Line #104 Manga/Holyland


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8	-> ''Between the worlds of boys and men, there lies Holyland, where laws don't matter and the strongest rule. In that world, ''he'' roamed. Yuu Kamishiro, he was there.''
9
10	''Holyland'' is a fairly realistic martial arts-based manga series with footnotes on how any used or subverted trope fits in with how martial arts really work. The author is Mori Kouji, who also wrote ''Manga/SuicideIsland'' and was a close friend of the late Creator/KentaroMiura.
11
12	Meet Yuu Kamishiro, a young high school student who was bullied during middle school. The harassment gets to the point he stops going to school and starts secretly training to fight. A year later, disconnected from life around him, he has taken to roaming the streets looking for a place to belong.
13
14	He unleashes his secret left-right combo on random street thugs and in doing so gains a reputation as a thug hunter. He ends up fighting increasingly strong opponents as everyone wants to test his skill. Though the series deals a little with the reality of gang violence, people beaten into comas are usually out of the hospital in a few chapters.
15
16	The manga was serialized in the {{seinen}} magazine ''Young Animal'' from 2000 to 2008, and compiled into 18 volumes. It was adapted into a Live-Action TV Drama in 2005 and 13 episodes were made; it aired at late-night Fridays in Japan, on TV Tokyo. Another live adaptation, this one Korean, was made in 2012 starring Shin Dongho of K-Pop group U-KISS as "Kang Yoo".
17	-----
18	!! This work provides example of:
19	* {{Acrofatic}}: Iwado. Notes mention how most people underestimate the speed of judoka.
20	* AdaptationPersonalityChange: In the Korean drama, Sang Mi is notably more cynical than Mai, and Woo Min Ki is much calmer than Yoshii, and genuinely AffablyEvil. {{Justified\|Trope}}, as [[FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling Sang Mi has to deal with her brother's inability to take care of himself at home or to clean said home]] and Woo Min Ki, being an ''adult'' boss, doesn't have anything to prove, allowing him to calm down.
21	* AdaptedOut: Both dramas don't feature King, his underlings and his plot.
22	* AdultsAreUseless: A major theme in the series. The teenage characters live in a total alien world to adults; the night streets, the fighting, their Holyland, adults make no part of it and the teens don't miss their company.
23	* AintTooProudToBeg: Yuu in chapter 88.
24	* AlmightyJanitor: Many gangsters who know karate won't take the black belt test even if they can fight at that level. Justified because having a black belt would give more ammunition to the prosecution if they ever got charged for assault.
25	* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Lots of them all around, especially the actual martial artists who start taking over for the delinquents.
26	* ArtisticLicenseMartialArts: Tsuchiya should actually be one of the more dangerous fighters in the manga. It is said his wrestling is ineffective on concrete as he can scrape his hands from grappling somebody, meaning he has to fight on sand or on grass for his skills to be truly effective. The main reason for this seems to be because he favors ankle picks where he dips very low to the ground. Tsuchiya is shown to be perfectly capable of using other wrestling moves that doesn't require going so near the ground like Double Leg Takedowns or Lateral Drops; there is also nothing stopping him from simply wearing gloves or knee pads to fight on concrete. If anything fighting on concrete should actually make Tsuchiya more dangerous as he can stop a fight by slamming someone onto the hard ground like Iwado does: he has shown he has more than enough athleticism to do so as he had picked up someone over his head once.
27	* AttackItsWeakPoint: Where to aim for on humans to do this is mentioned from time to time.
28	* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Chapter 168 explains that the ability to "read" an enemy is the real source of Masaki's ability, more than any of his physical prowess.
29	* BackToBackBadasses:
30	** Masaki and Tsuchiya in chapter 152.
31	** Yuu and Shougo in chapter 164.
32	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Mostly played straight in that villains who look physically ugly are a lot more likely to be {{Jerkass}}es (and generally don't get SympathyForTheDevil moments) compared to villains who look more normal.
33	* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: No matter how many fights he's been in and how many times he's been beaten up, Yuu has yet to lose or chip a visible tooth, hasn't broken his jaw or nose or gotten any permanent scars (he gets plenty of scratches and bruises, but never any permanent ones). Averted by some of the villains, who meanwhile get these things.
34	* BerserkButton: When he was younger, Izawa had one that got triggered by being taunted about running from an opponent [[spoiler:due to his father walking out on his family.]]
35	* TheBerserker: Yuu can become so enraged at a person that he doesn't even acknowledge someone else ''attacking him.''
36	* BigBrotherMentor: Masaki Izawa. Tsuchiya becomes one as well later on.
