Tokyo Revengers is a Spring 2021 animated series featuring time travel and street gang violence, and the Manji gang is at the center of it all. The gang, known as Toman in 2005, is made up of punkish boys who favor shows of force and bad attitudes. However, they are also loyal to one another and have a sense of camaraderie. Who might want to join them?
A wide variety of anime characters out there would be interested in joining the Manji gang if they had the opportunity and didn’t have ties to another group already. These characters have the street smarts, the attitude, and the toughness to join the Manji gang, while other characters would find the Manji gang repulsive or frightening. Who’s joining the team?
10 WOULD JOIN: Narancia Ghirga, The Punkish Stand User (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Many of the characters in the Golden Wind story arc are, in fact, already gangsters or street punks, with many of them belonging to the Passione crime family or its rivals. Giorno Giovanna wouldn’t join the Manji gang, but if Bruno Bucciaraiti hadn’t come along, then Narancia Ghirga would join up.
Narancia is a tough kid despite his size, and his terrible math skills probably won’t hold him back much while operating for the Manji crew. Narancia is good with a knife, and more importantly, he’s got a ranged Stand named Aerosmith. Mikey and Draken would be quite impressed.
9 WOULDN’T JOIN: Katsuki Bakugo, Who Aims For Stardom As A Hero
Although Katsuki Bakugo certainly has the brash confidence and in-your-face attitude required for street gang membership, he would not join the Manji gang under any circumstances. In fact, he’d scorn them as petty villains, and demand that they get lost before he starts blowing things up.
Bakugo has a rough temper, but he is genuinely determined to become the new #1 hero and replace his idol, All Might (just like Izuku). Nothing can tempt Bakugo to stray from that path, not even the League of Villains, let alone the Quirkless Manji gang.
8 WOULD JOIN: Ban, The Fox Sin Of Greed (The Seven Deadly Sins)
Ban, the fox sin of greed, is all too familiar with the rough streets and the crimes that take place there. He grew up as a desperate street urchin and got himself into trouble more than once until a father figure finally entered his life.
However, if Ban hadn’t had a father figure, he would have continued down the path of petty crime, and he’d have ended up running with the Manji gang to finally have a sense of belonging and importance. Now, he’s got a proper crew to back him up.
7 WOULDN’T JOIN: Kazuma Saito, Who Always Needs More Cash (KonoSuba)
Kazuma Saito is a hapless isekai protagonist who is always struggling to get enough cash to keep himself and Aqua fed, but there are some lines that this sleazy adventurer will not cross. Kazuma has said and done some iffy things, but he never turned to organized crime to get what he needed.
Kazuma doesn’t even have the physical strength or technique to impress the Manji gang’s leaders and join up, though he could certainly flee from them if they try to press him for protection money. Kazuma’s high luck stat will ensure that he doesn’t take a beating.
6 WOULD JOIN: Magma, Who Wants Subordinates & Power (Dr. Stone)
In the original story, the mighty warrior Magma grew up in a stone-age future where street gangs don’t exist, but if Magma was born in the early 21st century, he’d be the type to join a crew such as the Manji gang and establish himself as one of its best brawlers.
Magma may not be the brightest bulb, but he has good instincts and reflexes for battle, and he certainly knows what he wants: to lord himself over other people and feel powerful and important. It’s a petty desire, but it’s a strong one, and it would lead him to join Manji.
5 WOULDN’T JOIN: Misaki Ayuzawa, The Stern Student President (Maid-Sama!)
Misaki Ayusawa is widely respected and feared as the “demon president” of Seika High, being a no-nonsense and highly responsible student president. Misaki is highly demanding, both of herself and of her fellow students, and she gets a mixed reception for it.
Misaki is also a tough and highly responsible person, and she is not afraid to confront anyone who wrongs her, no matter how powerful or influential they may be. However, despite all this and her family’s poverty, Misaki would find the Manji gang disgusting and refuse to join, even if they were open to the idea of letting girls into the group. Crime doesn’t pay, Misaki would tell them.
4 WOULD JOIN: Arisa Uotani, The Young Gangster (Fruits Basket)
In the original story, Arisa Uotani gave up the petty crime life after meeting the charming Tohru Honda, and suffered a serious beating as the price for leaving the all-girl gang that she belonged to. Arisa’s life was turned around, but what if Tohru had never met her?
Given her attitude and weak home life (her single father simply ignored her and drank), Arisa wouldn’t see any reason to say no. If the Manji gang was deemed cooler and stronger than Arisa’s current gang, she would jump ship.
3 WOULDN’T JOIN: Touka Kirishima, The Lonely Rabbit Ghoul (Tokyo Ghoul)
Touka Kirishima is a street-wise ghoul, and before meeting Ken Kaneki, she kept most other people at arm’s length, though she did try to pass herself off as human at an ordinary high school. Touka has a strong stomach for the violent ghoul lifestyle, and there are certainly a few ghoul gangs out there, such as Aogiri Tree.
Touka wouldn’t be inclined to join the Manji crew, though. For one thing, they aren’t even ghouls, and they wouldn’t be able to keep up with Touka. She would see no point in joining, and if her true nature were revealed, Mikey and the others would be afraid of her, instead of the other way around.
2 WOULD JOIN: Revy, The Wandering Mercenary (Black Lagoon)
Revy grew up surrounded by crime and hardship, and she quickly learned to adapt to that lifestyle. By now, Revy is a hardened killer who isn’t afraid of guns, drugs, crime, or anything else. She taught Rock the ropes of mercenary life, and she clearly enjoys this lifestyle.
As a teenaged girl, Revy would be open to joining gangs for protection and a sense of belonging, and the boys of the Manji crew would be impressed by Revy’s tough persona and combat skills alike. She would have no trouble keeping up with Mikey, Draken, and the others.
1 WOULDN’T JOIN: Zenitsu Agatsuma, The Lightning Swordsman (Demon Slayer)
It’s difficult to determine what exactly Zenitsu Agatsuma wants from his life. He was practically dragged into becoming a demon slayer, and while he is ready to fight as a proper warrior, he is also trying to find a girl to marry and be happy with to forget his woes. Yet he does a terrible job of trying to win anyone’s heart.
Zenitsu is easily startled and alarmed, and he wouldn’t have the stomach for the crime life of the Manji gang, even if he had his sword on hand. Zenitsu would instead see it all as terrifying and pointless brutality, and run away at top speed. He might even pass out.
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