After five long months of waiting, the anime community finally has its answer: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is returning to Netflix on September 25, 2026 with 11 new episodes dropping weekly. And yes — JoJo Fridays are officially back.
For those who need a refresher, Steel Ball Run is Part 7 of Hirohiko Araki’s legendary JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga, and it’s widely considered one of the greatest manga ever written. The anime adaptation debuted earlier this Spring with a single 45-minute premiere episode that immediately blew fans away — and then vanished. No announcements. No dates. Just silence.
Until now.
The Return: What We Know About Stage 2
Netflix confirmed the return date at Anime Expo 2026 during a packed Steel Ball Run panel, dropping a brand-new trailer that set the internet on fire. Here’s what’s coming:
- 11 episodes spanning the 2nd and 3rd Stages of the cross-continental horse race
- Weekly releases every Friday starting September 25
- New Stand powers finally making their appearance — the premiere was all horse racing, but the trailer makes it clear things are about to get very, very bizarre
The trailer itself is a masterclass in hype. We get our first look at Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli actually fighting, complete with the iconic Spin technique and the first glimpse of their Stands in action. If you thought the premiere was just a horse race anime, Stage 2 is here to remind you this is still JoJo’s.
Meet the New Cast: Funny Valentine, Mountain Tim, and Hot Pants
Perhaps the biggest reveal from the panel was the full voice cast for the new characters joining the race. And the choices? Absolutely peak.
- Tomokazu Sugita as Funny Valentine — Yes, the same Sugita who voiced Gintoki in Gintama. This is the kind of casting that makes you do a double take. Funny Valentine is one of the most complex and beloved antagonists in all of JoJo’s, and Sugita has the range to pull off both the charm and the menace.
- Tomoaki Maeno as Mountain Tim — The cowboy Stand user who becomes an unexpected ally. Maeno, known for voicing Zhongli in Genshin Impact, brings the perfect gravitas to this rugged character.
- Yoko Hikasa as Hot Pants — The mysterious racer with a secret that won’t be spoiled here. Hikasa’s work as Kyoko in Danganronpa proves she can handle characters with layers.
Why the Long Wait? The Producer Explains
In a recent interview with Anime Corner, series producer Noriko Dohi finally addressed the elephant in the room: why did fans have to wait five months between the premiere and Stage 2?
“First off, this is a very difficult anime to produce,” Dohi explained. “The horse races, especially, need to feel really real and that’s incredibly difficult. It takes an incredible amount of work.”
She also revealed that the production team deliberately chose this release structure. Rather than rushing a full cour out the door, they wanted to give each stage the attention it deserved — especially since Steel Ball Run’s story escalates dramatically once the Stand battles begin.
It’s a bold strategy. But if the premiere was any indication, David Production is putting quality above speed. And honestly? After watching that 45-minute first episode, most fans would agree it was worth the wait.
Why Steel Ball Run Is Already 2026’s Biggest Anime
Steel Ball Run didn’t just debut well — it dominated. The anime officially topped Japan’s Spring 2026 anime satisfaction rankings, beating out every other premiere of the season. It’s currently sitting at the #1 spot in multiple anime popularity polls, and the manga has seen a massive resurgence in sales thanks to the adaptation.
Part 7 has always had a special place in JoJo fandom. It’s the story that reinvented the franchise, moving from the familiar Joestar bloodline drama to a wild cross-country horse race across 1890s America. Johnny Joestar, a paralyzed former jockey, and Gyro Zeppeli, an Italian executioner, form one of the best duos in manga history. Add in a conspiracy involving the corpse of a saint, Stand battles that defy imagination, and Araki at his creative peak — and you have a recipe for something truly special.
The anime is capturing all of it. The premiere’s animation quality wascinema-level, with David Production pulling out all the stops for the horse racing sequences. Stage 2 is expected to maintain — if not exceed — that level of quality, especially now that the real fights begin.
What to Expect from Stage 2
Spoiler-free preview: Stage 2 is where Steel Ball Run goes from great to legendary. Without giving anything away, this is where:
- The true nature of the race begins to reveal itself
- Johnny and Gyro’s partnership deepens in ways you won’t see coming
- Funny Valentine enters the picture and changes everything
- The Stand battles become some of the most creative and intense in the entire JoJo franchise
For manga readers, this is the section that made Steel Ball Run a masterpiece. For anime-only fans, prepare yourselves.
The JoJo Friday Tradition Lives On
Netflix has confirmed they’re reverting to a weekly streaming schedule for the rest of Steel Ball Run. This means JoJo Fridays — the beloved tradition of new JoJo episodes dropping on Fridays — is officially back.
There’s something special about weekly JoJo episodes. The community theories, the meme potential, the shared experience of watching together. Binge culture has its place, but JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was practically made for weekly consumption. Every cliffhanger hits harder when you have to wait seven days for the next chapter.
With 11 episodes dropping weekly from September 25 through early December, fans are looking at a stacked fall anime season anchored by Steel Ball Run’s return.
Mark Your Calendar
September 25, 2026. That’s the date. Set your alarms, clear your schedules, and prepare for the wildest horse race in anime history to resume.
Stage 1 was the appetizer. Stage 2 is where the real race begins.
Are you ready for JoJo Fridays to make their comeback? And which new character cast are you most excited to see in action — Funny Valentine, Mountain Tim, or Hot Pants? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