37	** [[spoiler:Yuu takes on this role]] at the end of the manga [[spoiler: after Masaki "graduates" from the streets to become a pro kickboxer]]
38	* BigDamnHeroes:
39	** Chapter 155: Shin, Masaki, and Tsuchiya show up before Ryuu can do a FinishingStomp on Yuu.
40	** Chapter 167: Taka and Iwado show up to a showdown between King's gang and a drug-ring fighting outfit organized by Masaki, and completely demolish the former. Taka even lampshades how it [[GoodFeelsGood feels good to know that he's swinging his (wooden) sword "for justice"]] for once.
41	* BigOlEyebrows: Shougo. They mostly stand out because they're not bleached, but his hair is.
42	* BittersweetEnding: King is gone and True has been taken off the streets, [[spoiler: but Yuu is stabbed by a kid in the same position he was in at the [[LoserProtagonist start of the series]]. Despite all odds, Yuu manages to pull through, and he's last seen guarding kids in the Tokyo nightlife having taken on a role similar to Izawa.]]
43	* BlandNameProduct: Wakudonalds.
44	** Chapter 107 gives us [[Creator/{{Capcom}} Copcom]].
45	* BloodKnight: Shougo Midorikawa, the Karate user.
46	** Izawa Masaki, to an extent.
47	** Yuu himself appears to be headed in this direction
48	*** [[InvokedTrope Yuu knows it,]] too, and swings between acceptance and fear of becoming this. More towards acceptance in later chapters.
49	* BodyguardingABadass: King has two highly skilled CoDragons, but eventually turns out to be quite the capable fighter himself.
50	* BoisterousWeakling: Yagi shouts a good shout but can't back it up with his fists at all.
51	* BookEnds: The series both starts and ends with a rookie entering the world of the back-alley street fighting and thug scene in the hope of finding a place he can 'belong' to. [[spoiler:Only in the ending, the NaiveNewcomer has the Thug Hunter still around and looking out for him.]]
52	* BoringButPractical: The moves shown. Nothing crazy that you need to be a ballerina to use, just the straightforward and effective. Especially notable with how Yuu got his initial fame, his second fight with Shogo's sempai, and the first fight with Yoshito:
53	** Yuu's initial victories come from the basic one-two and an improvised training regime based mostly on push-ups. Nothing but above-average (if growing) fitness and the most basic combo in boxing.
54	** Shogo's sempai is larger and has the advantage in both strength and reach, plus experience in kicking... But Yuu gets the advantage by hiding behind a concrete light pole to neutralize the kicks and strike only with the jab, Boxing's most basic strike that reverses the reach advantage.
55	** While Yoshito, a trained kickboxer, is legitimately more skilled than Yuu, his greatest advantage comes from his superior stamina and the ability to pace himself, with Yuu quickly tiring himself out. Yuu aknowledges this by training with Yamazaki to improve both his boxing and, most importantly, his stamina before his rematch with Yoshito.
56	* BoxingBattler: Yuu starts out as this, but moves away as the story progresses and he integrates different moves into his style.
57	** Masaki is thought to be one at first, at least until Shougo reveals he's actually a karateka who started boxing in high school and that in the fight we've seen him so far there simply was no need for him to use more than his hands.
58	* BrokenAce: Masaki. He is at first presented as everything Yuu is not: Calm, experienced, self-confident, an expert fighter and a martial arts prodigy in both karate and boxing, and highly respected. Eventually, his backstory reveals [[spoiler: he's basically a two year older Yuu who went through even worse things (including a suicide attempt), came out broken and cynical, and has basically given up on trying to move forward after reaching his current slump.]]
59	* ButIReadABookAboutIt: Yuu first learnt boxing through a book.
60	* TheCavalry: [[spoiler: Shougo calls the police before Katou's thugs can take revenge on Yuu. Iwado in chapter 59 saving Yuu from three thugs.]]
61	* TheCavalryArrivesLate: [[spoiler:After Yuu beats Shougo, the other thugs have already started beating Yuu before the police arrive.]]
62	* CelebrityParadox: In chapter 182, one passerby says that Masaki looks like the actor who portrayed him in the LiveActionAdaptation.
63	* ChangedMyMindKid: In chapter 67, [[spoiler:Shougo decides to go to Masaki's aid after previously saying he didn't want to.]]
64	* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: In chapter 170, King somehow slices a beer bottle's neck off with his bare hands.
65	* TheCityNarrows: Where most of the street fighting takes place.
66	* ClarkKentOutfit: In Later volumes when Yuu gets quite muscle bound, while in his school uniform, t-shirts or wearing long sleeve shirts his muscles are barely notable. Only in a normal shirt you can see how far his body has developed.
