Episode 01 A Perfect Day for Bananafish

## Chronology

**A Perfect Day for Bananafish** is the first episode of the *Banana Fish* anime.

## Summary

Ash Lynx, a 17-year-old leader of a street gang in New York City, is given a street address and a vial of an unknown substance by a mortally wounded man. The man speaks the words “banana fish” before dying — the same last words spoken by Ash’s brother Griffin, an Iraq War veteran who fired on his own squadron under mysterious circumstances, and who is now in a vegetative state. Meanwhile, Eiji Okumura, a Japanese photographer's assistant, arrives in New York to complete a report on street gangs.

## Plot

Sometime during the Iraq war, soldiers are talking amongst themselves before a man called Griffin, without warning lifts an assault rifle and shoots into them. After he is incapacitated by his friend Max Lobo, he simply mutters the words "Banana Fish."

Ash Lynx comes across a dying man in an alleyway. He tries to help him before the man uses his final words to tell Ash a street address, and hand him a vial of an unknown substance. Ash is shocked to hear him utter the same nonsensical term "Banana Fish" he has heard before dying.

Ash comes across Marvin Crosby as he visits Dino Golzine at his manor to get to the truth of the matter. After exchanging a few words, Ash is escorted by Gregory to find Golzine at breakfast with his butler on hand, Ash is here for business. He wants to know why Golzine ordered for the man to be killed, Golzine feels Ash is concerned about people going behind his back. When told that man was a nobody, Ash is livid at this response to someone being killed and sweeps the cutlery off the table in anger. Golzine does not appear to comprehend what Ash is concerned about but does tell him that he loves him.

On a street, Shorter Wong comes across Ash on his motorcycle. They discuss the visit to Golzine, and Shorter parts some advice regarding Marvin before Ash speeds off on his bike.

Ash returns to his apartment where Skip is keeping lookout for him. Happy to see him return, Skip updates Ash on the visit of the Japanese interviewers facilitated by police officer Charlie. He also shares that Arthur may have had something to do with what happened. When Skip leaves Ash pulls out the chain the dying man gave to him.

Golzine is watering his plants in his greenhouse when Abraham Dawson comes crashing through the doors to tell him “it’s gone”.

Ash discovers the pendant on the end of the chain contains a vial with a white powdery substance within. He enters the next room where his older brother, Griffin is staying. Sitting in a wheelchair Griffin is unresponsive to Ash’s questions. Ash heard the same phrase “Banana Fish” from the dying man and though Ash wonders whether it was this Banana Fish that done this to Griffin, he is unable to gain answers.

At an airport, Eiji is called by Ibe as they board a plane to America from Japan.

The next day gunshots are fired somewhere in New York. It is Ash, firing shots that hit the wall behind the man and his accomplice, the two who followed Dino’s orders to murder the man. Ash ultimately spares them before tuning to address a large number of his gang members.

Among them are Alex, Bones, and Kong who listen as Ash states that they are not dogs of the Mafia and deal with Golzine as equals. Ash takes specific care to state to Arthur that all are free to go and be his pet if they want. Leaving, Arthur plots with Wookie on how to beat Ash with the former vowing payback for his scarred fingers.

Dr. Meredith comes across Ash in his own practice. He provides Ash medication telling him to leave his cash in turn. Noting that it is not heroin, Dr. Meredith is also asked to find out what the white powdery substance is that Ash was given by the dying man.

Golzine is with his cat, Gregory and Marvin as he learns that Ash was with the marked man. Marvin suggests making Ash talk but Golzine does not want to arouse suspicion of what was taken that Ash may now possess.

Instead, Golzine takes it upon himself to summon Ash back and ask him in person what the man said, and then what he gave him when Ash feigns ignorance about meeting such a person to begin with.

Getting nothing, Ash leaves and Arthur approaches Marvin with an offer for him.

Eiji has arrived at the police station with Ibe where they both meet with Charlie to prepare for their interview on street gangs. Jenkins introduces himself and background information on the gangs including Ash.

Ash has arrived back at his apartment. Though Skip feels nothing is out the ordinary, Ash is sure the entire place has been turned inside out.

The Japanese Photographer ‘Shuunichi Ibe’ and his assistant ‘Okumura Eiji’ along with the police arrive outside one of the street gang’s hangout places. There they settle to interview Ash Lynx, the boss of the gang. Here Eiji and Ash make their acquaintance for the first time.

Not long after, the place gets invaded by Arthur’s men. A fight takes place during which skipper and Eiji flee through one of the escape routes. However, they are caught and drove off in a car.

Ash follows them and runs after the car. He then calmly steadies himself and shoots one of the captors sitting in the car with pin-point accuracy.

Shortly afterwards, Shorter arrives and Ash takes his bike to follow the car.

The episode ends with the first opening song as Arthur and Marvin maliciously plot against Ash Lynx.

## Characters

* Ash Lynx
* Eiji Okumura
* Max Lobo
* Dino Golzine
* Shorter Wong
* Frederick Arthur
* Shunichi Ibe
* Charlie Dickinson
* Jenkins
* Gregory
* Skip
* Stephen Thompson
* Griffin Callenreese
* Marvin Crosby
* Abraham Dawson
* Wookie
* Alex

## Difference between Anime and Manga

* **Anime**: Griffin is shown wearing a short-sleeved shirt when he appears.
 **Manga**: He is shown wearing a tank top.

* **Anime**: Max uses a handgun to shoot Griffin.
 **Manga**: He used an automatic rifle.

* **Anime**: Ash's debut is shown after Griffin is shot.
 **Magna**: The murder and investigation of a man is shown first.
	+ The anime moved the investigation scene to take place after Eiji and Ibe arrived at the police station.

* **Anime only**: Eiji's debut is shown before Ash punishes the two rouges from his gang. Ash is also shown to shoot with his right hand instead of his left hand.

* **Manga only**: Eiji and Ibe are shown to meet Charlie at Rockefeller Center and Ibe is shown to be a smoker.

* **Manga only**: Max's debut is shown after Eiji and Ibe first meet with Charlie.

* **Anime**: Ash's second meeting with Dino takes place before Eiji and Ibe head to the police station.
 **Manga**: The meeting takes place after they get to the station.

* **Manga only**: Eiji and Ibe are shown at a cafe and being given a quick rundown of what to expect of Ash and first meeting Skip.

* **Manga only**: A scene is shown of Arthur talking to his gang and Marvin before the bar fight.

* **Anime**: Shorter calls Ash to warn him about the fight.
 **Manga**: Shorter heads to the bar to warn Ash personally and participates in the bar fight.

## Trivia

* Episode 01, along with the following Episode 02 were previewed at a screening at the Shinjuku Wall 9 cinema in Tokyo on June 30th, 2018.

* Regular broadcasting of the anime began on July 6th, 2018.

* "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" is a short story by J. D. Salinger.