Episode 3 Synopsis
Tokyo
(Original Airdate: February 13, 2000)
Yuusuke's voice is heard ringing out "Watch my transformation." Slowly Ichijou rises into consciousness. He is lying in a hospital bed, recovering from the previous nights events. He finds a note in his pocket from Yuusuke telling him that Yuusuke is returning to Tokyo for an important appointment, but will soon return to Nagano and continue to fight this new enemy, and with full conviction. Ichijou looks concerned.
Opening Credits
Yuusuke and Sakurako arrive at Tokyo Station next day around 11 a.m. "I feel like I've been away for a long time," says Yuusuke. "How about lunch? We can try the school's cafeteria." Sakurako is very tired, but he asks her to start work on the symbols when she gets back to school. She's less than enthusiastic. "I'm going home," she says.
A gothic-looking young male is seen walking around Tokyo's Shibuya district. He seems disturbed by all the noise and light around him. He also has a strange tattoo on his arm. It looks similar in design to the writings found at the site in Nagano, although it appears to be a chameleon.
Back in Nagano, Ichijou and Ebisawa are discussing the previous night's events. Ebisawa says that he took a police dog with him to investigate, but the dog panicked and attacked him. "They must not be of this world," he says.
Meanwhile, in Shinjuku we follow another gothic punk, this one rather thick and muscular (portrayed by professional wrestler AKIRA) who seems mesmerized and slightly disturbed by all the noise around him. This one bears a similar tattoo to the previous punk, but his is some sort of stylized rhinoceros.
Yuusuke arrives at the Wakaba School to visit his sister Minori. Minori asks if he is okay. He seems to be, and so they go into the classroom, where Yuusuke gives a demonstration on juggling. (He juggled for the young boy who was waiting for his parents at Narita Airport in episode 1.)
Back in Nagano, Ichijou visits a police lab where they are examining blood samples. The scientist informs him that these samples, although they are from the spider-creature's blood. "So is it spider's blood?" asks Ichijou. The technician has some surprising news: "Well, spiders don't have red blood cells. This is actually human blood." Ichijou then watches the video from the dig site again.
Later, Ichijou attends a meeting where they are looking at slides of the Gurongi members, as well as some of Kuuga (Kuuga's Growing Form is referred to as number 2, while Mighty Form is referred to as number 4). The following information is established: the creatures have distinctly human features, but cannot really be considered human; so far they have claimed 27 victims; the police don't yet know the identity of #0; #1, the spider-man, has been killed by #2, the creature in the white armor; #3 and #4 were seen battling, but their current whereabouts are unknown; there seems to be some connection be #2 and #4; the police will continue their media blackout on the matter and are ordered to operate in secret; ordinary weapons are ineffective against the creatures, so special high-powered rifles will be issued; and finally all of the unidentified lifeforms are to be considered hostile. Ichijou, frustrated by this last item, protests, saying that #4 saved him from #3. However, when his supervisor demands proof he can offer none.
Ichijou tries to call Yuusuke via the phone # on his card (Yuusuke gave it to him in episode 1). However, it's not a residential number but a Chinese restaurant called Porepore ("of Oriental taste and scent"). Ichijou hangs up without leaving a message and then calls Sakurako, but gets an answering machine. (She's fast asleep.) He leaves a message for her to tell Yuusuke not to return to Nagano.
Yuusuke and Minori have a brief discussion regarding his time in Nagano. She seems concerned about his welfare, considering what happened to him there. He believes his involvement in the matter is not over, but he assures that no harm will come of it. "Well, I'm sure you're making the right decision," she says, then adds, "be sure to change your underwear every day." As he leaves, he turns and gives her the thumb's-up sign, which she returns. He heads home.
Break
As Ichijou prepares to leave the police station Kameyama flags him down and convinces him to watch a video of the new Trychaser 2000 motorcycle. Ichijou is too busy, so he leaves without watching the entire video. "Why are you leaving?" pleads Kameyama. "I saw the production video already. Besides, I have to track down #3," responds Ichijou on his way out.
Around 3:30 p.m., another gothic is seen walking around Ikebukuro. This one has a tattoo that looks like a grasshopper, and he seems fascinated by the exchange of money.
Yuusuke arrives at the Porepore restaurant to find he is locked out, so he has to climb up onto the roof to get in (his apartment is on the second floor), and while doing so is greeted by one of his old neighbors who is passing by on a bicycle. "I haven't seen that sight in a long time," calls up the neighbor. Yuusuke tells his neighbor he's heading back up to Nagano again, so the neighbor asks if he'll pick up some pickles. Yuusuke promises to bring back some wasabi, too.
Ichijou, having left the police station, is on the phone with Kameyama when he accidentally bumps into a beautiful girl wearing a black dress and a boa of roses. Upset, she snarls a remark at him, but Ichijou doesn't understand what she says. He stops herc"What did you just say?" She doesn't respond. "Answer me!" The girl throws him off and runs away. He chases after her, but upon rounding the corner all he finds is a shower of roses. He is puzzled, but soon he sees her a short distance away, and resumes pursuit. He follows here to an abandoned building, where he sees her talking to the Xu Gouma Gu man. They speak in a strange, snarling tongue, like the one she spoke to Ichijou in. Then the girl grabs Xu Gouma Gu by the head, and her arm changes appearances, with roots shooting out and engulfing Xu Gouma Gu's head.
Back in Tokyo, the gothics have gathered, and each of them carries a single rose petal with them. A couple of biker thugs approach, berating the gothics for gathering on their turf. One gets off the bike and approaches the group, focusing his attention on the girl in the group, remarking that the tattoo on her thigh is "cute" (it represents a cougar). She doesn't appreciate the attention, and promptly kicks him 5 meters up into a bridge abutment. He falls to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth. His buddy promptly bails. The girl then transforms into her Gurongi form (Xu Mebio Da) and takes off after him.
Ichijou is still observing the pair, and is about to open fire when his cell phone rings, alerting the Gurongi pair to his presence. Xu Gouma Gu throws him around and is choking him when the girl calls him off. Apparently, there is a more pressing issue, so they leave Ichijou on the ground. Ichijou's phone rings again, and it's Kameyama. "You again??" Ichijou chides. Kameyama tells him they've found something on a tollbooth tape that he should take a look at. About an hour before something was heading for Tokyo at an extremely high speed.
Yuusuke is ready to go into the subway station when he hears a cry of fear and sees a young man scooting away from his fallen motorcycle. The unfortunate man is being hunted down by Xu Mebio Da.
Ichijou, on his cell phone on the way to Tokyo, tries to find out if his contact has heard from Yuusuke. "No luck? Damn. What are you up to, Godai?" he says.
Yuusuke jumps in, and is fighting Xu Mebio Da when the police arrive on the scene. Yuusuke is getting his butt kicked big time. Detective Sugita is one of several more police officers heading to the battle scene, and is directing the activities of the other officers involved: "As per orders from HQ, we will shoot to kill." Another detective, Sakurai, radios that he has found Number 5, and Number 4 is there, too.
Yuusuke transforms into Mighty Form and begins battling Xu Mebio Da, but the fight is interrupted by the police. Sugita arrives on the scene, and continues directing the operation: "Sakurai, Kumagai, we'll take Number 4. The rest of you, take Number 5." Guns are drawn and aimed. Kuuga is at a loss what to doc
End of episode
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