Hamon is an energy used in an ancient form of martial arts known as Sendo.
Through self-controlled respiration, a person trained in the Hamon technique can produce an energy identical to the energy of the sun, which manifests as ripples throughout their body. This energy can be used in a wide range of techniques, and is fatal to Vampires, Zombies and the Pillar Men.
Hamon is the main source of power for the heroes of Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency. It is also briefly featured in Stardust Crusaders.
Hamon is an energy identical to the Sun's rays. The human body can create this energy through controlled breathing, producing ripples of energy propagating from the bloodstream to the rest of the body and to other objects in contact with it. Hamon manifests itself as electricity-like sparks, and it can be seen by ordinary humans.
An object charged with Hamon energy will have one or several attributes enhanced by the energy, making it a more effective tool or weapon. Liquids such as water or oil conduct Hamon especially well, with the ripples becoming visible in the liquid. However, while all materials can conduct Hamon to some degree, only living organisms such as roses can retain Hamon energy. Joseph Joestar is shown to be able to channel Hamon through his Stand, Hermit Purple; it is unknown if other types of Stands can do the same.
Though anyone can technically produce small amounts of Hamon energy, Will Anthonio Zeppeli explains that only one in ten thousand has the ability to be a Hamon user in practice. Only a few people have the willpower and therefore the discipline to control their breathing, notably those who have lived through great tragedies and kept their fortitude. However, the ability to use Hamon is also a talent granted to people whose ancestors were Hamon users, and thus Joseph Joestar had a natural affinity for Hamon without being proficient in using it. By imbuing an object with the Ripple, a Ripple user can perform several techniques in combination with their own tactics, allowing for a wide variety of fighting styles. Because of its versatile nature, many warriors use different weapons, ranging from a scarf to soap bubbles to clackers and even wine.
The Spin is a supernatural phenomenon wielded by multiple key characters in Steel Ball Run and JoJolion.
It is a state of perfect or near-perfect rotation which produces a unique form of energy that can be applied for a multitude of uses. The Spin is a state of rotation defined by its closeness to perfection, that perfection being the Golden Rectangle, more specifically the Golden Spiral that is derived from the Rectangle, a mathematically endless spiral, and a feature said to be omnipresent in the surrounding nature and a fortiori in works of arts.
Unlike the average rotation, the Spin is persistent and produces more rotational energy than it takes to create. That rotational energy is transferred to nearby objects in the form of vibrations and can be wielded for a wide array of purposes.
The Spin is a specialty of the Kingdom of Naples. It is intensively used there either for medicine or for battle. All characters capable of performing advanced Spin techniques are either Neapolitan or have been taught by a Neapolitan.
A Stand is a physical manifestation of a person's "life energy".
A Stand is an entity psychically generated by its owner, referred to as a Stand user. It generally presents itself as an ethereal figure hovering over or near the user and possesses abilities beyond that of an ordinary human, which, depending on the Stand user, can be wielded for good or evil. Stands are defined as personifications of "life energy" whose abilities are given visual form. To an extent, a Stand embodies the individual's psyche, usually as the representation of their user's "fighting spirit". However, the will required to manifest a Stand doesn't need to be confrontational, deriving from any exploration of the mind's possibilities, be it mastery of a craft, strong desire or even personal crises. Beyond that definition, Stands present themselves in a large variety of forms and with different behaviors, if they are sentient at all. They follow a loose set of rules, with no definite standard by which one can fully classify them. As an embodiment of someone's psyche, Stands are therefore as varied as human minds can be.
Due to their diversity, Stands are not made equal. Some can be incredibly powerful due to their user's outstanding grit, others can be highly situational because of a defining quirk of character, or even detrimental to their user if they do not have the necessary fighting spirit. When Stands were first introduced in Stardust Crusaders, they were named after Major Arcana of the Tarot and then Ancient Egyptian deities, with their designs often featuring motifs of those cards or mythological figures. Towards the end of Stardust Crusaders and in all subsequent story arcs, Stand names are references to musicians, bands, albums, and songs from American, Australian, British, and European music scenes; only one Stand's name has ever referenced Japanese music.
