Netflix Premieres JoJo's Steel Ball Run Episode 1

Netflix premiered the first episode of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run" on March 19, 2026, launching the seventh installment of Hirohiko Araki's long-running manga series as an anime adaptation exclusive to the streaming platform. The 47-minute opener, titled "1st Stage," introduces viewers to a high-stakes cross-country horse race set in 1890s America, drawing participants from San Diego to New York over approximately 3,700 miles for a $50 million prize.

The episode centers on Johnny Joestar, a former jockey paralyzed from the waist down following a shooting incident, who regains the ability to walk after encountering Gyro Zeppeli, an Italian executioner-turned-racer wielding mysterious steel balls. Intrigued by the phenomenon, Johnny joins the competition to uncover its secrets, forming an alliance with Gyro amid a diverse field of competitors. Other key figures include Diego Brando, a cunning British jockey; Sandman, a Native American runner who participates on foot; Pocoloco, a lucky Black rider; and race promoter Steven Steel, whose wife Lucy also plays a supporting role. The narrative unfolds without the supernatural "Stands" prominent in earlier parts, focusing...