Bonten Arc

The **Bonten Arc** is the sixth story arc of the *Tokyo卍Revengers* manga.

## Introduction

Following the disbandment of the Tokyo Manji Gang after the events of the Kanto Incident, Takemichi returns to the future to confirm whether or not everything is finally in order. To his surprise, almost everyone is there excluding Mikey, who hasn't been seen by anybody in the past 12 years. Takemichi then begins to pursue Mikey, only to be warned against doing so by the rest of Toman.

## Summary

Following Takemichi Hanagaki's triumph against his nemesis Tetta Kisaki and successfully altering the present to save the lives of his loved ones, he confesses to Manjiro Sano about his time traveling abilities and his true mission about meddling with the past. Mikey believes him and subsequently summons the members of the Tokyo Manji Gang to announce its disbandment. Through mixed feelings, the gang universally agrees with the decision. Later on, Toman leaders decide to bury a time capsule and promise to meet again in twelve years' time on Toman's founding day.

Takemichi meets with Hinata Tachibana who blames herself for causing the death of Emma Sano due to Kisaki's obsession. Takemichi comforts her and proposes they marry in twelve years' time, to which she accepts much to Naoto Tachibana's own surprise. Takemichi returns to the present and meets with his friends to celebrate the wedding of Pah-chin. However, absent from all of them is Mikey himself. Draken and Chifuyu state Mikey runs a successful chain of restaurants and was busy with overwork.

Takemichi later visits Mitsuya's shop who is responsible for Hina's wedding dress. Hakkai and Yuzuha also enter the shop and the group reminisces. Takemichi returns to his normal life, realizing he is now the manager of the record store and Hasegawa's boss, while living on the same dirty apartment. Takemichi watches news of the organization Bonten and notices the hanafuda-like tattoo on one of its members.

Takemichi and Hina visit Smiley and Angry's ramen restraurant. While talking, Takemichi sees the photo of Toman's disbandment and inquires about Mikey, but neither of them know anything as they haven't met in over 10 years, stating the only information they have is from Draken. As Takemichi sees Hina's earrings, he suddenly remembers the tattoo from the Bonten member is incredibly similar to those used by Izana Kurokawa. Having a bad feeling, Takemichi storms out of the restaurant and goes to confront Draken on his shop over what he knows from Mikey and whether Izana is alive. Draken reveals both him and Chifuyu lied to Takemichi so he could be happy and warns him against chasing Mikey for he has become unrecognizably evil.

Takemichi meets with Naoto with the latter informing him about Bonten, the current worst criminal organization in Japan involved in gambling, fraud, prostitution and murder. Naoto subsequently informs him that Bonten's leader is not Izana but his brother Mikey, leaving Takemichi in shock. At the same time, Sanzu who is an executive of Bonten is seen murdering traitors on Mikey's orders. Takemichi is on disbelief that Mikey could have turned evil and requests to shake hands with Naoto again. Naoto is reluctant but concedes, however, no time leaping occurs as Naoto theorizes that the trigger for the ability is a strong desire to change the current time and Naoto no longer feels any desire to do so since his sister is safe.

Takemichi later meets with Chifuyu and reveals the fact he can no longer time leap. Chifuyu approves of this for he has achieved his mission of saving Hinata. Takemichi asks if he knows how Mikey turned evil, to which Chifuyu responds he tried to find out but wasn't able to, so he tries to cheer Takemichi that it is the path Mikey chose and that he has his own wedding to look forward to. Overhearing the conversation Kazutora appears and believes Mikey is the same as always, but unable to show his vulnerabilities, has taken a path he has not chosen. The two agree to find Mikey.

Months later, Takemichi has a haircut from Akkun as Takemichi laments the lack of progress. Akkun assures him that him and his friends are searching, but have been unable for Bonten is extremelly dangerous. Takemichi asks that they stop, instead vowing to find Mikey himself. He soon gets a call from Hakkai who proposes they open the time capsule. The Toman captains meet, except for Mikey and the group decides to open the capsule, reminiscesing about the past while reading their letters. Draken reveals he had mixed feelings about the disbandment for he never wanted Toman to end, and believes the disbandment hurt Mikey more, but believes that Emma will always be with him. The group decides to read Mikey's letter which has him accurately predict everyone's future occupations and revealing he disbanded Toman for Takemichi's sake and to secure everyone's future so they could learn and prepare for adulthood. Reading this, the group is put at ease knowing that they are still connected. Around the same time Kakucho asks Mikey if him not going is the right decision, to which Mikey says it is. As the group leaves, Takemichi realizes they forgot to read his letter, to which he also finds a video tape later revealed to have been put there by Mikey with a message to the future Takemichi. The message reveals Mikey's conflict over his dark impulses that were kept on check by Shinichiro, Emma and Baji and now terrified of what he can become, he wishes for Takemichi to not look for him.

