Rewriting fate: Why Araki reset the timeline in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga series is popular globally for multiple reasons. The artwork is phenomenal, and the story is tight. Moreover, the creator is also known for making risky, bold choices, and they always seem to work in his favor. His most brilliant creative decisions in the history of shonen manga were to reset the format of his story after the end of Part 6: Stone Ocean.

According to the creator, he felt like it was time for him to end the original Joestar family timeline because he had reached the peak of his creativity. Parts 5 and 6, Golden Wind and Stone Ocean, are still beloved, but cracks had begun to show. Stand battles became more convoluted, and Dio’s extended legacy felt stretched thin.

So when he started working on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, Araki went back in time and came up with a story that would be entertaining for a mature audience. Set in 1890, it mirrors Phantom Blood’s original historical roots but rewrites everything.

The timeline reset allows Araki to create characters that feel familiar yet fresh. Johnny may share a name with Jonathan, but he’s far more flawed, insecure, and layered. He’s a protagonist forged in pain and redemption, which gives the narrative emotional weight that surpasses many earlier parts.

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Creative freedom and unshackled storytelling

With the reboot of the timeline in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, he no longer had to consider past lore, bloodlines, or rules. He could build new mythologies, redefine characters, and experiment with settings and genres.

In Steel Ball Run, he explored westerns and political intrigue. In JoJolion, it was mystery and surreal horror. The JOJOLands appears to be playing with the heist genre, set against a tropical backdrop. Each part can be wildly different in tone and form, yet it all still feels like JoJo because of Araki’s signature style.

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How did anime fans react to this reset of the timeline in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?

The reset means new fans can jump into Part 7 without needing prior knowledge. This creates a unique entry point, like a new season one for JoJo. For a series so dense with continuity, that’s a rare and valuable opportunity.

Araki made sure that this part would allow new viewers to join in without feeling left out. While this part includes many callbacks, they don’t impact the new storyline in a way that confuses newcomers. And now, because he did not write for Shonen Jump and was shifted to monthly seinen manga, he was able to develop a more intense story.

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JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run marks Araki’s evolution

When Steel Ball Run launched, it wasn’t just the start of a new timeline; it felt like the beginning of a new phase in Araki’s life as a storyteller. By then, he had been writing JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure for over 20 years, and he clearly understood that the readers who began with Phantom Blood had grown up too.

It’s wild to think that JoJo was originally supposed to end after Stardust Crusaders, and yet here we are, with some of the best parts coming after. I’m glad the series found success beyond its early plans, because Steel Ball Run proves that Araki isn’t just continuing, he’s evolving, and he deserves every bit of recognition for it.

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Final thoughts

In Gyro Zeppeli’s own words: “The shortest route was a detour. It was the detour that was our shortest path.” That single quote perfectly encapsulates why Araki reset the universe in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Rather than continuing with a timeline weighed down by legacy and expectation, Araki took a detour, a radical reboot. And in doing so, he found the shortest path to revitalizing his story, his characters, and his passion as a creator. The reboot was not a retreat. It was a reinvention.