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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kongou_banchou_cover_59.jpg]]
2 [[caption-width-right:350:Clockwise from the middle: [[TheHero Akira Kongoh]], [[ButtMonkey Nenbutsu Bancho]], [[PintSizedPowerhouse Gouriki Bancho]], [[IaijutsuPractitioner Iai Bancho]], [[TagalongKid Hinako Sakura]], [[MagnificentBastard Hikyou Bancho]], [[MamaBear Sasori Banchou]] ]]
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4''Kongoh Bancho'' ("Gang Leader Kongoh") is a shonen manga by Nakaba Suzuki that was serialized in ''[[Magazine/ShonenSunday Weekly Shonen Sunday]]'' magazine from 2007 to 2010 and compiled into 12 volumes. It stars high school student Akira Kongoh, a ten-to-twelve-foot-tall mountain of muscle with incredibly spiky AnimeHair, mile-wide shoulders, and a stare that could cut bread.
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6After a series of misadventures involving a young girl named Hinako Sakura, who has a compulsion to take pictures of things that are "sooooo unusual" with her cell phone's camera, and her younger sister Tsukimi, in which he demonstrates his incredible strength and resilience (as well as his capacity for kindness and understanding), Kongoh reveals his reasons for his sudden appearance: He has come to stop something called "The 23 District Project". This involves people called "Bancho", people who have exceptional fighting skills as well as great amounts of charisma (and who can be identified by the dark red phoenix tattoo on the back of their neck), fighting for control of the 23 districts of Japan. (The word "bancho" itself is usually used to refer to the leader of a delinquent gang, and all Bancho wear Japanese school uniform jackets, in one form or another.) Whosoever conquers them all will be given control of Japan and will be able to mold its future to their liking.
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8He later ends up defeating one of the Bancho - Iai Bancho, a master of ''iaijutsu''. He is then told that defeating a bancho means you gain their territory and are now part of the 23 District Project, whether you want to be or not, and is given his new title by his defeated opponent: Kongoh Bancho.
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10From there, it leads to awesome fights with ThePowerOfFriendship causing DefeatMeansFriendship to those who are defeated, while trying to stop the BigBad and his AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil from destroying Japan's population.
11----
12!!This manga provides examples of:
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14* AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil: Well, they're ''called'' a student council, even if they don't really seem to fit the strict definition of one.
15* {{Action Hero}}:
16** KONGOH, among others.
17** For those who don't understand much about Japan or the Japanese language, calling someone a Bancho is basically the same as saying that they are the most badass person in their school and/or school district. And the only way to get this title is [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership by kicking the ass of anyone and everyone who tries to take it]]. Basically, anyone who holds the title of Bancho has already established themselves thoroughly as the most badass individual in their district before even arriving on the scene, so just by hearing their name, you can expect moments of unrivaled badassery from them.
18* ActionMom: Sasori Bancho. [[spoiler:It isn't really her kid, but hey, since when did that matter?]]
19* AnimeHair: As noted above, Kongoh. [[spoiler:Also, [[BadassFamily his brother and his nephew.]]]] There's also Bakunetsu Bancho, who looks like [[Anime/YuGiOh Yugi]] only ''[[IncendiaryExponent on fire]]''.
20** In a weird twist, it turned out that the Kongou family doesn't have weird spiky hair... It's their skull that is shaped like that! If you stop and think about that for a second, it actually puts quite a twist on [[spoiler:the death of Rai's mother]].
21* ArchnemesisDad: Kongoh's father.
22* ArtisticLicenseBiology: A couple of Bancho, such as Kangoku Bancho and Nenchaku Bancho. Machine Bancho's minions, on the other hand, are extremely confused when [[LampshadeHanging this trope goes into full effect]].
23** By the last arc of the series this trope becomes ridiculously prevalent. It butchers evolution, paleontology, cellular biology and everything else in-between.
24* ArtisticLicenseHistory: I was not aware America played a game with Britain so that they could declare their independence.
25** Pretty much anytime there's a panel explaining the "history" of something, you can almost guarantee this trope is in full effect. It's probably a RunningGag more than anything else.
