Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens (2018)
Although the city of Fukuoka might look relatively peaceful at first glance, in actuality it houses a thriving mixture of dangerous individuals such as killers, detectives, and professional revenge seekers right beneath its surface. Among their number is Zenji Banba, a laidback and observant detective who is investigating the work of other hitmen companies in the area. However, Banba might not be the only one with a bone to pick with these organizations, as Xianming Ling, a crossdressing male hitman in the employ of one such company begins getting fed up with his lack of jobs and pay. One day, after Ling's current target commits suicide before the hitman could reach him, his company refuses to pay him even half the amount they were originally supposed to for the assassination. Frustrated, Ling requests another mission and is offered the job of taking out Banba, whom his organization believes has been interfering with their business. However, when Banba arrives at his home and finds the hitman inside, Ling surprisingly doesn't even attempt to kill him. Instead, he offers the detective another option: to join him and form a team. With the offer on the table, exactly how will Banba respond, and just what plans does Ling have in store for the underground world of Fukuoka?
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Episode 1 - Play Ball
Release Date: 2018-01-12Saito is a rookie at a contract killing company, has been demoted to a post in Hakata, a highly competitive market for hitmen. Banba, a private investigator, is asked to look into a detective's apparent suicide. The detective has left behind a photo of the current mayor of Hakata, the subject of many a dark rumor. Meanwhile, Hayashi, a cross-dressing hitman in the employ of a criminal organization, is in Zhang's face demanding more money. His employer shows him a business card as a potential target, but...
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Episode 2 - Irregular
Release Date: 2018-01-19Hayashi had seemingly snuck into Banba's office to kill him, but Hayashi intends to protect Banba from hitmen in order to get back at his employer, Zhang. Meanwhile, Saito narrowly avoids being tortured and killed due to a case of mistaken identity by Jirou and Misaki. Celebrating his good fortune with a night of revelry out in town, Saito awakens from a drunken stupor in a hotel room to find the body of a woman he's never seen before lying next to him.
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Episode 3 - Teamwork
Release Date: 2018-01-26Saito has been blamed for a murder he did not commit and hires Jiro to get revenge on the real murderer. Meanwhile, Lin learns that his sister who he left in his hometown was killed in Hakata and confronts the killer’s employer Zhang. Blinded by rage, Lin is taken by surprise by one of Zhang’s assassins and seriously wounded. Banba the detective arrives to help Lin and pledges to help find his sister’s killer.
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Episode 4 - Ninth Inning, Two Outs
Release Date: 2018-02-02Working with Enokida the information broker, Lin establishes that his sister’s killer is the Mayor’s son Yusuke. Having obtained information about the next human trafficking deal, Banba and Lin form a plan. Lin will pretend to be merchandise and attempt to reach the killer. But the enemy learned of their plan. Lin’s last ray of hope Banba is brutally killed by someone known as the killer of killers. Lin now finds himself in a difficult predicament.
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Episode 5 - Tryouts
Release Date: 2018-02-09The Yamagasa Festival, one of the three biggest festivals of Hakata, is in full swing. Banba, born and raised in Hakata, is taking time off work to celebrate. The ace assassin of a contract killer agency Saruwatari has developed a distaste for work he does not find challenging. He decides to quit and move Hakata where there is more competition. As soon as he arrives, Saruwatari’s partner from high school Nitta calls out to him. Nitta works as an assassination consultant and wants to utilize Saruwatari’s skills, but...
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Episode 6 - Pinch Hitter
Release Date: 2018-02-16Saruwatari craves a strong opponent and someone proposes going after the best assassin in Fukuoka, the Niwaka Samurai. Immediately after, the phone rings Banba’s agency, but because he is at the Yamagasa Festival, Lin pretends to be the Niwaka Samurai and goes to kill Saruwatari. Forced to use weapons he isn’t used to fighting with, Lin quickly gets into trouble. Meanwhile, Banba has just gotten wind that Lin took a job while claiming to be the Niwaka Samurai.
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Episode 7 - Leadoff Hitter
Release Date: 2018-02-23Information is the second most important thing to money. A cyberterrorist cell wants to find a hacker who has uncovered some sensitive details. Meanwhile, Banba Private Investigations receives a request to find a person. They receive a photograph of a boy with an odd haircut who disappeared eight years ago. Thinking he looks familiar, Banba and Lin turn to each other just as Enokida the information broker walks in.
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Episode 8 - Trick Play
Release Date: 2018-03-02Targeted by a “hacker hunter,” Enokida is forced to run from place to place in Hakata. Assassins after the bounty on his head are steadily closing in, and Enokida has been cut off from using computers, his only weapon. He’s fallen into a desperate situation. Meanwhile, Banba receives a message from Enokida. It’s a desperate counter to the cyberterrorist cell which came to Banba and Lin.
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Episode 9 - Hit and Run
Release Date: 2018-03-09After a life of cruel wandering, Lin has found a place to be. The good-natured Banba has invited him to join his team of private investigators as well as his baseball team, the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens. Lin is slowly learning to feel comfortable, but still has a lingering feeling that it won’t last. He remembers his harsh past. He was being raised as an assassin, and the first partner he met was...
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Episode 10 - Shortstop
Release Date: 2018-03-16Banba and Lin have decided to clean out the Kakyu Association executives from Fukuoka. Meanwhile, Nitta is negotes with an organization vying to gain a foothold in Japan. It’s an opportunity for Saruwatari to become their exclusive assassin. As a condition of the agreement, Nitta is asked to eliminate Kakyu Association executives… With their executives being killed, the Kakyu Association brings in a capable assassin from the mainland. That assassin, calling himself Fei-Lan asks only for the association to find someone as his compensation.
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Episode 11 - Brawl
Release Date: 2018-03-23Employed by the Kakyu Association, Fei-Lan begins to seek revenge on assassins. His first target, Saruwatari can holds his own in a fair fight, but is taken by surprise. Meanwhile, Lin has run away from Banba and is hiding in Enokida’s internet cafe. There, Lin hears about the murders of two men both named “Hayashi Noriaki.” The men wrote their name the same way as Lin, both lived in Fukuoka and were killed one after the other. Realizing that the murders are a message for him, Lin goes to confront Fei-Lan and his past.
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Episode 12 - Walk-Off Home Run
Release Date: 2018-03-30Confronting his past, Lin goes to see Fei-Lan, but fails to convince him to stop. Fei-Lan attacks Lin, but unsure if he wants to fight back, Lin becomes cornered. Banba arrives to help, but they are both unfortunately captured. Locked in a cage, Fei-Lan orders them to fight to the death and the winner will go free. Facing the same choice from his past, Lin must choose between killing and being killed.