Episode 5

Title card

"Maraich, the Angel of Death" is the fifth episode of the ''Patalliro'' anime, originally airing on May 3, 1982.

## Summary

The International Diamond Syndicate send their best assassin, Maraich, to finish off Bancoran and Patalliro.

## Story Recap

Patalliro visits the MI6 HQ on his way to the country of Rosaria, a country specialising in the cultivation of roses, as a special judge for a competition on roses by the invitation of a Count. Bancoran decides to accompany Patalliro to Rosaria after their usual exchange of insults. While on the plane, Patalliro cracks his usual jokes and Bancoran chides him for letting his guard down. He goes on to let Patalliro know that the International Diamond Syndicate (IDS) are making a move again and his life is in danger. Patalliro goes on the recount how the IDS tried to assassinate him 2 times. First being Thatcher and second being Bjorn (Junior).

Back at the IDS HQ, once again a veiled meeting is held. The boss asks how is the progress with No. 2 to which he replies that he has already dealt with Malynera’s cabinet members and the only remaining person is the king but, he too, has already set a trap for the king. The boss cautions on the interference of the MI6 but No.2 is confident about his success and mentions a plan to target the MI6. With this, the boss is pleased and No. 2’s  veil is revealed and he is Count Duran Du Larken.

After the meeting, Count Duran enters his limousine and speaks to a bishounen named Maraich. The Count goes on to say how he has taught Maraich assassination techniques from a young age. Maraich mentioned that he will not let the Count down and proceeds to seduce the Count and the Count comments that he has raised a bad boy. The Count and Maraich starts to make love at the back of the limousine.

Back at the Rozaria Hotel, Patalliro tells Bancoran that the same Count who invited him as a judge has also invited him to a costume party.  Next scene shows the start of the party, organised at the Count’s premises. Patalliro is in his usual royal attire while Bancoran is in a tuxedo with a mask.

The Count and Maraich observes Patalliro and Bancoran for a while and then make their way to be introduced. While Bancoran was having a smoke, the Count Larken introduces himself to Patalliro and manages to get Patalliro away from Bancoran by luring Patalliro away to the wine table. Bancoran’s intuition tells him that Count Lrken is suspicious and spots him speaking to masked man sneakily and the masked man heads out into the garden. Bancoran tails the mask man but only to be led to trap where Maraich is waiting. Maraich jumps from height with steel wires at hand to strangle Bancoran from behind.  Bancoran, who is always in gloves, manages to grip the wire at this throat. Bancoran realises that he has fallen into a trap and struggles with freeing himself from the wires. Using all his strength, he manages to create an opening and elbows Maraich sharply at this torso. This makes Maraich lose his grip and Bancoran is freed. They exchange blows and just as Maraich is about to escape into the garden bushes, Bancoran fires a shot at him. A small blood stain was left at the scene and upon hearing the gunshot, Count Larken trembles in anger at the sign that Maraich has failed in his mission to assassinate Bancoran. When the guests go out to investigate the loud sound, Bancoran exclaims that it came from a car backfiring behind the wall.

On the way back from the party, Bancoran tells Patalliro on the failed attempt on his life and how stealth the attacker was. He goes on to warn Patalliro about Count Larken’s possible involvement. Bancoran tells Patalliro that he will request for the MI6 to investigate the country of Rozaria itself. At this time, Patalliro brandishes a golden candlestick and tells Bancoran that he ‘accidently’ took the candlestick and since Count Larken is a bad guy there is no need to return the golden candlestick.

At night,  Maraich, with a gunshot injury on his left arm, visits the Count only to be treated cruelly for failing his mission. The Count reminds Maraich that to fail is to die in the organisation and he gives Maraich one last chance to atone for his mistake. Maraich directs all his grievance on Bancoran.

The next morning, the MI6 HQ updates Bancoran and while Patalliro is in disguise to try and conduct his own investigation, there he meets a cross-dressing Maraich with feather on his hat. At this point, Bancoran shows up and both Maraich and Bancoran sees each other without masks for the first time. Sensual music plays and both fall in love with each other at first sight. But Maraich is reminded that Bancoran is the man who made the Count treat him cruelly and hence hardened his heart to kill Bancoran. Bancoran asks Maraich for his name but Mariach walks pass Bancoran and says that is a bee. While Bancoran looks above to try and spot the bee, Maraich picks up the feather from his hat and attempts to stab the tip, which was dipped in poison, at Bancoran into his neck. Bancoran foils the attempt and remarks on Maraich’s clever plan to try and attribute the possible sting to a bee. Bancoran goes on to reveal that the moment their eyes met, Maraich’s cheeks turned red and hence Maraich should be a male as Bancoran is nicknamed the Bishouen-Killer so his charming effect should only have affected the male gender. At this point, Bancoran grads at Maraich’s arms forcefully and question on his relation with the Count. Maraich winches in pain from the gunshot wound and wound tears, with blood soaking through his clothes. Maraich collapses to the ground in pain and Bancoran realises that Maraich was the same assailant at the costume party. As a last ditch attempt, Maraich brings out a knife and takes a  jab at Bancoran only to be quickly disarmed and elbowed right in the stomach and hand-chopped at the neck. Maraich loses consciousness immediately. Bancoran marvels at how he has obtained a great source of information.

In the next scene, Maraich awakes in bed and asks Bancoran what are his intentions. Bancoran questions Maraich on Count Larken but Maraich is uncooperative. Bancoran slaps Maraich but Maraich remains uncooperative. Bancoran laments that he does not want to do these things but there are other ways to get information. He proceeds to rape Maraich.

The next morning , Bancoran tells Patalliro that Maraich has confessed and told him everything. Count Larken is IDS’s No. 2 but he has left the country of Rozaria. Patalliro questions the authenticity of the information to which Bancoran proclaims that there is no way that Maraich will lie to him. At this point, Maraich is seen to be led outside and Maraich asks Bancoran what will become of him to which Bancoran states that Maraich will be extradited to England and await his trial. Bancoran tells Maraich to expose the IDS as a malignant organisation as a whistle blower to possibly get prosecution immunity. Just as Maraich is about to be escorted away, Maraich asks Bancoran for a kiss. They kiss tenderly and Maraich says “Sayonara” (  a sign that they might not see each other again).

## Trivia

* This is the final episode with the original eyecatch animation.