Episode 1

## Leather Jacket is Slippery

* Title
* Episode

**Leather Jacket is Slippery** (革ジャンは滑りやすい, *Kawajan wa Suberi Yasui*?) is the first episode of *The Marginal Service* anime series.

## Synopsis

Brian Nightraider was fired from his job as a detective because he was responsible for a case.

He receives a letter. "United Nations, Immigration Bureau Special Task Force... Marginal Service?"

He goes to the address written on the envelope and finds an eerie occult store decorated with a suspicious sign, a marmot, and a bronze statue of a kappa.

## Summary

Year 202X, Shibujuku, Japan. Brian is chasing a drug dealer with his partner Danny. Initially, they end up loosing him, but the man shoots and injures Danny, and Brian proceeds to chase him alone. He follows him to a rooftop, where the man jumps and miraculously survives and falls into another building. Brian ends up following him and jumps after him. He ruins his jacket, but manages to arrest the drug dealer. However, he then gets kicked. As he points his gun at the drug dealer, he sees him pointing his gun at his head and begging someone to not do it, promising he isn't going to tell anyone about them. Brian is confused, but a moment later, the drug dealer seemingly shoots himself and dies.

The death of the drug dealer is classified as suicide, stating that he probably didn't want to be arrested. Brian argues with his Chief as he doesn't believe it was a suicide and explains that he seemed like he was being forced to point his gun at his head. Brian is ready to risk his life and conduct an illegal investigation to prove it, but his Chief then tells him that Danny had died. He was turning a blind eye to Brian's reckless investigations, but he cannot let someone who let his partner die continue to wear a badge. He tells Brian to leave his gun and badge. Brian gets angry that they are wasting Danny's life and attacks the Chief, but he calls other officers to help him.

Brian spends the next few days drinking. He receives a letter from United Nations, Immigration Bureau Task Force, Marginal Service, but doesn't bother to read it and throws it into the bin. However, he ends up taking it out the next day and going to the provided address. He enters a building with a Wunder Hammer logo, but is surprised to find its like a mini museum exhibiting various items from different cultures. The letter was offering him a job at their organization, but now he feels like a fool for believing it and prepares to leave. However, in that moment a man tells him that he was waiting for him.

Welcoming him inside and offering him a tea, Theodore explains that they were established a month ago, initiated by the government and are still in a trial phase. Theodore mentions that Brian had to write a lot of apology letters at his former job as he did reckless things, but he asked for him because of his high record of arrests. Brian wonders what he will be investigation and Theodore tells him its borderlanders. He explains its a term for unidentified mysterious creatures that coexist with them in the society. Its not a public knowledge, but those creatures have the same rights as the regular citizens. Brian doesn't believe him and decides to leave. Theodore tells Brian that he will be working on cases like the attempted assassination of the Minister and the bombing of the Immigration Bureau. Brian states he didn't accept the job, but Theodore continues to speak, telling him that the other investigators are down stairs and he will introduce him to them. He then activates a button, revealing that the room is an elevator and they head down.

Reaching the bottom floor, Theodore welcomes him to the Marginal Service and introduces him to the other investigators. Brian asks them if they are all human, and Theodore confirms. Theodore then prepares to introduce themselves, but Brian wishes to leave. However, he then faces Zeno at the door, who wonders who is Brian. Theodore states Brian is the new recruit he told him about, but he isn't interested in joining them. Zeno tells Brian to move from his way, but Brian refuses, telling him to move. Zeno states he won't be repeating himself and Brian grabs him by the shirt, wondering if he doesn't know how to communicate. Zeno then grabs his hand and throws him at the table. Zeno shows the team a drug he obtained from the law enforcement agency and explains its a new drug that recently started going around, called Confu. He is still investigating it, but one component is a legendary magic mushroom that was used in Aztec rituals and only grown in a certain area. He believes its very likely that the Borderlander terrorist organization is involved. The team guesses that they are selling the drug to make money and arm themselves. Brian want them to explain a bit more, but Zeno tells him this doesn't concern him as he doesn't' want to join them. However Brian states its concerning him now, since his partner was killed in a case related to a drug.

Brian decides to go with Zeno, and asks him why the borderlander's are acting like terrorists and what is their goal, but Zeno states its their job to find out and to shut up for a bit. Brian wonders if Zeno always has such attitude and mentions that his father was like Zeno, and he was only interested in himself and looked down on everyone else. Zeno tells him that if he has problems with his father to take it to him, but Brian explains that his father disappeared when he was five, which is why he became a detective, so that he can find him and punch him in the face.

They go to a club and Brian buys them drinks. He states that if they are investigating something, it will look suspicious if they don't drink. Zeno agrees, but takes out an non-alcoholic beer, stating he didn't need to buy him a drink. They see a drug sell, and Brian wants to go and investigate it, but Zeno takes a picture. He explains that borderlanders look like humans and its hard to tell them apart, which is why they run checks on them. He sends the picture to Lyra, who runs a check and confirms that the person is human. Zeno then tells Brian that humans are not part of their investigation and they will make a move only if its a borderlander.

Brian then sees his former boss, Genzo Sakaki, who is also dealing with drugs. Zeno takes a picture of him and states that while he looks like normal law-abiding citizen, he is a borderlander. Brian is surprised, but wonders if why is he dealing with drugs. Zeno explains that borderlanders have unique religious views and thought processes, and are hard to understand. Zeno wants to let Genzo for a while and follow him to locate their organization, however Brian had went to Genzo and pointes his gun. Genzo is surprised to see Brian, and wonders what is he doing there. Brian then states he is job hunting. Genzo states he is continuing to cause trouble even after getting fired. Genzo then takes out a knife and attacks Brian, however Brian shoots him. The bullet comes out and Genzo states it hurt. He compliments Brian for his good aim and notes that if he had better conduct, he could have become a lieutenant. Zeno states that borderlander cells have extremely high regenerative capacity and are hard to kill. Brian tells him he should have said that earlier and shoots as Genzo again, however Genzo jumps and gets on the ceiling, where he becomes invisible. He attacks Brian and throws him outside, through the window.

Outside, Brian hears Genzo running around him, but can't see him. Genzo the grabs him by the neck and asks him if he prefers his neck being snapped or getting his head torn off. Zeno then shows up in his car, and hits Genzo with it, getting him stuck on the hood of the car and then drives him to a construction site. He then takes a metal pipe and beats Genzo with it. Brian sees him and believes that Zeno lost it. However, Genzo is fine and transforms into his true form. Brian tries fighting him, but Genzo easily overpowers him. In that moment the rest of the team arrives. Lyra gives a weapon to Brian, who believes its just a construction tool, but Zeno explains its a special weapon for use against borderlanders. The team then opens fire on Genzo following Zeno's order. Seeing them shooting at him, Brian also joins them and starts shooting. Theodore is keeping people away, telling them that a wild boar was spotted and they are dealing with him. As Zeno finishes off Genzo, he states that they are Marginal Service and their job is to conceal the Borderlanders existence, while also crack down their violent crimes.

## Gallery

### Episode 1 Official Trailer

オリジナルTVアニメ「THE MARGINAL SERVICE」～第1話「革ジャンは滑りやすい」Web予告～

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Brian Nightraider
* Danny Grab
* Genzo Sakaki
* Theodore Tompson
* Peck Desmont
* Bolts Dexter
* Cyrus N. Kuga
* Robin Timbert
* Lyra Candeyheart
* Zeno Stokes