The one thing that fascinates me the most about the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure franchise as a whole, is how the division of each part manages to focus on a different theme, all relating to its time and period.

Diamond is Unbreabakle is the fourth instalment, and while it doesn't have the thematic cohesion of Phantom Blood, the charisma of Vento Aureo, or the overall quality of Steel Ball Run, it remains my favorite, mostly because of how it treats is themes, especially in the second half.

The setting is Morioh, a small town that's apparently peaceful. As the stands threat starts to desolate the place, we are met with our group of protagonists, each trying to unveil the many mysteries behind their hometown.

The first half is arguably the worst, with many episodic battles that range from great (Let's go to the mangaka House) to just silly and bad (Tonio's Restaurant). The story sustains itself on developing our characters through the challenges they face.

Josuke is our protagonist this time around, and he's a great one. While his exterior may seem brute, with his tall stature and yankee-like appearence, he's a soft and kind person, always willing to help the others around him, no matter what. This is reflected on his stand. Crazy Diamond, who has the ability to restore things, "the kindest ability in the world", as described by Jotaro (who remains an uninteresting character, despite working better as a sidekick).

Koichi is also an interesting character, in that his fragile looks mask a strong determination and a great sense of duty towards his friends. Both of these characters work in the overall theme of DiU: appearence.

Morioh has a huge dissapearence rating, way bigger than any other town, but the people in the town don't seem to mind. They want to keep the facade. The exterior is more important than the interior. No wonder most of the villains end up becoming allies: onde you see - and accept- the true nature of someone, that person is inclined to grow closer to you.

Then comes Kira, a character that best represents this side of the story. He's a serial killer with a twisted obsession towards hands, but he still wants a peaceful life. He understands that, for that to be achieved, he must be invisible, to cloak his true self with a blank exterior. Because that's what people see, and only see: the surface. He goes as far as to change his appearence entirely and start a new life as someone else, adapting to the situation.

This is the thematic value of DiU, and while it's not worked perfectly, it is there. What about the "surface level" stuff? The battles are a mixed bag, and the formula of "villain of the week" gets really tired after a few episodes. Despite that, the final confrontation remains one of the best moments I've ever read in any manga, period.

Araki's art is sharp, even if this is where he started switching from his 80's manly style to a more 90's friendly one. The roots of the androginy that would become Araki's trademark are here, and would bloom with VA. Still, the way he works his frames is amazing, and his flow is as sharp as it's ever been.

"Goodbye Morioh - The Golden Heart". This is the name of the last chapter. It's a fitting name, considering that, after the cleanse, we can expect Morioh to be as peaceful as it appears to be. It is the end road to a story that's interesting, enjoyable and, most of all, exciting. Diamond sure is unbreakable.