List of References in JoJo


 *  See also: List of cultural references and inspirations from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Within JoJo's Bizarre Adventure there exists a great number of overt references to existing art and media, as well as echoes of Hirohiko Araki's artistic influences. This article represents a provisional list of these.

Note: References listed on this page without citations have not been confirmed.

Music

 * Dio's name partially comes from the heavy metal singer, founder of the band "."
 * Danny's name is a reference to by musical duo
 * Erina Pendleton's name is possibly based on a mispronunciation of
 * The name of the 8th chapter is a possible reference to the song "Ogre Battle."
 * Robert E. O. Speedwagon's name comes from the rock band.
 * Wang Chan's name is inspired by the 80s Pop group.
 * The Zeppeli surname is named after the English rock band.
 * Poco's name likely comes from the Californian Country Rock band.
 * Tarkus is named after the album, by.
 * Bruford is named after musician, formerly the drummer of and.
 * Tonpetty is named after American musician.
 * Dire and Straizo are named after the British Rock band.
 * Doobie's name is a reference to the.
 * Page, Jones, Plant and Bornnam are named after, , , and , the four members of Led Zeppelin.
 * The farmer testifying about the presence of Jonathan and party (though he does not know their name) is named Jeff Beck, after the.
 * Father Styx is named after the American rock band.

People

 * Dio's surname is possibly named after the actor.
 * Will Anthonio Zeppeli's first name is possibly a reference to the English novelist, who Zeppeli himself quoted in his dying moments.
 * The university where Jonathan and Dio studied is named Hugh Hudson Academy. This is likely named after, a British film director, known by the masterpiece movie Chariots of Fire.
 * The concept designs of Jonathan and Dio came from and, whose films were popular at the time.

Film



 * In, Dio is unsure of Jonathan's survival and seen drinking on the street. The label on the bottle reads both "Cronenberg," a reference to the Canadian director, , as well as "," a movie adaptation Cronenberg had directed.

Manga/Anime

 * Jonathan is vaguely influenced by from.

Literature

 * The interactions between George Joestar I and Dario Brando parallel that of various interactions in Victor Hugo's novel . George mistakes Dario, who was trying to loot him, as his savior, just as Marius' father mistakes Thenadiers as his savior. George also claims that he gave Dario the ring that Dario himself stole, similar to how the bishop Myriel claims that he had given Jean Valjean the silverware.
 * The premise of Part I parallels Bram Stoker's novel, in that both take place in the closing years of the 19th Century and involve a young adult protagonist named Jonathan interacting with and defeating a charismatic vampire.

Other

 * The name Jonathan came from a local restaurant called Jonathan's that Araki used to frequent.

Music

 * Smokey Brown is named after musicians and.
 * Donovan is named after the of the same name.
 * The four Pillar Men are named after the bands, , and.
 * Lisa Lisa is named after Lisa Lisa from the band.
 * Air Supplena Island is a reference to the band.
 * Loggins and Messina are named after the musicians and.
 * Suzi Q is named after musician and/or the song "" by  (and famously covered by  ).
 * The Red Stone of Aja is named after Aja, the and  by the group .
 * The line by Joseph Joestar to Caesar Zeppeli, "Nice, nice, very nice, Caesarino", is a reference to the song Nice, Nice, Very Nice by Californian band and the British Alan Parsons, "Nice, Nice, Very Nice".
 * Wired Beck is inspired by musician and his album Wired.
 * In the final chapter, Joseph listens to a cassette tape by on his walkman.
 * The song used for the first ending of the anime is "" by British progressive rock band.

People

 * Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli is named after the Roman emperor.
 * Rudol von Stroheim is likely named after Austrian-born actor.

Film

 * The cave in which Santana is discovered resembles the interior of the derelict spacecraft on LV-426 from the movie.


 * Joseph is shown reading a comic when he and Speedwagon are attacked by a group of hijackers.

Manga/Anime

 * In the anime version of the hijacking scene, Joseph is reading a Baoh: The Visitor manga instead of a Superman comic, presumably to avoid legal issues with DC Comics. However, the scene still references Superman in a more subtle way, as the Baoh comic's cover is based on that of Superman #1.

Western Animation

 * The minor character Bruto appears to be a direct expy of the character Bluto from the series Popeye.

