The character design evolution in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, explained

The recent announcement of Steel Ball Run’s anime adaptation sparked renewed interest in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. The seventh installment of Hirohiko Araki's whimsical nine-part series, Steel Ball Run, is a reinvention of the original JoJo universe, set against the vivid backdrop of the late 19th century in the United States.

Once again, animation studio David Production has been called upon to bring to life the franchise’s signature mix of flamboyant characters and unpredictable powers. Johnny Joestar, a paraplegic jockey, enters the Steel Ball Run, an epic horse race that crosses the United States from San Diego to New York.

As Johnny befriends Gyro Zeppeli, an eccentric master of the Spin technique, it’s revealed that the Steel Ball Run conceals a dark conspiracy masterminded by Funny Valentine, the President of the United States. Forced into a whirlwind of surreal battles, Johnny and Gyro develop a deep bond and evolve their Stand powers as the story builds to a thrilling climax.

A masterful blend of action and thematic depth, Steel Ball Run captivates fans with its high stakes, memorable characters, adventurous vibe, and, of course, Hirohiko Araki’s stunning art. Interestingly, Araki’s art style evolves throughout the narration, resulting in visual changes that mirror the story’s progression.

How JoJo's Bizarre Adventure author Hirohiko Araki redefined his art style during the Steel Ball Run manga

A meaningful transition

Lucy, Johnny, and Gyro in Steel Ball Run (Image via Shueisha)

In Steel Ball Run, Hirohiko Araki’s art undergoes a noticeable evolution, shifting from a vibrant shonen-like style to a more mature, sophisticated aesthetic that suits the seinen genre. This artistic transition enhances the story’s themes of redemption and mysticism, contributing to Steel Ball Run’s status as the most celebrated part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Initially serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, Steel Ball Run moved to Ultra Jump in 2005. The shift from weekly to monthly publication facilitated the art change, as Hirohiko Araki utilized the additional time between releases to refine his style and fully express his unique artistic vision.

With his newfound creative freedom, Araki was able to redefine characters such as Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Funny Valentine, Diego Brando, and Lucy Steel. Their distinct appearances—marked by finer details, thematic outfits, and more realistic proportions—reflected the manga’s transition from a shonen magazine to a seinen one. This change added more layers to the intricate symbolism that makes Steel Ball Run a unique masterpiece even within JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.

Funny Valentine

Funny Valentine, the President of the United States, stands out as the main antagonist of Steel Ball Run. He is revealed to be the true mastermind behind the race, with his scheme aimed at collecting the Corpse Parts to assemble the complete Holy Corpse and use its power to ensure prosperity and unparalleled greatness for the United States.

When Valentine first steps onto the scene, he appears as a short, overweight man clad in a flamboyant high-collared pink coat, which only makes him look more ridiculous. However, this initial cartoonish appearance suddenly gives way to a much more imposing design. The plump build vanishes, replaced by a tall, muscular, and handsome physique with sharp facial features, including a slightly different hairstyle.

Even Valentine’s outfit changes, gaining more sophisticated details that highlight the President’s authority. There is no narrative justification for Valentine’s transformation from a chubby little man to a handsome, muscular individual with a commanding presence. Hirohiko Araki jokingly attributes the transition to Valentine simply working out.

Essentially, these shifts reflect Valentine’s growing threat as the wielder of the Stand Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (also known simply as D4C). Araki changed Valentine’s design to suit the fearsome villain he was meant to be.

As for a potential in-story explanation, it’s not too far-fetched to think that Valentine used D4C’s power to create counterparts of himself in other parallel universes and swap with them at will, summoning a fitter version of himself to replace his initial body.

Lucy Steel

A 14-year-old girl, Lucy, is the wife of Steven Steel, the promoter of the Steel Ball Run race. Their marriage is soon revealed to be an arrangement based on mutual trust and respect, explaining their unconventional relationship. After discovering Funny Valentine’s treacherous schemes, Lucy begins cooperating with Johnny and Gyro to protect Steven from Valentine.

Hirohiko Araki’s art style evolves alongside Lucy’s character, aligning with her transition from a childish, passive, and seemingly naive girl to a brave and resourceful young woman. While her appearance as a blonde girl of average height and build doesn’t change much, subtle transformations, such as longer hair and simpler outfits, reflect her maturation.

Above all, Lucy’s evolution is underscored by a more pronounced emotional depth in her facial expressions. Once soft and timid, Lucy gains subtle complexity as she demonstrates her courage. The innocent, fragile girl gives way to a cunning woman who is somehow capable of surviving on her own even in a high-stakes conflict filled with ruthless Stand users.

Forced to confront danger, Lucy doesn’t crumble under pressure; instead, she displays unexpected resilience and quick thinking to overcome her natural fear. She manages to stay composed and even manipulate dangerous situations to her advantage. Lucy shows great courage in taking on increasingly dangerous roles to protect her loved ones, complemented by Ticket to Ride, her newfound Stand, which manifests as a set of protective abilities.

