Tokyo Underground Review: Two Boys Fall Into a City Beneath Tokyo Where People Have Elemental Powers
by Akinobu Uraku
Read the first volume. If it doesn't hook you, put it down. It'll hook you.
Buy Tokyo Underground on Amazon →*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick Take
- A straightforward elemental action fantasy with the solid structure of a rescue mission — each volume advances the heroes toward their objective with consistent battle content
- The elemental power system is clearly defined and used consistently in combat
- 14 volumes complete in English; complete elemental action manga for fans of the genre
Who Is This Manga For?
- Readers who want elemental action manga with a clear mission structure
- Anyone interested in underground city settings applied to action manga
- Fans of early 2000s Monthly GFantasy action that enjoys straightforward genre content
- Readers looking for complete elemental action series
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) Content Warnings: Elemental battle action; rescue mission with real stakes; the Underground organization is genuinely threatening
T rating appropriate to action fantasy content.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★☆☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★☆☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★★ |
| Reread Value | ★★★☆☆ |
Story Overview
Rumina Asagi is a high school student who, by training under his grandfather, has enhanced physical capability but no Elemental ability. Ginnosuke is his friend. They fall through the surface into the Underground — a parallel city below Tokyo where people with Elemental powers have lived for generations.
The Underground is controlled by the Sui organization. Chelsea Rihikawa, an Elemental User who can control fire, has escaped the Underground to the surface world; her companion Ruri remains under Sui control. Rumina and Ginnosuke ally with Chelsea and undertake the mission of descending into the Underground and rescuing Ruri.
The series follows this mission — each volume advancing through the Underground's layers, encountering Elemental Users of increasing power, and getting closer to Ruri. The elemental power system (fire, water, lightning, earth, etc.) is the combat framework.
Characters
Rumina Asagi — A protagonist without Elemental power who compensates with trained physical capability; his development of ability through the series follows the standard shonen protagonist progression.
Chelsea Rihikawa — The fire Elemental whose determination to rescue Ruri drives the mission; her capability in battle is the team's primary supernatural resource.
The Sui Users — A series of antagonists with escalating elemental power who provide the mission's combat encounters.
Art Style
Uraku's art is functional action manga — character designs clear enough for battle choreography, elemental effects depicted with appropriate visual impact. The art serves the action content without being the series' primary attraction.
Cultural Context
Tokyo Underground ran from 1998 to 2005 in Monthly GFantasy. The elemental power system — humans with natural affinity for specific elements, used in organized combat — was a common action manga framework in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and Tokyo Underground represents a competent example from that period.
What I Love About It
The mission structure provides consistent momentum. Each volume has a clear objective (advance through this layer of the Underground, defeat these opponents), and the series delivers on that objective without excessive filler. For readers who want action manga that keeps moving, this is appreciated.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Tokyo Underground as solid genre action — specifically noted for the elemental system being clearly defined and consistently applied, for the rescue mission providing continuous forward momentum, and for the series being complete and concluded. Recommended for elemental action fans who want a complete series.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The encounters with the most powerful Sui organization members — where Rumina's non-Elemental approach is most directly tested against opponents who have abilities he does not — are the series' most interesting battle content.
Similar Manga
- Flame of Recca — Elemental action with similar power system and tournament structure
- Rave Master — Fantasy action with clear mission structure
- Law of Ueki — Elemental/ability action from similar era
- MÄR — Fantasy world action with mission structure
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — Rumina and Ginnosuke's fall into the Underground and their alliance with Chelsea establish the premise and the mission.
Official English Translation Status
Tokyopop published the complete English series. All 14 volumes available (may require secondhand purchase as Tokyopop is defunct).
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Elemental system clearly defined and consistently applied
- Mission structure provides forward momentum
- Complete in 14 volumes
- Rescue objective gives the action clear stakes
Cons
- Tokyopop volumes may require secondhand purchase
- Genre formula is familiar
- Character development limited by action pace
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | Tokyopop; complete series (secondhand) |
| Digital | Limited availability |
Where to Buy
Read the first volume. If it doesn't hook you, put it down. It'll hook you.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.