26* ArtisticLicensePhysics: The final battle of the series breaks all of the laws of thermodynamics. Hell, the final climax involves [[spoiler:punching the Earth's core back into position!]]. On that note, one could argue it is also ArtisticLicenseGeology...
27* AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance: several characters, but Bakunetsu Bancho probably takes the cake. Possibly {{Justified|Trope}} in that he's a ContestWinnerCameo.
28* TheAtoner: Oyanana. Noticeable in that he's probably the [[SissyVillain weakest character]] in the series (except for maybe the Sakura sisters), but he [[IWantToBeARealMan gets]] [[AFriendInNeed points]] [[TakingTheBullet for]] [[CurbStompBattle trying]].
29* AxCrazy: Kenpei Banchou.
30* BadassAdorable: Rai, though he's not exactly "adorable" considering how much he looks like a chibi-Kongoh, [[AstonishinglyAppropriateAppearance which lets you know in advance that he is going to kick someone's ass at one point]].
31* BadassLongcoat: Bancho are known for wearing long coats, and Kongoh is no exception.
32* BalloonBelly: The secret to [[spoiler:Nenbutsu]] Bancho's attacks.
33* BatterUp: "Homerun Bancho", a recurring {{Mook}}.
34%%* BattleButler: Gokurou.
35* BearsAreBadNews: An interesting case with the "Mountain Destroyer", a ''cow'' that, when first seen, has a bear impaled on one horn and is chewing on another.
36* BigDamnHeroes: This happens later in the series when [[spoiler:all of Kongoh's defeated enemies show up to help him when he's getting whupped by five Bancho at once]].
37* BigEater: Gouriki Bancho, which is explained to be due to her "Hyperion Constitution" and subsequent metabolism.
38* TheBigGuy: Many, many people, but the main character is the first one we meet.
39* BishonenLine: Lampshaded by Nenbutsu Bancho in his fight against [[spoiler:Nenchaku]] Bancho, and is then subverted when this second form is every bit as squicky as the first.
40* BlowYouAway: Nenbutsu Bancho's main form of attack, [[CallingYourAttacks always called]] with the phrase "Katsu". [[spoiler: It's really a BreathWeapon, and shouting Katsu is how he expels the air. Shouting "Butsu" changes the "caliber" on these air bullets, making them smaller, more powerful and capable of piercing most anything.]]
41* BrickJoke: Used twice at the same time at the end of the Five Dark Vows arc.
42* ButtMonkey: Nenbutsu Banchou tends to get this treatment within TheTeam.
43* CallingYourAttacks: This happens a lot when anyone uses their signature move. Strangely, Kongoh used a Meteo Drive once then never used it again, in favor of his Double Hammer.
44* TheCape: Gouriki Bancho believes herself to be this.
45* CatchPhrase: Every bancho has a catchphrase.
46** Kongoh's "That wasn't very smart at all..."[[note]]Future translations reveal that this is actually supposed to be a callback to his mother's last words to him about "doing the right thing/finishing things properly"; since the sentence was unusual to the point of nearly being untranslatable, it was changed by the original translators to compensate.[[/note]], which is used to precede a righteous ass-kicking. Also, "I don't care!"
47** From Hikyou Bancho, we have "Fair, cowardly way"
48** Nenbutsu Bancho's is "The afterlife is always open for business."
49** Rai has "Don't sweat the small stuff." [[spoiler:This is a case of LikeFatherLikeSon.]]
50* CelibateHero: Iai Bancho, which is hinted very early on when he insists Hinako wear a kimono and comments that she shouldn't be showing her legs, played for comedy when he sees girls in skirts, and then [[ChekhovsGun played for plot]] against a later Bancho, who gives him a {{Nosebleed}} when he so much as looks at her, [[spoiler:causing him to slash his eyes out and [[HandicappedBadass fight that way]]]].
51* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: Kongoh has plenty of these, such as his MegatonPunch, being MadeOfIron, and his [[WalkOnWater Walking On Water]], which can hardly be {{Justified|Trope}} by his being a towering mass of muscle... [[spoiler:And then we see his father and realize he's NotQuiteHuman.]] Also, if they aren't an outright freak of nature (like, say, Nenbutsu Bancho), Bancho tend to have these. [[spoiler:Could be actually Subverted, as during the last arc it is actually implied that all the banchous are the by-products of Japanese super-soldier research.]]
52* CodeName: All the Bancho have one, which is [[{{Lampshaded}} lampshaded]] before we even see one when Kongoh labels a {{Mook}} "Homerun Bancho" but then realizes his mistake afterwards.
53* CombatPragmatist: Hikyou Banchou. This guy is going to exploit every possible weakness and use any advantage he has to win. Hell he ends up making Kongoh get hit by a truck when he threw a rubber ball in the air which Kongoh (whose eyes were wounded by a earlier trick by Hikyou and could therefore not see well) saw as a grenade.
54* CrazyPrepared: Hikyou Banchou takes the cake here. Seriously this guy is like a Japanese Batman. Before a fight he ends up giving a guy diarrhea by poisoning his food HOURS before the fight! Not to mention how much he is prepared to protect those he cares about [[spoiler: He makes the orphans swallow pills that will nullify poison, has a freaking machine gun under his own fake arm (which a lot of people had assumed was real for quite some time) oh and he has a bomb in the shape of a kid just in case his enemy will take hostages. This guy is Batman with a penchant for using guns and explosives on people!]]
55* CueTheSun: Light pours through the hole in the ceiling Kongoh made and envelops him, causing the cult he just defeated to view him as a living god, and they decide to follow him from now on. He shouts [[CatchPhrase "I don't care!]] and walks away.
56** Used more literally at the end of the Five Dark Vows arc, when all the fighting has ended and it is now dawn.
57* CurbStompBattle: Machine Bancho is a walking depositor of these.
58* CuteBruiser: Gouriki Bancho
59** Also IdolSinger Soara Sorano [[spoiler: aka. Soara Kongou.]]
60* DarkMessiah: The whole point of the 23 Districts Project, but Nenbutsu Bancho actually turns himself into a cult leader.
61* DeceptivelyHumanRobots: Inverted; you realize Machine Bancho is a robot before you see his body, which freaks his opponents out even more when they start thinking they're fighting a human, and he's, well, not. Is possibly a RidiculouslyHumanRobot, due to his musings about [[spoiler: the nature of death in living creatures]], as well as his flashbacks to one "Dr. Tsukina".
62* DefeatMeansFriendship: Kongoh makes friends with people after messing them up something fierce, even resulting in a HeelFaceTurn for Oyanana despite the fact that Kongoh didn't even touch him (though he sure scared the crap out of him).
63* TheDeterminator: Kongoh turns out to be one of these when it counts.
64* DiagonalCut: A specialty of Iai Bancho.
65* DirtyCoward: Hikyou Bancho is both this and a ManipulativeBastard at the same time. Hikyou means [[MeaningfulName "cowardly"]], by the way.
66* DistractedByTheSexy: Played with; Iai Bancho [[ChasteHero can't look at the sexy]] and [[EyeScream pays dearly for it]].
67* DominoMask: Part of Hikyou Bancho's outfit.
68* DumbMuscle: {{Lampshaded}} by Kangoku Bancho in reference to Gouriki Bancho, when he wonders if her brain is made of muscle as well. After her attacks end up having an effect after all, he wonders if she's really a GeniusBruiser... which she promptly shoots down when she panics.
69* EvilGenius: Dr. Kagimiya, the guy who is in charge of Machine Bancho's maintenance.
70* ExactWords: Kongoh likes to show how badass he is by following this trope.
71* {{Expy}}: Hikyou Banchou looks like [[Radio/TheGreenHornet Kato]] with shorter shirt.
72* EyeScream: Who knew that [[spoiler:Iai Bancho]] would go to such lengths?
73-->"Now I don't have to look at you."
74* FanService: Pretty rare, but [[spoiler:Douke]] Bancho brings it out in spades.
