He’s back. Again. Honestly, nobody should be surprised at this point. When Rohan Kishibe appeared in the second chapter of The JOJOLands, the collective Jojo fandom basically lost its mind, even though Hirohiko Araki has been drawing this guy for nearly thirty years. This isn't just some cheap cameo or a bit of fan service to move volumes. Rohan Kishibe Part 9 is a massive narrative pivot that changes how we look at the entire continuity of the "SBR-verse."
Araki loves Rohan. We know this. Between Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan one-shots and the live-action TV dramas, the mangaka has become a sort of eternal avatar for Araki himself. But seeing him on a private villa in Hawaii, clutching a massive diamond and staring down Jodio Joestar? That hits different. It raises the question of whether this is the "same" Rohan we knew in Diamond is Unbreakable or a completely new iteration designed for this specific universe.
The Mystery of Rohan Kishibe Part 9 Explained
Let’s get the facts straight first. In the debut arc of The JOJOLands, our protagonists—Jodio, Dragona, Paco, and Usagi—embark on a heist. Their target is a 6-carat blue diamond owned by a wealthy Japanese tourist visiting Hawaii. That tourist? Rohan Kishibe.
It’s a weird setup.
Rohan is depicted as a successful, albeit prickly, manga artist who is doing research. Some things never change. He’s still using Heaven's Door. He still has that erratic, obsessive energy that makes him both a terrifying antagonist and a reluctant ally. However, his presence in Hawaii isn't just for a vacation. He’s studying "Lava Rocks," which seem to be the central MacGuffin of Part 9. These rocks have a strange property: they attract things of value. If you put a diamond near a Lava Rock, the diamond eventually finds its way back to the rock.
Rohan isn't just a cameo; he’s the gatekeeper of the season’s primary mechanic.
Is This the Same Rohan from Part 4?
This is where things get sticky. If you’ve followed Jojo since Steel Ball Run, you know that the original universe (Parts 1-6) was effectively reset. Part 7 and Part 8 take place in a totally different timeline. So, is the Rohan Kishibe in Part 9 the same guy who fought Josuke Higashikata in the 90s?
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Probably not. But also... maybe?
Araki has played with the idea of "constants" before. In the new universe, we have versions of Kira Yoshikage and the Joestar bloodline that rhyme with their predecessors but aren't identical. Yet, Rohan looks exactly the same. He acts exactly the same. He even references his manga, Pink Dark Boy. Some fans speculate that Rohan is a universal constant—a being so obsessed with reality and "drawings" that he transcends the resets of the universe. While there’s no hard evidence in the text to prove he jumped timelines, the meta-narrative suggests that Rohan is simply Rohan, regardless of which Earth he’s standing on.
Why the Lava Rocks Matter
The interaction between the Jodio gang and Rohan Kishibe in Part 9 centers on the Lava Rocks. Rohan has been researching these at a volcanic site. He’s not interested in the money. He’s interested in the "mechanism" of the world.
He treats the heist with a sort of bored detachment until he realizes Jodio’s crew has actually managed to swipe a rock. This leads to a classic Jojo confrontation. Heaven’s Door is just as broken as ever. It turns people into books. It writes commands into their souls. It’s a power that feels almost divine in a world of localized Stand abilities like "The Matte Kudasai" or "November Rain."
Rohan eventually gives Jodio a warning. He tells them that if they take the rock, they are entering a world of "flow" and "mechanisms" that they might not be ready for. This is a callback to the themes of JoJolion, where "calamity" and "logic" were the driving forces. Rohan serves as the bridge between the high-concept philosophy of the previous part and the more grounded, "get-rich-quick" vibe of Part 9.
The Design Shift
It’s worth noting how Rohan looks in this part. Araki’s art style has evolved into something much more fashion-forward and slender. Rohan sports his signature headband, but his outfit is peak Hawaiian-chic-meets-high-fashion. He’s also older. If we assume the timeline of Part 9 is roughly modern-day (post-2020), and Rohan was a teenager in the 90s (in the old timeline), he’d be in his 40s or 50s. In Part 9, he looks perpetually thirty.
