Tokyo Revengers Clothing Line Stirs Debate Over Swastika

By Megan Peters

Tokyo Revengers is one of the biggest to hit the anime scene as of late, and it isn't hard to see why. The hit anime brings everything from romance to angst and drama together in a life-or-death tale. But as fans know, Tokyo Revengers isn't free of drama and has found itself in hot water yet again.

The whole thing popped up online when Twitter users discovered some Tokyo Revengers merch online. It was there fans raised a red flag as some of the pieces come complete with a highly controversial design, and the issue stems from the use of a swastika.

As you can see above, the clothing line features a swastika-like shape very prominently on each piece. The symbol is shown on hoodies, shoes, coats, and more. Of course, the validity of these designs is up for debate. In the past, Tokyo Revengers has come under fire for its use of the symbol, and Shonen Jump decided to remove swastikas from the manga as such.

Of course, it isn't hard to see why the whole debate popped up. Tokyo Revengers was lambasted for its use of a swastika, but the symbol was not what Westerns know today. The Tokyo Manji Gang used the Manji symbol which ties to Buddhism. As history shows, the religious symbol pre-dates the icon used by the Nazi Party of subsequent hate groups.

The Manji symbol is what's used in this clothing line, so netizens are doing their best to educate others on the religious icon. Of course, the lesson will only do as much good as netizens will allow. Some Tokyo Revengers fans are still angry about the clothing and its use of the Manji given its similarities to the swastika. And given how the Nazi Party tarnished the swastika's meaning, even the Manji is controversial today despite its benign origins.

What do you think of this Tokyo Revengers controversy? Where do you land on this debate? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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