5 Stands who'll shine in the Steel Ball Run anime (& 5 that won't impress JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans)

The Steel Ball Run anime was announced recently and most of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fandom is eager to see what is widely regarded as author Hirohiko Araki's masterpiece in this format. There are a lot of Stands that will become iconic the moment they are adapted into anime, with their abilities and designs providing a lot of meaningful value from a storytelling perspective.

However, as it tends to happen in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, there are also some Stands that may not impress some fans in the Steel Ball Run anime. This is mainly because they are not the most visually impressive. That is the basis of why some of these Stands are going to impress a lot of people and others are simply going to fill in space, for lack of a better word.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

5 Stands that are going to shine in the Steel Ball Run anime

1) Tusk

Bound to be the most iconic Stand of the Steel Ball Run anime (Image via Shueisha).

The thing about the Tusk Stand and why is going to impress people when the Steel Ball Run anime comes out is that it constantly evolves in several Acts. This is also meant to represent Johnny Joestar's growth as he overcomes the trauma of not being able to walk and going up against many threats as he builds a significant friendship with Gyro Zeppeli.

The Tusk Stand is also quite popular for the way it connects with the Spin, thus serving as one of the strongest powers in the history of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise. Part of that is seeing how Johnny goes from shooting his nails with this Stand to the concept of Infinite Rotation, which proves to be the key against President Funny Valentine.

2) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

A major moment for the upcoming Steel Ball Run anime (Image via Shueisha).

Everything related to the character of President Funny Valentine is one of the most appealing elements of the Steel Ball Run anime. He is a very charismatic villain with interesting motivations and has one of the most powerful Stands in the entire franchise, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.

While it is a very simplified summary, this Stand allows President Valentine to travel to other universes and realities without him being affected if he enters into contact with his self from that alternate world. The sole idea of this concept is perfect for animation and fans can expect a major visual spectacle in the Steel Ball Run anime when this moment comes because this is one of the most popular JoJo's Bizarre Adventure characters.

3) Catch the Rainbow

One of the most underrated JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Stands (Image via Shueisha).

It is fair to say that Blackmore is not the most complex of villains in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, but he does a very good job as one of Funny Valentine's henchmen. That is mostly due to the resolution of his conflict and also because of his memorable Stand, Catch the Rainbow.

This Stand, which he wears as a mask, allows Blackmore to control the raindrops and can even stop them, which adds to the potential and range of this ability. It is perfectly suited for the Steel Ball Run anime because of the visuals that is going to provide, especially on what the color edition of the manga has shown that it could be.

As a fun fact, the character's name is based on the legendary rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, founder of both Deep Purple and Rainbow. The name of the Stand is based on Rainbow's ballad, Catch the Rainbow.

4) The World

Diego Brando using The World against Johnny Joestar (Image via Shueisha).

Most JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans already know why this Stand is one of those who is going to impress when the Steel Ball Run anime comes out. Dio Brando's The World is one of the elements of the franchise that went viral in the original universe and has become one of the most iconic Stands in the series. So when Diego Brando makes use of it, that is going to have a massive impact online.

The same can be said of Diego's other ability, Scary Monsters, but there is no denying that this Stand means a lot more to the audience as a whole. Furthermore, there is a strong argument to be made that Diego's character is written even better than Dio's, which adds a lot more to the moment of his using this Stand.

Diego Brando is certainly one of the characters who fans are eager to see the most in the Steel Ball Run anime because of his background and who he represents from the original universe. It is also very likely that the studio in charge is going to be aware of that and get the most out of this.

5) Ball Breaker

Another major moment in the upcoming Steel Ball Run anime (Image via Shueisha).

One new inclusion that a lot of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans are going to see in the Steel Ball Run anime is that of the Spin, which becomes a secondary battle system of sorts in this part. It is mostly used by Gyro Zeppeli throughout the story, although he eventually develops his own Stand that is associated with that ability, named Ball Breaker.

It is also one of the most iconic moments in the upcoming Steel Ball Run anime because of the way it plays out in the story and how a lot of people didn't expect Gyro to have his own Stand. This ability grants him the possibility to accumulate the energy of his Golden Spin, to the point it can bypass the dimensional barriers of Valentine's D4C Love Train.

Not much is known of this Stand because Gyro dies not very long after. However, the context, the usage of the Stand, and what it represents for this character makes it one of the most stellar moments of the entire franchise. This is something that people need to look after in the Steel Ball Run anime.

5 Stands in the Steel Ball Run anime that are not going to impress JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans

1) Hey Ya!

Pocoloco is a character who is going to have a lot of fans in the Steel Ball Run anime because of his peculiar personality and the way he goes about things, which is par for the course in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise. And while his subplot has some interesting moments, it is fair to say that his Stand, Hey Ya!, while fun, is not going to have a lot of fans.