67	* ClassicalAntiHero: Yuu. The entire manga is basically about Yuu shedding his 'outsider' status and flaws in order to find a place he belongs.
68	* CombatPragmatist: Several times, the narration will point out the differences between sparring and street fighting and the no-holds-barred nature of the latter.
69	** Late in the manga, we learn that karate is a martial arts form of this trope. [[spoiler:Shougo announces to one and all that he's done playing around when he ''gouges Ryuu's eye and spearhands him in the neck.'']]
70	* CompositeCharacter: In the Korean drama, "the Soldier" has Taka's role as the final henchman called in specifically to take on Masaki (Sang-Ho in the adaptation), but is a kempo practitioner like [[spoiler:King]].
71	* ConfusionFu: Masaki diagnoses Yuu's fighting style as this in chapter 89: the reason why he can beat better conventionally trained foes is due to mixing styles into an unpredictable blend.
72	* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Averted as Yuu can win one-on-one duels, but usually does poorly in a target-rich environment. [[spoiler:He has got better at it later on.]]
73	* CowardlyLion: This is a major part of Yuu's characterization.
74	* CripplingOverspecialization: Tsuchiya is a wrestler, which means he has to drop onto his hands and knees quite often to use his best moves. The manga goes out of the way to point out that this ''will not work'' on asphalt, severely limiting Tsuchiya's streetfighting (Tsuchiya himself admits that when he fought Masaki before the series he lost ''without being hit once'', scraping his hands and knees on concrete was more than enough to disable him). But, as Shougo points out, ''nobody'' can fight Tsuchiya on ground soft enough for him to use his full range of wrestling skills, such as a vacant lot of grass.
75	* CurbStompCushion: [[spoiler:Masaki versus Yuu, the first time. Yuu genuinely did get in a seriously dangerous attack, though Shougo suspects the whole thing was a BatmanGambit on Masaki's part to give Yuu one hit.]]
76	* DamnYouMuscleMemory: [[spoiler:When Shougo gets a headbutt from Katou he reverts to his karate training, which proves his undoing.]]
77	* DealWithTheDevil: In chapter 147 the Yakuza regular tempts Masaki with Yakuza assistance in dealing with the drug problem if he just joins up. Masaki refuses.
78	* DeathSeeker: In chapter 159 King says that Shougo seems like he almost wants to die.
79	* DefeatMeansFriendship: [[spoiler:Iwado and Midorikawa Shougo,]] obviously. [[spoiler:Also Taka and Tsuchiya seem to be going this way.]]
80	* {{Delinquents}}: Lots. Well, just about everyone, with few exceptions.
81	* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife:
82	** Yuu, which is why he started going into the streets for fights.
83	** It eventually comes to light that practically all the street fighters are this way, hanging around the streets because they've got nowhere better to be. Many of the more skilled ones talk about 'graduating from the streets' and taking their skills into the realm of professional martial arts. In the end, [[spoiler:Masaki takes this step and becomes a pro kickboxer, leaving Yuu to fill in his shoes as BigBrotherMentor to a new generation of street fighters.]]
84	* {{Determinator}}: Yuu. Once his blood is up, he'll take beatings that do in lesser men and keep going until he wins or is definitively knocked out.
85	* DiabolusExMachina: The ending. [[spoiler:Yuu has beaten King and had his final showdown with Masaki, where he admits Yuu's the better fighter.]] Then, on the way back from his final fight in the series, [[spoiler: [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Yuu is stabbed with a knife by a nobody and left to die alone in an alleyway.]]]] The final TimeSkip chapter plays with [[spoiler: whether he's really dead or not, as nobody has seen him in the interim and they NeverFoundTheBody, [[SubvertedTrope until Yuu finally shows up alive in the last half]].]]
86	** With the knowledge that [[spoiler: Yuu is alive, the talk about him in this chapter could be taken in another way, i.e. Shin regrets that Yuu chose to stay on the streets instead of going pro.]]
87	* {{Dirty Coward}}: Yagi. Pretends to be a badass gang boss, but is really this. In the latter half of the series he is so terrified of Yuu that he can only face him when hiding behind King's two MMA henchmen or when he's [[spoiler:holding Mai hostage.]] When he is last seen in the manga, he [[spoiler:pathetically begs for his life in front of an enraged Yuu (after already trying to hide from him and seeing him everywhere) before he gets his much deserved curbstomp.]]
88	* DisappearedDad: [[spoiler:Izawa's father,]] in his back-story.
