Skip

**Skipper** is a young boy and a member of Ash's Gang. He looked after Griffin and introduced Eiji to Ash in *Banana Fish*.

## Profile

### Appearance

Skip is African American and has black afro-textured hair and brown eyes. He wears a violet coloured T-shirt striped with light blue and white underneath dungarees. He owns a pale blue coat with a white trimmed collar, and white trimmings on the ends of the sleeves and the bottom of the coat.

### Personality

Skip is very forward and confidant, he greeted both Ibe and Eiji leading to their meeting with Ash. Skip had a close bond with other gang members being at ease around them and other patrons of the underground bar.

He was trusted to be a dependable lookout tending to both Ash’s residence and Ash's step brother Griffin. Though Skip is cheerful and at ease he knows when to be wary and is quite perceptive of reading others as he did when he asked if there was something wrong with Ash when it appeared that he had more to say. He made use of non verbal communication such as winks and hand features to illustrate his points. He was brave defending Eiji from a man far larger than them both who was armed with a knife and resolved to put up a good fight too when cornered by their kidnappers. He thought nothing of putting himself in danger to help his friends.

## Story

Skip cautiously answers the knock on the door before delightfully noting that is it Ash as he comments that he is back early. Inside Ash’s residence, Skip informs him that Charlie has called to say the Japanese guy is coming the day after tomorrow, and eases the fact that Ash said no to it by pointing out that now the cops will owe him one. Skip answers Ash that there is nothing else, everything is as usual as he motions towards a door behind, that he is, too.

Skip puts on his jacket to leave before asking out of concern if something is wrong with Ash. He hears it is nothing and thanks Ash as he receives payment for his time as he departs. As he heads for the door he remembers and shares a rumor with Ash that Arthur had something to do with what happened before as he waves goodbye.

Later, Skip meets both Ibe and Eiji outside and leads them to an underground bar for their report on street gangs with Ash. Skip notices them stalling and asks whether they are coming in or not. Seeing they are on edge with the patrons of the bar he asks rhetorically what they are so scared of and guides them further in as he proceeds casually at ease. He happily walks up to Ash to point out that his guests from Japan are here and stands by listening to Ibe introduce himself to Ash.

Skip stands against a wall nearby Alex and Ash before overseeing Eiji ask Ash about his gun and joins in the rooms trepidation as Ash in fact offers to let Eiji hold it.

After the interaction, Skip approaches Eiji and offers to buy him a drink and at a table together he tells Eiji he didn’t know he had it in him. He explains how Ash never lets anyone touch his gun and that once a drunk guy tried to touch it and got his fingers blown off. He tells EIji to look on the bright side noting that Ash seems to like him and Skip toasts to Eiji’s nerves, and his fingers. He appears somewhat perplexed upon seeing Eiji spitting his drink out noting that it is just a rum coke. Skip joins in Eiji’s observation of Ash that he is more than just a sharpshooter stating that Ash uses a Smith and Wesson 357 Magnum with the barrel cut short and that he has never missed a target twenty five yards away. He explains further that “Ash Lynx” is just a nickname, that it means “wildcat” and boasts that nobody can tame him, he is totally wild and thus is the perfect name for boss. Skip laughs to himself when Eiji points out he really looks up to him.

As he is listening to Ibe explain his progress with Ash, Skip turns as armed men suddenly burst into the room. He takes cover behind the bar with Eiji and tells him to keep his head down as he pulls him back under as gang related violence engulfs the room along with the arrival of the police. He motions to Eiji that Charlie is here now and they just have to stay still winking to reassure Eiji.

Their cover is compromised with Eiji panicking in response to a knife wielding thug having crouched down beside them. Skip immediately pushes EIji’s head down and smashes a wine bottle over the thugs head and dams him as he follows this up with a running kick to his face.

Grabbing Eiji’s arm, he tells him to hurry this way as they escape the premises. Leaving through a secret escape route, Skip lifts up a drain cover above them and checks the surroundings as he instructs Eiji to shh. In the commotion he did not hear from Ash that it was a trap and it is sprung here with him and Eiji captured by Wookie and his accomplices.

He calls to Ash as he is bundled into a car and winces as he notices one of his kidnappers shot in the back of the head by Ash. He is restrained by a hooded man yet still demands he gets his hands off Eiji as he searches for his phone as they are driven away.

Skip has his hands bound and is kept in wait until Ash arrives. He calls to him when Arthur springs his trap revealing that Marvin is also present. He listens to their exchange and shouts for Ash to not drop his gun when Arthurs orders him to, pointing out they will kill Ash before he is restrained again.

He is kept imprisoned alongside Eiji before he see’s Ash thrown into the room with them and watches as Eiji tends to Ash’s wound.

As Skip rests by laying on the floor he witnesses Marvin join them in their confinement and whispers to Eiji that Marvin is gay and likes Ash. Skip tells Eiji to be quiet as Ash interacts with Marvin before triumphantly cheering as he watches Ash’s plan pay off with Marvin being knocked out.

Running after Ash along with Eiji they all flee from the compound before they reach a dead end. Skips kicks a pebble in frustration remarking that they came this far. He again exclaims that he didn’t know Eiji had the guts as he notices him pull a rusty pipe from the side of a building. Skip states he is really beginning to like him and under the impression he intends to make a last stand, Skip also resolves to put up a good fight as he arms himself with a stick. He is startled to hear that Eiji intends to use the pole not to fight, rather as a means to vault over the wall. Skip agrees with Ash that this is dangerous as he points out there are no mats on the other side for Eiji’s landing.

