MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes grew up with many anime classics that focus on epic battles. But there is only one that has the truly best ones, and this classic is returning to Netflix with a new season in less than 2 weeks.
Which anime is it? At 6 years old, my father showed me, probably a bit too early, Dragon Ball Z. Since then, I’ve been a fan of mostly action animes, even though it has become somewhat less in recent years.
But I simply enjoy well-thought-out and choreographed fights. In fact, I have a clear favorite: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The anime based on the cult manga by Hirohiko Araki does almost everything right and even surpasses animes like Dragon Ball, Naruto, or Solo Leveling with its fights.
With Steel Ball Run, the anime returns on March 19, 2026, and promises to deliver its best element in top form.
You can watch the trailer for Steel Ball Run here:
Nothing is like JoJo
What is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anyway? The anime, animated by David Productions (Cells at Work, Fire Force), is based on the manga by Hirohiko Araki, which started in 1987. Unlike other long works, the manga is divided into parts, each telling different stories at different times.
At the center is always a JoJo who is related to the Joestar family. So in Part 1 it’s about Jonathan Joestar, in Part 6, however, about Jolyne Kujo. Steel Ball Run is Part 7 of the manga. Unlike in the previous parts, there are no direct connections to the previous stories in the universe in the new part.
In Steel Ball Run, Johnny Joestar is in focus. After an attack, he is paralyzed, but as a jockey, he still wants to participate in the Steel Ball Run, a horse race across the USA. Along the way, he meets allies but also many adversaries.
A horse race sounds like an unspectacular premise, but it fits perfectly with the fantastic fights of the series, which are filled with surprises and thus put any other anime fight to shame.
An exceptional combat system
Why are the fights in JoJo’s so good? While Parts 1 and 2 offered more classic fights with breathing techniques (yes, like in Demon Slayer), Araki introduced the stands
in Part 3. This is a special ability that usually manifests through a summoned creature. While they were initially muscular brawler skills, the manga and anime took a completely absurd turn in the best sense with Part 4.
Stands are not just combat skills; they represent the user’s personality and offer many different applications. Sometimes you can attack
opponents with guilt, while someone collects trinkets with an army of small beings. This is all not useful for a direct fight, but it always puts the heroes in exciting situations.
The fights in JoJo’s are not just brawls with the strongest abilities; they are puzzles that the characters must solve to win. I never know what to expect next. But no matter how ridiculous a stand is, I can usually be sure that it will be creatively implemented. This makes JoJo stand out from all the other animes I have seen in my career
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Additionally, each part has a different premise. Part 4 was a slice-of-life story in a small town, Parts 1 and 2 were about super vampires, and Part 5 tells a mafia story. This also constantly recontextualizes the abilities.
That’s why I’m also really looking forward to Steel Ball Run. The horse race combined with stands can only yield creative results, and among many fans, Part 7 is considered the best part of the manga.
Every part is worth it
Do you have to watch the previous seasons/parts to understand Steel Ball Run? No! While Parts 1 to 6 were loosely connected, Part 7 takes place in an alternate world. So you can also jump in with Steel Ball Run.
But I recommend catching up on all seasons since the unique art style, the great characters, and especially the creative fights are definitely worth it. Another anime on Netflix also features absurd characters with totally exaggerated muscles: Anime with unbeatable samurai takes the top 10 on Netflix in 51 countries, achieving 3.4 million views in 4 days
