History Manga / HighSchoolExcitingStoryTough

* CantCatchUp: A no named fighter’s trainer mentioned that his punch would take down the strongest in the world. After saying this the two heard and felt the force of Shiyachi’s punches. The two were noticeably depressed after watching his training session.

* DavidVersusGoliath: Due to Kichii’s size this analogy is used often.

--> '''Kichi''': I’m ok I just cut the inside of my mouth a bit that’s it.

* SadistTeacher: After being adopted by his father Rikiyama’s wife, Kiba was initiated into all sorts of combat styles by Gosaka.

** Goetsu style to Franchise/SpiderMan.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: After everything Kiba did before and after his fight with Oton gouging out his eye turned out to be this

* OverprotectiveDad: Oton gets called out for this during Kiichi's fight

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority:

** Kano takes everything by strength. He’s like a predator who throws himself onto his victim steered by his combat instinct. When this happens, nothing else exists for him not even pity for the weak.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: Kakuryo’s ultimate technique.

''High School Exciting Story: Tough'', or ''Koko Tekken-den TOUGH'' as it's known in Japan, is a Seinen manga written and illustrated by Creator/TetsuyaSaruwatari, who was also responsible for the artwork of the popular and notoriously violent manga ''Manga/RikiOh''. HSE:Tough revolves around Kiichi Miyazawa, a 17 year old high school student who is the heir to the secret Nadashinkage-ryu fighting style that was passed down to him from his father Seiko. The Nadashikage-Ryu is a fighting style that utilizes the user's knowledge of and hitting of an opponents vital organs and pressure points in such a way it can outright kill the opponent if the user isn't careful enough.

* DeusExMachina: Sadly the series started to veer towards this during its sequel, Tough as it took NewPowersAsThePlotDemands to [[UpToEleven to ridiculous level]], while not even bothering with the training montage usually seen in the prequel. For example the [[RubberMan Hensui]] technique which was only seen once and no one else not even Oton in their match used it.

* RantInducingSlight: Rikimaru Shindou killed Wakabashi and later attacked Kichi after finding out his father died. Wakabashi for being his usual {{Jerkass}} self and Kichi for stating he would never kill for any reason.

* KnifeNut: Kiba’s son Katsuichiro carves kill repeatedly into his desk with a box cutter and was about to stab the bullies that were picking on him for being Kiba’s son before Kiba showed up and gave them a no hold bard beat down.
** Given that Kiba regularly beats people to death in front of him
** Udo
** The younger Osome brother
** Mikunino the leader of the Treasure Ship Syndicate who always walks around with his infamous survival knife. With it he enjoys himself by stabbing anyone he sees.

* AdaptedOut: Remco Yahrob never appears in the OVA, despite his arc being inbetween Kiibo's fights against Shingo and Kiba.

* AlwaysABiggerFish: Kenshi Kaneshiro turns out to have been the weakest of the Yugen Shinkageryu disciples in spite of his incredible reputation, as it turns out there are five more masters, the Yugen Shinkageryu Heavenly Kings of Death, consisting of Buzan Shinomura, Yokoyama, Taikan, and the Weasel of Kanzan, all of who are vastly more skilled than Kenshi is and also have their own unique styles of Yugen Shinkageryu, as Shinomura uses his abnormal flaxibility and control over his bones and joints to preform impossible submission holds and even create illusions that he looks like a human {{Orochi}} to distract his opponents, Yokoyama specializes in point-blank dodging that looks like he's dissipating, Taikan specializes in taking the optical illusions that come from the Yugen Shinkageryu's arsenal of techniques and taking it to the extreme, and finally, the Weasel of Kanzan uses his extreme speed to make it look like he's teleported, when in actuality, he jumped into his opponents blind spot.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Kibo’s like a sponge, even in the middle of a fight, he’s able to absorb the opponent’s combat techniques and make them his. Downplayed because of his cocky personality relatively quickly, it only enables him to learn the basics of it reather quickly.