After watching as Eiji proceeds anyway, Skip cheers jubilantly when he succeeds remarking that “he flew!” However, after he cannot even act surprised when their pursuers find him and Ash and turns to face them.

Skips lies on the ground as Marvin interrogates him and Ash on the whereabouts of Eiji.

By daybreak he and Ash are to be relocated by Marvin and he protests when Ash tells Marvin that Skip had nothing to do with this not willing to have them separated. Skip is kept behind with his hands rebound as Ash is to be taken away by car before Alex arrives along with Shorter, Bones and other allies of Ash who have come to rescue them.

With Marvin and Dino's forces being assailed, Skip see’s Marvin aim a gun at Ash moving to pull the trigger. Skip breaks free of the man holding him and calls to Ash as he runs towards him. Without warning Skip is shot twice by Marvin and falls to the ground. He opens his eyes as Ash makes his way to and holds him in his arms and with tears falling down his face, Skip passes away.

## Relationships

### Ash Lynx

He is a member of Ash's gang and Skip has a close bond with Ash, being trusted enough to look after both Ash’s apartment and Ash’s brother Griffin. He was relied to bring Ibe and Eiji to Ash and is familiar enough with him to know the gun Ash uses to how proficient he is at wielding it. He praised Ash for many qualities that made him boss. They were close enough that Skip was targeted in a kidnapping to lure Ash into a trap knowing that Ash would not abandon him.

He calls to Ash and tells him to not give up his gun otherwise Ash could be killed. He was reluctant to be parted from Ash out of concern for Ash’s well being and risked his life to save Ash’s when Skip saw a gun aimed at him.

### Eiji Okumura

Skip was aware of Eiji’s arrival from Japan and is the one to meet him outside then guide him to Ash for his photography and interview work on street gangs. He is impressed enough with Eiji to offer to buy him a drink where he toasts to his nerve as he didn’t think Eiji had it in him to make the request to hold Ash’s gun.

He immediately takes cover behind the bar with Eiji when violence breaks out, keeps his head down and tells him to stay to avoid the violence taking place all around. Though he reassures Eiji to keep him calm, Skip does not hesitate to physically defend Eiji from a man wielding a knife before pulling Eiji to a safety route.[2] They are kidnapped together and Skip continues to stick up for Eiji when he has his phone stolen and tells Arthur himself to keep his hands off “Ei-chan”. He is even fonder of Eiji when he see’s him acquire a rusty pipe under the impression he was up for fighting back against their kidnappers. He was concerned for Eiji’s safety when he intended to pole vault the wall pointing out the lack of safety mats but cheers with delight upon beholding Eiji fly over the wall to safety.

### Shunichi Ibe

Working as a guide it is Skip who meets Ibe outside the underground bar and leads him to Ash for his report on street gangs. When he notices Ibe stall he verbally prods him to come and join in further.[2]

### Charlie Dickinson

Being on good terms with Charlie, Skip receives the call from him to pass on the message to Ash about the meeting with Ibe and Eiji. Skip knows this police officer and was certain in him to restore order, as when Charlie was in the bar with violence breaking out he trusted him enough to tell Eiji they just have to stay still now that Charlie is here.[2]

### Wookie

Knowing Wookie as part of Ash’s gang, Skip is betrayed and captured by him when Wookie falls in with Arthur who has turned against Ash at Golzine’s behest. Skip was targeted specifically since Wookie and his accomplices were aware Ash would not abandon him and so use him to lure Ash into a trap.[2]

### Frederick Arthur

Sharing Ash’s general mistrust of Arthur, he informs Ash with a rumor that Arthur was involved with the recent death.[2] Skip is brought to Arthur as a prisoner to lure Ash as part of a trap. Despite the danger and Arthur being much larger, Skip is not remotely afraid and stands up to Arthur when he rounds on Eiji.

### Marvin

He is kidnapped by people after Ash including Marvin. Skip knows that Marvin likes Ash and is pleased when they are able to escape from him and his thugs. After being recaptured he is interrogated on the whereabouts of Eiji. With police having arrived in the commotion Skip see’s Marvin aiming to shoot a gun at Ash and moves to intervene before being shot and murdered by Marvin.

## Skills

Lookout duties aside Skip was a capable fighter making very effective use of a nearby wine bottle to hit over an armed man’s head then deliver a running kick to knock him out. Though he was physically much smaller he was able to run on par with Ash and Eiji when escaping their kidnapping.

## Episode Appearances

* Episode 01
* Episode 02
* Episode 03 (Mentioned by Eiji Okumura)
* Episode 12 (Mentioned by Eiji Okumura)

## Quotes

* “Boss, you’re back early”
* “Charlie called to say the Japanese guy is coming the day after tomorrow”
* “Hey, rumor has it that Arthur had something to do with what happened.”
* “Charlie’s here now, we just have to stay still”
* “You did it Boss, I knew you would!”
* “Wow, I didn’t know you had the guts, Ei-chan! I'm really liking you. – I’ll put up a fight too”

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 01
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Banana Fish Episode One