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1[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/RivalSchools https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vs-gedo.png]]]]
2
3->''"I've never once thought of you as delinquents... The society built by adults is surrounded by borders, but it's unable to constrain you guys and despises you for it. It cannot abide something wild living inside of it."''
4-->-- '''Officer Fujioka''', ''Manga/{{Crows}}'' Gaiden
5
6Whether just making a bit of trouble at the back of the classroom or out picking fights, schoolyard bullies or members of one of those oddly-decked-out motorcycle gangs, delinquents are a sure sign that not all is right. Japanese Delinquents comes in two distinct flavors: Throw-away minor characters, and major (or main) characters.
7
8The visual style of the Japanese delinquent in fiction has remained more consistent than in RealLife. [[note]]A uniquely detailed description of the fashion and behavior of real yankees and bikers in The80s can be read in Ikuya Satou's [[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TTZuWn47PkUC&dq=Ikuya+Sato+Kamikaze+Biker&source=gbs_navlinks_s book]].[[/note]] The description below is an up-to-date and relatively realistic one.
9
10For both types, speaking with [[TrrrillingRrrs rolled Rs]] (to convey a sense of rage) and [[DelinquentHair dyeing their hair in some form]] is usual (though the likelihood is greatly increased for major characters), with bleached-blond being the most common variety. A ridiculous pompadour or ''[[https://www.google.com/search?q=リーゼント ri-zento/regent]]'' hairstyle that juts out from the forehead like a battering ram is a delinquent hallmark; this is seldom played straight nowadays, especially for main characters.
11
12When first seen a male delinquent character will traditionally be in a distinctive pose: head tilted back and to the side and upper body leaning back with hips thrust out and shoulders hunched forward, with either arms folded or hands in pockets. In more recent works, you'll sometimes instead see the "Slav squat" borrowed from Russian gopniks, a deep crouch with heels touching the ground, body leaning forward, and arms resting on the knees (which is called ''yankii zuwari'' or ''unko zuwari'' in Japan). Narrowed eyes and an upper lip curled into a sneer typically accompany either pose. In the case of minor antagonists, one of these poses on introduction is practically mandatory.
13
14Other visual identifiers include:
15* Bandanas.
16* A facial mask of some kind, especially a surgical one.
17* A school uniform with [[NonUniformUniform custom modifications]], sometimes the sleeves ripped off.
18* Excessive piercings and jewellery.
19* Tattoos, or for the particularly hardcore, scars (almost AlwaysMale).
20* DelinquentHair.
21* {{Sarashi}}.
22* Jackets [[CoatCape worn over the shoulders]].
23* Trousers rolled up to just below the knee. Sleeves are often rolled up too.
24* Combat pants tucked into boots (aka ''bontan'').
25* A CommissarCap.
26* Loafers without socks, or alternatively wooden sandals (''geta'').
27* [[OralFixation A twig or blades of straw or grass kept in the mouth.]]
28* Sunglasses.
29* For the guys, a thin moustache, if the delinquent is old enough to be able to grow one.
30* Weapons tend to be long and blunt (bats, planks, poles, etc.) rather than bladed, especially in comedies and light dramas. This is because it implies less dangerous and more honorable fighting, as well as because the possession of bladed weapons has been strictly regulated in Japan since the Meiji Restoration. [[ChainPain Chains]] and knuckle dusters are popular as well, and wielding nunchaku or using other martial arts weapons is not unheard of. [[WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter Bokken and shinai]] are iconic delinquent weapons, often held by leader figures, or sometimes heroic examples to denote an aura of nobility and honor. In ''extreme'' cases, a delinquent may even wield a ''real'' katana outside of school grounds, but this is usually reserved for the most vicious characters or the most comedic exaggerations. Alternately, the reliance on improvised weapons can be exaggerated by making the character an ImprobableWeaponUser; this is particularly likely for major characters.
31
32Female delinquents often have their ''seifuku'' in some form of purposeful disarray—unknotted scarf, loose socks or no socks at all, partially unbuttoned top, shirt flaps outside the skirt, and the skirt itself either very shortened or very lengthened (the latter having been especially popular in the 1970s and '80s, the former having mostly - but not completely - displaced it in the late 90s). A coat or sports jacket (more often than not a ''nagaran'', an oversized longcoat), either over the regular jacket or replacing it, also indicates a tough cookie. They will sometimes be portrayed as ''[[GyaruGirl kogals]]'' (who flaunt their disposable income), or some other subculture, or engaging in [[EnjoKosai less violent]] [[BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord inappropriate]] behavior. They'll typically also carry weapons like long rulers and sticks too.