Stands and other supernatural abilities, like the Ripple, the Spin and the powers given by the Stone Mask, are all somehow linked in nature. These abilities are said to be one of the potential stepping stones towards developing a Stand, which some Stands are an example of.
Stands are also connected to an alien virus contained in the rock of a meteorite that fell in Cape York, Greenland. It is explained that the virus can infect people and for the most part kills them, but the few who survive are granted a Stand ability.
AQUIRING A STAND
In most cases, Stand users are either born with the ability to use their Stands at an early age or with the potential to unlock one later in life. This Stand potential can notably be inherited, however without it a person can not achieve a Stand through natural means. For those born with it, the trigger for unlocking one's Stand varies with the user but is generally derived through the refinement of their talents or skills throughout their life. As such, a Stand's awakening and abilities are often tied to the users' occupation. Notable users who acquired a Stand through natural means include Noriaki Kakyoin, Muhammad Avdol, Tonio Trussardi, and Kenzou. In case of animal Stand users, like Iggy or Bug-Eaten, it's left ambiguous whether their heightened intelligence is the result or a prerequisite of awakening a Stand.
Stands are also noted to awaken through the mere presence of powerful Stand users in the general area, however the most widespread way to trigger one immediately is to be pierced by a special Arrow made from a meteor from outer space. If a person has the potential, they will survive being stabbed and acquire a Stand. Otherwise, the person will die. Notable people who unlock their Stand this way include DIO, Koichi Hirose, Diavolo, Enrico Pucci, and Jolyne Cujoh.
Moreover, if someone acquires a Stand this way, their existing descendants will also gain a Stand, although it may not manifest itself at first or be uncontrollable. In one such case, Jonathan Joestar's body was pierced by the Arrow, causing every living member of the Joestar Family to awaken their own Stands. The way siblings acquire Stands is portrayed inconsistently: although Koichi Hirose awakened a Stand, his sister Ayana Hirose did not; however, the twins Enrico and Wes both awakened a Stand when Enrico was pierced.
In the new continuity of Steel Ball Run and JoJolion, the Arrows remain unseen. Stands can still be developed naturally, like Pocoloco's, and their potential can still be inherited, as shown with the Joestar and Higashikata families. Outside of these means, Stands are usually brought out by certain supernatural landmarks.
Enduring through the harsh conditions of the Devil's Palm, a shifting landmass in North America, or living long enough near the Wall Eyes of Morioh can draw out one's Stand. Notable Devil's Palm survivors include Mountain Tim, Oyecomova and Ringo Roadagain, while many Morioh residents, like Ojiro Sasame, Daiya Higashikata and seemingly most Rock Humans, unlocked their Stands through the mere exposure to future Wall Eyes emergence sites.
Both the Devil's Palm and the Wall Eyes are either directly stated or hinted to have come from the power of the Saint's Corpse, a set of mummified relics with miraculous properties. Among them is the ability of individual Corpse Parts, usually housed within a Devil's Palm, to grant Stands to worthy bearers that the Corpse chooses to fuse with. Because the user's capacity to wield these Stands is initially tied to the Corpse's own holy power, they can be lost if the Corpse Part is extracted. However, as the user acclimates and develops their technique, the Stand can eventually become fully theirs to keep, like in the case of Johnny Joestar's evolving Tusk.
Uniquely, the Saint's Corpse can also grant Stands to the surrounding flora, creating cursed locales like Sugar Mountain Spring or Shakedown Road, and also manifest entirely separate Stand-like entities dubbed "guardians" for its own mysterious purposes. A Stand of a Corpse Part bearer might initially be one of these guardians, as was the case with Tusk.
SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS
Stand users share a number of spiritual connections with each other, which manifest in several supernatural phenomena.
