Anime continues its global takeover, and STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ‒ Episode 6 is the latest title making waves. Whether you follow the manga, the anime, or both, this news changes the picture in a big way.

The Story So Far

And with installment six of STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the last pillar of patriarchy is erected, and now the two best bros in all of anime can begin tearing the oppressive structure down. Already established via other concepts socially entangled with masculinity like America/manifest destiny/patriotism, Christianity, and literal fathers, the introduction of President Funny Valentine as the overarching villain of Steel Ball Run makes the work's deeply personal and progressive themes impossible to ignore.

These themes successful even harder coming from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, as the previous six installments are, in many ways, a celebration of culturally enshrined masculinity and the expectations fathers pass on to their sons, and I'm thrilled to see the work now cast a critical lens on some of those ideas. Beginning with the subtitle's implication that Mormonism is the correct religion in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the installment showcases that the checkpoints along the Steel Ball Run race correlate to a map created by the biblical figure Joseph.

With this information being established simultaneously, a dehydrated arm fusing with Johnny Joestar's, and both Steven Steel and Pres. Valentine asking about mummified corpse parts along the track, the implication for non-manga readers is that Steel Ball Run is about to turn into a narrative where Gyro and Johnny race across the country on horseback to keep the actual body of Christ from falling into the hands of the nefarious U.S.

This is the coolest, most ridiculous premise any narrative has ever had, and I love it as much as I love being alive. As the focus shifts back to Gyro and Johnny, they showcase the budding dynamic that makes them the fan-favorite JoBros across this long-running universe. Traversing the desert on horseback after surviving two assassination attempts, the two start shit-talking opera like they're college roommates.

This show has so many weird little freaks, and the way Gyro and Johnny match each other's freak is incredibly endearing. It's really cute how these two are already on their way to being fast friends despite being absolute strangers less than a week ago in-universe. Things get extra freaky, though, when Pork Pie Hat Kid (I'm not using his lame localized name) attacks with the supernatural, winch-like Stand that lives in his mouth.

The sound direction for this Stand, Wired, is amazing, and the choice to use mechanical and industrial sounds for it really makes it stand out in this Wild West backdrop. Similarly, Greg Vinciguerra makes this villain of the week pop with a turn that sounds as if Boingo from Stardust Crusaders was raised by wolves. With Gyro incapacitated and Johnny forfeiting the corpse's left arm to the assailant, the installment concludes on a cliffhanger as the diminutive Tusk Act I emerges from the impossible seam in Johnny's arm.

While technically a set-up installment, this is everything I want from building narrative beats, as they mast…

For now, fans have plenty to discuss, and the industry has plenty to analyse. TeraMovies will be tracking every twist in this story as it unfolds, bringing you the full picture from the world of entertainment.