Asian Addicts Anonymous

The gang all run back into Sasaski’s apartment as the yakuza slowly approach. Tokduda, the last one in, locks the door. Like that will stop them. The panicking group wonders what to do and Sasaski asks Kameda if he is a man. Since he is, he should be able to do something. Kameda says he can’t and then asks Tagawa. But he is back to ordinary Kondo. Kameda can’t believe this as one of the reasons Asai is so made is because Tagawa shot his men. Tagawa states that he doesn’t know anything and that he is just Kondo. Great time to get helpless, ain’t it?

The yakuza start pounding at the door an tell them to stop running away like idiots. Kameda starts panicking and repeats that they will be killed. Sasaski tells him to get a grip – he doesn’t want anything to happen to Makiko, right? The yakuza then threaten to break down the door. But outside, they pick the lock. The one guy on crutches then tries the handle and it won’t budge! The other guy on crutches tries as well, but can’t get it to move.

Why? Kameda is using his telekinesis to prevent the doorknob from turning! But it is taking a big toll. He turns to Makiko and tells her that her boyfriend’s last words were “Please don’t cry.” Makiko recalls the death scene and not being able to hear the last words and starts crying. At this point, Asai is annoyed by the lack of progress and tells his men to get out of the way. He then shoots the doorknob off. Kameda curses and the group looks on stunned. What happened?

Kameda calls out to Tokuda and says that she is waiting. Who? Tokuda’s girlfriend! Asai takes another shot and Kameda manages to stop that bullet as well. Kameda then tells Tokuda that there isn’t much time and that Yuko is there waiting and has always been waiting. Kameda then tells Tokuda to hurry and sneak out the back before it is too late as a third bullet comes. He manages to stop this one as well. Tokuda thanks Kameda and Makiko calls him Kame-chan and tells Kameda that he is cool. This praise definitely makes our psychic happy. However, this nearly distracts him and he barely manages to stop the fourth bullet.

A gun is cocked and Kameda looks up to see Tagawa holding the gun pointed at the door. Kameda is happy that Tagawa is helping. Tagawa says he is Kondo and then tells Tokuda to go as he has someone waiting for him. This touches Tokuda. Ozaki then stands forward and brings out his knife, telling Tokuda to go since he has someone waiting for him. Kameda agrees and urges once more, saying they will take care of things there. This is seconded by Makiko who holds out her yen coin and Sasaski who has put on her mask and holds out her old gun. They all urge him to go to the woman he loves. A touching scene.

Tokuda tears up. Asai finally stops shooting and starts trying to bash the door in. Ozaki then tells Tokuda to leave and stir up trouble with all of his might. Tokuda agrees to this and and jumps out the window just as Asai breaks down the door. Asai goes to shoot and the group immediately swoop in and cover Tokuda’s exit. However, as Tokuda jumps, his foot catches on a cord which brings all the furniture crashing down on the people in the apartment. He pauses when he hears the screams but keeps running.

While he runs, chaos ensues. Every place he goes, he causes accidents to everyone he meets. But Tokuda does not stop running. He keeps going forward at full speed. How funny is it that actual trouble does not happen to Tokuda, but to everyone around him. One of his accidents leads to newspapers catching on fire near explodable cans. As he runs, thus starts an explosion and we finally pick up where the first episode started. Then News’s “Be Funky” begins playing. During this we see a montage of all the things that happen while watching Tokuda run towards his reunion with Yuko. Sad to say you could probably watch the montage and not need to watch the series really at all.

The song ends and more flashbacks of Tokuda remembering how he caused the deaths of the loved ones of his neighbors. He also recalls their forgiveness and understanding as well as his own apology, attempted suicide, and the large group of people who were all concerned about him. He also recalls the last moment where every one vowed to defend so he could go meet Yuko. We then get a Yuko montage of all their moments together.

Tokuda finally reaches the last place he saw Yuko. The place where she vowed to always be waiting for him. He can no longer run. He sees a baseball team in the distance and collapses to his knees and then faceplants. He sees a flower and when he lifts his head as the baseball team passes, there walks Yuko! Tokuda struggles to his feet. Yuko sees him and pauses. The two stare at each other and Tokuda starts to smile. Yuko starts to cry and runs towards him, smiling herself. Yuko trips and is flung into his arms. Tokuda catches her and Yuko backs off a bit to look into his eyes. Another song then starts playing. I am not sure what it I, though. The two then kiss and we cut to a wideshot and see the city is burning.

Does this qualify as a happy ending?

The credits roll and we see Tagawa going to Sasaski and thanking her for everything she did for him. Sasaski then tells Tagawa to take care, before remembering his name is really Kondo. Tagawa replies that no, it is “Tagawa” and tears up as does Sasaski who tells him that he can’t forget her as it would be horrible if he did. Tagawa promises to never forget her and gives her a deep bow, thanking her once more. Sasaski watches him go and crouches down crying. Makiko goes and comforts her.

At a convenience store, Makiko goes to check out and sees a change box. She drops her five yen coin in and walks outside where Kameda awaits. Looks like the two have hooked up. We then see Ozaki coming out of a police station. Guess he was in jail for a little while. We then cut to Yamada-sensei who is back to work on a new manga called “TROUBLEMAN.” We then see Asai on the street cooly smoking. A lot has changed and yet nothing has changed in some respects.

We then see Tokuda at a riverbank sitting. He gets up, looks at a rock in his hand an tosses it as hard as he can. He closes his eyes tight and listens closely. After awhile of silence. He opens his eyes and and smiles. He then walks away. Guess that means his trouble curse is over.

A very anticlimactic ending. Oh, well. At least it is a happy end with our characters finally getting to live happy lives, trouble free.