The basis of Hey Ya! is to provide its user with advice so he or she can overcome hardship and that sometimes includes words of encouragement. It is not really a Stand centered around combat, which is something that is going to make it go under the radar for the most part throughout this anime.

2) 20th Century Boy

It's going to be a peculiar Stand in the Steel Ball Run anime (Image via Shueisha).

It will be interesting to see how the Steel Ball Run anime manages to execute the 20th Century Boy Stand by Magent Magent, one of Funny Valentine's henchmen because it focuses on the character not moving. Therefore, by standing still and kneeling, the assassin becomes invulnerable to any kind of attack regardless of what it is.

This is a very useful Stand from a defensive perspective but it doesn't do much from a visual angle, which is part of the entertainment of a product of this ilk. It is interesting to see the likes of Johnny Joestar come up with strategies to deal with enemies of this ilk, but it is very unlikely that this Stand is going to have a lot of fans.

3) Chocolate Disco

Chocolate Disco being used against Gyro Zeppeli in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

Author Hirohiko Araki is one of the most legendary manga authors of all time, with his time in Weekly Shonen Jump cementing him as one of the most experimental in the battle shonen genre as well. However, this experimentation sometimes doesn't hit the mark and the Steel Ball Run anime is going to have an example of that through the Chocolate Disco Stand.

D-I-S-C-O is the last assassin sent by Funny Valentine and has to face Gyro Zeppeli, although Chocolate Disco is way too complicated for its own good. It creates a grid on the floor and gives its user an armband where he can press certain buttons so certain things can happen in sections of the grid.

This Stand shows when Araki tries to make things too complicated for its own good, which is something that he mostly overcomes during the vast majority of the seventh part. However, the case of Chocolate Disco tends to be one of disappointment because the idea is there but is not executed properly.

4) Tubular Bells

A Stand that is going to slightly go under the radar (Image via Shueisha).

Mike O. is one of President Valentine's bodyguards, so he was always bound to be quite capable, which is shown during his battle with Hot Pants and Lucy Steel in the arc that is titled after his Stand, Tubular Bells. It is also a prominent example in the upcoming Steel Ball Run anime of how far Araki's imagination can go, even if it doesn't always hit the sweet spot.

The bodyguard's ability allows him to turn the objects he blows into balloons and the latter return to their usual forms once they make contact with the target. Furthermore, Mike O. can control these balloons so they hit the target, leading to a wide variety of results, as it tends to be the case in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

It is definitely an interesting Stand and one that leads to some interesting fights in this seventh part, but there is no denying that it isn't one of the most visually appealing. It works well for someone who is a minor character but is not going to live on in people's memories, especially because of the battles that take place later on.

5) In A Silent Way

An important yet understated Stand in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Image via Shueisha).

The character of Sandman is bound to become one of the most interesting portions of the Steel Ball Run anime because of the way he is integrated into the story and his role as a secondary antagonist. He is one of the first characters introduced in the manga and ends up serving as a representation of his Native American community, which works as a contrast with the more industrial approach of the times.

Beyond that, he has one of the most peculiar Stands in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, In A Silent Way. It gives Sandman the ability to store sounds in objects and doesn't have a physical form, which makes it quite interesting to see in terms of battle strategies but not quite the visual spectacle that people want to see in an anime.

This Stand is a very good example of how it can fit a user perfectly but doesn't have an appealing visual that can get a person's attention. However, be that as it may, Sandman has a chance to become a very beloved character when his time to shine arrives.

Final thoughts

There are, of course, other Stands that are going to be a part of the Steel Ball Run anime, although these are the most prominent when it comes to this discussion. Regardless of personal preferences, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has become known for pushing the envelope when it comes to storytelling and combat. This is something that fans can expect from the seventh part of this legendary franchise.

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About the author

Kevin is an expert anime writer at Sportskeeda who endeavors to keep readers apprised with the latest news and trends in the genre via his content. The groundbreaking Dragon Ball series captured a young Kevin's imagination, introducing him to the entrancing world of Japanese animation. Since then, he has been a staunch follower of the works of many artists, including Berserk's creator, Kentaro Miura, who he admires greatly for his unparalleled work quality.

With a BA in Public Accounting, Kevin’s dip into the world of content began 7 years ago when he took up writing. Since then, he has written for numerous websites, including Nerdgenic, Stretty News, MusikHolics, and BookNerdection.

He maintains very high ethical standards in his content by placing a strong emphasis on transparency, and obtaining comprehensive information off the web to fully capture nuances.

Kevin has has had the privilege of interviewing several musicians, including metal band Stryper’s Michael Sweet, Bobby Blitz of Overkill, and Saxon’s Biff Byford.

When not immersed in the anime world, Kevin writes comic book scripts and books for his own projects. He also enjoys reading and watching football.

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Edited by Madhur Dave