Fans of Frieren attack JoJo Steel Ball Run to Stay on Top of MAL

If you thought the era of giving low ratings on MAL to keep your anime in first place was over, get ready: fans of Frieren attack JoJo’s Steel Ball Run on MyAnimeList, and the result was a true digital karma spectacle. The rivalry between the Frieren and Steel Ball Run communities started out of nowhere and sent fans into a frenzy, creating one of the most absurd review bombing wars of 2026.

Fans of Frieren attack JoJo Steel Ball Run to Stay on Top of MAL

It all began with the premiere of the long-awaited first episode of Steel Ball Run, which I watched and found okay, but Hirohiko Araki’s work quickly dominated the ratings on MyAnimeList, surpassing the two seasons of Frieren and knocking the series from its coveted “Best Anime of All Time” title.

The impact was immediate: heated Frieren fans tried to retaliate by giving 1-star ratings to Steel Ball Run in a desperate attempt to regain supremacy. However, the JoJo fans’ reaction was instantaneous. The result? A rain of negative reviews also targeted Frieren, which even reached Japan and sparked reactions there.

The Japanese community watched the conflict with amazement and amusement. Some of the most shared comments included:

• “This is ridiculous”
• “Activities like this explain why certain bad anime have high ratings”
• “It’s funny to see foreigners fighting over Japanese anime”

At the time of writing, the ranking of all-time best anime on MAL looks like this:

Frieren managed to regain the top spot, but Steel Ball Run, even with only one episode, is just 0.01 points behind, and Fullmetal Alchemist, which held the top for years, is now in third.

Overall… ridiculous.