33
34Their behaviour is a general blend of everything you would expect from someone called a delinquent: getting into fights, disturbing the peace, and generally just not getting along with society at large. Their interests, if they have any, tend to be mainly baseball, motorbikes and ProfessionalWrestling and/or martial arts, due to their penchant for violence and physical fighting, though most of their brawling boils down to GoodOldFisticuffs. If they are trained practitioners themselves, they will be invariably of the ArrogantKungFuGuy type and will harass any fighting character they see as not as tough as them. Villainous examples and mooks are more likely to rely on numbers and weaponry than protagonist delinquents, who often fight unarmed and man-to-man or outnumbered, but even a "good" delinquent tends to [[CombatPragmatist fight dirty]].
35
36The minor, throw-away type are essentially there to [[{{Mooks}} provide trouble for the main cast to clean up]]. The major character type, on the other hand, carries at least some the above traits, but is almost always a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
37
38In Japanese, delinquents are referred to, both in real life and in fiction, as ''yankii'' (as in "yankee", because of their rebelliousness and Hawaiian-patterned shirts they sometimes wore rather than an affinity with the USA), while their leaders are called ''banchou'' -- a ''banchou'' powerful enough to command several subordinate ''banchou'', usually ruling multiple schools, is called a ''soban''. Female leaders can be called ''sukeban'' (which has also become associated to all female delinquents, leader or not) or ''onna banchou''. Motorcycle and automobile racers are usually considered a separate subculture of delinquent, known as ''UsefulNotes/{{bosozoku}}'' or ''hashiriya''. More recent works may feature ''color gangs''; these guys draw heavy influence from [[GangBangers American street gangs]], and can be distinguished from the usual riff-raff with their baggy clothing and use of colors as identifiers (jewellery and bandannas are optional).
39
40The {{Yakuza}}, Japan's indigenous organized crime syndicates, tend to have little respect for delinquents. In their eyes, Yakuza are professional criminals with a sense of tradition, whereas delinquents are just upstart punks with an attitude. Some ''very'' low-ranking yakuza (called "chinpira") do intermingle with the yankii and their close relatives, the bosozoku and hashiriya, mainly because they are a prime method of trafficking illegal substances. Some yankii and bosozoku like to ape yakuza styles, so many civilians are unaware of this hierarchy or see this as a distinction without a difference, lumping all yankii, bosozoku, and hashiriya with hardcore yakuza.
41
42Unlike street gangs, Japanese delinquents tend to focus less on profitable crime (in fiction, at least) and more on delinquency as a lifestyle. Loitering, vandalizing and brawling serve as a pastime as much as an act of rebellion, though shoplifting and shaking down the meek are not unheard of. When conflicts between delinquents occur, they tend either to be unarmed duels over matters of hierarchy or honor, or fullscale rumbles between rival groups. Gang affiliation is typically based on what school you attend, rather than a voluntary enlistment, and turf wars usually break out over toughs from an outsider school showing their faces or making a scene in an arcade or shopping district within a local school's region. Occasionally, resident delinquents may challenge thugs from a rival school for [[HypocriticalHeartwarming bullying or mugging classmates they would themselves bully or mug]], as a matter of pride.
43
44For delinquents in general, including the Western types, see {{Delinquents}}, GreaserDelinquents and ScooterRidingMod (for the delinquents of The50s and The60s), TheIdiotFromOsaka (for a specific variety of Japanese delinquents), GangBangers (for delinquent gangs), HalfWittedHillbilly[[note]]Specifically the Backwoods Bigot, Inbred Ignoramus and Half-Witted Hellbilly[[/note]] and HillbillyHorrors (for rural/Southern American delinquents), DublinSkanger (for Irish delinquents), TheBogan (for Australian delinquents), TheQuincyPunk, FootballHooligans and TheYardies (for British delinquents), and LowerClassLout.
45
46Subtrope of TeenRebellion.
47----
48!!Example subpages:
49[[index]]
50* JapaneseDelinquents/AnimeAndManga
51* JapaneseDelinquents/VideoGames
52[[/index]]
53
54!!Examples of minor characters
55[[foldercontrol]]
56
57[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
58* ''Film/Godzilla2014'' has a scene where Ford Brody must retrieve his father Joe from a Japanese jail. Before his dad is brought out to him, he sees a delinquent teen being brought into the lobby, whereupon the teen gets fussed at by his parents.
