TV-Series
Description
Takeshi Manganji comes from wealth as part of the family running the Manganji Group. His journey into Crush Gear fighting began when he met the Tobita Club and befriended Yuhya Marino, joining the team alongside members like Alex Borg and Shingo Nagidori. He evolved into a capable Gear Fighter with team support, especially after a World Cup defeat. Yuhya later tasked him with training his younger brother, Kouya Marino, post-tournament.
He has black hair spiked at the back with strands on his forehead and brown eyes. His usual outfit is a red jacket adorned with multiple badges, including a "GEAR" badge on the left sleeve, a sleeveless black shirt, dark blue slacks, gray socks, and brown shoes. Four years earlier, as a younger competitor, he wore a white shirt with short red sleeves, black pants, and green-and-white sneakers, switching to a red tuxedo for formal events like his birthday or club parties.
In battle, Takeshi displays calm confidence, frequently deploying his special attack, King of the Dragon Fighters, to destroy opponents' Gears—a tactic criticized but never penalized. He shows passion against skilled fighters like Kouya. His demeanor often appears cold, such as refusing to extend time for Kyousuke's return before a World Cup semi-final. He demonstrates manipulative tendencies, inviting Kyousuke to the Manganji Laboratory under false pretenses to steal data from Kouya's Garuda Eagle. Beneath a hardened exterior lies emotional turmoil stemming from Yuhya's tragic death. He also exhibits generosity, providing financial aid to the struggling Tobita Club, expressing concern for Kouya's safety after a rooftop fight, and arranging transportation to prevent Kouya's tournament disqualification.
Four years after Yuhya's death, Takeshi and Lilika oversee new member selection for the Tobita Club. When Kouya arrives late, Takeshi challenges him to a one-minute match, ostensibly to make an example. Kouya's unexpected win prompts Takeshi's departure and the formation of his own team, the Manganji Club, drawing away most Tobita members and pushing the club toward collapse. Takeshi reveals to Kouya that the Tobita Club holds no meaning for him anymore, overshadowed by Yuhya's legacy.
At the Manganji Club's opening ceremony, Takeshi battles Kouya on the building's rooftop, noting Kouya's use of Yuhya's Garuda Eagle. The fight ends in a draw; Takeshi then departs via helicopter, indicating future tournament meetings. He later hosts the Manganji Cup, where the Tobita Club participates unofficially. After the Tobita Club loses multiple matches against his secondary team, the Mighty Gears, Takeshi cancels Kouya's scheduled fight. He reveals the tournament's true purpose: debuting Gaiki, a high-performance Crush Gear developed through a decade-long, 80-billion-yen project. Takeshi defeats Kouya in a subsequent match by leveraging Gaiki's VT Chassis capabilities—adjusting weight distribution for speed and power—severely damaging Garuda Eagle.
In the Hokkaido arc, Takeshi recruits Kyousuke for his dream team and competes in the Hokkaido Cup, defeating local fighter Daisuke Sasaki by destroying his Gear with King of the Dragon Fighters. He later guides Kyousuke through the Manganji Laboratory, covertly extracting Garuda Eagle's data during a simulator session. After Kyousuke discovers the theft and confronts the lab chief, Takeshi orders Kyousuke's expulsion. When Kyousuke, Kouya, and Kaoru delete the stolen data, Takeshi fires the chief for failing to justify the loss.
He appears during the Buthokan Cup finals, supporting the Mighty Gears against the Tobita Club and insisting on the same lineup as their initial match despite opposition. The Manganji Dreams also competes in the Asia Cup, reflecting Takeshi's standing. Following his eventual defeat by Kouya, Takeshi undergoes a shift in behavior, moving toward reconciliation with his past and relationships. Assessments of his personality suggest traits including strategic control, analytical problem-solving, reserve, assertiveness, and loyalty, framed as interpretive frameworks rather than definitive categorizations.
He has black hair spiked at the back with strands on his forehead and brown eyes. His usual outfit is a red jacket adorned with multiple badges, including a "GEAR" badge on the left sleeve, a sleeveless black shirt, dark blue slacks, gray socks, and brown shoes. Four years earlier, as a younger competitor, he wore a white shirt with short red sleeves, black pants, and green-and-white sneakers, switching to a red tuxedo for formal events like his birthday or club parties.
In battle, Takeshi displays calm confidence, frequently deploying his special attack, King of the Dragon Fighters, to destroy opponents' Gears—a tactic criticized but never penalized. He shows passion against skilled fighters like Kouya. His demeanor often appears cold, such as refusing to extend time for Kyousuke's return before a World Cup semi-final. He demonstrates manipulative tendencies, inviting Kyousuke to the Manganji Laboratory under false pretenses to steal data from Kouya's Garuda Eagle. Beneath a hardened exterior lies emotional turmoil stemming from Yuhya's tragic death. He also exhibits generosity, providing financial aid to the struggling Tobita Club, expressing concern for Kouya's safety after a rooftop fight, and arranging transportation to prevent Kouya's tournament disqualification.
Four years after Yuhya's death, Takeshi and Lilika oversee new member selection for the Tobita Club. When Kouya arrives late, Takeshi challenges him to a one-minute match, ostensibly to make an example. Kouya's unexpected win prompts Takeshi's departure and the formation of his own team, the Manganji Club, drawing away most Tobita members and pushing the club toward collapse. Takeshi reveals to Kouya that the Tobita Club holds no meaning for him anymore, overshadowed by Yuhya's legacy.
At the Manganji Club's opening ceremony, Takeshi battles Kouya on the building's rooftop, noting Kouya's use of Yuhya's Garuda Eagle. The fight ends in a draw; Takeshi then departs via helicopter, indicating future tournament meetings. He later hosts the Manganji Cup, where the Tobita Club participates unofficially. After the Tobita Club loses multiple matches against his secondary team, the Mighty Gears, Takeshi cancels Kouya's scheduled fight. He reveals the tournament's true purpose: debuting Gaiki, a high-performance Crush Gear developed through a decade-long, 80-billion-yen project. Takeshi defeats Kouya in a subsequent match by leveraging Gaiki's VT Chassis capabilities—adjusting weight distribution for speed and power—severely damaging Garuda Eagle.
In the Hokkaido arc, Takeshi recruits Kyousuke for his dream team and competes in the Hokkaido Cup, defeating local fighter Daisuke Sasaki by destroying his Gear with King of the Dragon Fighters. He later guides Kyousuke through the Manganji Laboratory, covertly extracting Garuda Eagle's data during a simulator session. After Kyousuke discovers the theft and confronts the lab chief, Takeshi orders Kyousuke's expulsion. When Kyousuke, Kouya, and Kaoru delete the stolen data, Takeshi fires the chief for failing to justify the loss.
He appears during the Buthokan Cup finals, supporting the Mighty Gears against the Tobita Club and insisting on the same lineup as their initial match despite opposition. The Manganji Dreams also competes in the Asia Cup, reflecting Takeshi's standing. Following his eventual defeat by Kouya, Takeshi undergoes a shift in behavior, moving toward reconciliation with his past and relationships. Assessments of his personality suggest traits including strategic control, analytical problem-solving, reserve, assertiveness, and loyalty, framed as interpretive frameworks rather than definitive categorizations.