JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part IV: Diamond is Unbreakable Review

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part IV: Diamond is Unbreakable

Genre: Action, Comedy, Mystery, Shounen

Synopsis

The fourth part of JJBA focuses on Josuke Higashikata, the illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar, with Jotaro Kujo and Joseph Joestar along in a supporting role. Apparently feeling that Stands needed more explanation, Araki retroactively introduces the "Bow and Arrow," an ancient artifact which causes latent Stand ability to develop in people. Apparently Enya used this artifact on Dio, which then caused Stands to develop in the Joestar bloodline as well.

Preface

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a long-running manga franchise that has spanned for almost 3 decades. The long life span of this franchise is proof that it has high quality content, especially when certain animes spoof it.

Gintama's Stand Arc

Now personally, I've only watched part 1, 2, and most of 3 (the Stardust Crusaders anime is almost done) and read part 4 and the first portion of part 5. So far, part 4 has been my favorite because character development is one of my favorite aspects of a story. A story doesn't have to be a grandiose adventure (part 1 and 3) or a prevent-the-end-of-the-world-scenario (part 2). Unlike its predecessors, Diamond is Unbreakable has a smaller setting in a small town of Japan, which is something new and refreshing for the series after the previous stories consists of traveling the countryside in order to stop a vampire,

Phantom Blood

fighting vampires in Mexico and Italy,

Battle Tendency

and going on a journey from Japan to Egypt for the purpose of killing a vampire.

Stardust Crusaders

Characters

Josuke Higashikata has a pompadour styled in the same way as his childhood savior. He instantaneously becomes furious with rage and relentlessly attacks a person when they insult his hair. He is also the illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar and the uncle of Jotaro Kujo. Unlike the previous JoJo's, Josuke is a more varied character compared to the noble Jonathan, the trickster Joseph, and the serious Jotaro. One would say that he shares similar characteristics of all of them combined because he has been shown to fight for what's right, play mind games on his opponents, and become serious when his hair is insulted. His Stand, Crazy Diamond, has a unique ability that restores anything back to their previous physical state (this ability really creates interesting scenes, especially in the intense action sequences) and is similar to Star Platinum in the way that it attacks with a barrage of fists.

Jotaro Kujo is the stoic nephew of Josuke (but is older than him) who goes to Japan in order to find Josuke so that Joseph Joestar has an heir. He is very quiet compared to Josuke and is like a mentor to him in this story. Enemies view him as the real threat because of his Stand, Star Platinum.

Koichi Hirose is at first, a meek short boy who's life completely changes when he meets Jotaro Kujo. He's acknowledged by many characters as a person with true virtue and bravery. Initially, he seems to be a lackluster character and appears to have the character archetype of someone who always has to be saved. Despite all of this, Koichi undergoes through significant character developments throughout the story and is pivotal to his allies' victories.  His character is really similar to Yugi Moto from Yu-Gi-Oh.

Review

Like I said earlier, there is no grand scheme of an adventure in this JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The story takes place in a Japanese town called Morioh. Because it has a smaller setting compared to its predecessors, Diamond is Unbreakable has a more slice-of-life feel in the story as it focuses more on the daily activities of characters like Josuke and Koichi. The setting is so casual to the point that you can relate to Josuke and his buddies in their daily activities as high school students and their typical troubles of women, money, and family. While Stardust Crusaders only had the Stands fighting battles, Diamond is Unbreakable has a more everyday use with Stands like cooking and cosmetics.

Tonio the chef

The Stand, "Cinderella"

Diamond is Unbreakable consists of several short stories which gives it an episodic nature. Even though these short stories don't seem like they add much to the plot, they always play a role in character development. To sum it up, each short story always contributes to character growth, plot elements, and character relationships. They're like puzzle pieces that contribute to the final product. Given the slice-of-life elements and a focus on character development, the story might seem a little slow paced at first and it might turn some people off, but it's a necessary slow pace that really adds to the suspense later on. The action scenes are some of the most exhilarating battles I've seen from a manga, not just in the terms of extreme fights, but in the sense of mind games and the creative thinking involved with these fights, which really highlights Josuke's character. I swear, I can't wait to see Josuke's battles animated because they're so creatively done. Another thing to mention is that the antagonist is always changing throughout this manga; therefore there is no central antagonist (until the last half). You won't really notice it until there is a shift in tone from the slice-of-life mood to a more sinister and suspenseful plot. Trust me on this one, the last villain in Diamond is Unbreakable is worth the wait as he is one of the most satisfying enemies I've seen in the entire JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.

Conclusion 

Diamond is Unbreakable is a quirky manga with a relatable cast of characters and a setting that is more character-focused rather than action. The action scenes are top notch with high suspense and creativity, the character developments are really intricate and well-done, and the last villain is one of the best villains I've ever seen. I tried my best not to spoil anything in this manga because I want you to read it. This is the best Bizarre Adventure that I've read (I've only read/watched Parts 1-5); therefore it is a must-read.

Rating

10/10

Disagree or agree with my review? Let me know what you think in the comments below!