JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a renowned manga and anime known for its distinctive artstyle and numerous pop culture references. The manga, written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki, has had a cult following since its release in 1987. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is divided by parts with each part telling its own story. The stories, however, all follow the same bloodline. From evil vampires to fighting a priest at the Kennedy Space Center, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure keeps its audience entertained. 

After six parts, the story branches off into a separate universe, paralleling its predecessor parts.  Steel Ball Run, the first part of the new timeline, takes place in 1890s America. The story follows Johnny Joestar, a paraplegic jockey, and Gyro Zeppeli, another protagonist who bears spinning steel balls. The jockeys are both a part of a cross-country race, which spans from San Diego to New York with the prize of $50 million. The manga ran from 2004-2011, having been well received by many and becoming the second highest rated manga. In April of 2025, it was announced that the animated adaptation would be coming to Netflix. Later that year in December, the official trailer was released.

On March 19, 2026, the first episode of the highly anticipated Steel Ball Run aired on Netflix. Fans did not disappoint as Steel Ball Run became the highest rated anime after just one episode. However, as the week passed, the excitement began to run out. With a schedule unannounced, fans were hoping to see weekly episodes released. When the teaser for the second stage released, fans soon learned that their worst fear had come true. The teaser only revealed that more episodes would be released this year. Fans fell into a mass hysteria, declaring their outrage on various social media platforms. Outrage that was once contained to posts related to Steel Ball Run had spread to every post. It’s unlikely that you won’t find someone in the comment section of an unrelated post asking for Steel Ball Run.

As an avid fan myself, it’s disappointing to see such a well-received piece of media be mishandled. I loved the first episode and seeing some of my favorite characters on screen. Releasing only one episode and creating a gap for the rest kills the excitement. Steel Ball Run is a great story that should have had more consideration put into it.