Steel Ball Run Ending Theme Sparks Fan Backlash Over Dr

Fans are calling for Netflix to change the ending theme of Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure because Dr. Luke is credited as its producer. The backlash, focused on the producer's past legal disputes with singer Kesha, has generated over 187,000 posts on X within a day of the song's debut. Many viewers argue the issue extends beyond simply disliking the track, urging others to make their concerns known directly to Netflix and Warner Bros. Japan.

Online communities have been flooded with criticism. Numerous fans labeled the song, Yuki Chiba's 'Shinukaikiruka', as uncool and too low-energy for the high-octane JoJo series. Specific elements, like the inclusion of horse neighs in the beat, were dismissed as a token gesture to the story's horse-racing theme. In response, fans in Japan and abroad created edits setting the ending animation to other songs, including SOUL'd OUT's 'COZMIC TRAVEL', America's 'A Horse With No Name', and tracks like 'The Chain' and 'Pony'. A meme of protagonist Johnny Joestar with red Sharingan eyes from NARUTO, captioned 'netflix change the outro.', was repeatedly shared online. A smaller group defended the song as typical of Chiba's style, pointing to his prior collaboration 'Mamushi' with Megan Thee Stallion.

Context of the ending theme

Yuki Chiba's 'Shinukaikiruka' debuted as the first original ending theme for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure on September 25. The official credits list Yuki Chiba as lyricist, Lukasz Gottwald as composer, and Dr. Luke as producer; Lukasz Gottwald and Dr. Luke are the same person. The song was released digitally alongside a creditless ending video and represents Chiba's first song written for an anime.

Previously, every regular ending theme for the anime adaptation was a licensed Western track predating its use. These songs averaged more than 24 years old by the time their seasons began. With one exception, each ending has been newer than the last, narrowing the chronological gap from the series' start.

The official music video for 'Shinukaikiruka' premiered on YouTube on September 25. It features Western-style horseback scenes shot in Iceland with a local crew, with animation directed by Yoshiki Imazu. Credits also list an AI artist from CG studio Antiantiart. In the video's comment section, a popular comment humorously compared a lyric about horsepower to the Japanese phrase 'zutsu ga itai', meaning 'my headache hurts'.

Dr. Luke's history and industry ties

Dr. Luke, also known as Lukasz Gottwald, has a contentious history in the music industry. Kesha accused the producer in 2014 of sexually assaulting her in 2005. Dr. Luke denied the allegation and filed a defamation lawsuit against her. Their prolonged legal dispute ended in a settlement in 2023, with neither side admitting wrongdoing. In a separate 2020 ruling, a New York judge found a text Kesha sent to Lady Gaga claiming Dr. Luke raped Katy Perry was defamatory after Perry denied the allegation. More recently, Katy Perry faced backlash in 2024 for working with Dr. Luke on her album '143'.

Dr. Luke has produced major pop hits for artists like Katy Perry and Doja Cat. Some Japanese fans have accused Warner of using the JoJo anime to promote its own artist, as Chiba releases music through Warner Music Japan. The anime itself is produced by Warner Bros. Japan's anime production division, which posted the creditless opening and ending on its YouTube channel. Warner Music and Warner Bros. Have been separate companies since Time Warner sold its music division in 2004.

Broader context of Steel Ball Run release

The soundtrack controversy follows earlier fan criticism aimed at Netflix's handling of the Steel Ball Run release schedule. The anime began with a 47-minute first STAGE special on March 19, 2026. After backlash over a perceived staggered premiere, Netflix later confirmed the series would return with a weekly rollout, stating this split-cour and weekly strategy was the production committee's original plan. The 2ND and 3RD STAGE premiered on September 25, confirming 11 episodes for these stages with weekly streaming on Netflix.

The opening theme song for these stages is 'SPIN' by Kroi, who also performed the opening songs for SAKAMOTO DAYS and Liar Game. Steel Ball Run is the seventh part of Hirohiko Araki's long-running manga, which began in 1987; this part was serialized from 2004 to 2011. The story is set in late 19th-century America and follows Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli in a transcontinental horse race. The production is animated by david production, with key staff including directors Yasuhiro Kimura and Hideya Takahashi, series composer Yasuko Kobayashi, and music composer Yugo Kanno.

Fans are now directing hundreds of comments under unrelated posts on Netflix's social media, urging the streamer and Warner Bros. Japan to address the ending theme controversy.