Tougen Anki

Have you ever heard of the Japanese folktale Momotaro? If you’re not from Japan, chances are you might not be familiar with this tale, and understanding it is key to appreciating Tougen Anki’s unique and entertaining premise. Here’s a quick summary of the original story: Long ago, an old woman discovered a giant peach floating down the river. She took the peach home, and when her husband split it open, a baby boy emerged. They named him Momotaro (“Peach Boy”), and he grew up quickly and strongly. When Momotaro became a young man, he decided to defeat the demons (oni) who lived on an island and were terrorizing his village. With millet dumplings (kibi-dango) made by his adoptive grandmother, he recruited a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant, defeated the oni, reclaimed the treasures they had stolen, and returned triumphantly to the village. In Tougen Anki, however, the protagonist is actually an oni (demon), and the conflict between the descendants of Momotaro and the oni has continued into modern times. According to the manga’s lore, whenever the Momotaro Organization gains overwhelming power, eight mighty "Oni Gods" arise, capable of wiping out their enemies. The protagonist, Shiki Ichinose, is the son of one of these Oni Gods. If I had to summarize my impressions of Tougen Anki briefly, it would be as a classic dark-hero manga. For Japanese readers, especially, who grew up familiar with the traditional Momotaro folktale, seeing the supposed heroes portrayed as ruthless villains adds an intriguing twist—much like the American series The Boys, which similarly subverts traditional hero narratives. There's still plenty of mystery surrounding the Oni Gods, and I'm excited to see future arcs exploring their backgrounds, the past of the Momotaro Organization, and revelations about Shiki’s father.

June 12, 2025

Every classic manga needs a compelling rival, and in Tougen Anki, that rival is Mikado from the Momotaro Organization. What’s great about Mikado is that despite the Organization’s policy to eliminate all oni, he carries his own sense of justice and genuinely tries to understand and empathize with his opponents. The battles between Shiki and Mikado are especially memorable—the storytelling from their initial encounter to their climactic showdowns is truly brilliant. Mikado seems poised to become a crucial figure bridging the divide between humans and oni as the story progresses.

June 12, 2025