Cowboys, gunslingers, dinosaurs and a transcontinental horse race across America, it seems like Netflix’s newest anime, “Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”, has all the makings of a very promising and bizarre show. On March 19, 2026, Netflix released a new animated addition to the “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” series. The first episode spanned double the length of a normal episode, providing a great setup to the setting and characters in the show.

This highly anticipated anime got its hype from its original publication as a manga created by Hirohiko Araki, whose original work on Steel Ball Run was published from 2004 to 2011, which, after several years, has now finally had the opportunity to be shown in all its greatness on the screen. 

Steel Ball Run’s story doesn’t pick up after the previous story that was being told. Rather, it serves as a reimagining of Araki’s original Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure series. From humble beginnings, Araki has published work on the original Jojo series since 1987, eventually gaining massive popularity and having six total parts animated before the release of Steel Ball Run. The story branches off from its original timeline, forming a brand new identity among its predecessors. It breaks free from the earlier continuity, forging a new path on the western frontier, exploring new settings and characters. Araki blends new faces as well as old ones on a new journey, creating a virtually new cast of characters.

In this first episode of Steel Ball Run, we are introduced to the 1890s American setting of the show. It starts off by setting the mood of an old-timey spaghetti western, a time of horses and cowboys, and it sets up an atmosphere of adventure and grandeur. Then it quickly moves to the premise of the story, a cross-country horse race with $50 million dollars on the line. From California to New York, this journey is going to be a vast and dangerous one, filled with many challenges along the way.

The story also introduces our star-studded cast of characters on this adventure. Main protagonists such as Johnny Joestar, a paraplegic former horse jockey who searches for the mysteries behind the powers of an ability called “spin,” and Gyro Zeppeli, a mysterious cowboy who has mastery of this special ability, make their way onto the screen. 

Paired with plenty of other notable characters, their personalities and appearances all make them uniquely memorable. The story does a good job of laying out the characters’ motivations to compete in the race, along with sharing a bit of their personality as well. Though most of the characters’ backstories are not really expanded upon besides Johnny Joestar, granted, we really have to wait till they can be properly expanded upon further in the series.

The first episode also gives us an excellent portrayal of the new “spin” power system in the show. It was able to properly make use of the power system multiple times throughout the show without outright giving it away. It’s always appreciated to see a show do a great job at introducing a brand new power system without making it so obvious how it works.

“Steel Ball Run” carves its way as its own independent show, but don’t let that stop you from watching the earlier series. There are plenty of references and comments to the previous characters and other character dynamics. Either way, these series are looking to be one fun adventure to watch, with many crazy, bizarre moments along the way.