JoJo fans uproar pushes Netflix to reveal Steel Ball Run’s release schedule and return

The premiere of Steel Ball Run, part seven of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, was a bittersweet experience for fans of the long-running franchise created by Hiroiko Araki. While the two-part premiere displayed once again animation studio David Production’s ability to adapt and enhance the popular manga, fans were left wondering when the next episodes would air, and with what cadence. Following two weeks of silence, Netflix finally shared on X that Steel Ball Run will come back with its second stage in fall 2026. More importantly, the streaming platform confirmed that new episodes will be released weekly, and not in batches.

This is big news for JoJo fans, who have been criticizing Netflix’s decision to mass-release episodes of the anime for a long time, starting during season 6, Stone Ocean, which was split into two batches, separated by a long wait. Fans believe that this release schedule hurts anticipation and hype around the series, as it doesn’t allow for weekly discussions and engagement, which were a big component of previous seasons’ success. Moreover, Netflix was criticized for its lack of transparency around Steel Ball Run‘s release, as no information was made available after the long-anticipated premiere. Fans were worried that the hated batch release strategy would continue, and were left in the dark about when the next episodes would become available.

The official statement from the platform tries to appeal to fans by recognizing their vocal support for the series. However, the mention that “this release schedule is part of our original plan and reflects the wishes of the production committee” indicates that Netflix didn’t bend to pressure or change its plans in a hurry following fans’ uproar. If this is the case, then the blame goes to the lack of communication and transparency, which seems to have been acknowledged and rectified. Still, fans who were hoping to see Steel Ball Run come back soon with new episodes were disappointed, as we’ll still have to wait for at least five months.

If Netflix and the Steel Ball Run production committee planned to build anticipation around the series with an early premiere while the anime is still in production, their strategy was only partially successful. It was great to see Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli start their mad race across the United States, and the anime looks like a visual spectacle, but the murky communication strategy also caused a loss of goodwill among fans. Let’s hope that all will be forgotten when Steel Ball Run comes back on air with a weekly release schedule.