Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is an ongoing anime adaptation of the Part 7 manga. Its second and third stages stream worldwide on Netflix starting September 25, 2026, with new episodes weekly on Fridays. The series tops Filmarks' spring 2026 satisfaction ranking at 4.45 stars.
The anime adaptation of Steel Ball Run premiered in March 2026 and has since moved through a split-cour release. Warner Bros. Japan announced at Anime Expo that the second stage begins September 25, with the second and third stages together totaling 11 episodes. New cast additions for this stretch include Tomokazu Sugita as President Funny Valentine, Yoko Hikasa as Hot Pants, and Tomoaki Maeno as Mountain Tim. A second key visual appeared in June, and a second promotional video followed in July.
Composer Yugo Kanno, speaking with Anime Herald, said the pressure to surpass his prior JoJo scores pushed him to create what he considers his best work yet. He confirmed the score breaks from the franchise's usual enemy-defeat musical structure to suit the race format. Early critical reception has been mixed in focus. Anime Feminist's Chiaki Mitama reviewed the first episode, foregrounding the 1890s American setting's romanticized manifest destiny and the racial and gender dynamics of the cast, while praising the race sequence as well-paced.
Merchandise has accompanied the series at scale. Bandai Spirits' Ichiban Kuji launched June 27 with MASTERLISE figures of Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Slow Dancer, and Lucy Steel, plus a Last One Diego figure. Medicom Entertainment and Medicos Entertainment both released large Johnny and Slow Dancer figures. Bushiroad Creative added the trio of Johnny, Gyro, and Diego to its PalVerse Pale. line, and Bandai's Niformation sticker wafers reached a ninth series including Steel Ball Run characters. Bandai Namco opened pre-orders for Johnny and Gyro leather goods. The series also appeared on Circana BookScan's May 2026 U.S. adult graphic novel sales chart.
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Bushiroad Creative's PalVerse Pale. figure brand has added Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, and Diego Brando appear as deformed figures, on sale since Friday, August 28, 2026, at anime goods and hobby shops, mass retailers, and major online shops for 3,300 yen each.
Bandai will release the Niformation JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Seal Wafer ~The Animation Special I~ at confectionery sections of mass retailers nationwide from August 24. The set includes one sticker and a wafer, with 32 sticker types total, including one secret type, covering characters from the 1st and 2nd series and Steel Ball Run. It includes foil-stamped JJR (JoJo Rare) stickers and all 5 types of the 5th Rare commemorating Niformation's 5th anniversary. The price is 149 yen including tax.
Bandai will release the 9th series of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Niformation sticker wafers on August 24. The set includes 32 sticker types, including one secret, featuring characters from Parts 1-2 and Steel Ball Run. It also includes all five 5th Rare stickers and foil-stamped JJR cards.
Bandai will release the ninth JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Niforumeshon sticker wafer set on August 24. The lineup includes 32 stickers total, one secret, plus five 5th Rare anniversary stickers and foil-stamped JJR stickers, priced at 149 yen each.
Composer Yugo Kanno and producer Noriko Dohi discussed the upcoming Steel Ball Run: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime in an interview with Anime Herald. Kanno said the pressure to surpass his prior JoJo scores pushed him to create his best work yet. He also confirmed Shohei Ohtani used his music for warmups again this year.
Filmarks, Japan's largest review service, released its satisfaction ranking for spring 2026 anime, with Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure topping the list at 4.45 stars. Dorohedoro Season 2 and Nihon Sangoku followed, while Nihon Sangoku recorded the highest number of reviews.
Dengeki Hobby Web reports that a large statue of Johnny Joestar and Slow Dancer from Steel Ball Run is now accepting reservations at Rakuten Books. The figure, part of the Super Figure Art Collection, stands over 30 cm in both height and width. Distributed by Medicos Entertainment, it is priced at 28,600 yen and depicts Johnny on his horse with dynamic detailing.
The second and third stages of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run will stream worldwide on Netflix starting September 25, 2026. New cast members include Tomokazu Sugita as President Funny Valentine, Yoko Hikasa as Hot Pants, and Tomoaki Maeno as Mountain Tim. A second promotional video was also released.
Warner Bros. Japan announced during its Anime Expo panel that the second stage of the Steel Ball Run anime will begin on September 25, with new episodes streaming weekly on Fridays. The second and third stages together will have 11 episodes. New characters Mountain Tim, Funny Valentine, and Hot Pants were introduced.
Medicom Entertainment is releasing a Chozo Art Collection figure set of Johnny Joestar and his horse Slow Dancer from the anime Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The set stands 300mm tall and 305mm wide, priced at 28,600 yen, and ships in December 2026. Pre-orders open July 3 at the Medicom online shop and other retailers.
The Ichiban Kuji for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run will be released June 27, 2026. The lineup includes MASTERLISE figures of Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Slow Dancer, and Lucy Steel as top prizes, plus a Last One Diego figure. Other prizes include a yo-yo, storage case, charms, notebooks, and stickers. Tickets cost 850 yen each.
The official X account for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime series released the second key visual for Steel Ball Run on June 25. It also announced new information about the '2nd STAGE,' which is set for a fall 2026 release, will be revealed on July 4. A special panel with composer Yugo Kanno is scheduled for Anime Expo 2026 on July 3.
Circana BookScan's Top 20 adult graphic novels list for May 2026 features 15 manga volumes, with Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen volume 30 at #1. Other ranked titles include Witch Hat Atelier, Gachiakuta, Kagurabachi, One Piece, Steel Ball Run, The Summer Hikaru Died, and Demon Slayer.
Bandai Spirits announced the full prize lineup for the Ichiban Kuji lottery based on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run. Prizes include MASTERLISE figures of Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Slow Dancer, and Lucy Steel, plus a Stephen Steel small items case, a Gyro's Steel Ball toy in collaboration with HYPER YOYO ACCEL, and other collectibles. The lottery launches in Japanese stores on June 27, 2026, with online sales starting July 21.
Anime Feminist published a review of the first episode of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, the anime adaptation of Hirohiko Araki's manga part 7. The episode introduces paraplegic jockey Johnny Joestar, who enters the cross-country Steel Ball Run race not for the $50 million prize but to understand the secrets of Gyro Zeppeli's steel balls. The review, written by Chiaki Mitama, focuses on the series' depiction of 1890s America, its romanticized manifest destiny and Wild West flavor, and the racial and gender dynamics of its cast. The only named woman so far is Lucy, a race-runner's wife. Non-white characters include Sandman, a Native American runner whose skill is attributed to "the natives' unknown power," and Pocoloco, a lazy comic relief character with supernatural luck. The reviewer notes the violence typical of JoJo, with body contortion and blood, but praises the race sequence as well-paced and engaging. The review is presented as a "carte blanche" perspective from a critic not deeply familiar with the franchise.
Bandai Namco has opened pre-orders for a leather accessory line based on the Steel Ball Run anime. The Johnny and Gyro models include key cases, wallets, and coin cases, each featuring character-specific emblems and color schemes. Orders close September 27, 2026, with shipments in October.