Asian Addicts Anonymous

Will the real Spider and Spy stand up? I’m really confused at this point. I think the spy really is Yamane…but the Spider’s identity…I’m buying the person who confessed.

We open with an investigation meeting all about the murder of the former politician, supposedly by Terashima. Makihara is noticeable absent from the meeting. Why? She just doesn’t think Terashima is guilty of the crime and being the Spider’s mole. She believes he’s been trapped by the real mole. Yamane says she can’t be part of the team then, but she needs to let him know if she finds anything.

The department is all abuzz with the arrival of Tokage. What is he doing at police HQ? Kishimori invited him to talk. About what? Kishimori wants Tokage on the case of Terashima and the spider. If anyone can discover the truth and take care of the spider, it will be Tokage. Of course, our PI doesn’t want anything to do with the case. How is that believable? Kishimori promises to allow Tokage back on the force if he should discover the truth and catch the Spider.

Makihara keeps studying her files and recalls Modegi’s words about the mole. Just who is it? Enter Kaori. Makihara says that Terashima isn’t there. Kaori says she is there to talk to Makihara…and then promptly changes the subject to Terashima. Makihara confesses she met up with him after the incident. Terashima insists he went into the room after hearing the shot and found the politician dead. He then ran out to catch the perp, but could not find him. It was a beautiful frame up by Spider. Kaori urges Makihara to join forces with her and Tokage to help prove Terashima’s innocence and catch the real culprit. Makihara is reluctant to trust Tokage, but Kaori has worked with Oribe enough to gauge his personality—he is most definitely trustworthy.

Makihara visits Terashima and proposes this plan. Terashima doesn’t want to trust bringing Tokage into the mix. Makihara says it is ultimately up to him, but she thinks it might be a good idea. She also reveals Yamane has been in contact with Shinozaki. This is news to Terashima. This puts Yamane on the not to be trusted list. Sires are then heard. Makihara must have been followed. She apologizes and Terashima bolts.

Tokage is drinking soy milk like usual and he asks Sota why the boy likes Soy Rangers so much. Because they are police who are super heroes, just like his father. So he likes them because they are cops. Yep. Awww. The boy then asks if Tokage will go back to being an officer. Yanagida replies that getting back into the force is rather difficult. Kaori then say that she and Makihara believe that Terashima is innocent—doesn’t Tokage want to find out the truth? He says it has nothing to do with him and Yanagida reveals that Kishimori wants Tokage to quickly solve the case to increase his promotion chances.

We then cut to a nice family dinner. It’s Kishimori’s daughter’s birthday. He gave her the present she wanted and she’s all happy. It’s sweet to hear her talk about how proud she is of her father. He then gets a call from Yamane. Kishimori excuses himself and Yamane apologizes for interrupting his family time. Have they caught Terashima? No, there has been another murder with the same gun that killed Odagiri. Kishimori says he has to go in to make his excuses and apologies. Kishimori then notices a man with a curly mop spying on them. Does he know that man? No, but he has a feeling he’s been watching him for awhile since he’s started investigating the Spider.

Nothing was stolen from the man’s house. What was the motive? Yamane is quick to say this is all Terashima’s doing which annoys Makihara. Kishimori then says this must be kept a secret. Makihara also doesn’t like this. Miyama quickly gets her out of the morgue and Kishimori tells Yamane that he can’t trust anyone any more. He doesn’t even trust Yamane as Yamane was in the hotel when Odagiri died and he let Terashima escape. If this is how he’s running an investigation, then how will he be a section chief? Harsh, but true. Yamane vows to double his efforts.

Tokage goes outside for some fresh air and has all these flashbacks about fathers, police, finding the truth. He then turns as someone approaches from behind. Dare? We don’t know as we cut to the next day. Kishimori comes himself to give Tokage his new assignment. He’s to take over the position of a driver for a security detail transferring money to banks. They found the only thing stolen from the dead Mitamura was his route for the next delivery. Tokage is to be the driver and follow the same route, allowing the robbery to take place to allow them to track down the Spider.

Yanagida is against this as it could cost Tokage his life. Tokage seems hesitant about this case as well since it is taking on the same shape of what happened two years ago with Modegi. Seriously. It is the exact same case just two years later. Kishimori encourages Tokage to keep going until what really happened that year is finally unearthed. So…that’s why Kishimori had him join the investigations again, isn’t it? To bring this all full circle? Yep. It is interesting when Kishimori asks if Yanagida hasn’t repaid his debt already. What debt? You’ll see in a minute. Tokage assures them that he will do this and that he will be fine as he isn’t the same as he was two years ago. Kishimori thanks him and tells our undercover detective to call him once the plans have been finalized.

Tokage goes to the security office where he is briefed on everything. Kaori is fretting because she will not be assisting on this mission. Yanagida says she is forbidden from joining as Tokage would never willingly put her life in danger…wasn’t that one medical malpractice case kind of putting her life in danger…? Makihara arrives and then asks a favor to help Terashima and find the real spy. Makihara has a plan to do just that.

Kishimori leaves his apartment and runs into the mophead again. He delivers a warning/threat to Kishimori. Kishimori asks if the odd man is part of the Anzai gang. Mophead says its better if he doesn’t ask. He then tells Kishimori to be careful. This is all spied on by Kaori and Yanagida who take pictures of the man. Meanwile, Yaname and Miyama are staking out Café Makihara in search of Terashima.

