the japanese portal Myjitsu published an article stating that the collaboration between the government of Japan and the multimedia franchise of Tokyo Revengers has generated some skepticism in Japan, especially since the campaign is about “how to be a responsible and functional adult within society“.
«Japan’s government public relations office announced this month a collaboration with the quirky Tokyo Revengers franchise, however, being a story about crime, it seems to be getting a lot of criticism and ridicule. The objective of the campaign is raise public awareness of the fact that the age of majority will be reduced from 20 to 18 years, in accordance with the Law of Modification of Part of the Civil Code, which will enter into force on April 1. It seems that a lot of effort is being put into this campaign, and TV commercials with newly recorded voices are being aired».
«In the TV commercial “New Adults Create a New Future”, the popular character Manjirou Sano (Mikey) encourages the new adults by saying “Who is not ready for adulthood?” and so on to encourage new adults. However, looking back on Mikey’s misdeeds in the original story, it’s hard to think he’s a suitable character for this campaign. In addition to having murdered several people in various outcomes, MIkey is the head of a gang that goes against the law».
«Also, most of the characters used in the advertising posters have, in fact, broken the law in history. This has inspired multiple negative sarcastic comments on the internet such as: “It’s so lame it’s laughable“, “Government-san, have you ever seen Tokyo Revengers?“, “Is a story about criminals and bikers used in public relations about how to be responsible adults?“, “I laugh at the use of the Tokyo Manji in government PR“, “Is this the result of past biker gang crackdowns? Do they become what they swore to destroy?“, “It’s a manga about high school students whose characters don’t make it to adulthood, and if they did happen offstage, how was it selected for this kind of campaign?“, among others».
«There has been a lot of criticism. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that this is a collaboration that everyone who has read the original story has doubts about. The campaign was successful in attracting young people. However, it seems to have provoked some opposition».
Synopsis for Tokyo Avengers
Takemichi Hanagaki’s second year of high school was the high point of his life. He had respect, a gang of friends he could count on, and even a girlfriend. But that was twelve years ago. Today he is a nobody: a rickety nothing who is made fun of by children and who is always forced to apologize to his younger boss. A sudden news about the cruel murder by the Tokyo Manji Gang of the only girlfriend he had with his brother only adds insult to injury. Half a second before a train ends his pitiful life forever, Takemichi flashes back to that same day twelve years ago, when he was still dating Hinata Tachibana.
After being forced to relive the same day his downward spiral began, Takemichi meets Hinata’s little brother. Without thinking, he admits his apparent death before going back to the past. Takemichi urges him to protect his sister before he inexplicably returns to the future. Miraculously, he is not dead. Stranger still, the future has changed. It seems that Takemichi can alter the flow of time. Given the opportunity to prevent his ex-girlfriend’s tragic death at the hands of the Tokyo Manji Gang, Takemichi decides to fly through time to change the course of the future.
Fountain: Myjitsu
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