01x01 - Let's Go to School

[bunniefuu]

Yeah, I'm on my way now.

We still don't know the full details,

but there's only one guard on the deal,
two at most, so it'll be easy.

You sure about that?

Yeah, I might've just
picked this info up...

but it checks out.

Got it.

Contact the Disposal Unit.

Roger that!

I looked over the books...

and there ain't no way we can
squeeze any money outta them.

Well, if we don't figure something out,
the boss is gonna beat the sh*t out of us.

Huh?
- Who're you?

Who the hell are you, as*h*le?

Hey, old man!

I said, who the hell are you?

Got a light?

No, I ain't got a g*dd*mn light!

I see.

What the hell is he after?

It's obvious, right?

What?

The extermination of irredeemables.

Dammit!

sh*t!

Why him?

The hitman who'll k*ll anyone
if the money's right!

"If the money's right"?

That's news to me.

I make it a rule
to only k*ll irredeemables.

Huh?

I'm sorry.

Please just spare my life.

Die!

Damn, 25 guys, huh?

Impressive as always!

Kotatsu Nekota...
- Yeah?

If I recall, you told me
there was one guard, two at most, right?

M-M-My bad!

But still, you managed
to take them all out anyway!

As you'd expect of the legendary hitman!

Say that again,
and our partnership is over.

I'll watch my mouth!

Not much in here, huh?

A wasp nest?

Hey, Boss...

Wouldja mind giving me a ride back?

I don't mind.

While we're at it,
wanna grab something to eat?

Sounds good!

OPEN - PORK BONE RAMEN - RAMEN

Here you go.

Can't take hot food.

Damn, this is good!

How much garlic are you putting in there?

It's fine. Ain't anybody here
I need to mind my manners around.

Okay, I'm heading in!

Yeah.

I'm sorry!

You're fine.

I-I-I'm sorry!

I'm sorry!
- I've never been good with kids.

I never know
how I'm supposed to talk to them.

If I'd been a little better
at that sort of thing, maybe...

Maybe now...

things would be...

What should I have done?

I still don't know.

Hell, I don't even know
what I should've said.

We don't even have anything in common.
No shared interests, nothing.

Work is all I've got.
- Papa!

And I only do it 'cause I'm good.
It's not like I love my job.

What a boring life I've had.

Boss!

I'll leave the key here!

Okay.

Hey, I'm gonna use your bathroom!

Then do me a favor and clean it
while you're in there.

Ow!

A wasp?

sh*t!

I've never seen one like this before!

Boss!

Stay with me!

Kozue...

Nope, I've got no idea!

Where am I?

Oh, you're awake?

Eri...

Then...

Yep. My lab.

Sorry to hit you with this
the second you wake up,

but could you answer
a few quick questions?

Yeah.

Your full name and affiliation?

Juzo Ogami.

Z.O.O. Assassin Syndicate.

And me?

Eri Wanibuchi.

Chief of Z.O.O.'s science division
and my...

ex-wife.

Well, your memory seems fine.

Your vitals were stable,

but when they brought you in,
you already looked like that.

So, yeah, I was worried.

It looks like the cause was wasp venom.

A wasp?

Oh, right, there was a nest.

Hmm?

I only figured it out afterward...

but the company your target
was dealing with...

was a firm that also researches
genetic manipulation in living organisms.

In other words, that was no ordinary wasp.

What the hell? Who is that?

Wait, me?

I mean, me as a kid?

I'll change back, right?

Tell me I can change back!

No clue.

Come on!

You're the organization's
resident genius, Eri!

Yeah, but this isn't exactly something
you can analyze that easily.

More importantly...

my voice is so high!

And my skin's all smooth, too.

Good for you.

Good for you?

The hell it is!

Well, for now, all we can do
is keep an eye on it...

Looks like you just gotta
take a break from work now.

What?

That's a problem!

I've got a mortgage,
a car payment and child support, too!

Well, I have a job,
so I'm good on my end.

Cold!

So, anyway,
when I told the boss about it...

Oh, speak of the devil.

Yeah?

Oh, is that really you, Juzo?

Yeah. My voice sounds higher, but it's me.

Yeah.

Sounds like things
have gotten pretty strange.

I'm fine, though.

I can still do the job
even looking like this.

Sign me up.

I figured you'd say that.

As it happens,
I've got the perfect assignment for you.

I need you to attend middle school.

Huh?

Actually...

I'm thinking of enrolling my daughter in
a certain private middle school next year...

and I want you to slip in there
and investigate the place from the inside.

Hey! What is this, doting-dad nonsense?

Don't pretend it's a real job!

All you really mean is...

