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One of the biggest mysteries inJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis, by far, the connection betweenSteel Ball Runand the universe created at the end ofStone Ocean. SinceSteel Ball Runimmediately followsStone Ocean, many people believe the new universe with Irene was the future ofSteel Ball Run’s reality, but there has never been explicit evidence, and it’s remained a point of contention among fans, even now.
Whether there’s a true connection betweenStone OceanandSteel Ball Runis unclear, but the anime might have finally solved the mystery.Steel Ball Runis officially getting an anime, and while there isn’t much to see beyond a basic announcement trailer,the first trailer forJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Runmight have indirectly answered whether theSteel Ball Rununiverse and Irene’s universe inStone Oceanare the same. There still isn’t anything concrete, of course, but even getting something like this after 20 years is plenty great to see.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Might Have Finally Answered Steel Ball Run’s Biggest Question
Has One Of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Biggest Mysteries Been Solved?
The initial teaser trailer forSteel Ball Runshows the universe being reset due to Made In Heaven accelerating time along with a counter for the years, and when it circles back to 1890, the key visual forSteel Ball Runis finally shown. That implies that theSteel Ball Rununiverse was created in direct response to Made In Heaven, and as such,the teaser trailer forJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Runall but confirms that theSteel Ball Rununiverse is the universe created at the end ofStone Oceanby connecting it to Made In Heaven.
Does Steel Ball Run Really Take Place In The Same Universe As Stone Ocean’s Finale?
Did JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Really Answer Its Biggest Question?
Having confirmation that theSteel Ball Rununiverse is the same universeStone Oceanends with would be great, but it’s more complicated than one might think. In defense of the argument, nothing that happens inSteel Ball Run,JoJolion, orThe JOJOLandsconflicts with the end ofStone Ocean, and since the Joestar family is much bigger in theSteel Ball Rununiverse, Irene could easily exist without being involved in any major story events.The way theSteel Ball Rununiverse is constructed doesn’t necessarily exclude a connection toStone Ocean, and that’s still true after 20 years.
There are some strong arguments against it, however. The way Made In Heaven’s time acceleration works is that when time loops back around, the universe is fundamentally the same, and even though Emporio killing Pucci changed the universe, it’s implied that Irene and the other lookalikes are still Jolyne and her friends, just in different forms. Add in howSteel Ball Runis presented as an alternate reality inJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heavenand other extended media, andthere’s just as much evidence disproving a connection betweenSteel Ball RunandStone Oceanas there is supporting it.
The biggest argument against it comes from whySteel Ball Runwas written in the first place. Series creator Hirohiko Araki was suffering from creative burnout withStone Ocean, soHirohiko Araki rebootedJoJo’s Bizarre AdventureafterStone Oceanto give himself a fresh start in a setting that wasn’t bogged down by everything that came before it.Insisting that theSteel Ball Rununiverse is the universe seen at the end ofStone Oceangoes against the very reasonSteel Ball Runwas created, so in that regard, it might not make sense for the theory to be true.
Why JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Multiverse Mystery Doesn’t Matter
Why JoJo Fans Are Overthinking How The Story Works
While many storylines inJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s original continuity do play into each other and benefit from long-term investment in the series, at the end of the day,each part ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureis generally written in a way that allows them to be enjoyed on their own and doesn’t have to be tied to previous parts to work.Steel Ball Run,being in its own continuity, is the perfect embodiment of that, and overall, there’s no real reason to try and change that simply to satisfy a particular headcanon.
More to the point is how greatSteel Ball Runis as a story.Steel Ball Runis still one ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s most popular installments, and if it could do that without being tied down by prior continuity, thenSteel Ball Run’s enduring popularity is proof that it doesn’t need to be tied toJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s original continuity to be a success. The theory about it being tied toStone Oceanis still nice to think about, but overall, it probably makes sense to acceptSteel Ball Runas a fresh start in every conceivable way.
