Summary
Launching in 2017 and ending in 2022, Ken Wakui’sTokyo Revengersperformed well as part of theWeekly Shonen Magazinelineup. The manga quickly spawned an anime adaptation, one that has spanned multiple seasons. While not every arc in the saga is highly regarded, both the manga and its adaptation have garnered quite a lot of praise. That said, the anime still has a ways to go before it completely adapts the source material.
Tokyo Revengersfollows Takemichi, a good-for-nothing guy who time-travels back to his teenage years when he was part of a weak gang. Desperate to change fate, which includes the future murder of his old girlfriend, Takemichi sets out to become the head of the Tokyo Manji Gang. Naturally, this process proves to be anything but simple. Although not all revolve around gang warfare, there are quite a fewanime likeTokyo Revengersthat fans of the latter might enjoy.
Updated on Jun 17, 2025, by Mark Sammut:TheWinter 2025 anime seasondoes not have all that many shows that are likely to hit the mark with Tokyo Revengers fans. That said, Sakamoto Days is worth a watch, as is the new season of Link Click. In case those shows are not tempting, two more recommendations have been added.
Similar toTokyo Revengers,Tearmoon Empirerevolves around a protagonist who is given a chance to set things right after a lifetime of poor decisions. In this case, that person is Mia Luna, a selfish and arrogant princess who ultimately finds herself staring at a guillotine. After losing a few inches, she reawakens as her 12-year-old self, granting her a second opportunity to craft a life that does not end in tragedy. Like so manyvillainess reincarnation stories, Mia uses her knowledge of the future to try and make the world a better place.
The thing is, Mia is still egocentric, and all of her decisions are solely in the service of avoiding her bad ending. However, her antics are mistaken for brilliance by everyone around her, who quickly start treating her as a genius hero. Honestly, it is quite hilarious.Tearmoon Empiredoes not focus on action likeTokyo Revengers, but the anime is a great comedy.
A rare original series,Bucchigiri?!feels like a throwback to battle school anime of the ’90s and early 2000s, and if that does not sound enticing, then it might be best to skip this show. As kids, Arajin and Matakara were close friends who dreamed of becoming Honki People, basically superpowered fighters. Jump forward about a decade, Arajin is once again attending the same school as Matakara, only the former wants nothing to do with the latter’s involvement in gang warfare.
Bucchigiri?!is almost unapologetically obnoxious, particularly Arajin. He instantly becomes obsessed with a girl (who hates him) and nearly all of his actions are attempts to impress her, including utilizing the power of a genie. He is hard to like at times. Meanwhile, the rest of the anime plays out like a fairly by-the-numbers action show pitting multiple delinquent gangs against each other.Bucchigiri?!is a love-or-hate type show, but the animation and action sequences are generally good.
Frankly, any reason to recommendSummer Time Renderingis a good one. One of thebest releases of 2022, the series arguably did not attract as much attention as it deserved due to initially being exclusive to Disney+, which tends to limit an anime’s reach while it is airing. Nowadays, the show is available on Hulu, and anyone with a subscription and a love for supernatural-themed mysteries should check it out. Naturally, this includesTokyo Revengersfans, who can also look forward to another time-traveling tale that is launched by the tragic death of a female character.
Now,Summer Time Renderingshould be experienced blind. The story takes some very surprising turns, especially during the first 12 episodes; consequently, try to avoid spoilers as much as possible. Nevertheless, let’s just go over the basic premise. Learning about the death of a childhood friend, Shinpei returns to the island he grew up on to attend her funeral. However, strange things begin to happen almost instantly, and he quickly finds himself stuck in a time loop.
While initially focusing on mystery,Summer Time Renderingeventually shifts focus to action, and it executes this transition extremely well. Even though it lacks the delinquent element central toTokyo Revengers, this series is a must-watch in general.
ASpring 2024 show,Wind Breakeris an entertaining delinquent-based anime, and these types of stories should be treasured as they do not come around often. Now, CloverWorks' series does not feature any sort of time-travel or supernatural elements, and nor does it seem to incorporate a mystery element. As such, if somebody mainly lovesTokyo Revengersfor these aspects, they might want to look elsewhere. That said,Wind Breakernails the delinquent aesthetic and hierarchy.
