Ikebukuro West Gate Park (池袋ウエストゲートパーク)

"This is a work of fiction. The characters, organizations, and names herein are fictitious, and bear no relation to existing entities."

"Ikebukuro West Gate Park"

I've never rented the same porno twice.

Yes, you have.

This is the third time.

Nope.

How much must I like it...

I like it...

Uh, what is it again?

Cut!

The line is: "How much must I like it to rent it three times?!"

This isn't easy.

You're not used to it, so it's no wonder you forget your lines.

Work on your acting. Your delivery's got to be more natural.

I am being natural.

Don't pretend to be nice, just be natural.

"Pretend to be nice?!"

Okay! Take 6!

Take 6!

"Camera, Don't Roar!!"

At the time, I was wrapped up in some outrageous trouble.

I was acting in an independent film.

This is Toshiaki, the film's director, and a clerk at a rental shop,

which is like an endangered species in this golden age of streaming.

"Rental" "All 1F items are ¥100 rentals"

When the owner told Toshiaki he can use the shop for whatever,

"Rental" "All 1F items are ¥100 rentals"

as they're going out of business soon, he made the bet of his life.

"Camera, Don't Roar!!"

He scraped together 5,000,000 from credit-card loans here and there,

wrote a screenplay and found a crew,

and asked me to perform because he reads my column a lot, or something.

That's when he said this with a straight face:

"My life won't amount to much anyway.

So just this once, I'm going to shoot a movie I like."

Five-minute break!

I was a fool to carelessly sign on to his dream.

Makoto- san , good work.

Oh. Incidentally, this is Crow.

He's a G-Boys kid who's a big-time movie fan.

Damn, though. Acting's hard.

Huh? But you did really well in there.

Crow, you're a nice guy.

No, I was being serious.

Did you hear what happened last night?

Nothing more than rumor.

What happened?

In our... Hiroto faction, there's a team called Yamato Gale.

They were attacked.

They're tough fighters, but they still got messed up.

Who did it?

It was dark, and they were wearing animal masks...

I hear there were several of them, though.

One of them was calling themselves "Shadow."

Shadow? Was there a team like that in the G-Boys?

No. And so, Hiroto- san said...

Well, he suggested it might have been King who set up the attack.

Takashi? No way.

Hiroto- san has had an axe to grind with King for a while.

Like, he means to take his place someday.

So maybe King's noticed, and this was him issuing a warning.

I'm worried.

It could mean war, at this rate.

Never...

We're ready.

Let's film some more.

Once we're done here, I'll give Takashi a call.

Seriously?

This is the fifth time.

For real?

The titles are similar, but subtly different.

Gotcha.

Huh? The title's different, but it's the same actress.

Oh, by the way! Have you heard of Mayuna Serizawa?!

Cut!

Okay! Much better than yesterday!

Just call me the "you can do it if you try" kid.

That one's always over there.

Don't you ever change up the angle?

That's for the making-of feature, so it's always running.

You're even shooting a making-of? For a self-made film?

Sure, it's once in a lifetime.

What is it?

Another one of our teams was attacked.

By Shadow?

I went by the hospital earlier, and it's so bad, they're unrecognizable.

Did you get in touch with King?

No. I called several times, but he didn't answer.

This really isn't good.

At this rate, a war really will--

We've got to avoid that no matter what.

Actually, Makoto- san . Hiroto- san wants to meet with you.

Are you free tonight?

I've got to step out for a bit. Shoot some other scenes.

Hey! That's a problem!

Hey, Saru? Can we meet up right now?

Makoto, if you call me up with a bunch of questions,

hurry and pay me that money.

Huh? What money?

Don't play dumb with me. August 31st, eighth grade!

Who was it that did no homework over summer break,

then came crying to me to help him for ¥500, huh?!

¥500.

When are you talking about?

So, have you gotten ahold of anything?

Don't underestimate the PR head of the Hidaka Group.

You must mean these teams of kids who keep getting beat up.

It's making my boss nervous, too.

The head of the Hidaka Group? Why?

Balance.

For the most part, we keep the Ikebukuro underworld in check.

Even Donglong, who recently joined forces with a Kansai organization,

is keeping quiet these days now that a big boss in Shanghai is eyeing them.

But as I'm sure I don't have to tell you, Ikebukuro has more than an underworld.

There are a hell of a lot of gray zones.

It's the G-Boys who are overwhelmingly strong, within those zones.

If each of the teams is a kingdom, that makes the G-Boys a federation of kingdoms.

In other words, an empire.

And the empire's #1 is King--Takashi. That's how it works.

If it's an empire, he wouldn't be King. He'd be Emperor.

Never mind the details!

Anyway, it's safe to say the underworld and the G-Boys hold Ikebukuro in balance.

And their relationship ain't bad these days.

But you know, Hidaka- san is always sensitive to this world's balance.

If the kids go and start a war, that balance will...

Did you find out anything about Shadow?

That's what I want to know the most.

Shadow, huh?

Seems Shadow is the highest-ranking go-getter in the underworld.

Does jobs for extraordinarily high fees.

I don't even know if it's an individual or a group.

For a totally unknown identity, "Shadow" is a fitting name.

There's somebody like that out there?

The underworld is abuzz.

There's no doubt that Shadow has come to this town.

You don't suppose Takashi hired Shadow, do you?

Takashi doesn't do things like that.

Then who did?

Oh, maybe those Red-whatevers who've been hanging out lately at East Gate Park?

Red Angels. I doubt they'd do such a thing, either.

So, who did ?

Someone with a grudge against Takashi?

Good luck narrowing down a list that freaking long.

What about Takashi? Hasn't he said anything?

No, nothing.

Thanks a lot, Saru.

Makoto, you're not in the G-Boys!

If you don't know where to draw the line, you'll be in trouble.

I just want to stop the war.

You've never listened to what I say, anyway.

You're dealing with Shadow.

Be careful you don't get killed.

Sure, Saru.

I can't have you dying before I snatch that ¥500.

How about you die, stupid?

Be careful, Makoto.

That jerk! He didn't leave any money for his coffee!

"Episode 6"

"G-Boys Winter War, Part 1"

Makoto- san .

Knight awaits you.

Knight?

Stop right there.

Hiroto. You're making them call you "Knight"?

I'm surprised. The teams in my faction make up 30% of the G-Boys.

The chances of just my guys getting attacked over and over is...

Isn't it a little hard to call this a coincidence?

But we still don't know exactly who's behind it.

It might be some kid who has a grudge against you.

You've seen a lot of stuff in your time.

Yeah. Not as much as Takashi, though.