Original Concept EIICHI KAMAGATA
Original Story / Screenplay HIDEYUKI KURATA
Original Character Design TARAKU UON
Character Design / Animation Director MASASHI ISHIHAMA
Production Design NORIYUKI ZINGUZI
Art Director EASTER · YATUKUMI Art Conception HIROSHI IZUMI Color Coordinator MAYUMI TANAHASHI
Director of Cinematography KAZUNARI NISHIDA Editing MASANORI SAKAMOTO
Sound Effects MINORU YAMADA Sound Mixer YASUSHI NAGURA
Recording Director HIROMI KIKUTA Music Director TAKASHI KODAMA
Music TAKU IWASAKI
Producer TOMONORI OCHIKOSHI
Animation Producer YUJI MATSUKURA
Director KOJI MASUNARI
Animation Produced by J.C. STAFF
Produced by ANIPLEX INC.
Episode 23 Lie to Me
The plane will be ready for departure shortly.
You're going to release everyone in an exchange for me, right?
Yes, I promise.
Why don't you make a phone call and be done with it?
She won't be satisfied with anything less than this.
I'll never forgive you if Anita has even so much as a scratch.
You love your sister.
You people don't understand.
I'll go and see if they're ready.
Now, let's see which way the ball will bounce.
Once we get Anita and the others, I'll make a scene and draw their...
attention to me. In the meantime, you can...
Don't get so desperate.
It'll be meaningless unless all of us come out safe.
You were cool back there.
I guess it makes a difference that Anita's involved.
She's my sister.
Who's this?
This is Wendy Earhart.
It's been a while.
Is this Drake-san? Is Joker-san all right?
For the time being.
I'm contacting you to negotiate.
Fine. Withdraw the US troop. And arrange a helicopter for us.
You're not to follow us. Once we secure a safe lead...
we'll leave Joker lying behind somewhere.
Don't you think it's too one-sided a condition?
Are you in a position to complain?
I believe we do have something to bargain with as well.
You can look at the image and decide.
Ma-nee! Nenene!
Sensei!
Sumiregawa Nenene is in our hands. Maggie Mui led her to us.
That's a lie!
Whether to believe it or not is up to you.
We'd like to exchange Sumiregawa Nenene for Joker-san.
That's a lie.
We'll come to you in a helicopter.
Ma-nee wouldn't betray us.
She's being threatened.
I agree. But it's also true that Sensei is in the enemy's hands.
He's the only thing we've got to bargain with.
They'll capture us all as soon as we let him go.
Still! We can't leave Sensei stranded!
Stop fighting.
Nancy-san!
We're not fighting.
Really?
Yes.
They've got Ma-nee too. We have to rescue her.
Well, that's true.
Things will move quicker if she's coming here with the other girl.
There's no need to sit around and wait!
We can use him as a shield and demand to give Ma-nee back as well.
We'll be fine! Me, you, and Ma-nee together...
we'll be able to get Nenene back and beat them all!
Ma-nee's incredibly strong!
Yes, but...
What's so funny?
Oh, I merely thought it was a display of beautiful sisterhood.
Of course. You people just don't understand.
You don't even think about suspecting your sister.
Though there's no basis for the trust.
I know best about them. We're sisters.
You're sisters?
Well, maybe we're not real sisters...
but it doesn't change the fact that they're precious to me!
They saved me when I was all alone.
There's no person who can replace my sisters.
Do you truly believe that?
Do you think they're irreplaceable? Did they save you?
To begin with, are you sure you've even met them?
What are you talking...
Anita King, your identity is completely shrouded in mystery.
How you came to be a Paper Master, what you were doing...
before you met those two, where and to whom you were born.
Joker-san?
You don't know, do you? You can't remember, can you?
We're the ones who have all the answers.
What do you mean?
You've been living in a dream we fabricated for you.
Damn!
Gas?
Sensei.
What do you know about us?
You three are not sisters.
Right, we're adopted sisters. But...
You're not related in any way whatsoever.
Your encounter with each other, your life in Hong Kong. They're all lies.
That's a lie.
No, you don't have parents or sisters. Because we...
the British Library Special Operations Unit, brought you into existence.
A test-tube baby created from the sperm and...
egg of Paper Masters in our possession, that's what you are.
Can Paper Masters be artificially created?
Can a non-bibliomaniac possess the abilities of a Paper Master?
You're our first test case to find answers to these questions.
And also the first failure. You inherited the genes of Paper Masters...
but were unable to use the abilities for a long time.
Ironically, what triggered your abilities to surface...
was the accident she caused.
But at that time, you were kidnapped...
by Dokusensha infiltrating into our building...
along with the genes of the Paper Masters.
But apparently, Dokusensha found it rather difficult to deal with you.
Your abilities surfaced, but you had a major trauma toward books.
You couldn't possibly carry out missions on your own.
That's why Dokusensha tried to create Paper Masters on their own...
using the genes they stole from us.
