Kemono Jihen (怪物事変)

"Episode 2: The Kemonoist"

"Episode 2: The Kemonoist"

It's a pleasure to meet you.

My name is Kabane.

That's Shiki and Akira. They work here.

Huh? Someone new?

So, Kabane, would you like to work here?

Now you're recruiting him?

One thing about Kemono

is that whatever we do, we act so that we won't give ourselves away to people,

in order for us to each preserve our own unique ecosystems,

but once in a while, one of us will step out of line.

Kind of like a bear wandering into a human settlement.

We're a detective agency that stands between those that do so and humanity,

taking on cases ranging from consultations to arbitrating disputes,

all the way up to mortuary services.

You could call us "Kemonoists."

Kemonoists?

I won't ask you to answer right away. Just think it over for me.

Huh? Then he's a Kemono, too? He smells a little unusual.

Yeah, Kabane is an immortal-demon-and-human hanyo.

A hanyo? That's why. Just like Shiki, then.

Hey! Look, nobody asked you!

And you! Those are my clothes! Don't wear them without asking!

You've got a morbidly high number of clothes like that. What does it matter?

It absolutely matters! That's one of my favorites!

--I'll give it back. --Huh?! I don't want it!

I would never wear something that someone else has already worn!

Man, you're such a pain.

How old are you?

Probably 13.

Oh, really? Well I'm 14. You'd best keep that in mind.

--Shiki, where are you going? --The bathroom.

Oh, hold on. He doesn't have anywhere to sleep tonight...

I'm not sharing my room, understand? He's an outsider, right?

Let him sleep on the sofa.

Jeez...

Sorry about him. That's just the way he is. Pay him no mind.

Okay.

I'm Akira. Nice to meet you.

Hm? I-Is something the matter?

Oh, forgive me. I was just thinking what a pretty girl you are.

J-Just so you know, I...

...am a boy, all right?!

Kabane-kun, you dummy!

Well, there you have it. Do your best to get along with them.

Something very tragic just happened...

#HeartBlue.

Send.

Ah, I already have a comment!

I'm just going to say upfront...

...for some reason, I don't like you.

Don't go thinking that we're gonna be pals just because we're both hanyo.

I have no intention of making nice with you.

Understood.

Well, you're nice and agreeable.

Aren't you gonna eat?

I'm not really a monster, you know. I'll at least share my food with you.

Go on, eat some pizza.

I've never seen this before.

Huh?! Y-You've never had pizza before?!

That's completely messed up! What do you even live for?!

You've been downright missing out on life!

Here, eat! Hurry!

Nice form!

And happy birthday! Your life has just begun!

That's so lame!

Gah! I forgot that I made up my mind not to be nice to him!

Delicious.

Come on, what's bothering you?

Nothing's bothering me!

You're concerned about Kabane-kun being another hanyo, right?

Tch, what does Inugami-san see in him?

You'll never know unless you ask.

But you know, if he brought him home with him,

it means he has nowhere else to go, right?

Just like us. He either feels super sorry for him,

or he's super strong.

Okay, you go ask him! In fact, go bully it out of him!

No way! What are you, dense? Unlike you, I'm not upset about this.

I'm going to sleep. Don't disturb me.

Huh? What about your bath?

I changed my mind.

I'm like that some days. I'm a boy, after all.

After all? Hmph, fine, then. I'll do it.

A thread?

What brings you here?

Shiki, wasn't it?

Shiki-san to you, 13-year-old. Answer my question. What brings you here?

--A car? --That's not what I'm asking!

Oh... I couldn't stay at the home where I came from,

so Inugami-san brought me.

What does that mean? They said good riddance to you?

Did your parents abandon you?

I'll bet that's it. Your parents just up and gave you up--

No.

My silk doesn't come off. If you try to peel it off, you'll tear your--

I wasn't abandoned.

Huh?!

Hey, hold on!

What are you doing?! Doesn't that hurt?!

Your wound--it's gone!

I was...

...told to go take a bath. Can I go?

Mock me, will he?

"Monthly Parking" "No unauthorized parking please" "Spots available"

"Monthly Parking" "No unauthorized parking please" "Spots available"

Damn it, we've got a rush job, too!

I told you all to get along. Intraoffice relations and teamwork is important.

Do you get it?

I'm sorry.

It wasn't me. Shiki's the one who...

Huh?! What'd you say?!

Knock it off, would you?

It's okay. This is the perfect chance to show Kabane what a Kemonoist does.

Let's go.

"Keep out"

Please keep back. Emergency vehicles coming through.

Please keep back!

This area is currently off limits!

Yeah, yeah. The name is Inugami.

I'm here at the request of Superintendent Inari.

Oh, pardon me. We were informed that a specialist would be coming.

Go ahead. There's no time to lose at the scene.

Wow, this looks like a pretty old house.

Right, Kabane-kun?

Hey, you can't take children in there!

Ah, these children are also specialists.

Oh, is that right? I beg your pardon.

Are you Inugami-san?

Thank goodness. There's a mother, a child, and a member of the rescue team.

The situation is way beyond our control.

Big Brother! I don't like this. I'm scared.

Huh? Must be siblings.

I think it's best if you see for yourself.

It's a pretty shocking scene.

We're used to it.

We can't open the sliding doors. You'll have to peel back the tape to see.

I see.

How long has it been since this was reported?

Twenty--no, make that 30 minutes or so.

Thirty minutes. I don't like how this is going.

Want to have a look?

--Huh? --Huh?

This isn't the sort of thing you should show children.

It's okay, it's okay.

Ew!

You're not scared by that?

They're called sanshichu--three-corpse bugs.

Usually, they're harmless critters that nibble your skin a bit while you sleep,

but they do have certain favorite dishes.

One of them is inside that room. Once we take it out of there,

the bugs will stop swarming and go back to their nest.

Then you can do something about them?

I can eliminate the bugs 100%. As for saving their lives...

If I transform my skin to steel, I won't get bitten.

But going head to toe will take some time.

...I'd say it was 50-50.

50-50?

I need to get things ready. Please step away from here.

We watched him--

the member of the rescue team who went in there.

There's no telling when the bugs will come out, and the damage spread!

To keep the civilian population safe, I, um, recommend...

...that we burn them up as soon as possible!