Tenjho Tenge Volume 4

The flashback section of the story reaches its conclusion with Shin’s rage going out of control and threatening the safety of friends and enemies alike. This culminates in a dramatic showdown with Bunshichi after Maya’s plan to limit Shin’s influence seemingly worsens his already-fragile mental state.

Considering that this appears to be mindless action on the surface, there’s a surprising amount of character interaction and in this volume a considerable amount of it is at least partly explained. We do not actually learn what finally became of Shin but the flashback section turns out to be an almost-entirely separate arc on its own; frustratingly there’s much still to learn but there are plenty of other details for fans to get their teeth into for the time being.

Make no mistake; TenTen is still a show that’s predominantly for martial arts fans. The fan service, macho dialogue and posturing comes across as cheesy and over-used to the rest of us so it’s fortunate that there are so many hidden agendas and loyalties to keep things going. That epic fight between Bunshichi and Shin is a highlight, not least because the former is current head of the Council so it is likely to be a significant event in the grand scheme of things; it also provides some impressive fist-flying action.

I actually felt quite sorry for Shin and Maya during all this: because his abilities have driven him to near-insanity, Maya is the only one he can turn to and even his own girlfriend, Mana, is in place as an agent to monitor his movements and behaviour. Outside of the normal, everyday events there’s the token shadowy organisation, this time studying the fighting techniques, as well as the mysteries surrounding the Dragon Eye, which is the likely reason why Shin is so troubled and tortured.

All of this is quite involved and requires concentration to follow and grasp the significance of events and situations, which brings me round again to the inescapable fact that viewers who aren’t interested in the genre as a whole will find it as much of a chore to sit through in places as I did. The story does jump back to the present while leaving some things hanging in the air though, so I’m expecting another look back in time later on in the series; this ought to keep the complexity level up and prevent things getting stale or tedious.

In Summary

The first ‘flashback arc’ is concluded in grand style and the story is set back into the present in this volume, providing us with a chilling and painful portrayal of Shin’s tragic character. It’s still a show whose appeal is limited but if you’re into this sort of thing, it is still worth persevering with and offers plenty of fan service and martial arts action along with a back-story that continues to intrigue.