This post contains spoilers for Steel Ball Run.
2026 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for anime fans. Throughout the year, fans will be treated to amazing titles that are bound to keep them busy for months. There will be many new titles trying to make a name for themselves, but at the same time, many old anime will be making their comeback.
Jojo: Steel Ball Run released a new trailer and fans are already excited
The latest Steel Ball Run trailer has polarized fans.
In January 2026, viewers will get to enjoy it Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 and the end of Freren: Beyond Journey season 2. Both animes have a huge fan base, and they are eager to see their favorite characters after a long wait. While JJK Season 3 and Freeren Season 2 are the main contenders to be crowned Anime of the Year, there is one title that stands head and shoulders above them.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is the biggest anime of 2026
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The Steel Ball Run manga is highly rated
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The anime is being produced by David Productions
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime is returning after an absence of nearly four years. Stone Ocean was the last part to be animated, and after its conclusion, David Productions knew it had to start on the Steel Ball run. However, the studio didn't share any updates for a long time, which worried fans. Thankfully, in 2025, Netflix confirmed that the Steel Ball Run anime would be released in 2026.
Social media accounts associated with the JoJo franchise and Netflix shared new trailers, scenes, and character designs. All of this gave fans a glimpse of what they can expect from the Steel Ball Run anime. If fans don't want to believe the trailers, they can just wait and watch the anime live, as Netflix has already shared the release date for the Steel Ball Run anime.
JoJo fans can watch the SBR anime on March 19, 2026. It has been confirmed that the first episode will premiere on the aforementioned date, and its runtime will be 47 minutes. It also appears that Netflix has abandoned its approach of releasing episodes in batches. Otherwise, the streaming platform would have worded it differently.
It would be remiss not to mention that many fans hated Stone Ocean's release schedule, mainly because it ruined the hype for the anime. The weekly release schedule means fans get the chance to talk about episodes airing in the same week and discuss episodes that will be released later. Hopefully, Netflix will respond to fans in the coming weeks.
Steel Ball Run is a phenomenal manga
Since JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is split into different parts, viewers with no prior experience with the series may want to know if they can start with Steel Ball Run. The answer is both yes and no. Steel Ball Run takes place in an alternate universe, so it's not completely tied to the previous installments. So fans don't need to watch them to fully understand the story. But at the same time, there are a lot of references to old characters, which will go over the heads of viewers if they haven't seen the previous six episodes.
Steel Ball Run anime may overtake Frieren on MyAnimeList
When Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 1 aired, fans couldn't help but appreciate the quality of the work, for which Madhouse deserves huge credit. It is widely considered the pinnacle of storytelling and world building. However, there are certain manga that can easily compete with Freeren, and among them is Steel Ball Run.
JoJo fans are worried about the Steel Ball run after Netflix acquired Warner Bros
Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. could threaten Steel Ball's run.
For starters, Steel Ball Run is the second-highest-rated manga on MyAnimeList behind only Kentaro Miura's Berserk. Ratings are based on user reviews, so while not definitive, they shouldn't be ignored either. Arguably, if the studio had given the same treatment to a story of the quality of Steel Ball Run, it could easily have elevated Freire from the top spot. Naturally, a lot will ride on the shoulders of the David product, but fans need not worry, as the studio has always delivered top-notch adaptations, and Steel Ball Run will be no different.
What about Steel Ball Run?
Steel Ball Run follows the life of Johnny Joestar, who has fallen from grace. Johnny was a star jockey before an accident robbed him of his ability to walk. He shunned everyone and eventually faded into obscurity. Things looked bleak, but that changed when Johnny met Garo Zeppeli.
Jujutsu Kaisen
- Release date
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October 3, 2020
- network
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TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
- directors
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Ryohei Takashita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi
- The authors
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Hiroshi Seko
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Yuichi Nakamura
Satoru Gojo
