Tanji is a minor character from the Battle Angel Alita manga series who has also appeared in the 1993 OVA and the 2019 live-action film. He is a friend of deuteragonist Yugo, a boy who is not only Alita's love interest but also a criminal, stealing components from cyborgs off the streets of Iron City.
In the OVA, Tanji is voiced by Takumi Yamazaki in Japanese and Kurt Stoll in the ADV English dub. In the 2019 film, he is portrayed by Jorge Lendeborg Jr..
History[]
OVA[]
Tanji plays a very minor role in the OVA, helping Yugo with stealing spinal cords from cyborgs in Iron City on Vector's orders. His face is never seen as he always wears a gas mask.
One fateful evening, Yugo and Tanji try to jack another spinal column, but their mark turns out to be the hunter-warrior Zapan. Zapan stops the boys before they can paralyze him and grabs Yugo, holding him against the wall. Tanji tries to stop Zapan, yelling at him to let go of Yugo, using his real name. Zapan strikes Tanji, sending him hurtling through the air. The hunter then draws his blade and slashes Tanji in half, killing him instantly.
Film[]
In the 2019 film Alita: Battle Angel, Tanji's character is expanded upon. Like Hugo, he enjoys Motorball and makes a living by jacking cyborgs for spare parts. He seems to be Hugo's best friend, but when Hugo starts spending time with Alita and letting her join in his friends' games, Tanji quickly takes a disliking to her after she beats him in an amateur Motorball game. He also makes fun of Hugo for being into cyborgs, or "hard bodies" as he calls them.
When Hugo begins feeling regret over his criminal activities, he tells Tanji and the other members of their crew that he's opting out. Tanji is angered by this and is quick to blame Alita for Hugo's change of heart, but Hugo punches him after he insults her. A short while later, the group are approached by the hunter-warrior Zapan, who realizes that the youngsters are responsible for the numerous cyber-jackings taking place around town. Tanji tries to defend himself against Zapan, but the cyborg makes short work of him, bisecting him with his Damascus Blade.