Get up, Arata!
Ow!
Morning, Arata.
K-Kohaku?!
What?
I tried to copy the clothing worn by humans in this era.
Did I get this outfit wrong?
Should I find something more tailored for male tastes?
N-Nah, I don't care. Do what you want.
By the way, why are you here?
Is there a problem?
This is my room.
I don't get it.
Why can't I be in your room?
How come the cat's okay, but not me?
I'm Arata's friend.
I guess telling you that I want my privacy probably won't work.
You weren't like this before.
Hey, what was Seimei like?
You're asking me to remember old times?
That's a very human thing to request.
It doesn't make sense to tell you about yourself, though.
Don't blame me. How would I know?
If you forgot, then fine.
I'll tell you.
You're really telling me you came from a place beneath this country?
That's right.
I'll tell you more.
You're here.
And I came from a place that's basically the opposite side.
We live on a ball?
Wouldn't the people on the other side fall off?
The people on the other side wonder why you don't fall off.
You tell such interesting stories, Kohaku.
Tell me more.
Okay, how about that for the countries on the other side,
the stars are in different positions?
What? What does that mean?
He had a real thirst for knowledge.
You told somebody from the Heian period that the Earth is round?
You seemed so interested in the stars, though!
And...
Crap! Time to get to work!
Gotta go!
Always in such a hurry.
Storage #1
May 23rd Nocturnal Community Relations Section
Anything new with Huehuecóyotl?
No.
#4 "Fixed-Point Observation in Kabukicho"
I guess for now we can assume he's harmless.
Yeah.
And we can't go trying anything on a god of calamity.
He's less like a god and more like a NEET.
Who knows what goes through his head?
Well, Anothers are basically like typhoons.
It's a waste of time to try and figure out what a typhoon's thinking.
Typhoons, huh?
That's so funny!
You're a cat, but...
Shut up!
Ow!
Well, we'll just have to keep an eye on him.
Yeah.
And it's valuable data, too.
Morning.
Senda-san, good morning.
Good morning.
Theo-kun, Sakaki-kun, can you turn those in?
"Those"?
"Those," you know.
The things you turn in every year.
They're due tomorrow.
It's that time of the year already? That's fast.
Shinjuku Ward Special Cases Fixed-Point Observation.
Unsolved Missing Girl Cases in Tokyo
It's a pain in the ass, you know?
I do know. I've done it.
All right, we're heading outside today.
Fine, I guess.
Where are we going?
Just right over there.
Kabukicho Ichibangai
This is Kabukicho.
Yep.
We need to observe six Anothers that have permanent residency here
and report that there's no issues.
It's tradition for the Nocturnal Community Relations Section.
#2
Number two, Shojo.
#3
Number three, Minerva's Owl.
#4
Number four, Dryad.
#5
Number five, Mezu.
#6
Number six, Bultungin.
#7
Number seven, Azukiarai.
Huh? What about number one?
No record
Our job is to make sure they're doing well.
Okay, let's go, Miyako.
Right!
May 23rd Kabukicho Park
Let's get started.
Yeah.
I smell alcohol.
Drink! Drink!
We had a big catch today!
What's their problem?
You guys got a problem?
G-Gorillas?
Shojo.
Monkey Anothers from ancient China.
You're new, huh?
We're just having a nice drink.
You guys cops?
No. Shinjuku Ward civil servants.
He just answered us!
It's that Ears of Sand guy!
He's no different than any other human.
Ever since Gongen-san left,
we've always been drinking with the same group, and it's getting boring.
Gongen-san?
Here, lemme pour you one.
Uh, w-wait a second...
What, too good to drink our sake?
No...
Here.
Here! Gulp it down!
Okay...
Don't do it, idiot!
What's wrong?
Sorry, I'm still on the job.
Oh, that's no fun.
Sake
Work hard!
Don't put your lips on anything an Another offers you.
They were just being nice, though...
Anothers aren't "nice" or "not nice."
It's possible that they needed you to drink before they could consume you.
Consume me?
Eat you.
They just spend the whole year drinking there.
But we don't know for sure that they'll always be there.
Checking on them is part of our job.
But how did they know about the Ears of Sand?
May 23rd Kio Shrine Police Box
Wow, this is amazing!
My wallet is back!
Glad to hear it.
Now, just sign some paperwork to show you got it.
Okay!
Hey, Nakamura. Get the paperwork ready.
Yes, sir!
Haguro-san, got a minute?
Oh, Sakaki-kun.
Please sign here.
All right. It's a piece of cake!
Here and here.
They moved a little from before.
Nothing else to report.
Thanks.
All the time you spend on this really helps us out.
I'm stationed at a police box. It's my job.
Your kids have grown up, huh?
They grow up so fast.
They're a handful.
That's a good thing, having a family.
May 23rd Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho Abandoned Building
Can that Haguro-san guy see Anothers?
Yeah. I've never heard of him being able to talk to them like you, though.
Up here.
What is this sound?
Miyako, come inside.
What was that pervert?
He's not a pervert. He's an Another.
Number seven. Azukiarai.
He's harmless, but sometimes he changes locations, and it's a pain.
Nothing new there, so let's go.
We have four left to check today.
Hey, what happened to number one on the list?
There was nothing written there.
They were around before World War II,
and were the boss of this area, kinda.
They were from the ward office, right?
