Golden Wind (manga)

In 2001, Koichi Hirose arrives in Naples seeking a skin sample from a young man named Haruno Shiobana. Jotaro Kujo suspects Haruno to be the son of Dio Brando, conceived with Jonathan Joestar's body prior to the events of Stardust Crusaders. Koichi soon meets and is scammed by Haruno, now going by the name of Giorno Giovanna, whose Stand Gold Experience can create lifeforms and heal injuries. After defeating a Stand-wielding mafioso named Bruno Bucciarati, who was sent to avenge the injury Giorno inflicted on a gang member, the youth wins Bucciarati over by revealing his dream of becoming a mafia boss to better Naples and end the scourge of drug trafficking plaguing the city's youth. Bucciarati agrees to introduce Giorno into the Passione organization, allowing Giorno to take an initiation test from the morbidly obese capo Polpo. After convincing Koichi to cease his investigation, Giorno passes the test, but indirectly kills Polpo afterward as revenge for an innocent bystander's death.

Giorno is placed in Bucciarati's group, which consists of fellow Stand users Guido Mista, Leone Abbacchio, Narancia Ghirga and Pannacotta Fugo. Polpo's apparent suicide provides an opening for Bucciarati to achieve the rank of capo by donating Polpo's amassed fortune on the island of Capri to a gang representative. Bucciarati is then given Polpo's final mission: Passione's boss, a mysterious figure whose identity is unknown to even his subordinates, requests that his teenage daughter Trish Una be brought safely to him in Venice. Along the way, Bucciarati's team eliminates all but one of the members of Passione's traitorous Hitman Team, who seek to use Trish as a means to identify and defeat the boss. On the boss's orders, the group retrieves a key in Pompeii and use it to access the room inside the Stand-using turtle Coco Jumbo.

After reaching Venice safely and escorting Trish into the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Bucciarati realizes that the boss intends to kill his own daughter to maintain his anonymity. An enraged Bucciarati pursues the boss in order to save Trish, but suffers grievous injuries at the hands of the boss's invincible Stand King Crimson, which has the ability to see into and skip time's progression several seconds into the future. Bucciarati barely escapes with Trish before passing away, but Giorno's intervention imbues Bucciarati with enough life energy to persist past his biological death. Despite Fugo's objections, the rest of the group defects from Passione and pledges to uncover the boss's identity in order to defeat him.

Bucciarati's group travels to the island of Sardinia after Trish recalls it as the boss's birthplace, hoping to allow Abbacchio's Stand to uncover the boss's identity. However, the boss reaches Sardinia first under the guise of his alternate personality Vinegar Doppio, and swiftly kills Abbacchio. Bucciarati's group is then contacted by a third party, who reveals the boss's name to be Diavolo and requests that the group visit the Colosseum in Rome to receive a special Arrow. The group arrives in Rome, but Diavolo exploits Bucciarati's fading senses to reach the informant first, revealing him to be Jean Pierre Polnareff. Diavolo fatally wounds Polnareff, forcing him to stab his Stand Silver Chariot with the Arrow. Doing so evolves the Stand into Chariot Requiem, which goes berserk and uses its ability to swap the souls of living beings across the city.

Polnareff, now within the turtle's body, explains the Arrow and his Stand to the group, who realize that their own Stands will attack them if they approach the Arrow. The group cripples Bucciarati's body as it awakens, but King Crimson eliminates Narancia as Doppio passes away inside Bucciarati's corpse. Diavolo is soon forced to reveal himself, but succeeds in lethally wounding Trish's soul and weakening Requiem. At the last moment, Bucciarati sacrifices himself to dispel the soul swap, save Trish, and pass the Arrow to Giorno. Using the Arrow, Giorno evolves his Stand into Gold Experience Requiem. Giorno then uses his newfound ability to revert Diavolo's attack against him and condemn the boss to experience various fatal situations for all eternity.

The surviving trio returns to the Colosseum, as Trish and Mista remain unaware of Bucciarati's death. On the way, they find Coco Jumbo, with Polnareff's ghost having survived within its Stand. Honoring the sacrifices of their allies, Giorno and Polnareff agree to preserve the Arrow. Sometime afterward, Giorno becomes the new boss of Passione, with Mista and Polnareff by his side.