89	* DisproportionateRetribution: Yuu is a rare protagonist example of this, and ''nobody'' attempts to justify it in-universe. Basically, you want to fight Yuu? He's good with that, he'll fight you, [[NothingPersonal but he won't hold a grudge.]] [[ItsPersonal Target someone Yuu cares about who]] ''isn't'' a fighter? ''Especially'' if your reason is [[DirtyCoward that you're afraid to confront him directly?]] Yuu will beat the '''absolute hell''' out of anyone and everyone who associates with you until he can find you.
90	* DontMakeMeDestroyYou: Masaki says this to King in chapter 140. Obviously, the villain does not listen.
91	* TheDreaded: Yuu wants to become this so that bullies and gangsters will stop bothering him. It not actually working is a major recurring theme.
92	* DrivenToSuicide: Yuu wanted to in the backstory, but could not bring himself to actually take the step off the roof. [[spoiler: Masaki has scars on his wrist from an attempt; we later learn that he would have successfully bled out if Mai had not walked in on him.]]
93	* DrugsAreBad: The story arc about the new street drug "True" is this in spades. Also, the drug trade in general throughout the series.
94	* DumbMuscle: Tsuchiya is a subversion. Initially he looks like a simple-minded wrestler, but chapter 84 reveals that he can think rather profoundly. Not super-intelligent enough to be a true GeniusBruiser though.
95	* EvenEvilHasStandards:
96	** [[spoiler: The gangsters who refused to gang up on Yuu with Katou.]]
97	** Even Ryuu, the more insane of King's two henchmen, is creeped out by Katou.
98	* EvilCannotComprehendGood: This is one of King's flaws as mentioned in chapter 172.
99	* EvilPowerVacuum: King's rise to power in the Shimokita and Kishijoji areas was enabled by Yuu ''destroying'' Yagi and Kato during his rampage and Izawa humiliating Yoshii, thus removing the main obstacles he had to move in. To cement that, King even recruits Yoshii's two former strongest henchmen, various delinquents from both schools, and even [[DemotedToDragon Yagi himself]].
100	* EvilVersusEvil: Katou tries to muscle in on King's drug operation. It does not end well for him.
101	* ExtremeMeleeRevenge: In chapter 129, some seniors pushed Masaki's BerserkButton to lure him into a trap. In chapter 131, he paid two of them back.
102	* EyeScream: Twice. Graphically. It is, after all, a series about [[CombatPragmatist street fighting.]]
103	%%* FeelNoPain: Katou due to drugs.
104	* FinalExamFinale: The fight with King demands Yuu bring to bear everything he learned throughout the series.
105	* FingerTenting: The principal in chapter 131 does this while announcing Masaki's [[spoiler:expulsion from the boxing club]].
106	* FlawExploitation: See Masaki's BerserkButton above? In chapter 129, some envious seniors pressed it to lure him into a trap.
107	* ForTheEvulz:
108	** [[spoiler:Why Katou attacked Shin.]]
109	** Averted and invoked after [[spoiler:Izawa beats the shit out of Yoshii]], who was the main antagonist for most of the series. Most characters think everything he did was for the evulz, turns out [[spoiler:he was simply jealous of Izawa, but didn't wanted anyone to know it, so he pretended to do it for the evulz. Even when asked directly, he answered "because he's an eyesore."]]
110	** In chapter 172 King gives "fun" as the reason why he brought his drug into town.
111	* AFriendInNeed: Shin is the only character who always sticks by Yuu no matter what.
112	* FromNobodyToNightmare:
113	** [[spoiler:King]] deliberately invoked this before the story's time-line.
114	--> '''[[spoiler:King]]:''' I had to be the bully, so no-one would bully me!
115	** Also Yoshii. He was originally just another bullied kid before Taka saved him.
116	* GameBreakingInjury: Used several times throughout the series. For example, Osada and Yoshito kicked Yuu's legs until he could not use them to support his weight. Yuu later learns to use it himself.
117	* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan:
118	** Masaki does this to Yuu [[spoiler: to stop him carrying out ExtremeMeleeRevenge on Katou. It doesn't take. He tries again later and succeeds.]]
119	** Shin of all people does this to Yuu in chapter 101.
120	* GeoEffects: Terrain and location play a role in many fights:
121	** As Masaki explains, on the street Judo is something to be feared simply because you're not falling on a mat but on concrete. In the series, the only one to ever (barely) stand back up after being thrown by Iwado is Yuu, and that was because his backpack softened the blow.
