Stupid corner ^⁠_⁠^

"Although most Stands do not show any personality or only simple hints of it, some Stands display a full-fledged consciousness separate from their Users. These Stands can think, analyze their environment, and converse with their Users, offering advice or commenting on their actions. Their personalities are diverse, but most sentient Stands follow the command of their Users regardless and act to protect them."

– JojoWiki on Sentient Stands

The idea of the Mirror Self is crucial to understanding the ways in which sentient stands are to be analyzed, both themself and in relation to their respective stand master.

To understand Koichi and Echoes ACT3, we need to look into the ways in which they are mirrors, or foils, where they are similar and where they diverge. Particularly, the ways in which they differ are not in the ways that you may expect, and I think what I'm about to say could surprise even those who are already fans of Koichi.

As much as I'm dying to dive straight into Sheer Heart Attack, we'll need to start at the beginning, with Koichi.

OVERVIEW "My name is... (Well, you don't really need to know)... Koichi Hirose."

Koichi begins as a meek and unassuming youth. Over the course of the series he learns how to assert himself, whether that's while being swindled and extorted by a con artist, manipulated by a famous mangaka, or held hostage and coerced into a romantic relationship by a classmate. Koichi despises being underestimated and taken advantage of, and it is in these moments that his timid friendly demeanor vanishes and is replaced by unrelenting courage, and even abrasiveness.

This development is represented in the way that his stand, Echoes, grows and changes over the course of the season, something that was entirely novel for a stand at the time.

I know I probably don’t need to review all of this, but it felt incomplete without a quick briefing. Bear with me.

It began as a still egg. Then, it hatched into a larva with the ability to conjure sound from onomatopoeia, which activates when placed onto surfaces– or even people, allowing him to amplify his words emphatically into the target's head.

Next, it became more anthropomorphic and able to manifest sounds into material reality; a “whoooosh!” will become a gust of wind.

Finally, in the third and most controversial act, Echoes becomes fully humanoid. Standing at the same height as Koichi and able to speak on his own, ACT3 utilizes… “”rhyme”” to create the ability 3 Freeze, which increases the gravity of the target to varying degrees.

Many find ACT3's ability strange and underwhelming. (I think it's fine, but we'll get to that.) Others have described the meaning behind this evolutionary chain as such:

ACT1: The sound of your words ACT2: The meaning of your words ACT3: The weight of your words

This is one good way of looking at it. I think there's a current that runs even deeper, but again, we'll get there.

Though their development runs parallel, I believe that the following requires emphasis: Koichi alone holds the capacity to be out-spoken, and even for aggression. In other words, it has become innate with time, and he doesn't need a vessel to express this. It is the primary conceit of his character, even. Should he deem necessary, he will speak his mind on his own. Koichi will swear on his own. You can probably already see which elements of fanon that I'm aiming to deconstruct. Let's continue to keep our mind open as we move into…

SHEER HEART ATTACK & ACT3 "That fucking serial killer! He should be the one running from ME!"

To understand Echoes ACT3, we actually need to begin with Jotaro. More specifically, Jotaro's interactions with Koichi prior to him falling victim to Sheer Heart Attack. I ended up feeling like a lot of the screenshots spoke for themself when viewed within the context of Echoes, so this will be a quick section of panels interwoven with commentary. I chose these first few panels because of a common theme: Koichi and Jotaro are divided on how to approach the presence of an enemy stand, with Jotaro believing Koichi is acting recklessly, and Koichi feeling as if his concerns are not being taken into account.

Koichi “Didn’t I tell you not to underestimate me?” Hirose, all too used to being unheard throughout his life. It’s easy to see how he can feel like his perspective is being disregarded, however flawed.

From pushover to courageous to reckless...

But then... growth. Adapting and learning to approach the situation from a new angle. And if we remember what happens when we change, we evolve...

ACT3, past the insults, swear words, and meme-able one liners, is actually the calmer and more collected of the two. Echoes observes before he acts– in fact, one of the first things we see him do is take a short pause after Koichi gives him orders. In the anime, he even looks more thoughtful in this moment.

He's objective and grounded in the immediate reality of the situation and has no intention of getting their hopes up, to the point of surrendering head-on attacks when he realizes that he has no way of actually destroying Sheer Heart Attack.

Of course, this is much to Koichi's dissatisfaction. There's nothing that he hates more than being helpless. And I think that English dub actually puts this exchange incredibly well.

Echoes: It's too strong, there's no hope. Koichi: Then we have to find some!

Koichi has survived certain doom time and time again and is not willing to give up on that hope, even if all odds are against him. Empirically, evolution had always made way for victory, and even when his very own fighting spirit tells him that it's not going to work out the way he thinks it will this time, Koichi cannot accept that.

A common dichotomy that I see amongst fans, usually jokingly but prevalent all the same, is that Koichi is the overtly polite, innocent and inoffensive boy of the two (not dissimilar to his initial "ACT0" appearance) and that ACT3 represents his more vulgar, abrasive, and forward self that is hidden deep below the surface, and can only be channeled through his stand. Now, I'm not exactly interested in viewing them through any black and white dichotomies. As is the case with most any character dynamic, I find that the answers tend to lie in the grays of nuance.

If we must, for the sake of a more accurate place to begin, we can succinctly put it this way; Heart and Mind.

As the heart, Koichi is passionate and driven. As the mind, Echoes is objective and observant. Koichi brings their dynamic unbridled optimism and perseverance, giving them something to fight for. Echoes is the cautious analyst whose judgement is unclouded by strong emotions. He thinks before he acts, even when given direct orders.