59[[/folder]]
60
61[[folder:Literature]]
62* {{Subverted|trope}} in the case of Kakeru Sunahara of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote''. This trope is how people see him, as he has been arrested for beating up an adult. But it turns out the person in question has been TamperingWithFoodAndDrink. [[spoiler:No longer has that reputation later on in the series as he is more well-known as a YoungEntrepreneur.]] Aya thinks he's a NiceGuy throughout. And no, [[{{Bishonen}} he doesn't even look like one]].
63[[/folder]]
64
65[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
66* ''Manga/SukebanDeka'': the live action version of this manga started the Delinquent Hero genre. A former female gang member is recruited by the Tokyo police to clean up the gangs in the school. The title translates as "Delinquent Detective." She famously uses a Yo-Yo as a weapon, with her badge hidden inside it.
67* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
68** In episode 30 of ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', Sousuke and Ren get brainwashed into baddies; while Sousuke wears the jacket and pants, Ren goes the 'yankii' route with a Hawaiian shirt.
69** A similar example in the previous year's ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'', with Ran being turned into a ''sukeban''. [[spoiler:Then they learn that their mentor Miki ''used to be a real one''.]]
70** Also, in an episode of ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'', Ian and Utsusemimaru dress up as delinquents in order to help Souji's LoveInterest hook up with him by getting him to defend her from their advances. Then Amy, who is not in on the act, comes and beats them both up.
71** An episode of ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'' has Dan and Mei act this way after their snow cones are spiked with a potion concocted by Tottopat. They get better.
72[[/folder]]
73
74[[folder:Music]]
75 * "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziX1oQRiA3w Konbini]]" by the Japanese comedy duo Brief & Trunks is about a bored woman going to the local convenience store at night. When she arrives, she double-thinks going inside because a group of punks are hanging around the entrance. All they do is harrass her a bit by asking if she's wearing a bra. In the music video, one of the delinquents wears a bandana and while the other has blond DelinquentHair.
76[[/folder]]
77
78[[folder:Visual Novels]]
79* Mondo Oowada/Owada from ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' is a direct parody of a Japanese delinquent, attending Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. He is hostile, rolls his rs quite often, and has a pompadour to boot.
80* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' features a gang of reoccuring delinquents with pompadours who pop up. In one arc, ''Rika'' intentionally provokes them to [[spoiler:prove that she's "lucky" in this universe]].
81* Most of the ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' games sometimes pit you against delinquents during dates, and you'll have to fight them ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' battles-style. When defeated, their Banchou comes to fight you; if you defeat him, [[WorthyOpponent he'll acknowledge you as the new Banchou]] and will make excuses for his underlings' rudeness. In ''Tokimeki Memorial 2'', the delinquent gang is fleshed out (but still as secondary characters), with their Banchou revealed as [[spoiler: Kaoru Ichimonji aka the KnightTemplarBigBrother of one of the datable girls (Akane), and the Banchou of the first game]], and having under its order a QuirkyMinibossSquad of 4 members known as the ''[[TheFourGods Four Heaven Kings]]'', all having a specific name, face and personnality, and all [[spoiler: having a role in the aforemented datable girl's storyline]].
82[[/folder]]
83
84!!Examples of major characters
85[[foldercontrol]]
86
87[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
88* Ichiko from ''Film/ShimotsumaMonogatari'' (released in the US as ''Kamikaze Girls'').
89* Most of the cast from ''Film/CrowsZero'' and ''Film/CrowsZero2'' (both loose adaptations by Takashi Miike of the manga ''Manga/{{Crows}}'')
90* Many "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_film pink movies]]" from the '70s featured gang girls for titillation: ''Sukeban Guerrilla'', ''Girl Boss Sukeban'' and the ''Film/{{Stray Cat Rock|DelinquentGirlBoss}}'' series are some representative titles.
91* ''Film/TheWarpedOnes'': An aspiring gang member, his buddy the rapist, and his girlfriend the prostitute.
92* Most of the cast from ''Film/VolcanoHighSchool'', which is basically [[JackTheRipoff a live-action of]] ''VideoGame/RivalSchools''.
93* ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'' sees ComicBook/{{Katana}} wear a modified version of her ''ComicBook/New52'' outfit that evoke the bosozoku variety, wearing an open shirt with a {{sarashi}} covering her breasts.
94* ''Film/CruelStoryOfYouth'': Kiyoshi is supposed to be a student but he's really a petty criminal hoodlum. He rapes Makoto, also a student. After she falls in love with him, he employs her in a scheme where she attracts wealthy older men, only for Kiyoshi to beat and rob them.
95* ''Film/EverythingGoesWrong'': Jiro is a teen who instead of getting ready to go to college is hanging out with other rebellious teens, drinking, smoking, whoring, and committing petty crimes. He's filled with rage after finding out his mom is TheMistress of a wealthy businessman.