• Giorno Giovanna,[lower-alpha 1] named Haruno Shiobana[lower-alpha 2] at birth, is the human son of Dio Brando. As Dio was in possession of Jonathan Joestar's body at the time Giorno was conceived, Giorno inherits the conviction and righteousness of the Joestar bloodline. Giorno aspires to overthrow Passione's boss, put an end to the practice of selling drugs to children, and restructure the organization into one that helps the people of Italy. Giorno uses the Stand Gold Experience,[lower-alpha 3] which has the ability to imbue things with life, allowing him to create either complete organisms or human body parts. After piercing itself with Polnareff's Arrow, Giorno's Stand evolves into Gold Experience Requiem,[lower-alpha 4] a Stand that can revert any action, willpower, or state of being back to "zero," effectively nullifying them.
• Bruno Bucciarati[lower-alpha 5] is the leader of a group within Passione, and is later promoted to caporegime within the gang. He uses the Stand Sticky Fingers,[lower-alpha 6] which can place a zipper on any object, allowing entrance into it. Bucciarati can also use Sticky Fingers to separate objects into smaller objects which can be zipped back together. Following an encounter with Diavolo, Bucciarati spends the remainder of the story as a 'walking corpse,' rendering him nearly immune to damage but gradually depriving him of his senses and life energy. He also appears in the 2012 spin-off Jolyne, Fly High with Gucci.[7]
• Leone Abbacchio[lower-alpha 7] is a former police officer, and a member of Bucciarati's gang. He uses the Stand Moody Blues,[lower-alpha 8] which can replay events as a 3D video recording. Abbacchio also appears in Jolyne, Fly High with Gucci.[7]
• Guido Mista[lower-alpha 9] is a member of Bucciarati's gang. He uses a revolver in tandem with his Stand, Sex Pistols,[lower-alpha 10] which is composed of six small humanoids who can control the bullets Mista shoots. The humanoids are numbered No.1 through No.7, with no No.4 as a result of Mista's crippling tetraphobia. Each of the pistols which make up Mista's stand have their own individual personalities and internal conflicts, which Mista is often forced to resolve.
• Narancia Ghirga[lower-alpha 11] is a member of Bucciarati's gang. He is rather air-headed and somewhat childish, but remains loyal to Bucciarati. He uses the airplane-like Stand, Aerosmith,[lower-alpha 12] which is equipped with machine guns, bombs and a carbon dioxide radar, allowing him to track down any opponent that breathes.
• Pannacotta Fugo[lower-alpha 13] is a member of Bucciarati's gang. Fugo tends to be erratic in mood, often breaking into short bursts of rage. Fugo uses the Stand Purple Haze,[lower-alpha 14] which emits a virus that rapidly devours organic matter. Purple Haze is indiscriminate in how its virus affects people, affecting both friends and enemies alike. Fugo is the central character of the novels Golden Heart, Golden Ring and Purple Haze Feedback, which take place after he defects from Bucciarati's group.
• Trish Una[lower-alpha 15] is the daughter of Passione's boss. Following her mother's death, Bucciarati's group is entrusted with the job of protecting her from rival factions within the gang. Eventually, she awakens the Stand Spice Girl,[lower-alpha 16] which can increase objects' elasticity to make them nearly indestructible.
• Coco Jumbo[lower-alpha 17] is a turtle that gained a Stand. Bucciarati's group is gifted Coco Jumbo by the boss to aid their mission. The turtle's Stand, Mr. President,[lower-alpha 18] manifests as a miniature hotel room inside of its shell that can be entered and exited freely, allowing its possessors to hide inside and transport themselves within the turtle.
• Jean Pierre Polnareff[lower-alpha 19] is a French swordsman who traveled alongside Jotaro Kujo and Joseph Joestar to defeat Dio in 1988. Polnareff later discovered Diavolo's true identity, only to be severely injured and left for dead by Passione's boss. After Bucciarati's team betrays the boss, Polnareff contacts the group and offers them a way to defeat the boss: a unique Stand Arrow that allows its user to control souls themselves. Polnareff wields the extremely fast sword-wielding Stand, Silver Chariot.[lower-alpha 20] When Diavolo confronts him, Polnareff is forced to use the Stand Arrow on Silver Chariot and evolve it into Chariot Requiem,[lower-alpha 21] which has the ability to swap the souls of living beings and gradually transform them into something else entirely.
• Passione[lower-alpha 22] is the most powerful gang in Italy, controlled by a boss shrouded in secrecy. Passione controls all levels of crime in Italy, from low-level thugs and protective services to extremely powerful hitmen and drug traffickers. The gang's incredible level of power over Italy can be attributed to the unusual number of Stand users found within its members.
  • Diavolo[lower-alpha 23] is the boss of Passione, and the father of Trish. He is extremely protective of his identity, intending to kill anyone who threatens his power or his secret, including his own daughter. Diavolo uses the incredibly powerful Stand, King Crimson,[lower-alpha 24] which allows him to "erase" a period of time up to ten seconds. While time is "erased," everyone except Diavolo unconsciously carries out their fated actions without regard to his, allowing him to confuse enemies, escape attacks, and land decisive blows. Diavolo is also able to see exactly ten seconds into the future via King Crimson's secondary ability, Epitaph,[lower-alpha 25] allowing him to predict and "erase" unfortunate outcomes.
  • Vinegar Doppio[lower-alpha 26] is the Boss' younger, more innocent and eccentric underboss. Although he thinks of himself as Diavolo's most trusted subordinate, the two are actually separate souls inhabiting the same body. Diavolo uses Doppio to move around and take action without revealing his identity. Though Doppio does not seem to possess a Stand of his own, he is allowed to wield King Crimson's arms and Epitaph in battle.
  • Polpo[lower-alpha 27] is an obese caporegime within Passione who resides in prison for his own protection. After Bucciarati advocates for Giorno, Polpo interviews the youth and tasks him with keeping a lighter lit for twenty-four hours to prove his dedication. Polpo's Stand is Black Sabbath,[lower-alpha 28] an auto-tracking Stand that can move within shadows for the sole purpose of piercing those who fail Polpo's test with a Stand Arrow stored in its mouth.
