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Steel Ball Run #21
スティール・ボール・ラン #21 ジャンプコミックス: ボ－ル・ブレイカ－
スティール・ボール・ラン #21 ジャンプコミックス (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure #101 Part 7, Steel Ball Run #21): ボ－ル・ブレイカ－.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Hirohiko Araki
653 books2,046 followersHirohiko Araki ( 荒木飛呂彦) is a Japanese manga artist. He left school before graduation from Miyagi University of Education.
He enjoys the baseball manga Kyojin No Hoshii (Star of the Giants); the video games Mario Kart and Bomberman; and likes Prince and other African-American singers, as well as jazz, rock, and rap.
He is a recipient the Tezuka Award for manga.
He enjoys the baseball manga Kyojin No Hoshii (Star of the Giants); the video games Mario Kart and Bomberman; and likes Prince and other African-American singers, as well as jazz, rock, and rap.
He is a recipient the Tezuka Award for manga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
January 25, 2022
FUCK NO NO NO NO I SAW THIS COMING WHY DOES IT HURT SO BAD FUCK
October 5, 2020
I'm liking the fight but things are getting a little slow paced. Doesn't feel like there's too much to talk about, but I'll see what I can do.
It says something that Valentine will not hesitate to die and let a clone take his place. It shows that his actions are not motivated by self interest. If there was an ounce of selfishness in his motivation, each Valentine would be competing to be the one who lives and rules in "main universe". Instead, Valentine would readily give up his life if it meant that a version of him will succeed. It illustrates his conviction and belief in himself- that he truly believes that America being led by a Valentine is the best option and that he is willing to die to make that happen.
Leading up to the showdown between Gyro and Valentine, the art gets pretty spectacular. These sweeping panoramic shots are the nicest New Jersey has ever looked. The staredown gets framed like a western shootout. But where your typical shootout is set in a static town with mostly brown in the background, we get this awe inspiring scenery. Imagine a duel at high noon taking place where Moses parted the Red Sea.
Gyro's spin being able to influence gravity within Love Train's pocket dimension is fine. It's the kind of explanation where you just have to take Araki's word for it. One of those things where it works "because I said so". It's cool that Gyro was able to manifest a stand at the last moment. And maybe it's just the stand that is transcending dimensions? I feel like the explanation for how Gyro lost is too long and anticlimactic. The steel ball rode down Love Train's line and a piece of it chipped off, making the spin uneven. It wasn't that effective for me because it wasn't the typical Jojo logic puzzle, it was just made up rules interacting with each other and having an unforeseeable consequence.
Having a flesh wound slowly turn fatal doesn't really work. Characters have died anti-climactically before (think Avodl) and that's been effective. But this wasn't sudden enough to be a gut punch and it wasn't grand enough to be dramatic. It kind of falls in the middle and doesn't make as much of a splash as it should.
The way Gyro's death was handled was nice at least. Not the mechanics or execution of his death, but the blowback from it. The flashbacks were really fitting and made it feel like things are coming full circle. Same goes for Valentine's speech about the racers being sacrificial lambs. Johnny's reaction is also well done. He outright panics, dropping all of the strategy that he and Gyro had come up with. He almost blows it by wasting all of his shots. The feeling of panic is palpable as this guy tries to regroup.
Perhaps Gyro's steel ball hitting the line of Love Train is supposed to mirror the ball that hit the net. In reflecting, Gyro comes down pretty hard against religion, saying that in times like this you want a god to make sense of the meaningless whims of chance.
