Enter Lil' Slugger

"Enter Lil' Slugger" is the first episode of Paranoia Agent.

Short Plot

Tsukiko Sagi is a shy character designer who created the extremely successful Maromi, a cute pink dog with eyes as big as Tsukiko's. However, her company wants another character very soon and Tsukiko is out of ideas. Stressed out from the pressure and the jealously held by her co-workers, Tsukiko becomes depressed and wishes for a miracle. Her wish comes true as she is suddenly attacked with a golden baseball bat. She describes the suspect as a 6th grade boy wearing golden inline skates and a red hat to the detectives, Ikari and Maniwa. However, Ikari doesn't buy Tsukiko's story while Akio Kawazu, a sleazy tabloid reporter, tails Tsukiko trying to get a story out of her.

Plot

After the creepy opening, we come to a sea of people all talking on their cell phones, completely cut off from the people around them, yet perpetually linked to someone miles away whom they trust very little. The scene fades out as we hear someone writing with chalk. We come to an old man writing an extremely long and complicated equation in a hospital parking lot. Just as he is about to finish it, he suddenly stops and looks up to a bus passing by and stares at a young woman inside. She realizes that the old man is looking at her as the bus leaves revealing graffiti in Japanese: "ENTER LIL' SLUGGER!"

At M&F Inc., a firm that designs and markets mascot characters, the young woman from before, Tsukiko Sagi, is creating new character designs. However, she comes down with artists' block as each concept she creates ends up in the deleted pile. Her boss comes up and sees if she has any new ideas to follow up on her already popular character, Maromi, a pink dog with eyes as vacant as hers. Tsukiko isn't that confident as her boss tells her to stop being so pessimistic and that he and everyone else trusts that she can do it. A secretary calls him over to take a call from one of their partner companies. Tsukiko thinks that it's going to take a miracle as her boss confirms when the new character design is due. Meanwhile the camera pans to some of Tsukiko's co-workers who jealously look at her.

It's night time and Tsukiko is alone as she is walking home and asks her stuffed toy Maromi if she can make a miracle. Tsukiko is startled by some trash bags falling over as we see an old homeless woman digging out of it. The old woman notices Tsukiko and looks at her as she hides her doll and quickly walks off. When she turns around, the old woman is nowhere to be found.

Soon we hear the sound of inline skates as darkness fills the street. Tsukiko frantically runs until she falls in a parking lot and injures her leg while all of the contents of her bag fall all over the place. She reaches for Maromi and hugs it to comfort herself and begins to gather her belongings. One of her drawings end up under a car as she tries very hard to reach it. She manages to grab it but catches her coat on the car's underside and begins to cry. Then the sound of skates are heard again as Tsukiko is suddenly attacked.

At M&F, many calls are being received as Tsukiko's boss is talking on his cell phone telling the other person he's going to find out what really happened. In a news broadcast, they identify the victim of a violent assault as Tsukiko Sagi. At the hospital in Tsukiko's room (Room 510, remember that), Keiichi Ikari, a detective, goes over what Tsukiko told him, which was she sensed someone and looked back and then ducked quickly after seeing a glint of metal. He asks if there is anything else that she can remember in a harsh tone. His partner, Mitsuhiro Maniwa, motions Ikari to stop as he takes over. Taking to Tsukiko in a calm and friendly voice, he tells Tsukiko that any detail, no matter how small, could help in their investigation and asks if she could remember anything about the assailant. She looks at her things and says that her red bag was her favorite which was missing from the pile. Maniwa asks if she had a red bag with her and if the assailant took it. She begins drawing on her pad as Ikari begins to get impatient and Maniwa asks what was inside the bag. She then talks about a golden bat which Maniwa figures it was the weapon and asks what else she knows about the perpetrator. (While Tsukiko is drawing, she is holding Maromi who's large eyes seem to be looking at the pad) Tsukiko describes him as probably someone from the sixth grade as the sound of skates are heard again as she drops her pad and covers her ears in fear.

