Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a masterclass in narrative eccentricity, constantly pushing the boundaries of the action-adventure genre. Its seventh chapter, Steel Ball Run, introduces a bold new continuity that reinvents franchise staples like Stands and Hamon. Set against the backdrop of an industrializing 1890s America, the story follows a high-stakes, cross-country horse race with a $50 million grand prize. As protagonists Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli navigate the grueling 2nd Stage of the competition, they quickly discover that the tournament is a front for a dark, far-reaching conspiracy.
Following a successful two-episode debut on March 19, Netflix’s adaptation of Steel Ball Run hit a snag, sparking significant fan frustration due to an unclear release schedule. Addressing the outcry, Netflix confirmed that the story’s next phase is slated for Fall 2026, with future installments moving to a structured weekly release cadence divided into seasonal cours.
Did Netflix miss the mark with the JoJo: Steel Ball Run rollout?
A frustrating lack of communication left viewers in the dark about the series’ return.
In the original manga, the 2nd Stage spans chapters 12 through 27, a segment dense with world-building that the anime will likely distill into two or more episodes. This portion of the race introduces a revelation so jarring and surreal that it fundamentally alters the trajectory of the entire series.
While we await the next chapter of the adaptation, let’s break down the wild events currently unfolding on the trail.
[Ed. note: The following contains major spoilers for the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run manga.]The 2nd Stage shifts the tone from a simple race to a desperate fight for survival across the unforgiving Arizona desert. As resources like water become scarce, the contestants turn hostile, and our protagonists find themselves targets of a lethal conspiracy that extends far beyond the racing leaderboard. A string of brutal, unexplained murders marks the beginning of this shift, signaling that the true race is no longer for the money.
The arc reaches a fever pitch in Chapter 25, “Tusk Part 1.” A flashback transports us to 1191 A.D. at the Glastonbury Monastery, where a mysterious map is unearthed. This artifact, linked to Joseph of Arimathea—the saint who laid Jesus Christ to rest—shows a landmass that shouldn’t have been known to European cartographers at the time. The implication is staggering: the legend of Jesus is deeply intertwined with the strange, supernatural occurrences within the American frontier.
As the story returns to the present, Gyro and Johnny are ambushed by a competitor named F.V. Stroheim. After dispatching him, Johnny notices something physically impossible: a gaunt, mummified hand appears from within his own arm before retreating back under his skin. Parallel to this, we see event organizer Steven Steel meeting with U.S. President Funny Valentine, discussing the discovery of a “Corpse Part” near the Devil’s Palm—a cursed, shifting landscape that manifests miraculous abilities.
Johnny eventually deduces that these hunters are chasing them because they have inadvertently come into possession of these holy remains. The power within the arm not only fuses with Johnny, triggering the awakening of his Stand, “Tusk,” but it also serves as a harbinger of the supernatural conflict to come. Jesus himself, appearing in visions to guide the desperate cast, becomes the pivot point around which this bizarre, divine scavenger hunt revolves.
Ultimately, Steel Ball Run transforms from a transcontinental competition into a high-stakes search for nine scattered relics. These Corpse Parts grant immense power to those who hold them, and the President’s desire to consolidate this remains suggests a motive far more dangerous than simple victory. As Gyro aptly notes, the “greatest of saints offer the power and glory of a thousand years,” and in the hands of the wrong people, that power promises only moral decay and turmoil.
The 2nd Stage of the Steel Ball Run anime is merely the prologue to this epic, setting the stage for a profound critique of the American Dream through the lens of pure, Araki-style chaos.
You can stream the latest episodes of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run on Netflix.
Source: Polygon
