JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has finally made a comeback with the latest Steel Ball Run, and it sure does bring back memories. Right from the storytelling style to the animation and dialogues, it all brings back the nostalgia of its precursors. What does not match its predecessors is the world it is set in. The viewers are introduced to the Wild West of 19th-century America in the opening scene as the narrator gives them an understanding of the preexisting conditions there and the grand event that is about to happen in a few days. 

As the audience gets to know more about the cross-country horse race, Steel Ball Run, starting from the West Coast and ending on the East Coast, they also meet the main characters of the show.

The first episode, which is on Netflix, opens in the wastelands of San Diego, where an indigenous man named Sandman is shown sprinting through a desert. Members of his own tribe pursue him on horseback, accusing him of reading literature authored by white men. Although they were chasing him on horseback, the man was amazingly fast on his feet. Even galloping horses find it difficult to keep up with his speed. After fleeing the tribe, the enigmatic man is shown looking at the poster of the Steel Ball Run and the $50 million reward for the winner. 

Then the scene shifts to a press conference where the basic rules of the race are explained, and it is claimed that the race will be remembered for ages. With all the basic information relayed to the audience, the episode quickly shifts focus to introducing the main characters to them. Gyro Zeppeli makes a flashy first impression with his mysterious steel balls, and the viewers get a taste of their powers when Zeppeli tries to get rid of a thug using them.

But the audience was not the only one who saw their powers; Johnny Joestar (JoJo), the protagonist of the show, also witnessed what happened and was instantly fascinated by the balls. In his curiosity, he tried to touch the balls, and JoJo, who is paralyzed from the waist down, could stand for just a few seconds. This miraculous development further piques his curiosity about the mystery behind the spin of the balls, convinced that the balls might help him walk once again. But Zeppeli refuses to answer JoJo’s questions and instead challenges him to compete in the race if he really wants him to reveal the mystery.

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Thinking that this might get JoJo to stop pestering him, he moves on, unaware of JoJo’s motivations and what drives him to get back on his feet.

Soon after the incident, JoJo reflects on his past, recounting what happened to him and how he got here. He displayed great talent at horse riding since his very childhood, but his father, who was a well-known trainer himself, did not give him the time of day because he was always occupied with his elder son and his achievements. But things changed suddenly with his elder brother’s death, and he soon found himself racing frequently and gaining prominence.

He quickly became a celebrated jockey, and the success, along with the admiration, kind of got to his head. This subtle change in behavior is shown through the scene where he cuts the line of a movie screening and undermines a boy who was waiting in line for hours. In a fit of rage, he shoots JoJo in the back, which renders him paraplegic for life. From there, his life takes a drastic turn, and everything fades away - the fame, the admiration, and even the support of his family. 

To change his fate and pull himself out of his pathetic life, he must uncover the mystery behind the spin of Gyro’s steel balls, and for that, he needs to compete in the race.

He somehow drags himself to the registration counter and gets himself into the race. While Gyro is feeding his horse and wondering which participants to watch out for, he sees JoJo in the distance getting dragged by a horse in an attempt to mount it. Gyro is intrigued by his effort and gets closer to take a look. A battered and bloodied JoJo is revealed getting continuously dragged by the horse.

To make matters worse, the horse he is trying to control is an unruly, stubborn, and old stud who thrashes him even more just to make him give up. But JoJo does not back down and gets a hold of the reins once again. Gyro seemed a bit impressed by JoJo’s determination, but is still skeptical whether he will ever be able to mount the horse.

Everything until now has been setting up for the lead-up to the race, and the race is about to start now.

The day of the race finally arrives, and everybody is taking their positions. But JoJo is still being dragged by his horse, and seeing this, Gyro gives him some advice and a few words of encouragement. Those words really have an effect on Joestar, and he finally mounts the horse with the help of the beast itself. It was also revealed that Judges, spectators, and other important individuals will follow the competitors on a train as they start the race, which takes place across a ten-mile circuit. 

The race starts, and everyone speeds off into the dust. Before and throughout the race, a few more noteworthy participants are introduced, such as the cunning and threatening Diego Brando, a British equestrian prodigy who is a clear favorite to win. It should be noted that Diego is the embodiment of the Brando legacy in this universe and is unrelated to Dio Brando, Joestar's original adversary. 

Sandman, whom we saw in the opening scene of the episode, also makes his appearance in the race. He is motivated to outdo the colonists at their own sport and is competing in the race using only his bare feet. Fans will undoubtedly like the theme reference to Mohammed Avdul, the legendary member of Stardust Crusaders, as Saharan competitor Urmd Avdul competes atop a camel.

Gyro leads the race with his horse Valkyrie in a matter of seconds, followed by Diego Brando on his tail. Avdul utilizes the might of his horse, the camel, to thrash and knock out a few competitors, but Gyro uses his Spin technique to knock Avdul down when he tries to pull the same trick on him. Johnny keeps watching with amazement, hoping to discover the technique's secrets. Pocoloco, another participant in the race, unexpectedly catches up to the pack by relying solely on luck after oversleeping and completely forgetting about the race. 

All the main characters are now set off to win the race, but it will not be that easy, as there is more than technique and talent in play.    

Gyro utilizes his Spin method to boost Valkyrie's strength and demolish a wooden bridge, causing Diego to alter his course and fall behind. Diego uses his skill at interpreting the tells and mannerisms of a horse to take the lead. Pocoloco, on the other hand, takes on a different path thanks to Sandman. He just narrowly avoids elimination again thanks to Sandman's prompt assistance and guidance. 

Pocoloco goes on to surprise Johnny by using his luck to shoot into the second slot. The riders are taken to a steep meadow in the final part of the first stage, which results in swift eliminations and severe injuries. Even though Pocoloco's horse trips and falls, he manages to survive while the horse rides on a cow carcass and slides down the meadow. Pocoloco's hilarious antics and luck-based exploits make everyone raise their eyebrows and wonder how he is doing all this. 

In the last leg of the first stage, Gyro is up against fierce competition as Sandman unexpectedly takes the lead while racing at breakneck speed. Johnny rushes to the front of the pack after prudently holding off on using his horse's might until now. Diego has caught up to the leaders, and as the five competitors - Diego, Pocoloco, Gyro, Johnny, and Sand Man - go head-to-head, it is impossible to determine who will win the race. 

Gyro takes a moment to admire Johnny's skill on horseback, then uses his Spin technique to turn his cape into a sail and win the race. Johnny recalls how Gyro's abilities inspired him and were crucial to the development of his persona as the first episode comes to an end. While the relationship between Johnny and Gyro seemed to be the main focus of the episode, the coming episodes might determine the nature of their relationship with each other.  

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What excited you the most in the first episode of Steel Ball Run? Share your thoughts in the comments.