Episode 19 Ice Palace

## Chronology

**Ice Palace** is the nineteenth episode of the *Banana Fish* anime.

## Synopsis

Ash becomes an advisor to Golzine, who makes plans to adopt Ash as his son. Yut-Lung attempts to contract Blanca to kill Eiji; though Blanca refuses, Yut-Lung uses his knowledge of Blanca's history as a disgraced Spetsnaz officer to blackmail him into becoming his bodyguard. Eiji, Sing, and Cain devise a plan to rescue Ash.

## Summary

Blanca watches as Ash is driven off with Golzine before speaking with Yut. He asks if Blanca won’t work for him which Blanca refuses on the grounds he’s retired. Blanca asks who he wants to eliminate though which Yut replies Eiji even though he made a pact not to lay a finger on him if Ash co-operated. Yut takes his leaving saying he can find Blanca even in the Caribbean.

Eiji walks alongside Bones, Kong and Alex, he is looking for Sing for information since Ash has been missing and wants to speak to Sing’s boss, Yut as he suspects he is involved.

Eiji and Sing meet with Yut, where Yut confirms he does know something, namely that Ash gave everything up for Eiji, that he’s in Golzine’s hands now. Eiji replies that he cares for Ash and will save him no matter what. Sing reveals that he does not approve of Yut siding with Golzine and shares that he might take Eiji’s side in this matter.

Ash is present in a meeting with American generals with Golzine at the head of the table. He states the general’s suggestion will not help them recover their costs they’ve invested. He has the authority to suggest staging a military coup in Kafghanistan to set up a pro-American government. He recommends using Banana Fish on the Taliban anti-government group. That the country is the worlds largest producer of heroin and that most of the goods can be sent to America is used as further enticement to adhere to these plans. Regarding the soldiers, Ash states it’s a chance to show how great America is, by simply leaving the soldiers.

Alone, Golzine discusses the meeting with Ash, and despite Ash being described as the devil for he was suggesting in the meeting, Ash is deeply disturbed by what he said only doing it because Golzine forced him to say it. Golzine reveals that from now on it is not Ash’s body he will be selling, but his soul. He announces they’re going to the opera to view Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and calmly leaves after Ash bites his lip drawing blood.

Ibe and Max speak in a bar, Max has been fired from his job since the information he had gathered on Banana Fish was handed over by Ash to save Eiji. They watch on TV as the news reports Dino F. Golzine has been cleared of tax evasion. Max is shocked as he see’s Ash amongst Golzine’s entourage.

Golzine had drugged Ash so that his vision is blurred for the play as Golzine tells him he intends to leave the whole city for him the ‘great demon’ to reign over. Ash carries out duties in favour of Golzine’s goals whilst Blanca informs Golzine that he intends to leave soon. Ash is brought before them but he collapses and is kept on an IV drip for a week having gone on a hunger strike.

Eiji is with Sing and member of Ash’s gang where they learn of the hotel party for Golzine for being cleared of tax evasion. Eiji declares he won’t let anyone lay a finger on Ash who would likely be under the effects of drugs being in public and so require rescuing.

Blanca and a hotel maid’s interaction is interrupted by Yut as he appears and asks how Blanca how could he, after he had made such sweet love to him last night and she leaves. Dressed, Yut asks Blanca about a Natalia Karsavina, Blanca’a wife, and reveals his in-depth awareness of Blanca’s background and asks him why he is in exile. Blanca hands him a drink and knows that is not the reason why he came all this way.

Golzine finds Ash can speak again, and tells him if he’s trying to escape by wasting away he’ll ensure Eiji follows him. After Ash says this isn’t the case, he is just ill, Golzine tells him at their party he means to declare that he will be legally adopting Ash to make him his son. Ash laughs maniacally at the suggestion stating he might go crazy with laughter and is physical assaulted with Golzine hitting him repeatedly.

Sing visits Yut only to find a huge Blanca towering behind him, together they disarm a man with a gun who aims at them within the mansion but see he has bitten a poison capsule to avoid questioning. Tending to Yut who the assassin was targeting, Blanca vows to become his bodyguard and protect him from anyone including Ash as he opts to make it to Golzine’s party on the 20th. Sing learns the date for their rescue attempt of Ash as well.

Golzine and Blanca oversee Ash asleep in bed where a psychiatrist has diagnosed an acute case of anorexia.

Sing, Eiji and Ashs’ gang finalise their plans and are joined by Cain as well

## Characters

* Ash Lynx
* Eiji Okumura
* Sing Soo-Ling
* Yut-Lung
* Blanca
* Cain Blood
* Shunichi Ibe
* Max Lobo
* Dino Golzine
* Mr. Smiles
* Alex
* Bones
* Kong
* Lao Yen Tai

## Trivia

* "The Ice Palace" is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

## References

* Manga Vol 13
* Manga Vol 14