The AV-98, aka the Ingram patrol labor.
6.02 tons. 8.02 meters high.
SCB powered. SCLM drive system.
Armed and ready for combat with a 37 millimeter revolver and stun baton.
Designed specifically for police use...
to make a psychological impact on the community...
to deter criminals while making the public feel safe.
You must not let go of your dreams
And never turn your gaze away
Yet even still love may cloud up and fade away
And even though you comforted your love
When he was feeling down
Sadness was still weighing down his heavy heart
Hang tight onto your dreams - they're weapons in your arsenal
You'll find that you can get through anything at all
So never cry - you know I will always be watching over you
What I love about you is your strong sense of fairness
So never cry - you know I will always be right there by your side
And so now you can face your future fearlessly
The Griffin has Arrived!
Ota! Hurry! He's about to...
What a terrible dream.
Linus 1 to Linus Team: Status report.
Linus 2: All green.
Linus 3: All green.
Captain! What was that?
Linus 3... to your left!
The Linus team has been destroyed!
HQ! HQ! Please respond!
We've lost contact with all teams! We're being jammed.
What's going on?
Is it the thing we fought on Oshima?
Impossible! That's why we moved to Ogasawara.
This location is top secret!
Who do we have left?
At the last check-in, only Raven team responded.
Something's wrong.
Should we pull back?
No, hold on.
What is that?
What?
Captain! Captain!
He was only toying with us.
Is the radio up yet?
Yes, but we're still getting static.
Contact HQ. They left a message.
The Griffin has appeared.
Whose bright idea was that?
It's just harmless fun.
Chief, you can't let him get away with this.
Don't worry. It doesn't actually give any clue to our identity.
I still think he's getting carried away.
We need to keep him under control.
You're too intimidating, Kurosaki. I'll talk to him.
Good work.
Piece of cake.
Looks like you've mastered piloting.
I want to do even more next time!
Did you see the doctor?
I'm tired of these head-to-toe checkups!
The more you use the Griffin, the greater its effect on you.
They need to check you each time.
Bud,
you have to make sacrifices, if you want to be the best.
The Griffin looks unstoppable.
Its first performance was superb.
It certainly got a taste of real combat.
Was there any damage?
A little on the legs. It's good to iron out the details early.
Excuse me!
Okay, prepare for shipment and load it onto the carrier.
We've accomplished something incredible, but...
But?
I wish we could publicly announce it.
Maybe you'd rather show off the Griffin laying asphalt.
The world will come to realize the Griffin's supremacy,
and then its value will be astronomical!
But we can't sell it! Not only is it incredibly expensive,
but it's radically different from every standard Labor format.
We could sell the basic theory.
Yes. Shinohara could use it in their AV system.
You mean the system used by the Ingram?
Exactly. So we DO have potential buyers.
I think their control software is still better than ours.
Their code is guarded as tightly as a military secret.
I'd like to capture a working 98-AV Ingram.
After all, that's why we created the Griffin.
Then Bud could leave the message, "We're number 1."
Did you catch a cold?
No, my nose just started itching.
Maybe someone's talking about you.
I wonder.
A dream?
It was horrible. I could never see my opponent clearly.
Alphonse kept getting hit until he was nearly destroyed.
I called Ota for help.
I bet that was pointless. Dreams can be pretty irrational.
It WAS pointless.
Ota's machine was wrecked, wasn't it?
How did you know?
It sounds like a pretty realistic dream.
I hope it never comes true!
They say a dream right before dawn always comes true.
Stop it!
You take incredibly good care of Alphonse,
so naturally you're afraid of him being damaged in combat.
And Ota ALWAYS gets damaged before you do.
So... your dream was fragments of reality.
I get it! As I get better at piloting Alphonse,
I'm willing to take more risks. Of course I'd worry about this.
So what if it's a premonition? I can handle it!
What are those idiots laughing at?
Ota, dear...
Yes!
Pointless griping isn't going to finish those overdue reports.
Right!
Uh...
What is it?
I'd prefer it if you didn't call me "Ota dear."
Why not?
It's bad for morale.
Pooh! You're too stodgy!
But...
Now finish those reports, Ota... dear.
Ota!
Come on! Let's get in some practice!
I don't know what Kumagami said, but don't take it out on me.
Why not?
We just heard from the Captain's office...
They may want to increase the number of divisions.
So?
Don't you get it?
If there are more divisions, they'll need new captains.
And the most likely choices are either Kumagami or Gomioka.
She's really going to be riding you, Ota.
Police Headquarters
What are you going to do?
What do you mean?
If we all get new Labors, you'll lose the Ingrams.
Nothing's final yet.
You know the Chief wants it.
In that case,
do you want to discuss our countermeasures?
Right now?
Sure, why not?
I'm meeting someone. Maybe tomorrow.
Oh.
Well, see you later.
Okay.
Sorry to call you so suddenly. I appreciate you coming to meet me.
No, it's been far too long!
You haven't changed a bit.
How's your husband?
Fine.
So you still haven't started a family.
I hardly expected to hear that from you.