Music

 * Jotaro's absent father, Sadao Kujo, might be named after Japanese jazz musician
 * Muhammad Avdol is named after American singer.
 * Avdol's Stand Magician's Red has an attack called Crossfire Hurricane which comes from the opening line of the Rolling Stones' song "".
 * In the manga, just before Jotaro arrives home with an unconscious Kakyoin, Holy can be seen singing to herself.
 * Alternatively, in the anime, Holy instead sings Aoi Sangoshu by Japanese singer
 * DIO's base of operation being Egypt may be a reference to the song "Egypt (The Chains Are On)" by Ronnie James Dio.
 * Gray Fly is named after musician.
 * Jean Pierre Polnareff is named after French musician.
 * His sister is named after one of Michel Polnareff's songs "Tout, Tout Pour Ma Chérie".
 * Captain Tennille is named after the 1970 musical duo.
 * In the localized version Captain Tennille is called Captain Dragon, after the Captain & Tennille member.
 * The Imposter's Stand, Dark Blue Moon's name may have been inspired by the song by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.
 * Jotaro's favorite musician is
 * Forever is named after the album, by the.
 * Kakyoin's favorite musician is.
 * Devo the Cursed is named after the American band.
 * In the localized version Devo is called Soul Sacrifice, after the.
 * When Joseph tries to use Hermit Purple on a television in order to detect DIO from Singapore, his Stand shows him random TV programs. One of these shows the cover of Tom Petty's debut solo album, , and another shows an advert from MTV's prime in the 1980s. The Tom Petty reference was changed to the performance of an artist who's name is "Putty" in the anime.
 * Rubber Soul is named after the Beatles album.
 * In the Part 3 drama CD the Old Man's stand is called Strange Relation after the song.
 * Hol Horse is named after the American music duo.
 * J. Geil is named after.
 * In the localized version J. Geil is called Centerfold, after the J. Geils Band.
 * Nena is named after the New Wave German singer.
 * ZZ is named after the American Rock band.
 * Enya the Hag is named after the Irish singer.
 * Steely Dan is named after American Rock band.
 * In the original localized version Steely Dan was called Rubber Soul, after.
 * Steely Dan makes a pose similar to the cover of the album.
 * Arabia Fats is named after musician.
 * Mannish Boy is named after ' song.
 * The chickens Avdol cares for on the secluded island (Prince, Michael, and Lionel) are likely named after the musicians, and.
 * Cameo is named after the 70s funk and R&B group.
 * The submarine from the 66th Chapter of Part 3 may be a reference to the Beatles song.
 * Midler is named after singer/actress.
 * In the localized version Midler is called Rose, after the Bette Midler song.
 * The song used for the first ending of the anime's second season is "Walk Like An Egyptian" sung by the US Pop group.
 * Iggy is named after .
 * N'Doul is named after Senegalese musician.
 * In the light novel The Genesis of Universe, the Stand Dark Mirage is a reference to the song by.
 * ​​​​​​Oingo and Boingo are named after the band.
 * In the localized version Oingo and Boingo are called Zenyatta and Mondatta, after.
 * Anubis' first user,, is named after the Santana album.
 * Anubis' other users, Chaka and Khan, are named after British-American singer.
 * Mariah is named after US singer.
 * Alessi is named after the American duo.
 * The D'Arby brothers are a reference to American singer.
 * Daniel J. D'Arby's victims Garie Moor and Christian Vander are named after Irish singer and French musician, respectively.
 * Pet Shop is named after the.
 * Kenny G. is named after Jazz artist.
 * Kenny G.'s Stand, Tenore Sax, is named after one of the types of saxophones used by the real-life Kenny G., the tenor saxophone.
 * In the localized version Kenny G. is called Billie Jean, after the  song.
 * Vanilla Ice is named after the of the same name.
 * Vanilla Ice's localized name, Cool Ice, is a reference to the film and song by Vanilla Ice.
 * Cream is a reference to Ginger Baker's blues band.
 * Suzi Q's Bulter, Roses could be a reference to the band.
 * The World's name, power, and the stair scene with Polnareff are a possible reference to the song "Stargazer" by Ronnie James Dio (DIO's namesake), verse 3:
 * "All eyes see the figure of the wizard" "As he climbs to the top of the world" "No sound, as he falls instead of rising" "Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand"
 * The World's design may have been inspired by the band mascot of, ; the demonic figure on many of the album covers of Dio albums.
 * Senator Wilson Phillips is named after the of the same name.
 * Jotaro quizzes Joseph to make sure he isn't possessed by DIO by asking him who sang the song "" to which he responds "".
 * In the last chapter Joseph listens to " " from The Beatles; this is a wink to the audience as many people think the name "JoJo" is a reference to this song as it's about a man named Jojo.
 * In the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Capcom fighting game, Kakyoin's ending theme uses a score similar to the opening chords of Led Zeppelin's " ."
 * In Escape From JoJo's Bizarre Mansion the character Dija Maker is named after the song.
 * His stand is called House of Holy, after the Led Zeppelin album.
 * The song used for the second ending of the anime's second season is  an instrumental song by the.

People

 * Araki mentions that some of the inspiration for Jotaro's character comes from Hollywood actor,.
 * In the anime when Joseph uses Hermit Purple in Singapore one of the images seen is of a show called "The Vision". This is a reference to "The View" which is a show presented by.
 * At some point in the High Priestess (story arc), the crew attempts to take advantage of Midler's infatuation with Jotaro by complimenting her. Kakyoin suggests that she sounds like film icon,.

