Aibou TV Season 7 Episode 10 - Noah's Arc~the Widespread Blackout on Christmas Eve is an Invitation to Murder!(ノアの方舟〜聖夜の大停電は殺人招待状！)

Subtitle: Noah's Arc~the Widespread Blackout on Christmas Eve is an Invitation to Murder!(ノアの方舟〜聖夜の大停電は殺人招待状！)

 A few days after a bomb explodes at Haneda Airport(羽田空港) destroying multiple containers, another bomb explodes, this time in an underground tunnel which severs one of the city's main power lines, causing a major power outage in the heart of Tokyo. Jackalope, an eco-terrorist group, sends statements claiming responsibility for the attacks. For some reason, the Keisatsuchō suppresses and seizes a key piece of evidence found near the second explosion, a wrist watch with a broken strap. Superintendent Supervisor Onoda summons Inspector Ukyō and tells him that the wrist watch most likely belonged to Kazuya, the new Minister of Justice Muneaki Seto's son. The superintendent supervisor then pairs the inspector up with Seiko Anekawa(姉川 聖子) from the justice department to determine whether Kazuya was involved in these terrorist attacks. Anekawa is confident that Kazuya is not a terrorist and plans to prove his innocence.

However, investigating various locations related to Kazuya including his home, the university, the bombing site, and the Hishikawa corporation where Kazuya had visited to apply for a grant, evidence seems to pile up indicating that Kazuya was involved, though nothing definitive is found. Then a bombshell statement drops: a reporter writes an article for his newspaper revealing that Kazuya's wristwatch was found at the second bombing site. Amid pressures for the prime minister to take responsibility for assigning a man whose son is likely a terrorist to Minister of Justice, Minister Seto decides to resign from his post. Anekawa is shocked and decides that their investigation was for naught, thanks Inspector Ukyō, and is about to leave when the inspector points out several pieces of evidence which show that Kazuya may have been framed.

Companies and Organizations

Jackalope - Name of the eco-terrorist group.

Hishikawa Kōporēshon(菱川コーポレーション), Hishikawa Sekiyu Kagaku(菱川石油化学) - Hishikawa Corporation or Hishikawa Petrochemicals, a company that manufactures petrochemicals such as plastic and nylon.

Mysterious Words Recovered from the Depression Marks Left on the Pamphlet Cover Recovered from Jackalope Headquarters

北新宿(Kita Shinjuku) WE 1900
OAB クモ(Kumo) 720

Whoever wrote the note writes the letter o starting from the bottom of the letter. Two people in the room Kumo wrote the letter o this way: Dr. Nezu and and prize winner Amano.

Locations

Minatoku(港区) - Special ward in Tokyo. One of the two districts that suffered a total blackout, It took 4 hours to restore power, and during that time, 7 burglaries and 3 convenience store robberies took place.

Chiyodaku(千代田区) - Special district in Tokyo. One of the two districts that suffered a total blackout.

Higashi Shibaura(東芝浦) - West Shibaura, district of Minato Ward in Tokyo, This is where the bomb that caused the blackout went off.

Konchinentaru Hoteru(コンチネンタルホテル) - Continental Hotel, hotel in Yokohama Anekawa had just checked the part invitation sent by this hotel when Inspector Ukyō called to tell her that he solved the mystery behind the recovered message.

Tōkyōkō Odaiba Rainā Futō(東京港お台場ライナー埠頭) - One of the two wharfs with the letter O.

Yokohamakō Ōsanbashi Futō(横浜港大桟橋埠頭)- One of the two wharfs with the letter O.

Royal Wing - Cruise ship that left Yokohamakō Ōsanbashi Futō(横浜港大桟橋埠頭) at 6 PM, Hishikawa Corporation (菱河コーポレーション) is sponsoring a charity with an ecological theme on this cruise ship. The leader of Jackalope and the person who hired the group meet on this vessel. The design pressed into the wax used to seal the invitation for this party matched the design pressed into the partial sealing wax found at the coin locker in Shinjuku Station.