What's so odd about it?
We'll have children eventually.
How's work going?
Terrible. We're forcing software to make up for rotten hardware,
and every year Labors pull farther ahead of our Pythons.
Say...
How many Labors are there that approach real human movement?
Close to human movement? Hard to say.
How about your Ingrams?
That's Division 2. There's also the Shaft Europe Type 7 Brocken.
After that, the Toyohata SRX-70. That's about all.
Why, did something happen?
It's nothing.
Oh, okay.
You've changed, Shinobu.
Yeah?
You were never this mellow in school.
You're nicer this way.
Well, thanks.
Shinobu...
have you ever heard of the "Griffin?"
The Griffin? No.
Oh. Well, it was great seeing you. Let's do it again soon.
...and once I did that, a whole bunch of them came out!
The stronger the love, the greater the heartbreak.
You can't expect ME to tell her!
I want you to gauge her reaction.
We already know what it'll be!
I just want to make sure.
It's so hot today!
Why are you so quiet?
- Well... - Yeah?
I'll be blunt! Look at this.
What is it?
Shinohara Industries newest product: An economy Ingram.
This is your father's latest project?
It sure looks like an economy model. What about it?
I think HQ wants to shift money from our Ingrams to these models.
Whaaaaat??!!
Calm down! Calm down!
I won't accept this!
Uh oh.
Don't you "Uh oh." me! Alphonse is perfect!
Each day, I continue to improve! So why are we changing now,
after working so long and hard to create good movement data?
Listen, Noa...
Don't give me that look! The Captain knew about this, but...
You're exactly right, lzumi. I'm going to go tell the bosses.
They haven't made a final decision yet.
Oh, it isn't final yet?
That's what I've been trying to tell you!
But...
No buts!
Excuse us!
Officer Shinohara?
Yes?
Have you ever heard of the Griffin?
Is it a Labor?
Probably.
Never heard of it.
Thank you.
Excuse us!
What's a Griffin?
I don't know. That's why I asked.
Wait until you hear the other side of it!
Why should I listen to an argument that has no merit?
No merit?
Absolutely none!
You know full well how capable Alphonse... the other Ingrams are.
After all this work, why should we switch to different machines?
Are they already talking about that?
It's just talk.
But at least they'll upgrade to a newer Ingram, won't they?
Our Ingrams are too expensive.
Isn't it Division 1's turn for an upgrade?
I think they want to standardize.
But the new models are so cheap!
Are they as good as our current Ingrams?
I don't think so.
See?
Then what's the point? Why are they pushing this junk?
I'll bet it's because they want to add new divisions.
Quantity vs. Quality?
Yeah. They think lots of cheap machines...
will be better than a few really good ones.
Hey, it's not what I think! It's HQ!
I don't like it. This whole idea of new divisions is bad!
Why?
Ota's worried about the human angle.
So if we give up the Ingrams,
Officers Gomioka and Kumagami will head divisions 3 and 4,
and every division will receive the new Labors.
Captain, is this plan final?
I think it's a bad idea to remove our greatest tool, the Ingram.
But HQ thinks it's more important to unify Second Section.
What's your opinion, Mr. Sakaki?
I think Captain Nagumo has to approve this new Labor first.
I'd love to upgrade, but we can't sacrifice quality.
You don't think the economy model can hack it, do you?
Well, judging purely from the spec-sheet...
They claim to run the Ingram's software as-is, but I'm skeptical.
You expect our software to run differently on the new machine?
Exactly. But we won't know for sure until we see it in action.
And I know exactly where we can see it.
Oh?
The International Labor Show?
It's the biggest show of the year.
If Shinohara Industries is going to sell this thing,
then they'll have a working model and demonstrations.
Tokyo International Labor Show
Splendid, splendid.
The world's largest Labor show.
Wouldn't this be the perfect place to unveil the Griffin?
That's just a touch risky, isn't it?
Oh, but the benefits would far outweigh the risks!
So, do you think Division 2 will be here?
It's highly likely.
Why the gloomy face? You should lighten up, Kurosaki!
Just hold me tightly, Midnight Blue
If I can make it to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
Pulled into my dream, I find that I wake up
Drenched in sweat and feeling lonely
I turn off the TV I've been listening to
Tomorrow I will spend the whole day
In the city of my dreams, amidst the old dust
I want to feel the main street beneath my feet soon
I plan to always look on the brighter side
Keep my chin up, look to the future
After all, there's only one path I can travel
Just hold me tightly, Midnight Blue
If I can make it to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
If I can make to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
This story is fiction... but in 10 years, who knows?
At the Tokyo International Labor Show that kid Bud busts in,
takes control of the Griffin and starts attacking every labor in sight!
Ota's and Asuma's labors are getting completely trashed!
Is this exactly what Utsumi's been planning all along?
Is he going to get our Ingrams after all? And on top of that...
I gave Asuma my movement disc for Alphonse-
So I can't even start him up until I get it back!
Next Episode: Tragedy in the Rain. Target, Locked On!
Next Episode: Tragedy in the Rain.