Film

 * During Joseph's usage of Hermit Purple on the TV, one of the random programs shows in his famous film, where he played Don Vito Corleone.
 * When Polnareff hits Devo in his hotel room, Devo falls off the balcony; he is nowhere to be found when Polnareff checks for his body.  This is a possible shout-out to the ending of John Carpenter's .
 * Ebony Devil's possession of a doll is similar to horror film.
 * Yellow Temperance is likely a reference to.
 * Strength was possibly inspired by the tale of, while its user was modeled after , a character from a 1986 movie of the same name.
 * When Polnareff is turned into a kid by Alessi's Stand and locks himself behind a wooden door, Alessi tears this door down by using his axe. He then puts his head into the now broken door, saying "Polnareff, I'm here." The scene closely resembles the famous setting of Stanley Kubrik's.
 * The first half of the Wheel of Fortune part is possibly a reference to Steven Spielberg's first movie,.
 * Lovers' appearance is that of the robot from, crossed with a tick or a fly.
 * The events involving Lovers is based on the sci-fi film .
 * N'Doul is based off Kan Shimozawa's, a long running Japanese film series centered around a blind blademaster of the same name.
 * While Iggy is fighting Pet Shop in the sewer Iggy uses The Fool to create a wound across the front of Pet Shop's torso. Pet Shop touches the wound with his wing and lick the blood off it, similar to a famous scene in the movie.

Manga/Anime

 * When Joseph tries to use Hermit Purple on a television in order to detect DIO from Singapore, his Stand shows him random TV programs. One of the shows that appears is.
 * Dio's Road Roller move was inspired an identical move used by in the first episode of the Kinnikuman anime.

Other

 * When Polnareff asks to become a famous comicbook author, several characters from Western comic books can be seen in the background. One of them is notably Colonel Clifton from the Franco-Belgian comics.
 * In the Viz Media localization (from 2012 onward), Steely Dan is called Dan of Steel, a play on the band's name while also being a reference to DC Comic's Man of Steel,.
 * Judgement's design was influenced by 's and Kikaider. Its ability is based off the story of.
 * When DIO forces Senator Wilson Phillips to drive through the crowd, Waldo from the children's book series can be seen flying through the air.

Music

 * Josuke's Stand Crazy Diamond named after the song.
 * Josuke's design is based on the musician . His favorite musician is also Prince.
 * The "1999" insignia on Josuke's shirt is also a reference to, specifically the song , which likely inspired the year in which Diamond is Unbreakable takes place.
 * Anjuro Katagiri's nickname "Angelo" is the namesake to the American composer.
 * His Stand, Aqua Necklace, might be a reference to Progressive Rock band album, "Aqua."
 * Okuyasu's Stand The Hand is a reference to Canadian Rock band.
 * Keicho's Bad Company is named after Rock supergroup.
 * Akira Otoishi's Stand is named after American Rock band.
 * Koichi owns a dog named Police, a reference to.
 * Tamami Kobayashi's The Lock is likely a reference to the, a song by.
 * Koichi's Stand Echoes is named after 's song
 * The fact that the stand Echoes has three acts is a reference to how the song Echoes has three acts.
 * Toshikazu Hazamada's Surface is a reference to R&B trio.
 * Yukako Yamagishi's Stand Love Deluxe is named after the of the same name by the British R&B group Sade.
 * During the Let's Go Out for Italian arc, Okuyasu compares the harmony between mozzarella and tomato to a duet.
 * Trussardi's Stand is named after Grunge band.
 * Akira Otoishi was modeled after young, a Japanese rock musician and award-winning writer, considering their similar wavy hair and scar on the left side of the face
 * The pins on Akira's wrists read, a reference to the band of the same name.
 * Akira is a fan of, , and.
 * The boat Joseph came to Morioh on is possibly named after the band.
 * Shizuka Joestar's Stand Achtung Baby is a reference to the of the same name by Irish band U2.
 * Rohan's Heaven's Door is named after Bob Dylan's song.
 * The title of Rohan's manga, Pink Dark Boy, may be a reference to Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon.
 * The Stand Ratt is named after Heavy Metal band.
 * Reimi Sugimoto's name may be a reference to the song.
 * The name of Reimi's dog Arnold may also be a reference to another  song,.
 * Shigekiyo's last name is based off the last name of the musician,.
 * Shigekiyo's Harvest is named after Neil Young's song and album.
 * Aya Tsuji's Cinderella is named after Heavy Metal band.
 * Yoshikage Kira's Stand Killer Queen and his evolution powers (Sheer Heart Attack and Another One Bites the Dust) are named for songs of British rock band Queen.
 * Kira's appearance is based on that of.
 * Yoshihiro Kira's Stand Atom Heart Father is named after the song and album.
 * Ken Oyanagi's Stand is a reference of the Hip-Hop group.
 * Mikitaka's Stand is a reference to the R&B group.
 * Yuya Fungami's Highway Star is a reference to the  of the same name.
 * Yuya's tie bears the words Speed King, possibly a reference to the Deep Purple song of the same name.
 * Tama's Stand is named after Rockabilly band "Stray Cats."
 * Toyohiro Kanedaichi's Super Fly is a reference to song "Superfly."
 * Terunosuke Miyamoto's Enigma is named after New Age band "Enigma."
 * In the localised version Enigma is called Misterioso, after the  .
 * Masazo Kinoto's Cheap Trick is a reference to American Rock band " ."
 * In The Book: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 4th Another Day Takuma Hasumi's stand is called The Book after the band.
 * Also in The Book: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 4th Another Day, the stand of Teruhiko Futaba is called Memory of Jet, after the song by.
 * The song used for the ending of the anime's third season is "" by Australian pop duo.

