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jojo’s bizarre adventure

The debut of the ending theme in Episode 2 of Netflix’s Steel Ball Run ignited an immediate storm of debate, clashing expectations, and controversy across the JoJo community.A Radical Departure from TraditionFor over a decade, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure ending sequences carried an iconic trademark: licensed, nostalgic Western tracks like Yes’s “Roundabout,” The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian,” and Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply.” With Steel Ball Run taking place across the rugged American landscape of the 1890s, expectations ran exceptionally high. Speculation had spent months centered on classic folk and Western rock anthems—most notably America’s “A Horse With No Name,” Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” or Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.”Instead, Episode 2 capped the race’s opening stage with “Dead or Alive” (死ぬか生きるか / Shinukaikiruka), an original Japanese hip-hop/rap track performed by Yuki Chiba. How the Community ReactedThe surprise left the fandom intensely divided, quickly sparking a wave of reactions across Reddit, X, and YouTube:The Purist Disappointment: Many longtime fans felt the selection broke one of the anime’s defining traditions. The jump from an 1890s dusty frontier setting straight into modern trap-influenced beats caused immediate sonic whiplash for viewers expecting vintage acoustics. The Meme & Edit Wave: Within hours of the episode streaming, fans flooded social channels with fan edits, muting the official audio to sync the visuals with classic Western rock ballads. The Artistic Defense: A vocal segment defended the choice, highlighting that the lyrics directly reflect the cutthroat, life-or-death nature of the cross-country race. Proponents argued that Steel Ball Run marks a fresh continuity and reboot of the broader JoJo universe, meaning a break from formulaic tradition makes creative sense. The Behind-the-Scenes ControversyCompounding the genre debate was the production credit: the track was composed and produced by Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald). The decision to hire a producer tied to high-profile industry disputes and allegations drew harsh pushback from portions of the international fanbase, overshadowing the musical discussion and prompting heavy scrutiny aimed directly at Netflix and Warner Music Japan. Episode 2 didn’t just conclude the first stage of the race—it delivered one of the most polarizing musical choices in anime this year, guaranteeing that every frame of Steel Ball Run’s production remains under intense community scrutiny.