Parallel World
The Steel Ball Run universe (SBR universe) is an alternate world within the setting of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Its name is derived from the first story set in this new world, Part VII: Steel Ball Run.
It is occasionally theorized by fans as having been created at the end of Part VI: Stone Ocean by the specific actions of certain characters. There are numerous events and personalities that appear in Steel Ball Run and JoJolion bearing similarities in their roles and relationships to those appearing in the original timeline, however no official statement from Araki himself has confirmed if the SBR Universe is the same one seen at the end of Stone Ocean.
History
Original Universe
Just after Enrico Pucci's death at the hands of Emporio Alnino and the Stand Weather Report, the universe completes a second cycle effected by Pucci's Stand, Made in Heaven. In this renewed world, characters of seemingly very similar identites to Jolyne, Hermes, Anasui and Weather Report fortuitously gather in Emporio's proximity and take him in again as a friend.
The theory linking this world to that described in Steel Ball Run, as suggested by fans, is that the history preceding the new lives experienced by this parallel team represent the stories related in Steel Ball Run and/or JoJolion, the two stories begun after Stone Ocean in the JoJo continuity.
Steel Ball Run
Part VII: Steel Ball Run, set in 1890, like Part I: Phantom Blood in 1880, follows Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, characters with a number of ostensible similarities to Jonathan Joestar and Will Anthonio Zeppeli. Johnny is learning the Spin, a mystical power comparable to Hamon, from Gyro Zeppeli, an Italian expert in the art, like Will Zeppeli.
JoJolion
Part VIII: JoJolion is set in the year 2011 and follows amnesiac Josuke Higashikata, named for Josuke Higashikata of Part IV: Diamond is Unbreakable, as he searches for clues to his identity in Morioh, a town named after and located in the same place as the setting of Part IV. Along the way he discovers ties between himself and Yoshikage Kira, named after the primary antagonist of Part IV.
Alternate Counterparts
In the Steel Ball Run universe, there are many characters who reference characters in the original universe in some way; some closely, by the similarities to their roles in their respective stories, while others share only a few distinctive traits or experiences. In some cases, several characters share traits with a single character from the original universe, while others superficially similar to a previous character may harbour stark differences.
The following represents a provisional list of those with obvious similarities.
| Original Characters | SBR Characters | Similarity |
|---|---|---|
| William Antonio Zeppeli | Gyro Zeppeli | Name, Nationality, Ally, Mystic arts, Mentor to Jonathan/Johnny |
| Jonathan Joestar | Johnny Joestar | Name, Main protagonist, Certain life events |
| Robert Edward O. Speedwagon | Mountain Tim | Ally, Scar on face |
| Erina Pendolton | Hot Pants | Dio/Diego kiss scene |
| Erina Pendolton | Name, relationship to Jonathan/Johnny | |
| Erina Pendolton | Lucy Steel | Maiden Name |
| Dio Brando | Diego Brando, Diego Brando from another universe | Name, Appearance, Nationality, Personality, Antagonist, Certain life events, Rival to Jonathan/Johnny, Stand (appearance/function) |
| Josuke Higashikata | Josuke Higashikata (JoJolion) | Name, Main protagonist |
| Josuke Higashikata | Norisuke Higashikata IV | Birth Name, Role in Higashikata family tree |
| Yoshikage Kira | Yoshikage Kira (JoJolion) | Name, Personality, Stand (appearance/most function) |
| Holy Kujo | Holly Kira | Name, Role in Joestar family tree |
| Okuyasu Nijimura, | Nijimura | Name, Ally |
| Koichi Hirose | Yasuho Hirose | Name, Ally |
| Will's Father | Gregorio Zeppeli | Name, Nationality, Relation to Will/Gyro |
| Rudol Von Stroheim | Fritz Von Stroheim | Name, Appearance, Nationality |
| Muhammed Avdol | Urmd Avdol | Name, Appearance, Nationality |