You just wanna scope out
your daughter's school, right?!

Sounds fine to me.

You only made it through
elementary school anyway, didn't you?

Yeah, but that doesn't mean
I wanna go back now!

Maybe I am a doting father.

Don't try to make it sound cool!

But it is a job.

I'll pay you.

LET'S GO TO SCHOOL
SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH

Oh!

I like the look!

I feel like I'm cosplaying or something.

What's with the glasses?

They've got an earpiece
and a camera built in!

Seeing as you're a washed-up
old man on the inside,

I'll be backing you up for now!

You're not wrong, but you're saying it
way too bluntly, Zoomer.

This is a disaster.

I'm bad with kids, so why the hell
am I going to middle school?

But it's for the money.

Beggars can't be choosers.

Well then, congratulations
on your admission to Rikka Middle School!

At our school...

So, I want to join the basketball team
and do my best.

Nice to meet you!

Isn't he kinda cute?

Totally!

Okay, next.

Uh...

I'm Juzo Ogami.

Nice to meet you.

That's all.

Huh?

That's it?

Pass.

He's gloomy as hell.

That intro sucked, Boss!

Y-You little...

Blending in with the class
is part of the job, too!

Uh, actually, I guess
I'll say a little more.

Hobbies...

None.

Special skill...

Sniping?

SELF-INTRODUCTION

g*ns?

Huh? Is he at w*r or something?
- Is he in some edgelord phase?

Is he gonna end up in jail?

That's a garbage answer, Boss!

No! Airsoft!

Fake g*ns, obviously!

Yeah, I'm into survival games!

Oh...

That kind of kid.

Either way, he's definitely a loser.

Yeah, he seems super gloomy.

Okay, next.

That's finally over.

If day one's already like this,
I'm not looking forward to what's ahead.

...and then he actually talked back.

Oh, sorry, otaku boy.

C'mon!

He'll snipe you.

I'm so scared!

Want me to take them out, Boss?

No, leave it.

Sorry to keep you waiting!

Omurice is served!

Dig in!

Why the hell are you cooking at my place?

Hey, this is good!

If I didn't cook, you'd just eat
a giant bowl of garlic ramen, right?

A middle schooler who reeks of garlic
is gonna get ostracized in no time.

That self-intro was seriously
so god-awful, even I was put off!

Obviously, you need to keep
your identity hidden,

but also make sure
you do not get into any trouble...

that could get you suspended or expelled!

Bottom line, if you can't keep going
to school, your income drops to zero!

You get ready for tomorrow yet?

What are you, my mom?

What exactly am I supposed to be getting
ready for besides the Boss's assignment?

Uh, school is supposed to be
a place where you go to study.

We'll be starting lessons today.

If there's anything you don't understand,
raise your hand.

All right, open your textbooks.

Study, huh?

When I was a kid...

I got taken in by the organization
and put through training.

I got thrown straight into the field.

Even so, I've still managed
to make it this far.

All right, turn to page six...
- I'm 39.

...in your textbooks.
- I've been through it all...

...been married,
and I've even got a daughter.

At this point in my life...
- We'll start with...

...studying is just...
- ...positive and negative numbers.

...positive and negative numbers.

This is about how numbers are ordered.

First, positive numbers.

Those are the 1, 2, 3 and so on that
you've all been using in everyday life.

And now, a new concept.

Numbers...

I always thought they just kept going up.

There's a whole world
of negative numbers, too?

That's incredible!

All right, that's it for today.

Make sure you review the material...

and don't forget your homework.

HOW TO USE A MICROSCOPE

This is fun!

Studying!

Math, science, social studies,
language arts, all of it!

Learning things I never knew before...

understanding them on a deeper level!

GOD OF STUDY

I can't help feeling excited!

Have I spent all this time
deliberately trying not to think...

just keeping my head down
and doing the job?

Is this the backlash from that?

Every little thing I'm being taught...

is hitting me harder than even
a glass of whiskey after a job well done!

Boss!

Dinner's read...

Wh-What's wrong?

This has turned into a serious problem.

Huh?

Middle school coursework...

is so damn fun, I can't stand it!

I have no idea
why that's supposed to be a problem.

I finished my review
and homework in no time.

And then I went ahead
and did tomorrow's prep, too!

Wow, those classes
really got their hooks in you.

What's for dinner?

Mackerel in miso.

DHA's supposed to be good for studying.
- Yesterday, at yet another...

You're careless...
- ...middle school...

...with the details at work...
- ...a man wearing a mask...

...but you're surprisingly meticulous...
- ...brazenly entered the school...

...at cooking.
- ...in broad daylight.

