The first four episodes of Steel Ball Run, the latest anime adaptation of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, are drawing strong viewer reactions, though the ending theme has become a flashpoint for criticism.

The ending animation song, "Shinu ka Ikiru ka / Dead or Alive" by Yūki Chiba, marks a departure from the franchise's tradition of licensing global artists for its themes. The track samples horse sounds and was produced by Dr. Luke (Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald), a producer who faced a sexual harassment lawsuit from musician Kesha. That legal history has added controversy around the song's inclusion.

Beyond the ending theme debate, reviewers praise the adaptation's execution. The voice acting, horse animation, and rewrites to the original manga storyline have earned recognition as some of the year's strongest anime work. The adaptation reportedly makes story choices that surprise even longtime manga readers.

One standout comparison: the fight against Oyecomova is noted as less impactful than comparable battles from Part Four (Diamond is Unbreakable), though this may reflect the difficulty of matching those particular fights rather than a weakness in the overall adaptation.

Steel Ball Run episodes 1–4 are now available. Community scores for the episodes range from 4.1 to 4.2 out of 5.