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There are anime announcements that get people excited.
And then some announcements make an entire fandom lose its mind.
Steel Ball Run is definitely the second one.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is returning to Netflix on September 25, 2026, with the second stage of the anime beginning its weekly release. Eleven new episodes are scheduled, with one episode arriving every Friday.
And after the unusual release of the first episode earlier this year, this is exactly what JoJo fans have been waiting for.
Because now?
The race actually begins.
For more anime news, releases, and updates, check out our Anime section.
Steel Ball Run Is Not Your Typical JoJo Story
If you’ve never watched JoJo before, Steel Ball Run might look completely different from what you expect.
And that’s because it is.
The story takes place in 1890 America, where competitors from around the world enter the Steel Ball Run, an enormous horse race stretching across the country.
The prize?
A massive $50 million.
But obviously, this isn’t just a horse race.
Johnny Joestar, a former jockey who is paralyzed from the waist down, enters the race after meeting Gyro Zeppeli, a mysterious competitor who uses a strange technique involving spinning steel balls.
From there, things get progressively more bizarre.
Because this is JoJo.
Netflix’s official description introduces Johnny as a former jockey chasing Gyro across a dangerous cross-country race, setting up the story’s unusual combination of western adventure, supernatural powers, and competition.
And honestly, that combination is exactly why Steel Ball Run stands out.
Johnny Joestar Is Not the JoJo You Expect
One of the biggest reasons fans are excited about this adaptation is Johnny himself.
Johnny isn’t simply another confident hero who walks into a fight and destroys everyone.
He starts from a much darker place.
He’s physically disabled.
He’s lost his career.
He’s struggling emotionally.
And he doesn’t exactly enter the Steel Ball Run because he wants to become some legendary hero.
His journey is much more personal.
That’s what makes Johnny such an interesting protagonist.
He’s not perfect.
He’s not always likable.
And he doesn’t magically become stronger overnight.
Instead, the race slowly forces him to change.
His relationship with Gyro becomes one of the most important parts of the story, too.
The two begin as competitors, but their relationship develops into something much deeper as they face increasingly dangerous situations.
And that’s one of the things that makes Steel Ball Run different from simply watching another JoJo fight.
The characters actually have something to lose.
Gyro Zeppeli Might Steal the Show
Let’s be honest.
Johnny is the main character.
But Gyro Zeppeli is Gyro Zeppeli.
He’s charismatic, strange, funny, and incredibly confident.
And then there are the Steel Balls.
Gyro’s Spin technique is one of the most important abilities in the story, and it gives the battles a completely different feel from previous JoJo parts.
Instead of relying purely on traditional Stand battles, Steel Ball Run combines horseback combat, the Spin, Stands, and the environment itself.
That means almost anything can become a weapon.
A horse.
A steel ball.
The desert.
Another competitor.
Basically, if you’re watching JoJo, you should assume that something completely ridiculous is about to happen.
The Netflix Release Is Finally Going Weekly
This is probably the biggest news for fans who were frustrated by the first release.
The 1st Stage consisted of a single 47-minute episode that premiered on Netflix in March.
The next release will be very different.
Netflix has confirmed that the 2nd Stage begins September 25, with 11 episodes releasing weekly on Fridays. These episodes will cover the second and third stages of the race.
That weekly schedule is important.
JoJo is the kind of anime that benefits from discussion.
A crazy Stand ability appears.
A character does something completely unexpected.
A fight ends with a ridiculous twist.
And suddenly everyone online is talking about it.
Weekly episodes give Steel Ball Run room to become that kind of anime event.
Instead of watching everything in one sitting and moving on, fans will have a new JoJo moment to discuss every week.
Why Steel Ball Run Could Become a Huge Anime Hit
The biggest advantage Steel Ball Run has is that the story already has an enormous reputation among manga readers.
Part 7 is frequently discussed as one of the strongest entries in the entire JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise.
But the anime adaptation gives it something the manga never had.
Motion.
Music.
Voice acting.
Sound effects.
And David Production’s visual interpretation of Araki’s characters.
The official Netflix announcement has already highlighted new characters such as Mountain Tim, Hot Pants and Funny Valentine, giving fans an idea of how much larger the world of the race is about to become.
And that matters because the Steel Ball Run isn’t just Johnny and Gyro riding across America.
There are competitors everywhere.
Some want the prize.
Some have their own agendas.
And some are there for reasons that have nothing to do with winning the race.
For readers interested in the original story, you can also explore our Manga section for more manga-related content.
You Don’t Need to Know Everything About JoJo
Here’s something that might surprise new viewers.
You don’t need to memorize every single JoJo character before starting Steel Ball Run.
The story takes place in a different continuity from the earlier JoJo parts.
There are familiar names and ideas, but Steel Ball Run establishes its own world and its own characters.
That makes it much easier for newcomers to get invested.
Of course, watching the previous JoJo parts can make some references more interesting.
But if you’ve always avoided JoJo because the franchise looks too complicated, Steel Ball Run might actually be a good reason to finally give it a chance.
Just don’t expect a normal anime.
That would defeat the entire point.
September 25 Could Be a Big Day for JoJo
The timing is perfect.
September is already packed with major anime releases, but Steel Ball Run has something most new shows don’t.
It already has years of fan anticipation behind it.
The first episode proved that Netflix was finally moving forward with Part 7.
Now the weekly release gives fans the real beginning of the journey.
And with 11 new episodes, there is plenty of room for the story to establish its characters, introduce more competitors and turn the Steel Ball Run into the bizarre adventure fans have been waiting to see animated.
You can find the official series page on Netflix.
Final Thoughts
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run has been one of those anime adaptations fans have talked about for years.
Now it’s finally here.
The first stage has already introduced Johnny and Gyro.
But September 25 is when the real journey begins.
With 11 weekly episodes coming to Netflix, Steel Ball Run has the opportunity to become one of the biggest anime conversations of the fall.
And if you’ve never experienced Part 7 before, this might be the perfect time to see why JoJo fans have been so obsessed with it.
A horse race across America.
A $50 million prize.
Steel Balls.
Stands.
A mysterious group of competitors.
And one very strange adventure.
Welcome to Steel Ball Run.
It’s going to be bizarre.
