Koichi Hirose is one of the protagonists from the fourth arc of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable. When we first meet him, he is a meek, reserved student without a Stand, but as the story progresses, his powers are awakened, and his confidence grows. This character development can even be seen visually as Koichi undergoes various different hairstyles. So for those with a follicle affinity, we’ve got you covered: here is a summary of Koichi’s hair evolution, with pictures over time (so you can show your barber and live out your dream of being a Japanese schoolboy).
The Evolution of Koichi Hirose’s Hairstyles, Act One
The “I’m a minor character in an anime” look
Oh, Koichi, my sweet little pea, what were you thinking? In the opening episode of Diamond is Unbreakable, Koichi feels destined to be a sideline player akin to a Speedwagon or Smokey Brown. Not only is he completely oblivious to the raw power of Stands — and no, he’s not a secret Hamon practitioner either — he’s also sporting the saddest hairstyle in franchise history.
Its slicked-back nature is representative of how Koichi sees himself: restrained, anonymous, and forgettable. It does feature a fringe that would remain consistent throughout his hair history (henceforth hairstory), which can only be described as two Razor Claws from Pokemon glued onto his forehead.
You might think we’re being harsh, but we just know that he’s capable of much, much more. All it takes is a little self-belief and an arrow piercing his throat. Don’t worry, Koichi, it’ll all be worth it.
The Evolution of Koichi Hirose’s Hairstyles, Act Two
It’s gonna be may
After being skewered by Keicho Nijimura, Koichi survives the ordeal and is rewarded with a brand new Stand of his very own. His early returns with Echoes are a little mixed at first; however, it comes to a head when Tamami Kobayashi pushes his luck and tries to exploit his family.
More specifically, it comes to his head, with his mane suddenly becoming tall and spiky. Have you ever been so mad at someone your hair just straight-up defied gravity? That’s how badly Tamami messed up here.
It’s a decidedly Super Saiyan vibe in the heat of the moment, and although afterward it still maintains some of this shape, it settles into more of an early 2000s boyband aesthetic. Outside of battle, it remains messy and casual, like everything else in the life of your average millennial.
The Evolution of Koichi Hirose’s Hairstyles, Act Three
Smolnareff
While battling a girl whose power is her hair, Koichi cuts his hair. The subsequent tussle causes her hair to change color and for the collective JoJo fandom to obsess over Koichi’s new hair. Which is excellent from an SEO perspective, because the more I say hair, the more likely it is you’ll find this guide about hair. It’s win/win/hair!
More specifically, Koichi is abducted and imprisoned by obsessive stalker Yukako Yamagishi, and things grow increasingly tense to the point where she surmises that murdering him is the best way to keep him contained. In the chaos, Koichi’s Stand metamorphizes into a new form, gaining new powers and increasing in size.
As a symbolic parallel to his Stand’s evolution (and a wasted use of a bladed weapon, considering someone is trying to kill him), he cuts his hair into a macho flat-top. Koichi displays a lot of guile in this moment, and it shows how far he has come in such a short span of time. And yes, that guile joke was entirely intentional and worth pointing out a second time.
The Evolution of Koichi Hirose’s Hairstyles, Act Four
Kamehamehair!!
You just can’t beat a classic, however, and after a while, Koichi’s mood hair returns to its previously spiky ‘do. Unlike before, it largely maintains its volume when he is in a neutral state, and when he is particularly miffed, even his fringe stands to attention.
By now, Echoes has reached its third and final form, increasing its intelligence and vocabulary — specifically, I am referring to the time where it suggests that they “kill da ho” — and Koichi has risen to become a valuable member of the Higashikata squad.
In fact, he has likely surpassed lovable goon Okuyasu Nijimura for usefulness at this stage, which is just as much an indictment on the latter’s misuse of one of the most powerful Stands in JoJo history. Maybe it’s because Koichi’s got big hair? Big hair is helpful, after all.
The Evolution of Koichi Hirose’s Hairstyles, Act Five
Now he’s Europop-ular
We get to see Koichi Hirose one last time in the following arc, Golden Wind, aka Vento Aureo, aka Vocal Percussion on a Whole ‘Nother Level.
He has at last settled on the look that defines him, carrying on most of the similarities of the preceding style. Whether it was a change in animation sensibilities or a conscious decision on Koichi’s part, he does seem just a little bit fluffier up top. He sure appears to be a lot more buoyant, and that’s surely a plus.
Alas, Koichi’s appearance in Italy comes down to a short-lived cameo, so we are unable to discover whether he undergoes any further changes in the hair department. We can just be grateful that we were able to partake of this journey with him.
Thank you, Mr. Hirose, for choosing to share your hair.
