Since JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean finished airing back in December 2022, fans of the show have been waiting with bated breath for confirmation that the next part of the manga, Steel Ball Run, will be animated too, with many losing hope.
After years of near-constant rumors and speculation, we have finally received official confirmation, that one of the most beloved Jojo parts, Steel Ball Run, will be coming to screens, 14 years after the original manga series concluded.
Announced as part of the JOJO Day event, celebrating the series, both past and future, Warner Bros. Japan revealed the first trailer for Steel Ball Run.
JOJO Day has been one of the most highly anticipated events of 2025 among anime fans, with many voice actors, musicians, and key production staff for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure in attendance.
The event took place at the Yoyogi 2nd National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, and was live-streamed to a small audience exclusively in Japan. It was during this event that Warner Bros. Japan released a video announcing Steel Ball Run’s anime.
The Steel Ball Run manga began in January 2004 and ran until April 2011, and is one of the most celebrated parts of the series, for both its incredible story and fantastic cast of characters.
Steel Ball Run takes place in an alternative universe to the previous six parts that we have seen so far. Stone Ocean wrapped up the series’ original timeline, giving an ending to its universe of characters that would have been hard to follow up on.
In this universe, Johnny Joestar, an alternate version of Jonathan Joestar, is a former jockey, who was injured and ended up in a wheelchair after a terrible incident before the manga began.
He then meets Gyro Zeppeli, a man who wants to partake in the Steel Ball run race across America, to claim its massive reward. Gyro inspires Johnny to join him on his journey, but the race is not as simple as it seems.
Fans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure will enjoy the many references to the original series that Steel Ball Run offers. It features the same style of bizarre situations and battles that fans have grown to love, whilst not alienating new fans, who can enjoy Steel Ball Run as an entry point to the series.
Warner Bros. has released key visuals showcasing Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, the main characters of this part, with the official website declaring that Steel Ball Run will be “coming soon.”
Warner Bros. has yet to announce a release date for Steel Ball Run, however Stone Ocean began airing only 8 months after its announcement, meaning that JoJo fans may not have long to wait!
Check out the announcement trailer for Steel Ball Run below.
