Slow Dancer

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Slow Dancer (スロー・ダンサー, Surō Dansā) is a primary ally featured in the seventh part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Steel Ball Run. It is a horse belonging to Johnny Joestar, who rides it for the entirety of the Steel Ball Run race.

Appearance

Slow Dancer is an 11-year-old Appaloosa. It has a light coat and mane with several dark spots scattered across its hindquarters and back. While being ridden by Johnny, it is adorned with a bridle and reins. Johnny's jockey number, 939, is displayed on its side.

Personality

Slow Dancer was described as an untamable horse with a twisted personality that cannot be easily handled. When Johnny first attempts to saddle it, Slow Dancer reacts with unpredictability and almost tramples him to death. However, by the start of the race, Slow Dancer warms up to Johnny and shows affection by gently licking his face when he's injured. This allows Johnny to finally mount it once he realizes how to use the Spin.[1]

Despite being much older than the horses of the other participants in the race, Slow Dancer is shown to be quite experienced; fearlessly navigating through rough terrain, thick forests, and downhill areas without fault, all while keeping its legs in good condition and breathing steady.[2] Throughout the race, Slow Dancer remains loyal to Johnny and only grows in experience as each stage passes.

Abilities

Although not ideal for the race, Gyro insists that Slow Dancer is the correct horse for Johnny Joestar.[1] He also states that choosing an older horse is better due to the horse's experience, as opposed to the younger horses that hold much power but charge into danger without an afterthought.[3] Johnny Joestar has been described as a genius jockey, being one of the favorites of the Steel Ball Run race. His skill allows him to ride across many types of terrain, and challenge even fellow genius jockey Diego Brando. Johnny possesses great knowledge of his horse Slow Dancer, notably its abilities and limits, being able to gauge what Slow Dancer will be capable of at any moment.

Golden Spin

During the events of Steel Ball Run, only two people on Earth could reproduce the Golden Spin on horseback. There exists a workaround for setting up this technique. Johnny uses a Steel Ball on Slow Dancer's leg, making it kick him with the energy of the Golden Spin. Johnny was thus imbued with the energy of the Golden Spin and by spinning his nail at the same time, could reproduce the same infinite Spin he would have by riding his horse.[4]

Spin Using a Horse(馬を使った回転 Uma o Tsukatta Kaiten)Link to this sectionLink to this section
Johnny Cavalry spin.JPG
A superior version of the Golden Spin which involves riding on horseback. Unlocking the Golden Spin on horseback grants mastery over an infinite amount of energy, therefore, several miraculous feats are possible. First and foremost is that its wielder spontaneously develops a Stand or evolves it should they already have one. Johnny develops Tusk's final evolution: Tusk ACT4.[4]

Although powerful, the horseback Golden Spin is incredibly complicated to set up. One must not only have a healthy horse, but also have the expertise to feel when it runs at its natural pace. Any interference during the horse mounting, like bumping into an obstacle or the horse being attacked, will completely interrupt the process.[4]

History

Background

Slow Dancer was a farm horse that was sold to Johnny by a horse seller before the Steel Ball Run race begun.[1] Despite being paralyzed from the waist down and struggling to control the horse, Johnny is determined to ride it.

Steel Ball Run

After finishing his preparations for the race, Gyro sees Johnny being dragged to the ground by Slow Dancer. Johnny had been up all night trying to get on his horse. The other racers watching say that he was sold a dobbin, an old horse, and was injured the night before when a piece of wood went through his right leg. They add that he has been threatening to commit suicide if anyone tries to stop him from getting on the horse. The racers notice that he could be trampled to death, and rush out to save Johnny. When they ask Gyro if he agrees with them, Gyro simply says that he'll never be able to ride his horse like that, but would be beyond human if he does.

As all the racers line up at the starting line, the racers notice Slow Dancer walking toward it, still dragging Johnny behind, bloodied, unconscious, and with his hand still firmly on the stirrup. The horse licks Johnny as he begins to get up. Gyro tells Johnny that he chose his horse well since older horses have more experience and are less likely to strain their legs in dangerous territory. He adds that if Johnny has the will to get on the horse, he should do so. A switch suddenly flicks in Johnny's mind as Gyro walks away. Johnny asks his horse to lick his face again, and as the horse bends its head down to lick him once more, its neck lifts Johnny up and onto its back.

At the end of the first stage, Johnny tells Slow Dancer that he's running well. Despite how much he's sweating, his legs are in perfect condition and his breathing is good. As he finishes talking to Slow Dancer, he looks behind him, and, to his surprise, sees Diego pulling close to him. Johnny realizes that Diego has pulled ahead using an air pressure shield, a technique in which Diego rides behind Slow Dancer using the blocked wind to avoid fatigue from the air pressure. 

JoJolion

During a flashback in JoJolion, Johnny and Rina Higashikata can be seen riding a horse that appears to be Slow Dancer, although it isn't explicitly stated.[5]

Chapters / Episodes

Video Games

Slow Dancer makes an appearance in All-Star Battle on PlayStation 3, Eyes of Heaven on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and All-Star Battle R on various consoles. In all three games, it is a technical playable character through Johnny, who uses the "Mounted" gameplay style. While mounted, Johnny can move quickly, and Slow Dancer attacks either with its head or legs. Johnny can only use his Great Heat Attack while mounted on Slow Dancer, but inputting the commands while unmounted will automatically summon Slow Dancer.

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References

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