In the lobby, we see the old man from before, though he doesn't seem to be well, as his son throws down a bouquet of flowers which was given by Akio Kawazu and tells him that he promised to pay him at his next visit. Kawazu pretends to apologize and promises that he will pay him when he gets paid for his next article. The son isn't satisfied and asks if the money he earns right now isn't enough to pay him. He promises that if Kawazu doesn't pay for his father's medical bill and for the damages he caused, he will be forced to take action again and leaves with his father in an elevator. Kawazu apologizes again but, as the doors close, calls him a rat bastard. The elevator next to Kawazu opens up as Ikari and Maniwa exit. Kawazu asks if they were investigating a case but Ikari asks if he's here to clean his filthy mind as Maniwa points out that Kawazu's victim is at this hospital. Kawazu complains that he's the one suffering ever since he hit the old man and asks what they were doing. Ikari tells him that he doesn't have to tell a hungry vulture like him anything as Maniwa tells him to get a real job as they walk off. Kawazu, though, has plans of his own as he manages to fool one of the nurses into telling him who Ikari and Maniwa were investigating.

Ikari and Maniwa are getting to their car as Maniwa points out that it must be pretty bad to get beaten by a bat. But Ikari points out if you were beaten. Maniwa asks if what he's trying to say that Tsukiko made it up and asks why she would. He sees her in a window and waves as he does agree that she is a bit strange. But Ikari tells him that she not just a bit strange. Maniwa tells him that he shouldn't be so rash and that you need to have patience for girls who unconsciously act fragile and sensitive and treat them gently. It's like peeling a ripe peach. Ikari asks he he wants to "peel her peach" but Maniwa points out that women hate dirty jokes. Ikari tells Maniwa of a similar case of a phony street assault as Maniwa thinks that's a bit harsh and asks if that's his detective's intuition. Ikari tells him that there's something suspicious while pulling out Tsukiko's sketch of the suspect as Maniwa points out that they are living in the 21st century and that they should look at this case from a scientific stand point. Maniwa makes a bet on whether the case is real or fake and whoever is incorrect should buy dinner as Ikari takes Maniwa's challenge. As they drive off, it turns out they were parking on the old man's equation whose answer is 510. Meanwhile at a High-Speed Internet booth, Kawazu is looking up information on Tsukiko and finds the address of M&F Inc. Some kids next to him ask if he's done as Kawazu brings up what they were looking at before: a pornographic image of a half-naked high school student. [Edited in the Adult Swim version] At M&F, Kawazu gives the employees his business card and begins to ask some questions.

The description of the suspect has been made public as Ikari and Maniwa go around asking parents and kids if they know anyone fitting the description. Meanwhile, on the news, they talk about society's impact on children that would drive them to do these kinds of things. Ikari and Maniwa question a fat otaku (nerd) and he mentions a short old homeless woman as they figure that she may be a lead. They head to where the old woman lives but ends up finding Kawazu inside the tent instead. Ikari asks if Kawazu is trying to make money off of old people as Kawazu tells him that he's not that depraved yet, and that he's just trying to be a good citizen and help the police. Kawazu tells them that he hears the old woman went missing shortly after the incident as Maniwa looks inside the tent only to be disgusted by its smell. Kawazu wonders what actually happened and tells them that people around seem to be talking about some Lil' Slugger with a baseball bat but he doesn't believe any of it. Ikari yells at Kawazu if he want to be arrested to interfering with police business as well, as Kawazu walks off while putting a piece of paper in his pocket.

In her apartment, Tsukiko is looking in her BBS along with Maromi which is full of condolences. Soon, the messages start to accuse her of lying as each one after is accusing her as the sound of skates is heard again as Tsukiko begins to breath deeply in anxiety. Maromi falls to the ground and the noise stops. Maromi begins to actually get up and tells Tsukiko to not get bothered by them as she is trying to balance herself with her large head. Maromi climbs back onto Tsukiko and tells her that everyone is just jealous of her. Tsukiko asks why as Maromi tells her that it's because she's different. Tsukiko thinks that she is just ordinary as Maromi tells her not to worry and that it's not her fault.

Tsukiko is on her way to work in a crutch as she is talking to someone that she can still draw and she is not forcing herself. She says that she's going there right now and closes the cell phone only to drop it. She begins to reach for it as Kawazu picks it up. He asks if he could ask her a few questions regarding her street assault and offers her his business card. She only takes her cell phone and thanks him and goes off. He pulls out the piece of paper from before and asks her if it's hers which turns out to be one of her drawings.