122	** To be properly executed, many wrestling moves need the user to go so low they scrape the terrain with knees and the palms of the hands-something that prevents Tsuchiya from going all out on concrete, as he himself learned the hard way when he fought Masaki in the past and defeated himself by going that low. He claims his ideal terrain would be sand, as it's optimally soft and would keep kick users from doing their best... But even grass is soft enough for him to become virtually invincible, as Yagi and the Inogata siblings find out there was a reason ''[[BloodKnight Shogo]]'' didn't want to fight him there.
123	** During his rematch with Shogo's sempai, Yuu challenges him in a dead-end alley, and takes advantage of the corners and light poles to prevent him from using his kicks and force him into a fist-only fight where the reach advantage of Yuu's boxing jabs is decisive.
124	* {{Gonk}}: Iwato, the fat Judo user, has an astoundingly round head. Later, his face is drawn differently, goofy and standing out from the rest of the art style.
125	** Katou, the horrifyingly ugly junkie street boss. He doesn't depart from the art style like Iwado, but he is missing his front teeth, has a crooked nose, and his eyes are milky and deeply strabismal.
126	* GoodOldFisticuffs: Played with. Most fighters base their styles on some formal martial art - even Masaki's has karate as a base - and effectiveness varies.
127	* GratuitousEnglish: The English titles for the chapters are from the original print of the manga in Japan.
128	* GrievousHarmWithABody: Tsuchiya throws a thug at some others twice in chapter 144.
129	* GroinAttack: Katou pulls this on [[spoiler: Shougo and Yuu.]]
130	* HandwrapsOfAwesome: Yuu takes to using these when he's not using his homemade pair of plastic hand guards.
131	* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Played with. Yuu is noted as being precociously talented in martial arts, despite his 'style' being a patchwork mish-mash of street fighting with some moves learned from his opponents thrown in, and defeats several people who've spent years practising their respective sport or martial art. On the other hand, Yuu works himself to the bone and tends to (initially) fare badly when facing people who both have talent ''and'' years of training.
132	* HeelFaithTurn: Implied to have been what delivered [[spoiler: Masaki]] from his StartOfDarkness.
133	* HeroicBSOD: Yuu, right after [[spoiler: Shin gets attacked.]] He also [=BSODs=] again several chapters later and takes a while to regain his old fighting form. Hell, Yuu before the series even starts.
134	* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Yuu struggles with the reality of turning the tables on his bullies.
135	* IAmAMonster: Yuu's view of himself in chapter 101 after he loses control in a friendly boxing spar.
136	* IJustWantToBeNormal: Yuu, often.
137	* ImNotHereToMakeFriends: Masaki as a first-year in the boxing club.
138	* InformedAbility: Yoshii's knife-fighting, considering that he gets demolished by an injured Masaki immediately afterwards.
139	* InvulnerableKnuckles: Averted. Yuu breaks or otherwise injures his knuckles a few times and takes to wearing protective gear.
140	* ItsPersonal: Masaki originally did not want to lead the rest of the street fighters against King, but when [[spoiler:Yagi tried to kidnap Mai]], he changed his mind.
141	* JustHitHim: Justified and subverted. Iwado is a judoka, so it makes sense that he would be better at throwing than striking. At the same time, it's shown that getting hurled into a concrete wall or onto asphalt can be as fight-ending as a good strike combo. Also inverted in the fight against Taka, where at one point in chapter 72, Yuu closes on his foe and the narration notes that he could have ended the fight right there had he used a grab or throw rather than trying to strike.
142	* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: [[spoiler:Masaki pretends to do this to Yuu]] in order to [[spoiler:placate the watching thugs.]]
143	* KirkSummation: Yuu gives one in chapter 176 to counter King's attempt at a NotSoDifferentRemark.
144	* KnightOfCerebus: Whenever Katou shows up, things get much worse in short order: the first time, Shin is at the receiving end of a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown that puts him in the hospital, and the second time kicks off the True arc.
145	* LighterAndSofter: The two dramas: both remove Katou's drug addiction (but he's still a drunkard in the Korean one) and ends before the True arc.
146	* LogicalWeakness: Tsuchiya having to go low to tackle exposes his back of neck and puts his head in easy reach of kicks.
147	* {{Malevolent Masked M\|en}}an: Ryuu puts a mask on after his first fight with Yuu, for no obvious reason though.
148	* ManlyTears: Yuu, Masaki, and Shougo each weep these at least once.
149	* MistakenForBadass: Yuu is, in the eyes of the delinquents and gangsters, some fearsome hunter.
150	* MoralMyopia: Yamazaki wanted to have to have a friendly boxing match with Yuu both to teach him proper boxing techniques and to show the superiority of boxing yet is given two WhatTheHellHero speeches. The first when his boxing club members got angry when Yuu started using grappling maneuvers when he was losing and second when he retailiated in kind. In both instance he was told that he was wrong because yuu is a street fighter.
