Takemichi Hanagaki/Synopsis

Toman Arc
As an adult, Takemichi is leading an awful life. He has a dead-end job where his boss, six years younger than him, is constantly scolding him for his laziness. While wasting away his time in his apartment watching TV, he hears on the news that his only girlfriend in his life has died from a conflict involving the Tokyo Manji Gang, along with her younger brother Naoto. Later that day, while he is waiting for a train in the subway, he solemnly wonders where exactly he went wrong in his life. Suddenly, someone pushes him onto the tracks. He closes his eyes, bracing for his death. He wakes up exactly 12 years in the past -- July 4th, 2005 -- and is having a conversation with his friends from middle school. They are heading to Shibuya Third Mid to beat some second years and are depending on Takemichi's cousin Masaru if something goes wrong, as he is the third year who is claiming to be a boss there. Takemichi is a bit confused about what is going on, but tries to go along with it, as he believes he is "seeing his life flash before his eyes." While they are waiting for the second years to show up, some third years show up instead. They try dropping Masaru's name for help, but it turns out he is just an errand boy. Takemichi and his friends are mercilessly beaten and are forced to become servants for Tokyo Manji Gang.

After that, Takemichi goes to check on Hinata, but as he sees her, he isn't able to explain why he is there at her apartment. A bit later, he saves a boy from some bullies. As he talks with him afterwards, he realizes he is Naoto, the younger brother of Hinata. Without any reservations, Takemichi explains to him how he time leaped and that his sister will die in 12 years, so he must protect her. As he shakes Naoto's hand, he wakes up back in the present and is in a hospital. There, he is met by the future Naoto, who explains to him that he performed a time leap and has changed the future; because of Takemichi warning, he became a detective, but still wasn't able to protect his sister.

The two work together to save Hinata. Naoto gives him as much information that he has about Tokyo Manji Gang and warns Takemichi that Manjiro Sano and Tetta Kisaki, the top two Tokyo Manji Gang members, must never meet. They figure out that shaking hands is the trigger for Takemichi's time leaping abilities, and subsequently shake hands so Takemichi can try and fix things. When he returns to the past, Takemichi is suddenly in a fight with lots of spectators, but before he realizes what is going on, he gets knocked out. As he wakes up, he gets beaten for losing by Masataka Kiyomizu and his men. As they are about to leave, Takemichi desperately asks if he could meet Sano and Kisaki, but that angers Masataka who then takes his bat and beats Takemichi even more, and warns him to never mention Sano's name in front of him ever again or he will kill him.

Terrified for his life, Takemichi runs away and decides to go meet Naoto to return to the present. He meets Hinata again at her apartment, and renews his vow to protect her. On the next day, Takuya, one of Takemichi's friends, has to fight in the arranged fights. However, he is a weak fighter, and the moment the fight starts, Takemichi stops the fight and proposes that he fights against Masataka instead, to which the latter accepts.

Masataka starts ruthlessly beating Takemichi, but somehow Takemichi manages to stand up and refuses to give up. In the end, Masataka asks for his bat, but Ken "Draken" Ryuguji arrives, interrupting the fight by saying that he is losing the audience. Everyone begins bowing in respect as Manjiro Sano "Mikey", Toman's boss, arrives behind Draken. Mikey approaches Takemichi and asks his name, but ends up nicknaming him Takemitchy. Mikey wonders if he is really a middle schooler and says that from now on, he is his "pal."

Mikey then beats up Masataka and stops the underground fights he was organizing. As everyone leaves, Takemichi's friends get excited because Takemichi was recognized by the invincible Mikey. Akkun tells him that if Takemichi didn't take on Masataka, he would have tried to kill Masataka with a knife so they could be free from his torment.

On the next day, Mikey and Draken come to Takemichi's classroom and nonchalantly take him with them, while beating some of Takemichi's classmates in the hallway. Overhearing that Takemichi is being kidnapped by the Toman leaders, Hinata bravely stands up to Mikey and slaps him. She grabs Takemichi's hand trying to leave, but Draken stops them.

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Takemichi stops Draken and tells him to release Hinata, because she is his girlfriend. Mikey tells Takemichi to prepare himself to die. Takemichi accepts, but requests that he not lay a finger on Hinata. As Mikey is about to punch Takemichi, he stops with a smile and tells him that he is just joking and wouldn't hit a girl. They leave peacefully with Takemichi and go near the river, where Mikey tells Takemichi he is reminiscent of his brother, and announces that he wants to make new age of delinquents and invites Takemichi to join him on that journey.

As Takemichi parts with Mikey and Draken, he walks past a group of delinquents and subconsciously recognizes one of them to be Kisaki.