Episode 3

## "Resolve"

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**"Resolve"** is the third episode of the first season and the third episode overall of the *Tokyo卍Revengers* anime series, produced by Liden Films.

## Synopsis

In order to protect his friend Takuya Yamamoto who's a bit frail, Takemichi challenges Kiyomasa to a fight. Despite being beaten to a pulp, Takemichi doesn't back down, which starts to make Kiyomasa panic. Then, the commander and vice commander of the Tokyo Manji Gang, Manjiro Sano, AKA Mikey, and Ken Ryuguji, AKA Draken show up.

## Summary

Knowing that he can't save Hinata by staying a slave, Takemichi challenges Masataka, who agrees to fight him. The first hit from Masataka, makes Takemichi realize they vast differences in power, but he refuses to give up. Seeing Takemichi being beaten, Atsushi approaches the ring and takes out a knife, intending to stab Masataka, however, he then realizes the crowd had stopped supporting Masataka. Takemichi is being beaten badly, but he refuses to give up and mumbles about how weak and apologetic he was during those past twelve years. Atsushi puts away the knife and tells Takemichi to give up as he had shown them how tough he is, but Takemichi refuses stating that he has a reason and can't give up. Takemichi tells Masataka that if he wants to win, he'll have to kill him, as he isn't giving up. Masataka asks for his bat, which surprises the crowd as they expected this to be a fist-fight.

Ken Ryuguji, the vice commander of Tokyo Manji Gang appears and tells Masataka to calm down as he is scaring the crowd. Behind him, Manjiro Sano tells him that he is out of dorayaki. While Takemichi's friends wonder who he is, everyone else bows down and greets Manjiro, the commander of Tokyo Manji Gang. Manjiro walks towards the ring, one of the delinquents introduces himself, but Manjiro ignores him and Ken states that Manjiro doesn't talk to people he's not interested in. Masataka greets Manjiro, but as he passes him, Ken kicks him in the guts and tells him to bow more to Manjiro.

Manjiro approaches Takemichi and asks for his name, but repeats it as "Takemitchy" and wonders if he is really in middle school. Manjiro then informs Takemichi that starting today, he is his friend, which surprises Takemichi. Manjiro approaches Masataka and asks him if he is running the fights. As he confirms, Manjiro kicks him in the face and then proceeds to beat him up. Manjiro then decides to leave as he finds the fight club lame, and Ken tells Masataka to not bring Tokyo Manji Gang's reputation down.

Later, Kazushi and Makoto are excited that Takemichi manages to make friends with Manjiro, however, Takemichi panics as he went from being slave to Masataka to being slave to a monster. While Kazushi and Makoto keep repeating what Ken and Manjiro said, Atsushi tells Takemichi that he planned on stabbing Masataka, otherwise they would have stayed slaves forever, but thanks to Takemichi, they are no longer slaves.

The next morning, Takemichi heads towards school and meets Hinata, who asks him to go on a date before her cram school later today. During class, Takemichi wonders what to do next, he managed to meet Manjiro, but wonders on how to prevent Manjiro and Tetta meeting. He hears some noise from the corridors and then sees Manjiro open his class room, who asks him to come out and play, which shocks Takemichi how crazy Manjiro is. Takemichi comes out of the class room and sees a bunch of third years beaten. Ken informs him that they pissed him off and he beat them. Ken then orders them to line up on the stomachs and then walks over them with Manjiro. Manjiro wants Takemichi to hang out with them, but Takemichi states he is busy. As they try to convince him, Hinata misunderstands that they are bullying Takemichi and goes and slaps Manjiro. She takes Takemichi's hand and tries to leave, but Ken stops them. Hinata tells them that if they were his friends, they wouldn't have taken him by force and that if they are the reason he is beaten up lately, she will put a stop to this.

Takemichi then places his hand on Ken and tells him to release Hinata as there are things he won't give up ever again. Manjiro tells Takemichi they could have been friends and asks him how he wants to die. Takemichi asks them to promise they won't lay a hand on Hinata. Manjiro state he doesn't care and reaches to punch Takemichi, but stops his hand and states he is joking and he would never hit a girl. Ken comments that Takemichi threatened him, but its fine as protecting a girl is old school. After learning from Takemichi they are friends, Hinata goes and apologizes to Manjiro, who tells her its fine, but to not push herself too much. She tells Takemichi he can go with his friends as they could go on a date a different time.

While riding bikes, Takemichi recalls that Naoto had told him all the bad things the Tokyo Manji Gang does in the future and he wonders if Manjiro is really the head of such an evil gang. Takemichi asks Manjiro why he liked him and Manjiro explains that he had a ten years older brother, who was reckless and picked fights with much stronger people and Takemichi reminded him of him. Manjiro shares that nowdays, people think of delinquents as lame, but during the time his brother was alive, there were so many biker gangs, who acted tough and fought all the time, but always cleaned their own messes, which Manjiro doesn't find lame. Manjiro intends to make a new era for delinquents and wants Takemichi to come with him. Ken states there are plenty of good fighters, but there aren't many people who stand up for something they won't give up.

While walking home, Takemichi thinks that Manjiro isn't the guy that would kill someone like Hinata and wonders what could have happened to change the Tokyo Manji Gang. As he walks, he passes a group of guys and feels he had see one of them before.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

1. Masataka Kiyomizu
2. Takemichi Hanagaki
3. Takuya Yamamoto
4. Makoto Suzuki
5. Kazushi Yamagishi
6. Atsushi Sendo
7. Naoto Tachibana
8. Hinata Tachibana
9. Ken Ryuguji
10. Manjiro Sano
11. Tetta Kisaki
12. Choji
13. Tadaomi Hamada

## Manga and anime differences

* Akkun having a plan on using a switchblade to hurt Kiyomasa is not in the manga.
* Akkun originally wished to have a weapon before going after Kiyomasa. However, in the anime, he already has one and plans to stab him.

## References

 ""On'ea | Terebi Anime "Tōkyō Rribenjāzu" Kōshiki Saito" ON AIR | TVアニメ『東京リベンジャーズ』公式サイト". *tokyo-revengers-anime.com (in Japanese)*. Retrieved on April 28, 2022.
 ""Sutōrī | Terebi Anime "Tōkyō Rribenjāzu" Kōshiki Saito" STORY | TVアニメ『東京リベンジャーズ』公式サイト". *tokyo-revengers-anime.com (in Japanese)*. Retrieved on April 28, 2022.
*Tokyo Revengers* Manga: Chapter 3.
*Tokyo Revengers* Manga: Chapter 4.