Kumo(雲) - Name of the room on the fourth floor of Royal Wing. Originally, this room was not supposed to be in use for the party, but because the air conditioning system in anther room malfunctioned, Amano signed his contract with the Hishikawa Corporation in this room. Along with the ship staff and the musicians, the following people were in this room: Representative Kasamura, Deputy Director Nakata, Dr. Nezu, President Yamamoto, Business Director Endō, Reporter/Editor Nogami, and prize winner Amano.

Tōkyōwan(東京湾) - Tokyo Bay, The Royal Wing is sailing in the waters of Tokyo Bay. Someone using Kazuya's cellphone calls from on board Royal Wing claiming that he planted a bomb on the ship. Rumors flew around the passengers on board that someone saw the bomb. The staff tried to get the passengers to gather in the restaurant at the front of the ship as they tried to look for the bomb. A bomb then went off causing the lifeboats to float away.

Tōkyō Kōchisho(東京拘置所) - Tokyo Detention House. The perpetrator behind the second bombing incident is jailed here. After hearing that the perpetrator is refusing to eat anything, Inspector Ukyō, Anekawa, and Minister Seta all visit him here.

Characters appearing/mentioned in the story

Muneaki Seta(瀬田 宗明) - Former private attorney in Shikoku and current Minister of Justice. Recently, a group of people who suffered health problems when a private company illegally dumped waste into the surrounding areas sued and won a lawsuit against the government for neglecting them. Though some members in the government are furious at the loss and want to appeal to save the nation's reputation, Minister Seta is against appealing the decision because that would delay the payouts made to the victims. Minister Seta has a hard time standing firm on this issue because he is an outsider with few people who will support him in the government.

After the second bombing incident, evidence taken from the scene was sent to all the government departments including the justice department. The minister noticed a picture of his son's wristwatch among the evidence and confides in Superintendent Supervisor Onoda who immediately has the evidence seized. Minister Seta is worried that if rumors start that his son is a terrorist, the minister may be forced to step down and the government will appeal the illegal dumping case. Anekawa, who hears all this from the minister, offers to privately investigate the case. Though Anekawa is convinced that Kazuya is innocent, the minister asks Anekawa to tell him only the truth, good or bad.

Years ago in Shikoku, when Kōzō Nogami(野上 孝三) tried to sue Hishikawa Corporation, only Minister Seta, a lawyer at the time, was willing to take this case. But for some reason, he dropped the case and left the area.

At the end of the episode, he thanks Inspector Ukyo for saving his son and says that he is resigning from his position. He does so right after making sure that the government won't appeal so that he could hear the voices of the people up close.

Kazuya Seta(瀬田 和哉) -Minister Seta's 32 year old estranged son (for 10 years) who currently is an associate professor(准教授 jun kyōju) of global environmental studies(地球環境研究科 chikyū kankyō kenkyūka) at Teito University's graduate school, After graduating Teito University, he continued his studies at North California University and worked on environmental problems. While studying in California, he met a current member of the Jackalope terrorist group. He then became a researcher at the recently opened earth environmental studies laboratories at Teito University.

He has been actively working to improve Earth's environment including writing articles about the serious consequences of global warming. Recently, he was studying how the melting glaciers from global warming would reduce the available landmasses. He also applied to numerous grant projects to secure funds for his studies.

A week ago, he went on a vacation to do some field work after being called away by another person concerned about the environment. After the second terrorist incident, Minister Seta tried to contact Kazuya, but had been unable to do so.

As a result, Inspector Ukyō and Anekawa try to track down Kazuya's whereabouts. At Kazuya's apartment, they find evidence that he has not been in the apartment since a week ago on 12/21. His luggage was still in his apartment, and his computer's hard drive had been erased.

At his university office, Inspector Ukyō notices that Kazuya had received 20 kgs of nitrogen based fertilizer. Akira Nogami(野上 昶) also drops by while the pair are there. Nogami shows the a recent article written by Kazuya. In the article, he writes about the urgent situation some island countries are in because of the rising waters and calls for direct action.

The Sōichi later find records on his lab computer showing that it was used to look up information about the airport, electricity, and the subway system. They also find a document stating an incredible amount of electricity being saved if a subway train halts for five hours.

