JoJo's Bizarre Adventure director Yasuhiro Kimura has given fans an update on Steel Ball Run production – in the wake of radio silence over the second episode's release plans.
"I want to see it soon, too! When will it be? I don’t know," Kimura told AniTrendz. "It takes a lot of time to make just one episode, but production is going smoothly, and I’m looking forward to seeing the finished episode as much as you are!"
As of writing, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Steel Ball Run has premiered a bumper-length opening episode – titled '1st Stage' – but the rest of its schedule hasn't been mapped out.
Naturally, this has caused concern from an expectant fan base. That comes after controversy around Netflix's treatment of previous JoJo's series, Stone Ocean, which saw several episodes dropped at once in a batch release, followed by an eight-month gap between new entries.
Steel Ball Run follows the exploits of ex-jockey Johnny Joestar as he gets back in the saddle for a cross-country race across 19th-century America for a $50 million prize.
The '1st Stage' literally and figuratively covered a lot of ground for Joestar and his fellow competitors, but Himura was adamant that the episode shouldn't end on a cliffhanger.
"As a team, we think the idea of a cliffhanger is a bit stressful for the viewer," Kimura said. "Even though people will be able to binge-watch the series, there are those who also like to watch each episode calmly, and having to constantly get to the next episode can be frustrating."
For the current status of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, check out the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Steel Ball Run release schedule. If you're still playing catch-up, there's even a guide on how to watch JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in order.
For more, here are the new anime set to debut this upcoming spring season.
