While the first trailer for Knights of the Zodiac has reinforced audiences’ doubts that Hollywood knows how to handle manga, the first teaser for Tokyo Revengers 2 has reunited Japan’s strongest Revengers to remind the world what a quality live-action adaptation actually looks like.
In the dark abyss known as live action adaptations of beloved anime and manga series, there are the hidden gems like Tokyo Revengers.
Based on Ken Wakui’s best selling manga, the soon-to-be-pair of films follows the story of Takemichi Hangaki (Takumi Kitamura – Yusuke Urameshi in Netflix’s upcoming Yu Yu Hakusho), a young man who after both learning that his high school girlfriend Hinata Tachibana had been killed and that he posses the ability to leap back into his past self, sets out to right the wrongs of his delinquent adolescence and prevent Hinata’s death.
Released in July 2021, the first film ended up taking home the title of Japan’s best performing live-action film of the year.
Unsurprisingly, this success led to Warner Bros. getting the green light to tell the manga’s ‘Bloody Halloween’ arc across two sequels – Bloody Halloween -Fate- (Chi no Halloween -Unmei-) and Bloody Halloween -Decisive Battle- (Chi no Halloween -Kessen-).
Making its debut on November 29th, the debut teaser for the first film, -Fate-, kicked things off by reintroducing the world to the series’ most formidable combatants.
First up was the aforementioned Takemichi, shown attending Toman’s third division captain nomination ceremony and awaiting Mikey’s announcement of his new third division captain.
Next up is thirteen year old Vice Commander Ken “Draken” Ryuguji (Yuki Yamada – Solf J. Kimblee in Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar), appearing in a flashback to the early days of the Tokyo Manji Gang:
Followed by the series’ main, string-pulling antagonist, Tetta Kisaki (Shotaro Mamiya – Noriko Shinko in the live-action You Still Don’t Get Gunma film):
And the leader of the Tokyo Manji Gang himself, Manjiro “Mikey” Sano (Ryo Yoshizawa – Okita Sogo in the live-action Gintama film), giving a pre-battle talk to his gang.
“Lend me your strength everyone!” calls Mikey. “Tomorrow we’re going to stomp Valhalla and bring Baji back to Toman! That’s how we fight our battles.”
Finally, the trailer concludes with Takemichi promising Hinata’s brother, Naoto, that he will successfully go back in time to save not only his sister, but also Draken, Mikey, and everyone else whose lives end up being irrevocably changed by the film’s central battle.
They seal the deal with their signature handshake, which acts as usual and sends Takemichi back in time.
Tokyo Revengers: Bloody Halloween -Fate- is slated to release in Japanese theaters during Japan’s Golden Week holidays in Spring 2023.
Its second part, -Decisive Battle-, will subsequently follow with a theatrical debut in Summer 2023.
