REVIEW: ‘Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ Episode 5 – “The Terrorist from a Faraway Country”

Steel Ball Run Episode 5 returns us to chaotic desert antics as our dynamic duo ends up in a rather explosive situation. Enemy Stand users throughout the JoJo’s universe often have abilities that seem impossible to deal with. Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 5, “The Terrorist from a Faraway Country,” further displays just how persistent Gyro’s (Kaiji Tang) enemies are. 

We’re in the 2nd stage of the race, and another enemy is looking for Gyro along with a letter he’s keeping in his bag. The episode reveals more and more about Gyro, the people looking for him, and his backstory is set to be explored even further. While Johnny (Damian Mills) is the Joestar of Steel Ball Run, Gyro’s still an important character in this journey. Gyro’s importance and intrigue as a character adds to Johnny’s arc, as well as the entirety of Steel Ball Run. 

Just like in Episode 4, Johnny, Gyro, and Mountain Tim (Joshua David King) are dealing with harrowing situations. There’s no time for laughter or relaxation because the Enemy Stand user, Oyecomova (Taliesin Jaffe), is out.

Oyecomova makes for a fun antagonist of the week.

After attempting to stop Oyecomova from retreating after he reads Gyro’s important letter about a healing object called Zombie Horse, Mountain Tim is attacked by Oyecomova’s Stand, Tic Tack (or Boku no Rhythm wo Kiitekure). Tic Tac is able to create bombs out of nearly anything it desires, and it non-fatally explodes Mountain Tim. 

All three men do their best to avoid fatality and go into battle mode with Oyecomova, who is revealed to be a terrorist who tried to murder the King of Italy, and wishes to attempt his assassination again. His escape from prison and impending execution led him to America where he made the decision to pursue Gyro.

Steel Ball Run Episode 5 doesn’t offer deep commentary on these actions or why Oyecomova is as he is. On occasion, it’s fine when minor characters don’t get aggressive with exposition. What JoJo’s as a series is good at doing is giving minor antagonists just enough of time in the spotlight before being killed or disappearing. 

A Stand being capable of turning anything into bombs makes for plenty of peril for fellow Stand users and avoiding the destruction is no easy task.  Steel Ball Run Episode 5 refuses to go easy on Johnny or Gyro.

Johnny and Gyro face uphill battles in Steel Ball Run Episode 5.

It’s their ability to work together and come up with solutions using their respective Stands that allows them to make it through this. Going after Oyecomova alone isn’t an option. Johnny won’t allow that, and it’s a bad choice for Gyro and not just because of the minor injury he got before chasing after Oyecomova to prevent him from getting hold of the gifted Zombie Horse. 

Johnny and Gyro’s connection only grows stronger as the episodes move along. Whenever Gyro tries to push him away, Johnny refuses to back down. Johnny makes it clear in Episode 5 that he’s not going to be bossed around either. It not only puts them both on an equal playing field because they’re both Stand users now, but it makes it clear that Johnny isn’t secondary in his own story. 

The pursuit of Oyecomova is a single episode venture because he’s a minor antagonist in the manga. There’s no time for him to overstay his welcome, certainly not when Johnny and Gyro mostly avoid his attacks during the pursuit. And since we’re not that far into the race, these fights are all guaranteed to go in our duo’s favor. Just when Oyecomova thinks he’s about to win, Gyro uses Ball Breaker to defeat him. 

The episode dials up the vibrancy of the action.

Steel Ball Run Episode 5, “The Terrorist from a Faraway Country,” ends with the defeat of Oyecomova. Johnny proclaims that he and Gyro, together, are full steam ahead in the Steel Ball Run. While the journey is exciting in its own way, disaster and more enemies lie ahead.

The action dials up once more for Steel Ball Run Episode 5, especially with the introduction and exit of Oyecomova. It’s expected at this point, but what makes it noteworthy is the contrast of vibrant colors against the desert. This season is quite anachronistic, and it’s delightful to watch.

Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 5 pushes us further along in both the story and the Steel Ball Run race. Despite not hitting the highs of Steel Ball Run so far, it’s an engaging episode that promises us more reveals about Gyro’s backstory. 

Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 5 is streaming on Netflix is streaming now on Netflix, with new episodes every Friday. 

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