Steel Ball Run — JoJo Part 7: The Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Ride
If you thought JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure couldn’t get any stranger, Steel Ball Run (Part 7) proves you wrong and in the best possible way. Equal parts western road movie, supernatural tournament, and philosophical rumination on fate and ambition, Part 7 is widely beloved by fans and critics. With an anime adaptation now announced and a global Netflix rollout slated for 2026, there’s never been a better time to catch up on why this arc is so special and what the adaptation might deliver.
If earlier JoJo parts felt like escalating genre experiments, Steel Ball Run is the one that remixes the whole deck. It’s set in an alternate continuity (a reset of the JoJo timeline), and it trades swords and sorcery for horses, long dust-choked roads, and political machinations. At its heart are two unforgettable leads:
- Johnny Joestar — a former jockey now wheelchair-bound, who’s desperate to reclaim mobility and purpose.
- Gyro Zeppeli — an eccentric, charismatic master of the mysterious “Spin,” who teaches Johnny techniques that are scientific, spiritual, and oddly poetic.
Their chemistry, mentor and student, rival and friend is the emotional engine of the story. Around them spins a rollicking race populated by eccentric competitors, perfectly-timed Stand battles, and a slowly revealed, high-stakes conspiracy that gives the whole contest an ominous undertone. The tone shifts from manic set-pieces to reflective, almost elegiac beats, which is why many readers consider SBR one of Araki’s finest works.
The anime adaptation
After years of fan requests, Steel Ball Run received an official anime announcement in 2025. David Production — the studio behind the previous JoJo animated seasons — is producing, and the project has been positioned as a major entry in the anime calendar. Netflix confirmed global streaming rights and lists the adaptation for a 2026 debut, meaning this will be widely available outside Japan on day one of its international rollout. Trailers and a promotional event in late-2025 introduced key visuals and the voice cast, giving fans their first audio-visual taste of Johnny, Gyro, Diego Brando, Lucy Steel, and more. David Production have proven adept at translating Hirohiko Araki’s wild character designs and kinetic fight choreography into animation that’s loud, stylish, and faithful. Combine that with the series’ Western landscapes and horse mounted stunts, and you can expect some spectacularly cinematic sequences. Early trailers have already sparked “this looks insane” reactions across outlets, think Fast & Furious on horseback, but weirder.
What to expect from the anime
- Visual flair: Expect ornate, fashion-forward character designs and dusty western backdrops. The race provides natural set pieces for episodic thrills and cliffhangers.
- Emotional depth: Unlike a pure action romp, SBR slows down to explore themes like purpose, legacy, and what it means to reinvent yourself.
- Stands + science: The series blends Araki’s trademark Stands with new mechanics (the Spin), so fights will mix spectacle with inventive rules.
- A long game: The manga’s plotting can be slow-burn (revealing a conspiracy beneath the race), so expect the anime to balance episodic battles with a mounting, serialized mystery.
How to prepare
- If you haven’t read SBR: the manga is a phenomenal read, and Viz Media’s English releases make catching up easier
- If you’re new to JoJo: you don’t strictly need prior parts to enjoy SBR, it’s an alternate continuity. But previous exposure helps you appreciate recurring motifs (fashion, weird humor, Araki’s moral beats).
- Rewatch earlier seasons if you love the adaptation style: David Production’s handling of rhythm and fight choreography is part of the joy, and seeing how they treated earlier parts is a good primer.
The anime adaptation arriving on Netflix in 2026 is one of the biggest anime events for fans of the series, and if the trailers are any guide, we’re in for a visually spectacular, emotionally resonant ride. Whether you’re a JoJo veteran or a curious newcomer, saddle up: this race promises to be one for the ages.
Image Credit David Production
