Netflix has announced it will exclusively stream the highly anticipated anime adaptation of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run globally. Further details regarding the series, including its release schedule, are expected to be unveiled during a global livestream event on September 23.
Global Reach for the Next Bizarre Adventure
The announcement marks Netflix’s continued partnership with the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise, following its exclusive global streaming of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, the adaptation of Part 6. While Stone Ocean was released in batches, a strategy that drew mixed reactions from fans accustomed to weekly releases, the global nature of this Steel Ball Run deal ensures accessibility for viewers worldwide. This move underscores Netflix’s investment in bringing popular anime titles to its international audience.
Key Creative Team Returns for Steel Ball Run Adaptation
David Production, the animation studio behind all previous JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime adaptations, is at the helm for Steel Ball Run. The creative team features several familiar and acclaimed names from the franchise:
- Directors: Yasuhiro Kimura and Hideya Takahashi, who previously co-directed JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, are directing the new series.
- Series Director: Toshiyuki Kato, known for directing JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean and his extensive work on other series in the franchise, will serve as series director.
- Series Scripts: Yasuko Kobayashi, a veteran of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime, returns to oversee the series scripts, ensuring continuity in storytelling.
- Character Design: Daisuke Tsumagari, who worked as an animation director on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, is designing the characters.
- Music: Yūgo Kanno will once again compose the iconic music for the series.
- Sound Director: Yoshikazu Iwanami is returning as the sound director.
Diving into the World of Steel Ball Run
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run takes place in an alternate continuity from the preceding parts, set in the American Wild West of 1890. The story centers on Johnny Joestar, a former jockey who has lost the use of his legs, and Gyro Zeppeli, a master of the Spin technique. They participate in the Steel Ball Run, a treacherous 6,000 km (approximately 3,700 miles) cross-country horse race from San Diego to New York City, with a grand prize of $50 million.
The narrative quickly evolves beyond a simple race, embroiling Johnny and Gyro in a complex conspiracy involving a religious artifact and the President of the United States. The manga, originally launched by Hirohiko Araki in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 2004 before moving to Ultra Jump in 2005, concluded in 2011 across 24 volumes. Viz Media has licensed the Steel Ball Run manga in English, releasing its first volume digitally and in print.
Anticipation and Future Revelations
Fans have eagerly awaited an anime adaptation of Steel Ball Run, widely considered one of the most beloved arcs in the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure saga. While no official release date has been announced yet, the global livestream event on September 23 is expected to provide crucial updates, likely including a premiere window and further insights into the series. The previous batch release model for Stone Ocean on Netflix had sparked discussions among the fanbase, with many hoping for a return to a more traditional weekly release schedule for Steel Ball Run.
