A second key visual for STEEL BALL RUN Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure has been released. It was also teased that details about STEEL BALL RUN Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure 2nd STAGE, which debuts this fall with a weekly release schedule, will be revealed on July 3 at 4 PM PST.
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STEEL BALL RUN Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is the adaptation of the seventh part of Hirohiko Araki’s Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure manga. The premise sees the paralyzed jockey Johnny Joestar participating in the Steel Ball Run race in 1890 America, hoping that fellow racer Gyro Zeppeli’s mysterious ability can help him regain mobility. The synopsis for 2nd STAGE reads:
A desert crossing spanning roughly 750 miles
The land that Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli must challenge, is home to the area that is feared as the “Devil’s Palm.” As ominous incidents begin to unfold, they are forced to realize that this race is far more than a mere competition.
The two press forward into the 2nd STAGE of the 9 STAGEs, where countless hidden motives collide.
STEEL BALL RUN Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure‘s 47-minute first episode premiered on March 19, with the timeline for future episodes’ release being uncertain at the time. In April, Netflix said that “We are planning a split‑cour release across the entire run of episodes,” with 2nd Stage being the “next cour,” and added that “This release schedule is part of our original plan and reflects the wishes of the production committee.”
The anime is co-directed by Yasuhiro Kimura (Golden Wind co-director) and Hideya Takahashi (Golden Wind co-director, Urusei Yatsura remake director) at david production. The cast includes Shogo Sakata as Johnny and Yohei Azakami as Gyro.
The Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure series, which depicts the varied adventures of the Joestar family, began in 1986. Its ninth part The JOJOLands debuted in February 2023. Steel Ball Run ran from 2004 to 2011, initially in Shonen Jump before moving to the monthly, seinen magazine Ultra Jump (subsequent Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure installments have also been Ultra Jump titles). Viz Media is publishing it in English.
The Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure manga series initially inspired an OVA series and a movie that were produced by the now-inactive Another Push Pin Planning. The current line of david production-produced anime, including an OVA adaptation of the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan spin-off, started in 2012. The Steel Ball Run anime is preceded by 2022’s Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean.
A STEEL BALL RUN Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure anime panel will be held at Anime Expo 2026 on July 3 (12:30 PM to 1:50 PM) at the Crypto.com Arena. Composer Yugo Kanno and English cast members Daman Mills (Johnny Joestar) and Kaiji Tang (Gyro Zeppeli) will be in attendance.
Production credits
• Director: Yasuhiro Kimura (Golden Wind co-director)
• Director: Hideya Takahashi (Golden Wind co-director, Urusei Yatsura remake director)
• Series director: Toshiyuki Kato (Stone Ocean director, Diamond is Unbreakable)
• Series composer: Yasuko Kobayashi (Stone Ocean, Attack on Titan Season 3 Season 3 Part 2)
• Character designer and chief animation director: Daisuke Tsumagari (Oblivion Battery co-sub character designer)
• Music composer: Yugo Kanno (Stone Ocean)
• Animation production: david production
Cast
• Shogo Sakata as Johnny
• Yohei Azakami as Gyro
• Kaito Ishikawa as Diego Brando
• Rie Takahashi as Lucy Steel
• Kenta Miyake as Steven Steel
Source: Press release