People

 * Tonio Trussardi is named after Italian fashion designer Nicola Trussardi.
 * Rohan Kishibe may be named after.
 * In the Sheer Heart Attack (story arc), Josuke is seen reading a book with the name on the cover.

Film

 * In the English dub Okuyasu says "So go ahead punk, make my day" during his fight with Josuke. This is a reference to the Clint Eastwood film.
 * In the Italian food arc, Okuyasu drinks some water that heals his tiredness by releasing large amounts of tears from his eyes. He underplays this by claiming that he had presumably cried a lot more when watching the 1979 film,.
 * In Episode 24 of the TV Anime, in the final shot where Kira escapes, an advertisement for can be seen on the cinema marquee.
 * The story outline of Diamond is Unbreakable takes inspiration from the David Lynch television series . Both series are supernatural thrillers that are set around the search for a psychopath that has caused the death of a teenager girl in a small town with odd characters. The characters of Jotaro, Reimi Sugimoto and Yoshikage Kira play similar roles to that of Dale Cooper, Laura Palmer and Killer Bob (With both Bob and Kira hiding in the guise of another person).
 * The fight between Josuke and Highway Star parallels the film "" starring Keanu Reeves.
 * In episode 33 of the TV anime, an 80s Corolla namely the AE86 briefly appears, making a reference to which stars Takumi's AE86.

Manga/Anime

 * Josuke is initially introduced being bullied by some upperclassmen. One of the bullies insults his hair by claiming it looks like . In his rage, Josuke mishears it as.
 * After turning into Josuke, Surface asks him if he was familiar with the copy robot from, a parody series by Doraemon author,.
 * In the Italian food arc, Okuyasu compares the harmony between mozzarella and tomato to and 's work on.
 * When asking Okuyasu his name during the Red Hot Chili Pepper arc, Joseph mishears it as.

Literature

 * The whole story for Tama/Stray Cat is an homage to the popular 1983 horror novel  by.

Other

 * Reimi's and Arnold's murders are based on a.

Music

 * Giorno's name is a reference to the Italian musician "".
 * Giorno's Gold Experience is named after Prince's album "".
 * Giorno's favorite musician is Jeff Beck.
 * Luca's name is possibly a reference to the sung by.
 * Sticky Fingers is named after The Rolling Stones' album of the same name.
 * The album "Sticky Fingers" was particularly known for having a functional zipper in the sleeve for its vinyl release. Sticky Fingers the Stand creating zippers is a reference to this.
 * Bucciarati licking Giorno's face is a possible reference to the Rolling Stones logo featuring a tongue.
 * Bucciarati's favorite music is  Agharta  and  Bitches Brew  by.
 * Polpo's Stand Black Sabbath is named after the English heavy metal band,.
 * Polpo biting off his fingers may be a reference to the Black Sabbath guitarist,, losing the tips of his middle and ring finger as a teenager.
 * Abbacchio's Stand name is a direct reference to the British rock band.
 * Abbacchio's favorite musician is .
 * Zucchero's Stand is named after British rock band "."
 * Zucchero's name is a reference to the Italian musician.
 * Mista's Stand is a reference to the British punk band "".
 * Mista's favorite musician is.
 * Sale's Kraft Work is named after the German electronic band,.
 * The name Pericolo refers to Il Pericolo Numero Uno by.
 * Pericolo may also be a reference to .
 * Formaggio's Little Feet is a reference to the American rock band "".
 * A pose pulled off by Little Feet and Aerosmith is a reference to the album cover of Little Feat's
 * Narancia Ghirga's Stand is named after the legendary group.
 * Narancia's favorite musicians are  and.
 * Illuso's Man in the Mirror is a homage to the Michael Jackson's.
 * In the localized version of Golden Wind, Man In The Mirror is instead called Mirror Man, a reference to the song by
 * Fugo's Purple Haze is a reference to the, performed by.
 * Coco Jumbo and its Stand's name are references both to the Eurodance group, and their song.
 * Pesci's Stand is named after American Rock band "".
 * Prosciutto's Stand is a reference to Jam band "".
 * Melone's Baby Face is named after R&B artist ' nickname.
 * Ghiaccio's White Album is named after the Beatles' album "The Beatles", nicknamed "" by the fans.
 * White Album's special skill is named after the Beatles song "".
 * The song used as the first ending of the anime's fourth season is by American A&B group.
 * Diavolo/Vinegar Doppio's Stand King Crimson is named after the rock band ; whilst the ability Epitaph is named after their song.
 * Squalo's Stand is named after British punk group "".
 * Tiziano's Talking Head is a reference to the "", a new wave American group.
 * Some music references can be found in the Part 5 novel Golden Heart, Golden Ring. The Stands of Coniglio, Sogliola Lopez and Rigatoni are named after three Post-Punk/New Wave bands:, and , respectively.
 * Carne's Stand is a reference to American Rapper
 * Trish's Stand Spice Girl is named after the British pop group, as well her battlecry is a reference to the song "" performed by the same group.
 * Risotto's Metallica is a homage to with the ability being inspired by the album cover of the Metallica album.
 * Cioccolata's Green Day shares its name with the American Punk group "."
 * Secco's Stand Oasis is named after alternative British Rock band "."
 * The pose done by Giorno on the cover of Volume 62 is a reference to the album cover of Ronnie James Dio's.
 * The Requiem Arrow and the Stands created from it are a reference to the requiem mass composed by, , and ,.
 * Scolippi's Stand is named after the British Rock band "".
 * In the novel Purple Haze Feedback, Sheila E is named after the American singer of the.
 * In Purple Haze Feedback, the stands of Sheila E, Cannolo Murolo, Vittorio Cataldi, Angelica Attanasio, Vladimir Kocaqi, and Massimo Volpe are named after six Jimi Hendrix songs:, , , , , and , respectively.