Yamane goes back to his car to call Shinozaki to try to find out the Spider’s true identity. Shinozaki asks after Terashima and the man enters the car and steals the phone. He asks after Shinozaki who says he doesn’t work for the Spider, but is just an informant. Terashima cuffs Yamane to the car and takes away his gun before walking away. He can’t afford to be caught right now. He leaves and Makihara watches from a distance.

Kishimori calls Tokage into his office to give him a gun for the dangerous situation the next day. Tokage says he can’t have one since he’s a private citizen. Kishimori says he will take responsibility. Once Tokage finds the Spider, he will know what to do. It’s okay if he kills him? Yes. Hmm. Kind of suspicious that a policeman is giving the go ahead for murder with no orders to take alive if possible.

Tokage goes back home where he notices mophead watching Sota. He quickly takes the boy inside. The four people then decide to finish the soy milk challenge. Tokage is tidying everything up before he goes. He does this not because he believes that he isn’t coming back, but because it is something his father always did. We then learn that Yanagida was Mr. Oribe’s partner. Mr. Oribe went after a criminal himself and ended up getting shot and killed. Yanagida has never forgiven himself for letting Mr. Oribe go alone. Tokage tells the guilty man that his father would have been happy that Yanagida looked after him all of these years. That is enough for him. Tokage then hands papers over to Yanagida asking him to give them to Kishimori. They have no choice with so little clues to go ahead with what they have planned.

Tokage starts his mission followed closely by Makihara and Yamane. Yanagida and Kaori are watching his route carefully. When he reaches the danger point the two mobilize. Kishimori is also carefully watching. The danger point is reached and there is road construction. The workers pull out a gun and shoot Tokage before taking the money and running off. Yamane wonders why Tokage isn’t giving chase and the two get out of the car. Makihara reports that Tokage has been killed. Yamane quickly jumps into the car to chase after the culprits himself while Makihara stays behind and reports the incident. She walks away and Terashima stops and smirks at the dead Tokage.

Yamane reports Tokage’s death to Kishimori who tells him he wishes to know the results as soon as they are out. Yamane leaves and immediately calls up Shinozaki to tell him that Tokage has died. We then see Terashima driving with Tokage and we flashback to the rooftop to see Terashima approaching Tokage for help. Tokage refuses to help at first. Terashima then asks if Tokage really thinks he’s the spy. Didn’t Terashima think it was him all of these years? That’s because Tokage never talked. Tokage doesn’t want to talk about it. Terashima thinks this could be the only way to solve what happened two years ago and now.

We then return to the present where Tokage has changed out of his driving clothes into an all black outfit. Odd because he always wore white shirts and dark pants. This new look suits him well. Anywho, off topic. Terashima asks if Tokage is okay. He thinks so, those vests are rather thick. So…how do they know where the baddies are headed? Because Tokage planted a tracker on the money. Leave it to Tokage.

Makihara apologizes for losing Tokage’s body. Did someone steal it or did Tokage fake his own death? Makihara immediately runs away to look into the matter. Yamane and Kishimori go to his office to find Yanagida who has a message from Tokage—he’s tracking the criminals. Yanagida reveals the man was knocked out thanks to the bullet, but is recovered and chasing after them. This makes Kishimori smile—he’s back on the case. Yanagida hands over the documents and Kishimori is happy to see that Terashima and Tokage have finally settled their differences. Yanagida says Tokage and Terashima are out to capture the Spider. Yamane looks a little green. Yanagida leaves and joins our sleuthing women in the car. He wonders if he did enough to worry “him.” Makihara tells him not to worry and leave that matter up to her.

Shinozaki gets a call and learns that Tokage faked his death. Enter mophead. Shinozaki reports that Tokage is still alive and the man smiles. That was part of the deal. Deal? This surprises Shinozaki. He then says the man scares him.

We then cut to Terashima talking about what happened to years ago when Kishimori told everyone there was a leak and it was Modegi who suggested the investigation. During the robbery attempt, contact was broken. What happened? Tokage still isn’t willing to talk about it. Tokage then notices something odd. When Terashima asks about it, Tokage says it’s nothing, but we learn this is the same route he took with Modegi two years ago. They arrived on scene and when Tokage went to investigate, he was seen and shto at. He and Modegi tried to escape only to be surrounded at gun point. Back in the present, Tokage demands Terashima pull over and let him go alone. Terashima refuses. The Spider killed Modegi and caught Tokage. This is proof there is a police officer who is involved.

Makihara catches Yamane leaking information to Shinozaki. She gets it all on tape and accuses him of being the spy. Yamane says he is only using Terashima’s connections. He then says that Makihara should be careful as the weak ones who get close to the truth are the first to go. He’s saying she’s in danger? She’s in much too deep. We then cut to Kaori and Yanagida trying to get to Kishimori’s daughter, but the mophead is already there and easily defeats them and kidnaps the girl. Kishimori is very unhappy to learn Airi has been taken and tells the two to contact Tokage and let him know he is to kill the Spider. Yamane has eavesdropped on all of this.

So Terashima and Tokage arrive at the same docks as two years ago. Tokage is certain the Spider is near. The two head into the warehouse and look around. Tokage gets a video of Sota while Terashima gets a call from the Spider. Sota is in danger! The two leave their hiding place and are immediately surrounded. They drop their guns and Shinozaki comes in and says he is the Spider. See…I find this really hard to believe. He then says the only way to save Sota is to be locked up in a crate and dropped in the sea to stay this time. End episode.

Wow. Sooo confused. So Kishimori is good after all. I was always on the fence about him. But I still don’t think Shinozaki is the mastermind Spider. I am half afraid the real culprit will end up being Modegi himself, but we’ll find out in the final episode.