75* FearfulSymmetry: An interesting variation with Douke Bancho; [[spoiler:Yoruko hides behind Asako and does everything exactly as she does, hiding her presence from the blinded Iai Bancho, and even the heroes, but not the villains who have a different perspective.]]
76* FiveManBand: When Kongoh teams up with some other Bancho, they form a group of five with different roles and skillsets. Kongou Bancho is leader simply for never having been beaten. Iai Bancho is a level-headed and honorable swordsman. Hikyou Bancho uses trickery and deception. He fights smarter, not harder. Gouriki Bancho, who swings around two iron balls on sticks that are as big as she is. Nenbutsu Bancho is a a pseudo-Buddhist priest.
77* FormFittingWardrobe: Seen regularly on many characters, particularly the ones with massively muscular builds.
78* ForTheEvulz: Apparently the reason why Hikyou Banchou [[spoiler:transferred the rest of the team into Kongou's class]].
79* GenerationXerox: Rai seems like this at first, but he's really not [[spoiler:Kongou's]] son, but [[spoiler:his nephew.]]
80** [[spoiler:Played straight anyway since he's not identical to Akira Kongoh but to Akira's brother, Takeshi Kongoh, who is his real father. They even share the same CatchPhrase, quite improbable considering that Rai haven't even met his father.]]
81* GratuitousEnglish: Half of Jiryoku Bancho's dialogue consists of near-nonsensical Engrish.
82* TheGunslinger: Shageki Bancho, who wants to use guns to protect people. He's got GunFu and GunsAkimbo, as well as a team of other gunmen, one of which is a teammate with a SniperRifle for backup. [[spoiler: Predictably, the GunsAreWorthless against Machine Banchou.]]
83* HandicappedBadass: [[spoiler:Iai Bancho slashes his own eyes so that he doesn't have to [[CelibateHero look at his opponents]]. The bandages have yet to be removed, and he's still an excellent swordsman.]]
84* HappilyAdopted: [[spoiler:Rai, Kongoh's nephew, though he himself doesn't know it at the moment. [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas He certainly loves his "mommy", though]].]]
85* HealingFactor: Kongoh is implied to have one of these, as other characters get beaten up and they take a while to heal. Oyanana even got PutOnABus he was beaten so badly at one point, whereas Kongoh treats [[spoiler:[[LookBothWays getting hit by a truck]]]] as [[ICanStillFight only a]] [[OnlyAFleshWound flesh wound]], and even recovers from it by the end of the battle.
86** [[spoiler:After it is revealed that the Kongoh is a species separate from humans and other mammals, this is soon explicitly stated to be part of the Kongoh genes by Hakai Bancho, who was created from them, as he immediately reconnects his severed arm.]]
87* [[spoiler:TheHeroDies: Kongoh gets killed by Machine Bancho. There's been no evidence that he could [[BackFromTheDead get better]], although he later does.]]
88* {{Hikikomori}}: Appears in one chapter. Kongoh straightens him out.
89* HonorBeforeReason: Bakunetsu Bancho's "reason" for [[spoiler:saving everyone else after Kabuki Bancho activates the SelfDestructMechanism]] is because he couldn't call himself hotblooded otherwise.
90* HotBlooded: Pretty much all the Banchous have moments of severe hot-blooded ness, but Bakunetsu Banchou takes this to the extreme, constantly yelling everything he says and declaring that anyone who isn't hot blooded should die. At least until he faces Kongoh Banchou...
91** In the final issue, Bakunetsu Banchou [[spoiler: becomes a member of the Japanese government,and he has been causing quite a lot of commotion.]] He's made good on his promise to inject Japan with hot-blooded spirit.
92* HotSkittyOnWailordAction: Akira's mother conceived not one but ''three'' children with a man who is the literal size of a mountain. It's best not to think about how that was achieved.
93* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Kongoh and the Sakura sisters, Gouriki Bancho and her [[strike:minion]] sidekick Kairiki (she's also the shortest member of the team by ''far''). Also the Kongou siblings' parents. Their dad is a man-mountain and their mom was normal-sized. It's best not to think how all 3 were conceived.