Manga/Anime

 * When Team Bucciarati enter Coco Jumbo, they turn the T.V. on and there is a football soccer game on the screen which shows from .

Film

 * Luca is also a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel, as well as its 1972 film adaptation.
 * In the anime, Fugo uses his wit to outdo a waiter's threats on putting him in jail by mentioning a 1987 court case between "Argento v. De Sica". Said court case is fictional and the names used are references to film directors Dario Argento (Suspiria) and Vittorio de Sica (Bicycle Thieves)
 * Squalo /Clash 's theme in the anime seems to be inspired by the theme.
 * The idea of Diavolo and Vinegar Doppio is very similar to the idea of and Verbal Kint from the Brian Singer movie

Other

 * When Chariot Requiem has the arrow, Polnareff describes how Diavolo has a split personality. He mentions as an example of someone who had ten different personalities.
 * Narancia's backstory is nearly identical to that of the character Tom Hagen in Mario Puzo's novel .
 * During the fight with Ghiaccio, the pose that Giorno holds Mista at the end of the fight is a reference to Michelangelo's in St Peter's Basilica, on Vatican City

Music

 * The location of Stone Ocean's setting is set in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where interestingly, real-life former rapper currently makes his residence; considering the part's focus on villains who are still devoted to, this appears to not be just coincidence.
 * Jolyne Cujoh's name is likely a reference to the American country song  by . Notably, during her fight with Gwess, Jolyne's name is repeated several times in a fashion similar to the song.
 * Stone Free, Jolyne's Stand is named after the song composed and performed by.
 * Ermes Costello's name is a reference to the British musician.
 * The Green Dolphin Street Prison is named after the song.
 * Gwess' Goo Goo Dolls is a reference to.
 * Johngalli A's Stand is named after the contemporary Jazz Fusion band "."
 * Pucci's Whitesnake is named after.
 * The title of the chapter Prisoner of Love as well as the volume title might be a reference to the song, sung by , and  among others.
 * Ermes' stand, Kiss, is named after American Hard Rock band.
 * McQueen's Stand is a reference to "", a song and album by Australian band.
 * Emporio's Stand is a reference to the ' song ""
 * The Like A Virgin bracelets the prisoners must wear while searching the farm are a reference to.
 * F.F. and her Stand's names are based on American alternative Rock band "."
 * Miraschon's Stand, Marilyn Manson shares its name with the American Rock band  and its lead singer.
 * The scene in SO Chapter 34 in which Miraschon steals Pucci's cross may be inspired by the lyrics to the Whitesnake song Saints an' Sinners; "Saints an' sinners, priests an' thieves."
 * Weather Report and his Stand's names are based on Jazz band "."
 * Weather's appearance is based on a silhouette known as Buffalo man, which appears on many of 's albums.
 * Lang Rangler's Stand, Jumpin' Jack Flash, is a reference to the  song of the same name.
 * Savage Garden's name is based on an Australian duo of the same name.
 * Their song I Want You became the ending theme for the third season of the JoJo's Anime.
 * Limp Bizkit is a reference to the American Rock band.
 * Diver Down, Anasui's Stand, is named after the same name album by.
 * The name of Guccio's Survivor is based on American 80s Hard Rock band "."
 * Planet Waves is named after  by feat..
 * Dragon's Dream is named after the song and album of the same name by.
 * Yo-Yo Ma is named after French-born American cellist.
 * Yo-Yo Ma mentions having an sticker.
 * Pucci forces Guccio to sing, conducted by Gardiner in 1982.
 * Green, Green Grass of Home, the stand of the Green Baby, is based on.
 * During a flashback, Pucci mentions seeing a concert on television.
 * "4 Rhinoceros Beetles" is one of the 14 words in Dio's Diary and may be a references to.
 * , a 1965 song written and sung by, is one of the 14 words for Heaven found in Dio's Diary.
 * Jail House Lock is a reference to the song "" by.
 * The name of Ungalo's Bohemian Rhapsody is based on the.
 * The nature of Bohemian Rhapsody as a Stand is most likely a reference to the opening lyrics of the song it shares its name with, "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide,/No escape from reality." Due to Bohemian Rhapsody's ability to bend "fantasy" into "reality", much to the confusion of Anasui and Weather Report, it appears as a direct reference to the lyrics.
 * Rikiel's Sky High is named after 's song "."
 * Versus' Underworld shares its name with British Electronic band "."
 * Weather Report's ability Heavy Weather shares its name with the.
 * C-Moon's name is based on a song by called "".
 * Made in Heaven and its original name Stairway to Heaven are respectively references to the song and album "" by  and "" by.
 * The title of SO Chapter 158,, is likely based on the song of the same name by.