The inspector had noticed that Kazuya is lefthanded, though the wristwatch left behind at the second bombing site was broken on a steel rod protruding on the left side of the ladder rung.


Hidekazu Higuchi(樋口 秀和) - Jackalope member whom Kazuya met while Kazuya was studying at North California University.

Seiko Anekawa(姉川 聖子) - Inspector Ukyō's aibou for this episode. Eight years ago since she started working for the ministry of justice. Currently, she is the aide to the Secretariat at the Ministry of Justice.

Anekawa was in charge of leading the defense against the people who brought charges of neglect against the government for the illegal dumping case. She had a hard time fighting against the people who had unjustly suffered. She considered leaving the ministry when Muneaki Seta was chosen to become the next Minister of Justice. In spite of heavy opposition, the new minister declared that they won't appeal the decision, and this convinced Anekawa to stay at her current job.

She has earned Minister Seta's trust, and when Kazuya's potential ties to Jackalope come to light, she offers to investigate the matter. She works with Inspector Ukyō to show that Kazuya was not involved in the bombing incident.

They later discover a piece of sealing wax behind a coin locker located near the west exit of Shinjuku Station. They guess that the Jackalope leader and whoever hired the group must have used the coin locker to communicate. Since sealing wax is rarely used nowadays, they suspect that it probably contained a party invitation, a party where they could blending in with the other guests as they meet in public. They eventually realize that the meeting is taking place on the cruise ship Royal Wing and separately make their way to the cruise vessel. Because she doesn't have an invitation, she makes up a story that she also is a researcher at the same university as Kazuya and is interested in the company's grant to convince President Yamamoto to let her stay for the party.

When boarding the ship, Nogami tells her that Kazuya won the Eco Fellows grant from the Department of Environment  on his own. This is odd because Kazuya received a fax notifying that he got the grant after he started his vacation while he was out, so even Kazuya himself should not have known this fact.

Near the end of this case, she stops the perpetrator from committing suicide by detonating a bomb strapped to his body. Afterwards, she decides to stay in the ministry even though Minister Seta resigned from his position.

Akira Nogami(野上 昶) - Freelance writer and magazine editor. He drops by Kazuya's lab while Inspector Ukyō and Anekawa are visiting. He wanted to tell Kazuya that he published an article using information Kazuya gave him. The article was about global warming and how melting glaciers, raised the ocean's water levels and sinking some inhabited islands.

He attends the charity party on the cruise ship Royal Wing sponsored by Hishikawa Corporation and mentions to Anekawa that Kazuya recently won a grant from the Ministry of Environment.

He lost his family in shikoku in 1978 after Hishikawa Corporation built a factory there. The company employed the poor villagers in the area, bringing more money to them. However, the happiness was short-lived as his mother died shortly afterwards from anaplastic thyroid cancer. Then some other people in the neighborhood succumbed to the same cancer. His father tried to start a lawsuit against Hishikawa Corporation but failed and passed away from the same cancer. Finally, his sister who had not shown symptoms for years, fell ill to the same thyroid cancer and died half year ago.

Hideo Nezu(根津 秀雄) - Part time lecturer at Teito University who greeted Inspector Ukyo and Anekawa at Teito University.

He attends the party on the cruise ship Royal Wing sponsored by Hishikawa Corporation.

Takenaka(竹中) - the student/assistant who got the key to Kazuya Seta(瀬田 和哉)'s laboratory

Heizō Yamamoto(山本 平蔵) - President of Hishikawa Corporation (菱河コーポレーション). He tells Inspector Ukyō and Anegawa that Kazuya came to the company to ask for money from the Hishikawa Support Fund(菱河サポートファンド Hishikawa Sapōto Fando), but he didn't stand out in particular among other applicants.

He explains that the police was there earlier to take statements about a break-in that happened during the blackout. Though nothing was stolen, the place was ransacked, and they're worried that the intruder may have copied the company's sensitive data. Since the company was also the target of the first bombing incident (though they were one of the three companies whose containers were affected), they're worried that the Jackalope group is targeting Hishikawa Corporation.

