Tokyo Majin (Review)

Tokyo Majin is Team Driven Cliches Drenched in Blood.

Based loosely on a series of exclusive Japan only video games, Tokyo Majin plays heavily to the team based thematic elements seen largely throughout anime series over the years. That being said, this is not a series that was made with children in mind. It’s gritty, gory and at times even disturbing, especially when it comes to the designs of the villains. To top it off the series does not shy away from exceptionally harsh language or even from killing off characters. No, this is not the kind of anime nerds get teased for watching. However, while it doesn’t shy away from these things there is a sort of beauty in the brutality. The blood, guts and bones off set the more sentimental moments, giving them a stronger impact and making it a much more effective anime. The best part though, is that it never falls into the dangerous cliché filled rut that series like this can risk. In a word, Tokyo Majin is unpredictable.

Director Shinji Ishihira follows the tradition of thrusting Japanese teenagers into dangerous circumstances by focusing on a group of students who suddenly find themselves infused with special abilities. The group consists of the likes of delinquent bokken (wooden sword) wielder, Kyouichi Horaiji (David Wald), mysterious martial artist, Tatsuma Hiyuu (Brandon Hearnsberger), idealistic overachiever Aoi Misato (Stephanie Wittels), aggressive archer Komaki Sakurai (Melissa Pritchett ) and muscle bound wrestler Yuuya Daigo (Andrew Love). As the episodes progress, they find themselves not only fighting mysterious demons (oni) that appear throughout the series, but also confronted by painful memories as their respective pasts come back to haunt them.

Tokyo Majin is divided into three story arch’s that for the most part tie together nicely. Season one consists of the group trying to defeat an enemy (Vic Mignogna) hoping to use black magic as he seeks revenge on those who wronged him. After his demise, the team is faced by a group of assassins that has been manipulated into being sent to kill them in the name of justice. In the final arch, the team faces off against an ancient threat with ties to several of their fates. Due to the relatively short nature of the series (26 episodes, including two “bonus chapters.”), it can feel a little rushed and unresolved at times, but the overall pacing seems to work nicely. This combined with the incredibly choreographed fight sequences and vibrant animation makes Tokyo Majin easy to watch, especially for those with a strong stomach. There are plenty of series out there that are much gorier, but when this anime hits, it hits hard (especially in the final battle when the team is joined by all their friends from previous episodes; it is not without its casualties).

At times the show feels like it’s getting too bogged down in mythology for its own good as it tries to grant everyone a mystical purpose in the grand scheme of things. However, that variety means that not every member of the core five-person group is important in every arch. This might seem like rather sloppy storytelling at first, but really it just means that the audience gets to keep guessing who is going to play what role in the end. The writers do a great job of turning to the character audiences least expect, which is incredibly refreshing because it ties into the whole idea of fate. The events at the beginning of Tokyo Majin have a lasting and profound effect on the rest of the series and it’s interesting to watch the repercussions unfold.

I cannot stress enough that this is not an anime for kids. That being said, it is a great series for the more mature dorks out there (including myself). The fantastic animation and gritty elements offset the glaring team driven clichés that start to peek out around the edges. The focus on character relationships is never put at risk by the action-driven sequences and actually manages to strike a balance between the two. While Tokyo Majin tries to diversify itself through the use of a number of mythological themes, it never spreads itself too thin. If anything its biggest weakness lies in the fact that all the minor characters seem so interesting that the audience is disappointed that they aren’t given enough time to really get to know them. Then again, wanting more of an anime has never really been a bad thing.