This idea fits really well with lesson 5. Gyro gives this off because he knows he's going to die; they're his last words to Johnny. But it's a powerful lesson. I adore it. Life is so rarely a matter of going from A to B. There are so many seeming detours in life. But if we think of them as detours, we are passing up on valuable chances to learn and grow. Parts of our lives that feel like diversions can actually help us get closer to our goals if we take the time to be mindful and see what these "distractions" can teach us. In "The Last Lecture" Randy Pausch refers to these as "head fakes". Playing football didn't seemingly get him any closer to his engineering goals, but in reality it taught him a lesson about leadership. But if you dismiss such a detour offhand, you're also passing up the chance to grow, learn, and get closer to your goal. This is doubly true when it comes to life's unavoidable detours. Being able to make something of an unfair, painful, or meaningless situation is a powerful thing. And while there's nothing wrong with attributing detours to the will of a god, it is stifling if we leave it at that and don't think deeper about how this detour can help us. As Gyro mentioned, we can turn to a goddess to make sense of why the ball fell on the side of the net that it did, but we can also think for ourselves and figure out how that detour is actually the shortest route. We cannot decide what side the ball falls on, but we can decide how we make sense of it and what we do in response.
It says something that Valentine will not hesitate to die and let a clone take his place. It shows that his actions are not motivated by self interest. If there was an ounce of selfishness in his motivation, each Valentine would be competing to be the one who lives and rules in "main universe". Instead, Valentine would readily give up his life if it meant that a version of him will succeed. It illustrates his conviction and belief in himself- that he truly believes that America being led by a Valentine is the best option and that he is willing to die to make that happen.
Leading up to the showdown between Gyro and Valentine, the art gets pretty spectacular. These sweeping panoramic shots are the nicest New Jersey has ever looked. The staredown gets framed like a western shootout. But where your typical shootout is set in a static town with mostly brown in the background, we get this awe inspiring scenery. Imagine a duel at high noon taking place where Moses parted the Red Sea.
Gyro's spin being able to influence gravity within Love Train's pocket dimension is fine. It's the kind of explanation where you just have to take Araki's word for it. One of those things where it works "because I said so". It's cool that Gyro was able to manifest a stand at the last moment. And maybe it's just the stand that is transcending dimensions? I feel like the explanation for how Gyro lost is too long and anticlimactic. The steel ball rode down Love Train's line and a piece of it chipped off, making the spin uneven. It wasn't that effective for me because it wasn't the typical Jojo logic puzzle, it was just made up rules interacting with each other and having an unforeseeable consequence.
Having a flesh wound slowly turn fatal doesn't really work. Characters have died anti-climactically before (think Avodl) and that's been effective. But this wasn't sudden enough to be a gut punch and it wasn't grand enough to be dramatic. It kind of falls in the middle and doesn't make as much of a splash as it should.
The way Gyro's death was handled was nice at least. Not the mechanics or execution of his death, but the blowback from it. The flashbacks were really fitting and made it feel like things are coming full circle. Same goes for Valentine's speech about the racers being sacrificial lambs. Johnny's reaction is also well done. He outright panics, dropping all of the strategy that he and Gyro had come up with. He almost blows it by wasting all of his shots. The feeling of panic is palpable as this guy tries to regroup.
Perhaps Gyro's steel ball hitting the line of Love Train is supposed to mirror the ball that hit the net. In reflecting, Gyro comes down pretty hard against religion, saying that in times like this you want a god to make sense of the meaningless whims of chance.
This idea fits really well with lesson 5. Gyro gives this off because he knows he's going to die; they're his last words to Johnny. But it's a powerful lesson. I adore it. Life is so rarely a matter of going from A to B. There are so many seeming detours in life. But if we think of them as detours, we are passing up on valuable chances to learn and grow. Parts of our lives that feel like diversions can actually help us get closer to our goals if we take the time to be mindful and see what these "distractions" can teach us. In "The Last Lecture" Randy Pausch refers to these as "head fakes". Playing football didn't seemingly get him any closer to his engineering goals, but in reality it taught him a lesson about leadership. But if you dismiss such a detour offhand, you're also passing up the chance to grow, learn, and get closer to your goal. This is doubly true when it comes to life's unavoidable detours. Being able to make something of an unfair, painful, or meaningless situation is a powerful thing. And while there's nothing wrong with attributing detours to the will of a god, it is stifling if we leave it at that and don't think deeper about how this detour can help us. As Gyro mentioned, we can turn to a goddess to make sense of why the ball fell on the side of the net that it did, but we can also think for ourselves and figure out how that detour is actually the shortest route. We cannot decide what side the ball falls on, but we can decide how we make sense of it and what we do in response.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
crying over a cowboy rn
March 10, 2019
maybe i shouldn't be devouring the volumes at this pace but I can't say I've enjoyed the fighting sequences lately. I'm tired of Valentine vs "The Squad". Can Valentine just die already, I'm so tired of him, tired of him talking.