What were they doing here?
They had their reasons.
What's that?
What?
There's nothing there. Let's go, Haguro-san.
He can't see it?
Which means...
Haguro-san?
May 23rd Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho Discount Outlet
There's number Three, Minerva's Owl.
It moved!
May 23rd Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho Kuyaku-Dori
Number four, Dryad. No changes.
Well, she's set down roots and can't move.
And there's number five, Mezu.
May 24th Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho Movie Theater Plaza
May 24th Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho Batting Center
#5
One left to go.
Should be around here...
There we go.
A stray dog?
Nope. That's a hyena.
What's a hyena doing in Shinjuku?
That's Bultungin.
He came over with the US Army after the war, and stayed here.
So you're the Ears of Sand, huh?
Y-Yeah, that's right.
Trouble's coming.
Be careful.
Behind you.
Was that...
That was a police officer he was carrying.
Let's follow him!
Right!
This is what they call a "kamikakushi," a random disappearance.
That police officer won't be coming back unless we save him.
Haguro-san!
Their eyes met, and he was taken away.
Where are they going?
To its territory.
You need to follow a certain set of steps to enter.
Sounds like a pain to do every time.
That's how Anothers work.
That's Kabukicho's Kio Inari shrine?
A shrine is holy ground.
He's using a place like that as his base?
I get it... That's him!
Another number one, the one who disappeared!
Why did he come back now?
More importantly, how do we save Haguro-san?
The Another doesn't seem to be in a hurry.
We can't do much with him right in front of us.
What do we do?
That's him!
Yeah! Him!
Kio Gongen-sama!
The Ears of Sand guy's right here!
Hey!
What's wrong, Arata?
I found out that Another's name.
His name? What is it?
Kio Gongen.
Isn't that the god of this shrine?
I never thought I'd see you again.
Huh, Seimei?
This is probably gonna be another thorn in my side...
He's upset! He's upset!
The Ears of Sand guy's upset!
Listen, you!
So, Seimei, what do you want from me?
Please give us back that person, Haguro-san.
Give him back?
Yes!
He needs to stay here with me.
I just drank a little too much and fell asleep.
Now that I'm awake, we need to throw a festival.
A festival?
D-Don't tell me you want him as a sacrifice?
I won't eat him!
He just needs to stay here and drink with me.
For a hundred years or so.
A hundred years?!
Miyako, what are you two talking about?
He says he wants to drink sake with Haguro-san for a hundred years.
That sounds just like an Another.
From his family's perspective, that's the same as him dying!
He has a family!
Please let him go!
Is it that big a problem?
Then will you take him back by force?
Seimei, I accept your challenge.
You idiot! Why did you piss him off?
But...
Let's have a drinking party, then!
You? I remember you.
Hey, Kio Gongen.
Wouldn't it be better to have a festival with more people?
That's true!
Why not have a drinking contest with the three of them, then?
And if they win, you give the man back.
Hey, don't just decide that!
At times like these, don't you save everybody and go back with everybody?
Well...
Oh? This time you're abandoning him?
Miyako, what are they saying?
Well... we're having a drinking contest, and if we win, he'll give Haguro-san back.
Hang on, you're agreeing to a contest with something that size?!
I can't think of another way.
Miyako, tell him you accept as long as it's something humans can drink.
Is that okay?
This is a serious situation. We don't have a choice.
Next!
Here you go!
Oh, no... It's worse than I thought.
Sorry...
Theo-san!
He's down already?
What a wimp.
You're the best, Gongen-sama!
Get 'em!
Go, go! Arata!
Kohaku!
You help me!
If I help you, it's not fair.
I'll take on as many as you want.
Miyako, call Senda-san and have him send reinforcements.
I'll keep going until then.
Go.
Um... I'm going to the bathroom.
What, you're going to call for help?
Sure! Sure!
Bring anybody you like.
Okay, sure thing...
The last one seems like he's still got some fight in him.
Not bad, young one!
Crap... I can't keep this up!
I've been running for 20 minutes and yet...
Where's my next drink?
Crap! I can't get out!
At this rate...
What's with that damn face?
You think you're so great just because you can drink a little...
Try being a host for once, asshole.
Dealing with a bunch of stuck-up bitches all day...
And it's a pain in the ass for me, you know! I...
I... I...
We're out of sake.
We'll have to start over tomorrow.
By then the alcohol will wear off.
I can't get drunk off the cheap stuff.
You're such a spoiled bastard.
Hey, it's the Ears of Sand dude.
You smell good.
You hung in there, but you're just a human in the end.
Ki-chan! It's been forever!
Having a drink now that you've woken up?
You should've told us to join you!
Quit bein' so standoffish!
You?!
Sake! Sake!
Outta the way!
Alcohol makes the world go round!
You! Are you interrupting my festival?
Calm down, Ki-chan. Have a drink.
Miyako, grab Haguro-san. I'll take Theo.
Right!
Forget it! Let's all just get drunk!
Now the party's started for real.
Time for me to join in.
Pass some over here, too!
Sure thing!
May 24th Shinjuku Ward Kabukicho
You okay, Miyako?
I want to go home and take a bath.
Reports... Gotta write reports...
See? Told you there'd be trouble.
Miyako!
Coming!
Anothers are such...
Reports! Repor—
#5 "The Parallel World Elevator of the City Hall Observation Deck"