Banri Tada (多田 万里 Tada Banri) is the main protagonist of the Golden Time series. He is a college freshman studying law at a private university in Tokyo. On the night of the graduation ceremony he falls off a bridge, and as a result, suffers from retrograde amnesia, unable to remember anything before the accident. He is followed by his own ghost which left his body after the accident.
He later becomes the boyfriend/fiance of Kouko Kaga.
Appearance
Banri has green eyes and long brown hair. On the first episode, he wore a suit for his freshmen orientation, the suit consists of a black jacket with a blue tie over a white shirt. He is 5' 5". He is usually seen wearing casual clothes. He is described cute.
Personality
Banri is a kindhearted, bold, and benevolent person. He is positive and outgoing, always willing to accept new friends and going out of his way to help those he can. He also isn't afraid to make sacrifices to get others out of trouble. Banri is also laid back, patient, and sensitive, evidenced by the way he treats Kouko. While he is smitten with her beauty, he is quick to sense her internal loneliness and try to help her in spite of her obsession with Mitsuo.
Banri's biggest struggle is with his past. Because his memories are lost, Banri considers himself to be a ghost: a being without attachments inhabiting someone else's body. As such, he is apprehensive about approaching people he knew pre-amnesia. His fear is that because they hope he will return to being the person they have memories of, they'll be disappointed to see his current state. Banri also grapples with the idea of his memories returning, having developed a deep-seated fear that such a change would cause the person he's become to cease to exist and be forgotten by his new friends. This fear is heightened by the actions of the spirit watching over him begins trying to possess him, which causes old memories and feelings to awaken.
History
The Accident That Causes His Amnesia A Year And A Half Ago.
It has been said during the anime that Banri acquired amnesia during an accident, where he fell of a bridge a day after his high school graduation party, causing the loss of all his memories before the accident. Afterwards, he spent a year in a hospital recuperating under observation where he mostly avoided seeing his friends and family. He felt socially pressured by their expectations of wanting to see the old Banri. While he says the version of him alive now is a new Banri Tada, a part of him wants his old life with Linda to come back.
Plot
Banri is the protagonist of the series and is a college freshman studying law in a private university in Tokyo. His hometown is in the Shizuoka Prefecture, and he now lives alone in a small apartment. A little after his third-year high school graduation ceremony, he plummets from a bridge and then suffers from severe amnesia, unable to remember anything before the accident. For that reason, he missed the college entrance exam and one year of school because of his hospitalization. It is revealed in the anime series that a "ghost" of Banri's past before the accident follows the current Banri around hoping to reunite with his body so that he can get his memories back. It is also revealed that the ghost can control Banri's thoughts and feelings at times.
Yanagisawa Mitsuo and Tada Banri.
On his first day of university, he runs late for the first-years orientation and is completely lost. When he tries to find his classes, he meets Mitsuo Yanagisawa, a first-year of his age who turns out to be in his classes. Mistuo reveals that he's actually running away from Kouko Kaga, a childhood friend who insists that they get married. Reluctantly, Kouko follows Mitsuo to the university, and she quickly befriends Banri so that she can get closer to her love interst.
Banri spends a lot of time with Kouko since she is always depressed whenever Mitsuo is not around (because he is trying to avoid her at all costs), partly out of pity and partly to satisfy his own loneliness. During this time, Banri grows strong feelings for Kouko, and even confesses his attraction to her. She rejects him, but they stay close anyway, even joining the festival club together. Eventually, being close to Kouko in spite of the rejection becomes too much for Banri to handle. He tells Kouko that they can't be friends anymore, even though she still wants them to be together.
Banri also meets Linda, a second-year student at the university who helps lead the festival club. She saves Banri from numerous clubs that aggressively recruit first-years. Linda is the only one that doesn't force Banri to join her club, yet he joins her club later with Kouko. Mitsuo encourages Banri to join the film club with him, but not to tell Kouko about it. He reveals to Banri that he has feelings for the club's president, Chinami Oka, who is much more compassionate and less selfish than Kouko. On an orientation for the film club at a place called, "Golden Time", Banri gets captured by the tea club who are having a party next door. Banri is forced to serve drinks and wrestle for sport. During this experience, he meets Sato Kayaga, who is nicknamed "2D-kun" by the tea club upperclassmen, since he hates the "three-dimensional world" everyone else lives in. From then on he is known as "2D-kun".
When Banri takes a trip back home for the weekend, he reviews his high school yearbook photo, where he finds pictures of himself and Linda in high school. It is revealed that they were best friends in high school since they were in the first year, even though Banri was not popular since he was very sensitive. When Banri confessed his feelings to Linda on graduation night, she tells him to wait until tomorrow night on the bridge next to his home for the answer. This was why Banri was on the bridge the night of his accident.
