Togainu no Chi

Toshima (Episode)

Toshima (Episode)

Toshima (Shi-gai, 死街) is the second episode of the anime series. The ending theme for the episode is bright lights.

Plot

Akira wakes up and finds Keisuke entering the room he is staying at. After finding out that Keisuke followed him to Toshima and refuses to leave, he gives Keisuke his knife. The go for a walk where they find Rin fighting a man. Rin who claims that they need to pay for entering his area, however he would let them off this once because they are new. Akira asks where he can get a weapon, and Rin gives him one of his. Rin then brings them to Arbitro's Palace so Keisuke can sign up, but Keisuke leaves the mansion without joining the game. Rin brings them to one of the neutral zones to meet Motomi and got to know the drug, Line. On the way they met the Executioners and Kau. After talking with Motomi, Keisuke again changes his mind about joining Igura.

Synopsis

The second episode begins with a recap: as it rains in Toshima, Akira recalls meeting Shiki in the first episode. His flashbacks are cut with narration by Nano: “What stains can be dyed? Time oozes out from the inside… of our relationships, burdens, and understandings... Which color will you smear?” Akira sits in the rain, still surrounded by the corpses slain by Shiki, and sighs heavily before rising to his feet. He pulls on the hood of his jacket. Nano’s voice continues: “What color will you choose?” before Akira jogs off into the night.

After the opening plays, Akira is still running through the rain. The storm seems to be getting worse as the wind buffs Akira, and he takes shelter in an abandoned coffee shop. He looks around and tosses his jacket on the couch before sitting on the ground. Akira realizes he’s not alone and presses against a wall to see a shadowy figure moving around. He draws his knife and tackles the man. He holds the blade to his throat, only to pull back as he realizes the intruder is Keisuke.

Akira demands to know why Keisuke is here. Keisuke first says he thought Akira might be in the shop, but then he admits he was worried. Akira realizes Keisuke followed him. Keisuke also says he did meet some trouble, but he ran away. Akira tells Keisuke that he shouldn’t be in Toshima, and that Akira doesn’t need his help. Keisuke refuses to leave and claims he wouldn’t leave even if he knew how to get back, so Akira gives in.

In the morning, Keisuke wakes up to see Akira pull on his jacket again. Akira tells Keisuke he’s heading out to Igura and shows Keisuke his tags. Keisuke worries about Akira dying if he loses. Akira points out that he’ll have to kill people, too, and says: “Kill or be killed. That’s the rule here.” Keisuke refuses to wait by himself, so Akira lends Keisuke his knife and asks Keisuke to promise to do everything he can to protect his own life.

Elsewhere, Rin is fighting in an Igura battle. He steals his opponent’s knife and licks it. Akira and Keisuke approach the fight, and watch as Rin slashes the man’s face. Akira and Keisuke turn away as Rin finishes the battle by knocking the man onto his back. Rin stabs the ground beside the man’s head and says he’ll let him off the hook before punching the man in the face. He takes the man’s tags before running after Akira and Keisuke.

He jumps in front of them, and Keisuke recognizes: “You’re that girl from before!” Rin grins and tells Keisuke it sucks to be him, because Rin is a guy. He changes the topic to the entry fee he claims people have to pay to enter his territory, but then waives the fee for them because they’re “good-looking”.

Rin asks if they have any questions, and Akira asks about where they can get weapons. Rin gives them a switchblade and flirts with Akira by suggesting he paying Rin back with his body. Rin laughs off Keisuke’s confusion and grabs them both by the arms. He introduces himself, and asks Keisuke if he’s not participating in Igura. According to Rin, people die in Toshima whether they’re in Igura or not, so they should go ahead and enjoy themselves. Rin drags them to hear more about Igura at the Palace. At the gate, Rin tells them that Keisuke is looking to participate.

The inside of the palace is shown, and attention is drawn to all the violent and homoerotic art. One of the guards brings out a mask for Keisuke and then takes him up to Arbitro. Akira and Rin wait on the Palace stairs, and Rin accuses Akira of worrying and being against Keisuke in Igura. Akira replies that it’s not his decision. Keisuke comes out without tags and apologizes.

