Takemichi Hanagaki
Takemichi Hanagaki
| Hanagaki Takemichi
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| Alias(es) | “Takemitchy” (タケミっち, Takemicchi?) “Hero” (ヒーロー, Hīrō?) “Crybaby Hero” ( “Partner” ( |
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| Biological Information | |||||
| Gender | Male | ||||
| Age | 26(2017) 17(2008) 14(2005) 12(2003) 7(1998) |
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| Birthday | June 25, 1991 | ||||
| Height | 165 cm (5’5”) | ||||
| Weight | 55 kg (121 lbs) | ||||
| Hair Color | Bleached blond(formerly) Black(initially, currently) |
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| Eye Color | Blue | ||||
| Relatives | Hanagaki Family
Tachibana Family
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| Debut | |||||
| Manga | Chapter 1 | ||||
| Anime | Episode 1 | ||||
| Professional Information | |||||
| Occupation |
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| Affiliation | Tokyo Manji Gang | ||||
| Position | Vice-Leader (副総長, Fuku Sōchō?) | ||||
| Former position(s) |
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| Portrayal | |||||
| Japanese Voice | |||||
| English Voice | A.J. Beckles | ||||
| Live-Action | Takumi Kitamura | ||||
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“I don’t have charisma like Mikey. And I’m not smart like Naoto nor am I adept like Koko and I don’t have a body like Mucho. I’m not strong in fights like Draken either. That’s why I believe in one thing I am good at! I don’t give up! Even if I die, I will not give up!“ |
Appearance
Takemichi stands at an average height with a light complexion. His hair is typically bleached yellow, styled in a faux hawk, although it occasionally falls into a tousled style. In the anime, his eyes are depicted as blue or gray, while in the manga, they appear green or brown. He bears two significant scars—one on his left hand from a stab wound and another on his left foot from a bullet wound, though the latter is never visually shown.
Takemichi’s everyday outfits include his high school uniform, which consists of a white button-up shirt and light gray pants, or his gang uniform—a black tokkō-fuku adorned with the Tokyo Manji Gang logo and manifesto embroidered on the sides. He also wears the white sash that once belonged to Keisuke Baji. A key accessory in his attire is a clover necklace, which matches with one worn by Hinata Tachibana.
In his final time leap, Takemichi keeps his hair tousled, marking a consistent feature of his appearance.
In the year 2005, during his middle school years, Takemichi wears the Mizo Middle School uniform, which consists of a white dress shirt under a black blazer, black slacks, and loafers. As an adult, he sports tousled wavy black hair and opts for plain casual clothes, often including his work uniform from the CD/DVD Rental Store.
In an alternate timeline, Takemichi adopts a more formal appearance, with slicked-back black hair and a striped suit.
Takemichi’s appearance in the anime set in the past.
Takemichi’s appearance in the anime set in the present.
Personality
Takemichi’s frequent tendency to shed tears.
At the beginning of the story, Takemichi is portrayed as an individual who has lost his sense of purpose and direction in life. He suffers from low self-esteem, constantly apologizing for even the smallest things, and is prone to crying. Both those around him and Takemichi himself often remark that his primary skill is apologizing. His financial instability also leads him to harbor a grudge against wealthy people, further illustrating his dissatisfaction with his life.
However, his repeated time leaps gradually shape him into a completely different person. Over time, Takemichi evolves from a coward into a man of unshakable conviction. Despite facing seemingly insurmountable odds, he refuses to back down, becoming a source of strength for the Tokyo Manji Gang (Toman). His steadfast resolve holds Toman together through their most challenging moments, and his determination serves as an unofficial guiding force, even for leaders like Mikey and Draken. Takemichi’s indomitable spirit and refusal to give up during Toman’s lowest points inspire his fellow members to push forward.
Takemichi’s steadfast determination to safeguard his friends.
Takemichi’s loyalty to his friends is unwavering, and he is fiercely protective of those he cares about. He is willing to risk his life to ensure their safety, which drives his determination to create a better future for his loved ones. This loyalty is especially evident through his countless time leaps aimed at changing the grim fate that awaits those close to him.
In fights, Takemichi never backs down, even if it means being beaten within an inch of his life. His resilience has become a source of inspiration for Toman’s members, motivating them to press on despite overwhelming odds.
Draken notably points out that Takemichi shares personality traits with Shinichiro Sano, describing both as “weak to women, weak at fights, but reliable.” Due to his adult mindset, Takemichi tends to address others politely, showing a maturity that stands in contrast to his younger counterparts.
On the downside, Takemichi has poor hygiene and neglects cleaning his living space, becoming accustomed to its disorganized and unclean state.
History
Early Life and Friendships
In his first year of elementary school, Takemichi spent much of his time with his childhood friend,Kakucho. One notable event during this time occurred when Kakucho was defeated in a fight and complained about the unfairness of it while lying on the ground. Takemichi, with the intent of protecting his friend, declared that he would avenge him. However, Kakucho expressed his desire to grow stronger on his own. Not long after, Kakucho transferred to a different school during their second year, marking the end of their time together .
