This is one of those cases I was talking about a few days ago, where I was watching an episode thinking it was a finale only to realize by the end that there’a another ep coming (it’s kind of odd to finish a winter series in April, but oh, well).  Whatever the case it will only be a tap on the pause button – TMR will continue until the manga is completely adapted, irrespective of how long the season breaks are.  And with the manga done, it really comes down to the production committee’s discretion about how long it all takes.

Tokyo Revengers is quite a weird series, to be sure.  It has some kind of offbeat charm to it, I can’t deny that.  But to whatever extent you embrace it you have to do so while accepting the fact that it’s incredibly stupid.  So little of what happens makes any sense when you apply the slightest logic filter to it, and Takemichi keeps making the same mistakes over and over.  He too has a sort of “in spite of himself” charm to him, but between he and Naoto (who one realizes only looks smart because of the competition) they sure do manage to make a hash of things.

Surprise, surprise, things suck again.  Who would figure one couldn’t ride a wave of idealistic organized crime to a brighter future?  Despite all the “positive” changes Takemitchy made this trip, things are even worse.  All the top dogs of Toman (read: every named character, practically) are dead.  So is Hina (in the same fashion as last time).  And as Takemichi – who ditches Mitsuya’s funeral when he learns the truth – finds out when he gets back to his hovel, Mikey is the main suspect in all their deaths.

A photo and a letter from him send Takemichi and Naota to The Philippines, to the place where Mikey’s aniki found the bike parts for their twin Hondas.  Mikey is awaiting them there, and while Takemichi believes he sees the same guy in his eyes, this Mikey looks pretty different.  He owns up to the killings post haste, and tells Takemichi he’s called him there to put an end to things by killing him.  Eventually the inevitable happens – Takemichi can’t do it, Mikey pulls out a second gun and says it’s kill or be killed, and Naoto arrives and shoots him.  All a well-choreographed dance which goes exactly as you’d expect it to.

I have no sympathy for Mikey, then or now.  The only logical path forward for Takemitchy is to disassociate himself (and by extension, Hina) from Toman as early as possible, and leave them t0 the inevitable fate their life choices have in store for them.  Will he actually do that?  Well, this is TMR – what do you think?  As ever I find this a narrative trap that Wakui Ken has written himself into, with no obvious way out (or reason to expect he has the arsenal to find one).  But I suppose the fact that I’m still curious to watch him try is a sign that I’m invested enough in this absurd little story to stick around and find out.