The art is superb as always.
And as per usual, I'm worried about Lucy...
The art is superb as always.
And as per usual, I'm worried about Lucy...
March 5, 2022
why does this keep happening to me
December 21, 2024
STOP KILLING THE HOT BADDIES OFF
July 29, 2024
Me siento destruido, nunca me anticipé sobre la muerte de este volumen, sinceramente tenía esperanzas, pero no fue así, SBR es mucho más cruda de lo que creemos. Tengo confianza que Hot Pants esté viva y pueda revivir a Gyro, pero faltando tan solo tres volúmenes lo veo muy difícil, más todavía con el bello flashback que realizaron de él con Johnny. Los detallitos que nos dieron, esos pequeños momentos, las lecciones, realmente me hizo emocionar muchísimo, me ha dado un momento hermoso con estos dos personajes. Pero falta todavía en esta historia, y sinceramente no sé que hará Araki para hacer que Johnny con una mano pueda lograr derrotar a Funny Valentine. No tengo más palabras de agradecimiento para Gyro, para darnos a conocer su bello secreto sobre su verdadero nombre, el cual nos daba indicios sobre su destino, dado que nuestro querido Caesar también falleció en Battle Tendency. Hasta siempre Julio César Zeppeli, siempre te recordaremos y estarás protegido por la diosa mientras cabalgas.
September 25, 2020
Without a doubt, 'something' is going on! But what the hell is it?!
November 23, 2024
AUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGHGGGGGGHGHHHHHGHGGGGHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHGGGHG
May 11, 2025
devastating
August 7, 2025
BEN ZATEN INTIHARA MEYILLIYIM BENIM CANIMI SIKMAYIN
August 13, 2025
emotional damage was done :'(
November 27, 2025
I saw it coming and yet it still hurts :((((
May 16, 2020
Memes in this volume:
August 3, 2021
I KNEW IT WAS COMING I KNEW IT BUT IT DIDNT HURT LESS FUCK NOT THE FLASHBACKS
We even got introduced to Ball Breaker which can pierce through dimensional walls… I still have hope even though it might hurt more later 😔
We even got introduced to Ball Breaker which can pierce through dimensional walls… I still have hope even though it might hurt more later 😔
January 15, 2020
GYRO NO
Read
July 6, 2023in lacrime.
May 19, 2023
rip 🥲🥲
March 29, 2024
Araki i hate you 😭😭😭😭😭
February 8, 2025
See Vol. 24 review...
December 31, 2023
Series: Steel Ball Run #21
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
The battle continues with the President foiling Johnny’s attempt at the golden rotation by cutting his hand off. The president then attempts to assassinate Johnny but is foiled when Lucy starts moving further away from him because Mr. Steel is trying to save her. He requests Gyro’s help and Gyro takes her further away by horse. The further she goes from the President the more she regresses back into a normal human and less corpse-like. Gyro and the President then fight with Gyro finally perfecting the golden rotation with the horse and using it against the President, creating a Ball Breaker stand as it were that does a lot of damage to the President and D4C. Unfortunately his second attack was not successful and he takes excessive and potentially fatal damage.
This has been a very intense final battle and I haven’t been able to put this series down since the battle with the President started and I can’t wait to see what Johnny will do next now that Gyro is extremely injured.
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
The battle continues with the President foiling Johnny’s attempt at the golden rotation by cutting his hand off. The president then attempts to assassinate Johnny but is foiled when Lucy starts moving further away from him because Mr. Steel is trying to save her. He requests Gyro’s help and Gyro takes her further away by horse. The further she goes from the President the more she regresses back into a normal human and less corpse-like. Gyro and the President then fight with Gyro finally perfecting the golden rotation with the horse and using it against the President, creating a Ball Breaker stand as it were that does a lot of damage to the President and D4C. Unfortunately his second attack was not successful and he takes excessive and potentially fatal damage.