People

 * Ermes Costello's first name is based on French high fashion house "Hermès."
 * Emporio Alniño is named after Italian fashion brand "Emporio Armani."
 * Narciso Anasui is a reference to American fashion designers "Narciso Rodriguez" and "Anna Sui."
 * Gwess shares her name with the American fashion brand "Guess."
 * Loccobarocco is a reference to the Italian Fashion designer of the same name.
 * Johngalli A has his name based on Spanish-British fashion designer "John Galliano."
 * Thunder McQueen is named after British fashion designer and brand "Alexander McQueen."
 * Miraschon's name is based on Italian fashion designer "Mila Schön."
 * Lang Rangler might be a reference to both Austrian fashion designer "Helmut Lang" and Jeans manufacturer brand "Wrangler."
 * Sports Maxx is named after Italian fashion brand "Sportmax."
 * Guccio's name is based on Italian fashion designer "Guccio Gucci."
 * Viviano Westwood's name is based on British fashion designer "Vivienne Westwood."
 * Kenzou is named after Japanese stylist "Kenzou Takada."
 * D an G is a reference to Italian fashion house "D&G", founded by "Domenico Dolce" and "Stefano Gabbana."
 * Miuccia Miuller is a reference to both Italian stylist "Miuccia Prada" and her fashion house "Miu Miu."
 * Ungalo is named after French stylist "Emanuel Ungaro."
 * Rikiel shares his name with French fashion designer "Sonia Rykiel."
 * Donatello Versus is named after the Italian fashion designer "Donatella Versace's" brand,.
 * Enrico Pucci's name is based on Italian fashion designers "Enrico Coveri" and "Emilio Pucci."
 * The prisoner whose body F.F. takes over is named for the fashion brand.

Film

 * Affected by Jail House Lock, Jolyne watches some movies while suffering from amnesia. At first she questions Johnny Depp and later she spoils the ending of . The notes she makes for herself are a reference to the movie.
 * The name of the Burn, Dragon's Dream (燃えよ) story arc references the Japanese localization of Bruce Lee's Moe yo Doragon (燃えよドラゴン).

Manga/Anime

 * Bohemian Rhapsody is a Stand able to bring fictional characters into reality. Some characters from Manga and Comic were summoned. Among them: Spiderman, Kenshiro, Raoh, Mazinger Z, Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy), Tetsujin 28 (Gigantor) and Giant Robo.
 * The arc There's Six of Them! bears a strong resemblance in name and initial plot to the short shojo manga and anime film.

Other

 * Bohemian Rhapsody is a Stand able to bring fictional characters into reality. Some characters from Popular Tales were summoned. Among them: Pinocchio, Mickey Mouse, E.T., Mother Goat, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Peter Pan, Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf.
 * Bohemian Rhapsody also summoned some art pieces: Vincent van Gogh's portraits and Venus by Botticelli.
 * When the 7 dwarves are summoned they mentioned Terminator's T-2000 and Star Wars's Chewbacca.
 * In popular culture, The Mayan Prophecy of 2012, announced the end of the world at December of that same year. In the manga Pucci succeeded in ending the actual world to create a new one.
 * In a Florida tourist guide book read by Anasui, the city of Orlando's Disney's Magic Kingdom and MGM, Universal Studios and Sea World Theme Park are referenced.
 * Donatello Versus' back story is a reference of the book.

