12 Days of Anime: Toi from Sarazanmai

He just wants to save his big brother.


Sarazanmai is an anime with plenty of good boys, but for me, Toi Kuji is the best boy. Stories about family, and especially stories about siblings, always get me right in the feels, so it's no surprise that Toi really stuck out to me.

When Toi is first introduced, he's a delinquent trying to break into a car. It isn't much longer that we find out he grows and sells pot and that his older brother is some kind of gangster. And on top of all that, he wants to takes the dishes of fate for himself, stealing a wish from Kazuki who wants to use the wish to help his younger brother.

But beneath that "bad boy" and criminal exterior, Toi is actually a sweet and innocent kid. He loves soccer and gave it up so that he could run off and help his older brother. While Kazuki and Enta start off as strangers that just annoy him, they quickly become his best friends. Toi proves to have a huge heart.

While I like tragic endings and don't mind when a character ends up someplace bad, I'm happy that Toi found happiness despite the misfortunes that were thrown his way. Though my favorite episode of the series was probably the one that ended with Toi losing that which was most important to him.

If you're looking for a complex character with a tough exterior and soft interior, Toi is the guy you've been looking for and I suggest you give Sarazanmai a watch!