When he confronts Linda at the festival club and asks her why she is pretending their high school year never happened, she says that he was like a bomb; that if she told him about his past with her that he might hate her forever. She says that it was her fault that he got into an accident and that if she got to the bridge on time it might have never happened. They both become emotionally unstable, and Banri refuses to talk to her. When he runs out of the festival club room, Kouko chases him after waiting at the exit for him. When he runs to a bridge, having thoughts of jumping off and starting his life over again, Kouko hits him with a bike she stole to catch up to him and reveals that she loved him the moment they first met.
With their new relationship, Kouko is happier than ever and even tells her father that she finally has a real boyfriend. Mitsuo, on the other hands, gets rejected by Chinami when he confesses his feelings for her in front of the film club. Mistuo gets embarrassed and refuses to see Chinami since everyone knows about their event.
Banri eventually re-unites with Linda, and they reminisce about their high school years together. When Banri asks about what Linda's answer was about becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, she replies, "The answer was 'no'". She says that she only liked him as a friend, not as a romantic partner. Later on, Banri asks Linda that they should forget everything about their past together since it's making his current relationship with Kouko awkward. When Linda looks at the photo of them together in high school, she tears it and throws it into the wind, saying, "We're doing the right thing, Banri".
At the beginning of summer vacation, Banri is invited to a high school reunion. He refuses to go at first, fearing that everyone would hate him since he's nothing like the old Banri. He goes when Linda says she'd be with him at all times at the reunion. However, at the high school, everyone welcomes Banri with open arms, saying that he hasn't changed at all. When Banri crosses the bridge he had his accident on as he returns home with Linda, he sees his old self-waiting at the bridge being hit by a scooter. When he grabs his old self, the apparition says, "Leave me..." and falls. Banri believes that he is starting to get his memories back. When he goes to see a doctor about it, he says that it should not happen again.
After Banri's high school reunion, he has a reunion with his friends at a Japanese Grill. Mitsuo asks if Banri and Kouko would convince their club leader to shoot a "music video" at their club. When Banri asks about his motives, Mitsuo confesses that he wants to get closer to Linda since he has a one-way crush on her. Banri and Kouko agree to help him. When Banri and Mitsuo go get more meat, Mitsuo asks Banri about his relationship with Linda. When Banri prepares to tell the truth, that they were friends in high school and he was in love with her before his accident, Mitsuo apologizes for being rude.
At Banri's apartment, Kouko dresses up in lingerie and starts to make-out with Banri. However, she stops because she was nauseous and a mini statue of the Eiffel Tower which she made for Banri fell on her head. Kouko is upset that things didn't go her way, but Banri comforts her by saying that they have all the time in the world.
The next day at the festival club, Mitsuo attempts to talk to Linda while he's shooting. However, Linda gets angry at Mitsuo and Banri, and she suspects that Banri is trying to set the two up together. After the practice, Linda motions Banri to follow her and talk in private. When they meet in an alley, she expresses her anger towards Banri. She later says to Banri that she was scared that a younger guy she hardly knew treated her to dinner a couple times during the summer fell "in love" with her, and how he didn't know her like Banri does.
She also says that she's doing well and he and Kouko seem to be happier than ever. Chinami, who was just going back home after the film club meets, interrupts their conversation to talk to Banri in private. Chinami reveals that she is frustrated at Banri for being so close to Linda, the person that Mitsuo likes. When Banri asks why she is so concerned about Mitsuo, she only gets angrier and calls Banri "the worst".
At the next festival, Banri and his festival club perform the Awa Dance. Banri is the happiest he's been in a while until in the middle of the dance he suddenly recalled numerous events that happened in his high school years. He runs off and Kouko and Linda chase after him. He hides in the corner of a parking lot, trembling out of fear. He's scared that he's suddenly recalling these events, even though the doctor said that they would never happen again. He believes that the ghost of his past is trying to get back inside his body and possess it, leaving his current self behind. When Linda finds him, he says he's fine, yet he's still shaking in fear of what might happen to him.
After a week has passed, Banri still can't sleep in fear that his current self will disappear if he gets his memories back. He tells Kouko that he'll start running every day, like he did when he was on the track team, to help him sleep. Kouko becomes worried that Banri might run away and leave her behind, but Banri promises that he would never do that. They both agree that keeping the secret of his amnesia and high school life from his friends is only getting worse, so they decide to invite everyone over to dinner and tell them all there. Oka-chan arrives early to talk to Banri about something; she likes Mitsuo yet thinks that it's too late for him to love her. She apologizes for taking her frustration and confusion out of him.
Banri then decides to tell Oka-chan everything, until he suddenly regains all his memories. He temporarily forgets what is currently happening and is confused and calls Linda, who is hanging out with Nana next door. When Linda realizes what has happened, Banri makes her promise not to tell Kouko that he regained his memories. When Nana comes in and slaps Banri for "losing his senses", he storms out of the room and starts running. Mitsuo notices him and he calls 2-D-kun to stop him. He over-does it, however, by knocking out Banri with a knee-kick to the face. When Banri regains consciousness, he tells Mitsuo and 2-D-kun that something is happening to him that he can't explain yet and that he might disappear from this world all-together soon. They both agree to be with Banri to the end and help him out however they can.