He allows Anekawa on board the ship without an invitation and later explains that the ship Royal Wing was actually a honeymoon cruise vessel fifty years ago, refurbished to take a more modern look. He explains that he asked Deputy Director Nakata to attend the party because the deputy director helped the company obtain the grant to build the prototype biomass gasifier.

The president pulled Endō from the Shikoku to his current position as the business director.

Muroto Endō(遠藤 室人) - Environmental Solutions Business Director(環境事業推進部長) for Hishikawa Corporation. He used to be a Hishikawa factory director in Shikoku,

Questioned by the inspector, he claims that he's never been on the ship before and haven't gone outside room Kumo onto the deck. After further questioning, he reveals that the grant money he received to build the prototype biomass gasifier was instead used to cover the cost of his project which had lost money. He claims that he is not the person who invited Dr. Nezu to the party however.

While he was a factory director in Shikoku, he prevented the townspeople from unifying and suing the company by secretly handing the villagers money, but paying them different amounts so that they will bicker among themselves.

Yukiko Kasamura(笠村 由起子) - First year representative whose platforms include protecting the environment. She attends the Hishikawa Corporation's charity party gave an introductory speech at the charity event on board the Royal Wing. Inspector Ukyo thinks it odd that a first year representative would attend a charity event held by a large corporation such as Hishikawa. Later, she goes out on to the deck adjacent to the Kumo room to get fresh air and discovers the body of the Jackalope leader.

She claims that the only thing she did was introduce names.

Ichirō Nakata(中田 一郎) - Deputy Director(課長補佐 kachō hosa) of Global Environment Bureau(地球環境局 Chikyū kankyō-kyoku) from the Ministry of the Environment(環境省 Kankyōshō). He donated funds to the Hishikawa Corporation's charity. Anegawa though it odd that the deputy director would be present at this charity event: in the justice department, the deputy director rarely attended similar events.

When questioned if he received any kickbacks from the grant money awarded to the Hishikawa Corporation in exchange for including the natural disaster/terrorism clause, he claims that he gave the grant after Representative Kasamura asked for his help.

Katsuhisa Amano(天野 克久) - He made an innovative way to reuse plastic and is recognized at the Hishikawa Corporation's charity event. He was also one of the people in the room Kumo and one of the two people who write the letter o from the bottom of the letter.

Thrown into the chaos after the bomb goes off on the Royal Wing, he laments why he had to go through all this just after making money on his idea.

Fujio Atō(阿藤 富士夫) - Captain of the ship Royal Wing.

Kōzō Nogami(野上 孝三) - Akira's father. He blamed himself for starting the lawsuit and splitting the townspeople as a result shortly before succumbing to anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Isobe(磯部) - Undersecretary(事務次官 jimu jikan), He visits Minister Seta in his office and tells the minster that the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(国交大臣 kokkō daijin) wants to talk to him about the minister's reluctance appeal the case.

Kōken Onoda(小野田 公顕) - Minister Seta meets Superintendent Supervisor Onoda in private to explain that the wristwatch found at the second bombing site was very rare model and matched the model of the watch he gave to his son Kazuya years ago. To clear up the matter, the superintendent supervisor asks Inspector Ukyō to work with Seiko Anekawa(姉川 聖子) to find Kazuya.

The superintendent supervisor first met Minister Seta when Seta was a lawyer working to clear the name of someone wrongly convicted of a crime.

At the end of the episode, the superintendent supervisor thanks Inspector Ukyō for solving the case and safely finding Kazuya. He also asks if the inspector would like to go eat fugu, but the inspector declines.

Haruki Ōkōchi(大河内 春樹) - General Inspector Ōkōchi interrupts a meeting at the Keishichō investigation headquarters to explain his interpretation of the mysterious message recovered from the Jackalope's headquarters. He convinces the police force at Keishichō that a train arriving at Shinjuku Station on 12/31 at 7:00 PM will be targeted with a bomb. Superintendent Uchimura starts a massive operation to locate the bomb and the bomber at the Shinjuku Station.

Trivia

Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" plays at the end of the episode.