Forget everything you know about the American Frontier. In Netflix’s recent first stage animation adaptation of Hirohiko Araki’s 2004 manga, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, we follow disgraced, paraplegic jockey Johnny Joestar and the elusive Gyro Zeppeli as they compete in a trans-American horse race for a $50 million prize.

But for Johnny, the race is more than just a gamble for gold; it’s the pursuit of Gyro’s “Spin,” a mysterious technique that offers a flickering hope of reclaiming his legs.

From the beginning of this standalone opening release, David Production’s animation team does noticeable heavy lifting. Translating Araki’s notoriously intricate art style into animation has certainly never been a small feat, and the first episode handles Gyro’s “Spin” technique in a way that feels almost as psychedelic as it does dangerous.

This season premiere doesn’t just resonate with fans because of hype moments with perfectly-timed music, but also through the quiet, bitter desperation of Johnny Joestar. Araki didn’t shy away from his trauma and imperfections in the original manga format, and it’s inspiring to see Netflix allow such a morally-ambiguous main character. Although, small scenes were cut out from the anime that made Johnny slightly more unlikeable in the manga. But no matter the version, there’s no doubt that he is remarkably selfish and egotistical.

Johnny’s first meeting with Gyro is perfectly executed; however, this can mainly be attributed to Araki’s fantastical writing style. It feels like a collision of fate rather than a random encounter, and seeing the spark of hope in Johnny’s eyes hooks the viewer to Steel Ball Run by attaching our attention to his pursuit.

This first episode received an immediate 9.7/10 on IMDB, with fans everywhere mutually agreeing that we’re witnessing the start of something great. Being one of the highest-rated manga of all time, it’s not every day we see fans so satisfied with an anime adaptation. 

Netflix has been notably unwilling to release any specific information on future releases, but have confirmed more episodes coming fall 2026.

“I’ve been waiting four years for this, and it has certainly paid off,” senior Enrique Torres Torres said. “The animation, music and characters have all been outstanding. I’m super excited to see my favorite character, Funny Valentine, be animated.” 

Ultimately, as a JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure fan, I’m relieved that the only complaint echoing through the community is, “When is the next episode coming out?” rather than, “Why is the animation so awful?”