Netflix’s Latest Anime Is the Perfect Entry Point for One of the Genre’s Wildest Sagas

20 Mar at 15:06 Comment Views: 25

Johnny Joestar exhibits grim determination during the opening leg of the Steel Ball Run

Netflix’s adaptation of Steel Ball Run arrives as a masterfully condensed celebration of Hiroiko Araki’s creative rejuvenation. By distilling the first two volumes of the manga into a visceral two-part premiere, the series honors its roots while offering a fresh start. Though it serves as an accessible entry point for newcomers to the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure mythos, the show’s true brilliance reveals itself to those familiar with the six-part saga that preceded it. This prior knowledge adds layers of emotional weight to what is already a sprawling, high-stakes odyssey across the American frontier.

Following a multi-generational legacy of the Joestar bloodline, the franchise’s seventh installment pivots to the United States in the late 19th century. Rather than a traditional sequel, Steel Ball Run acts as a reimagining—a parallel timeline that breathes new life into iconic concepts like Stands and the eternal struggle for justice. This time, the narrative is sharpened by explorations of manifest destiny, cultural erasure, and the dark underbelly of American exceptionalism, making the stakes feel more grounded and politically charged than ever before.

Sandman readies himself for the cross-country race in Steel Ball Run Image: David Production/Netflix

David Production has gone to great lengths to translate Araki’s most sophisticated art style to the screen. The visuals are a striking blend of meticulously detailed environments and character designs that pop with a seamless marriage of 2D and 3D animation. Drawing heavily from Spaghetti Western aesthetics, the opening sequences evoke a world of dusty frontier towns and inevitable violence, where the quiet of the wilderness is frequently shattered by supernatural conflict.

The first episode mirrors the manga’s introduction of Sandman, a Native American athlete whose tribe views his fascination with Western culture as a betrayal. In a showcase of sheer physical prowess, he outpaces pursuers on horseback while on foot, immediately establishing the series’ unique brand of kinetic energy. While the anime streamlines Sandman’s backstory to get to the action, it swiftly moves toward the Steel Ball Run Conference—where promoter Steven Steel reveals a massive transcontinental horse race stretching from San Diego to New York City. This shift in pacing ensures the audience is hooked from the jump, maintaining a breathless momentum.

Gyro Zeppeli celebrates his victory in the first stage of the race Image: David Production/Netflix

With a 50-million-dollar purse on the line, the competition attracts a diverse gallery of eccentrics. Our protagonist, Johnny Joestar—a former star jockey now living with paraplegia—is drawn into the fray after a chance encounter with the enigmatic Gyro Zeppeli. When Johnny touches Gyro’s spinning Steel Balls, his legs twitch with a momentary spark of life. Driven by the desperate hope that this “Spin” technique holds the key to his recovery, Johnny enters the race, setting the stage for a journey of both physical and spiritual redemption.

Johnny’s backstory is handled with efficient narrative shorthand. A crisp flashback reveals his fall from grace: once a hubristic athlete, he was paralyzed after a senseless altercation at a theater. This glimpse into his past is vital, grounding his current obsession with Gyro’s abilities in a profound sense of loss. It effectively establishes Johnny as one of the franchise’s most complex and vulnerable leads without slowing the premiere’s frantic pace.

Diego Brando watches Gyro's maneuvers in Steel Ball Run Image: David Production/Netflix

The premiere succeeds in capturing the colossal geographic scale of Araki’s vision. From vast deserts to treacherous mountain passes, the environment itself is a character. We are introduced to a host of rivals, including the cunning Diego Brando and the preternaturally lucky Pocoloco. The tactical brilliance of the race is on full display; Diego’s uncanny ability to read his opponents’ horses adds a layer of equestrian psychological warfare that makes the competition feel truly high-stakes.

The series revels in its own absurdity—a hallmark of the JoJo brand. Whether it’s Pocoloco using a cow’s carcass as a makeshift sled or Sandman sprinting alongside stallions, the show embraces the bizarre with total confidence. While Johnny isn’t initially focused on the prize money, his desperate quest to prove himself to Gyro provides the emotional anchor amid the chaotic spectacle of the first stage’s climax.

Pocoloco realizes he is behind schedule in the Steel Ball Run Image: David Production/Netflix

Purists may find the brisk pace somewhat jarring, as significant portions of dialogue and character nuance from the manga have been trimmed for brevity. However, this narrative streamlining works in the anime’s favor, creating a more cohesive and urgent viewing experience. There is plenty of time for the show to revisit the omitted backstories or introduce iconic Stands like Hey Ya! as the race progresses. For now, the structural changes feel like a necessary evolution for the medium.

Thematically, Steel Ball Run is already laying the groundwork for a scathing critique of greed and the hollow promises of the American Dream. The race serves as a perfect metaphor for a nation built on expansion and corruption, hiding darker conspiracies behind a facade of sporting glory. Whether the series can maintain the delicate balance between these heavy themes and Johnny’s personal growth remains to be seen, but the journey has begun on a vibrant, exhilarating note. As the competitors head into even more perilous territory, the true depth of Araki’s world-building is poised to unfold in spectacular fashion. This is a race you won’t want to miss.

The two-part premiere of JoJo: Steel Ball Run is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

Source: Polygon

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