96* Ryota in ''Film/BlackRat'' is one, having red-dyed hair styled in a pompadour and pierced ears, wearing his white school shirt open over a black t-shirt, smoking constantly (even in school), and riding a motor scooter. He is also shown to know his way around weaponry, and builds a spear to fight the Rat.
97[[/folder]]
98
99[[folder:Literature]]
100* ''Literature/TheMiraclesOfTheNamiyaGeneralStore'' follows Atsuya, Shota and Kohei, three deliquents who enter the Namiya General Store to find shelter, and somehow receive some letter from the past where the owner, Yūji Namiya, was still running it and answering to people's letters writing about their troubles.
101[[/folder]]
102
103[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
104* NewTransferStudent Nao from season 6 of ''3-Nen B-Gumi Series/KinpachiSensei'' is mistaken for a delinquent when he's actually a transgender boy, thus explaining his long skirt.
105* ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
106** Gentaro Kisaragi of ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' is ostensibly a LighterAndSofter take on this trope, as he doesn't belong to a gang and is actually a very friendly guy. He more than fills the "[[AnimeHair ridiculous hair]]" and "good at fighting" requirements, though.
107** In ''Film/KamenRiderTheNext,'' [[TheHero Takeshi Hongo]] has an ''epically'' rowdy class that would fit right in in any SaveOurStudents film. They get less rowdy when they see him [[spoiler:stopping cars and motorcycles with his bare hands, ''unsuited'']]. Now ''that'll'' ScareEmStraight.
108* Most of the main and supporting characters in ''Series/MajisukaGakuen'' are female ''yankii'' (except in season 3).
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
112* Wrestling/DumpMatsumoto and the Atrocious Alliance from Wrestling/AllJapanWomensProWrestling in the '80s, who were massively over as heels by being the exact kind of bullies that the target audience of schoolgirls were likely to know in real life.
113* After team no respect set out to destroy the legacy of Hayabusa in [[Wrestling/{{FMW}} Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling]], including but not limited to actually banning the Hayabusa [[TheGimmick gimmick]], he eventually became the delinquent known as [[OneLetterName H]].
114[[/folder]]
115
116[[folder:Web Animation]]
117* ''WebAnimation/AttackOnMika'' has examples of these from time to time. Unlike most examples, they can be very helpful. For example this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYP4MWbg-N0 video]], they helped out a blind girl who ran away from her parents.
118* ''WebAnimation/LazyBumYakuza'': [[https://youtu.be/xSb-OMn5iSo Tsuyoshi Noguchi]] became a delinquent after the hardships he endured at the orphanage after his shoplifting mother ran off when the authorities caught him. It becomes even worse when he meets his father Masaru Iwaki.
119* ''WebAnimation/MangaAngelNekoOka'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIDiOnZl788 Kengo]] used to be a delinquent until he fell in love with honor student Kurumi. He gave up his delinquent ways and studied hard to get in the same high school as her.
120* ''WebAnimation/MangaCharacterSprinklers'': Yuto in some stories is often depicted as a former delinquent who attempts to disguise himself as an introverted student.
121* ''WebAnimation/MangaHeaven'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqdfW1p_Qkk Kazukata's]] older sister became delinquent after the siblings grew distant as they got older due to her clinginess. Despite this, she still cares about him.
122* Rin from ''WebAnimation/RefreshingStories'' is frequently a member of a motorcycle gang usually called the Sukatto Union.
123* ''WebAnimation/ReinasRoom'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Ci0JVCGQw Natsuki]] is a famous delinquent who is feared by everyone, though she has a soft spot for Kouichi.
124* ''WebAnimation/RomComMangaChan'': The episode ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYRCvOkqmzc I Was Cheated By My Girlfriend, The Scariest Girl In Class Became Sweet To Me Instead]]'' [sic] stars Mary Toyota as a notorious delinquent who never lost a fight, but turns out to be also naïve when it comes to romance.
125* Gang Leader-senpai from ''WebAnimation/SenpaiClub'' is one of these. Apparently he's been this way all his life because the ending theme shows him ten years ago as a delinquent looking little boy with a {{sarashi}} on. [[spoiler:Gang Leader-senpai apparently has a yellow smiley face tattoo on his shoulder that really kills his image, though he likes it apparently.]]
126* ''WebAnimation/{{Shishihara}}'':
127** Sota was a delinquent before entering high school however that does not mean that he can be pushed around.