94* HypocriticalHumor: Kabuki Bancho doesn't like Hikyou Bancho's cowardice. He's, well, no different in the end.
95* IdiotHero: Gouriki Bancho. Unusual in that she's not the main character, but someone he fights.
96%%* ImprobableWeaponUser: Almost Always subverted with kongou
97* IronicEcho: The Nenbutsu arc begins and ends with the phrase "Is there no God or Buddha in this world?"
98** [[spoiler: Even if there isn't, there's still Franchise/KamenRider.]]
99* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Machine Bancho seems to be suffering from this, but it would be [[JustifiedTrope justified]] since he's, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a machine.]]
100* LookBothWays: Thank goodness Kongoh's MadeOfIron. Hikyou's still a [[MagnificentBastard bastard]], though.
101* LudicrousMeleeAccuracy: Iai Bancho does this first. Later, Shirobara Bancho leaves a remarkably detailed [[ZorroMark rose emblem]] on Hikyou Bancho's bare chest in an instant.
102* MadeOfIron: It's a shonen, so natch. Kongoh takes this up to eleven, though he is far from invincible.
103* MamaBear: Did you expect anything less from ActionMom Sasori Bancho?
104* ManipulativeBastard: Shirobara Bancho has elements of this when he decides to give Hikyou Bancho some LaserGuidedKarma.
105* MeaningfulName: The Bancho code names usually convey a good impression of what to expect from them. Kongou's real name is this, and thus gets turned into his code name as a Bancho.
106* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The end result of Gouriki Bancho being both an IdiotHero and a WellIntentionedExtremist.
107* NighInvulnerability: Gouriki Bancho and her "Hyperion Constitution", which pretty much means she's made of titanium.
108* NoIndoorVoice: "'''I'm Bakunetsu Bancho!! Men who aren't HotBlooded should die!!'''" Basically, if his mouth is open, he's probably shouting.
109* NoNameGiven: Played with; all the Bancho have names that they freely give out when they introduce themselves, but then they say what their [[CodeName code names]] are and we never hear their real names again, leading to [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Everyone Calls Them Bancho]]. Subverted with Kongoh, whose CodeName ''is'' his MeaningfulName.
110* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Used repeatedly in the Five Dark Vows arc, especially in the final fight.
111* NobleDemon: Since his HeelFaceTurn, Hikyou Banchou takes every opportunity he can to remind everyone that he's only part of the team as part of his plan to be the last man standing. Even if there's some truth to it, there's the matter of [[spoiler: going into a TranquilFury when Kongoh is killed by Machine Banchou, going so far as to take the latter on all by himself.]]
112* NoSocialSkills: Kongoh can't figure out a flip-top cellphone, and later on when he comments "What's e-mail?"
113* OldRetainer: Gokurou, the Shirayukinomiya's family butler.
114* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Kongoh, when he applies his muscle swelling to his entire body to create "Violent Mode"- capable of taking on Machine Banchou, who [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown previously killed him with no effort]], [[WorfEffect with]] ''[[CurbStompBattle ease]]''.]]
115* {{Otaku}}: Nenbutsu Bancho is revealed to be one.
116* OverlyLongName: "Kobushi Shirayukinomiya", though it's not TOO long. Not surprisingly, we hear her name more than the other Bancho.
117* TheParalyzer: Sasori Banchou. Her name means "scorpion", so this is no surprise.
118* PlayingWithFire: Bakunetsu Bancho, with his gunpowder gloves and the [[ImprobableWeaponUser rather creative use thereof]]. There's also his minions, who try various ways to set Kongoh on fire.
119* ThePowerOfFriendship: It's unknown whether or not this is literal, but it has been claimed that Kongoh derives power from those who believe in him.
120* PrettyBoy: Shirobara Bancho. [[spoiler:Nenchaku]] Bancho appears like this for a few moments, even prompting Gouriki Banchou to [[SayItWithHearts nearly squee]]... and then we get to the {{Squick}}.
121* RatedMForManly: Just reading this will cause testosterone production to triple.
122** Tagline for the chapter 38, Bakunetsu VS Kongoh
123--> A lethal dose of manliness is breaking through! Try not to get addicted!