151	* MoreDespicableMinion: King may be a SmugSnake, but Yagi kidnaps, drugs, and leaves Yuu's love interest to be raped on camera while his thugs beat Yuu up, a depth that not even King sinks to.
152	* MrExposition: Masaki, all the time. The author himself on occasion (see PaintingTheMedium) or any of the more experienced fighters.
153	* MuggingTheMonster: Happens to Yuu so often it's almost a ''RunningGag''. It's even part of his EstablishingCharacterMoment, as we first see him when Yagi tries to mug him only to be taken down by the same one-two combo [[MrExposition Masaki]] had been describing to his friends.
154	** One of the Korean drama's early fights has a couple thugs pull a ''double'' one, as Kang Yoo gets underestimated as always when they try and molest Sang Mi... That is, ''Mai's counterpart''. Who was actually trying to warn them her older brother was a former boxer before Yoo arrived and tried to talk them down.
155	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Shougo]] experiences this, ''finally'', after being kind of an asshole for a good eighty-plus chapters and having a beaten and bloodied Shin ''literally'' crawling in order to see him.
156	* MyGodYouAreSerious: Early on, this is the general reaction when those who have fought him or seen him in action tell others that Yuu is the Thug Hunter. The final instance was when Yuu was forced to fight Iwado, with everyone from Setashou who hadn't already faced him laughing at the idea and even wondering if it wasn't a case of a mistaken identity... Up until Yuu threw his one-two and knocked Iwado down.
157	** In the Korean drama, this is the reaction of Yoshii's counterpart when Kang Yoo says that nobody ordered him to beat up his men, prompting him to ask in shock if he did it [[BloodKnight just because he wanted to fight them]] before deciding he doesn't really care and sending his Judoka in.
158	* MyGreatestFailure: Masaki's is [[spoiler:begging forgiveness from thugs that he could have fought]], while Yuu's is [[spoiler:getting Shin attacked]].
159	* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight: Masaki calmly takes on a knife-wielder and dismantles him - all without disarming him. Notes mention how blind focus on trying to wrestle away the weapon is unwise. The author does mention that fighting bare-fisted against someone with a weapon is generally unwise, Masaki is exceptional after all. [[spoiler:Then averted in the manga's final chapter, when a kid with a knife [[DiabolusExMachina blind-sides Yuu]] and [[{{Cliffhanger}} apparently fatally stabs him]] (the epilogue reveals that he survived).]]
160	* NotHimself: A frequent occurrence with Yuu. More experienced fighters are able to recognise when his heart is not properly in the fight, as his skill takes a corresponding drop.
161	* NotSoHarmlessVillain: [[spoiler:King, who appeared to be just a drug trafficking boss, is quite the fighter - chapter 159 reveals he is discipled in ''Chinese'' (actually stated as Japanese) Kenpo and even managed to strike fear in Shougo's heart]].
162	* OhCrap: In chapter 27 Yuu's old bullies have this when they realise he's TookALevelInBadass. In chapter 35 it's Shougo's turn when [[spoiler: Katou tackles him and takes him to ground]]. And in Chapter 149 it's Yagi's turn after [[spoiler:Yuu foils his attempt to kidnap Mai and attacks his car in a maddened rage]].
163	* OneHitKill: Chapter 29 mentions that the best way if forced to fight multiple opponents is to take out lesser fighters as fast as possible.
164	* OneTractMind: Whenever they meet after their fight, Iwado ''will'' proclaim he's stronger than Yuu, multiple times.
165	* OneWordTitle: Also a {{Portmantitle}}, and also ThePlace, as ''Holyland'' is a place one can belong to, something worth protecting.
166	%%* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: King.
167	* OnlySaneMan: Tetsu, King's other MMA henchman. While also violent, he's the sane and level-headed one of the two. He even calls Ryuu out on the latter's sadism and unprofessionalism.
168	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Masaki ''never'' uses weapons, so him pulling brass knuckles against Taka and wearing them on his left is treated as a sign that he's either scared (Yoshii and his group), has planned something (Shougo, Tsuchiya and those who'd listen them), or respect for his armed opponent (Taka). [[spoiler:Shougo and Tsuchiya were right: he used his left fist and the brass knuckles as a shield to block Taka's boken]].
169	** Yuu is soft-spoken, has clothes of various colors, and if he's wearing anything on his hands it's his HandwrapsOfAwesome. If he suddenly starts screaming and/or shows up with black clothing and gloves, it means he's actively hunting someone and ''will'' destroy anyone in his way.