See you later!

What should I do?

Today was a blast, too!

Social studies especially.

It was like, "Oh, I've seen
places like that on the job before."

Stuff like that.

When it connects to your own
life experience, it makes it even better!

Boss, you should probably head home soon.

Still...

I'm not good with kids.

I wanna get back to my old body already.

Is it me, or is it noisy over there?

Huh?

Get back inside the building immediately!

Oh, right.

PANDA MASK

Seriously?

He took him down with one flying kick?

Who is that guy?

How's he so crazy athletic?!

This is hilarious!
- Uh, wait.

He's... coming this way.

He's coming right at us!
- No way!

Okay, I've decided.

Behold all that I am!

S-Screw you!

Go get arrested already!

Don't worry!

I'm confident I can get away...

and even if I do get caught,
I'm prepared for that!

Even if it all ends here, that's fine.

I'll give you...

everything I've got.

Gross!
- What the hell is with that guy?

You disgusting pervert panda freak!
- Ah, springtime, huh?

Aren't those the two girls
who copped that attitude with you?

You don't owe them any help.

Why not just leave 'em?
It's not like they're gonna die.

FIRE HYDRANT
Yeah, true.

But still...

those two are about the same age
as my daughter.

Huh?

I'm a grown-a*s man.

JAPANESE LITERATURE 1

As far as I'm concerned, whether I help
somebody because I owe them one...

or don't because I don't,
that kind of petty crap doesn't matter.

W-Wait, you absolutely
can't blow your cover!

Yeah, I know.

Huh?

MODERN MIDDLE SCHOOL
JAPANESE LITERATURE 1

I see!

A smokescreen with chalk!

And damn, that quick draw is insane!

Would you mind shutting up for a second?

Who's there?

Huh?

I meant to drop him with one punch.

This guy's not actually strong, but...

Oh, right.
It's because I turned into a kid.

Wh-Who are you?

Hah, if that's how it's gonna be...

then we're all going out
with a bang together!

Wait, where the hell
did you even pull that out of?

This is way past
a little playing with fire.

If you pull something like that again,
I'll take your head.

Not that one.

Huh?

Wait, the one who saved us...

Ota...

Ogami?

Huh?

N-Nope.

Some total stranger just happened
to pass by and beat him up.

I'm just an ordinary
first-year middle school student...

who comes to school
to study like a normal kid!

Huh?
- Huh?

So, yeah!

I'm off!

See you tomorrow!

Huh?

Why's he collapsed?

Did he blow himself up?
- Hey!

That was terrifying!
- Stand back!

The expl*sive device
was homemade by the suspect...

PERVERT ARRESTED AT SCHOOL

and the identity of the person
who rescued the students remains unknown.

Yikes!
- The man taken into custody...

So, stuff like this really happens, huh?
- ...has no fixed address...

I guess so.
- ...and no occupation...

and police are also investigating whether
he may be connected to other crimes.

Hey, after this, let's all go hang out!

I'm in!

Me, too!

Why don't we just make
a class group chat too?

Sounds good!

I'm in, too.

Send me your handle.

That just leaves...

Oh.

Him?

It's probably fine. He doesn't seem like
the type to be into that stuff anyway.

By all means, ignore me.

Honestly, that works for me, too...
- No, let's just ask him.

Yeah, we can't just decide on our own
to leave him out, right?

Huh?
- Exactly.

No, I mean, I'm totally fine with it.

They made a class group chat.

Wanna join?

And, uh...

I think, probably...

thanks for the other day.

Thanks.

I really don't care
about the group chat thing, though.

Well...

whatever.

Just now...

What is with this insanely fast pace?

There's no way I can keep up,

and the notifications
just keep coming nonstop!

How do I make it stop?

Okay, I'm sorry already!

Please have mercy!

This is hopeless.

Middle school is brutal.

Well, old guys do type pretty slow.

Want a cigarette?

I quit.

Besides, ever since ending up
in this body,

I can't handle booze
or cigarettes anymore.

But still...

I feel way better than I ever did...

after finishing one of my old jobs.

For now, I guess...

I'll keep at it a little longer.

All right.

Time to do my homework.

What is it, Eri?

It's about that wasp that stung you.

The thing doesn't exist in nature.

It was an artificially created wasp.

And the company that made it
was Mitsuoka Pharmaceuticals.

It's grown rapidly
over the last ten years...

and is now the second-largest
company in the country.

And get this.

Believe it or not...

the daughter of its president
is in your class.

Morning.
- If you can make contact with her...

...you might be able to gain
some useful information.

Her name is...

Noren Mitsuoka.

Mornin'.

Morning!