“BELIEVE IN ME!”
What They Say:
Koichi Hirose (Reverb)
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Following the Nijimura Brothers arc was bound to be something more lighthearted. Or at least “slightly less relevant to the overall plot.”
The episode spends next to no time introducing its latest villain and stand-user, Tamami Kobayashi—a con-man looking to get some quick cash out of the unsuspecting Koichi. As expected from Jojo villains, he’s immediately made out to be as scumbaggy as possible, stooping to every low imaginable all for the sake of some money. Thankfully, Josuke and newly-appointed best bro Okuyasu arrive on the scene, and it seems like the matter is immediately taken care of in the form of a sub-par fight whose only saving grace were its highly stylized backgrounds and oddly crisp and well-timed audio.
Matters are resolved and the day is thought to be saved until Tamami shows up at Koichi’s own house no less, to squeeze some more cash out of him and his family, away from the protective glares of Josuke and Okuyasu. With his stand holding the power of guilt literally weighing down its victims, Tamami goes to every length imaginable to guilt Koichi and his family out of their money and estate—it’s all so ridiculous and petty, and yet still conforms to the norms when it comes to Jojo villains and their uniquely comical levels of villainy.
Such a stand-user would come off as obnoxious by itself, but the fact that Tamami continues to push for more and more money from Koichi pays off when Koichi’s rage finally gets the better of him and he unleashes his stand. Suddenly the stylized backgrounds and particularly on-point audio feel better deserved and downright necessary, as Koichi’s stand worms its way towards Tamami and attacks him with a barrage of literal sound effects.
The comicbook style of the Jojo anime has always proven to spice up fight scenes and the series as a whole, but to actually have a stand that makes use of the sound effects that show up on screen takes things to a whole other level. Seeing the stand Reverb plaster sound effects onto the faces and bodies of its targets is especially satisfactory when said sound effects echo and mix into the background music itself. Suddenly secondary concerns like music and overall sound are brought to the forefront of the fight, making it all the more entertaining. Truly one of the more unique moments in an already unique series.
In Summary:
Koichi Hirose (Reverb) serves as the perfect light snack break from the overarching main course plot of Diamond is Unbreakable. The story itself served more as a means for Koichi to grow as a character than a full-fledged story itself, but it’s appreciated in that regard. Villain buildup and release is highly satisfactory as expected of the series, and care in terms of the episode’s visuals and audio is especially noticeable this time around.
Grade: B
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad Y570, 15.6”
