Episode 21 The Undefeated

## Chronology

**The Undefeated** is the twenty first episode of the *Banana Fish* anime.

## Synopsis

Golzine and Yut-Lung hire Eduardo Foxx, a mercenary and former member of the French Foreign Legion, to capture Ash. Max begins to investigate Golzine's child sex ring, and destroys the evidence of Ash's involvement in it. Foxx overwhelms Ash's, Sing's, and Cain's gangs in an assault on their hideout, and forces Ash's surrender.

## Summary

Safe from danger Ash has been bandaged and joins Eiji on the rooftop of their hideaway. They discuss topics including that Ash knows Blanca and their background before they notice Sing below as he collapses.

Sing is brought inside and regains consciousness with Eiji and Cain overlooking him. Alex tells Sing that his gang members were taken elsewhere. Sing intends to return to Chinatown to prevent them being killed, he suspects Yut-Lung is using them as hostages to lure him out. Ash instructs him to calm down, that he will help him.

Yut is shooting the hostages whilst Blanca watches with other hostages including Lao being present. Yut is aware of his value, knowing he was Shorter Wong’s best friend and right hand, he asks if he doesn’t want to help his half brother Sing.

Driving back together Blanca enquires as to what Yut intends to have Lao do, Yut does not react well when Blanca comments on family relations.

Ash and Cain discuss matters when Alex runs in having discovered where the prisoners are locked up. Ash uses a lookout to gain access to the location and shoots Yut’s armed men. One returns fire with a machine gun, though is killed. They rescue the hostages before fleeing the location.

Watching them via security cameras are Yut, Golzine and a man who observes that Golzine has quite the son. He asks how much Golzine is willing to risk to which Golzine replies that he just needs Ash’s head in act, and asks Colonel Fox if he is up for it, and he accepts the offer.

With the rescue a success Ash tells Cain he is going out and returns to his apartment complex where Max joins him there. He requires Ash’s help in a matter and they head to meet Roger in a café opposite the New World gay bar to locate the owner, Frank Sanchez.

Ash and Max enter the club and Ash suggests pretending to be a couple. Max needs the bathroom, and Ash declines a drink from Colonel Fox who approaches him at the bar before leaving. Max returns and they find Frank, nicknamed Froggy. Holding him at gunpoint in his apartment they retrieve what Max was after, his photos and those of Ash taken when he was younger before leaving.

Frank has his phone to call someone before Fox joins him in his room and asks him what he spoke to Ash about.

Underneath a bridge, Roger views the photos on a laptop with Max and Ash nearby and says he will protect the rights of these boys. Though Ash is fine with his being used as evidence Max instead burns Ash’s photos telling him to forget about everything concerning them.

Frank is reported in the news when his dismembered arm is found in the trash. Cain joins Ash telling him Eiji was looking for him, before Ash asks how the Chinese are doing. He wonders why the previous trap was in such an obvious place and if the goal was to capture Sing, why were there so few men.

Ash and Cain join Killer Bee learning that he has been shot, before hearing that Harlem Chicken has as well and Cain wonders how they are finding their hideouts and suspects Sing and Lao of selling them out. Ash calms the tensions but privately suggests to Cain to keep an eye on them just in case.

Ash and Cain travel to a ransacked hideout, Ash finds a 5.56 millimetre cartridge and notes the invaders were armed with assault rifles, it was not an impulsive attack.

Ash’s observations are halted when a car screeches up and assault rifles fire into the bar instantly killing multiple men as Ash and Cain take cover. They make their escape as they leave out the side of the building before that area too comes under heavy gun fire. They cease firing and Ash notes they are toying with them. Ash uses his phone to gather fingerprints of the assailants they managed to shoot and contacts The Fly before joining Cain as his men call him back.

Fox oversees them through his binoculars saying he can’t wait for him to strike back, that if Ash lets him catch him too easily it will take the fun out of the hunt.

Ash and Cain find others dead and Ash confirms his suspicions that they are being targeted by mercenaries and has no doubt Golzine hired them. Ash gasps as he recognises a photo of the colonel as the man who approached him in the bar and runs back having remembered Max would have been seen as well.

Max enters Robert’s room observing that the door is unlocked before suddenly being shot he in the shoulder. Staggering back he runs away from the gunman, and ducks as Ash comes round to corner to shoot the two men firing at them both. Once dead Max finds Robert slumped in his chair, he tells him they were looking for the data. Robert didn’t talk and Max has it secure at a safe in the bank.

Jessica is disguised before she is approached by Bones and Kong, they say they are with Ash and have been waiting for her. Jessica responds by walloping Bones with her handbag before drawing a gun on them both. She is not convinced at all and demands to know where Max is. Ash finds her and they join the others. Jessica cheerfully greets Eiji before resuming her rough talk to Max. Michael is safe with her sister, and Eiji and Ash close their ears to the bickering.

Alone outside around a fire, Jessica hears from Max about a mind-controlling drug.

Whilst other members sleep, Ash is at a computer wondering how they will be attacked looking for patterns and wondering which ones will be used. Though frustrated Ash is pleased when Eiji brings them some hot mineral water to share. Eiji asks Ash what he would do if he had to attack them, which causes Ash to realise that he as leader the chain of command is the weak spot they will be focusing on.

Sure enough, Alex see’s armed and masked men gathering around the north square. Aware of the large and armed force they face, Ash draws up escape plans for the different groups whilst he opts to stay behind to fight so as to draw them away, if they can lead them downtown, they can win. They decide to meet up in 48 hours at the storehouse on Pier 6. Eiji, Sing and Jessica take the time to escape whilst Colonel Fox is also aware they are trying to buy time and at once orders all troops to charge.

Ash and Cain come under heavy machine gun fire and Ash orders them to draw back. Max is also fired at as everyone’s position is quickly overrun. Ash leaps off a building and crashes through a window before he can be surrounded.

Lao is walking with the others though the escape route sewer before two members of their gang say now is their chance; Ash isn’t here as they remember what Yut said. Jessica takes off to return to Max saying she still loves him. Eiji follows her and he in turn is followed by Sing as well.

Max is out of bullets and orders a retreat but Bones is shot and Max, Bones and Kong are captured. Ash jumps to a building before hearing his name called out. Colonel Fox has Max and other hostages and tells him if he surrenders he will be lenient towards the hostages. Max tells him not to but Ash surrenders his gun to save his friends.

## Characters

* Ash Lynx
* Eiji Okumura
* Sing Soo-Ling
* Cain Blood
* Max Lobo
* Jessica Randy
* Yut-Lung
* Blanca
* Dino Golzine
* Eduardo L. Fox
* Lao Yen Tai
* Steven LLOYD
* The Fly
* Killer Bee
* Harlem Chicken (Not seen but mentioned)
* Shorter Wong (Not seen but mentioned)
* Michael (Not seen but mentioned)
* Frank Sanchez

## Trivia

* "The Undefeated" is a novel by Ernest Hemingway.

## References

* Manga Vol 15
* Manga Vol 16