Tokyo Revengers follows a helpless young man named Takemichi Hanagaki, who unexpectedly gains the ability to travel back in time, specifically to his high school days. When Takemichi learns that his ex-girlfriend, Hinata Tachibana, has died in the midst of a conflict involving the Tokyo Manji Gang, he decides to intervene by going back in time. RELATED: The Best BL Anime to Watch
What Is Boys’ Love Anime?
What exactly is BL, or Boys’ Love, and why are people wondering if Tokyo Revengers is a BL series? When two male characters develop romantic or sexual feelings for each other, they fall into this genre. The terms “Boys’ Love” and “yaoi” are frequently used interchangeably among Western fans, but in reality, Boys’ Love is more akin to shounen ai, the softcore version of yaoi, which does not depict graphic sex between male characters. Female fans of the BL genre are known as Fujoshi, while male fans are known as Fudanshi. Examples of BL anime include Sasaki to Miyano, Given, Doukyuusei, and even the dystopian anime No. 6. READ MORE: The Best BL Anime Movies to Watch
Is Tokyo Revengers a BL Series?
Despite the anime’s large cast of male characters, Tokyo Revengers is not a BL series. This only goes to show that having a lot of male characters in an anime does not guarantee a same-sex romantic relationship in the premise. Normally, an anime series will either hint at it or not make it official, but in Tokyo Revengers’ case, neither of these is apparent. Instead of a romantic relationship between two men, Tokyo Revengers features friendship and a bond between the male characters that is so strong it borders on familial ties. For example, take the Tokyo Manji Gang’s friendship, in which all of the founding members regard each other as brothers rather than just friends. While some of the members grew apart, they eventually reconciled to settle their differences, even after punching and beating each other. If you’re expecting Tokyo Revengers to be a BL series, then you’ll be disappointed. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of BL fanfiction and doujinshi (self-published content) out there that feature romantic and sexual relationships between the anime’s main characters that will satisfy everyone’s BL needs.
What Is Tokyo Revengers’ Genre?
Liden Films’ Tokyo Revengers is an action, drama, and supernatural anime series. It is based on Ken Wakui’s manga of the same name which has released 30 manga volumes with over 270 chapters. The anime belongs to the action genre because the characters engage in nonstop violence, fighting, and hand-to-hand combat. It also features anime delinquents and Japanese youth gangs, which explains why there is so much rage throughout the series. However, Tokyo Revengers is also a drama anime that explores the familial bonds between the Tokyo Manji Gang members, as well as the relationship between Takemichi and his ex-girlfriend, Hinata. Because of the time travel theme, the anime is also of the supernatural genre. Want the latest on all things anime? Make sure you follow us on Twitter! READ NEXT: Tokyo Revengers: Who Is the Other Time Leaper?
