiger Balm. There are two other gardens located in Singapore and the Fujian Province in China. At the time that Stardust Crusaders takes place, the Hong Kong location had been recently closed and remains closed to this day.