Echoes' role in particular does not come out of nowhere, if you've noticed, he's actually representing the qualities that Jotaro tried to instill in Koichi earlier in the arc.

Because Koichi's newfound confidence and assertive tendencies came at a price; he grew reckless, and failed to heed the warnings of someone more experienced than him. Echoes exhibiting the patience that Koichi woefully lacked is no coincidence, it's actually the crux of this arc’s narrative. What I think is great about their dynamic is that neither perspective is inherently right or wrong. Sure, ACT3 may have been partially born of the guilt Koichi had from not listening to Jotaro, from not being the person that he wanted him to be and endangering them both. But Koichi's courage and willingness to take risks if it means saving others is still admirable, and are invaluable traits. It's what makes him who he is. Echoes knows how to identify when they are outmatched, when they are perhaps hopeless, but Koichi is their passion to try anyways.

In Vento Aureo, a few years after the events of Diamond is Unbreakable, we can see that Koichi still communicates with Echoes instead of intuitively enacting his ability the way another stand user would. Yes, stand users will announce the presence of their stand or attack at first, but interspersed within the battle? And like this? It feels unique, especially given what we know about them.

This is something that we can observe all the way from the beginning, when ACT3 first appears and Koichi asks how he should address him, being newly humanoid and all. Not only does this imply quite a bit of lasting mutual respect, it means that there is a considerable degree of separation between their consciousness. He can’t just think of what he wants to do and have him act accordingly, because Echoes' individuality runs fairly deep.

It’s apparently noticeable to others, as well…

Before we close out this section, remember when I said that I actually don’t take issue with the way that ACT3’s ability is seemingly dissonant from his predecessors? This is because I believe there’s a secondary through-line that unites the three acts.

In that Echoes evolves primarily into what Koichi needs most in the moment.

Con man talking circles around you? You need to get a word in, you need to be heard! Stubborn girl who won’t take "no" for an answer no matter how loud you are? Actions speak louder than words!

...Remote stand tirelessly pursuing you? Acting recklessly and need a moment to weigh your options? Stop it in its tracks!

STATS: OVER THE YEARS Perhaps the least conclusive section of this, but I think there's still something to be gleaned.

From Diamond is Unbreakable (1999):

From Vento Aureo (2001):

There is definitely a doylist explanation for this, but a watsonian one is more fun. From the top…

POWER (INCREASE): Their experiences brought them strength.

SPEED, STAMINA (DECREASE): I like to attribute this to them having become rusty after years of peace in Morioh.

RANGE (DECREASE): So they’ve become closer, huh…

DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL (DECREASE):

Let’s define this stat first, from JoJoWiki:

“[Developmental Potential] measures the Stand's possible functions, utilization of its abilities and powers, and capacity to improve its overall capabilities. It decreases in rank as the user masters their Stand.”

So, it appears that Koichi has gained a deeper understanding of Echoes over time. Interesting to me, seeing as Morioh was likely peaceful in the time between the parts. We don't see him learning a new way to utilize 3 Freeze, or even new rhyme attack. What kind of understanding did they reach off screen...?

DESIGN

As is the case with stands, their design is typically reflective of the user’s style, personality and/or sensibilities. Araki describes ACT3 as “the image of Koichi made into a stand,” and also “like a friend.” (Aw.)

"It's got its own personality, so it's like a friend… It's the image of Koichi made into a Stand. I thought that, if I could turn sound into a physical object, I could probably do so with gravity, too."

— Hirohiko Araki, JOJOVELLER Stand Guide page 87

Come Vento Aureo, Koichi dons a new outfit; a royal blue long coat adorned with gold pins of the roman numeral for three. The latter most point needs no elaboration, but the length of his coat warrants examination; it's conveniently around the same length of ACT3’s tunic. This, in collaboration with the pins, visually speaks to a further unification between the two (something we've already discussed in regards to Echoes' "Developmental Potential" stat.)

Now admittedly, there is a bit of complexity here. Koichi's longer coat could very well only be a homage to Jotaro, as the two have great mutual respect for one another. It's also possible that ACT3’s tunic length and white color was the original homage to Jotaro, and then Koichi took inspiration from Echoes’ representation of Jotaro. (See earlier: In which I described the ways in which ACT3 represents what Jotaro advised of Koichi.)

I like to think it’s some combination of both! Wherever it comes from, it's sweet.

But then, why do I bring this up if it’s common amongst stands and users to coordinate looks? Well, it’s because this (the pins, at least) is an instance in which the user makes a conscious effort to match their stand, and not the other way around. I suppose there’s always a sort of “chicken or the egg” paradox with this, but Koichi putting on pins of the roman numeral 3 is indisputably him representing his stand, in that order. Like, there’s no other way of looking at it– he’s aware of and respects Echoes' individuality, seeing him as an equal. So it’s not like it’s done out of vanity. He’s so proud of Echoes, himself, and how far they’ve come, and he wears it like a badge.

MISCELLANEOUS Odds and ends in which I point to and shout “Look! Cute!!”

Excited. Like he’s never seen 3 freeze before. Cute.

By the way, ever think about how “My ACT3 is amazing!” has become one of his most iconic lines and is utilized a lot in spinoffs? I do. Ever think about how he said that before ACT3 ever even did anything? I do!

Reading manga with my stand… CUTE!

IN CONCLUSION...