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Steel Ball Run, Netflix’s adaptation of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, has drawn attention for a change to the franchise’s anime ending music. A Wukeer report says the series replaces the JoJo anime’s long-running practice of using recognizable Western songs with Yuki Chiba’s “Dead or Alive.” That account describes fan criticism, but it does not establish that all—or even most—fans are furious.
What JoJo tradition did Steel Ball Run reportedly break?
According to Wukeer’s October 2, 2026 report, earlier JoJo anime endings used Western songs, including “Roundabout,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “Last Train Home,” “I Want You,” “Freek’n You,” “Modern Crusaders” and “Distant Dreamer.” The report presents “Dead or Alive,” by Yuki Chiba, as a departure from that pattern.
Wukeer says creator Hirohiko Araki suggested music he listened to while making each manga part, and that producer Hiroyuki Omori helped secure licenses. Those are the outlet’s account of the tradition and its production history; they have not been independently confirmed here. Wukeer’s report
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Why are some fans upset about “Dead or Alive”?
The reported objection is about the change in musical identity: fans accustomed to licensed Western tracks may see a new original Japanese-language song as a break with a distinctive JoJo convention. Wukeer reports criticism, but the available account offers no representative survey or other evidence that the reaction speaks for the whole fandom.
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The same article attributes the shift to music-production responsibility moving from Warner Bros. Japan to Warner Music Japan, and notes Chiba’s 2025 deal with Warner Music Japan. Treat that as reported context, not a verified official explanation for the song choice. Netflix has not supplied a reason in the release announcements cited below.
When does Steel Ball Run stream on Netflix?
Netflix announced a special 47-minute “1st STAGE” episode for March 19, 2026. In a separate Anime Expo announcement, Netflix said the series’ 11-episode weekly run would begin Friday, September 25, 2026. These are distinct release milestones: the March special is not the start date Netflix gave for the later weekly schedule.
Netflix’s Anime in Summer 2026 announcement lists the weekly release plan; Netflix’s Jump Festa 2026 announcement gives the March first-stage details.
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Is Steel Ball Run Netflix’s biggest anime of 2026?
It depends on what “biggest” means. July 2026 reports of Netflix’s first-half viewing figures put Steel Ball Run at 8.3 million views. That made it a leading Netflix exclusive, but it did not top the broader anime comparison reported for the same period: Jujutsu Kaisen season three had 9.4 million views.
| Title or ranking | Reported first-half 2026 figure | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Ball Run | 8.3 million views | Described by ComicBook.com as Netflix’s biggest exclusive anime so far. |
| Jujutsu Kaisen season three | 9.4 million views | Higher view total in the broader comparison; available on multiple platforms. |
| Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai | 55.8 million hours watched | Led the anime titles by hours in animeMANGA’s report; hours watched are not views. |
The figures above are from reports published in July 2026, not a current all-time ranking. The difference between views and hours matters: a title can lead one measure without leading the other. See animeMANGA’s July 21 report and ComicBook.com’s July 17 coverage.
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Steel Ball Run adapts a part of Araki’s long-running JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga franchise. Netflix said in December 2025 that the manga had surpassed 120 million copies in circulation. That is Netflix’s published franchise figure, not an independently audited sales total.
For viewers, the distinction is useful: a debate about one ending song is not the same as a measure of the show’s audience or the franchise’s popularity. Netflix’s release announcements establish the adaptation’s schedule; the music-history and backlash claims remain attributed to Wukeer.
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