They collected a large number of unidentified test subjects...
and implanted those genes into them.
They created posteriori Paper Masters. Those Paper Masters are...
That's a lie!
They are the ones you call your sisters, Michelle Chan and Maggie Mui.
That's a lie!
Not true...
Judging from Gentlemen's memories and...
Dokusensha's records that Joker-san obtained...
that's the only possible conclusion...
Maggie-chan and I are genetically-altered...?
Genes are not the only thing they manipulated. Your memories as well.
The psychological conditions of...
the experimentally manufactured Paper Masters were somehow defective.
They assumed it was due to the lack of...
personal connection and communication.
That's why they decided to use those Paper Masters as test cases...
installing false memories into them and arranging for them to live together...
as families as a part of the training.
Many sets of Paper Sisters were born.
But you three were the only set who survived.
Though having many faults individually, with the three of you together,
you became strangely stable.
Apparently, it came as a surprise to Dokusensha as well.
Your memory settings must have been done extraordinarily well.
Then...
Yes, that's correct.
Your precious memories are a fabricated story...
made up by Dokusensha's script writers.
A glossed-over fantasy.
Well, I suppose it's time for me to leave.
You think we'll let you go?
What do you say, Yomiko?
You think we have a chance?
I'll work something out.
Sensei.
We have Sumiregawa-sensei here.
We'd like to exchange her for Joker-san.
I believe this is your last chance. Are you sure you won't come back to us?
No, I won't.
Even if you could get away now, we'd capture you sooner or later.
What are you people trying to achieve by manipulating other people's lives...
and re-writing their memories?
We'll both let our hostages walk. Agreed?
Sensei. We'll rescue you now.
Come back here with Joker-san. Otherwise...
you know what will happen.
Go.
Hurry!
Come back here!
Capture them!
Mr. Carpenter, please give us instructions.
No need to follow them.
Instead, search for Junior. He should be somewhere in the area.
Roger.
Are you all right?
Yes. Thank you.
No, I thank you for rescuing me.
Oh, a bruise...
They haven't changed at all.
Michelle-san, let's run away together and go into hiding somewhere.
I'll protect you.
Junior-kun!
Damn!
Junior-kun!
Sensei!
You may leave her be.
She won't be able to recover once she knows the truth.
Operation complete.
The number of injuries 7, severely wounded 2.
Search party, collect papers.
Initiate cleanup operation. Move quickly, everyone.
Don't step on the paper.
I can't see.
Give us a light here.
We've brought in Agent Junior, sir.
Thank you.
He seems to have lost the ability...
to penetrate solid objects for unknown reasons.
Oh? Just as well.
It's better that he has no such vile ability.
Examine him.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
I am Joe Carpenter, the new president of Dokusensha.
Our company has long served and been loved by the public as a bookseller...
but as the person in charge, I am planning to expand our business...
as an information network company for the new era.
We have been going forward with a plan to make information available to...
every corner of the globe...
using the information antennas being installed as we speak.
For what purpose?
What else but for the education, culture, and mankind's prosperity.
I hereby announce that mankind will enter into a new era in 10 days' time...
with the first system enabling everyone to completely share information!
However, before that day comes...
I must make my first decision as the new president of the company.
In order to effectively run the system, as of today...
Dokusensha shall become an exclusive organization of a single nation.
It's a nation that has made the largest contribution to mankind over time.
It's a nation with power that deserves to take the leadership...
as we enter this new era.
That nation, ladies and gentlemen, is the United Kingdom.
I believe that starting anew as the British Library...
under the control of the United Kingdom is the path our company must take.
If you agree, please cast a vote.
Approved
By majority vote, Dokusensha will now change its name to the British Library...
an information agency exclusively attached to the UK government.
President Cole of the United States has given us...
tremendous support to reach thus far.
Everyone, please give him a big hand!
Joker! You were planning to do this from the very beginning!
Yes. We greatly appreciate your support.
Don't screw with me! I won't allow such a selfish move!
Our country will administer punitive measures...!
We took the liberty of using...
your electoral campaign data for the system test.
What?
We also have various intelligences on interesting facts about you...
such as leaking confidential information to a certain corporation...
a secret relationship with a female senator, so on and so forth.
If you'd like, we could use them for the first worldwide transmission.
Tonight, mankind has welcomed a new night.
And in 10 days, we shall give you the new dawn from London.
The dawn of wisdom that mankind will share for the first time!
A nostalgic smell of wind is somewhat lonesome
People think tenderly of the never returning days
The power of time is too big Even if I drift along by myself
I believe in my destination An unchanged place of smile
Even if it's a dream, split in two
Or you're just so far away and can't be seen
I'm sure we're strongly connected by our hearts
We'll definitely meet again
Even in the Winter in which I cried
and the Summer in which we laughed together
I could trust in you When I close my eyes
I can feel your warmth from those days