Firstly, Stand users attract other Stand users. Likened by different characters to either a "red string of fate" or "gravity", this link ensures that Stand users will eventually meet one another, especially if they live in the same general area. This rule was most prevalent in Diamond is Unbreakable and Vento Aureo, where many fateful meetings, such as Koichi Hirose immediately bumping into Giorno Giovanna when tasked to find him, had this phenomenon as their undercurrent explanation.
Secondly, if Stand users happen to be related to each other, they will share a strong psychic bond. It's most prominently exhibited as an ability to sense the presence of Stand using relatives. Even without having met each other in person, people sharing this link will be able to roughly tell how far away they are from each other, although they usually can't discern the exact direction the sensation is coming from. They can also tell if their family members are alive regardless of distance. These nuances were, for example, used in the battle with DIO, when the retreating Joseph Joestar "masked" the presence of Jotaro Kujo closing in on DIO from the back, and were also the main reason for why the Boss of Passione considered killing his estranged daughter Trish Una essential to maintaining complete anonymity.
If the familial ties between Stand users are especially strong, such as the bond between twins or loving parents and children, the people in question will sometimes share injuries or even supernatural changes to their body. This was showcased with Enya Geil manifesting her son's stab wounds after his death, and Jotaro subconsciously sending a message to Jolyne Cujoh via Star Platinum carving her name in his skin.
In the new continuity, only the rule of Stand user attraction is shown to be in effect.
STAND TYPES
Stands present themselves in a wide variety of forms. Some adopt a humanoid form, others, the appearance of an object or a tool. These Stands all share an inability to be viewed by ordinary humans, unless bound to physical objects. In addition, some Stands can simply be devoid of appearance, simply manifesting themselves as a special power.
Stands can be divided into 5 trends based on their physical appearance. The first four are categorized using the following descriptors: Natural, Artificial, Humanoid and Non-Humanoid . A fifth category, referred to as Phenomenon or Other exists to encompass all Stands that do not fit into any of the previous trends.
Natural Humanoid
Stands in this category have physical characteristics similar to human beings, most often their users. Obvious identifiable features include arms and legs, but the category distinctly specifies appendages that are reminiscent of the human muscular system as well as having working eyes and mouth. Stands that apply to this category include Star Platinum, Magician's Red, Hanged Man, The World, Crazy Diamond, Heaven's Door, Killer Queen, Gold Experience, Sticky Fingers, Purple Haze, Baby Face, Spice Girl, and Chariot Requiem.
Artificial Humanoid
While also having humanoid-like bodies, Stands in this category feature artificial or mechanical nuances that separate them from natural humanoids. This includes having completely non-humanoid facial features, tubing or mechanical joints. Appearances that resemble robots, cyborgs or androids are applicable here. Examples of Artificial Humanoids include Hierophant Green, Silver Chariot, Ebony Devil, Death Thirteen, Osiris, Cream, The Hand, Bad Company, Cinderella, Echoes, Black Sabbath, Moody Blues, White Album, and Green Day.
Natural Non-Humanoid
This category features Stands that, while not human-like, are reminiscent of other life forms or objects in nature. This includes basic organisms such as animals and plants, but also more unorthodox concepts such as fog. Stands that may be described as "monster-like" are often applicable here. Stands in this category include Hermit Purple, Tower of Gray, Yellow Temperance, Lovers, Justice, Sun, Horus, Stray Cat, Sex Pistols, The Grateful Dead, Notorious B.I.G, Metallica, and Rolling Stones.
Artificial Non-Humanoid
Stands comparable to instruments or mechanical objects are placed in this category. This includes vehicles, weapons, and machines. Stands in this category include Strength, Emperor, Wheel of Fortune, The Fool, Ratt, Aerosmith, and Beach Boy.
Phenomenon
Stands in this category typically either don't have clear appearances or are integrated into their user's appearance. This includes Stands such as Tohth, Khnum, Tenore Sax, Love Deluxe, Achtung Baby, and Atom Heart Father.
