Summary
The following contains spoilers for Episode 6 of Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc, “Rise Against,” now streaming onDisney+.
Few things can be as harrowing as the pain of losing a loved one, and Episode 6 ofTokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arcbegan by illustrating the impact of this pain in the different ways it can manifest. In the wake of Emma Sano’s death by the hand of Kisaki Tetta, Mikey and Draken cannot contain their grief, and turn on each other,leaving the Tokyo Manji Gang in complete disorder, as they prepare to face an incredibly powerful adversary in Yokohama Tenjiku.
On the other side of the conflict, the ever scheming Kisaki begins to set his own plan in motion alongside Izana Kurokawa, as they ready themselvesfor the climactic showdown with Toman. With no way to travel to the past or the future, Takemichi Hanagaki has his back against the wall, as each decision he makes now is essentially irreversible. The stakes are high but the situation is grim, with Kisaki and Izana’s victory seeming all but assured, unless there is a further twist in the tale ofTokyo RevengersSeason 3.
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The Roots Of Kisaki And Izana’s Malice
Followinghis murder of Emma Sano, Kisaki had a conversation with Izana on a rooftop, after being informed that his body double had turned himself in, which guaranteed that he would not be arrested for his crime. During this conversation, Kisaki outlined the reason behind his decision to ally with Izana, and his goals in going up against Mikey and his former comrades in Toman.
In Kisaki’s view, the greatest asset to becoming a leader was not intelligence, but rather appearance and charisma. He believed thatMikey possessed both of these qualitiesin spades, and thought that he understood Mikey better than anyone. Kisaki went on to deem Mikey’s current allies in Toman as inferior to him, as he was convinced that they were only stifling his potential. According to him, this is why he had to get involved and come up with his schemes to ally Mikey and take over Toman.
However, he was thwarted each and every time, firstly by Takemichi and later, by Keisuke Baji. As a result, Kisaki’s hatred grew, and he resolved to eliminate anyone who got in his way, believingthat Mikey would be catalyst for his rebirth. Izana took this in and, upon reflection, went on to question Kisaki about why he got his hands dirty with Emma’s death. Kisaki responded by inquiring how this could be Izana’s main concern after the demise of his sister.
At this moment, Izana’s demeanor changed, as he harshly declared that Emma was not his sister, startling Kisaki in the process. The former went on to note that in the 10 years he spent in a foster home, Shinichiro Sano was the only one who came to visit him and fill his empty heart. Now, with him gone, Izana had decided to kill everyoneelse that Shinichiro loved aside from him. He went on to tell Kisaki that Toman would be his at the end of the conflict, and he would lend him his strength, in the hopes of crushing Mikey. The scene ended with Kisaki sarcastically pondering what Takemichi could do in response.
An Army Without A King
The frame then shifted to a hospital room, where Draken stood dumbstruck, as Emma’s lifeless body lay before him. Outside the room,Mikey cut a forlorn figure, as he sat on an empty bench, with his head bowed down in defeat. Having accompanied him to the hospital, Takemichi sat down next to Mikey, tensed and ready for action, desperate to figure out how he could remedy this tragic situation and undo Emma’s fate. Moments later, Draken burst through the room and asked Mikey to step outside for a word.
Without so much as a sound, Mikey got up and trudged towards the exit, and found Draken standing before him as he ventured outside. At first, Drakencalmly inquired about what happened, but received no response. Following repeated attempts to engage with Mikey, Draken nonchalantly walked up to him, punched him square in the face, and repeated his question. Met with silence once again, Draken’s fury came out in full force, as he began pummeling Mikey and yelling at him without any restraint, as Takemichi rushed to admit his fault in Emma’s death.
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Ignoring him, Draken challenged Mikey forclaiming to have created Tomanto protect everyone, despite the gang’s activities having resulted in the deaths of Keisuke Baji and Emma, as well as the imprisonment of Haruki Hayashida, and Kazutora Hanemiya. As Draken broke down, with tears in his eyes, Takemichi asked him to get a hold of himself, before realizing that he had felt the same way after losing Hinata. Meanwhile, Toman’s troops assembled at Musashi Shrine in preparation for the battle, as Inui arrived to deliver the bad news.
After one last request to Mikey about how to approach the coming battle, Takemichi was about to leave for the meeting, until he saw a grieving Hinata at the hospital. Unsure of what to do, he attempted to cheer her up, by joking around, but it was to no avail. He then went on to explain what his past life hadbeen like prior to his time leaping exploits, noting that all he wanted to do was make her smile. Finally, bidding her farewell, Takemichi hardened his resolve and decided that he would finish things with Kisaki once and for all.
The Only One Who Never Ran Away
After meeting Chifuyu outside, the pair rode to Musashi Shrine. On revealing what had happened to Emma, Mikey, and Draken, they attempted to convince the Tokyo Manji Gang’s troops to take part in the battle, but were only met with derisive responses. Most believed that there was nohope of victory without Mikeyand Draken, especially since the gang’s captains were mostly out of commission. As the rest of the troops shuffled away, Takemichi declared his intention to go it alone, and Chifuyu immediately pledged to accompany him, joking that they would both lay down their lives together.
Just then, Akkun, and the rest of the Mizo Middle Five also announced their desire to face Tenjiku alongside them, with their undying loyalty having a visible effect on Takemichi’s composure. At that very moment, Nahoya Kawata — also known as “Smiley” — entered the scene, as he was brought in a wheelchair by his brother Souya Kawata. The Fourth Division Captain noted that Takemichi never picked a fight he could win, justas Takashi Mitsuya, the Second Division Captain, was also wheeled in byhis Vice-Captain Hakkai Shiba.
Lightly chastising Takemichi for being an idiot who never ran away, Mitsuya requested that he take both Hakkai and Souya to the upcoming battle, as the rest of the Tokyo Manji Gang looked on in disbelief. This boost was all that they needed to raise their spirits. Chifuyu went on to deliver a rousing speech, urging Toman’s members toshow Tenjiku what they were made of, as running away would mean the end of the gang. Battle cries roared, as the now inspired troops raised their fists in defiance. Seeing this, Takemichi declared to a stunned Chifuyu, that he now intended to save both Baji and Emma, noting that anything was possible if he could travel through time.
Ending on a high note, the episode went from depicting the devastating aftermath of Emma’s death, and the effect it had on those closest to her, to the inspired rallying of the Tokyo Manji Gang as they resolved to take down Tenjiku for their crimes. Having experienced the depths of despair and helplessness only minutes before, Takemichi’s resolve continues to be a source of inspiration for his allies,as he tirelessly works to undo the consequencesof Kisaki’s evil deeds. Unfortunately, there are more sinister things lurking around the corner, as revealed in a post-credits scene, where a bloodied Izana exclaims that Tenjiku is on the cusp of changing history, as the final showdown approaches within touching distance.