128** A wannabe delinquent named [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSso6Tgw_GM Kitsune]] pretends to be Sota so he can intimidate people and extort them of their money. It eventually backfires when he tries to intimidate the real Sota and claims to be Sota in front of him, he also calls Sota a midget, causing him to snap and punch Kitsune in the stomach.
129** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpFeFVqDjZ0 Shuto]] claims to be a former leader of a delinquent gang and uses it to [[TheBully bully]] people in the football team. He is later revealed to be full of crap when Sota scares him off after he stole and trashed Yurika's oranges.
130* ''WebAnimation/UtasRomComMangaDubs'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDRexBL-I_I Marina]] is a punk girl who falls in love with Kento after [[RescueRomance saving her from several delinquents]].
131[[/folder]]
132
133[[folder:Webcomics]]
134* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'':
135** Onigawara Tenga is very much a classic example, right down to his massive pompadour. As the leader of Salt Middle School's delinquent gang, his actions (and their consequences) have large impacts between the start of the Teruki Arc and the start of the Claw Arc.
136** [[TheRival Teruki Hanazawa]] also starts as the ''Urabanchou'' (Hidden Leader) of Black Vinegar Middle School's delinquents before being humiliated by Mob during one of his [[SuperpoweredEvilSide blackouts]]. Mob himself doesn't really count, though the Salt Mid gang proclaims him as their own ''Urabanchou'' under the title of "White T Poison" after said blackout.
137* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': Knuckle Thrash is a MagicalGirl who seems to be based in part on the ''sukeban'' archetype, with a pair of magical [[PowerFist brass knuckles]] as her weapon of choice. She's usually somewhat reserved and no-nonsense, but there are hints that she comes from a [[FormerTeenRebel rebellious past]]; at one point, she mentions having sworn off getting into fistfights after she became a magical girl. The artist herself has even drawn her in traditional ''sukeban'' attire, complete with a leather jacket and black SailorFuku.
138[[/folder]]
139
140[[folder:Web Original]]
141* Yankii J of ''WebVideo/YouCanPlayThis'' was one of these that started as a DropInCharacter, but later became Creator/JewWario's roommate. Both he and his friend WebVideo/PsychOtaku claim to be alumni of the school in ''Manga/SakigakeOtokojuku'', mentioned above. Specifically, Yankii J claims to be J himself.
142[[/folder]]
143
144[[folder:Real Life]]
145* Japanese singer Nanase Aikawa is known for being a former sukeban. Her music was/is popular with bosozoku.
146* The members of the band Blankey Jet City were bosozoku in their youth.
147* VisualKei was ''born'' from bosozoku and yankii in The80s, when both preferred HardRock / HeavyMetal / PunkRock. Atsushi Sakurai of Music/BuckTick was a yankii. Music/XJapan in 1987-92 was more than half bosozoku - Yoshiki, Toshi, and Taiji were ''all'' bosozoku, with hide and Pata not being so but easily falling in. As a result, ''many'' of the first round of signings for both Creator/ExtasyRecords and Creator/FreeWillRecords were ''very'' heavy on ex or current bosozoku or yankii, and at least one band - the Extasy signed Music/TokyoYankees - was not only entirely made up of yankii but a ShoutOut to the subculture. While rap and hip-hop are now preferred among many active younger bosozoku and yankii (and Visual Kei became far less connected to them through the late The90s), that was how the style and scene originated.
148** Kishidan is a Japanese group which uses bosozoku/yankii aesthetics as part of them, included the use of motorcycles and weapons from bosozoku as well from GreaserDelinquents. Most of his songs are referred to bosozoku themes, as well songs to cheer up. Their songs are used in ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'' games and in one ending of ''Anime/NarutoShippuden''.
149** Lead singer Daishi from Music/PsychoLeCemu in various of their videoclips uses this attire and personality, especially in the songs ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPJ9FSu27A Yume Kazaguruma]]'' where the band members are dressed as various japanese stereotypes being Daishi the bosozoku, and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxcScXhmT9A Love is Dead]] where he appears as a yankii (a ShoutOut of [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Jotaro Kujo]].)
150* Japanese comedians Masaki Sata and Kiyoto Omizo, known as the Bad Boys, are former biker gang members, with Sata leading a large group in Fukuoka. Though he now sports a mohawk, Sata previously had a large pompadour. The duo often dress in yankee fashion while performing.
151* In the 1980s a photographer named Satoru Tsuda came up with [[https://suntorytime106.wordpress.com/2017/05/27/namennayo-delinquent-cats-of-the-1980s/ Namennayo]], photos of adorable little kittens being adorable little delinquents. It caught on in the US for a while under the name Perlorian and expanded to include non-delinquent kitties.
152[[/folder]]
153

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