The Long Wait for Steel Ball Run
The JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime series is currently undergoing a uniquely long production phase as David Production's staff finalizes the next two installments of the Steel Ball Run arc. With many fans understandably frustrated, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure producer Noriko Dohi recently revealed why this particular narrative requires more time to bring to life.
Stage 1 of JoJo's highly-anticipated sixth season, Steel Ball Run, debuted on Netflix worldwide on March 19, 2026. Notably, Episode 1 clocked in at 47 minutes long -- over double the length of a standard JoJo episode. However, the 2nd and 3rd Stages are not scheduled to hit the airwaves until September 2026.
Challenges in Production
In a recent interview with Anime Corner, Dohi sat down with Dohi, as well as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure music composer Yugo Kanno, to explain why the production team purposefully opted for a five-month release gap between anime cours.
Set in 19th-century America, the plot of Steel Ball Run follows Johnny Joestar as he competes in a cross-country horse race for a whopping $50 million cash prize. According to Dohi, the equestrian sequences presented a unique challenge to the staff, who are committed to making them feel as 'real' as possible.
Another major hurdle is Steel Ball Run's time period and setting. Noting that certain aspects of Hirohiko Araki's original JoJo manga are historically inaccurate, David Production's animation team took extra steps to ensure that everything depicted on-screen -- from the landscapes to the architecture -- faithfully represents America as it was in the year 1890.
The scope of Steel Ball Run's narrative is another key factor. The arc consists of 95 chapters, making it the second-longest storyline after the 110-chapter 'JoJoLion' arc.
Respect for the Original Manga
At its core, Dohi's conscientious approach to the JoJo anime is rooted in a profound respect for the original manga and its creator. 'The original from Mr. Araki is so fantastic. The world view, the story, the style of drawing, everything is wonderful...but just staying faithful won't create the anime that you see now,' he added.
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