Losing friends is one of the most heartbreaking things that one could go through in life. Well, in the current arc of Tokyo Revengers, the anime is exploring the past lives of the founders of the Toman Gang. One of the most shocking revelations that we get to know about Kazutora Hanemiya is that he once was one of the core members of the Toman Gang. And now, he is one of the top three leaders of Valhalla.
So, how did a gang that used to be a group of teenage best friends become such rivals in the future? Well, Tokyo Revengers Episode 16 reveals a heartbreaking story of these best friends. Mikey and Kazutora once used to be best friends, but now they are after each other’s blood and flesh. This article talks about how these two became enemies after all. Thus, here is a brief discussion on the Mikey Vs. Kazutora rivalry.
Kazutora And Mikey’s Friendship!
We see in the last episode of Tokyo Revengers that Hanemiya narrates his past life to Valhallas. He dictates that he used to live in a toxic household with abusive parents. Most of his personal life was tackling the fights between his parents. His folks eventually got divorced and separated after a while. It was when Kazutora was living alone with his mother that he came across a gang of bikers. These boys used to fashion themselves as the Toman Gang. Initially, Kazutora found it difficult to blend with the boys.
One of the main reasons he could not feel at home with the boys was Mikey’s bossy stature. But one day, when Kazutora’s father returned home with some goons, it was Mikey who saved the boy and his mother. Indebted by this gesture, Kazutora considered Mikey trustable. And thus, the new member of the Toman Gang entered the scene in Tokyo Revengers Episode 16. This was the first time that Kazutora became friends with anybody. It also came into being that Mikey promises Kazutora to share all his agony and successes with the gang.
The Grave Mistake!
Until now, everything was going smoothly for the Toman members. Kazutora had finally found a family for himself. After many years of trauma, the young boy was finding himself trusting someone. But the 16th episode of Tokyo Revengers talks about a dark incident that changes the course of events for the entire gang. One fine day, Kazutora decides that he will gift Mikey the bike that he is desperately willing to buy.
Since Kazutora does not have the money or connections to buy the bike for him, he decides to steal it for Mikey. Thus, he and Baji go out to steal the bike for him. That night, Kazutora and Baji head out to steal the CB250T model. But as it happens, the shop owner turns out to be Mikey’s real brother. Unaware of the fact, Kazutora kills the owner and runs away with the bike. But he soon realized that he had fallen into a great trap. He never thought of hurting the man who provided him with family and shelter.
Kazutora’s Wrong Redemption!
But in the end, Kazutora takes the wrong route by blaming Mikey for everything that happens. He believes that if it wasn’t Mikey’s birthday, he would’ve never gone out to steal the bike. Moreover, he also blames Mikey for the death of his brother. This is when many fans believe that Kazutora should’ve understood his mistake. Nonetheless, this was the beginning of a grave rivalry.
The story of Tokyo Revengers takes an even darker turn when Kazutora announces that he plans to kill Mikey because he was the one who put blood on his hands. Thus, the joining of the Valhalla gang is a stepping stone on his plan to take personal revenge upon Mikey and the Toman Gang. Many fans still fail to understand how Kazutora has developed such deep hatred for his best friend.
In a case where he is the sole man at fault, he must be the one Mikey is chasing. But the scenario is the opposite here. This hatred between the two is ultimately foreshadowing a grave war that is coming the way of the Toman and Valhalla Gang. If the personal issues are left unresolved, then many innocent team members might end up losing their lives. Nonetheless, Draken’s visions also suggest that Mikey will become the ultimate leader of the undergrounds. As the end of Tokyo Revengers is nearing, we can only hope that things go down well for the new members as they are mere innocents in the game of these founding leaders.