Review of Tokyo Revengers
An anime series called Tokyo Revengers presents an unusual storyline envising a situation where teenage brawlers are mixed with popular science fiction vibes of time travel. The narrative arc surrounds Takemichi Hanagaki, a rather emotionally distant man whose social life becomes unexpectedly better when he’s presented with chances to revisit the history of his friends and save them from the seeds of their own destruction. Even though the storyline is new and amusingly undertaken, there is still a lot of work to be done in the first season in terms of cectable depth. The beginning of the series is quite engaging when long-inconvenienced Takemichi uses timetravel as a cheat code to fight for whom he cares, and his regret for the past and will to protect Hinata and prevent the incidents that would eventually happen makes him a very endearing character. Saving the girl you’re interested in is wonderful in itself, but there were a lot of points where his inward nature together with reside in me was not mind Haram feelings could become an issue and tiring. Sure, making a character suitable in a fantasy also includes showing his vulnerabilities. Yet sometimes, it feels like trying too hard and his changing is slower than the way it is supposed to be within the duration of one season.
However, the cast are more vibrant than anyone else in Tokyo Revengers. People like Draken even the ever worthless Mikey are indispensable. Draken is the strong survivor loving his friends and brotherhood, and Mikey is the soft, enticing leader but with a hint of hostility in him, they give a beautiful turn and more life to the narrative. And they being alongside Takemichi is what really hits home in the series taking to a different truth many of the happenings over and enhancing the several action stories and conflicts.
That being said, a specific drawback to the show is the cadence. If the storyline of a particular episode provides some suspense, others are extended unnecessary and seem like a mere repetition of scenes and conflicts. Takemichi’s recurrent fall back to the situations that already happened and are yet again presenting themselves with similar troubles can sometimes plant that the particular set is stuck at one place in time. Some of the episodes are flatout overly heated and full of drama, yet the majority others are either fillers or just drags with no plot progression in any significant way.
From the aspect of the quality of animation, it must be said that it is adequate in all fairness but does not impress in any particular way. Some of the battle scenes come without the necessary energy that would be expected in a gang fighting piece. Conversely, the drawing of the characters is outstanding, expressing perfectly the period’s delinquent character in roughness and resistance. Concerning the music and its additional elements, they are in place and perform their function during the most important episodes, still, they are not striking.
Another strong side of the series is when it combines the personal development of characters with other depicted violent gruesome incidents. The battle that the world is stuck in, that Takemichi is out to salvage a life from, does not only equate to saving of time but an eternity that accomplishes additional meaning; it is availing his own. There is a propensity towards the submissive and the traits are uncharacteristic. This is probably the only thing I criticise rather than the storytelling, even if it is somewhat engaging.
To sum it up, Tokyo Revengers season 1 is a worthwhile investment with scope for improvement, though it does not achieve the objectives it has set for itself. The emotional appeals in the show are well crafted and so is the secondary setting of the story but the primary one of the main character leaves a lot to be desired and it is where the show is wanting. It is a delightful show, more so if you have an interest in time travelling and yakuza stories. Nonetheless, there is a need for prioritisations and more cautious execution as one looks into the upcoming seasons.