REVIEW: ‘Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ Episode 9 — “Frightening Monsters Part 1”

The delightfully bizarre adventures are very much in full swing in Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 9. Steel Ball Run Episode 9, “Frightening Monsters, Part 1,” brings to life one of the weirdest-in-the-best-way Stands that folks have been waiting to see adapted for the anime.

Steel Ball Run Episode 9 doesn’t thrum with the heavy emotions of Episode 8, but Johnny (Daman Mills) and Gyro (Kaiji Tang) haven’t slowed down in their pursuits. However, instead of being able to rest safely after enduring so much chaos in such a short time, they’re forced to deal with dinosaurs. Yes, turning into a dinosaur is possible in JoJo’s. And in Episode 9, we’re spending more time with Diego Brando (Damien Haas), who, much like his original counterpart Dio (Patrick Seitz), is a major problem. 

When Johnny and Gyro come across a seemingly injured Diego, he ends up catching up with them after looking like he was down for the count. The introduction to his Stand, Scary Monsters (or Frightening Monsters), isn’t instantaneous, and that’s part of what makes it so frightening. We do get some insight into Diego’s past, which involves him having previously been married to a senior woman, whom Johnny believes he murdered to cash in on her obscene fortune.

Steel Ball Run Episode 9 throws a surprising Stand into the mix.

Despite Diego’s very odd and acrobatic behavior, Johnny and Gyro take Diego’s suggestion to stay in a nearby village to avoid animals that may harm them at night. Meanwhile, they find themselves dealing with danger because of Diego’s Stand.

There’s no escaping dangerous predicaments during the Steel Ball Run, especially with the continuous threat of Funny Valentine (Jason Marnocha) and the other Stand users who are trying to kill them. But neither Johnny nor Gyro has had much proper rest. Yet they’re still able to think on their feet to keep each other safe from being killed, whether they’re dealing with Stand users who can or can’t turn themselves into dinosaurs. 

Once Johnny and Gyro arrive at the same village as Diego, everything feels off to Johnny, and he’s rightfully suspicious of Diego, who is later seen eating rocks like they’re an irresistible snack. After letting Diego pour himself a cup of their coffee, Johnny soon realizes Diego is far more dangerous than they expected. This only becomes more evident when Diego literally turns into a Utahraptor. 

Diego is suspicious from the beginning, and it only gets weirder when he goes full dino-mode.

Considering Steel Ball Run is set in the late 1800s with anachronistic components, it’s no surprise that Johnny isn’t well-versed in dinosaurs because, in their time period, there are only so many ways to know information. So when Johnny is forced to face off against Diego, who transforms into a dinosaur, he’s perplexed about what he’s dealing with. It’s not every day that your enemy turns into a dinosaur and tries to kill you. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 9 focuses primarily on the ferocity of Scary Monsters, Johnny and Gyro being in peril again, and the unfortunate fact that Diego isn’t a minor threat in the race. Much like Episode 8, we’re dealing with gorgeously frightening visuals, especially during the major action scenes. Episode 9 doesn’t have as much gore or as many bloody sequences. Instead, we get moments of tension and sequences involving Diego trying to pursue them. 

As soon as Gyro returns to their room to get firewood, all hell breaks loose, and Johnny and Gyro struggle to figure out how to deal with Diego properly. They have no clue what his Stand can do, at least not until the end of Episode 9, when the bear carcass Diego left behind turns into a dinosaur before their very eyes. Neither of them has ever come across Stand users like this, and it’s a slight change of pace for their foe, far more than they can handle. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 9 is definitely more action-heavy, but that’s not a bad thing.

The remainder of Steel Ball Run Episode 9 is mostly about trying to survive and figuring out that Diego is likely going to disrupt their pursuit of finding the rest of the corpse parts. Though Episode 9 doesn’t explain how or why Diego possesses a Stand this dangerous. There’s more to this story, and if you don’t already know the details, you’re in for a world of surprises. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 9 will appeal to fans who enjoy action-focused episodes, especially after the emotionally driven Episode 8. But if you’re hoping for more Funny Valentine scenes, a boatload of quiet moments with Johnny and Gyro, or corpse-arm intensity, Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 9 isn’t going to give you any of that. Episode 9 is driven by action, some humorous beats, and the introduction of Diego’s Stand, Scary Monsters (or Frightening Monsters). 

The slow build-up to Diego’s Stand will keep you on edge for Steel Ball Run Episode 9.  The next episode will be a major one, as we’ll likely learn more about Diego’s tragic backstory. 

Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 9 is streaming now on Netflix, with new episodes every Friday. 

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