Explosive Action Unleashed: Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc Kicks Off With a Bang!

Highlights

Episode 1 of Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc kicks off the season with a bang, immersing viewers in a gripping storyline. Hanagaki Takemichi and Matsuno Chifuyu embark on a race against time, determined to unravel the mysterious secrets of Tenjiku, a formidable delinquent group hell-bent on obliterating the Tokyo Manji Gang.

The episode raises important questions regarding Takemichi's inability to achieve the desired future, suggesting the presence of sinister forces that drive Mikey and the Tokyo Manji Gang towards a grim and violent destiny, contradicting Takemichi's endeavors.

Suspecting Kisaki, a recurring factor in his past failures, Takemichi believes he manipulates the future to align with his twisted ideals. With a determination to hold him accountable for his wrongdoings, Takemichi confronts Tenjiku in a fight, only to be taken aback by the unexpected appearance of a childhood friend, Kakucho, who now pledges loyalty to Tenjiku's leader, Izana Kurokawa.

Spoilers for Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc, Episode 1, "The Longest Day," now available on Disney+, follow.

Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc debuted on October 4, marking the start of the longest and most intense storyline in the series thus far. In this action-packed episode, Hanagaki Takemichi and Matsuno Chifuyu find themselves targeted by Tenjiku, a dangerous new gang hell-bent on wiping out the Tokyo Manji Gang. Determined to understand their enemies, Takemichi and Chifuyu embark on a quest to uncover the secrets behind Tenjiku.

The Start Of Tenjiku's Assault

Following the conclusion of the Christmas Showdown Arc earlier this year, Takemichi, Chifuyu, and the Mizo Middle Five found themselves surrounded by a swarm of Tenjiku's troops after dealing with their lower-ranking members. As they assessed their limited options in the face of overwhelming numbers, a familiar figure emerged and confronted a kneeling Takemichi. Kisaki Tetta, now donning the vibrant red attire of Tenjiku instead of the black uniform of the Tokyo Manji Gang, revealed Takemichi's new designation as Tenjiku's General Staff Officer.

Declaring that Takemichi could never understand his strategy, Kisaki announced his intention to form his own Toman and make Mikey accept him no matter what. Before leaving, Kisaki challenged Takemichi to find a solution to the unfavorable situation he was in. The situation became even more tense with the arrival of Mochizuki Kanji, a high-ranking officer from Tenjiku, who threw a beaten Chifuyu towards the group and revealed his plan to go to Shinjuku for another fight.

Fortunately, Takemichi and his allies were saved by Nahoya Kawata (known as Smiley), the Fourth Division Captain of Toman, and his younger brother Souya Kawata (Angry), who arrived on the scene and dispersed Tenjiku's soldiers with their bikes. Seeing Souya confused Takemichi, as he had no knowledge of Nahoya having a younger brother, unlike the others. It was a rare moment of lightness in an otherwise dark episode. After ensuring everyone's safety, the Kawata brothers invited Takemichi and Chifuyu to join them in seeking revenge by finding Tenjiku's hideout.

Can Kisaki Time Leap Too?

While on their way, the brothers decided to ambush and question two members of Tenjiku. Meanwhile, Chifuyu and Takemichi pondered over the difficult situation they found themselves in. With Toman facing attacks from all directions and their limited knowledge about the looming threat, they started speculating about why they continuously failed to change the future in their favor. In the latest iteration, Kisaki was expelled from Toman after the downfall of Black Dragon, resulting in a future where Mikey ended up killing most of the gang members. This alteration led to a path filled with even more violence and death compared to previous occurrences.

Takemichi began to consider the possibility of someone else manipulating the future, intentionally changing it to serve their own agenda in each iteration. This realization would explain why each subsequent outcome grew progressively worse. Naturally, considering Kisaki's consistent presence in his past failures, Takemichi started suspecting him as the one responsible for undoing his efforts. Although the idea seemed outrageous, there was an undeniable truth in how the future always seemed to align with Kisaki's twisted ideals. Once this notion took hold, Takemichi vowed to make Kisaki face the consequences of his actions, no matter the cost.

At this moment, an important point was raised by Chifuyu regarding Kisaki's growing desperation, considering that in the previous loop he had met his demise, which would render it impossible to travel back to the future. Shortly after, the Kawata brothers hurriedly returned with news that they had successfully extracted the hideout's location through interrogating Tenjiku's members. Prompted by this discovery, the group set off once again. Meanwhile, Takashi Mitsuya, Toman's Second Division Captain, engaged in a fierce battle against Mochizuki Kanji, managing to hold his ground until the Haitani brothers from Tenjiku unexpectedly attacked him. Concurrently, as the crisis escalated to other parts of the city, Shion Madarame, the former leader of the Ninth Generation Black Dragon, aggressively assaulted Toman's already incapacitated troops.

A Blast From Takemichi's Past

Upon finally reaching Tenjiku's hideout, Takemichi, Chifuyu, Angry, and Smiley were left in awe when they laid eyes upon a formidable army of Tenjiku members assembled, ready to confront them. However, just as the imminent clash was poised to commence, a commanding Tenjiku member with a shaved head, adorned with scars etching across his face, bellowed at his comrades to retreat, boldly proclaiming that he would single-handedly face off against the Toman contingent. He then issued a direct challenge to Takemichi, inviting him to engage in combat as the illustrious First Division Captain, having heard tales of the incumbent's reputation as one of Toman's most formidable warriors.

Unaffected by his opponent's insults and determined to prove himself, Takemichi boldly charged ahead and landed a forceful punch to his face, causing him to be propelled backward. Initially taken aback by his own strength, Takemichi was even more astonished to discover that the person he had knocked out was his old childhood friend, Kakucho, a member of the Tenjiku gang. Expressing their joy at this unexpected reunion, Kakucho revealed that he used to see Takemichi as a hero.

However, times had changed, and Kakucho now pledged his loyalty solely to Izana Kurokawa, the leader of Tenjiku. In their final conversation, Kakucho inquired about the true nature of Kisaki, recounting Takemichi's past betrayal towards Toman and requesting permission to meet him to see if he could time leap. Unfortunately, Kakucho denied his request, stating that the only place they could encounter Kisaki was on the battlefield. Just before this encounter, Mikey coincidentally encountered Izana, sitting atop a parapet and gazing out at the sea.

After fixing Mikey's bike, Izana introduced himself and mentioned that they would cross paths in the future. The suspense in the air was tangible, effectively setting the stage for the conflict between the rival gangs. Takemichi and his allies were determined to fix past mistakes and pursue the future they longed for.