  • The Hitman Team / Execution Squad (La Squadra Esecuzioni)[lower-alpha 29] is a squad of Stand users within Passione specializing in assassinations. While they previously served under the leadership of Diavolo, their inquiry into Diavolo's identity led to their former boss having two of their members killed. In retaliation, the group swore vengeance against Diavolo and began pursuing his daughter, Trish, in order to discover his identity and kill him. The group serves as the primary group of antagonists in the first half of the story, though its leader remains unseen until the later half.
    • Risotto Nero[lower-alpha 30] is the leader of the Hitman Team. After his cousin was killed by a drunk driver, Risotto tracked down and assassinated the driver. Risotto then joined Passione to protect himself from the police. Although Risotto works in the background during the first half of the story, he eventually attacks Vinegar Doppio after the rest of his teammates are killed. Risotto can control the iron in his surroundings (including iron in the blood of nearby organisms) with his Stand, Metallica.[lower-alpha 31]
    • Formaggio[lower-alpha 32] is the first member of the Hitman Team that the protagonists encounter. Suspecting that Trish has been entrusted to Polpo's successor, the assassin decides to pursue Narancia in order to find Trish's whereabouts. Formaggio can shrink any object or creature with his Stand, Little Feet.[lower-alpha 33]
    • Illuso[lower-alpha 34] ambushes Giorno, Abbacchio, and Fugo in the ruins of Pompeii, eventually learning of and hoping to seize the group's objective. Illuso's Stand, Man in the Mirror,[lower-alpha 35] can transport anyone and anything into and out of a mirror world, separating enemies from their Stands in the process.
    • Prosciutto[lower-alpha 36] pursues Bucciarati's team aboard a train to Florence alongside his partner Pesci. Though he can be irritable at times, Prosciutto is supportive of his partner and unwavering in his determination to finish his mission. Prosciutto's Stand, The Grateful Dead,[lower-alpha 37] emits a gas that ages anyone nearby, with the speed of their aging depending on their body temperature.
    • Pesci[lower-alpha 38] attacks Bucciarati's team alongside Prosciutto, who he thinks of as an older brother. Although he acts timid and cowardly at first, Prosciutto's resolve inspires Pesci to become a similarly powerful opponent. Pesci wields the Stand Beach Boy,[lower-alpha 39] which takes the form of a fishing rod that can pass through anything to hook his targets.
    • Melone[lower-alpha 40] attacks the group as they attempt to reach Venice after Prosciutto's defeat. He is a perverted individual who is easily excited by fortunate events or suitable "mothers." Melone uses the Stand Baby Face,[lower-alpha 41] which impregnates a "mother" with a target's DNA and gives birth to a homunculus that automatically pursues and attacks its target. The auto-tracking Stand's personality and abilities are based on the DNA of its "mother"; as a result, Melone can only control it via communication, and his orders may be overruled at any time.
    • Ghiaccio[lower-alpha 42] pursues Giorno and Mista to Venice, where the three fight to obtain a disc revealing the boss's location. Ghiaccio is an extremely unstable man who is enraged by useless actions and linguistic inconsistencies. He wields the Stand White Album,[lower-alpha 43] which produces cryogenic temperatures that freeze anything he touches. White Album allows Ghiaccio to freeze living beings solid, skate across both land and water, and even freeze the air around him by employing its secondary ability, Gently Weeps.[lower-alpha 44]
    • Sorbet[lower-alpha 45] and Gelato[lower-alpha 46] are two members of the Hitman Team who are brutally executed by the boss as punishment for looking into his identity. Their deaths spark the Hitman Team's hatred for Diavolo and their desperation to hunt down Trish.
  • Elite Guard Squad (L'Unità Speciale)[lower-alpha 47] is an elite team of Stand users within Passione who act as Diavolo's bodyguards, seeking to capture Bucciarati's group dead or alive for their betrayal of the boss.
    • Squalo[lower-alpha 48] attacks alongside his partner Tizzano as Bucciarati's group attempts to escape Venice. He wields the shark-like Stand Clash,[lower-alpha 49] which can travel within and warp to any nearby body of liquid.
    • Tizzano[lower-alpha 50] serves as the methodical foil to his partner, Squalo, who he shares a deep bond with. Tizzano can force others to tell lies with his Stand, Talking Head.[lower-alpha 51]
    • Carne[lower-alpha 52] wields the Stand Notorious B.I.G,[lower-alpha 53] which chases after and devours the fastest-moving thing in its vicinity, powered only by its user's grudge. After its user's untimely death, Notorious B.I.G lives on as an invincible postmortem Stand.
    • Cioccolata[lower-alpha 54] is a sadistic doctor who attacks Bucciarati's group in Rome alongside his pet Secco. Believing that curiosity is what pushes humans to grow, he takes great pleasure in recording and replaying his victims' suffering. Cioccolata wields the Stand Green Day,[lower-alpha 55] which produces a mold that rapidly rots anyone in its range if they descend in altitude.
    • Secco[lower-alpha 56] attacks Bucciarati's group alongside Cioccolata. Though he acts as Cioccolata's pet, Secco reveals his true egocentric nature after his master's death. Secco's Stand, Oasis,[lower-alpha 57] allows him to liquefy and swim through solid matter as though it were mud. Anything within the solid matter, including living beings, will be liquefied as well.
• Koichi Hirose[lower-alpha 58] is a high school student who arrives in Italy to gain a sample of Giorno Giovanna's DNA, as Jotaro Kujo suspects that the youth is related to Dio. Though Koichi antagonizes Giorno after the latter steals his money and luggage, he ultimately recognizes the youth's righteous nature and decides not to interfere with his dream. Koichi wields the Stand Echoes,[lower-alpha 59] and can utilize any of the three "ACTs" it developed two years prior. He primarily utilizes Echoes ACT3, which has the ability to immobilize objects or people by greatly increasing their weight.
• Scolippi[lower-alpha 60] is a sculptor suspected of murdering his girlfriend, the daughter of a vindictive florist. He is a humble and meek person who holds an absolute belief in fate's inevitability, which he attributes to Michelangelo. Scolippi's Stand, Rolling Stones,[lower-alpha 61] takes the shape of a nearby person fated to die and follows them; if the target touches the stone, they will be forced to accept an immediate and painless death. Despite being its user, Scolippi has no control over his own Stand, which acts on its own and draws energy from fate.

