English Dub Review: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders “The Emperor and the Hanged Man, Part 1”

This just got dark, really fast…

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Team Joestar eventually arrives in Calcutta, India, and after a series of encounters with some local beggars, the group stops at a nearby restaurant to relax. It also leads to a hilariously unfortunate moment for Polnareff in a public restroom has to be seen to be believed. It’s also here, where Polnareff notices a Creepy looking Stand in the mirror and realizes that it must be Centerfold’s Stand the “Hanged Man” based on the Info Jotaro got from the last episode that Centerfold’s Stand power involves the use of “mirrors”. Polnareff is a little shaken up by this but tells Team Joestar that he’s going to do this Solo despite not even knowing what Centerfold looks like. Of course, Avdol points out how stupidly unwise this Idea sounds knowing that Dio’s Assasins often study their targets in advance.

Polnareff counter’s this by using Avdol’s past encounter with Dio against him as an excuse, by saying that a coward who runs away could never understand his convictions and leaves. This leads to the introduction of a smooth-talking, womanizing Cowboy named “Hol Horse” who politely turns down a woman’s offer to be with him and is revealed to be working with Centerfold to take out Team Joestar starting with Polnareff. Much of the episode’s third act after this is spent on two separate montages: one with Polnareff searching high & low for Centerfold, and the other with Team Joestar searching for Polnareff.

Polnareff eventually encounters Hol Horse who asks where Centerfold is, but Hol Horse simply brags about the superiority of his Stand “The Emperor” which is a Gun he can summon with his hand and bullets that move faster than Polnareff’s Silver Chariot. Hol Horse almost gets a clear shot until Avdol tackles Polnareff to safety and while attempting to counter the Emperor’s Homing bullet with Magicians Red, Avdol is shanked from behind by Centerfold’s Stand before the Emperor bullet finishes him off and they both declare premature victory much to the horror of Kakyoin & Polnareff. The episode ends on a tragic cliffhanger as the two grieve for the loss Avdol with Polnareff blaming himself for what just happened.

Our Take

This was possibly one of the most emotionally resonant episodes so far in the series. What happened to Avdol even left me shocked, Yet at the same time, it drove the point home with how dangerous Hol Horse and Centerfold are as a team. We don’t hear much of Centerfold’s voice but Imari Williams left quite a lasting impression in the dub as Hol Horse and effectively nailed his sleazy smooth-talking charm while reminding the audience that he’s a credible threat. While Polnareff’s drive for vengeance towards his sister’s killer is understandable, he really should’ve thought this through and given that this is a two-parter, let’s see if he’ll avenge them both in Episode 11.