JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has built its reputation on flamboyant characters, memorable poses, playful gender presentation, memes and an unusually distinctive soundtrack. Since the animated series began in 2012, its music has become part of the franchise’s identity, from Yes’ “Roundabout” to Yugo Kanno’s “Il vento d’oro”.
That makes the music choice in Netflix’s Steel Ball Run especially contentious. The opening theme establishes the story’s Western setting with brisk guitar and trumpets, but the ending introduced in episode 2 takes the series in a very different direction.
Why “Dead or Alive” has caused a backlash
“Dead or Alive”, performed by Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba, formerly known as Kohh, is the first ending in the animated JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series not to use a Western song. Some viewers may simply dislike its repetitive beat, but the criticism goes beyond personal taste.
For 14 years, the anime’s closing themes followed a clear pattern: “Roundabout”, the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian”, Pat Metheny Group’s “Last Train Home”, Savage Garden’s “I Want You”, Jodeci’s “Freek’n You”, Enigma’s “Modern Crusaders” and Duffy’s “Distant Dreamer”.
The tradition began with input from manga creator Hirohiko Araki, who suggested music he listened to while developing each story part. Hiroyuki Omori, the Warner Bros. Japan producer who oversaw the anime, was a committed fan of Araki’s work and helped secure licences for those expensive Western tracks.
The approach had a major impact. “Roundabout”, used at the end of Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency as the familiar “to be continued” arrow appeared, became a wider pop-culture touchstone and helped introduce more people to JoJo. That history explains why the change has felt so significant to international fans.
A production change sits behind the controversy
Omori died in 2024, and fans now worry that his absence could affect more than the choice of ending music. The debate is not necessarily a judgement on “Dead or Alive” itself; instead, many viewers see the new song as a sign that an important part of the show’s creative identity has changed.
In a discussion featuring music producer Akihiro Tomita, music writer Ryuichi Sumikawa and anime writer Hisashi Maeda, Sumikawa explained that Warner Bros. Japan handled music production through part 6, Stone Ocean. Responsibility moved to Warner Music Japan for Steel Ball Run.
That change also coincided with Chiba signing a major 2025 deal with Warner Music Japan aimed at accelerating his global career. Sumikawa said an anime collaboration was a natural possibility as the company increased its focus on anime music.
From a business perspective, promoting one of the label’s prominent artists instead of paying to license another Western track is understandable. However, the decision appears to have underestimated how strongly overseas fans associate JoJo with its closing songs.
Could the ending change later?
The response arrives alongside wider frustration about the season’s rollout. After the two-part premiere aired in March 2026, Netflix did not initially explain when or how the series would continue. Fan backlash eventually preceded an announcement of a weekly release schedule for the second stage.
Whether the reaction to “Dead or Alive” becomes large enough to influence a future ending remains unknown. For now, Steel Ball Run is streaming on Netflix, while the disagreement highlights how closely anime soundtracks can be tied to a franchise’s identity.
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