Hirohiko Araki described the themes of Golden Wind as "human relationships," "friends versus enemies," and "the beauty of betrayal." By depicting the mafia, the author said the story deals with the sadness of having no choice in life or only one place where one belongs——the "dark underbelly of society." Araki also stated that the main focus was to draw "beautiful men" who can only exist in a world where there is "beauty in meeting one's doom." He wanted the characters, sculptures and fashion to be in the style of the Italian city of Rome. The curls in Giorno Giovanna's hair were inspired by Michelangelo's statue David. Araki cited Guido Mista and Prosciutto as characters he enjoyed drawing; the former due to his positive attitude and for being "true to himself without doubts" and the latter for his "brotherly relationship" with his subordinate Pesci and fun Stand power.[8]

In the original volumization, chapters 437–439 are a part of Diamond Is Unbreakable.

In a 2018 survey of 17,000 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans, Golden Wind was chosen as the favorite story arc with 19.1% of the vote.[52]

Both Screen Rant's Steven Blackburn and Jordan Richards of AIPT Comics called Golden Wind a breath of fresh air for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure by deviating from the basic formula and following Giorno, son of villain Dio Brando, as he looks to cement a reputation and build a criminal empire.[53][54] Jenni Lada of Siliconera also praised the protagonist Giorno and said the first volume of Golden Wind shows how skilled Araki is at getting people quickly invested in a character and story. She wrote, by giving readers a look at Giorno's past and insights into the person he is now, it emphasizes why he is compelling; "We're introduced to his dream and see him take his first steps toward it."[55] Richards wrote that Part 5's vivid and imaginative Stand fights continue JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's "wholly unique" style of art not seen in any other series. However, despite calling the supporting cast a memorable bunch, Richards felt they were underdeveloped as of the first volume, but noted they had potential.[54]