Takemichi realizes Mikey's descent to evil is not external and was caused due to Mikey succumbing to his own darkness. Kazutora appears with a lead on Mikey, but Takemichi rejects it, saying it is Mikey's wish for him to not be found. Takemichi meets with the group at Mitsuya's shop, with Hina donning the wedding dress, much to the surprise of everyone who believes her beautiful. Takemichi cries at this happiness for he is made to remember Mikey's smile and the promise he made to scold him in place of his brother should he do wrongs, and intends to find Mikey.

Takemichi goes on a frantic missions to find information about Mikey's location but is tossed out from a store as they don't want trouble. Kazutora is concerned about his sudden rush to find Mikey and counsels him to stop engaging on a suicide mission for he has a wedding in three days. Takemichi finds himself in an abandoned bowling alley and one of Bonten's bases. Thinking he cannot meet Mikey, he suddenly finds a gun to his head by Sanzu as Mikey himself appears in person. At the same time, Hina goes to Takemichi's apartment, finding it a mess with her neklace breaking, believing it a bad omen. Mikey asks about Takemichi's intentions. Takemichi replies he wants to invite him to his wedding and that just as Mikey had planned, everyone's future is the best, except for Mikey's. Sanzu threatens to shoot but Mikey has him retire so the two can talk alone. Takemichi asks about Mikey's dark impulses believing it was Kisaki's involvement and Shinichiro's death that turned him evil. Subsequently revealing he can no longer time leap for Hina has been saved, Takemichi is grateful to Mikey for securing everyone's future but that now it is his turn to save Mikey, to which the latter reponds by shooting him from behind.

Mikey chastises Takemichi for looking for him, knowing this would be the result, stating his journey is over amidst Takemichi's protests that he will save him, Mikey reveals he plans to end everything. Mikey goes to the roof having visions of Shinichiro, Emma and Baji, he looks down to the people and imagines Toman gathered there. Surprisingly, Mikey decides to jump to commit suicide, and is grabbed by a mortally wounded Takemichi as he falls. Takemichi implores Mikey to save himself for he has little strength left, with Mikey protesting about what he is doing and that he should let him die. Takemichi opposes this decision saying he will do anything he can to save him, to which Mikey points out he can no longer time leap, and asks him to put him at peace. Takemichi tells him to shut up and to stop burdening himself and to let himself ask for help even if once. Seeing his determination, Mikey breaks down, tearfully asking Takemichi to save him. In that moment Takemichi finds himself in the past, once more in June 06, 2008 readying for high school.

Back in the past Hanma in 2008, he visits Kisaki's grave remembering all the way from his bored days easily beating people to when he first met Kisaki to all of Kisaki's machinations up to his death, when Hanma mourned him, praising him for not pulling any punches. Leaving a beer bottle on his grave, he says he has fulfilled his promise and declares his intention to start something.

Mucho remembers about his past, from being defeated and pledging loyalty to Mikey to when first introduced to his vice captain, Sanzu who was a troublemaker. He remembers how the two bonded over playing Shogi and other activities. Sanzu reveals his tactic of defending the king and how he beat the Yotsuya Gang for talking bad of Toman. The remembrance leads to Mucho questioning Takemichi, Kokonoi and Inui, and Sanzu later asking Mucho about his loyalties. Mucho reveals he would have been loyal to Mikey had he not met Izana first. Mucho asks Sanzu what he would do and Sanzu plans to follow Mucho, much to his delight. As Mucho is released from juvenile detention, Sanzu comes for him. The two go to the third wharf where Sanzu kills Mucho with a blade for betraying his "king" Mikey. Mucho's brutalized remains are later found in Tokyo Bay Area as mentioned in the news, while Sanzu walks on the city.

## Chapters

186 - It's been real187 - Way to go188 - The lion of the day189 - Break up190 - Until next time191 - Be the world to me192 - Just be close at hand193 - Feel great!194 - The keepsake195 - Lingering scent196 - Can say that again197 - Be left behind the times198 - Lose myself in memory199 - Sincerely yours200 - Crack a smile201 - What's up?202 - Get away203 - Don't give a damn204 - Give me a hand205 - The picaresque206 - Let you down