** It turns out Kiryu is an art conisoar and is able to play Mozart’s requiem.

* BornInTheWrongCentury: Heizo locks are an artform. No matter the opponent, he is always able to get inside his guard and perform a lock all in the blink of an eye. However this is the reason his wrestling career never took off as the spectators were never truly able to understand his techniques because they [[boring but practicle weren’t very entertaining and were done lightning fast. However with the emergence of koppo, pancrase o jiujitsu, the spectators eyes are much sharper. If heiko was in his prime right now, he’s certainly be a superstar

''High School Exciting Story: Tough'', or ''Koko Tekken-den TOUGH'' as it's known in Japan, is a Seinen manga written and illustrated by Creator/TetsuyaSaruwatari who was also responsible for the artwork of the popular and notoriously violent manga ''Manga/RikiOh''. HSE:Tough revolves around Kiichi Miyazawa, a 17 year old high school student who is the heir to the secret Nadashinkage-ryu fighting style that was passed down to him from his father Seiko. The Nadashikage-Ryu is a fighting style that utilizes the user's knowledge of and hitting of an opponents vital organs and pressure points in such a way it can outright kill the opponent if the user isn't careful enough.

The series revolves around Kiichi's goal to become strong by defeating even stronger opponents in what are essentially Death Matches though almost no one Kiichi fights actually dies (permanently anyway). The original manga ran in ''Young Jump'' from 1993 to 2003, and was compiled into 42 volumes. It was popular enough to get a 3 episode OVA adaptation titled ''Anime/ShootfighterTekken'' which covers a small fraction of the first arc of the manga, a sequel to the original manga simply titled "Tough" which is finished in 2012, along with a side-story that revolves around Kiichi's father Oton.

* AbsurdlyLongLimousine: Giorgio Bucci owns a hummer limousine which Kiryu later takes from him.

* AbsurdlySharpClaws: Killing Fingers Gen.
* AbusiveParents: Peter Kaman's mother repeatedly beat him with a steel pipe.
** After his mother's death Kiba's father's widow tortured him mercilessly to the point of forcing him to live in a rat infested shed.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: Hidari can slice through the roof of a car.
** Udo’s rock blades can slice through flesh with incredible ease it he even chopped off one fighter’s nose with one.
* AccidentalMurder: Barely averted with Kuroda at Kiichi's hands who caused the former's heart to stop.

* AccidentalPervert: Averted, the mother was very understanding when Oton asked her to breast feed Kichi. She even put some milk in a bag for later.

* AdviceBackfire: Tokako’s story about how Mitsuhide accidentally killed his friend in a fight while it was meant to get kichi to back off it only caused him to want to fight even more.
** [[RunningGag Anytime anyone tries to warn Kichii off of fighting someone he just gets more excited.]]
* AIIsACrapshoot: Played with Garcia the combat cyborg generally just does what his handlers says however during his second fight with kiba the fact that unlike everyone else Kiba lasted longer then an instant made Garcia fell the joy of fighting for the first time in his life. After that he started fighting how he wanted instead of what his handler told him to.
* AintTooProudToBeg: After dispatching all of his men Oton got down on his hands and knees and begged Danjuro Hanakawa to spare Mikhail’s life.
* AirVentEscape: This was how Oton escaped the assassins sent to kill him by Don Jos.
* AkashicRecords: By reading the residual energy someone has left behind the nadashinkage can visualize what they were doing.
* TheAlcoholic: Tetsuzan is almost never seen without a bottle in his hand he even brought one to Kaneda’s fight with Kichi.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Sado may come from the self defense corpse, but his skill in handling knives is limited to cutting up things like rabbits and trees. But that isn’t the case with Udo.
** Kaneshiro Kenshi is the weakest of the Yugen Shinkageryu disciples.

* ArtisticLicenseMartialArts: Suddenly martial arts has become a blood line limit in tough.
* AesopAmnesia: One of the first things Oton taught Kichi was that if they don’t give up losers today will become winners tomorrow. So he shouldn’t boast about his victories. Nor should you despise yourself after defeat.
** Given his personality it’s obvious that he never took this lesson to heart.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: According to ted victory is justice

* TheAtoner: The reason Andou Yumeji stays on Tengu Island is penance for killing his father

