Written by Sialea Martinez, Staff Writer
After years of anticipation, Steel Ball Run has finally been adapted into an anime, bringing its 1890s American horse race to the screen. It has sparked a massive wave of excitement and intense debate among fans.
The series is the seventh installment of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise. The plot of Steel Ball Run follows Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli as they compete in a highly dangerous race across the United States. With its unique Western setting, supernatural powers, and memorable characters, it easily became one of the most highly anticipated anime releases of 2026.
On April 12, 2025, the official JoJo website announced the anime was in production and shared a visual teaser. The news instantly went viral across the anime community, especially since fans have been waiting years for this specific part to get animated, since it has been widely recognized as the best in all of Jojo’s. Because they had to wait so long, the fanbase had incredibly high expectations for the animation quality and overall production.
Once the initial hype settled, Steel Ball Run was met with a majority of positive reviews. The first episode debuted on March 19, 2026, and the following episodes began airing weekly starting September 25, 2026. Both critics and fans have heavily praised the animation and visuals for bringing Araki’s world to life. Currently, the series holds a 99% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, while IGN gave the premiere an 8/10.
However, the rollout hasn’t been completely free of controversy. One of the biggest arguments dividing fans right now is over an issue that may appear pretty minor: the ending theme song.
The Steel Ball Run anime uses “Shinukaikiruka,” also known as “Dead or Alive,” by Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba for its outro. The song choice was officially revealed on September 25, 2026, right after the second episode finished airing.
This decision frustrated a lot of fans because JoJo outros are famous for using iconic, pre-existing Western songs. Past seasons have featured legendary tracks like “Roundabout” by Yes, “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles, “I Want You” by Savage Garden, and “Distant Dreamer” by Duffy.
Because Steel Ball Run takes place during a cross-country American horse race in the 1800s, people naturally expected a classic Western rock or pop song to match the vibe. Instead, the studio went with a modern, original Japanese rap track. Many felt the song completely ruined the atmosphere, while others complained about its repetitive beats and lyrics.
The backlash quickly turned into a meme, with fans taking matters into their own hands by muting the audio and editing in their own music. Some of the most popular replacement tracks online include “A Horse With No Name” by America, “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, and “Pony” by Ginuwine.
Things began to take a more serious turn when fans spotted that music producer “Dr. Luke” was credited on the song. Dr. Luke was previously at the center of a high-profile legal battle with singer Kesha, who accused him of assault and abuse. He denied all the allegations, and the legal dispute eventually ended in a settlement in 2023 without a final court ruling on the abuse claims. His involvement sparked backlash from fans who felt that working with a producer connected to such a controversial case overshadowed the excitement surrounding the adaptation.
Despite all the controversy, the intense backlash only proves how deeply the community cares about this adaptation. After nearly fourteen years since the manga’s conclusion, Steel Ball Run is finally here for anime audiences to enjoy.