Crunchyroll released a trailer for the upcoming anime Tokyo Revengers, but it's definitely not your typical trailer. For one, there's no dialogue, only a hard rock soundtrack and a cast full of delinquents. For fans who have read Ken Wakui's manga, the story was clear, but the trailer didn't leave prospective viewers with much.
Tokyo Revengers is primarily about time travel and gangs but, at the heart of it, it's about a protagonist who wants to change his life, reverse the past and save his friends, despite his own shortcomings. Here's a breakdown of everything we know about Tokyo Revengers.
What We Know About the Plot
The story follows Takemichi Hanagaki who, in a word, is kind of pathetic. Takemichi is and isn't your typical protagonist. Often called the "Crybaby Hero," he constantly runs away from his problems. But his strength lies in the fact that, even though he gets scared and cries, he isn't someone who shies away from a fight. He will always stand up to someone much bigger and more dangerous for those who he cares about.
One day, Takemichi gets pushed onto the railway and seemingly dies, only to wake up 12 years in the past, back in his middle school days. Takemichi as a middle-schooler is very different from adult Takemichi: he had dyed, slicked-back blonde hair and was a member of a delinquent gang. He realizes that he has been given an opportunity to turn things around: he can save his ex-girlfriend Hinata Tachibana, who died as a victim of the Tokyo Manji (Toman for short) Gang's violence.
Part of how the time travel works involves Hinata's brother, Naoto. In Takemichi's present, Hinata and Naoto were both killed in an act of gang violence but, when Takemichi first time traveled, he saved Naoto, who now acts as a "trigger." As long as Takemichi shakes hands with Naoto, regardless of if it's in the past or present, he'll be able to time travel.
The first time Takemichi time travels to the past, he tells Naoto that his sister will die on July 4, 2017 and to do his best to protect her. Although Naoto brushes it off at first, he takes it to heart. 12 years later, Naoto survives but his sister is still dead. The two of them now have to work together to stop Hinata from dying. As Takemichi goes back and forth in time, his desire to save Hinata evolves into saving everyone.
The Trailer
The Crunchyroll trailer is devoid of any voices or subtitles, so it's hard to know what's happening. We see a few of the key characters like Takemichi and Naoto but there are also glimpses of the leader of the Tokyo Manji Gang, Manjiro "Mikey" Sano and his vice-president Ken "Draken" Ryuguji. A quick passing shot shows Takemichi's group of friends, who, along with Takemichi, have bruises and injuries from getting beaten up.
Hinata, Takemichi's former girlfriend, also appears before her untimely death. We don't know why Hinata and Takemichi broke up 12 years ago, but it's clear they really loved each other while they were dating. Although Hinata was killed by Tokyo Manji Gang, the gang itself doesn't look as threatening as they are in the present. In fact, there's a scene in the trailer where Mikey smiles behind Takemichi, carefree and happy. But the question is: What happened 12 years ago that led to Toman and Hinata's demise?
The Release Date
Crunchyroll released a few key visuals that include Takemichi's friends and Kiyomasa, a character who constantly bullies Takemichi. Along with that, there's an image of Takemichi in the present, with tears running down his face as he hugs Hinata as they're consumed by flames.
The first episode of Tokyo Revengers will premiere on Crunchyroll on April 11, 2021.