* AvengingTheVillain: Once he confirmed the rumors of kiryu’s assassination jet swore to kill all those involved.
** B attempted to kill Kiryu for killing his brother Anthony after he shot him with a Bozuka.
* AwesomeButImpractical: Galhad Suanpahkti specializes in [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown crushing his opponents in the first round]]. However because of this the Thai bookies couldn’t make money from his fights so even after 17 professional fights he still isn’t ranked.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Kibo’s like a sponge, even in the middle of a fight, he’s able to absorb the opponent’s combat techniques and make them his.
** Averted due to the fact that Kichi’s arrogant kung fu guy attitude while he is able to learn the basics of new style relatively quickly it is a far cry from mastering them. He usually just ends up pissing off his opponent
** Oton can tell a person’s height and weight by looking at the imprint of their hand he can also learn a style by healing the destruction it wrought on a body.
** Garcia can map out the outcome of a chest match in his mind after a couple of moves
** Basically don’t use a move twice on the nadashinkage
*** According to the teachings of the nadashinkageryu [[MartialMedic medicine and martial arts are intimately linked]]. By observing the damages inflicted, it’s possible to know exactly how a technique was used.
** Bannai
--> '''Moki''': There are certain things you learn when you have fought enough matches and one is to know your own capabilities. When you reach a certain level you learn more from a single hit or glance than most and that gives you the luxury to wait for the perfect situation.
* AwesomeButImpractical: Removing a knife with only the power of your muscles alone maybe incredibly badass but it also forces open the wound causing all of your blood to spill out uncontrollably.

** The osome brothers are crazy; they’re the type to beat someone up for no reason. The small brother already spent time in juvenile hall as for the older one, word is he’s close to entering the yakuza.
* BadassBoast: According to Heizo even god wouldn’t be able to get out of the Flying Enma Lock.
** Peter Herman gave a chilling one after Kakuryo threatened to kill him

--> '''Ukon''': Come at me then without hesitating with this 150cm long baton I’m invincible.

--> '''Kiichi''': The Nadashinkageryu has no equal and the guy who’ll beat Kiichi Miyazawa hasn’t been born yet
* BadAssBookworm: Oton.

* CowardlyLion: Ina was a DirtyCoward who ran away from everything. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone one day he killed someone in that guy in that traffic accident got scared and just ran away]]. He swore on that day that he would never run away from horrible things. He showed his redemption during his fight with gen. knowing that jail wouldn’t make up for his sin, and even though he through up before the match [[RedemptionEqualsDeath he stayed and fought and ended up having his carotid artery ruptured]].
** Kikuta is a very modest person his breathing goes wild just by the pressure of a dangerous opponent’s glare. However in that weakness lies his strength. It’s because he thinks of his opponent as a superior being that he prepares the most elaborated strategy. And he tries to overcome the difference with exhaustive training.
*** The stress of the savageness of the hyper battle combines with Dogen treat of selling his organ’s if he lost turned him into this to the point that he vomited before every match.
** Hych garncie get’s so stressed before his matches that he can’t even piss.
* CrapsackWorld: Bullying seems to be a big problem in the Tough universe.
* CrazyPrepared: Knowing that as a man of big business that he absolutely must go out in person to protect himself against the sniper Ozai wore a highly bullet resistant spectra guard helmet fitted with resin. The most advanced type of body armor there is, equipped with a spectra shield and special ceramic plate. His vehicle is a special made hummer limousine with equal bullet resistance to any other armored car. Its bullet resistant glass is 100cm thick, and cannot be destroyed by bazooka cannons or rocket launchers. And his business meeting was moved to a boat.

* CallingYourAttacks:
* ComesGreatResponsibility: Even though the Nadashinkage ryu is a deadly style. Having the power to kill someone comes with the responsibility of imposing on oneself some limits. Not for one’s own benefit, but for the sake of justice and honor. And it’s a difficult task.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Angered that Ukon kept comparing him to Kiryu Kichi decided to destroy him like Kiryu would. Averted as Kichi didn’t go through with it.
* TheCorrupter: Shawn J. Akutsu the boss of the Devil Factory and recruiter for Kiba in his effort to find fighters to defeat the Nadashinkage Ryu.
* CreepyChild: Barkley was the son of a drug addicted hooker. At the age of to he had already gotten someone pregnant. Mister K discovered him at the age of 13 as he was beating up a bunch of cops.

* CripplingOverspecialization: Many wrestlers have suffered one-sided defeats in vale tournaments. Because of this more and more people are now claiming that wrestling is just for show and shouldn’t be considered a real combat technique.
** You can only use recognized karate techniques in a karate tournament. To a vale tudo fighter this is pretty much TheWorfEffect.

* CurbstompBattle: Kiichi handed out a couple of these over the course of the series.

** This is used as merely an excuse for his [[AxCrazy Ax Crazyness]] as fights to the death is taboo in the Shindo style, but when practitioners don’t have any other choice than to fight crushing the opponent completely is the safest option.

* TheCynic: This seems to be a principle of the nadashinkage.

* DanceBattler: Speed dancer shows the meaning of his name he dodges the blow in an almost dance like fashion showing great grace and agility.

* DeadlyDoctor: Yumiko Miyazawa Oton’s older sister inherited the art of life and death in a different way.

* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Jet.
--> '''Jet''': God doesn’t make mistakes and somewhere deep in his heart he knew that his life had a purpose and that in time it would reveal itself to him.
** It turns out being kiryu’s son is his purpose in life.
* {{Determinator}}: Mikogami.

** Even when his legs are convulsing and his brain is mush, Kuruda is still willing to fight.

*** After being crippled by Edgar Garcia Kiba walked right of the plane at Tokyo international looking non the worse for wear. Surprising everyone present. However the moment he got into his car away from the prying eyes of the press Kiba secame to his injuries
** This was deconstructed in Kichi’s fight with Gulhad. While Kichi kept fighting through sheer determination Gulhad fought because he truly feared what would happen to him if he loss. Kichi’s selfish goals were simply no match for that.

* DeusExMachina: Sadly the series started to veer towards this during its sequel Tough as it took NewPowersAsThePlotDemands to [[UpToEleven to ridiculous level]], while not even bothering with the training montage usually seen in Koko Tekken Den. For example the [[RubberMan Hensui]] technique which was only seen once and no one else not even Oton in their match used it.
** This was actually lampshaded by both Kichi and Suzuki the later asking him when could he have mastered the nadashinkage. [[NearDeathClairvoyance vision techniques]] and the former admitting he didn’t even know they existed.
** Kichi surviving Son-o’s finally attack with a technique that not only had he never heard of but wasn’t even apart of his school while being completely drained of energy and barely counscious.

* AdultFear: While on a trip to Brazil jet’s mom was killed leaving him stranded in the slums.
** Expecting one of the mothers to walk Kichi home Oton trained in the dojo thinking he was with his grandfather who thought he was with his father. Turns out Kichi went to the cemetery to visit his mother.

The series revolves around Kiichi's goal to become strong by defeating even stronger opponents in what are essentially Death Matches though almost no one Kiichi fights actually dies (permanently anyway). The original series ran for 42 volumes which ran in ''Young Jump'' from 1994-2003. It was popular enough to get a 3 episode OVA adaptation titled ''Anime/ShootfighterTekken'' which covers a small fraction of the first arc of the manga, a sequel to the original manga simply titled "Tough" which is finished in 2012, along with a side-story that revolves around Kiichi's father Oton.

* RealityEnsues: Dogen Arikawa can bench press 200 kilos and squat 300. His inhuman grip allows him to crack nuts between his thumb and index. The strength of his punches are also amazing. Their power is superior to those of many heavyweight boxers. However years of mistreating his body to gain that strength makes his a regular patient at Yumiko’s clinic.
** During his match with Shintaro kakumaru the leader of the Goetsu school Genshu Ibara gravely wounded his defenseless opponent. He was imprisoned for the wounds he afflicted and attempted murder.
** While Yoshiki’s martial arts training may allow him to mentally ignore a knife in his gut that doesn’t mean he can physically ignore it.
** Turning your back on an armed conscious opponent isn’t a good idea.
*** Not even a made of iron martial artist can survive a gunshot to the head.
** The important quantity of adrenaline that the combatants create when fighting allows them to support a lot of pain but not to resist the “Sensual Pleasure” that losing consciousness provides.
** No matter who or what it is, their strength will decrease as they grow older. Even Kusakabe isn’t exempt from that rule.

* SociopathicSoldier: The Devil Factory managed by Shawn J. Akutsu is a place where people who wouldn’t even harm a fly are turned into ferocious beasts. A real factory to create demons, just like it’s name says. In that place, sadistic and violent impulses that your subconscious hides are revealed by mind control. As for your physique and thoughts they’re transformed with the use of drugs.

* StandardHeroReward: After he returned the president’s daughter home Kiryu informed the president that she was pregnant with his child and to use his reward money to cover the child raising expenses.
** This is how Kichi was conceived

* StupidEvil: A loss wouldn’t really do anything to the N.T.S’ reputation because the soldiers in the audience would still witness its awesome power but seeing Kikuta blow up from its effects certainly would. Of course Don Jos is such a sociopath he probably doesn’t care.