Music

 * The Zeppeli surname is named after the English rock band.
 * Spin is a reference to the Danish band Spin and their 1976 album of the same name.
 * Gyro Zeppeli's horse, Valkyrie, references 's.
 * Sandman's given name is a reference to the either to the song "Sandman" or the  song "."
 * Johnny Joestar's name could be a reference to the song by.
 * Johnny's horse is named after the song and album by.
 * Steven Steel is named after musician.
 * Pocoloco is named after "", a composition by.
 * ​​​Pocoloco's horse Hey Ya! is named after the song " by US hip hop band.
 * Being the alternate universe counterpart of Dio, Diego Brando retains the reference to.
 * Diego's horse is named after the.
 * Lucy Steel's name could be a reference to song.
 * Some of the other horses and racers in the race have names referencing songs. Dixie Chicken (referencing the  ), Ramblin' Man (referencing the  ), Zenyatta Mondatta (referencing the ) Roxanne (referencing the Police ), Baba Yaga (referencing the  song The Curse of Baba Yaga), Nut Rocker (referencing the Emerson, Lake & Palmer ), Caravanserai (referencing the  ), Moonflower (referencing the Santana ), Sloop John B (referencing the  ), Catch A Wave (referencing the Beach Boys ), Billy White (referencing the  song ), Love Unlimited (referencing ), #1 (referencing the  song ), Nellyville (referencing the Nelly ), Country Grammer (referencing the Nelly ), Iglesias (referencing the singer ), Nathalie (referencing the Julio Igesias song of the same name), Mack the Knife (referencing the  ), Rotters Club (referencing the  ), Nightfly (referencing the  album ), Kanye (referencing the rapper ), Mister (referencing the band ), Georgie Porgie (referencing the  song ) and Europe Express (referencing the  album )
 * Mountain Tim's name may be a reference to the song by.
 * Mountain Tim's horse references ' song.
 * ​​​Mountain Tim's Stand is named after the song.
 * Mrs. Robinson is named after, by.
 * Mrs. Robinson's horse is named El Condor Pasa after the Simon & Garfunkle.
 * The three racers killed by the Boom Boom family are named for musicians, (both from ) and  (from ).
 * All three members of the Boom Boom Family are named from different parts of 's name.
 * The Boom Boom Family's horses are named for the songs, , and.
 * The Boom Boom Family's stand Tomb of the Boom is a reference to the song of the same name by.
 * Oyecomova is named after the song from the Latin jazz and mambo musician  (famously covered by ).
 * Pork Pie Hat Kid, and his Stand Wired, are repeated references to 's cover of the song "" from .
 * Johnny's Stand is a reference to 's song and album .   ​​​​​​
 * The third stage of the Steel Ball Run race, "Rocky Mountain Breakdown," is a reference to the song of the same name.
 * Mt. Footloose is a direct reference to the song by.
 * Dr. Ferdinand is named after the band, .
 * His Stand is named after the album and song.
 * Hot Pants is based on the song of the performed by.
 * Hot Pants' horse is named Get Up, after the James Brown song .
 * Hot Pants' Stand, Cream Starter, is named after, a song by the English band "."
 * Both Gaucho and his horse, Peg, are named after songs of the.
 * Ringo Roadagain is named after musician and the  song "", despite assumption that the name comes from 's.
 * His Stand is named after the single "Mandom: The Lovers of the World", which was only released in Japan.
 * Blackmore is named after guitarist.
 * His Stand is named after the song "" by Richie Blackmore and 's band "."
 * ​​​Sandman's Stand is a reference to 's album "."
 * Sugar Mountain is named for the by.
 * Tatoo You! references the of the same name by.
 * Mike O. is named after progressive Rock musician.
 * Similarly, his Stand is named after his debut song and album,.
 * Wekapipo's name is based on the single "Wake Up People" by.
 * Similarly, his Wrecking Balls appear to be named after 's song "."
 * Magent Magent is also named in a single of, "Magenta Magenta."
 * 20th Century Boy is named after.
 * Axl RO is named after ' frontman "."
 * Similarly, his Stand is named after Guns N' Roses' song "."
 * The arc Both Sides Now is named after the  song "."
 * Funny Valentine is a reference to famous Jazz slow tune "."
 * Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is named after the  of the same name.
 * D-I-S-C-O is named after the by Ottawan.
 * D-I-S-C-O's Stand is a reference to J-Pop song "Chocolate Disco" by.
 * Lucy's Stand is named after the by The Beatles.
 * The S.S. Blue Hawaii is named after the song.
 * D4C Love Train is named after the  song.
 * Gyro Zeppeli's Stand is named after the  Album and song.
 * The High Voltage Arc is a reference to the  .
 * The artwork Araki drew for the cover of the Ultra Jump May 2011 Issue is a reference to the album art of Progressive Rock Band ' album, . This album contains the song, "Roundabout", which happens to be the first ending of the anime.

