Steel Ball Run: JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken

Five years after the conclusion of Stone Ocean, David Production has delivered what can only be described as a cinematic triumph. Adapting Hirohiko Araki’s magnum opus was deemed impossible by many, but the Steel Ball Run anime completely blows past the astronomical hype.
From the very first extended premiere episode, the series establishes an incredible sense of momentum. The shift to a massive, $50 million cross-country horse race across the 1890s American frontier brings a fresh, epic scale to the franchise. What truly sets this adaptation apart is how beautifully David Production handles the animation; the seamless blend of hand-drawn 2D close-ups and dynamic 3D racing ... sequences captures the complex theme of constant motion flawlessly.
Johnny Joestar is easily the most compelling, morally grey, and deeply human protagonist we’ve ever had, and his unmatched dynamic with the charismatic Gyro Zeppeli forms the emotional heartbeat of the story. Accompanied by a phenomenal, sweeping soundtrack and incredible voice acting that brings out the gritty, Western-inspired tone, the pacing improves upon the early stages of the manga in every possible way.
This isn't just a faithful adaptation; it elevates the source material into a mature, high-octane masterpiece. An absolute 10/10. Truly masterpiece

Steel Ball Run is widely regarded as one of the greatest manga of all time, a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with. However, calling this adaptation as one of the greatest anime of all time, or even of the last year, is a ridiculous statement to make.

By far my biggest complaint is the art/animation. A 10/10 adaptation is supposed to elevate the art far beyond the source material. Take Demon Slayer for example. An otherwise average manga with few innovations or accolades to speak of between the art and writing became one of the most watched and well-known franchises across the globe, breaking numerous records with ... their movie last year. This was mostly due to the stunning visuals, the beautiful flowing motion, and the clear love and care that went into the animation that brought a manga about powerless swordsmen to larger-than-life. A 10/10 adaptation should make the source material look like a draft storyboard in comparison.

Steel Ball Run, on the other hand, can't hold up against anime from ten years ago. The animation I witnessed in the first few episodes is on par with Dragon Ball Super when it was releasing week-by-week-by-week back in 2016. Each scene is riddled with repeated/still frames, lazy sliding animation, and jarring changes in style when they use cgi. There are a few good scenes where I felt they brought out Araki's intention into visual motion -- but this should be an expectation, not a surprise, for a true 10/10. The shading is flat, and the drawing skips out on a lot of detail present in the manga. One could argue we can't expect to see Araki's level of detail at 12 fps, but if other shows like Demon Slayer or Chainsaw Man can bring out cinematic detail nowhere found in the source, surely Steel Ball Run could at least match its source material, rather than skimping out and falling behind.

It's truly a disservice to the manga and a spit in the face to fans like me who waited for Steel Ball Run to come to life.

Beyond the animation, Steel Ball Run is okay. The voice acting is good, the sound design is good as always with David Production, the pacing is hard to rate at this time with three episodes out, but it looks fine so far. Nothing stands out as 10/10, above and beyond.

When the show finishes airing, the writing should be a 10/10, but I really can't credit the anime for it.

If you are interested in Steel Ball Run, please read the manga. It is an indescribable experience you won't get from the show. Don't let the 9-star rating on this MAL page fool you - it's inflated by rabid fans who will stop at nothing to push their agenda.
Steel Ball Run the anime is a mediocre adaptation floating in a jar of glaze, and it won't get better until we admit it.

We've waited all this time for these episodes. I was expecting something different from the rest of the series because of the delay. How long have we been waiting for these episodes?


The first four parts weren't that bad, but the problem lies in the art style and animation in the later parts of this anime. I didn't find anything good in it, even though I'm trying to convince myself to watch more. I just can't find a reason to watch it. Everyone has their own taste in anime, but I hope they change the art style and the strange animation that I don't feel ... suits men.