A toner is provided. The toner includes toner particles each including a binder resin and a release agent. From 20% to 80% by number of the toner particles satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2): 2/3≦T/Dv≦1.5   (1) 1/3≦R/Dv≦1.0   (2) wherein Dv represents a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles; and T and R represent the longest cross-sectional diameters of each toner particle and the release agent contained therein, respectively, measured by observing cross-sections of the toner particles with scanning transmission electron microscope.