After they’ve moved to a new street, Rin starts walking backwards to talk to Akira and Keisuke about tagging along with him to meet “a friend”. When questioned, Rin says: “He asked me for a favor. He’s quite a well-rounded, knowledgeable old man. Lemme introduce him to you two. I don’t think there’s a downside to meeting new people.”

Keisuke stops walking and asks Rin why he’s being so nice to them. Rin explains how he’s been in Igura a while and he’s bored and looking for a change of pace. Rin also says he’s strong enough to afford to do so, and he can get tags anytime he wants.

Some distance away, a man tries to run for his life and is slashed from behind by Gunji’s claws. Gunji licks some of the blood and leers. Rin, Akira, and Keisuke round a corner to see Gunji in pursuit. Gunji jumps and slashes the man’s front as well. Rin calls them the executioners, and tells them to watch to understand why.

The victim tries to crawl away and scoots back until he hits a wall. Gunji grabs the man by the head and reminds him, “I said there’s no point in trying to run away.” He turns the man around and stabs him in the back. Gunji gleefully informs him: “That’s it! Too bad!” and says it’s “game over!” in English. He laughs wildly before he asks, “Hey, wasn’t that cool?” while Rin gives Akira and Keisuke Gunji’s name.

Another bloody man is tossed across the street, and a metal pipe is shown scraping the concrete before Kiriwar appears. He compliments his pipe, Mitsuko, on the man’s flight. Rin explains the black-haired man is Kiriwar, and states: “You’ll want to be wary of those guys.” Gunji rolls the man Kiriwar tossed with his foot and points to the corpse. Rin calls the Executioners “moody and irresponsible,” and warns that they’ll make up false accusations to kill people.

Kau crawls over to the dead man and begins to sniff him. Rin explains: “That’s Arbitro’s dog.” Kau nods to the Executioners, and Gunji interprets that the man they killed was innocent after all. Kau then crawls over to Akira and tilts his head up at him. Kiriwar asks if Akira has something on him because “Tama” is reacting to him. Kiriwar leans forward and says: “You do have a scent.”

Rin intervenes by chastising Akira as a flirt and throwing his arms around him. Rin tugs on Akira and tells him to hurry and leave, because, “We’ll be in trouble if we upset these kind Executioners!” He apologizes as he pulls Akira away from the scene, with Keisuke following behind. Gunji calls that annoying, and Kiriwar agrees, but also says they need to bring Kau back to “Bitro” before he freaks out, and that it’s dinner time.

After they’re safe, Rin tells Akira and Keisuke again how dangerous that incident was. As Rin lets go of Akira, the tag Akira wears jingles significantly.

Rin leads them down the stairs to Meal of Duty, and calls for Motomi. Motomi stubs out his cigarette and tells Rin he’s later than expected. Rin explains about meeting the Executioners. Motomi asks if Rin has what he promised, and Rin pulls out a photo. Motomi then asks to be introduced to Akira and Keisuke, and Rin argues he was about to do that. Rin and Motomi bicker a little, and Akira interrupts to ask about the photo. Motomi explains it’s for his work as an information broker.

Rin shows off his camera, and Motomi puts his arms around Akira and Keisuke to take a photo together. Akira pushes away, and notices a man at the counter exchanging tags for Line. He takes a hit right there, and the veins in his face bulge as he laughs.

Motomi approaches Akira and explains about Line as the man at the counter threatens the bartender. He lights a cigarette and cuts himself off after saying doping isn’t against Igura’s rules. He turns his attention to Keisuke and asks if he’s not going to participate. Keisuke says he isn’t, but he looks conflicted. They say goodbye to Motomi and Rin.

Outside the club, Keisuke talks with Akira about how he’s changed his mind about joining Igura. After a moment of staring, Akira turns away and tells Keisuke to do what he wants. Keisuke says: “We have to win this and go home together, Akira!” The final shot is of the sun is setting on Toshima.