124* RazorFloss: [[spoiler:Hikyou]] Bancho's secret weapon that he hesitates to use against humans. [[spoiler:Thankfully, Machine Banchou's minions are all [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman sentient]] [[MechaMooks robots]].]]
125* RealMenWearPink: Kongoh ''really'' likes his pudding.
126* TheRival: [[spoiler:Kongoh's brother Takeshi]]
127* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: What happens when Kongoh [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies is killed by Machine Bancho]], and the other Bancho find out about it.]]
128* RuleOfCool: The accepted in-universe explanation for Kongoh and the others [[spoiler:coming back to life on their own after their hearts stopped.]]
129* RunningGag: A few, such as the characters not believing what just happened.
130* {{Samurai}}: Iai Bancho, though he has traits of a KnightInShiningArmor as well considering [[ChasteHero how he treats women]].
131* SavageWolves: Despite being human (or maybe not?), [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Ourou Banchou (King Wolf Banchou)]] is definitely lupine, and projects a wolfish fear aura that would make Manga/{{Toriko}} proud.
132* SayItWithHearts: A couple of times, though Hikyo Bancho is a repeat offender.
133* SerialEscalation: The main character starts off chapter one by saving a jerkass from falling steel girders with his body, attacking a yakuza compound while carrying a car, getting stabbed with knives and breaking the blades off with just his back muscles, then breaking a sword in midswing with his bare hands. Oh, and those last three items? He did them just to get a yakuza underling to apologize for ripping up a little girl's drawing. It only escalates from there.
134* SingleMindedTwins: A variation; [[spoiler:Douke Bancho]] had to train to gain the ability to invoke this at will.
135%%* SixthRanger: Sasori Bancho
136%%* ScaryShinyGlasses: Machine Bancho
137%%* SmugSnake: Oyanana, though Kongoh [[ScareEmStraight shows him the light]].
138* SocialDarwinist: An unusual case; Bakunetsu Bancho believes that men who aren't hot-blooded should "just go die".
139* SomethingAboutARose: Shirobara Bancho. His name means "White rose".
140* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: Subverted, as the Bancho Kongoh fights early in the story beat the crap out of ones that show up later on. Both played straight and subverted with Machine Bancho, who not only blows away all older Bancho, but also claims that [[spoiler:he's ''at least'' as strong as Kongoh's older brother, one of the [[BigBad Big Bads.]]]]
141** The Dark Student Council plays this straight, though it's not surprising since [[spoiler: all of its members are the banchous who've come out on top in their own prefectures. As a testament to their strength, one was able to take out six Banchou with a OneHitKill, and later on defeat Ourou and Iai Banchou. The other one took on Nenbutsu, Gouriki, Hikyou and Sasori Banchou, losing only when Kongoh himself kicked his ass -- and even then he still managed to escape.]]
142* StageMagician: Douke Bancho is this but with great emphasis put on the magic.
143* TalkToTheFist: Nenbutsu Bancho is quite surprised when Kongoh doesn't let him finish speaking, let alone call his attacks.
144* TeenPregnancy: Sasori Bancho doesn't seem to think much of this at first, but then she leads us to believe she's a WomanScorned. [[spoiler: Turns out it's not even her kid. Probably a case of YouNeverAsked.]]
145* ThisIsADrill: Drill Banchou
146* ThoroughlyMistakenIdentity: Machine Bancho believes Tsukimi to be the mysterious "Dr. Tsukina", whose orders supersede Dr. Kagimiya's. [[spoiler: Except the order to kill Kongoh. Poor Tsukimi.]]
147** [[ChekhovsGun Noticeably]], we know that this shouldn't be the case, as Machine Banchou identifies humans by their voice patterns and with a retina scan instead of just, you know, looking at them.
148* TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse: {{Justified|Trope}}, since the 23 District Project was conceived by the Japanese Government, the ultimate intended result being the rebirth of Japan. The rest of the world (so far, anyways) doesn't even factor into the equation.