170	* PaintingTheMedium: of a sort: when the pros and cons of a certain move are explained by Izawa or someone else, the author elucidates further with diagrams and text boxes clearly not perceived by the characters.
171	* {{Papercutting}}: This being done to King in chapter 174 convinces him to get serious.
172	* ParentalAbandonment: Pretty much all characters are victim of this, as adults are clearly not a big part of the teenager cast's lives; their parents are completely absent and neglectful of their children, others are dead, and the majority simply doesn't exist in the storytelling.
173	* PayEvilUntoEvil: Invoked by Yuu in his speech before he [[spoiler:fights Taka]]. "All I know is that I will answer malice... with violence."
174	* ThePlace: Also a OneWordTitle and a {{Portmantitle}}, as ''Holyland'' is a place one can belong to, something worth protecting.
175	%%* PoorCommunicationKills: Another common theme, and a serious source of drama.
176	* {{Portmantitle}}: Also a OneWordTitle and an example of ThePlace, as ''Holyland'' is a place one can belong to, something worth protecting.
177	* PragmaticVillainy:
178	** The Yakuza exist and are in business, but don't ''want'' to get involved in the events of the story because acting openly would cause unwarranted attention from the police. Thus when Yuu's RoaringRampageOfRevenge has him beating some of their pushers their member Shimoyama goes to Izawa and tells him to stop Yuu before they have to intervene, and are more than happy to let Yuu go with only [[spoiler:Izawa's fake beating]] as long as he doesn't go after their pushers again.
179	** Late in the story Shimoyama warns Izawa about True and its effects. He's completely open on the fact they're doing it because True may be cornering their market and they don't want to get involved unless they have to, and later, as they realized they ''can'' take advantage of True after all, decide to not get involved unless King makes too much noise.
180	* RedBaron: Yuu, "the Thug Hunter". Masaki, "the Charisma of the Streets".
181	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Getting arrested, technically but this is what happens to [[spoiler:Shougo in chapter 166 when he saves Yuu and beats down (and partially blinds) Ryuu]].
182	* RequiredSecondaryPowers: In chapter 64, after seeing Yuu's more muscular body and the latter's issues with his form, Shougo points out that it needs to be adapted to his new physique, likening it to how a car can't just get a better engine thrown in but needs to be modified all around to make use of that added power.
183	* TheResenter: [[spoiler:Shougou eventually becomes this]].
184	* RetiredBadass: If this trope can be said to apply to a person mid-twenties, Masaki is an example.
185	* TheReveal: Masaki is [[spoiler:Mai's brother.]]
186	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Yuu goes on one after [[spoiler:Shin is hospitalized.]]
187	** Was on the verge of one when [[spoiler:Yagi tried to kidnap Mai]] before [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan Izawa snapped him out of it]].
188	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Some of the thugs in chapter 162 chose to flee than try taking on Yuu.
189	* ShownTheirWork: Extensive annotations for all the fight scenes, explaining how the various attacks, defenses, and footwork work to the combatants' advantages -- and disadvantages. Probably the selling point of the manga. There are, however, some flubs here and there; always consult a properly trained martial artist first.
190	* SlasherSmile: Tsuchiya gets one in chapter 144 just before he turns a fight around.
191	** Ryuu in particular is prone to this.
192	* SmugSnake: Practically all the arc villains are unbearably smug.
193	* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: Yuu starts out with small-time thugs and {{Glory Seeker}}s who mostly know basic street-fighting and a single martial art, moves his way up to youth gangsters who are more adult and are better trained in one or multiple disciplines (or fight dirty) and are accustomed to actual fighting, before starting to butt heads with martial art prodigies or pros with formal training in actually combat-related disciplines like kickboxing or [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts MMA]].
194	** Zig zagged with Tsuchiya. Early in the series he loses fights to both Shougo & Yuu, due to being tactically disadvantaged using wrestling to the former, and attempting to using boxing in the latter. Near the end of the series when it's revealed wrestling works best on soft surfaces(grass, sand) he's actually able to defeat Yuu handily in sparring sessions, defeats the Inogata siblings, and verbally challenges Shougo, each of those times on grass.
195	* TaughtByExperience: Yuu adapts his fighting style based on his experiences.
196	* TellMeHowYouFight: Endemic to the story. Yuu's fighting style evolves to fit his character growth, from simple beginnings to a fully-rounded end, while a lot of the named characters mirror their personality with their fighting style and often alter their style during their arcs as well.
197	* TemptingFate: At one point Sawako gangsters are thinking of going after Shougo or Yuu after attacking [[spoiler: Shinichi]]. Cue the former.
198	* TookALevelInBadass: Essentially, the entire series for Yuu.
