A first look at the upcoming Steel Ball Run anime has arrived with the release of its key visual. The art introduces the new character designs ahead of the anime’s global release on Netflix in 2026 . Fans can get an early preview of the new series at Jump Festa 2026 on December 20 and 21, where the anime will have a dedicated booth featuring cast appearances and special activities .
A First Look at Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli
The new key visual was created by Daisuke Tsumagari, the anime’s character designer and chief animation director . It shows the two main characters, Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, in a dynamic style that fits the series’ famous aesthetic . The background includes subtle golden silhouettes of galloping horses, pointing to the story’s setting of a cross-country horse race .
Johnny Joestar is a former horse racing champion who lost the use of his legs and now uses a wheelchair . Gyro Zeppeli is a mysterious participant in the race who shows Johnny a strange power that gives him new hope . The two team up to compete in the Steel Ball Run race .
Jump Festa 2026: Event Schedule and Activities
The Steel Ball Run anime will be featured at the Jump Festa 2026 event in Chiba, Japan. The event takes place at the Makuhari Messe convention center on December 20 and 21 .
The booth will host mini-stage events where the Japanese voice actors will appear to talk about the series . For fans who cannot attend in person, these stage shows will be streamed live on the Warner Bros. Japan Anime official YouTube channel .
Here is the full schedule for the mini-stage events:
DAY 1 – December 20 (Saturday)
- 12:30 – 13:00: Shogo Sakata (Voice of Johnny Joestar) .
- 15:10 – 15:40: Shogo Sakata (Johnny) and Yohei Azakami (Voice of Gyro Zeppeli) .
- 16:30 – 17:00: Yohei Azakami (Gyro) .
DAY 2 – December 21 (Sunday)
- 12:00 – 12:30: Kenta Miyake (Voice of Steven Steel) and Rie Takahashi (Voice of Lucy Steel) .
- 13:30 – 14:00: Shogo Sakata (Johnny) and Yohei Azakami (Gyro) .
- 15:30 – 16:00: To be announced .
All stage events will be hosted by Atsuko Uchida .
The booth will also run a stamp rally. Visitors who collect stamps from around the Jump Festa venue can receive an exclusive “SBR JF Commemorative Flag” as a gift . A special “SBR Event-Edition Newspaper” will also be handed out at the booth .
The Story of Steel Ball Run
Steel Ball Run is the seventh major story in the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series, which began as a manga in 1986 . The franchise is famous for its unique art, dramatic poses, and multi-generational story about the Joestar family .
This part is a major new beginning for the series. It starts a new storyline in a different version of the JoJo universe . The story is set in 1890 America and centers on the “Steel Ball Run,” a long-distance horse race across the North American continent with a huge cash prize .
Johnny Joestar, now using a wheelchair, decides to enter this dangerous race after meeting Gyro Zeppeli . As they race, they get caught in a larger conspiracy and face many other competitors with unique abilities .
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Production Team and Global Release Plans
The anime is being produced by david production, the same studio that animated the previous six parts of the JoJo anime series . The directors are Yasuhiro Kimura and Hideya Takahashi, with series composition by Yasuko Kobayashi . The music is being composed by Yugo Kanno .
The main voice cast for the Japanese dub has been confirmed :
- Johnny Joestar: Shogo Sakata
- Gyro Zeppeli: Yohei Azakami
- Diego Brando: Kaito Ishikawa
- Lucy Steel: Rie Takahashi
- Steven Steel: Kenta Miyake
The series is scheduled for a global release on Netflix sometime in 2026 . A specific release date or month has not been announced yet.