The next day, Oka-chan confronts Banri about what happened back at his apartment and says that when Kouko arrived and she explained that Banri ran off, all Kouko said was, "I see. He ran away." Banri then asks Oka-chan to get her camera out so that he can explain to everyone what is going on with him without calling them all over personally instead. When Banri gets off the train, he meets Kouko who is waiting there for him. Before Banri can do anything, Kouko tells him that she cannot promise a future with him and is going to pursue Mitsuo since that is why she came to the university in the first place. She then breaks up with Banri and leaves.
The next day when Oka-chan meets Banri at the school, she tells him that Kouko found the video of Banri talking to her and that he got his memories back. They both decide to laugh it off by creating their own little "broken-hearts club" where Oka and Banri are the only members. Banri goes to the Festival Club room to tell Linda that he and Kouko broke up, and to act normally when she sees her in the club so that she doesn't leave. Linda becomes furious and she and Banri trade blow. Linda is mad at Banri for taking the break-up so casually and not going after Kouko. Banri replies that he does feel sad, yet he can't do anything about so he's trying to make the best of it.
Kouko and Yana come into the room during the fight so that they can both resign from the club. This is when Banri reveals everything to Yana, and says that he tried to tell him earlier but couldn't. He tells everyone that he might disappear from this world soon if he fully regains his memories because last time he did he was not in control of his body. Linda tells everyone that she takes full responsibility for what happened to Banri; that if she would have made in on time to the bridge none of it would have happened. She also wished that she could re-do that day for Banri's sake.
At the next festival, Banri fully recovers his past memories, and the current Banri is gone. Kouko, Oka, 2D, and Yana mourn the loss of Banri after he goes back home and takes a leave of absence from the university. When Banri is back home for New Year's Eve, he spends time with Linda and admits to himself that he is still in love with Linda, and still waiting for her answer on the bridge. As Banri goes through his university belongings, he notices notes to himself about his life in a university in Tokyo; all his friends, his girlfriend Kouko who broke-up with him, and how Linda and he were in the same club. None of this reminds Banri of his university life. He also notices that someone hacked into his e-mail and sent hundreds of messages to Kouko telling her his address and that they should meet up again.
Kouko then comes over to "return" Banri's DVD. Banri mistakes her for Oka-chan, but Kouko doesn't mention it. When she's about to leave, she asks Banri where the "famous wooden bridge" is and says she needs to be there for awhile. When Banri looks through the bag that Kouko gave him, he notices one of the matching mirrors he received from Kouko. When it breaks, Banri's memories of his university life return and he runs after Kouko. When he gets to the bridge, he sees past versions of himself until he gets to the end where his Spirit is. He's upset that Banri hasn't noticed him until now and is frustrated that his life must end this way. Before he leaves, Linda runs up to the spirit and says that her answer to him was "yes," allowing the spirit to depart happily. Suddenly, Banri notices Kouko waiting for him at the bridge, and Linda admits that she says "yes" to Banri being with Kouko. Banri yells Kouko's name and the two embrace. He tells Kouko that he didn't forget his promise, and they will be together for the rest of their lives.
In the epilogue, it is revealed that it was 2-D Kun who tracked down Banri's address and hacked his e-mail to get Kouko to chase after Banri. Banri and Kouko resume their lives in Tokyo University as law students and have a very steady relationship.
Quotes
"Even if you think I’m a nuisance, no matter where you go, I’ll find you. I’ll always be listening for your voice. When the rain falls, when the wind blows, when the flowers scatter, when shadow looms. In every sign, I’ll search for your voice."
"Why do you still want to be my friend? Is it because you feel comfortable being with me? Because I understand your awkward and useless self, and yet still love you? Quit acting so spoiled. When you rejected me, you lost the right to want those things!"
"Do you want to go back? To the place where I used to be. I... I want to go back!"
"I feel like I can be reborn as a new person here. I can meet new friends, stay in a new place, and live in a new world. It's so much fun, and I'm so happy and satisfied. Even if I'm sad or lonely or make mistakes, everything shines like gold."
"The Present is ending . Here, countless versions of our past selves are always crying , laughing , falling in love , getting hurt , joking around , feeling happy and suffering . These feelings are born all the time and in the next moment, they became the past and die . It's over now . This is the end . but the truth is , everyone's time is like that . right after it's born , every moment becomes the past and dies . But.. I'm alive now . I'm here now . I can see this moment , the present , right now . Right now ... isn't that everything ? after that , I returned to my former self and lost all the memories since the accident."
Trivia
- His hometown is Shizuoka Prefecture, but is now living in a small apartment in Tokyo.