“Metal Ball Run: JoJo’s Weird Journey” is likely one of the most anticipated anime of 2026. It is the seventh entry within the vastly well-liked, long-running sequence “JoJo’s Weird Journey,” itself based mostly on Hirohiko Araki’s best-selling manga of the identical identify and a property closely influenced by Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Western motion pictures. The manga has even impressed two completely different anime diversifications, together with an appropriately gonzo live-action “Jojo’s Weird Journey” movie by legendary director Takashi Miike.
A part of the enchantment of “Metal Ball Run” is that it takes place in a brand new timeline with a contemporary assortment of characters. (To make clear: Each season of “JoJo’s” jumps ahead in time and options principally completely different characters.) This implies the season is each an excellent entry level for brand spanking new audiences and an thrilling new chapter for longtime followers.
That mentioned, “Jojo’s Weird Journey” followers have been flooding Netflix’s social media accounts of late. The reason being easy: It has been almost a month for the reason that first episode of “Metal Ball Run” premiered in mid-March, but the second episode has but to reach. Much more frustratingly, the streamer remained silent on the matter up till just lately.
Now, earlier than you ask, let’s be clear: Netflix didn’t promote the primary episode of “Metal Ball Run” as being some sort of sneak peek or preview. As such, followers had each motive to count on new episodes to drop weekly after its premiere, as is customary for seasonal anime reveals normally.
Finally, the fan backlash was so dangerous Netflix launched a press release on its social media platforms (together with on X/Twitter) clarifying that “Metal Ball Run” can be break up into completely different elements. The second half, or “Stage” as Netflix is looking it, will launch weekly beginning in Fall 2026. At this level, although, the injury has already been performed.
Netflix ought to have introduced Metal Ball Run’s launch schedule sooner
In keeping with Netflix, “This launch schedule is a part of our unique plan and displays the needs of the manufacturing committee.” Nonetheless, that has performed little to alleviate followers’ considerations, and with good motive.
Once more, at no level was Netflix forthcoming about how “Metal Ball Run” could be launched. After dropping the primary episode, it was solely because of a trailer on producing associate Warner Bros. Japan’s YouTube channel that followers realized the “2nd Stage” would arrive later in 2026. The streamer did not talk that, and even sequence director Yasuhiro Kimura beforehand instructed AniTrendz that he did not know when extra episodes would drop.
If Netflix had at the least marketed the primary episode as a sneak preview, followers would have recognized to not instantly count on the following episode every week later. In spite of everything, this occurs very often, with huge occasions like Anime Expo internet hosting premiere screenings for reveals that will not air for a number of months. As an alternative, followers had been left to invest about Netflix’s plans for added episodes (together with whether or not they had been even on the way in which).
Making issues worse, this is not the primary time Netflix has fumbled the discharge of a brand new season of “JoJo’s Weird Journey.” Previous to this, the streamer secured the unique streaming rights to the present’s sixth arc, “Stone Ocean,” but by no means promoted it. Even worse, Netflix launched that season in seemingly random batches with out publicly clarifying what it was as much as, premiering three separate blocks of episodes throughout 2021 and 2022. In consequence, followers had been left to marvel what was even occurring, which killed any sense of anticipation or pleasure surrounding the season’s rollout.
In summation? “JoJo’s Weird Journey” has all the time been a narrative about dangers, however not this type.