* SuperpoweredEvilSide: A lot of the more humane fighters have a combat mode where they become sadistic monsters when they fight

* SuperStrength: Kiba is strong enough to German Suplex a helicopter
** As a child Barkley’s punch was too powerful for his bone structure causing him to easily break his hand while training
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Don Gambino and Kiba. Both are AxCrazy DirtyCoward s who use and discard people simply because they have the power to. Both have had a body part taken by a Miyazawa brother. And both became obsessed with getting revenge
** Yoda to bull
** Lampshaded in universe that Jet shares many things in common with Edgard C Garcia. For example his looks, fighting style, instincts the fact that both of them came from Brazil
* SwordCane: Hidari fights with one of these

* LaserGuidedTykebomb: To Kuju his father was the embodiment of fear. He trained Kuju without mercy or pity, even threatening to kill him if he failed. However [[RealityEnsues not even he could overcome aging and one day fought another warrior and lost ending up severely injured]]. Kuju disgusted by how weak his father had become killed him.
* * LampshadeHanging: Kichi listing the many similarities between Jet and Edgar
** Don gambino contemplating the absurdity of Kiryu being alive after witnessing him being shot in the head.
* LeaveBehindAPistol: Played with after Wakabashi lost the Dark Fights losing the 300 million yen that he borrowed from Kantodojokai Yakuza group. With both of them knowing that they’ll kill him Rikimaru sent his bodyguards out and gave him a gun to end his life fully expecting Wakabashi to point it at him. Wakabashi didn’t disappoint
* LightIsNotGood: Son-o’s appearance possesses the splendor of the phoenix in ancient china the phoenix is simply a symbol of authority not good. Genuine evil has a compassionate face.

* ArbitrarySkepticism: Andre Fernandez a man who can dislocate the bones in his spine found it impossible that Kichi could dislocate the bones in his shoulder.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Before his match with Kiba Oton pushed a drunk who had stumbled into the road out of the way of a car and was hit instead.
** Yamatsu a passionate man who believes that strength without justice is violence, and justice without strength is powerless saved Oton as he was being attacked by a bunch of delinquents who afterwards took him out for drinks as thanks. As the two were walking out of the bar contemplating going to another the delinquit from before returned and shot him. While Oton’s quick aid was able to save his life the bullet damaged his spine leaving him paralyzed on one side.
** Yamatsu however saw this as LaserGuidedKarma as he had just wanted to pick a fight after being laid off.
* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Averted Kibo only fell more in love with Takako after finding out how well she could fight.

* NormalFishInATinyPond: Kiba is the greatest wrestler of Japan and has always stressed the superiority of wrestling yet the moment he stepped into the world of Vale Tudo he lost spectacularly and was crippled for life.
--> '''Kiba''': in the world of vale tudo, where there are no lies, the glitz and glamour of wrestling flakes off.

--> '''Kiba''': “the Frog at the bottom of the pond does not yet know the ocean. There are many men stronger than you besides Garcia.

* OlderAndWiser: Kichi after the two year TimeSkip between Koko Tekken Den and Tough has finally put to practice all of his fathers teachings with a little bit of SelfDeprecation.

* OldMaster: Kasukabe jouichirou trained Sono for awhile.

* OriginalVideoAnimation:

* ArtEvolution: [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/koko_tekken_den_tough/v01/c001/10.html Kiichi before]] and [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/koko_tekken_den_tough/v02/c010/5.html Kiichi after]] should be noted Tetsuwari's art improves even beyond those two examples.
* ArtificialLimbs: Muhammad Ladish has a rather badass one.

* AngerBornOfWorry: Oton when Kiichi wanted to continue fighting after receiving damage to his vertebrae. He ended up knocking Kichi out and tying him up.

** Enzo Sasakawa is equated to a Pitbull

* AssShove: Oton did this to Kiichi to get a stool sample

** This was mainly do to discovering they were NotSoDifferent in that they were both fighting to uphold their fathers teachings

* GoOutWithASmile: Anthony of the AB Brothers did this. Mainly because he was killed so fast that it never had time to leave his face

* TheRedeemer: The reason Andou Yumeji stays on Tengu Island is penance for killing his father

* ShoutOut: In the first chapter of the manga, Kiichi fights a wrestler named [[Manga/AshitaNoJoe Mammoth Nishi]].

** After the time limit for the Muscular Reinforcement product ran out Kikuta’s arm started to swell up causing people in the audience to compare him to {{Popeye}} after he ate spinach

* ActionGirl: Takako.
** Miyagi aika The current kanchou of the seisikin karate school Tokyo branch.

* BadAssGrandpa: Heizo "The Destroyer" Onikawa.
** Kasukabe jouichirou trained Sono for awhile.

** The clash between Kichi and Oton at the Hyper Battle was compared to Shakespeare’s King Lear and Star Of the Giants by Ikki Kajiwara