Thankfully, Diamond is Unbreakable is the most consistent Jojo’s has been so far, not as ludicrously fun as Battle Tendency, but by far the most solid storytelling the series has ever had. Unlike previous parts, which were big adventure epics where the fate of the world hung in the balance, this one centers around a single town afflicted by a Twin Peaks-esque murder mystery. The first half of the series is almost a slice-of-life story, with our new cast of characters just hanging around and bumping into Stand users every now and then. But that’s actually a compliment, as this extended downtime with them really helps solve Jojo’s biggest problem: it develops a large, likable cast of characters with a wide variety of personalities, motivations, and powers.
Our latest Jojo, Josuke Higashikita, is especially charming thanks to the fact that unlike previous iterations, he’s very much an underdog. Lacking the easy confidence of Jonathan, Joseph and Jotaro, he instead exudes an endearing dorkiness that matches well with his Stand’s more compassionate, defensive abilities. He’ll never top Joseph in terms of sheer entertainment value, but he’s by far the easist Jojo to sympathize with.
The rest of the cast acquit themselves well too. Koichi is a coward who grows into his courage and new abilities well, Okuyasku is an entertaining dimwit with a heart of gold, and Jotaro’s stoic presence plays much better as a support to a group of bigger characters than as the lead of Stardust Crusaders. Even the side characters, like Yukako and the hilarious Italian chef, are given more depth and personality than pretty much anyone before. And, of course, the murderous Yoshikage Kira is a nastier, more personal villain than anything we’ve faced before, leading to some incredibly tense encounters and some surprisingly well-earned pathos.
On top of that, the creativity in the Stands themselves has grown exponentially. From the ever-evolving Echoes, to a rat that can cube meat, to the electrifying Red Hot Chili Pepper, to that one weird Stand that was just a telephone Pylon, the battles in this part are some of the most creative mind games the series has ever come up with. Heck, there are even some Stand users who aren’t enemies, but are just part of the town, leading to some very different encounters than what we’re used to.
While I still have some problems with the series as a whole- too much damn narration, too much casual sexism- I greatly enjoyed Part 4, and I'm definitely looking forward to Vento Aureo this coming fall. Here's hoping it keeps the streak alive.
