Steel Ball Run Premiere Examines Race, Gender, and American Mythos
The review foregrounds the series' treatment of race and gender as central critical lenses, a departure from typical technical or adaptation-focused coverage of the franchise.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime Feminist.
Anime Feminist published a review of the first episode of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, the anime adaptation of Hirohiko Araki's manga part 7. The episode introduces paraplegic jockey Johnny Joestar, who enters the cross-country Steel Ball Run race not for the $50 million prize but to understand the secrets of Gyro Zeppeli's steel balls. The review, written by Chiaki Mitama, focuses on the series' depiction of 1890s America, its romanticized manifest destiny and Wild West flavor, and the racial and gender dynamics of its cast. The only named woman so far is Lucy, a race-runner's wife. Non-white characters include Sandman, a Native American runner whose skill is attributed to "the natives' unknown power," and Pocoloco, a lazy comic relief character with supernatural luck. The reviewer notes the violence typical of JoJo, with body contortion and blood, but praises the race sequence as well-paced and engaging. The review is presented as a "carte blanche" perspective from a critic not deeply familiar with the franchise.
The review, published on April 1, 2026, covers the double-length premiere of the Steel Ball Run anime. Critic Chiaki Mitama explicitly states they are not a dedicated JoJo fan, offering a perspective that emphasizes the show's cultural and political framing over fidelity to the manga. They note the 1890 setting places the story after the American Civil War and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during the twilight of the American Indian Wars. The cast includes Diego, a British character the reviewer expects will become a villain, and Urmd Avdul, a Middle Eastern racer on a camel who drops out early. The reviewer expresses concern about how Native American representation will develop, given Sandman's depiction as a serious competitor whose abilities are tied to an ethnic gimmick. The violence includes horses tripping and falling, medical trauma, and casual 19th-century racism as a content warning. The review concludes that the race segment is lean and exciting, but flags the potential pitfalls in representation as minor contrivances in the big picture.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime Feminist STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure – Episode 1