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Maybe it’s the skincare. Maybe it’s the Stand power. Or maybe, as an artist, he simply refuses to age.
Rohan’s Role as a Mentor Figure
Surprisingly, Rohan doesn't stay the villain for long. After the initial scuffle at the villa, he enters a sort of truce with Jodio. He sees something in the kid. Jodio is cynical. He’s "antisocial" in the clinical sense. Rohan, who has always struggled to connect with people who aren't "interesting," seems to respect Jodio’s pragmatism.
This is a massive departure from his role in Diamond is Unbreakable. Back then, he was a chaotic neutral force who occasionally helped the heroes because he found them curious. In Part 9, he feels more like a legendary figure passing on a cursed torch. He gives Jodio the Lava Rock and basically says, "Good luck, kid. You're going to need it."
This suggests that we might not see Rohan for a while. He’s the catalyst. He’s the guy who sets the plot in motion and then retreats to his villa to draw more manga. It’s a classic Araki move: use a familiar face to establish the stakes, then disappear to let the new cast breathe.
The "Mechanism" Theory
One of the most discussed parts of Rohan’s dialogue in Part 9 is his mention of the "Mechanism."
In the Jojo universe, we’ve dealt with Fate, Gravity, and Calamity. Now, we have "Mechanisms." It sounds more industrial, more systematic. Rohan describes it as a way the world functions—a set of rules that govern who gets rich and who stays poor. Given that Jodio’s goal is to become "filthy rich," Rohan’s research into the Lava Rocks is the scientific/supernatural backbone of that ambition.
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Rohan basically tells Jodio that if he wants to climb the social ladder, he has to master the "Mechanism." It’s a very modern, almost late-stage-capitalist take on the Jojo formula.
What the Fandom is Getting Wrong
I see a lot of people online saying Rohan is "ruined" because he’s a celebrity now or because he’s "too nice."
That’s a total misunderstanding of the character.
Rohan was never purely evil. He was just a guy who valued "truth" and "experience" above human life. In Part 9, he’s still that guy. He’s just older and has seen enough Stand users to not be surprised when a group of teenagers tries to rob him. He’s not being "nice" to Jodio; he’s being curious. He wants to see what a kid with that kind of "eyes" will do with a power that attracts wealth. To Rohan, the world is just one big reference for his manga. If Jodio’s life becomes a tragedy because of the Lava Rock, Rohan will probably just sit back and draw it.
Key Takeaways for Jojo Fans
If you're jumping into The JOJOLands just for the Rohan content, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don't expect a Part 4 sequel. This is a different world. The rules are different, and the stakes are much more grounded in crime and commerce than in chasing a serial killer.
- The Lava Rocks are the real story. Rohan is the messenger. Pay attention to his research notes and his dialogue about "flow." It’s going to be the key to the ending of Part 9.
- Heaven's Door is still the peak. Even with all the crazy new Stands, the ability to turn someone into a book and read their history remains one of the most versatile and terrifying powers in the series.
- Rohan's cameo is likely over (for now). He’s served his purpose in the "heist" arc. Expect him to reappear in the endgame, but for now, the story belongs to the Joestar brothers.
Rohan Kishibe’s appearance in Part 9 is a brilliant move by Araki. It provides a tether for long-time fans while introducing a sophisticated new layer to the series' mythology. He’s the link between the old world and the new, the artist watching the "Mechanism" of the universe unfold in real-time.
To truly understand the implications of Rohan's research, you should go back and re-read the final chapters of JoJolion. Pay close attention to how Tooru describes "Calamity." Then, compare it to Rohan’s description of "Mechanisms" in Chapter 5 and 6 of The JOJOLands. You’ll start to see the connective tissue that Araki is building between these two seemingly separate stories. If you want to keep up with the latest updates, follow the official Ultra Jump releases, as the monthly schedule means every new detail about Rohan’s research is a slow-burn revelation.