Jojo’s Bizarre Adventureis a wild series that’s always trying new things, but one thing that fans might not’ve expected the series to dabble in was the multiverse. However, not only hasJojolong ago confirmed a multiverse, but new information indicates a major connection between the universes of parts 1-6 and the universes of parts 7-9.
MostJojofans are aware that the story is told across two main timelines at this point: the original timeline, which covers parts 1-6, and theSteel Ball Runtimeline, which covers parts 7, 8, and 9. While many characters in theSteel Ball Runtimeline echo characters from the original, they were all slightly different, until Rohan showed up.
Rohan Kishibe is the Man Who Transcends Universes
Rohan’s Appearance in Part 9 Shocked Fans
In part 9 ofJojo’s Bizarre Adventure, known asThe Jojolands, protagonist Jodio and his allies launch a heist against the owner of a fancy villa in Hawaii, who is said to be a Japanese man.This man turns out to be Rohan Kishibe, a mangaka with Stand abilities who first appeared inDiamond is Unbreakableand became a fan favorite.
However, this cameo, no matter how exciting, raised questions. While alternate versions of familiar characters, like Johnny Joestar being a parallel to Jonathan, had been seen in theSteel Ball Rununiverse many times, this was the first time that a character had appeared again with seemingly no changes at all.
In a recent Q&A with series creator Hirohiko Araki, he confirmed that this iteration of Rohan was an “alternate reality counterpart” to the Rohan seen in part 4. While that helps somewhat, it doesn’t explain why Rohan appears to have the same skills, the same Stand, and even, seemingly, the same memories as his counterpart.
Jojo’s Multiverse is Well-Established
Jojo First Built Up Its Multiversal Concept in Part 7
The reason whyJojotakes place in two universes is that the original universe’s timeline came to an end in part 6. Time was accelerated by the villain’s ability until the universe reached the end of its life, before starting over in a new, nearly identical universe, where the Joestars no longer had to battle against Dio.
Interestingly, at the end of part 6, Rohan Kishibe is referenced, stating that he is one of the only people seemingly unaffected by time speeding up. While it’s thrown out as a joke about making deadlines, it does suggest there was something special going on with Rohan during the collapse of the original universe.
In part 7, it was established that there are actually a great many universes that coexist alongside theSteel Ball Rununiverse.
In part 7, it was established that there are actually a great many universes that coexist alongside theSteel Ball Rununiverse. This is shown via the villain’s powers, who has the ability to switch places with alternate versions of himself, and eventually even bring alternate universe counterparts into his own universe.
With a wide multiverse established, it’s interesting to consider if there’s some way that Rohan’s personality and memories may have been transmitted across from one universe to another, or if it’s really just that Rohan’s life and personality have been so similar in both universes as to create essentially the same character.
Rohan Kishibe’s Presence in The Jojolands is a Rule-Breaker
Rohan’s Appearance Opens the Door for Other Jojo Heroes
Ultimately, though, that all still leaves fans with the question, “What’s so special about Rohan?” Why is he the only unchanged person across the multiverse?Rohan’s appearance inThe Jojolandshas him breaking the rules established by almost every other character who has been shown to have a counterpart.
It’s also interesting to note that part 8,Jojolion, was set entirely in Rohan’s hometown of Morioh, but he never appeared in that story even once. Is it possible that Rohan knows of Josuke and other characters from part 8, and could call them in for an appearance in part 9? Well, it certainly can’t be ruled out.
More interesting is the possibility that Rohan is merely the first returning character from the original universe, and that more might be on the way in later chapters of part 9. While such a move would have to be done very carefully, as Rohan’s appearance was, it could mean that fan-favorite characters from parts 1-6 could also return.
That would, however, mean that it could only apply to characters who never had existing counterparts introduced, which would exclude most of theJojoprotagonists. Since this universe doesn’t have a Dio, there can’t be a Giorno, for example. Ally characters, however, could still appear, like Koichi or Kakyoin.
Does Rohan’s Multiversal Existence Mean Much for the Manga?
Will Rohan’s Mysteries Ever Be Properly Resolved?
Rohan’s role inThe Jojolandsis very likely not over, considering he was in possession of the Lava Rock that kicked off the real plot of the series. Rohan will no doubt return to explain how he came into possession of such a thing, and may even become an ally to Jodio in the later stages of the story.
However, the question of Rohan’s mysterious universe-transcending character is one that may not be addressed. Unless something drastic changes, the concept of the multiverse is quite divorced from the premise ofThe Jojolands, so explaining the nitty-gritty of something like that would be extraneous information that could drive fans away.
The question of Rohan’s mysterious universe-transcending character is one that may not be addressed.
Still, there were many fans who were glad to see Rohan Kishibe make his return, even if it’s technically a different version of the character than the one fans knew and loved in part 4. No doubt there are plenty of other returning characters fans would like to see again, be they in a modified form or a straight copy like Rohan.
At any rate, Rohan Kishibe certainly holds a very special position in theJojo’s Bizarre Adventuremultiverse as a result of his reveal in part 9, and hopefully, it’s a sign that Rohan’s days in the spotlight are far from over. If there’s one thing that fans can be sure of about Rohan Kishibe, it’s that the man always has a mystery, and this one may last a long time.