At an outdoor restaurant, Kawazu comments on how he sees how she was able to make Maromi while looking at the drawing he returned. He tells her that there was an old women that lived near where she was assaulted which was where he found the drawing and heard that she was short. He goes on saying that he is interested in her case but he couldn't find any witnesses near by and finds that very strange since it didn't happen very late at night. She tells him she saw him. Kawazu asks her if he could describe him but she can't really remember well. Kawazu points out that the old woman would surely know something about it but she been missing ever since her assault and asks her if that's a strange coincidence. Tsukiko stays silent but then tells Kawazu that his dessert is melting. Kawazu ignores it and goes on saying that he finds it hard to believe how a weak old woman is able to beat people with a metal bat and begins to go on about something about a kid but drops his spoon. He goes to pick it up but also takes a good look up Tsukiko's skirt from below. He puts the spoon on the table and licks his desert and asks Tsukiko if she's a regular employee or a freelance contractor and who owns Maromi's copyright. If she owns the copyrights, she could make millions but she grabs her bag with Maromi and begins to leave as Kawazu asks if she knows that she is despised by her co-workers. She sits down as Kawazu imitates a few of Tsukiko's co-workers and what they said (including the makeup somehow) while Tsukiko recognizes each one of them. With unexpected fame and success surrounded by jealousy and big expectations and great pressure on her to create a new character, Kawazu understands and says that even he would want to get away from that. He picks up the drawing and says that she hasn't finished it yet. Tsukiko begins to get short of breath, as Kawazu eats the cherry with the stem from his desert and asks if the assailant was really there. Tsukiko's eyes start trembling as the sound of skates are heard while Kawazu ties the stem in a knot in his mouth. Suddenly, she turns around as we see the image of what happened that night as Tsukiko ducks in fear, triggered by some kids on inline skates.

She tells Ikari and Maniwa that the assailant was wearing golden inline skates. Ikari asks if there's anything else. Apparently, there was more she knew which was made public as people begin to talk about it. He wears short pants, the bat is bent like a dog's leg, he goes by the name Lil' Slugger, and he smiles before landing the blow. Outside Tsukiko's apartment (which happens to be Room 510), Kawazu is ringing the door bell. His cell phone rings and it turns out that it's the son of the old man as Kawazu says that he will pay him when he gets paid for his next article. The son is tired of his excuses and begins yelling at him. Tsukiko comes out of the elevator and notices Kawazu. Kawazu sees her as well and turns off the cell phone as she goes back down.

It's night time and Tsukiko is trying her best to get away from Kawazu but because of her leg, she can't get very far. She trips while dropping her Maromi handkerchief. Kawazu calls out to her as she quickly gets up and away. He tells her that she should listen to him and that it's for her own good. Kawazu notices the handkerchief and picks it up as Tsukiko desperately tries to get away. The sound of skates come up again and while in Tsukiko's bag, Maromi suddenly looks back as Kawazu is knocked out with a bat. Tsukiko falls again and Maromi falls out of the bag in front of her. Panting very hard, Lil' Slugger rolls up in front of Tsukiko while shadowing Maromi. She sees the bat and the skates as her eyes open up. He says to Tsukiko, “Hello again.” Tsukiko looks confused as Lil' Slugger rolls off into the night.

At the police station, Ikari and Maniwa are reading newspapers. Maniwa tells Ikari that he wants to eat Korean barbecue tonight as we see the headline “A Second Street Assault With a Metal Bat! Male Victim Seriously Injured.”

Notes

Adult Swim Edits:

• When the old man's son throws down Kawazu's bouquet of flowers, he tells him to "stop this bullshit". During the first airing, it was left unedited. During the second airing and from there on, the word "bullshit" was replaced with the sound of a swinging bat.

• When Kawazu lets the boys go back on the computer, they were looking at a pornographic image of a halfnaked high school girl. The image of her loaded to the point where you see she is not wearing any panties and you almost see her vagina. The image was modified so the girl's uniform wasn't pushed up as high to cover her breasts while the scene shifted earlier.

Lost In Translation:

• When Lil' Slugger rolls up infront of Tsukiko at the end of the episode, in the Japanese version he actually says "Tadaima", which is what the Japanese announce to everyone when they return (to a place, like home after school). Translated, it means "I'm back".

• In the Japanese episode, the bat is said to be shaped like the japanese character "ku". Sometimes used in scolding, it means "truth".

• Episode Title Appearance: Graffiti after the bus rolls away when the old man looks up

References:

• The nurse that speaks to Kawazu looks exactly like Gin's daughter from one of Kon's previous films, Tokyo Godfathers. She also happened to be a nurse.