Either because of the theme of youth gang members or because of how they portray the friendship, brotherhood and affection that they have as a great family, their fans of Mexico Y Latin America have seen in the main characters of Tokyo Revengers his own Mexican brothers. But why?
The main plot of Tokyo Revengers focuses on Takemichi Hanagaki and his relationship with the gang Tokyo Manji Gang. However, the central point is not action, violence or something similar, but the family. Like Toretto and the saga of Fast and furious.
In fact, the reason why our protagonist decides to return to the past is not to relive his high school fights, but to save the lives of his friends, girlfriend and family. Save them from crime and the violence that it brings.
Social exclusion as a common theme between Japan and Mexico
This is something that many people from Mexico Y Latin America have seen in Tokyo Revengers and with what they have empathized. Many people have lost family members, friends and partners to local crime and if they could bring them back to life by going back in time, they would do it the same as Takemichi Hanagaki did.
The Spanish Chilean youtuber and analyst Marina Swallow, has previously spoken about how Tokyo Revengers brings interesting ideas about marginality and social exclusion within Japanese society.
For instance; as the own mentions Marina Swallow, in chapter 6 of the anime adaptation of Tokyo Revengers we know the past of Dragons. He is born in the red light district of Shibuya (that is, in the area where more crimes are committed) and, like other criminals, he did not know his father and his mother, a sex worker, abandoned him at 2 years of age.
So, he is part of the side of society that so much Japan What Mexico they decide to ignore. Even without knowing its background, wearing a visible tattoo and prominent is reason enough to be treated as a disposable person in Asia. This is because they are associated with Yakuza and to the lowest of Japanese society. However, contrary to these prejudices, he becomes the emotional support of Mikey and of the Tokyo Manji Gang.
Similarly, there are many people of Mexico Y Latin America who have been in the same situation as this protagonist of Tokyo Revengers.
The differences between the Tokyo Manji Gang and crime in Japan with what you live in Mexico, but it is undeniable that his fans have also survived issues of social exclusion.
Mexico and Japan, two marginalized groups in common
As well as Dragons of Tokyo Revengers decided to get tattooed voluntarily (this is a symbol that Ken Wakui used to represent their exclusion within their society). Many people in Japan they do it without considering the prejudice that this carries.
According to certain media, Even today, tattooing is interpreted as a symbol of crime, dirty business and Yakuza (the Japanese mafia). Thus, whether or not they are related to organized crime, they may receive discrimination in public services, businesses, health care, etc.
Similarly, according to Forbes, in Mexico Almost half of labor and social exclusion can be attributed to factors associated with gender inequity, discrimination based on age or physical appearance, the absence of effective social protection in health and training, and the existence of areas that are traps of poverty.
Even according to the ONEThese marginalized groups receive little or no support from society. So, just like Dragons, Mikey or several of his gang members from Tokyo Revengers, these marginalized people see their destinies sealed to that world.
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Tokyo Revengers in Mexico: Chicano and Chola Culture in Japan
In fact, these ties go beyond Tokyo Revengers among the marginalized groups of Mexico Y Japan. An example of these are the communities passionate about Chicano culture in the south of United States and north of Mexico. But what do they find in this culture?
Attention to detail through makeup, clothing, or lowrider creation; a passion for his Latino cultural roots, through music and painting; the importance of the community union and the family as bases; rebellion against a system, among others.
But how did you come to Japan this culture as Latin as the one seen in Tokyo Revengers? Well, like other racialized minorities in California, the Japanese community shared spaces with the Latino community and their fight for rights.
However, it was until the late 1980s with the arrival of Lowriders magazine in Japan that Chicano culture began to take root in cities such as Nagoya, Tokio, Hyogo y Osaka in which there began to be a greater interest in her.
What is Japan’s opinion of Mexico?
And, it is that even those who did not have a 1 to 1 approach with the Latino community, they manage to generate a strong connection with it through their own gaze: ‘In Japan, people have strong family and identity values no matter how far they go or where they go, just like the Chicano community that came from Mexico (…) We empathize with them (Chicanos and Mexican immigrants) for their political opinions, their love for their family, their community and the hard way in which they work in what they love. This is what unites Chicano and Japanese cultures. ‘
So, as we see, they are themes that you animate like Tokyo Revengers share with gangs of Mexico Y Japan. Even in male-dominated environments, great women have emerged such as Sumire mechanics, one of the main creators of Japanese Lowriders or the rapper MoNa aka Sad Girl Official who has been key to the Chicano community in Japan.
However, she is aware that being a Chicana in Japan it will not always be well seen: ‘I apologize if I am not doing this right or if this offends someone, but I am doing my best to do it right (…) I can’t always worry about what the world thinks or what Japanese society thinks (…) Personally, when I see foreign people get excited about Japanese culture, I get excited. So, I try to give that same respect and appreciation to the Chicano culture that I love.‘.
What would Tokyo Revengers be like in Mexico?
So, for this and other reasons his fans in Mexico have been reflected and reflected in Tokyo Revengers. Some people have even decided to develop their fanfictions, special videos and fanarts to show what this group of gang members would look like in Latin America.
Something that can not be missing according to fans of Tokyo Revengers is reggaetón, especially that of Daddy Yankee. Contrary to what may be thought, one of the most popular songs in the fandom of this franchise is that of Break of this famous Puerto Rican reggaeton player.
In fact, the most popular videos of this song on TikTok sound of Tokyo Revengers, some of them take as the main image the famous fight between Moebius and the Tokyo Manji Gang.
Although, those who choose to create their own fan fictions (or alternate realities), use this type of music to show the day-to-day life of this group of gang members in Mexico.
In fact, in Wattpad (a famous fanfiction page) there are several of the best known stories from Tokyo Revengers In Internet. These fan fictions make the leader of the They take on a taco fanatic Mexican gang member. Which, is not something far fetched:
Several of them take place in Mexico, some of the chapters of these stories have titles like:
Although, there are also other cases as in Tumblr in which this fanfiction becomes more specific. Based on one of those famous reggaetón playlists from Tokyo Revengers, they created a story where the They take takes place in the lagoon region, north of Mexico.
In this case, our well-known protagonist is no longer Takemichi Hanagaki and it becomes Toño ‘El Brayan’, as well as the Tokyo Manji Gang becomes the Torreon Star.
What do you think? Do you think the protagonists of Tokyo Revengers could take place in Mexico? Be that as it may, it is a mental canon that has enchanted its fans in the community and that demonstrates how two seemingly different countries share certain common elements.