“I knew that someone would kill him someday. The thing about crimes… When you keep doing stuff like that, somewhere, somehow, it’s going to come back and get you.”
What They Say:
Chili Pepper, Part 1
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
If it wasn’t any indication by now, Okuyasu is this Jojo’s Polnareff (who in turn was that Jojo’s more inept Speedwagon). He may not be the main character, but his charisma is expressed in such a way that you can’t help but like the big lug.
That fact was only further cemented this episode.
Gone are the one-off Stands, and back is the current arc’s big baddie, with the episode immediately opening on a showdown between Josuke and a mysterious Stand that pops out of his living room’s electrical socket referring to itself as Chili Pepper. Having already made its appearance earlier in the season, Chili Pepper shows up once again to flaunt how it not only has been spying on our heroes via traveling through the city’s electrical wires, it’s also gotten stronger since it’s made itself last known to the cast. Not that it makes any difference to the headstrong Josuke who immediately makes use of its villain monologuing to give it a good pummeling before it retreats—a recurring theme of sorts with this episode.
As our heroes gather in an open field, away from any electricity, Jotaro tells the others of a key player that will be joining them soon—good ol’ Joseph Joestar, aka Josuke’s biological father. But before the cast can even react to the news, Chili Pepper makes yet another appearance, now out to kill Joseph upon his arrival.
This is where the real episode begins.
Still reeling over his brother’s death by Chili Pepper, Okuyasu is out for blood. But the relationship between the Stand and Okuyasu isn’t as simple as revenge. On the contrary, Okuyasu fully admits his older brother’s faults, even going as far as admitting that his brother Keicho deserved to die after everything he did. It is in this mix of bold-faced honesty, yet uncharacteristically blind rage that we as the audience begin to see Okuyasu as more than the comic relief goofball. If anything, his character has received the most fleshing out of this arc so far, and it makes his showdown with Chili Pepper all the more poignant.
And while the last few moments between Chili Pepper and Okuyasu are frustrating to watch (the rest of the gang really takes their sweet time catching up to them, even though they’re well within earshot of each other), it only better builds up Chili Pepper as a villain, making sure that you absolutely hate that he escaped and further want him defeated.
In Summary:
Chili Pepper, Part 1 is filled with tension-building. Not only is Chili Pepper made out to be a formidable foe, but we’re also given some brief fan-service in mentioning the return of Joseph Joestar. Having Okuyasu take the spotlight in a more serious tone is also oddly fitting, with his otherwise carefree character showing that their new enemy means business.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