STAND STATISTICS
Stand Statistics are six statistics used outside of the story to gauge a Stand's capabilities. Some parameters refer to specific abilities of the Stand, such as in the case of Moody Blues and Whitesnake. They are, clockwise from top: Destructive Power, Speed, Range, Stamina, Precision, and Developmental Potential.
Destructive Power
Measures the Stand's strength and ability to cause destruction (physical injury or collateral environmental damage) in a given period of time. Close-Range Stands such as Star Platinum, The World, Crazy Diamond, Killer Queen, Gold Experience and Stone Free will typically boast high destructive power (Rank C or higher). There are also cases like C-MOON, where destructive power is low or not applicable, despite having fairly destructive abilities.
Speed
Measures the Stand's agility and reflexes as well as performance speed. This is also typically evaluated fairly high for Close-range Stands. Sometimes it can be strengthened through training, such as with Stands like Silver Chariot.
Range
Measures a compromise of the Stand's range of manifestation, range of ability influence, and spatial mobility. In most cases, it is inversely proportional to destructive power. However, there are cases where both power and range are excellent, such as Red Hot Chili Pepper, Weather Report, and Planet Waves although this is usually offset by having a low precision, or in the case of Red Hot Chili Pepper, requiring electricity to work. In addition, a Stand's range may decrease due to evolution, such as with Echoes and Made in Heaven.
Stamina
Measures the duration of time that the Stand can actively maintain its ability. It can also be used in the sense of the time it takes before a special ability can be activated again, such as Star Platinum: The World's time stop.
Precision
Measures the Stand's accuracy and range of influence/effect of their abilities to specified targets. Automatic-type Stands are generally evaluated with Rank D or under with a few exceptions.
Development Potential
Measures the Stand's possible functions, utilization of its abilities and powers, and capacity to improve its overall capabilities. It decreases in rank as the user masters their Stand. For example, Jotaro Kujo's Star Platinum is Rank A in Developmental Potential during Stardust Crusaders, but is given a Complete rank during Stone Ocean, as Jotaro has had many years to hone Star Platinum's power. For a Stand to gain an E-Ranking, it means that either their Stand user discovered all of their Stand's abilities or the Stand came with few abilities and thus cannot grow any more than it has. Stands such as Green Day and Notorious B.I.G, with infinitely increasing abilities, will be evaluated highly in this parameter.
Each statistic is ranked from A to E; though rankings of None and Infinite are also possible. If a rank is Unknown, it will show a question mark; this is usually because the Stand or its full capabilities have not yet been or will not be revealed in the storyline.
NAMING CONVENTION
The Stands of the protagonists in Parts 3-6 follow a naming convention based on minerals: platinum, diamond, gold, and stone (Star Platinum, Crazy Diamond, Gold Experience, and Stone Free respectively). The names of these Stands also refer to their own representative sub-titles of the parts that they appear in (e.g. Star Platinum, Stand of Jotaro Kujo from Stardust Crusaders).
In Stardust Crusaders, most of the first Stands introduced are named after the Major Arcana of the Tarot (early on, also modified by a color or metal name). Rider-Waite-Smith numbering is also used (the Justice card visual manifestation features the number eleven and Death Thirteen includes the tarot number in its name). Later on, the remaining Stands excluding The World, Cream, and Tenore Sax are named after Egyptian deities.
In JoJolion, the Stands in the Higashikata Family all have "King" in their names (Paper Moon King, Nut King Call, King Nothing, California King Bed, Speed King, Walking Heart, Awaking III Leaves, and Space Trucking). While Josuke Higashikata, adopted into the family, does not fall into this pattern, one of his components' Stands is named Killer Queen, whose name bearing Queen is a counterpart to the Higashikatas' Kings.
Like characters named after musical acts, the names of Stands named after musicians, albums or the such have historically been the subject of renaming in English localization of JoJo material, so as to avoid trademark infringement (e.g. Enigma being changed to Misterioso, Black Sabbath to Shadow Sabbath, and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap to Filthy Acts, at a Reasonable Price).
Personal Favourite Stands: