English Dub Review: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Steel Ball Run “Tusk Part 1”
Overview
Near Monument Valley, Gyro vanishes into thin air. Alone and under attack, Johnny suspects the mummified arm in his possession has made them both targets.
Our Take
Picking up from the previous episode, Steel Ball Run takes an increasingly bizarre turn when Johnny discovers something extremely alarming about himself, putting both him and Gyro in a dangerous situation. Meanwhile, a critical revelation surrounding the mysterious “Holy Corpse” introduces an intriguing new dimension to the story, particularly with its apparent connection to the Devil’s Palm and the further awakening of Johnny’s Stand abilities.
The episode also marks the long-awaited anime debut of President Funny Valentine, a memorable villain from the franchise whose introduction is certainly worth celebrating, even if his first appearance is a bit questionable… The increasingly unsettling encounters provide a nice balance of suspense and trademark JoJo absurdity, while Johnny and Gyro’s entertaining banter remains a highlight. Kaiji Tang also deserves praise for his amusing delivery of Gyro’s signature “Nyo-Ho!” catchphrase. The artwork and color palettes continue to impress as well.
Overall, this is another thoroughly entertaining yet heavily suspenseful installment that benefits from solid pacing, intriguing developments, and plenty of memorable character moments. Although the animation doesn’t quite reach the same flashy heights as some previous episodes, it remains consistently well-executed throughout. With an important new character making his debut and Johnny’s journey taking another unexpected turn, there’s plenty to look forward to in the next episode.