An outcast for most of his life, Haruka Sakura moves to a town with a bad reputation and signs up at Furin High School, with his ultimate goal being to fight his way to the top. Despite having far different motives and skill sets, Haruka and Takemichi are both striving to become heads of gangs, a journey that requires them to take on responsibilities that might go beyond their current abilities.
Unlike Takemichi, Haruka can hold his own in a fight; however, he struggles to play nice with others due to inherently distrusting everyone. This isolation drove him to Furin, only for the teenager to learn that the school had recently turned the corner. Nowadays, Furin’s students act as the town’s guardians, helping to keep the streets safe. If Haruka wants to make it to the top, he needs to bring more to the plate than just martial arts.
People who love a show about high school delinquents will findYu Yu Hakushoto be right up their alley. The series features a known troublemaker who risks his life to save a child, an act that results in his death but also grants him a second chance as a spirit detective.
Yu Yu Hakushofeatures some iconic shonen moments, with theDark Tournament arc being the best of the bunch. It might not have aged all that gracefully in place, but it’s still a brilliant title for fans ofTokyo Revengersto check out if they want stellar action, lovable delinquents, and an ambitious sense of scale.
Tokyo Revengersis all about teenagers engaging in deadly battles for street supremacy; consequently, the story is packed to the brim with delinquents. The dissonance created by the scale of the gang warfare and the characters' ages can be off-putting, especially since the show takes itself very seriously. If someone wants a delinquent anime that does not mind laughing at itself every once in a while,Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!is the series for them.
Determined to start high school off on the “best” note, Mitsuhashi goes blond and embraces the delinquent lifestyle. While he initially butts heads with another teenager, Ito, they eventually form something of a super group as they take on other bosses and eventually have a run-in with the Yakuza. Although not lacking in fights,Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!leans heavily into its humor, which largely hits the mark.
Great Teacher Onizukais about an ex-gang member who stumbles his way into teaching children. He may not be a delinquent himself anymore, but he still uses silly tactics to get the job done. Even though he comes across as crass, Onizuka has a heart of gold and genuinely cares about his kids.
It takes a while for everyone to warm up to him, but that’s part of the fun of the show. The tender moments are sweet, but so is watching the vice principal’s beloved car get totaled repeatedly.
Cromartie High Schoolis a slapstick comedy that is presented as a Sunday comic strip. Each episode has several skits which sometimes tie together thematically.
The comedy comes into play given the juxtaposition of the street toughs looking cool but behaving like nerds or total goofs. It’s a dramatically different feel thanTokyo Revengers, but both anime feature delinquents who act way beyond their ages.
Debuting as a manga in 1985 and airing its sole anime season in 1988,Charge!! Men’s Private Schoolis a well-known property in Japan that received a few spin-offs and sequels over the last two decades. In the West, the show never quite hit it big, and its lack of (legal) availability has not helped matters. Nevertheless, this delinquent school anime is worth watching if the opportunity arises, particularly forfans ofJoJo’s Bizarre AdventureorFist of the North Star.
Now,Charge!! Men’s Private Schoolis quite different fromTokyo Revengers, but that is exactly why it is recommended. As a protagonist, Momo is the direct opposite of Takemichi, and he can act as a nice palette cleanser when the latter begins to become frustrating. The anime is also over-the-top nonsense in the best possible way.
Steins;Gateis the definitive time travel anime, along with just being one of the best anime of all time. The story revolves around a ragtag group of smart students who are trying to create a time machine, a journey that mostly seems to be fueled by the ravings of Rintarou Okabe, a self-promoted mad scientist.
Steins;Gatemoves at a very different pace thanTokyo Revengers, and the sci-fi thriller explores the time travel concept rather than just using it as a plot device. The anime’s first half is notoriously slow-paced since it focuses exclusively on the characters' everyday antics with seemingly little tension or change; however, this leads to an explosive and unforgettable second half.
