JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steelball Run is Here (But There’s a Major Controversy)

March 19, 2026, 2:48pm

The day has finally arrived that Joestar enthusiasts have been waiting for. Since the conclusion of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, anime fans have been counting down the days until they can witness the introduction of Johnny Joestar to the screen. Now that the horse race has begun on Netflix, fans can finally witness one of the best storylines that creator Hirohiko Araki has made. Unfortunately, there’s a surprising lack of news regarding what comes next for the future of Steel Ball Run as viewers enter into this brave new world.

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While the first episode is now available to stream for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run on Netflix, neither the streaming service nor David Production has revealed when we can expect episode two. With the premier arriving as a meaty forty-five-minute-long episode, many expected that the streaming service was returning to a weekly schedule, something that may Joestar diehards had been waiting to see make a comeback. Unfortunately, it seems as though the next installment, landing one week from today, on March 26th, isn’t a foregone conclusion. While some JoJo fans might be sad to learn of this fact, there is an upcoming event that might give us an idea of what the future holds in store for Johnny and Gyro.

When Will Steel Ball Run Race On?

Luckily, we may hear when episode two will arrive sooner rather than later. This month will see the major anime event known as Anime Japan take place, focusing on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure on March 28th. For the panel, several of the major voice actors will be in attendance, including Shogo Sakata (Johnny Joestar), Yohei Azakami (Gyro Zeppeli), Kaito Ishikawa (Diego Brando), Masaaki Mizunaka (Sandman), and Kenichiro Matsuda (Pocoloco). While the specific details of what will be revealed on the stage remain a mystery, we have to imagine that it will hint at what is to come for the Steel Ball Run.

This isn’t to say that it isn’t possible that the Steel Ball Run will stick to a weekly release, though Netflix and David haven’t confirmed when we can expect episode two to land. The first episode of the latest JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure arc tells something of a complete story, with the first branch of the cross-country race coming to an end. With Gyro Zeppeli racing to the top spot, fans should prepare themselves for far greater moments as this storyline continues.

Why The Steel Ball Run Premiere is Worth Watching

Despite the controversy surrounding when we can expect episode two to arrive, the first episode of Steel Ball Run is still worthy of your time. Quite often, the storyline is considered one of the best arcs in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure history, creating a new reality from what we witnessed in Stone Ocean. Taking place in the late 1800s, the racers are a colorful cast of characters, and surprisingly enough, their personalities were more than enough to create a tense scenario even with no Stands featured in the premiere. The fact that some of the competitors aren’t riding horses at all, with Sandman using only his legs and Avdul riding a camel, the anime adaptation is

Johnny Joestar might not have a connection to many of the Joestars we’ve followed in the past, outside of his name, but this doesn’t make him any less interesting. Johnny has learned the error of his ways once he lost the use of his legs in a theatrical altercation, and having brought himself back in the saddle quite literally, the racer makes for a compelling protagonist. On the flip side, Gyro works well as another protagonist, with his steel balls working similarly to Stand powers. While the anime has yet to officially declare its villain, those who’ve followed the Joestars have a fairly good idea of who it will be.

What do you think of the Steel Ball Run’s second episode being missing in action? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!