Emblem TAKE 2

Emblem TAKE 2 is a 1993 original video animation produced by Toei Animation, based on the manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Hiroshi Watanabe. The story follows a young yakuza member who, after being killed, is transported back in time to his teenage years, providing him with a second opportunity to alter the course of his life and rise within the criminal underworld. The project was conceived during a period when Toei was actively adapting gritty, seinen-oriented manga titles into the OVA format to capture the burgeoning home video market.

The animation design sought to translate the tough, cinematic aesthetic of the manga into a fluid, dark-toned visual style characteristic of early 90s animation. While the OVA served as a concise distillation of the manga’s narrative arc, it was produced as a standalone effort rather than a long-running series, reflecting the experimental nature of anime production in that era. It remains a notable example of the time-travel subgenre blended with the yakuza noir tradition, recognized by fans of the period for its focused character development and mature thematic exploration.