Fresh off the release of “Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” 2nd & 3rd STAGES on Netflix on Friday, September 25, a newly published interview is giving fans a look behind the scenes. Masaya Fukunishi, the voice behind Mrs. Robinson, sat down to discuss his role in the thrilling anime adaptation, which first debuted its 1st STAGE on the streamer in March 2026.
<The following content is quoted from the official announcement>
STEEL BALL RUN —The Other Sides— Interview with Masaya Fukunishi (Mrs. Robinson)
Welcome to a relay interview series exploring the appeal of “Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” from the perspective of the cast behind the formidable enemies standing in Johnny and Gyro’s way.
For our first installment, we spoke with Masaya Fukunishi, who played Mrs. Robinson—the man who pushed our duo to the brink with a surprise attack using insects bred inside his own body. How does Fukunishi break down Mrs. Robinson’s character stats and parameters…?
▲ The thumbnail for this article is Fukunishi’s “Favorite Scene” from Episode 2. “There are plenty of reasons why I picked it, but the main one is simply that it looks so cool! The gleam in his eyes is gorgeous, and I bet the photography team put a ton of effort into bringing out that look.” — Masaya Fukunishi
Channeling “JoJo” Poses to Unleash Full Power
—— First off, how did you feel when you found out you were cast in this series?
This is actually my second time appearing in the “JoJo” series. I previously had a small, unnamed role back in “Golden Wind.”
In the world of “JoJo,” every single person—even the nameless background characters—is an essential part of the atmosphere. I was thrilled back then, but being offered a named role this time, and a character that directly confronts the protagonists, made me even happier. I was also excited to be part of Episode 2, which is such a crucial episode for setting the pace of the 2nd STAGE.
—— Were you familiar with the JoJo series before joining the cast as a voice actor?
Yes, I’ve always had massive respect for Hirohiko Araki’s work, especially from a design and fashion standpoint. However, I didn’t truly dive into the story until after I became a voice actor.
One day, I turned on the TV to check one of my own shows, and a rerun of “Diamond is Unbreakable” happened to be on. It was the episode where Yuya Fungami—voiced by Kisho Taniyama, a senior colleague at my agency—was going wild, and it was just incredibly entertaining.
I was shocked. I thought, “I knew ‘JoJo’ was about hard-boiled battles, but it can also be this witty, comedic battle of wits? And it’s this stylish?!” That was the hook. I read the original manga after that and fell in love with it. I’ve been enjoying every Part since, both in the manga and the anime.
—— What did you focus on while portraying Mrs. Robinson?
I looked at Robinson’s position in the story. He’s the first enemy to direct clear malice toward Johnny and Gyro. At the same time, for the audience, he’s a symbol that says, “Yes, ‘Steel Ball Run’ is definitely ‘JoJo’!”
In that sense, he plays an extremely important role in this series. That’s why I felt it was crucial to nail that feeling of “showing up with an imposing aura while making no sense, and kicking the bucket while still making no sense.”
But you can’t create that “big shot” aura just by shouting or using a weird accent. The key is how you construct the language. I broke the script down into segments, analyzing it like a literature student to figure out which parts he would emphasize.
Even though he only has about two spreads’ worth of dialogue in the script, I wanted to pack as much impact into those lines as possible. I used every technique I’ve learned in my career to make it happen.
—— What is your favorite scene from Episode 2?
As for my standout scene from Episode 2, I’d have to go with the moment where he shouts, “There’s no one riding ahead of me in this race!!” Truth be told, I actually performed that line at the microphone while striking a JoJo-style pose.
I wasn’t mimicking a specific character, just my own interpretation of a JoJo pose (Fukunishi demonstrates by twisting his torso with his arms raised). In vocal training, there’s a technique where using different muscles in your body helps you produce a more “piercing” sound.
Striking that pose genuinely felt like taking off the limiters, allowing me to deliver a performance fitting for such a flashy scene. Later, Tetsu Inada (who plays the Live Announcer) told me, “You had a very ‘JoJo’ stance there,” which made me really happy.
——Please rate Mrs. Robinson across six parameters—Danger, Coolness, Cuteness, Mental Strength, Intelligence, and Friend Potential—on a 5-tier scale from A (Awesome) to E (Not Good).
Let’s start with Danger. The ability to control insects seems surprisingly versatile. He can do long-range attacks, and in the right situation, he’d be incredibly strong. However, I feel like he’d get crushed by overwhelming raw power, so I’ll give him a B.
For Coolness, his visual design is so cool I want to give him an A… but since “bugs coming out of his eyes” might be a dealbreaker for some, let’s go with a C.
On the flip side, Cuteness gets a solid A! His movement, those curls, the black lipstick, his expressive face, and the balance of color and skin in his fashion—it’s all perfect!
His Mental Strength is a definite A! I’d give it an S if I could. I mean, breeding insects inside your own body and developing a technique so refined people mistake it for a Stand? That’s insane!
However, I have a bit of a bone to pick with his combat strategy. I wanted to yell, “Listen, if you have an ability that strong, why didn’t you just use hit-and-run tactics to slowly pick them off?! You could have won!” As a bit of “tough love” encouragement, I’m giving him an E for Intelligence.
Finally, Friend Potential. Considering his upbringing, you kind of want to protect him. He seems fun to talk to, and we’d probably vibe on fashion… but the bugs are the dealbreaker (laughs). It’s definitely not his fault, but if we wanted to hang out, there are so many places we couldn’t go. Plus, if we went to a public bath or a sauna, I don’t think the bugs could take the heat… there are just too many concerns, so I have to go with a D.
So, those are my parameters for Robinson! Having an “A” in both Cuteness and Mental Strength makes him sound like the ultimate “strongest Gal,” doesn’t it? (laughs).
▲ Character parameter chart handwritten by Fukunishi
——Mrs. Robinson may have exited the race, but the competition goes on. Finally, do you have a message for the fans who are looking forward to what’s coming next?
Shogo Sakata (Johnny) and Yohei Azakami (Gyro) are actors I’ve always respected, but their level of resolve for this project is on another level. I could feel the tension—the sense that they were pouring the absolute best of their craft into every single word and line.
To be honest, during the test recordings, I was so overwhelmed by their heat that I thought, “Ah, I’ve lost.” It was frustrating, but also deeply moving.
There’s no way a production led by those two wouldn’t be amazing. I hope everyone continues to enjoy “Steel Ball Run”—not just for the incredible acting of the cast, but also for the tough yet adorable horses and the stunning work of the animators!
“Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” Series Information
Synopsis
The year is 1890. The setting is America. The event: the “Steel Ball Run,” the first-ever horse race across the North American continent, spanning 4,000 miles with a massive 50-million-dollar prize on the line.
Johnny Joestar, a former prodigy jockey who lost the use of his legs and fell into despair, finds a glimmer of hope after witnessing a mysterious phenomenon caused by Gyro Zeppeli—an enigmatic outlaw aiming for victory in the race.
Driven by their own hidden agendas, the two form an unlikely alliance and step into the fray of a brutal and treacherous cross-country adventure.
Cast
Johnny Joestar: Shogo Sakata
Gyro Zeppeli: Yohei Azakami
Diego Brando: Kaito Ishikawa
Lucy Steel: Rie Takahashi
Stephen Steel: Kenta Miyake
Sandman: Masaaki Mizunaka
Pocoloco: Kenichirou Matsuda
Mountain Tim: Tomoaki Maeno
Hot Pants: Yoko Hikasa
Funny Valentine: Tomokazu Sugita
© Hirohiko Araki & LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS/SHUEISHA, JOJO Animation Project
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
