What Tokyo Revengers Taught Me
Updated: May 20, 2024
Tokyo Revengers is about a loser boy in his twenties who must go back in time to his middle-grade years to save the only girl he ever loved. It started as a manga series, then an anime, and finally has a live-action movie that was recently (July 2021) released in Japan. In its essence, it is the story of a delinquent who gets a second chance at life, but every choice that the Takamichi makes means the life or death of one of his comrades. It not only leaves you on the edge of your seat, but it makes you think about your own life choices. Confused? Walk with me as I tell you the Top 3 Lessons that Tokyo Revengers has taught me (so far, because damn, is the manga getting good).
Lesson #1: A LOT Can Happen in Ten Years
Because this story is serialized rather than episodic in its form, I’m not going to be touching on any specific plot points. When I was first shown this show, I was a skeptic. A loser (yes, Takamichi is a straight-up wimp) burdened with a heavy responsibility, leaves for a LOT of growth, especially since the character isn’t any more emotionally developed from when he was in middle school. Being a writer of middle grade and Y.A fiction, I often grab inspiration from those more innocent years of my life. To see a character have to relive it over made me go deeper in my reflection and think about what it would be like to go back to my middle school years. Who have I lost along the way? Who have I gained since then? Would there be anything I would do differently? Would I do it if it risked my current future never existing? Something to think about right?
Lesson #2: Take A Leap
Takamichi is the worst main character (right next to Re: Zero’s Subaru) in the execution of their watery plans. They have no spine and consistently leave the room with egg on their face. It’s frustrating, but you gotta keep watching when he doesn’t give up. When Takamichi stands up and braves his adversity with not an ounce of muscle on him. He throws everything he has into his battles because the life of the woman he loves is on the line ten years in the future. It makes you think about the current choices that we make and how they affect our lives ten years down the line. It makes you want to do push-ups, order a pizza, and smoke a bowl at the same time. No? Just me?
Lesson #3: Make the world you want to see
By the time you get halfway through season 1, Tacamichi has been crowned the crybaby hero. He stumbles and sees things that make others wake up in a cold sweat. It gets to a point where he begins to wipe the blood off his chin and stand a bit taller, saying a deep quote that makes you feel pretty damn motivated:
In the past and the present, I have to change, or nothing else will.
If you are reading the manga you already know how much this character grows but if you are an anime fan who is waiting for season 2, just brace yourself.
I wish that I could go into more detail about this show and how all the characters (cough Draken & Mikey) are impactful and have shaped how I forever see delinquents, but we would be here for another ten years on just Mikey alone.
Tokyo Revengers Anime Season 1 is on Crunchyroll, Season 2 is on Hulu, and their manga is available wherever manga is sold. Have a favorite animation that you think is inspiring? Let me know in the comments. Until next week yall!
Toyko Revengers Season 1 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idlLFNNpZiI
Toyko Revengers Season 2 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXvnmUg8I0M
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