Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Ep 3 Review
Oh yes! I know that the Spin Technique is supposed to be the new gimmick or power for Part Seven of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but it’s nothing compared to the sheer creativity of a Stand! They have been an integral part of JoJo since Part Three, and seeing how bizarre and esoteric their powers can get is amazing. I knew it was only a matter of time before we saw the return of Stands in this new continuity, and we’ve already seen our first Stand. And now things have only gotten harder for Johnny and Gyro.
CAMPFIRE AMBUSH
It’s nightfall on the second stage of the Steel Ball Run, and Johnny and Gyro make camp for the night. As Johnny is trying to practice his Spin technique, he ends up seeing some interest in Gyro’s belongings: a book with a royal crest and a newspaper about a boy sentenced to death. Gyro isn’t talking about it, though. I can expect that this will become a plot point in the future.
Things, however, begin to get bizarre when another jockey shows up, Andrew Boomboom, saying he got bitten by a venomous lizard and needs help. But then, he tries to…choke himself out while trying to cut the poison out. That was weird enough, even if I know some people are into that. But then, two more people start riding towards them: his brother and dad, the Boomboom family! They were the ones who killed those people in the first stage.
Then things start to get even weirder as Gyro’s leg gets perforated by metal. Almost like it’s being drawn to his body like a magnet.
STANDO POWER RETURNS!
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that what we’re seeing is the power of a Stand. They’re the only thing capable of defying the laws of reality. In this case, the Boomboom family has Stands, or a Stand, that can manipulate metal. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Stand that can manipulate metal; Risotto’s Metallica could do the same thing back in Part Five, and that nearly killed Diavolo! All the Boomboom family needs to do to use it is get their blood to touch their victims, and the iron will take care of the rest. I also appreciate the fact that Johnny and Gyro don’t question the supernatural events and immediately accept what’s happening; it’s a good part of the plot. Plus there’s also the fact that Gyro sees a Stand attached to Andrew, but doesn’t understand it. Thankfully, they’re not as smart as Risotto, as Gyro and Johnny manage to escape.
Or maybe they are smart. Somehow, Daddy Boomboom uses his Stand to disguise himself as Johnny and tricks Mountain Tim into thinking that he’s the murderer he’s hunting. Now the cowboy is after our protagonists. However, the big surprise is the reveal that Mountain Tim is also a Stand User! In his case, he can separate his body parts and control them remotely! Pretty handy for getting into tight spaces or catching criminals.
STANDS RULE!
The real question isn’t the fact that we’ve got Stand Users in the game now. The real question is how they get their powers. I know that this new continuity has different means of giving people Stands, but I either don’t understand them or don’t want to spoil things. The big clue, though, is that all four Users visited a place that the Native Americans consider cursed: the Devil’s Palm. That certainly sounds like something that would make people feel afraid. Something tells me that it won’t be long until we see this place pop up in the race. I don’t know when, though, as I only know the basic details of how Part Seven goes and I don’t want to spoil myself.
This is getting good, you guys. Now Johnny and Gyro have three killers after them as well as a lawman! Not to mention the fact that one of the jockeys they’re racing against is DIO BRANDO! I can’t wait for the next episode!