Steven Steel

Steven Steel is the promoter of the Steel Ball Run. A mature man, Steven is the husband of Lucy Steel, a much younger woman whom he married to shield her from a life of hardship. Steven and Lucy’s mutual trust, affection, and fondness become evident when both risk their lives to save each other.

Unknowingly entangled in Funny Valentine’s schemes, Steven remained oblivious to the violent nature of the President’s plan. After Valentine is defeated, Steven steps into a more prominent and active role in the story as he mounts a horse and races to aid Johnny Joestar. This act unveils a previously unseen side of Steven, revealing his unexpected skills and resolve as a capable horseman.

Steven’s courageous charge into action is accompanied by a striking transformation in his appearance, as he suddenly looks much younger than in his earlier weathered portrayals.

Johnny Joestar

Johnny Joestar, the main protagonist of Steel Ball Run, is a former jockey turned paraplegic, driven to enter the race by the desperate hope of restoring his legs through Gyro Zeppeli’s enigmatic Spin technique. Johnny is introduced with a modest, humble appearance, his outfit consisting of simple jockey attire. He shows soft, delicate facial features that hint at his inner vulnerability and suffering.

During the race, Johnny awakens and develops his Stand, Tusk, which catalyzes a profound shift in his character, allowing him to unlock newfound confidence and emerge as a selfless hero. This growth is mirrored by an evolving design that now reflects his bold actions as a true Joestar.

Compared to the earlier art, Johnny’s later depictions feature intense facial expressions, giving him a more mature and determined appearance. Johnny’s outfit has also changed to include more eye-catching details such as a cap printed with a five-pointed star.

His body also appears slightly more muscular and robust, symbolizing strength earned through hardship. These changes underscore the protagonist’s journey from an insecure, fragile youth to a self-confident man who isn’t afraid to put his own life on the line.

Gyro Zeppeli

The eccentric yet honorable and gentle-hearted Gyro Zeppeli becomes Johnny Joestar’s best friend as they journey through the Steel Ball Run. Gyro hails from the Kingdom of Naples, a vibrant heritage that shines in his colorful early design, enriched by flamboyant details, among which it’s impossible to forget the iconic prosthetic teeth, proudly inscribed with the phrase “GO! GO! ZEPPELI.”

As the story progresses, Gyro fully masters the Spin, achieving the “Golden Spin,” the pinnacle of the Zeppeli Family’s signature technique. This mastery also enables him to manifest a powerful Stand, Ball Breaker. Unfortunately, Gyro dies during the battle against Funny Valentine, sacrificing his life to give Johnny a chance to defeat the all-powerful villain.

Gyro’s evolution into a charismatic friend and mentor-like guiding older brother for Johnny is reflected in his appearance. A revamped look elevates his quirky flair to new heights, making the previous style seem straightforward by comparison. Intricate stitching, layered fabrics, and additional textures crank up Gyro’s eccentric charm to a whole different level.

Hot Pants

An undercover female agent dispatched by the Vatican and the Kingdom of Naples, Hot Pants enters the Steel Ball Run under a false identity to investigate and possibly secure the Saint’s Corpse Parts.

Hot Pants is a woman of medium build and above-average height, with straight, short hair. She cloaks herself in distinctive attire, wearing a striped suit beneath a long, fur-adorned blouse decorated with various ornaments and accessories.

Hot Pants undergoes significant evolution throughout the narrative. Initially, she conceals her identity as a woman through an androgynous appearance and an aggressive, violent personality.

Leveraging her bodily features, she wears loose clothes and adopts a particularly rough, masculine tone to convincingly pass as a man, maintaining the ruse. As the story unfolds, Hot Pants forms unexpected alliances with Johnny, Gyro, Lucy, and even Diego. This transition is accompanied by a softer presentation that reveals a more distinctly feminine look.

Diego Brando

Diego Brando is a key character in Steel Ball Run. A cunning and fiercely competitive man who strives to rise above anyone else, Diego serves as a rival to Johnny and Gyro, his actions oscillating between pure egoism and shades of moral ambiguity that cement his role as an unpredictable force in the story.

Diego appears as a handsome young man with golden blond hair and piercing eyes. His initial design makes him look exactly like the original Dio Brando as seen in Pucci’s flashbacks from Stone Ocean, just with a different outfit. Diego’s stylish jockey attire perfectly suits his lean, athletic build and bold persona, but his appearance, while visually striking, lacks distinct individuality.

The gold, blue, and green palette is strongly reminiscent of Dio Brando’s original signature colors, and the cap with the letters “DIO” makes the parallel even more evident. As Diego gains and eventually masters Scary Monsters, a Stand that morphs him into a ferocious dinosaur and even a hybrid dinosaur-human, his design grows more intricate.

Diego gains sharper facial features, as if to mirror the predatory ferocity of Scary Monsters. His overall look also becomes a bit rugged, though he retains an elegant, aristocratic charm. Diego’s character balances his evident connection to the Dio archetype with his own distinct identity, even as an alternate-universe version of Diego is brought into the story.

This alternate Diego Brando is even more self-centered and ruthless than the previous Diego, and wields THE WORLD, the same time-stopping Stand as the original Dio.