This has been a very intense final battle and I haven’t been able to put this series down since the battle with the President started and I can’t wait to see what Johnny will do next now that Gyro is extremely injured.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2023
I really like the slower pacing of this volume and the art is always a sight to behold. The aspects of teamwork to make everything happen, the tension from panel to panel, the conviction with which everyone is fighting with... There is no question on why anyone is on the field at this time. I think D4C part 15 was the weakest chapter though because it felt like it served almost entirely to give details and not much else.
Again, there didn't feel like a "gotcha" moment that was impossible or newly introduced ability to make the outcome of things happen a particular way.
Again, there didn't feel like a "gotcha" moment that was impossible or newly introduced ability to make the outcome of things happen a particular way.
April 16, 2023
5 estrellas.
No se como, porque, o que va a pasar, sólo se que debo continuar con el siguiente tomo lo más rápido que pueda.
No puedo creer que llegamos a este punto de la historia, hace un tiempo no me imaginaba estar hasta este lugar de la historia.
Todo es fascinante, dejé de mencionar el arte de Araki porque no es necesario estar diciendo en todas mis reseñas que es hermoso.
Estoy mordiendome las uñas.
No se como, porque, o que va a pasar, sólo se que debo continuar con el siguiente tomo lo más rápido que pueda.
No puedo creer que llegamos a este punto de la historia, hace un tiempo no me imaginaba estar hasta este lugar de la historia.
Todo es fascinante, dejé de mencionar el arte de Araki porque no es necesario estar diciendo en todas mis reseñas que es hermoso.
Estoy mordiendome las uñas.
January 21, 2025
Las muertes me están resultando muy poco impactantes en general. Ésta se veía venir y esperaba ponerme triste, pero me he quedado igual. Ahora tengo curiosidad por cómo se llenan tres volúmenes más sólo con Johnny, Valentine y Lucy (que lleva muchos capítulos vegetal).
La verdad es que la recta final, desde que han empezado las peleas contra Valentine, se me está haciendo pesada. Necesito más flashbacks.
La verdad es que la recta final, desde que han empezado las peleas contra Valentine, se me está haciendo pesada. Necesito más flashbacks.
April 16, 2025
Gyro. Julius Caesar Zeppeli. Bro. i havent had a cry like that in a while and i don't know the last time i cried like that for a manga character. i saw it coming. he isn't the joestar. he's fucking ZEPPELI (i have played these games before). but just... it fucking hurts (actually tearing up while writing this). everything he was to johnny and JOHNNY IN DISBELIEF. LAUGHING. REMEMBERING ALL OF HIS MEMORIES OF GYRO. I CANT FUCKING TAKE IT MAN. WHY GYRO MAN. FUCKING WHY.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2025
ok idk which volume this is but i finished reading steel ball run
guys
this and part 6 are the best parts of the series
its easy to follow yet so well written- i could read about guys collecting the corpse of Jesus while riding horses across America for AGEZS
and that one panel of injured johnny crying in the middle of new jersey surrounded by dead gyro, valentine and lucy is so freaking sad bro
"everyone's gone. no one's left" MY EYES MY POOR EYES
guys
this and part 6 are the best parts of the series
its easy to follow yet so well written- i could read about guys collecting the corpse of Jesus while riding horses across America for AGEZS
and that one panel of injured johnny crying in the middle of new jersey surrounded by dead gyro, valentine and lucy is so freaking sad bro
"everyone's gone. no one's left" MY EYES MY POOR EYES
January 2, 2024
This is a problem I have with a lot of manga fights but I'm getting bored with it and am ready to move on. To be honest though it's a pretty typical Jojo climax we've got going on here.
February 13, 2020
Pretty good 7th part of Jojo’s bizarre Adventures and far from the best! This series lacks awesome intense fights and the story of this series was dull😭😁❤️❤️
August 21, 2021
FOR THE UNIVERSES SAKE, GYROOO!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews