Tokyo Avengers is a suspense-filled manga series from writer and illustrator Ken Wakui. In this story, protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki sees the death of his ex-girlfriend Hinata Tachibana and her brother Naoto caused by the Tokyo Manji Gang, or ‘Toman’. Takemichi has an accident shortly afterwards, but later comes to, now finding that he has traveled through time and space back to the past to the year 2005, and once again met Naoto who was supposed to have died. After Takemichi told Naoto about the future and both sides shook hands, he went back to the modern day of 2017. This time, Naoto, who should have died, appears again in front of Takemichi, this time as a detective. This is due to how the different actions taken in the past after traveling through time and space have changed the futures of many people. But the changed future is not a good and perfect ending. In order to save his ex-girlfriend and friends, Takemichi decides to once again travel through time and space to change the future.
Why is Tokyo Revengers So Popular?
In addition to its story of an interesting protagonist out to save the future, Tokyo Revengers also offers a deep look into the Tokyo Manji Gang, which Takemichi joins. The story will take the protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki through many misadventures in the past and the future, including ‘The Battle of 8/3’, ‘Bloody Halloween’, and the ‘Kanto Incident’. Probably the most fascinating thing to fans of the series are the friendships between the mobsters, and the intense fighting scenes.
The Main Cast of Tokyo Revengers
Takemichi Hanagaki
The protagonist of this work, is 26 in the present time and 12 in the past timeline. In order to escape from slavery, he broke up with his girlfriend and ran away. In the present time, he worked as a clerk in a DVD rental shop in Japan. He learned about the death of his ex-girlfriend on the news. Later, he was pushed down the subway track and died, but when he woke up, he found himself traveling through time and space to the past.
Manjiro ‘Mikey’ Sano
Commonly known as Mikey. One of the founders and current leader of Doman. He has a very high fighting talent, and is known as “Invincible Mikey”. Together with his elder brother Shinichiro and half-sister Emma, he was taken care of by his grandfather and taught fighting skills when he was young. He worships his older brother, who was a bad boy as well. In order to get justice for a friend, the Tokyo Manji Gang was organized to defeat the Black Dragons
Keisuke Baji
The captain of the Tokyo Manji Gang’s First Division, who is also Manjiro’s childhood playmate and one of the founders of Doman. When he was in middle school, he went to a store with his friend Kazutora Hanemiya to steal a CB250T locomotive in order to give it to Mikey. Later, because of Chifuyu’s protection, he did not enter a juvenile home. When he was supposed to move on to secondary school, he instead had to repeat it for one year.
Ken Ryuguji (Draken)
Commonly known as ‘Draken’. One of the founders of Toman, a tall, loyal and upright person. He became friends with Mikey at a young age, and often assisted him. When he was a child, he was abandoned by his mother in the Shibuya Custom Shop. He was taken care of by the ladies in the shop, and considers it to be like his home. He likes Manjiro’s younger sister Emma, but usually pretends not to care.
Chifuyu Matsuno
Deputy Captain of the First Division of the “Tokyo Swastika Society”. He has an arrogant personality. During his time in middle school, he grew to hate those who mistreat people below them. Since then, he has become a devoted member of the Tokyo Manji Gang, and an advisor to Takemichi.
Kazutora Hanemiya
One of the founders of the Toman, his troubles with the Black Dragons were the reason why his friends set up the Tokyo Manji Gang in order to fight them. He went with Keisuke Baji to steal a CB250T for Mikey, and was admitted to a juvenile home for two years because he was found to have killed Shinichiro, the bike’s owner. Unable to accept the reality of what happened, he persuaded himself to treat Mikey as an enemy, and confronted Toman with other mobsters.
This series takes you through a lot of travels through time and space and parallel timelines, and and is an enjoyable watch with equally interested friends. The manga comics are still being published, in addition to an anime series, live action movies and stage plays! If you are interested, go check out Tokyo Avengers for yourself!
