Tenjho Tenge

Publisher
MVM
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
24 episode / 25 minutes
Year
2004

Tenjho Tenge Round 2

By otaku_kei
12th Jul 06

Tenjho Tenge is back with another volume filled with fighting, mini-skirts, fighting, power struggles, fighting, more mini-skirts... did I mention fighting? Yet between the fists flying, and kicks coming in from all angles, the characters are given time to develop, to grow, and for a chance to get to know these characters just a little bit more. Unlike some high school fighting shows currently on release, Tenjho Tenge shows that a life of violence has consequences, and that strength is not always the answer. Yet still having time for some good old fashioned crushing of evildoers, and ladies getting into various states of undress. Are you interested yet?

So Soiuchiro and Bob have now joined the Jukan Club and have allied themselves with the Natsume sisters, which may very well lead them into unknown trouble with the Todo Academy's ruling council. As the club train their bodies to tap fully into their fighting potential, the ruling council led by Takayanagi's older brother move into action and send the school executioners after the Natsume girls, and everyone associating with them. Well that means that we get some major showdowns as each of the members of the Jukan Club face off against one of the many powerful fighters from Todo Academy. Once again all of the members of the Jukan club are in jeapardy, as they must battle for their very lives.

Is it just me or does the Japanese schooling system provide nothing more than holding cells for violent delinquents with no real aims in life? Wandering round, the students seem to exist merely to make mayhem. What about the actual teaching and learning? Well as all these dangerous young individuals beat each other to bloody pulps is there much more to the plot? Not really. These characters are much more interesting than the caricatures from Ikki Tousen, but most of this volume follows the Jukan Club either kicking butt, or getting whipped. We get a bit more insight into the rivalry between the Natsume sisters, start to get filled n on the history between Maya and the elder Takayanagi, but volume 2 of Tenjho Tenge is really about the violence.

But what would a fighting anime be without some comment on the actual showdowns? Well just as the characters are more believable (whilst still being quite ridiculous) the actual fights also play out much more realistically. Yes they are short, brutal affairs for the most part. Why? Because fighting is usual a brief explosions of violence followed by the loser slinking off to lick their wounds and that is exactly what we get here. There is some requisite grandstanding, but generally the fights finish without any long drawn out revelations of fighting style or improbable comebacks. So for a crazy fighting anime show, there is very little crazy fighting. And personally I find that so much more engaging.

Tenjho Tenge continues to entertain with its brand of comic book violence. The characters still need fleshing out, and the plot could do with filling in some of the holes, but as far as entertainment purposes go you could do far worse then pick up the latest volume of this show. Just remember this is everything that Ikki Tousen is not.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English Language 2.0; Japanese Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Textless Closing; MVM Trailers

Release information: OUT NOW

Notes: How do MVM mange it. Their relationship with Madman for DVD authoring has been a real success story, but why are some shows so bereft of extras compared to otehrs. This latest volume to Tenjho Tenge is blessed with great A/V quality, and yet completely lacking in any substantial extras.

-- otaku_kei 12th Jul 06

Tenjho Tenge Images