Meeting Hina and Kisaki
Later, during the summer of his sixth grade, Takemichi had a pivotal encounter withHinata TachibanaandTetta Kisaki. The incident occurred when Takemichi saw Hina being harassed by some middle schoolers who had earlier harmed a cat. Declaring himself “the Hero,” Takemichi bravely rushed to confront the middle schoolers, but was swiftly defeated and stomped on .
As Takemichi lay on the ground, a mechanic dressed in work attire appeared and scared away the middle schoolers by denting a steel pole. Takemichi, impressed by the man’s strength and bravery, asked him how to become strong like him and become a true hero. The mechanic reassured Takemichi, telling him that one day, he would become strong enough to save someone .
Adolescence and Struggles
After graduating from middle school, Takemichi distanced himself from everyone, including his friends. He decided to live on his own, moving into a small apartment. During this time, he worked various part-time jobs but struggled to hold onto them due to his lack of skill and low self-esteem. As a result, Takemichi developed a habit of constantly apologizing to people, feeling inadequate in almost every situation. Eventually, he found a job at a CD/DVD rental shop, where he worked at the time his story began in the series.
Skills and Abilities
Authority
As a captain in theTokyo Manji Gang(Toman), Takemichi possesses authority over his squadron, enabling him to lead them as he sees fit. His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening Toman and guiding its members through various hardships. His impact within Toman, especially after the Kanto Incident, further solidified his leadership role and influence over others.
Charisma
Takemichi is noted for his charisma, which is often compared to that ofShinichiro Sano. His inspiring personality has repeatedly rallied Toman’s members, motivating them to continue fighting through challenging situations. After the Kanto Incident, Takemichi’s charisma became so prominent that top delinquents sought to recruit him into their teams, believing in his ability to unify and lead.
Reputation
Throughout the series, Takemichi’s reputation rises substantially. His involvement in numerous dangerous events and his contributions to Toman’s success greatly enhance his standing in the delinquent world. Despite his average fighting abilities, his bravery and resilience have earned him respect. As a result, many infamous delinquents, including members of the most powerful gangs, acknowledge his influence and seek him out. Even when he declared his intent to challengeMikey, one of the strongest delinquents, few doubted his determination and capability.
Endurance
Takemichi’s most notable physical trait is his immense endurance. While lacking exceptional strength or fighting techniques, his ability to withstand severe punishment sets him apart. He has repeatedly survived injuries that would incapacitate most people, including a stab wound to his hand and a bullet wound to his foot, and continued to fight. His resilience enables him to stand against stronger opponents, sometimes turning the tide of battle by simply refusing to give up.
Fighting Prowess
Despite his limited fighting skills, Takemichi’s unyielding spirit often compensates for his lack of strength. He may struggle against regular delinquents, but his determination makes it difficult for even powerful foes to knock him down. In moments of desperation, he has managed to weaken much stronger opponents by exhausting them. While his fighting abilities are below average, he is capable of improving over time and has shown significant growth. Notably, he overwhelmedTetta Kisakiin a one-on-one fight and fought on par withKakucho, sending him flying with a single punch during the Kanto Manji Gang confrontation.
To time leap, Takemichi needs to shake hands with a trigger person.
Time Travel
Takemichi possesses a supernatural ability to time-leap, allowing him to travel exactly 12 years into the past. To activate this power, Takemichi must shake hands with a specific “trigger” person, initiallyNaoto Tachibana, and later, others such asMikey. Once in the past, he remains there until he shakes hands with the trigger again to return to the present. His actions in the past directly affect the future, allowing him to alter timelines and prevent tragedies.
However, this ability has side effects, such as memory lapses, which cause Takemichi to be confused about his situation upon arriving in either the past or present. Despite these challenges, he is fully aware and in control of his actions when he time-leaps, even though the personalities of his past and present selves may seem different to those around him.
A key limitation of Takemichi’s time-leaping ability is that both he and the person he shakes hands with must be alive for the leap to work. If one of them dies, he is effectively trapped in the past unless he changes the timeline to ensure their survival.
Foresight
Takemichi has also displayed an ability akin to foresight. This power first manifests when he sees a vision ofSenju Kawaragi‘s demise, allowing him to foresee specific future events. The exact nature and triggers of this ability remain unclear, but it has been hinted at earlier in the series when Takemichi intuitively sensed certain events, such asMikey‘s murder ofKazutora Hanemiyaduring theBloody Halloweenincident orHinata Tachibana‘s rejection ofTetta Kisaki.
Takemichi’s foresight ability improves during his rematch with Mikey, where he is able to predict and react to Mikey’s attacks in real time.
Etymology
The nameTakemichi(武道) is composed of two kanji: “武” (take), which means “military,” “martial,” or “courage,” and “道” (michi), which translates to “road” or “path.” Together, the name implies a path of martial courage or a warrior’s journey.
Takemichi’s surname,Hanagaki(花垣), is formed from the kanji “花” (hana), meaning “flower” or “blossom,” and “垣” (gakiorkaki), meaning “fence.” The surname can be interpreted as “flower fence” or “blossom fence.”