Tokyo Revengers is one of the most popular animes of the last few years. In 2020, its manga won the 44th Annual Kodansha Manga Award in the shonen category. Similarly, its anime has taken over many social media platforms. But popularity does not equal quality, and the question is whether Tokyo Revengers is worth watching. In this article, we’ll attempt to answer that question without giving away any significant spoilers that would ruin your watching experience. We’ll answer the question: “Is Tokyo Revengers Good” by breaking down some key aspects of the show. If you want to skip those parts, simply click here to see our conclusion (not recommended).
Skip Ahead
- Quick Spoiler-Free Summary of Tokyo Revengers
- Tokyo Revengers Animation Quality
- Takemichi’s Friends
- Does Takemichi Get Stronger?
- Plot Holes in Tokyo Revengers
- Will You Like Tokyo Revengers?
- Conclusion – Is Tokyo Revengers Good
- Additional Info
Quick Spoiler-Free Summary of Tokyo Revengers
Toyko Revengers is centered around Hanagaki Takemichi, a 26-year-old part-time convenience worker who discovers he is able to travel back in time to his middle school years. Throughout Tokyo Revengers, Takemichi attempts to use his newfound power in order to prevent a tragic series of events that culminate in the death of his former girlfriend. As a part of his efforts, Takemichi reunites with his old friends and goes through significant character growth that sees him question what led him to his current place in life. He also becomes embroiled in the conflicts of the Tokyo Manji Gang, a group of delinquents with golden hearts. In order to save the lives of his new and old friends, Hanagaki Takemichi must confront his own weakness and learn to stand up for what he believes in. The series tackles complex friendships, emotional vulnerability, and deep regret.
Tokyo Revengers Animation Quality
To be completely frank, Tokyo Revengers has pretty poor animation quality. Many of the scenes are panning across still images with small effects such as rain or flickering light. Characters move sparingly with much of the action simply consisting of a stagnant position with overlaying dialogue. To be brutally honest, at times Tokyo Revengers looks like it could be playing over a slideshow presentation. That’s not to say that the drawing style is poor, I actually really like it, but the animation is significantly lacking. If you are looking for Spirited Away-level animation, you will not find it here. If you primarily watch anime for ultra-high-quality animation, you probably won’t think Tokyo Revengers is good.
Takemichi’s Friends
For those unfamiliar with Tokyo Revengers, it may seem strange to have a section dedicated to Hanagaki Takemichi’s friends but in reality, they are the most vital part of the show. All you asked was “Is Tokyo Revengers Good” but in order to answer that question you must understand the show to a degree. Tokyo Revengers is most centrally an anime about the importance of friendship. Takemichi is extremely weak by himself. He does not possess the talents of his companions and yet he serves as the most important figure in the group because of his compassion and loyalty. Even in the face of all odds, Takemichi’s friends can rely on him to remain devoted and singularly focused on their well-being. Takemichi is quite literally willing to surpass time and space for the well-being of his loved ones. This quality is what has drawn so many people to Tokyo Revengers.
It is also something that may push some individuals away from the series. Many may be aggravated by Takemichi’s over-emotional dependence on his friends. I’ve seen several critics of the show label Takemichi’s interactions with his friends as melodramatic and pandering. They accuse Tokyo Revengers of creating scenes that they know will garner reactions from fans on social media. Additionally, although Takemichi’s friends are numerous, they all have very shallow and surface-level character development. The only character in the show that we see even remotely fleshed out is Hanagaki Takemichi himself and there are still huge holes in our understanding of the main character.
Click here if you are looking for an in-depth breakdown of each of Takemichi’s Friends.
Does Takemichi Get Stronger?
I just explained that one of the unique aspects of Tokyo Revengers is the fact that Takemichi’s friends are significantly stronger than him in the contemporary sense. At the beginning of the anime, he is almost comically incompetent. So this may lead many potential viewers to wonder: Does Takemichi get stronger? It may be crucial to whether or not you decide to watch Tokyo Revengers. Without giving away too much from the series, I can tell you that yes Takemichi does get stronger although not necessarily in the way many may be hoping. He grows as a person and develops. He also does improve some of his fighting abilities. I don’t want to get too specific because I want this review to be as spoiler-free as possible. I can tell you this, if you are looking for an anime with an overpowered MC, look somewhere else. You probably won’t think Tokyo Revengers is a good anime. However, if you simply want to know whether there is character growth, yes Takemichi develops in a way that we can call him stronger. So the answer to the question: “Does Takemichichi get stronger” is a qualified yes.
Plot Holes in Tokyo Revengers
There are numerous strange aspects of Tokyo Revengers that may impact the answer to the question: Is Tokyo Revengers good for you? One of the most significant points is the age of the protagonist and his friends. Takemichi is 14 years old in the past and his fellow delinquents in the Tokyo Manji Gang are also the same age yet they act like hard-seasoned veterans of the underground crime world. It may be hard for many viewers to overlook the strange age dynamics that arise from this creative choice. Building on this point, there is a distinct and noticeable lack of parental or authority figures in Tokyo Revengers. Are we really expected to believe that the police, teachers, and parents are really letting this gang of 14-year-olds run the biggest crime syndicate in the city? There is definitely a suspension of belief that must be undertaken by the viewer. If you are unable to make this leap, you may not want to watch.
Will You Like Tokyo Revengers?
This is really the main question that you have come to have answered. When I address “Is Tokyo Revengers Good,” I have to qualify it by the viewer. If you are someone who wants to be intellectually challenged, you should probably look somewhere else. Tokyo Revengers is not a bleeding-edge anime that will challenge your perspective. However, if you are looking for a simple anime that puts out generally good vibes and has wholesome moments, you will like Tokyo Revengers. You will need to significantly suspend your belief for some aspects but you will enjoy the show.
Conclusion – Is Tokyo Revengers Good?
We titled this article “Is Tokyo Revengers Good” but that determination is very subjective. Throughout this article, we’ve laid out some of the aspects of the show that will help you come to a decision on whether you would like to watch Tokyo Revengers but if you want our opinion here it is. Tokyo Revengers is a good show if you are looking for an anime that focuses mainly on uplifting friendships and does not have an overpowered main character. It’s essentially a hallmark movie for anime. There are conflicts but they are all surface-level and easily resolved. Takemichi’s friends may seem complex at a first glance but they all maintain the same general personability. If you are looking for an anime that is “different” or more intellectual, this is not the anime for you. There is very little social commentary or investigation of issues that could have very easily been communicated through this medium. The show squarely falls flat in that regard.
Additional Info
Tokyo Revengers Uncensored Vs Censored
There are two versions of Tokyo Revengers, the censored version and the uncensored version. Tokyo Revengers uncensored features a Buddhist symbol that has the same shape as the Nazi Swastika. The Tokyo Revengers MC and all of his friends in the Toman Manji Gang have this symbol on their jackets. In the censored version that imagery is not visible because it may be deemed offensive to Western audiences who are not familiar with its religious roots. There are some who have additionally claimed that Tokyo Revengers uncensored features more scenes than the censored version but that does not appear to be true.
How to Watch Tokyo Revengers
New episodes of Tokyo Revengers can be viewed on Hulu. They appear each Saturday at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time. You can also view all previous episodes from seasons 1 and 2 on that platform. If you only have access to an HBO Max or Crunchyroll account you will unfortunately only be able to view episodes from season 1. All new episodes are exclusive to Hulu.
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