199	* TragicKeepsake: The [[RuleOfSymbolism crucifix]] Masaki wears around his neck is later shown not to be a mere fashion accessory. [[spoiler: It was given to him by a terminally ill blind girl when he hid inside a church during his StartOfDarkness, in order to [[BlindSeer "give him guidance"]]. [[HeelFaceTurn It eventually worked]]. He is later shown gripping it and praying when he is faced with the decision to either take down King's drug ring or back away.]]
200	* TrueCompanions: One of the key meanings of the term "Holyland" (especially for Yuu who never had a true friend in his life) - a place one can belong to, something worth protecting.
201	* UnderestimatingBadassery: Happens to a number of fighters at least once. Most notably, Iwado was underestimated ''twice in one fight'', first because he seemed just a fat guy and then, after he destroyed one of his opponents with a Judo throw, because the two survivors had recognized Judo but thought they only had to worry about the great throws.
202	* UngratefulBastard: [[spoiler:The guy who stabs Yuu in the second-last chapter is a student who Yuu saved from bullies many chapters back.]]
203	* UnskilledButStrong: All Yuu could do for quite a while was a "one-two" combo that he applied a bit differently when the situation called for it. However, his power, speed (both recognised InUniverse) and ability to take beatings that do in lesser men help him to hold his own.
204	** This is actually subverted. The one-two works because Yuu's opponents don't expect someone as small and timid as him to have knockout power in both fists. Once rumors start spreading of the "thug-hunting boxer" and people start expecting the one-two combo, he has to learn different punches, proper footwork, and kicks in order to keep winning.
205	** Katou has absolutely no formal training whatsoever, but is naturally strong, fights extremely dirty, and is near insensitive to pain due to drug abuse.
206	* UseYourHead: [[spoiler: Katou does this to Shougo, marking the start of the latter's loss.]]
207	* VacuumHurricaneKick: Totally averted, thank God.
208	* VillainByDefault: Majority of {{Delinquents}} and other gangsters seem to exist only to cause trouble.
209	** Yuu has admited several times that he doesn't know if he's on the "good" side, there's a time when he recognizes that even those who picked fights on him were posibly "protecting their holyland". This goes to the point that Izawa comments on how stupid is to gather up to just "commit crimes".
210	** Yuu admits that [[SympathyForTheDevil he is similar to them]]; they too are just looking for a place to belong to and protecting that place. The biggest difference between him and them is that due to him being bullied, he developed a shy, timid, humble, and more considerate personality, which is the opposite of most of the hot-headed, conceited, jackass thugs.
211	* WaistcoatOfStyle: Masaki sports one at his bartending job.
212	* WigDressAccent: Yagi tries to do this in chapter 170, going InTheHood and wearing SunglassesAtNight. Yuu isn't fooled for a second.
213	* WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter: Taka the kendoka fights using a wooden sword, which is a frightening weapon in his skilled hands. It can break bones as effectively as a baseball bat, and anyone with a shorter weapon or bare fists is very disadvantaged against his reach.
214	* WorfHadTheFlu:
215	** A recurring phenomenon. When Yuu or whoever's heart is not in it, their fighting ability takes a large drop.
216	** Turns out, [[spoiler:Shougo]]'s actual ability had been kept down by his InferioritySuperiorityComplex ''the whole time'', most clearly shown by him adopting stances that [[spoiler:made him appear bigger to hide his short stature]], no matter if they hampered him or not. After he finally realizes how he had been acting he suddenly becomes a much more fearsome opponent than he had ever been, even as he had been weakened by [[spoiler:his addiction to True]].
217	* WorthyOpponent: Practically all the non-SmugSnake villains are presented as this instead.
218	* {{Yakuza}}: When Yuu's RoaringRampageOfRevenge extends to attacking drug pushers, one of these tells Masaki to put a stop to it before they have to do it themselves. Later on, he shows up again to tell Masaki to do something about the teen gangs pushing Shiromon/True before the adults have to get involved.
219	* YouAreNotAlone:
220	** Tsuchiya says this to Masaki in chapter 147 when the latter does not want to shoulder the burden of putting together a group to stand up to the drug pushers.
221	** Masaki passes the favour on to Yuu in chapter 156.
222	* YouCanBarelyStand: Invoked by Yoshii in chapter 67, where he has two thugs try to ambush Masaki and weaken him before the fight with Taka.
223	* YoungerThanTheyLook: Tsuchiya is barely out of high school but looks like he's in his mid-twenties (which helps his BigBrotherMentor credit). He gets annoyed when people automatically assume he's older than he really is.

Context Manga / Holyland