Film

 * Steel Ball Run (race) is based on the race movie Cannonball Run.
 * The scene in which Funny Valentine receives his father's handkerchief is very similar to the famous "Gold Watch" scene from.

People

 * In SBR Chapter 3, an actress named "Dorothy Parker" is named by Johnny's girlfriend, likely as a nod to the American writer.

Music

 * Josuke's Stand is named after Prince's first single, Soft & Wet.
 * Ojiro Sasame's Stand's name is based off the hit single, by The Beach Boys.
 * California King Bed, Daiya Higashikata's Stand, is named after a song of the.
 * Daiya is revealed to be a fan of the band . She quotes a line from their song,.
 * Daiya asks Josuke to sing 's, while on their way to the store.
 * Jobin's name is a reference to Brazilian singer and songwriter
 * Yasuho's Stand is named after Prince's.
 * Kyo Nijimura's Stand is named after 's and  "Born This Way", though was originally named after 's hit single Going Underground.
 * Shakedown Road (alternatively known as "Shakedown Street", a possible reference to the ) is also known as.
 * The Stand Les Feuilles is possibly named after the song "" or "Les Feuilles Mortes", a poem by.
 * Joshu Higashikata's Stand Nut King Call is named after jazz artist.
 * Tsurugi's Stand Paper Moon King is named after the song by Nat King Cole.
 * Within the Sesame Honey Cafe, there are various fake music albums with covers that reference real ones. One in particular features the Dropout Bear found on Kanye West's album,.
 * Norisuke's Stand King Nothing is named after the.
 * Yotsuyu's Stand I Am a Rock is named after the Simon & Garfunkel song . Yotsuyu himself says a line from the song, "I am a Rock, I am an Island."
 * Jobin's Stand Speed King is named after the Deep Purple song.
 * Karera's Stand name is a combination of Part 4's Yukako Yamagishi's Stand, who's name is based off an by the British R&B group Sade, and the Japanese phrase, "Love-Love."
 * The A. Phex Brothers' moniker is a reference to electronic musician, while their Stands' names' likely reference one of the artist's songs,.
 * Damo Tamaki's Stand Vitamin C is named after the  song of the same name. His last name is derived from, the former vocalist of the band, . The first name "Tamaki" was chosen as a reference to the band itself as the kanji can also be read as "Kan". This reading is also reflected in the name of Damo's cleaning service.
 * Dolomite's Stand Blue Hawaii is named after the album.
 * Rai's Stand, Doggy Style, is likely named after the album,.
 * The character Urban Guerrilla is likely named after the.
 * Urban Guerrilla's Stand, Brain Storm, is likely named after the.
 * The character Doremifasolati Do is likely named after the Hawkwind album,.
 * The character Poor Tom is likely a reference to the.
 * Poor Tom's Stand, Ozon Baby, is likely named after the Led Zeppelin song,.
 * Josuke chases an ambulance with the license plate, "S Mori 3-11". This is possibly a reference to the band, ' '.
 * The character Wu Tomoki and his Stand Doctor Wu are a reference to the.
 * Mitsuba's Stand, Awaking III Leaves, is possibly named after the song, "Awakenings: No. 3. Leaves Floating (On a Slow Stream)".
 * Volume 21's title and the story arc that it covers may be references to the.

Film

 * When Yasuho and Josuke come to Yoshikage Kira's home, they see a naked woman bathing in a way similar to the room 237 scene of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.
 * When Yasuho is in the basement of the Higashikata residence with Tsurugi, there is a poster on the back wall of the film,, starring Bruce Lee.
 * The Trouble with the curve story arc is a reference to the movie, . The movie stars Clint Eastwood, one of Araki's favorite actors.
 * When Josuke drags Yasuho into the Higashikata's family photo, it resembled the family photo scene in The Godfather where Michael Corleone drags Kay into the photo. Also, when Norisuke realizes one of his sons is missing, he decides to not take the picture like the way Vito Corleone acted when he noticed Michael was missing.

Manga/Anime

 * The inside of the Higashikata bunker is filled with several toys and memorabilia, including figures of and.
 * In chapter 25, Yasuho goes in a car that has a plush-doll and a doll head wearing a hat with antlers, similar to.
 * The famous mangaka is mentioned to have mediated under pine tree in Morioh, now on the Wall Eyes opposite the land that belongs to the Higashikatas.
 * When Josuke uses his bubbles to shave, there are some references to Kinnikuman. Josuke also uses Soft & Wet to steal the fur off a cat whose head bears the kanji for meat (肉), another reference to Kinnikuman.

Others

 * The natural disaster that hit Morioh in the manga is the same event that actually took place in Japan on March 11, 2011, the.

music

 * The stand Remote Romance from the JoJo Exhibition 2012 is named after the song of the same name.
 * The JOJO A-GO!GO! artbook includes several images of different characters and stands having a dance party, with the artwork being captioned with "Let's Dance". This is a possible reference to the David Bowie song of the same name.