149* TookALevelInBadass: Oyanana, though not to the point that he could be considered a Bancho. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop him from declaring himself the new Kongoh Bancho and trying to fight Machine Bancho.]]
150** Played straight with Kongoh [[spoiler: first after dying against Machine Bancho and secondly against Ousama Bancho]].
151* TournamentArc: The entire series is nothing but this.
152* TrainingFromHell: Too bad for [[IWantToBeARealMan Oyanana,]] this ISN'T what he gets from [[BattleButler Gokurou.]]
153* TranquilFury: Hikyou Bancho after [[spoiler: Kongoh's death]].
154** "My blood has never boiled this hot before. But... My heart is cold and calm, like an ocean of darkness." [[spoiler: Said while he's holding Machine Bancho's FREAKING ARM in his hand.]]
155* TwinkleInTheSky: Gouriki Bancho uses a ''giant morningstar'' to "fish" Unabara Bancho right out of the ocean, yanking hard enough to send him flying up into the sky and out of sight.
156* {{Ubermensch}}: Ostensibly, the goal of the 23 District Project [[spoiler: and its larger, nation-spanning expansion]] is to create one of these that will lead Japan into greatness. Whether the leader of this program [[spoiler: Takeshi Kongou]] is an {{Ubermensch}} himself or simply a NietzscheWannabe remains to be seen.
157* UseYourHead: In two different situations, Kongou was blackmailed into staying still while his opponent beat him, due to them holding one of his friends hostage. The first time this happened, the blackmailer specified "Don't move your arms or legs". Kongou used this trope and reminded them afterwards [[CatchPhrase "That wasn't very smart at all"]]. However, the second time this happened the blackmailer was savvy enough to tell him not to move his head either.
158* VillainousHarlequin: Douke Bancho's name makes you think they'll be this, though [[spoiler:''they'' are]] more of a StageMagician.
159* WalkOnWater: Kongoh pulls this off on a piranha-infested pool, and berates the members of Nenbutsu's cult when they compare his CharlesAtlasSuperpower to [[NoSuchThingAsWizardJesus Jesus]].
160* WellIntentionedExtremist: Gouriki Bancho, who believes herself to be a superhero on the side of justice. The people she "saves" don't really think so.
161%%* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue
162* WhiteAndGreyMorality: Many Bancho have a pretty good reason for fighting in the 23 District Project, the whole point of which is to make Japan a better place. Kongoh [[ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer beats the crap out of them anyways]], but it all works out in the end.
163* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: Kongoh and Iai Bancho have theirs put to the test when they see Gokurou arrive with a cauldron of food for Gouriki Bancho a moment after she calls for it.
164** Done again when Nenbutsu Bancho grows a full head of hair through sheer willpower.
165** Many of the Banchous plans to improve Japan. Housing situation problem? Stick everyone in 4x4x4 boxes for homes. Food shortages? Everyone eat bugs. This tends to be {{Lampshaded}}.
166* TheWorfEffect: [[spoiler: Wolf Fang, a group made up of the seven remaining Banchous, is set up to be a reprise of the Five Dark Vows arc to reach the end of the 23 District Project. They get set up by the Dark Student Council, and all but the leader are taken down in a OneHitKill. That's not one shot each. TOTAL.]]
167* WorldOfBadass: Sort of. Too many badasses for it to not count, but the whole point is that they live in an otherwise normal Tokyo.
168* WorldOfHam: Also comes across as this some of the time; very noticeable in the Gouriki Bancho arc.
169* WorldsStrongestMan: Kongoh gives the impression of being this. Then you meet Gouriki Bancho, though Kongoh beats her in the end.
170** And then it turns out that Kongoh went easy on her because his full attacks would have knocked her straight into some kind of hyper acid. When they have a rematch after [[TooDumbToLive Gouriki Bancho's misunderstanding]], she doesn't last past the first hammer.
171*** Then later, we meet the world's strongest man's brother, who is even stronger. Then there's the world's strongest man's father, who is probably stronger than both of his children COMBINED.
172* WouldntHitAGirl: Averted. In a fight it pretty much has no bearing whether the opponent is male or female.

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